Southern Christian advocate. (Macon, Ga.) 18??-18??, July 15, 1870, Image 1

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THREE DOLLARS PER AJMHJM. VOL. XXXIII. NO. 28. Bible Work. We copy from tbe r>ltli Annual Report of the American Bible Society, the following summary of the work done by Agents within the States in which the Advocate is the organ of the M. E. Church, South.— Editor. Florida and Southern Georgia. —This extensive field has been cultivated under the direction of Rev. R. H. Lnckey, of Thomas ville, Ga. His report, which we print in full, leaves little to be said in reference to the field, save that we must call attention to the chauge made in September last, when, for reasons growing out of the great extent and pressing needs of the work, the larger part of Geor gia was surrendered to another Agent. The «mnties in Florida, west of the Apalachicola iver, are attached to Alabama. Mr. Luckcy’s diligence in the service will appeal- from the following statement of his personal labours. He has travelled ou offi cial duty 7,508 miles ; visited fifty-six Bible societies ; organized ton and revived five ; also attended sixteen anniversaries ; deliv ered seventy-five Bible sermons and address es *, and issued 324 letters. Mr. Luckey writes i The Ist of April last my district embraced all the State of Georgia, with Middle, East, and South Florida. Rev. W. A. Parka was assistant agent in Northern Georgia from Ist of March to Ist of September, 1809. The Ist of September lie was appointed Agent for Georgia, north or Savannah and Columbus, leaving in my district all of Georgia south of a line from Savannah to Columbus, together with Middle, Eastern, and Southern Florida. Bofore the division my field contained moro than 100,000 square miles. It now includes a territory extending east and west 300 miles, north nnd south 500 miles, but so irregular in shape that it does not embraco more than 00,000 or 70,000 squareJiUes. A largo part of this country is thinly ebttJfld, Mr. Parks while assisting me worked very diligently find very efficiently. His work in the mountains of Georgia was very laborious. The past year should call forth our grati tude to God. The crop, with the exception of that in Eastern and Southern Florida, where tlio caterpillars cut off the cotton crop, has been a good ono, and the great Southern staple has commanded a fair price. The whole country has been unusually healthy. The church in many places has been refreshed and revived. Yet we have not been as active and liberal in the Bible work as we should have been. A few of the auxiliaries liavo fully supplied their fields with the Scriptures. Many others have supplied theirs in part. Recently a number of auxiliaries have been making arrange ments for canvassing and supplying their fields. The auxiliaries have failed to furnish me the statistics for my report. Seven colporteurs have been engaged in the work of distribution part of the time. A number of auxiliaries now liave ample means to supply their fields, but find it very difficult to employ distributors. In this country the work of a colporteur is very la borious and expensive. A colporteur must have a horse and wagon. But few of those who can be employed are able to furnish these. A large number of families, day schools, and Sunday-schools among the freedmou have been supplied. Rev. J. W. Mills, sent out by the Ran dolph County (Ga.) Bible Society, iu three weeks sold to the freedmen fifty dollars’ worth of Bibles, aud gave to all the destitute lie found who were unable or unwilling to buy. Ho preached for them at night during ■'week days. Many of them waiked five or six miles to attend these night appoint ments. The Sunday-schools nmoiig the whites in 1111 the better settled portions ul the country have been fully supplied. Still there are many of the whites end perhaps oue half of the colored people unsupplied. There is still nearly one-half of the terri tory (not of tlio population) in my district, which has had but little done toward sup plying the entire destitution. Bible com mittees have been appointed in many of the poor counties, but most of them have been rather inefficient. From the foregoing review, it will bo seen that Mr. Luckey is intrusted with weighty responsibilities, "to which he is faithfully de voting himself, commanding our sympathies and prayers for his enlarged success. The receipts from Florida were $84:5 04. Books sent, 1,809 volumes. The corresponding items for Southern Georgia are necessarily included in tho re turns for the whole State, given hereafter. Ueobuia. — This field, under the care of the Rev. William A. Parks, of Newuan, comprises all that portion of tho State north of n line running from Savannah to Col umbus. Mr. Barks was assigned to this district on the Ist of September last, ouly seven months ago ; but anterior to that period, aud for about six months, he was laboring in a por tion of the same field as assistant to Mr. Luckey. The whole length of the servioe rendered by Mr. Parks has, therefore, been a fraction over a year. His personal labors for the year embrace the following: Number of Bible societies visited, seventy ; organized, thirty-one ; re vived, thirty-three ; anniversaries attended, twenty-eight ; Bible sermons and addresses delivered, 122; letters sent, 975 ; docu ments, 1,075 ; and number of miles travel led, 10,070. The statement appended from Mr. Parks himself will give a correct view of the diffi culties of tho work, the results thus far achieved, and the prospects for the future. He has been in the field scarcely long enough to make his influence as widely and deeply felt as it will soou be. His earliest labors, diligently continued, will secure results, as rye trust, full of encouragement to our friends in tho State and to tbe Society at large. Mr. Parks says: But little more than a year ago I entered upon the agency in Georgia, as an assistant, and on the Ist of September, 1869, as Agent for Georgia, the field including eighty-four countios. On undertaking the work I found nineteen organized societies, five of whicli were in active operation. We now have sixty-two auxiliary societies organized, ten of which are now societies, and thirty-three are old societies revived, which had beeu extinct since the beginning of the war. There are also twenty branch societies aud Bible com mittees. Griffin and Bartow County Societies have explored and wholly supplied their fields; as also the Augusta Bible Society, which is not auxiliary. The following auxiliaries have in part can vassed and supplied their fields: Atlanta, Marietta, Dalton, Rome, Griffin, and Henry, Greene, Gordon, Warren, Elbert, Taliaferro, Troup, Carroll, Coweta, and Harris Conn ties. We cannot furnish the statistics from these societies, as all the canvassing has been done since their last annual meetings ; but they will be included in my next annual report. Besides the many destitute persons and families supplied by the societies which have been canvassing, the other societies, all of which have books in the depositories, havo supplied many destitute, aud also many Sab bath-schools. There are yet twenty-one counties which have no organized societies. Some of them are urging a visit from the Agent, that they may be organized and supplied with the Holy Scriptures. The destitution in Georgia is doubtless greater at this time in proportion to the population than ever before. lam urging upon all the societies the importance of can vassing their fields, that the destitute poor may be supplied with the word of life. Many of the auxiliaries, however, are too weak to do anything in the way of canvass ing without aid from the Parent Society. All the county agents aro required to collect funds to help sustain themselves. At many points the people are very liberal in propor tion to their ability, and sometimes poor orphan children throw in their mite. The want of money is the only hindrance to the Bible cause in Georgia. When we have supplied the destitution in our own State, we hope to be able to do something for the Cause generally. Almost without exception, all the evan gelical denominations unite in the Bible cause and co-operate with the American Bible Society. lam ofttimes greatly cheered in the work by expressions of sympathy and fxttittern flrisiian encouragement, given iu person and by letter. This southern country is under many ob ligations to the American Bjble Society for its liberality-. -P Upon the whole, I consider the Bible work in Georgia encouraging, aud the futuro brightening. The receipts from Georgia, including the southern' district, were §7,065 58, showing a large increase over the last year. The num ber of volumes sent to the State was 21,610. South Carolina. —The Rev. E. A. Bolles, of Columbia, superintends the operations of your Society iu this State. The hopeful tone of his report will lie noted with interest. He says: Service Performed. —During the past year, I visited for official purposes forty-five aux iliaries, including branches and committees; attended twelve anniversaries; organized and revived six auxiliaries nnd committees; delivered 100 sermons and addresses ; dis patched 583 official letters and documents; aud travelled 4,000 miles. Discouragements. —lt is deeply to be regret ted that by the continued political agitation ip this State, together with the heavy taxa tion, of which the people complain as hard to be home, the Bible cause has been greatly hindered. The liesuppiy.— None of tho auxiliaries have reported their fields supplied during tho post year. While none of tho county organizations have been able to comply fully with the Jubilee plan, for the want of funds to employ colporteurs, some of the small societies within county limits have explored and supplied their fields, aud these were already reported. Those who have partially supplied tneir fields, during tho past and arevious years, may bo enumerated as fol uwa: Oconee, Pickens, Greenville, Ander son, Abbeville, Spartanburg, Reidville, Limestone Springs, Laurens, Beaufort, Col umbia, Cheraw, Chesterfield, Chester, Rocky Creek, Union of Fairfield and Richland, Fairfield, Ridgeway, York, Lancaster, Hor ry, Marion, Georgetown, Darlington, Salem, and Sumter. Os 5,730 families visited, 1,618 were destitute and supplied ; children and other destitute persons supplied in addition, 770; Sabbath-schools supplied, 177. This includes reports from several Biblo com mittees and individuals. While we have excellent auxiliaries at other central points in this State doing a good work, it may be well to notice some very encouraging facts gathered from the report of tho Columbia Bible Society. In some departments of its work, a very grati fying advance was shown iu the fifty-fourth aunual report, presented at its anniversary, April 3, 1870. It says: ‘ ‘Since the war it has been a distributor mostly, though not entire ly, of the bounty of others. The tide is at this moment on the turn, and we may here after contribute more than we receive. Dur ing the last year, our income from individual donations and the sale of books has been §316 68, which lias been paid over, except a trilling balance, to the American Bible So ciety, and is about §79 76 above our receipts last year. We have obtained from tho So ciety nt New York the donation of 900 vol umes, the value of which is §272 03 ; so that we liavo raised §44 65 more than their cost. We have distributed, by students of the Presbyterian Theological Seminary and oth ers, in Columbia and vicinity, and iu the counties of Newberry, Lexington, aud Orangeburg, 531 volumes; besides others sold at the depository, which would add another hundred to the amount. What has the American Bible Society, to which weave now auxiliary, been doing for us '■ The whole num ber of volumes donated to this society since the war is 4,281, tho value, at the Society’s prices, $1,752 81. The whole number sent into South Carolina during the same period is 64,489 volumes, valued at $24,052 13. During the year eliding March 29, 1870,. 7,1135 volumes have been given to the socie ties in our State, their value beiug $2,137 85. The contributions returned have amounted, we are happy to know, to $2,054 71, which is $5lO 80 beyond the cost, so that the tide here, too, is beginning to turn. ” The Freedmen. —The destitution among this largo population being great, tho aux iliaries and other benevolent institutions have not beeu unmindful of them in the dis tribution of the Holy Scriptures as fast as they have learned to read. In the public schools for the education of colored children in different counties, so far as known, they havo had free access to the word of God. Some colored ministers have rendered good service in the distribution and sale of the Scriptures among their peoplo. Many years must elapse before every individual of this large and growing population is prepared to receive God’s word. The. Ertenl of Territory to be Explored vnd Supplied. —This territory embraces portions of the mountain region in the northwest (mostly whites), aud these are being sup plied. Among the counties on the seacoast in tho southeast, including somo of the islands, there is a large population of freed rnen who are only partially supplied with the word of God, as all have not learned to read. Bible Golportage. —For the want of a regu lar system of colportage, which is much needed on this field, this work was done by voluntary helpers. Several auxiliaries have resolved to employ colporteurs to explore and supply their fields, hoping to be sus tained by contributions from the churches. In this way one auxiliary expects to pay the salary of a colporteur, SSO per mouth, for a few months, and another at the rate of S4OO per annum. The Bible in the Public Schools. —At the first, meeting of the State board of education of South Carolina, held in Columbia, March, 1870, composed of the school commissioners of tlio different counties of the State, the following resolution was unanimously adop ted and presented to the Agent of tho Ameri can Bible Society for South Carolina: “Resolved, That the school commissioners of the different counties iu the State be re quested to require, as far as practicable, the reading of the Holy Scriptures, without note or comment, at least once a day in each of the public schools under their charge.” Ecclesiastical Bodies. —During tbe past year, at their annual meetings, the South Carolina Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and tho Evangelical Luthe ran Synod of this State, unanimously ad opted resolutions recommending the Ameri can Bible Society to the patronage of all their churches. Receipts from South Carolina, $2,655 43. Books sent, 9,020 volumes. The Money-Test of Piety. It may sound ungracious to some ears, but it is none the less true, that the money test is the best criterion of a man’s religion. Sometimes, indeed, we may find a man who is willing to contribute liberally to a cause for which he is unwilling to make any other sacrifice. We sometimes —perhaps frequent ly—find men who seem to think that if they will only pay handsomely into the treasury of the church, they need not trouble them selves about living according to her require ments. But while we concede that there are cases like these, wc still contend for the general rule, that the best payers are the best Christians. Os course, there are in every church very good members whose means are limited, and of whom much could not bo expected. But if they be earnest and zealous, they will prove it by their lib erality, even though they be poor. For it is the manner, rather than the amount, which indicates the spirit. Every one who has any experience in business, knows that there are men who pay largely, who do not deserve to be called good paymasters. They pay only when they cannot help it, and then with such a show of reluctance that it is evident they had much rather not do so. So, there are men who contribute to the church largely who are not to be classified as liberal givers. They show too plainly that other motives than the cause of Christ urge them to yield of their substance. Sometimes the officers who have it in charge to make collections, have to operate on the baser feelings of their nature in order to get from them the amounts which their means warrant them to give. Now a man who has a genuine zeal for the welfare and properity of his church, will need no stimulating to induce him to give pecuniary aid towards building her up. If the Lord has blessed him with abun dance, he is willing of that abundance to give largely, and instead of seeking to avoid cftiig on his purse, he is ever looking out to see where money may be profitably invested for the Master’s service. If he be poor, there is still no lagging. The mite that he is able to contribute, is paid in with prompt ness aud with pleasure. He does not wait to be asked, nor expose deacons to the un pleasant duty of asking for his quota time and again. He knows that such delinquency would make them feel a3 unpleasantly as it would him, aud though pride is not his ruling motive, he does have too much pride to wait to be pushed into doing his duty. The man who gives to his church as large ly as his means will allow, will, as a general thing, enjoy his church privileges. He will feel that it is his church; that he has an inter est in all that she has and is. He will not be pulled half-reluctantly iuto her enter prises, nor feel like a stranger when he en ters within he walls. His pastor and his brethren will all be tho dearer to him when he feels that he and they are all engaged in one common work, and that he has aided its furtherance as far as his ability will al low.—lndex and Baptist. A Missionary Speeeii. At the late Missionary Anniversary of tho Primitive Methodist Church in Exeter Hall, London, Rev. P. Pugh, President of tho Conference, made the following speech : * Seven years ago I stood here before, and addraesay you for an hour—(laughter)—but I shfdlhot do that to-night, I promise you. Seven years ago we had a holy determina tion to Convert the world, and our determin ation is not abated one jot yet. “A sower,” saitli the Master, “went forth to sow, nnd some of the seed fell by the way-side, and the fowls «f heaven picked it up and de voured it j other seeds fell oil stony places, and th«K was not much depth of earth, and when tjßfmn rose that sun scorched tho seed fell among thorns, and tho thorns?sprang up and choked what fell there; others fell on good ground and brought forth fruit thirty, sixty, and a hun dred fold.” Our Baviour has given us the key to the parable, “The field is the w orld.” O, Mr. Chairman, that is the sphere of our operations. (Applause.) Nothing less than the world ! We are to be circumscribed by nothing but nature herself : “Go ye unto all the world, visit every hamlet, every city, every country, every nation, every continent, every island, every zone, nnd preach my Gospel throughout the world.’ That is the sphere of our operations. There is much of this land, Mr. Chairman, that remains to be cultivated. What an appalling picture is that sketch ed l)y the last speaker about our own coun try. The Chinese empire aloue contains, according to official report, not less than 400,000,000 of human beings. 400,000,000 of human beings ! Can you conceive the vast idea? 400,000,000 of human lieings, the whole of whom are idolaters ! If to this be added tho Buddhio tribes of Japan, tho Hindoo, Chinese States, and Hindostan, we shall have about 550,000,000 peoplo profess ing the Buddhio fuitli udder its various modifications. The Brahminieal Hindoos may he set down at 120,000,000, and the heathen of'all other States at about 40,000,- 000 ; aud we have then about 700,000,000 of heathens who, being without God, are with out hope in the world. Tho Mohammedans, Magions, and Jews may be set down at 140,000,000, and then we have left for Christendom about 300,000,000 ; but over a large part of these there is darkness brood ing, approaching the utter night, of heath enism. Wo have thus left for tho pale of Evangelical Protestantism about 80,000,000 of souls. Is the land arable, Mr. Chairman ? Can the world bo cultivated ? Can it he conver ted ? Mau, in the fullest sense oL that word, mau lie converted ! Whatever the his skin, jb&fever his nationality, man, in the fullß|Bense of that term, may be con veited&Hbul. (Applause.) There is no physi«jßbstruction in the way, Mr. Chair man. The Gospel has won its victories iu every zone of this globe. The hesitating deductions of a semi-infidel philosophy have denied a soul to certaiu sections of onr race in Africa. If this be correct, recall your missionaries from Fernando Po. If this be correct, that mission will be a grand failure. But Africa, down-trodden, manacled, and fettered, and bleeding at every pore, has protested against the brand. (Hear, hear.) j Jlie has refused to l>e ostracised from the lm mau family : “Am I uot a man and a broth er” has been wrung from her by torture, and has sunk deeply into the hearts of En glishmen. The eloquent Richard Watson said in that celebrated sermon of his, years ago before tbe Wesleyan Missionary Society: “Tour missionaries have determined that they have dived into that mine from which it was said no valua ble ore and no precious stones could be ex tracted, and they have brought up the gem of immortal spirit, flashing with intellect and blooming with the hues of Christian grace.” There is no physical obstruction, and I as sume, Mr. Chairman, there is no moral ob struction. (Hear, hear,) There is no man too bad to be reached by the Gospel of our blessed Redeemer, and the remedial meas ures of that Gospel can reach the most deeply fallen. A certain writer said Jesus Christ delighted to experimentalize on des perate cases. He came in contact with the thief in his last hours and saved him ; and the Magdalene and Saul, sinners of tho worst description, were saved by the Gospel of Christ. The rock is not too hard to be blasted ; the heart is not too icy to be mel ted. “Is not my word as fire V” saith the Lord, “and as a hammer to break the rock in pieces ?” As surely as the hardest rock will yield to the repeated blows of the workman, so sure as the mountain iceberg will liquefy when brought into the southern waters, and un der sunny skies, so shall all people fall down before Him, all nations shall serve Him. (Applause.) We have seen the Gospel, Mr. Chairman, in contact with sensualism at Corinth, and it washed several of those pol luted souls ; we have seen it in contact with the skepticism of ancient Greece, with the bigotry of Judaism, and the superstition of the heatheu, and that Gospel anciently won its victories in many places. Has it lost its potency ?(No.) Is it hot yet the power of God unto salvation unto every one that be lieveth ? (Yes.) Has this Gospel lost its ancient potency ? Is tho human heart less susceptible of the truth ? What do the trophies of yonr Missionary Society say on this point ? What do the thousands, the tens of thousands, and hundreds of thous ands of sonls gathered into the folds of Christ in our circuits say on this point ? Is not the Gospel as potent now as ever it was? A living authority has said : I once lived in a village where spiritual life, except in one instance, seemed almost extinct. The village consisted of a saw-mill, four public-houses, a smithy, a carpenter’s shop, the doctor’s house, a toll-bar, and rows of laborers’ cottages. Nobody showed much knowledge of Christ except the car penter, Phil Robson, who was better known, however, as the “Singing Carpenter. I nil was of a merry heart. “Is any ■ merry t let him sing psalms.” This did Phil all the day. He sang like the lark. “It does me good, sir, to sing,” said Phil to me one day; “it cheers me, sir, ahd makes life pleasant, just like this day which is so. bright and heavenly." And then off started Phil with one of his songs ; O happy day, that fixed iny choice On thee, my Saviour and my God ; Well may this glowing heart rejoice, And tell Us raptures all abroad. “Do you know the chorus,” said Fhil, as he picked up a piece of wood that ho wan ted. “No, Phil, I dou’t.” “Ah, it’s a good one, its,” replied Phil, and off he went singiDg, lfappy day! happy day! When Jesus washed my sins away; He taught me how to watch aud pray. And lfte rejoicing every day. Happy day! happy day! When Jesus washed my sins away. In a few moments Phil came back, and sat down beside me in the sun. His bronz ed face, white shirt, and his throat as bare as a sailor’s, made him look very picturesque, and not the less so because be sat nnder an old cedar, whose branches were over-spread ing his well-made head. “You see, sir,” said Phil, smiling, “I was oonverted through singing.” “Indeed, Phil, how was that ?” PUBLISHED BY J. W. BURKE & CO., FOR THE If. E. CHURCH, SOUTH MACQN, GA., FRIDAY, JULY 15, 1870 J “I’ll tell you, sir. I was always fond of j siuging. My mother—yonder she is in the? garden, with my pet lily—say si used to sing* in my cradle. Anyhow, I remember sing ing as long as I remember any thing at all Well, sir, when I was younger I used to go to the ‘Jolly Farmers,’ and drink and sing for hours together. Aye many a shilling have I spent yonder.” “What did you sing there, Phil ?” “Well, sir, I was fond of ‘The Wouuded Soldier,’ ‘Aidd Lang Syne,’ ‘Home, sweet Home.’ I never would sing a bad song. I always liked nny thing that touched the heart a bit.” “And what about the preacher, Phil ?’ “O, he was called ‘Canaan,’ ” . “Canaan !” “Yes, sir, Canaan,” echoed the oaipentßr. “That wasn’t his real name, you know. His) proper name was John Wilson, a‘Primitive,’ 1 ' who used to go through the village singing;” and here Phil sang himself, O what lias Jesus done for me? He came from the land of Canaan: He groaned and died upon the tree, That I might go to Canaan: A glorious crown appears in view Iu that bright land of Canaan ; A palm of royal victory’too; Come, let us go to Canaan. “And has that a chorus Phil ?” “Yes and a good one: Canaan, bright Canaan, The glorious land of Canaan ; O Canaan is a happy place, Come, let us go to Canaan. “Well, sir, os I was saying, I was sitting in the ale-house one summer night, a-sing ing and drinking with a lot more, when we suddenly heard someone outside in the rord singing too. So we listened, and couldn’t make it out. Then the voice came nearer and nearer, and one of them threw open tho window, when all heard the words: ‘Canaan, bright Canaan. “ ‘Why,’ said Joe, the miller, ‘it’s Canaan, no less.’ , » “So I looked, and there he was. I think I see him now. A plain man with a coat like a Quaker’s, and his broad-brimmed hat iu his hand. When he saw us all at the window he gave us a lively sort of look. He had a bit of fun in him, and says he, ‘I am going to preach on the green, to tell you all ,of Jesus, nnd pardon and happiness, and heav en. Come and lieai-the good news. the Lord !’ And then away he went snip Come, sinner, turn, and go with me, For Jesus waits iu Canaan, With angels bright to welcome thee To all the joys of Canaan; Come freely to salvation’s streams, They sweetly flow in Canaan ; There everlasting spring abides Around his throne in Canaan. “This,” said Phil, “was too much for me. My heart seemed as though it would break. Up I got, took the brown jug of ale that I paid for and emptied it on the highway, placod the jug on tho doorstep, and started off after the preacher. I found him under the oak tree yonder, singing : Come, sioners, to Jesus, no longer delay; A free, foil salvation is offered to-day. “And there I stood all of a tremble. — When he had gone through two verses of the hymn he said, Let us pray,’ and down he went on his knees, aud began to pray for us all. About, a score of ns wore— for peo ple bad followed him from the cottages— beside him, aud most of ns knelt down. I know I did, for I couldn’t stand. ‘Lord,’ he said, ‘save all these sinners ; save them, Lord ! save them, Lord !’ Just then it be gan to rain, when the preacher said, “ ‘Will any of your good folks lend me. your kitchen to preach iu !’ “ Nobody answered him. I remember Btib o’ tbe smithy laughed at him. As for me, his prayer had made me feel worse than ever, and I was still all of a tremble, but I managed to say. “‘You may preach in my shop pointiug to this shed of mine. “ ‘Thank yon, friend,’ said lie, quite live ly, ‘that will do very well,’ aud he put his arm through mine, and marched mo off across the green, singing as he went, Your friends may desert you aud leave you alone, The joys of salvation will more than atone; With God for your portion and heaven your home, The angels in glory invite you to come.” “Had that ft chorus too. Phil?” I said, smiling asl thought of their marching across the green. “Yes, of course it had sir. It was this The Lion of Judah will break every chain, And give you the victory again and again. “Well, sir, wo got into the shed, and the preacher began to preach. His text was, ‘Be ye reconciled to God. ’ What a sermon it was ! He set before us our sius as though he knew us all, and then he exclaimed, ‘But Jesus died for you; died for you, for you, and for you,’ and then lie pointed at us with his finger, so that he made us feel as though each of us had been the cause of all the Saviour's woe. I stood beside him all the time listening for my life, So did others; aye, even Bob o’ tho smithy was broken hearted; and when he knelt down to pray, Bob said, ‘O pray for me.’ ‘Praise the Lord !’ said the preacher. He prayed for Bol*, and then he snddenly began to pray for me. Then I prayed for myself, and as I prayed, O, sir, light, freedom, peace and joy came to me, and I cried out, ‘Lord, lam saved !’ and from that hour sir, I havo sung the sweet songs of Zion.” “What became of ‘Canaan,’ Phil ?” “Oil took him into my house, sir, and my wife made him right welcome. He stayed with us two days, aud led all, myself, my wife, my dear old granny, to the Saviour, and then ho went away.” “Did you see him again, Pliil ?” “Only once, sir. He took a fever at Mer ton, soon after he left us. I went to see him when he was dying. He knew me, and said, ‘Good by.’ Ho then pointed to heaven and whispered, We shall range the sweet, plains on the bauks of the river, And sing of salvation for ever aud ever. “He died rejoicing in God, sir, and went yonder,” said Phil, and he pointed where the setting sun was spreading its golden light far away up the sky. “Ah, I often think of his bright smile as he lay dying, and of his grave in Merton Church-yard. But he is in heaven, sir, in glory and peace, in tho heavenly Canaan he loved so well.” And then good Phil rose from under the old cedar and went into his cottage; singing, Victory, victory, when we gain the victory, O liow'happy we shall be when wc gain the victory. IDuring the reciting of this anecdote the cheering was so load and repeated that the speaker had to request the vast audience not to break his sentences by their plaudits. ] Mr. Chairman, we have had many a John Wilson—hundreds and thousands of John Wilsons —who have itinerated this Eugland of ours, going into hamlets and villages, and they have made Primitive Methodist hymns ring through onr villages and our towns; and we have had thousands and tens of thousands of Phil Robsons converted to God. (Applause.) These are our credenda. sir. These are our epistles. The seare the testimonies of our commission. Talk of an Apostolic succession ! The Apostles con verted, and so have we converted. We are in the succession. (Applause.) “By their fruit they shall know them.” [Here the revered gentleman turned and looked at the clock, but such was tbe influ ence upon the meeting that he was met with cries from all parts of the building of “Go on ! go on !” He then said,] . What have we got to cultivate the arid ground we have been reviewing ? The min istry. There aro those in this day that de preciate the ministry; but that day will never come when the platform, aud the press, and the philosophic lecturer will supercede the ministry, The pulpit defunct! Never! (Applause.) Never defunct! Never ! (Re newed applause.) Her themes will die ? Never ! (Hear, hear.) Her hymns will bo sung unto the millennium. Where have you got anything like the pulpit to reach a man’s heart ? Where have you got any thing like the pulpit ? Where are the con gregations like this that gather around ns . Let secularism present an appearance like this. (Applause.) Let it do it. (Hoar, hear.) Why, Chnst was a minister. He in stituted the ministry. “I will make yon fishers of men.” He gave some apostles, and some prophets, some teachers, some evangelists, for the work of the ministry; and not until the last soul is saved shall that machinery stop. A learned ministry ? Yes, we will have that if we can get it. We will have a logical, ami rhetorical, ministry if we can; but w^^HHHnBH earnest ministry— have ministers of ' -Yij,’ i inters who its ruin, to is nut merely a rhehuwß “J have :u>t the weightj - .,", who can enter into j - .,", in wh,-n they “J laws." “O that 3 f ’■ -V£ s*£*££* A-'’/i* mine , yes a y.‘_ £ tT-V'’ «aV,“ weep day • i.mg liter . r myV ’ ’ V--V • ‘child tin- J \ ,t ; “ love. giv,. ns this “ in the value and the ruin of the ■. filieaey of tho provisions* fftCS ", Ui.-iiti.. r the word . of •/ t'-’/lV' win. inice was tj as the grand theme of Lis vision, and the sutllcien^^^B^^^H save to the uttermost, he th^^BBBBH forward over the pulpit aud the sins of the whole world on my backer could believe them away.” O! let us have a faith like that—on unquenchable faith. We will have no negative theology in Primi tive Methodism. Our trumpet gives the proper blast, and no mistake about that. (Laughter.) We will never hide Christ. Wo will put him before our legions as we move to battle and victory. (Hear, hear.) “Him hath God set forth” —that is the reme dy—“ Him hath God set forth to be the propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness.” “To declare his righteousness,” I say, for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbear ance of God; and not only so, Mr. Chair man, and not only must the ministry be useful in this work, we mast take every op portunity of doiug good. A matron lady, some of you remember, walking in the streets of this metropolis above half a cen tury ago, saw a young man standing at the corner of ono of the streets. The Rev. Timothy East was going to occupy the Tabernacle, (not this Tabernacle, but the old Tabernacle, George Whitofleld’s Taber nacle). That night this matron lady said to the young man, “Will you go with me to chapel ?” and he complied with the re quest. Tho word that night reached his fM&r. Who was he V That niglit ho became a decided Christian, aud afterward sought the fellowship of that Church and became a Snnday-school teacher, and offered himself for the mission field, and died the immortal John Williams, of Erromanga. Bishop Asliury. I say he was a Bishop as truly as he of London. Bishop Asbury was a Bishop, a Bishop of the right sort. He was travel ing one day in America; ho was a Bishop belongiug to tho Methodist Episcopal Church, and he was traveling ono day in the wilderness, making his way to Charles ton, and coming to the bank of a creek he saw a colored man fishing. The name of thfc colored man was Punch. Punch was a bad character, and I suppose Asbury knew something about it. “Puuob,” says he, “do you ever pray V” “No, sir.” Asbury began to talk to him, and Punch began to feel the influence of religion stealing around liis heart, and then Asbury sang to his black solitary auditor in the wilderness these bless ed hues: Flnnged in a gulf of dark despair, Wc wretched sinners lay. What a vulgar thing for a Bishop to sing ! (Laughter.) But he sang the song, and sang it in faith; aud I repeat that Asbury was a Bishop of tho right stamp. He had not theparapherna.iaof the Episcopal office; lie had no mitre, throne, crozier, nor lawn sleeves, neither had ho a seat in Congress, but he was a Bishop of whom Paul would not have been ashamed. Hear his own tes tiffiony : “lam excessively afflicted,” said he, “but lam ready to spend and bo spent for Gocl: I am ready to die in the field, in the woods, in the house,, iu the wilder ness. I have nothing to leave but a journey of five thousand miles a year, the cure of a hundred thousand souls, and the station ing of four hundred preachers.” This was the Bishop that sang to Punch, “Plunged in a gulf of dark despair.” The word had its effect. Asbnry left him. Punch throw down his fish-polo, ran home, and, to use his own language, said, “Me t.ink before I get home Punch goto hell.” Punch be gan to preach. The overseer said Punch shouldn’t preach, but Punch did preach, aud at last the ovefseer preached too. Then the South Carolina Methodist Conference came twenty-five years after, and sent a mis sionary to the black people. Punch was then stricken in years. The missionary went to Punch’s cabin, and ns he approached Punch stood at the door, and clasping his hands and lifting his eyes to heaven, he said, “Now lettest thou tiiy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salva tion.” “My child,” said Pnnch, “God hath sent yon here. lam getting old, and I shall soon be dead. I have three hundred souls here that yon must take charge of.” Here is work privately done. Brethren, let us buckle on our armor afresh; let us go to the battle with indomitable courage, for humanity wants onr help. (Loud aud con tinued cheering.) Plain Preaching. From many years’ observation and expe rience I am convinced that many good and true men iu the ministry, of excellent con versational talents, fail to preach the gos pel effectively aud interestingly because, when they attempt to preach, they read, and read in a reading tone, or put on airs of the orator, speak in an artificial, declamatory, and unnatural manner. This is a great mis take. Preaching the gospel, as to manner, should always be in the plainest diction pos sible. lam convinced we should preach to, and not for, or over, tho hearers. Earnest men, addressing their fellows to persuade them, look them directly in the face, and talk to them in concise, simple, plain, lumin ous language. And this is the way to preach Christ and the resurrection. In the first place, let the preacher get his own heart warmed up with the theme, and his mind thoroughly filled with a scriptural, logical digest of the topic, and then he may go into his pulpit with or without his man uscript, and, casting himself upon the Lord for his blessing, may hope to preach a ser mon that will not bo dull, or lull bis hear ers to sleep. When you attempt to preach the gospel, brother, having carefully looked over the subject, and adopted a good, logi cal arrangement, and turned and prayed the matter over, until your heart and mind are thoroughly surcharged with the subject, you may safely ignoi'e your manuscripts, and cast to the moles and bats all artificial airs, and tones, and attempts at playing the orator, and speak in your plainest, simplest, most concise and conversational manner. If yon will do this, yon will find that you have suddenly become effective, interesting, and even eloquent to your people. It is amazing that good men can ever become dull in pleaching the blessed gospel; and they never would, if they could only be emancipated from tlie.miserable bondage of professional airs and tones, and tell the story of the cross in a plain, simple, natural and earnest manner. Men always become interested when they find themselves ad dressed by one with a full heart and a lu minous mind, talking earnestly and afleo tionately to them. Their minds are at once put into sympathy with the speaker, and the mind of speaker and'hearer travel on to- f ether in sympathetic union to the end, tnt when the preacher speaks with airs and artificial tones, aud does not seem to be simple-hearted and earnest in his Master s work, the hearer naturally takes the place not of a learner, but of a spectator who is witnessing an exhibition, and he feels that he is there not to feel and act, but to look on the farce and criticise the performance. All the most efficient, effective preachers of onr day are men who talk— yes, that is the word— talk to the people, and they talk in plain, simple, concise language, and the people understand and appreciate the talk; and this is the secret of the great pulpit power of such men as Prof. Finney, New man Hall, Henry Ward Beecher, Mr. Spur geon, Mr. Knapp, Mr. Earle, and many others, who are found to be sons of thundei in the pulpit.— Watchman and Reflector. Christianity is ennobled, not by the digni ty of men’s persons, but by the strength of their faith.— St. Gregory. Mr. roovethat an humble address be presented to Her Majesty praying that she would bo graciously pleased to in vito the President of the United States to cononr with Her Majesty in appointing com missioners to revise the authorized version of the Bible. At tho request of Her Majes ty’s goverement, who wished to liavo more time for considering the subject, he had de ferred his motion, which he should otherwise have brought forward much earlier in the session, and now perhaps he should be met with the objection that in the interval Con vocation had appointed a committee which at the end of this month would commence the revision of the Authorized Version, and that therefore it was now too late for Her Majesty’s government to intervene. Un doubtedly, however, should it seem to Par liament that the work ought to be takeu up, whether as a national or, ns he hoped, an international undertaking and should accord ingly bo entrusted to a royaF commission instead of a committee of convocation, that body would feel the respect due to such a decision. It would be impostible for what was iu fact a mere private body, without auy legitimate claim to act either on behalf of the church or the nation, to pre-occupy the gronnd, should it be the opinion of Parlia ment that the subject ought to he taken up by the government instead. Now, there were scholars on the continent of Europe and others iu tho United States whose assistance ought to be obtained ; and for the translutian of the Old Testament it would be essential to invite tho aid of some of those Jewish scholars both here and abroad who were the groatest living masters of Hebrew learning. In fact it would bo in the power of Her Majesty’s Government, and especially if acting in unison with that of the United States, to call together aCominis siou which would boa perfect instrument for tho work, and that the whole world should feel, with regard to it, the moat abso lute assurance not only for its impartiality, but of tho profound and accurate learning of those by whom it was achieved, so that it should be indeed the possession forever of mankind. Mr. Gladstone. —The subject is not alto gether anew one to Her Majesty’s Govern ment, and the Government are certainly responsible for having discouraged the at tempt to throw into the hands of the civil authority, at the present, stage, tho work of revision, whether the original texts of the Holy Scripture or of the authorized version. Adhering entirely to that opinion, I am de sirous to lose no time in acquainting the House with tho grounds on which we have adopted it. I need not say that much in tbenspueetc GP'HFy bCShorfdilA'fritmn’ with which it is impossible to differ. Tho fundamental difference between us is this— It is the opinion of my honorable friend, and 1 do not iu the least degree, complain that those who entertain it should argue it in this H ouse, that this work will be best initia ted by public and civil authority. Now, we are of the opposite opinion. (Hear, hear.) We believe the work will be most safely, most satisfactorily, most effectually initiated by those efforts which cannot pretend to public authority. And why ?If I may pre sume to say so, this fallacy runs through the very interesting speech of the honorable gentleman who seconded the motion. The honorable gentleman appears to assume— and I think it is assumed also by my honor able friend—that it is in onr power, by set ting to work a certain critical aud sebolar like machinery, to insure at a single stroke, as I may say, the attainment of a satisfac tory result. We do not wish to be bound by any such proposition. We do not wish to see a machinery initiated which will produce a result having ipso facto pretentions to authority. We believe the wise course is to allow persons who are willing to engage in this important field of labor to complete their work, but wo say that work ought to be subject to the action of public opinion. [Hear, hear.] I quite agree with the honor able gentleman that it is most desirable that lay judgment should be passed upon the work, and I, for one, should regard with jealousy the appointment of any body whicli, however carefully selected, was to devote itself to this most delicate and important task, and was to be entitled afterwards to say, “There are the results of our labor; now we expect you to accept them 1” [Hear, hear!] But I own I think that, even if we were more inclined to adopt the general view of my honorable friend, there would be great objection to tbe method proposed by him of an inyitation to the President of the United States to concur with Her Majesty in ap pointing commissioners to revise the author ized version of the Bible, nnd likewise, I suppose, the text of the New Testament, as well as of the Old Testament and the Apo crypha. lam quite sure that the President of the United Siates, and the accomplished gentleman, Mr. Fish, who fills the office of Secretary of State, would receive with the utmost politeness any representation we might make ; but I think sentiments of con siderable surprise would bo excited in the mind of the President if he were to be abruptly saluted some morning with a sealed envelope containing this request. [A laugh.] Such an invitation would carry him into a sphere from which I am afraid he is excluded almost by the very letter, certainly by the spirit, of the Constitution of the United States. I think my honorable friend would be willing to concur with us in reconsider ing that part of the subject if it only were at that point we parted company ; but we part company with on the general principle I have described. The time may come when the labors now being initiated, and to which we all wish success, may reach such a state of ripeness in their results that these may be accepted and approved by the publie ; and then my honorable friend, or possibly some member of tho government, may be in a condition to say; “The time has now come when the civil authority may step in and may assert that the work has been ac complished;” but it is at tlie close and not at tlio commencement of this great opera tion, if at all, the civil authority should step in ; and whether it should or not it would be premature now to decide ; but it is not premature now to decide that the time for considering the matter has not arrived, and we shall act far more wisely and in a manner far more friendly to the prosecution of a great and important undertaking if wo leave it to the free agencies of those powers i of piety, zeal and learning which I have no , doubt exist in this country in ample snllieien | cy for the attainment of the end. A LrmJß Thread.— Payson once gave no tice, in Portland, that he would be glad to see any young person who did not intend to seek religion. About forty camo. He spout a very pleasant interview with them, saying nothing about religion, till just as they were abont to leave, he closed a few very plain remarks tlms: “Suppose yon should see, coming down from heaven, a very fine thread, so fine as to be almost invisible, and it should come and gently attach itself to you. Yon knew, we will suppose, it came from God. Should yon dare to pnt out your hand and thrust it away?” He dwelt for a few moments on the idea, and then added: “Now such a thread has come from Clod to you this afternoon. You do not feel, yon say, any interest in religion. But by your coming here this afternoon God has lon you all. It is can very easily will not do so I ill enlarge and omoß a golden >r to a God of stian Work. the auspices of littee of the U. nsic Hall Edin ocgill presided, enry Moncrieff, le meeting on at tho object of the salvation of ike him become aving of others. Is he was going lidered kind of I hese was “uni of the Church | i. He had been ‘hen he heard a ;liat he did not think more than five per cent, of the mem bers of their church were roally serving God in pruotieal works of benevolence. He had taken time to inquire among his brethren, and several of them took stock of matters ; and he found that, while the minister’s re mark did not apply to his own congregation, it applied to many other parts of the Church. Small bodies in tho Church wore working, but tho large proportion of the members were doiug nothing but paying their sub scriptions, listening to the Gospel, and he hoped behaving themselves becomingly. He held as a theory, and had observed by expe rience, that that part of the Church which was not working was that in whioh all sin breathed. If they were not serving God, they were hindering the progress of his work. If the number of their congrega tions was Hmall, ho advised them to praise up their minister. There could be no diffi culty in discovering some point in which their pastor excelled everybody else. They would thus both increase their numbers, and make their pastor a better preacher. The the church was not tho pastor’s only work ; it was the work of all the mem bers of the church. The next word to “universality” was ‘ ‘punctuality. ” That was not quite the word he meant. He meant that the Church must take advantage of present opportunities, and must bo determined to discharge its work. There wero many of their members that intended to servo God when there were two Sundays iu the week, or when certain impossible contingencies occurred. Now was tho host time for service. He liked muking their young peoplo take part in the work of the Chinch. He did not mean that a young man should be sot to preach before ho had anything to say ; but there was always something iu Church work for every person to do. His next word was “determination.” Men who made money did not do so without being determined to grow rich, and making up their minds to give up many comforts ; and tho same rule applied to tho winning of con verts to Christianity. Another word was “enthusiasm.” That word was a noble one. Tho men they wanted were red-hot men, white-hot men, men that glowed with heat, men that you could nover come near but you caught something of tlieir spirit,. They might depend on it that en thusiasm was a liberal education for a Chris tian. He did not say enthusiasm without the more' knowledge the better. Another word ho wished to refer to was * ‘originality. ” Men were constantly racking their brain's in all parts of the world to find out* fresh ways of doing things ; aud he did •-ftot'SPWwhy tlioy should not have solficthiug fresh in tlieir systems of worship. They ought to ondenver by some means or another to make Scotland a dreadful place for the ungodly to live in. They ought to make it a most uncomfortable thing to go to Hell; aud he wished Christians would do so. Spasmodic Efforts. Spasmodic efforts are not the ones calcu lated to accomplish the most iu the end. In this age of the world, when the body is carried a milo a minute aud thought trans mitted with lightning speed, people think that everything, however hard—and soul winning is included—must be done in a mo ment or not at all. They forget that to evangelise a community, or the world, re quires something more than paroxysms of labor. Moral aud civil reforms are not pro duced in a day. A large practice is not bnilt up in an hour. Why, then, expect to produce religious reforms in a day or week? The sun does not dart into his meridian splendor. He toils from early mom till noon. The scholar, the artist, the mechan ic, do not leap into ominenco. The just man does not vault into excellence. The path of all these is as the shining light which shineth more and more. The reason why the lives of so many are barren, is that they trust too much to spasmodic action and too little to persistent work. They lack that superior quality colled the power of opplication. So, my Christian friends, if you wish to see a work of grace going on 1 this year in your community, and the church to which you belong revived, you must settle down to steady work for Jesus. Duty must prompt you when inclination is want ing. You promised to serve Christ. You are under obligation to work for him. You should have a religious as well as business sense of honor. You must work in dark ness, and amidst doubt —bear reproach, en dure trial. Why need you fear, grasping, as you profess to do, the hand of the Master? Nearing the Other Shore. When, after the weary, voyage that I first mode across the ocean, sick and loathsome, I arose one morning and went upon the deck, holding on, crawling, thinking I was but a worm, I smelt in the air some strange smell, and I said to the Captain, “What is the odor?” “It is the land breeze from off Ireland.” I smelt the turf, I smelt the Srass, I smelt the leaves, and all my sickness eparted from me; my eyes grew bright, my nausea was gone. The thought of the nearness of tho land' came to me, and cured me better than medicine oould oure me. And when, afar ofl’, I saw the dim line of land, joy came and gave me health, and, from that moment, I had neither sickness nor trouble; I was coming nearer to tho land. . oil ! is there not for you, old man, and for you, wearied mother, a land breeze blowing ofl‘ from heaven, wafting to you some of its sweetness? Behold, tho garden of the Lord is not far away; I know from the air. Behold the joy of home. Do I not hear tho children shout? The air is full of music to onr silent thought. Oh, how full of music when our journey is almost done, and we stand upon tbe bound and precinct of that blessed land I Hold on to your faith. Believe more firmly. Take hold by prayer and by faith. Away with troubles and buffetingsl Be. happy; you are saved. In a few horns, visions of God and all the realities of the eternal world shall be yours, and you shall be saved with an everlasting salvation. Leaning on God Alone. Sir William Hamilton was doubtless the most learned Scotchman of onr century, the omnisoient Lord Macaulay not excepted. He was familiar with every branch of phil osophy ; he had analysed, with wonderful power, all religions into their simplest ele ments. He was an inspiring teacher—one of the few masters of philosophy and letters; an admitted leader of liia generation. But while at liome in the learning of all ages, and exciting the wonder of his cotom poraries by the bold sweeps of liis genius, no less than the vastness of liis attainments, ho sat as a little child at the feet of Jesus. He was a sincere believer. His mind rested on the great truths of the Christian system. There is an exquisite pathos in the record of his last hours, that when his spirit was hov ering on the borders of the unseen world, just ready to penetrate its RJ*at he was heard to mnrmnr, “Thy rod and t y staff, they comfort me I" A little learning often breeds scepticism. Profound knowledge leads back to Jesus. There are promises in Scripture to help our weakness, but none to overcome our wU fulness.—Whichcote. X. H. MYERS, D. D., EDITOR WHOLE NUMBER 1809. Webster’s Death-Bed. In the evening the will, which had been drawn up by Mr. Curtis, was brought to Mr. Webster to aigu. He was then iu a sitting posture, supported iu his bed by pillows. By this time nearly the whole household were assembled in his room. He asked if Mrs. Webster and his son had seen his will, and if they approved it; both assured him that they fully assented to it. Then he said, “Let me sign it now. ” It was placed before him, and he affixed his signature to it, strongly and clearly written ; and, as he re turned the pen to Mr. Curtis, he said, look ing at him with a peculiar smile. “Thank God for strength to do a sensible act;” and then immediately, and with great solemnity, raising both his hands, he added: “OGod! I thank thee for all thy merciesl” He then looked inquiringly around the room, os if to seo that all were there whom he wished to address. As he was manifestly about to say something that ought to be preserved, Mr. Curtis took notes of his words. He spoke in a strong, full voice, that might have been heard over half tho house, and with his usual modulation and emphasis, but very slowly and with an occa sional pause. He said: “My general wish on earth has been to do my Maker’s will. I thank him now for all the mercies that surround me. I thank him for the means he has given me of doing some little good ; for my ohildren—these beloved objects ; for my nature and associa tions. I thank him that I am to die, if I am, under so many circumstances of love and affection. I thank him for all his care. “No man, who is not a brute, can say that he is not afraid of death. No man can come back from that bourn ; no mon can compre hend the will or the works of God. That there is a God, all must acknowledge. I see him in all these wondrons works. Himself, how wondrous! “The great mystery is Jesus Christ—the Gospel. What would be the condition of any of us if we had not the hope of immor tality ? What ground is there to rest upon but the Gospel ? There were scattered hopes of tho immortality of the soul, running down, especially among the Jews. The Jews believed in a spiritual origin of creation. The Romans never reached it; the Greeks never reached it. It is a tradition, if that communication was made to the Jews by God himself, through Moses and the fathers. But there is, even to the Jews, no direct as suronoe of immortality in heaven. *There is, now and then, a scattered intimation, as in Job, ‘I know that my Redeemer liveth ;’ but a proper consideration of that doe3 not refer it to Jesus at all. But there were inti mations —cropnsonlar—twilight. But—but , —but, thank God, the Gospel of Jesus Christ brought life aud immortality to light — rescued it—brought it to light. There is an admira ble discourse on tliat subject by Dr. Barrow, preacher to the Inner Temple. I think it is his sixth sermon. “Well, I don’t feel as if I am to fall oft': I may.” Ho now paused for a short time : a drowsi ness appeared to come over him, and his eyes were closed. In a moment or two he opened them, and looking eagerly around, ho asked: “Have I—wife, son. doctor, friends, are you all here?—have I, on this occasion, said any thing unworthy of Daniel Webster?" “No, no, dearsir,” was the res ponse from all. Ho then began the words of the Lord’s Prayer; but, after the first sentence, feeling faint, he cried out, earnestly, “Hold me up, I do not wish to pray with a fainting voice.” He was instantly raised a little by a move ment of the pillows, and then repeated the whole of the prayer, in clear and distinct tones, ending his devotions with these words: • “And now unto God, tli«Father, Sou, and Holy Ghost, be praise forever and forever! Peace on earth and good will to men — that is the happiness, the essence—- good will toward mm.”—George 'l'icknor Curtis , in Life of Daniel Webster. Dividing Family Government. What ought, what can a mother do when a good, pleasant, careless husband constant ly thwarts all her efforts to teach or govern the children, and yet cannot be made to see or feel what he is doing ? Let us illustrate and sketch from memory not imagination: “Mamma, please give me a piece of pie?” “No, darling, one piece is enough." “Half a piece, please, mamma?” “No, Freddie, no more.” “Avery little pieoe, mamma dear?” “No, Freddie, no.” “Do give the child a little piece. I’ll risk its hurting him.” And the mother gave it. “Mamma, may I go out and play?” 4 ‘lt is very chilly, and you have a cold I don’t think it is best.” “Bundle me up warm, mamma, and I won’t take cold.” “I fear you will. You must play in doors to-day.” “Just a little while, please, mamma?” “No, Freddie, you must not go out to* dayi” ™ . ‘ ‘Do let the child go. What a girl you are making of him. Women never were fitted to bring up boys. Dress him warm, and let him run, it will do him good.” And Freddie went out. “May I have my blocks in the parlor, mamma?” , , , , “No, Willie, make yonr block house in the dining room. Miss L. is an invalid, and I want the parlor very quiet.” “I will be very quiet” “You will intend to be, but you cannot help making some noise, and as Miss L. very rarely goes anywhere, I fear she will be very tired at best; so be agood little boyAnd play in the dining-room this afternoon.” “I won’t make a bit of noise, nor tire her one speck." . “Yon must play in the dining room, Wil lie, and not say any more about it. ” “Nonsense, it will do her good to see a happy little face. It will give her something besides her own pains and aches to think of. Let him bring his blocks in tho parlor. And he brought them in. “What a torment that bay has got to be. It’s teaze, teaze, teaze, teaze, from morning till night. It’s enough to wearout the pa tience of Job. If you won’t whip him, 1 will. Aud he whipped him. Queiy.—Who ought to havo been whip ped.—Mother at Home, Pastoral Visiting. Pastoral visiting maybe done in such a way as to be absurd. I saw a caricature the other day in one of onr papers in reference to it: a Presbyterian minister going-oround with an elder, reading a chapter, catechis ing the children, etc. You can put that in such a way as to make it look supremely ridiculous; but the thing rightly done is not ridiculous. No mau of sense would now go about it in that way. The charm, tho essence of pastoral visitation, is this— that a man goes into the bosom of the fam ily; he talks to them in their own vernacu lar! Tho children, perhaps, as they looked up at him in the pulpit on a Sunday, did not realise very distinctly that he belonged to the human race at all. The language lie spoke, even the box in which he stood, is peculiar to a church; but when the man goes into the family, it is a kind of pleasant surprise to the children to see that he is really a man of flesh, and in many respects something like their own father. W e can bring down to the family the tones, and common, ordinary feeling of humanity, and they will feel themselves a little nearer to him than before. He asks them about the his own eye. There is no studied ceremony about it; ut he sees the family is not just then engaged, he will perhaps say in a quiet, se rious way, “These troubles we cgn best ge rid of by telling our Father of them. H«d ' we not better pray together V” A simple prayer is offered, but it has linked m oom munion the hearts of these people to his heart. He knows them now. They know him now. They feel they know him. When he goes to speak to these people in the pul pit, it is a conversation to his mends, a talking to those who trust him. A bond of sympathy is one of the strongest helps that you can have toward thoroughly good preaching —Dr. John HaU.