Newspaper Page Text
106
j§on%rn Cjjristm
MACON, GEORGIA. JULY 4, 1876.
AMONG MY BOOKS AND PAPERS.
Prof. James Russell Lowell, of Harvard
University, has written two books with titles
imiiar to the above, neither of which have
we seen. The caption is not adopted to in
t icale that the writer has a great library and
is a great reader. How a Presiding Elder
could afford such a luxury, or enjoy it if he
would, is a question that need not be dis
cussed. Books and periodicals cost money
—to read them requires time, and to write
about them much qqietude is needed, and
none of these conditions exist in the present
case. Our habit is to preach daily while
on the District—from fifteen to twenty times
per montn—and the demands of business
and society occupy nearly the whole of the
time not devoted to preaching. Jf there
was a good supply of books and periodicals
among our people, the weary itinerant might
oft refresh himself by draughts from the
copious streams here and there in the wil
derness. Alas, for such a traveler —“ it is
a dry and thirsty land where no water is.”
Our people read very little in either books
or papers. What a wretched failure is that
system of education which does not develop
a fondness for reading!
We sometimes find when abroad a decent
collection of books, very often meet with
Patent Office Reports, old grammars and
geographies, with a liberal intermixture of
odds and ends gathered with the accretion
of time —the very debris of a mud swamp.
Occasionally, we find books both entertain
ing and improving ; like a volume of spark
ling waters excites and adlays thirst, so do
these affect the mind.
Recently we found the “ Memoirs of Gen
ral Henry Lee” (now out of print we
think), the famous “ Light Horse Harry
Lee” of the revolution of 1776. It was
e tsy and delightful reading, revealing the
features of a man worthy to be the father of
tiie famous Gen. Robert E. Lee of our own
day. It is very seldom that talents are he
reditary, and that the father who is eminent
is yet more exalted in his son, but this is one
example. Gen. Harry Lee, alter all his
devotion and achievements as a patriot, will
hereafter chiefly be remembered as the fath
er of Gen. Robert Edward, a man who ap
proached nearer to the sublime dignity and
perfect symmetry of Washington than any
person known to us.
And is there not a reason for this found in
the relations of the men 7 Gen. R. E. Lee
married the great grand-daughter of Mrs.
Washington—Miss Guslis —whose father was
the adopted son of Washington, and was
reared to manhood by his peerless adopted
father and his grand-mother, and from this
source Gen. Lee received a fuller impression
of the character of Washington than any
man had except Mr. Cusiis.
Again, the Memoirs of Light Horse Har
ry tell us. that no one was so intimate with
Washington as Gen. Henry Lee ; indeed, he
is said to have been the only man who could
indulge in familiarities with this dignified
and august personage. An amusing instance
of this small talk is given by the biographer
of Harry Lee. He was one day dining at
the table of Washington, when Mrs. Wash
ing on said, she was in need of a pair of
good carriage horses. Gen. Washington
m-ked Lee if he con 11 tell him where he
could obtain such a pair as was wanted.
Lee immediately said, “ Yes, sir ; I have a
tine pair for sale myself, but yon can’t get
them.” “Why not, General Lee 7” said
Washington. “ Because you are never wil
ling to pay the price of anything,” said
: .... II II I— i- ..
said Washington. This sally of Lee, like
many other jokes, had a spice of Iruth, no
doubt, as Washington’s writings clearly show
that in affairs of trade, as in war and pol
itics, he had a level head.
We have recently read Brosdus’ “ Homi
letics” witu eager delight. He is a Pro
fessor in the Baptist Theological Seminary,
Greenville, S. C. We do not remember
reading a hook so replete with wisdom in the
best sense of the word. Would that such a
book was in the hands of a I our preachers,
especially our junior itiueiants. If there
be any treatise in Methodist, literature on
that line comparable to this we do uol kuow
it, and as the book is eniirely devoid of sec
larianism and discus es universal princi
ples it will do to place oil the lowest shelf in
our libraries. It is not a treatise on ** Her
meneutics,” yet even his incidental treat
ment of that branch of preaching is worth
the price of the book to a novice in the pul
pit A young pr, aelier is too apt to be con
tent with anything his text may be made to
teach, and many a text is sadly perverted
through the ignorance and conceit of the
tyro and sciolist. We have beeu told that
l)r. Broadus is an honor to the Baptist pul
pit—he certainly is a fine thinker and an ele
gant writer. %
Trevelyan's Life of Lord Macaulay is cre
ating quite a sensation and stir in the Re
views, this as a matter of course. And
what a life and what a man ! Fortunately
in one view, the life of Macaulay is written
by Trevelyan, his nephew, as no one would
be as well qualified to give us those near
views and small facts which, after all, con
stitute the great charm of biography. Ma
caulay we take to be the prince of writers in
the splendor of his diction, and the artistic
array of facts and features. We never
found auy book so charming to us as his Mis
cellanies, exeept his “ History of England - ’
—we read them with even greater interest
than we did Stephens’ “ War Between the
States,” or Calhoun’s Disquisition on Gov.
ernment. Macaulay’s domestic affection is
beautifully exemplified in the facts of his
life—his devotion to his siste s. of whom
Lady Trevelyan was one, is ennobling to his
character. He would not consent to go to
India on a salary of .£IO,OOO a year, unless
this sister would accompany him. She went
unmarried, but there found Trevelyan, the
biographer’s father, and he became her hus
band. •
Macaulay was brilliant from a child, and
is another instance to disprove the fallacy of
the oft expressed idea, that precocity in
childhood does not give promise of vigorous
intellect in manhood-. We verily believe
this is a silly fallacy, about as absurd as the
notion that preachers’ children are apt to
be worse than other people’s.
He was elected to a Fellowship in one of
the Universities, which afforded means and
facilities to make him what he was, the
most extensively read man and the most
brilliant writer of the English tongue. He
was orator, poet, statesman, a man of letters
and society, perhaps the most brilliant talk
er among his coteirporaries, unless that
manysided man, Coleridge, be excepted.
We have read the “Bishop’s Council,” a
book kindly loaned me by a brother pre
siding elder. He said, it would be good
reading on the cars —it is good reading any
where, but would be better relished just be
fore or after Couference. We judge it to be a
.Southern book, and that it was written by an
ex-presiding elder. How life-like and true
to nature —it is in no sense a caricature, al
though abounding with humor. No one can
fully appreciate such a book but a Bishop or
presiding elder, but every preacher would
liud it highly entertaining and instructive.
It is very dramatic, and introduces to our
notice, under guise of fiction, characters
that we have known fully personified in our
own Conference. We think his list of pre
siding elders an exceptional lot, every one
with decided peculiarities and entirely devoid
of selfishness in respect to himself and his
District. But so it ought to be. The Bish
op was rather more loquacious and discur
sive than we have ever found that officer
when at work. His remarks at various
points about men and places and people—
his exposition of our economy in these talks
all teach us the value of suc h an office when
filled as by this ideal Bishop. Our author
certainly took one of our best for his model.
The seven presiding elders sufficiently dis
play whtvt is demanded of this officer and
how he performs his difficult and delicate
work.
Tue Conference is about an average one :
the patriarchal an.d saintly Cole, full of wis
dom and grace; the captious, crabbed,
ascetic Crusty are to be found in almo.t any
Conference. Preachers and preachers’ wives,
both bad and good, are portraved in this
book just as we have heard for a dozen years
Jacob Sprouts, Joab Dodgey, Simon Shur
key, Amos Crookall, represent the hard
cases —as we say in Georgia parlance, the
the “gumlogs.” These are veritable pic
tures, “known and read of all men”; indeed
every picture is faithfully and skillfully
drawn. No need to write under it “this is a
horse.” Many a young preacher, nay, old
one, would he saved mortification, failure,
and disgrace, if the sayings and doing of a
“Bishops Council” were fully realized.
The book is small and not costly—will any
body take the bint 7
Westminster Rdview w h ils learned and
defiant infidelity, cannot no* he referred to
pxoej>t to say, the battle ut books on the
grandest of all subjects now waxes hotter
than ever. J. W. H.
FREE DRINKS.
In a certain Georgia town, or city if you
please, during this Centennial year and not
many days before the 4th of July, when dele
gates were to be chosen to a convention call
ed to nominate a candidate for a certain
high-office, the papers of the aforesaid town,
in their local columns, advertised ‘‘free
drinks ” for the partisans of the Candida l ts !
To our joy, we learned that the distinguished
gentlemen—whose friends were behaving so
badly, not only had nothing to do with the
mean and disgraceful business', but that it
was carried on in spite of their protest.
But it is infany to those who are respon
sible for it. Those who tolerate it deserve
censure.
It is a hurtling shame. The men who do
such things are bad men. They are the pests
of society. They are instruments of evil.
They disgrace politics and make a farce of
the ballot. What of the low creatures who
cun he bought with free-drinks 7 Right of
suffrage I Democratic institutions ! Govern
rnent by the people ! Bad and intolerable as
rings are and false as caucuses may be, bet
ter these—if they Will keep sober —than dele
gates to nominating conventions elected by
virtue of free-drinks and disieputable tricks
Oxford. H.
SPOILING THE FUNG-SHUI.
They are building a railroad in China. At
the mouth of the Wu Sung river, a tributary
of the Yangtze, is a troublesome bar over
which vessels of heavy tonnage cannot c.os'
at low water. Tne foreign business commu
nity of Shanghai have long ineu impatient
of the delay ot waiting for the tide. So they
have set to work to n ake a railroad connec
tion with the mouth ot the Wu Sung, a dis
tance of about twelve miles. Alter long
negotiations the provincial magistrate at last
gave his consent, but upon the condition that
they should not run no steam, engine upon
their road. The foreigners agreed to use
-■■j ■*, Hop
ing that the obstinate and superstitous Chi
nese would overcome their prejudices. They
had great trouble in buying the tight of way
—particularly with a head-strong old lady
whose field and a pond of water lay along
the proposed route. She clamored until a
clamorous mob drove away the Chinese
workmen, and gave a great deal of trouble
to the contractors. What was her reasoon7
She said the railroad would spoil and ruin
“the fnng shui of her neighborhood.” This
hard word, missionaries have told us, is
nearly an equivalent for our good luck. No
doubt she thought that the foreigners with
their railroad would displease the spirits of
her ancestors in their nocturnal flights and
visitations. No doubt she is very foolish, as
well as very sincere. But there are super
stitious people outside of China who have
just as unreasonable, and foolish, and sin
cere notions about running tue fung-shui and
spoiling the good luck of their neighborhood,
it would not be worth the trouble to recite
the manifold ab-urd notions among ourselves
on such subjects—but they are in the same
category with the superstition of the old
Chinese woman as to the railroad and the
fuug-shui of ht-r neighborhood.
But the row she raised gave the wily for
eigners a pretext for putting a locomotive on
the track to move the construction trains.
Then come, as the papers tell us, a ludicrous
scene. A writer in the Western Christian
Advocate gives us a lively description of the
amazement of the people when they looked
for the first time upon the iron-horse, with
fire and smoke, with thundering roar and
unearthly screech They screamed and ran
and fell over one another. Nor did some of
them stop their flight till they had put a gieat
distance between themselves and the roaring
foreign monster. But the worst thing of all
was —spoiling the fung-shui.
Curiosity however will, by and by, over
come fear and superstition, and it was not
long till they ventured to look at the wonder
ful tire-train from a distance—ashriek of the
locomotive scattering them again, but no 1
quite so far. After a while some ventured
closer and after a day or two a few very hold
ones braved all dangers, fung-shui their
idols, and the spirits included, and actually
took a ride 1
They will get used to the railroad, they
will learn that it will not ruin the l'ung-shui
ot their country, but rather bring them a
blessing. The railroad is in China to stay
and the building of this short line from tbe
mouth of the Wu Sung riter to the business
center of the foreign merchants of Shanghai
marks a great epoch in the history of this
amiriit and wonderful nation. Railroads
and telegraphs—inevitable accompaniments
—and news-papers, inevitable results —will
be weighty solvents ot Chinese superstition.
It means true progress; it is both effect and
cause. Ten years ago this little railroad
could not have been built; ten years hence
the Chinese will themselves be building lon
ger liues. Some day they will be running
their roads North, and South, and East, and
West. How long will it be before a grand
imperial railway shall connect Shanghai and
Peking ? It will come in due time. The
old fung-shui gods had as well pack up and
get themselves out ol the way.
Tne Church must keep fully abreast with
the railroad and other agents of civilization.
The Japantse built arsenals for the manufac
ture of improved artillery before there were
any Christian Churches, may God inspire
the Church to emulate and surpass the zeal
and faith, and enterprize and success of the
men of commerce!
No doubt troublesome old women and nar
row-minded magistrates will give the pro
gressive innovaters annoyance, vexatiou and
hiuderance. But they will succeed neverthe
less. Experience will teach the slow-mind-
SOUTHERN CHRISTIAN- k D V>o CATE.
ed Chinese to welcome what they now fear
and abhor. Progress is the word A mighty
revolution has commenced, and it is not
going backward. For as Robert Hall says,
“In the revoluiions of the human mind ex
ploded opinions are often revived; but an
exploded superstition never regains its
credit.” H.
Death of Bishop Cummins. —The Balti
more Sun announces the death of Rt. Rev.
George David Cummins, D.D., of the Re
formed Protestant Episcopal Church, which
took place in Baltimore county on the 26th
instant, after a sharp and severe illness of a
few hours. He was asked if he had anything
he desired to say, and his re,Jy was, “Tell
the people of my church to go forward.”
This was his last utterance.
Corresponkittt.
LETTER FROM MRS. BRANCH.
Dkak Doctor : I left your readers last
week just as our merry party had gained the
summit, of the hill, and were resting from the
fatigue of the ascent.
Soon there was a panting voice, and a quick
step joined the chi! ireu’s Someone cried
out —“Onlythi k he has brought all these
heavy lunch baskets up tie hid I” It was a
feat of strength surely for our young mar
shall, for tliose baske s were full, and held
some.hing heavier than “goodies”—but I
will tell jou about that by-and-by. After
the feast was s fely sto red in some shelter,
no one joined in more merrily with the chi 1
drett’s glee than the marshall. How inno
cent and sweet the little girls looked frolic
ing around him. nearly all wearing white
muslin aprons, drawn into frills close to the
throat, i-ill with sleeves and white frills
about the wi istg, and with innocent white
strings tied in the backs —such as our moth
ers, and some of us, used to wear. I did
not see a pannier or a pin back among those
little ones—but 1 will own that our larger
girls were dr.-ssed as gracefully and tasteful
ly as any I have ever seen. Ah, how much
I might say about some of these girls along
the Pacific coast ; but they might quarrel
with me if I became personal. There are
queens among tlmm. For are there not
,oue who wtil read these lines, who remem
ber when we were told that those whose
daily walk is marked by silent sacrifice for
Christ’s sake, shall reign as queens in that
kingdom, where it will be unclouded joy to
wear the crown of a queen 7
A handsome boy of my class came to me
with a flush of pride upon his face, leading
by the hand his baby sister. She was a little
heauly, and nestled to me lovingly, but it
was the boy’s protecting manner that made
a lady exclaim, “ Oh ! is it not beautiful in
him? ’ Bit children's joys, however great,
cannot last long unless they art “ led ’ —so
we open, and the baskets and spread out the
feast. It looked very tempting upon the
white table-cloths woich were laid upon the
grass, and the loirly neats di i not seem to
interfere with the enjoyment of tit s feasters.
Frank whispered to me just before they be
gan to eat, “ Olt, mama, I heard a boy say
just now that he didn’t bring any basket, but
was going to ‘burn’ his dinner.” “Oh,
dear, what is tha',” I cried. “ Steal it 1”
exclaim and h“. His ludicrous look of dis
dain made tne laugh when 1 ought to have
been shocked. This is a California slang
word—hut 1 can say truly, I never sat down
to a pic-uio feast witu a mote gentlemanly
set of boys than these. There was no ex
cuse for “ bumming,” for the hungry chil
dren were hunted up from over hill and
canon, and made to eat. Our marshall had
iQ he coaxed, to ,l iaa he. was so fearful some
cniTa would be lerTout; and even during the
ceremony he was darting oft’ to hand some
one a cup of water, or to fly off on a zig-zag
course to pick up a round baby as it started
to roll down the hill.
The water we drank had to be carried
near half a mile, yet kind hands brought, it,
as if by magic, to our thirsty lips. A little
later, I sat upon the grass, among the many;
yet alone, for my heart had strayed faraway.
Well remembered May scenes, and the faces
ot dear friends were around me. No joys
can ever be sweeter to me than those which
came rushing back upon memory’s tide and
so filled my heart with emotion, 1 had to
draw my veil to hide the tears. I could see
the white robed procession pass before me,
as it did long months ago. Oh, sweet
dressed children, do you think of me?
Mountains draped in snow, white garments,
lily-white flowers, and faces shining with
purity—how you all charm me 1 All are
but emblems of one pure Spirit. Even
the lately soiled garment which leaves all
impurity in the cleansing water, and grows
white and snowy in the su shine, gives me
joy in coming so pure beneath my touch,
and in this, too, I see the same beautiful
emblem. It cannot be that we are educated
to find joy in what is white; for what motn
er is there who has not seen her baby’s face
wreathe into smiles when a smooth, white
dress is placed around ils little form? The
untutored lips cry “Pretty, pretty.” Strange
and sad that a baby soul, with its innate love
for pure garments, should so soon choose to
gather about ils innocence the dark and ugly
robes of sin!
My reverie was broken in upon by the gift
of a lovely bunch of wild flowers. I had
expressed a wish for some rare ferns to send
to absent friends—here I found a beautiful
specimen called the “Maiden's Hair.” The
delicate soft green leaves were upheld by a
stem of shining black as delicate as the leaf.
Would that I could describe these floral
beauties —I cannot , they are divine !
The day was declining—the children’s
happy day—and the “ Arabs began to fold
iheir tents.” My handsome young scholar
was collecting the empty baskets, when he
came across one that seemed by its weight
to contain treasures. He ventured to look
in, when I saw a smile overspread his merry
face. With an expressive nod he exclaimed
—“ Well! It will take a preacher to eat the
lunch in this basket.” We rushed to see
the mysterious and solemn food. It con
sisted of Testaments and hymn-books ! How
we all laughed to think of the marshall’s
mistake in bringing away the Sabbath school
basket. None enjoyed the laugh more than
he did, though he had lugged the heavy
weight up that steep hill.
The little folks scattered as quietly
as leaves in the autumn wind? I was
among the last to go, as Iwould not
leave one of the little flock behind. Not
one cloud had dimmed the sunshine of
this bright day, for more than a hundred
children! Shall we call the day wasted ?
I thought of this as I stood in the dusty
road, waiting for the last trip of the
“ bus.” Our marshall was waiting too, but
he was not idly thinking, he was at work
still. When the crowd were all seated for
the last trip, he alone had no seat, even on
the driver’s platform, where he stood in the
hot afternoou sun and dust, holding on to
the tap of the ponderous vehicle. Yet he
looked so happy. What were the dust, the
heat, the weariness of boiy to him, who
never thought of himself? How beautiful is
unselfishness? Is it too much to say 1 had
looked upon something more pleasant to the
soul than gazing upon Nature’s dark myste
ries?
But of my promise about the flowers.
Why was I so daring as to presume I could
describe their beauties? I share with our
dear Bishop Kavanaugh a perpetual ecstacy,
over the floral charms of this
walking in company with him two Sabbaths
since, towards the Col ege chap-1, where he
was about to preach the commencement
sermon. He paused by several yards to ad
mire the lovely flowers and shrubs, and it
was a pleasure to me to point put different
varied sto his view. He made a veryjjeau
tiful and happy allusion to the flowers in his
sermon, and spoke of the “lady friend”
who pointed them out to him. My; boys’
eyes grew bright. “ Oh, that’s you >
pered Frank, and Orsy looked about will a
delighted smile. Can you not imagine the
picture? Happily, no one but the’ boys
knew to whom he alluded, so we enjoyed the
pleasure of consequence all to ourselves. No
doubt, out of all that beautiful serm<fn,fno
part was so appreciated by the boys
graceful mingling of sweet thoughts*
mother'. A boy, for a season -a
long troubled years!
I could not.help thinking of wbat our Ma
con gills would say if hey had been reward
ed for their lin rary efforts-during Commence
ment, as these students were in the Pacific
Methodist College. Why, the rarest sid
most beautiful flow rs, went up even in the
market baskets! One orator, brother A.
M. Campbell, had to many pelted at him,
that he could not gather them up with alt his
arms.
But I must desist from the pleasing em
ployment of holding converse with so many
absent fr ends. Mr. Branch says I oughtto,
wind up with a hi tory of a ramble we tool/
yesterday out to the firm of a stu.i •dy-ai-d
Kentuckian who has made his
Santa B,osa. But my letter will be too long,
if f begin to draw pictures of that “ nnsj/y
forage upon the cherry trees.” They atOv
vivid that perhaps 1 can amuse you by drAw®- 4
ing tneui upon the sheets of a future letter.
C. B.
MARION DISTRICT, SOUTH CAROLINA
CONFERENCE. f
Mr. Editor: l'he second session of the
Quarter.y Conference for South Marlboro
Circuit was held at lleli on on Saturday, the
10th instant- The congregation was large,
and the attend nee of official members goad.
The reports of the prme er in charge, and
of the hoard of stewards, show that the
Church here is in a li-althy and growing
state. Tne love feast on Sunday morning
was a feast indeed, l'he membership were
out in force, and ihey w, re there in time,
and “ready to give a leasou of the hope
that is in them, with meekness and fear.”
They spake tre-ly of what God had done for
their souls, “ and the Lord hearkened and
heard,” and poured us out such a blessfßg,
that our hearts were fi led with gladness,
and our tongues with singing. At the gjfjge
of the sermon on Sunday morning several
persons came as penitents to the altar of
prayer, one professed to find peace in be
lieving, and not a few of God’ people shout
ed aloud for joy. It was indeed a “ time of
refreshing from the presence of the Lord.”
Phis circuit has four appointments, and a
membership of over six hundred. It would
be one of the most desirable circuits in the
Conference, if it only had a comfortable
parsonage, and this I trust it will have at uo
very distant day. This is only the seccnd
year since these four churches were organ
ized into a circuit, and in contributing to the
support of the ministry, and to make up the
Conference assessments, they have dori£"as
well as most, and better than many,
ol ‘er circuits. Such a people will not long
he content without a home of their own for
their preacher.
This is one of the most prosperous por
tions of our State. The people are sober,
industrious, economical, and thrifty. They
—: ,
for home consumption, and are not depend
ent on their cotton money for their supplies
of bread and meat. The farms about He
bron are beautiful to look upon, having very
much the appearance of large and highly
cultivated gardens. Here, as at other
chinches in Marlboro, my attention was
drawn to the large number of tine, fat, well
groomed horses, hitched to neat and sub
stantial buggies, and driven by well-dressed
and self-reliant looking young men. This
finds an explanation in the fact that on
Monday morning, these fine horses are each
hitched to a plough, and that plough is held
and guided by the very hands that held the
reins on Sunday. These young gentlemen
are neither ashamed nor afraid of work. By
their own honorable industry they have
earned the money they paid for these fine
horses, and buggies, and clothes, and thtre
fore they have the right to enjoy them. Yea,
more, they have earned the right to invite
such companionship as will heighten their
enjoyment, and if I were “ a fair ladye” and
should be woo and by one of these marly Marl
boro boys, I should hesitate long'before I
would refuse him.
Rev. J. T. K. is in charge of this circuit.
Were he to publish what he “ he knows
about farming ” he would give us a better
book than did Horace Greeley on that sub
ject, but he has been better employed —his
whole time on this circuit has beeu devoted
to the one work of his ministry, and he has
proved himself as efficient in pastoral labors
as in his pulpit ministrations. He has a
clear and thorough knowledge of the doc
trines and discipline of our Church, and can
defend the one and administer the other, in
a most edifying and satisfactory manner.
Like St. Paul at Rome, brother K. lives “in
his own hired house,” and this house is
large and commodious, not far fiom the
classic shows of Parnassus, and quite near
a famous mineral spr ng, whose health-giv
ing waters render it unnecessary that, like
Titnoihy, he should take either -‘wine" or
“ vinegar ” for his “ infirmities.”
My next Quarterly Meeting was held at
Briton’s Neck, on the Marion Circuit. Sat
urday was a dark and stormy day, and cloak,
apron, and umbrella were insufficient to pro
tect from the pelting storm. Twelve miles
of travel through such weather made me
feel, on reaching the church, that a good fire
was necessary to both health and comfort,
and so, with the approval of all the brethren
present, I resolved to drive tj brother Ste
venson's, a mile distant, and hold a Confer
ence in his parlor. Brother S., who hipi a
large heart, as well as a roomy house, jjave
us the right sort of a welcome, and soifci a
bright fire was kindled, and we were n.ade
as comfortable as possible. The pastor,
Rev. W. TANARUS., and eleven of the officers, a
majority of whom were licentiates, were
present. Brother T. reported ten Sunday
schools. eight churches, some additions to
the membership, Sunday congregations large
and attentive, and some improvement in the
spiritual condition of the Church. On en
quiry, I learned that the appointments of
tbe preacher had been filled with undeviating
regularity; that his preaching was instructive,
earnest, and stirring ; that he had faithfully
administered the sacraments of the Church ;
and that he was “diligent in visiting Irom
house to house.” The deep concern that
he has manfested for the religious instruc
tion of the children and youth of his charge,
and the earnest effort tbat he has been mak
ing to have the Sunday-schools properly
conducted, and well supplied with suiuble
religious literature, must awaken iu the
minds of his people a deeper interest in this
subject, and call forth more earnest and
persistent endeavor on the part of the Cb rch
for the education and salvation of theyoing.
“Feed my lambs,” is the command ol the
Master, and there will be great loss tijtbe
children, and heavy guilt upon the Church, j
if this duty be not faithfully performed.
I was greatly pleased to find at Britton's*
Neck a large, comfortable, and well-fumi-h
--ed house of worship, in place of the
rather unsightly one in which we worshipped
thirty years ago. The greater part of those
who then met to praise and pray, have gone
to ihe upper sanctuary, and now join with
the angels in songs before the throne ; a few
however remain with the Church militant,
and our mee ing, after so long a separation,
was not without emotion. Sunday was a
bright and beautiful day, and a goo ly com
pany assembled for worship, at fier a half
hour's address to the SundayMchool, the
word of God was prpached, and the S era
ment of the Lord’s Supper adinitns er, and.
Jesus came into the midst of his disciples,
and said, “Peace be unto you”; and many
an eye was suffused with tears, and many a
heart rejoiced in hope.
The interests of Methodism in this circuit
would be greatly promoted by the erection
of some new churches, and we are not with
out hope that this will soon be aeeompl shed
Brother T. speaks very confidently of build
ing a brick church at Tabernacle, and an
other at Nebo aud none who are acquainted
with the man, and have witnessed bis indom
itable perseverence in what, ver he under
takes for the good of the Church, wilt be
astonished at the completion of such an en
terprize.
It would also be of decided advantage just
now, if the brethren would manifist a little
more interest in the maintenance of their
preachers. The sustentation lund is very
low. This circuit is behind all. others this
itidejpf little Pee Dee, in its financial reports.
Come, brethren of the Marion Circuit, show
your faith by your wm-ks. Old Hard Times
is at the parsonage, and there he will remain,
a pest and an annoyance, until you drive
him off. He has come to s>ay, and pays no
regard whatever to our instructions to leave;
hut, surely six hundred Methodists offic,red
by a full board of stewards, ought to be able
to route him instanter Charge ! brethren,
Charge ! W. 11. F.
PASTORAL APPEAL.
To the preachers and members of Methodist
Episcopal Church, S-uth, in the Columbia
District, South Carolina Conference:
Dear Brethren: You cannot but be aware
that the alarming monetary condition of the
country is entailing upon you privations,
hardships, self-denials, and gloomy forebod
ings. The financial reports, at the second
session of your Quarterly Conferences, have
not shown any improvement upon those of
the first. Whilst this declension, in the sum
mer, is not unusual, the present status of
affairs indicates a disposition upon the part
of the Church to yield too readily to the pres
sure of hard times. This formidable antag
onism to our uninterrupted success in all
the departments of the Church, must he mit
and overcome by a spirit of gospel aggres
siveness, inducing legitimate, strong and un
remitting efforts, to be submitted, through
the medium of prayer and lasiing, to the
Almighty Father, in the name of Him who
shares llis throne and His glory.
Thanks be to God for the excellent, and
still improving, spiritual condition of the
District. The revival flame is certainly be
ginning to burn, pure and bright, upon our
altars. Accessions to the Church are multi
plying, and every Quarterly Meeting is now
anticipated as a special season of refreshing
from the presence of the Lord. The attend
ance, therefore, upon the religious seine-s
by the people, and the increasing numbers
in Quarterly Conf rence, unerringly indicate
the onward and upward tendency of the
“sacramental host,.”
loved, “iti your patience possess ye
you* —..i, i
“But take to arm you for the fight,
The panoply of God.”
Shall not the membership of the Church,
in our extensive District, increase a thou
sand, at least, by the approaching Annual
Conference, and the multitudinous trophies
of the cross he placed at Ihe feet of Emman
uel 7 Herein is the rock foundation of the
temporal prosperity of Zion. Lay the foun
dation deep and wide and high, and rear
thereon the well proportioned and equally
firm superstructure, and then you “shall
bring forth the headstone thereof with shout
ings, crying, Grace, grace unto it!”
Permit me to call your attention to the
statistics of the District for last year, making
the following exhibit. Ido this without the
least intention to reflect upon any person,
but simply to admonish you of the stern
necessity of making extraordinary efforts,
or, our record lor next year will be discredit
able; and we of the ministry may constitute
a forlorn group of recusant pastors, both in
the Annual Conference and the Bishop’s
cabinet, whilst the laity will deserve no more
than ourselves at the hands of either. The
Minutes of 1875 show: ‘ Members, increase,
394, decrease 135. Baptisms, increase, 62,
decrease 191. Sunday-school scholars, in
crease 220, decrease 283. Conference claims
assessed, $2,983. Conference claims col
lected $2,101 11, deficit $821.” And, lay
brethren, consider “the average paid, per
member, $0.42.”
Do not be discouraged, however, “Be
strong and quit yourselves like men.” Your
unworthy brother is endeavoring to press on,
in the day of health and plenty, and in the
night of sickness and want. He does not
say to you, “go!”—but, “come!” —
“ Come on my partners in distress,
My comrades through the wilderness,
Who still your bodies feel:
Awhile forget your griefs and fears,
And look beyond this vale of tears,
To that celestial hill.”
I feel that I shall soon gather from the
testimentary’b gaey bequeathed to the Church
and Christian fidelity, by the martyred Apos
tle, the substantial assurance that “there is
laid up for me a crown of righteousness.”
I must insist, my brethren df the ministry,
that you relieve yourselves and your respec
tive charges, of the following assessments,
by the approaching District Conference,
to wit: for Bishops, Mexican Youth, Educa
tion, and Domestic Missions. Do not report
at your next Quarterly Conference, “noth
ing for missions.”
The District Conference will not appoint
the usual committees to report on the vari
ous interests of the Church; but the follow
ing brethren wiil prepare concise, pointed,
and suggestive essays on the subjects con
nected with their names, to be submitted to
the District Conference, as furnishing matter
for discussion. No paper should occupy in
the reading, much more than five minutes:
General state of the Church, J. M. Boyd, J.
H. Kinsler, vide Disc. p. 01. Missions,
Thomas Mitchell, Ibid. Sunday schools, J.
W. Kelly, J. G. Patterson, Ibid. Finances,
T. J. Clyde, H. C. Baugh t;, Ibid. Denomi
national Education, J. Walter Dickson, Ibid.
Church Literature, A. Coke Smith, T. J.
LaMotte. Administration of Discipline, Geo.
F. Round. Church buildings and parson
ages, T. W. Munnerlyn, L. A. Johnson.
Quarterly Meetings and Conferences; how
may they be rendered more attrac ive and
efficient? G. W. Walker, Thomas Jordan.
Church Registers, J. A. Clifton. Fasting
and prayer, J. E. Carlisle, infant Cliutch
membership, (by resolution of Fairfield
Quarterly Conference,) the undersigned.
And now, brethren, I commend you to God,
and to the word of His grace, which is able to
build you up, and to give you an inheritance
among all them which are sanctified.” Most
affectionately, E. J. Meynahdib, P. E.
Columbia, June 21, 187 G.
LE FTER FROM i’LORIDA.
Mb. Em b . just now receiv
ing so muc|, attention as a -desirable place
for that, it seems only right that
our Church appreciate the promi
nenee the FlorHinWoni’-rinee is attaining
to. from the rapid increase of
the population of 1 am glad to
say that our Conference 'LSg. At our
annual session ot 1873 in * : na, Bish
op Marvin stationed 48 V were
then under a cloud, timi the
brethren had passed through many hard-hips,
five applied for a ta ansfer to other Confer
ences, and we irflt-such a seuse of our weakf
that we actually inaugurated a move
to apply to the South Geo g a Conference to
take us in. But the Bishop (God be praised
for such a man) was hopeful. He incour
aged us by cheering words, and the brethren
will recollect how we were all filled with
new strength, as in prophetic tones he said :
“Brethren 1 seeabrghr future before
Flori la Conference.”
That year, affairs tock a turn. The Com
mission appointed withheld our application
tor union with the South Georgia Confer
ence, and God has been blessing us constant
1) since those dark days. At one recent
session in Quincy, Bishop Wight,man station
ed 60 preachers, an increase of 18 in three
years. I have 21 in my District. It is a
hard field in one sense, lor it requires a great
deal of travel extending from Fematidina
to Indian River. La t year I traveled 7,700
miles, and thus far, during this year I have
traveled about 4,000. We are hoping by
another year to form anew District, as we
have the territorsyjf we can only find the
men. 1 have just? returned from a trip to
Mellonvilr, Cringe Circuit, and Indian
River. Bro. Ransom, I see, has just furn
ished the Advocate with an account of his
work, so 1 need not enlarge. We held his
Quarterly meeting at Maitland settlement,
15 miles from Mellonville. Five years ago
there was not a family theie. Mellonville
was then in the Orange Circuit, and one
brother gave an interesting account in love
feast, of a Quarterly meeting held oil the work
just five years ago. Bishop Wighiman was
present, the meeting was at Mellonville.
I bis brother walked from Orlando to Meli
onville, 22 miles, to attend the service, pass
mg through Maitland, which was then an
unbroken pine forest. Four preachers oc.
cupy the tie and now, to one then, and two more
could find employ. Wehave a veiy useful
matt in Bio. Ransom who came to us a year
and a half ago in and, licate healih, nut a con
firmed invalid. Tue climate has done won
ders for him, and the Church has been great
ly blessed under i-is ministry. We have a
neat Church building at Meilcnvtlle, htiili
mainly by the efforts ot the sisters of the
Church. The parsonage was completed a
few days before Quar-etly meeting, and Bro.
Johnson and wile looked very cozy and com
fortable. Bro. Johnson id a transfer from
Missouri, who came to Florida for his health,
but 1 fear lie is a little too far South lo reap
the benefit he might from our glorious cli
mate. 1 had a pleasant trip to Indian Riv<r.
Bro. Ransom look me in his buggy. We
left Lake Jessup early in the morning, and
rode to Sand Point,, 40 miles, by dark, cross
ing the St. John’s ri.er in a ferry ut noon.
Bro. Barnett met us at Sand Point with a
boat, and we had a glorious sail, 30 miles,
down the river to the lower end ol Merrill’s
Island. What do you suppose we did there
the next day ? Married ihe young mission
ary, to Miss Alice Hiscock. daughter ot a
local preacher ol the M. E. Church, recent
ly from Minnesota. Well, that is a very
practical method of establishing fraternal
relations certainly. Bro. Barnett has been
on the river nearly two years now, and ha
done a good work. Our single man are to
uv.™. y—. i f„w „ ,<•
make a married man of him, still it is very
lonesome down there and folks will get mar
ried you know. We had a very pleasant
gathering at the wedding. We had repre
sentatives from twelve different States, all
now Floridans, and I don’t know how many
different kinds of cake
Came up to Quarterly meeting Friday
night. Rain on Saturday and Sunday rather
interfered wiih the attendance, but we had
a good time. Returned to Lake Jessup on
Monday. For the last sixteen miles it rain
ed in torrents, but on stoping for the night,
we soon changed our wet garments for dry
ones, and suffered no inconvenience from
our wetting. I reached home in due season,
feeling giateful to God for his blessings,
spiritual and temporal. Found all well, and
now am enjoying the luxury of a rest, i
flatter myselfl am one of your “level-headed
and right-heaited correspondents,” and now.
having “counted” and tried to “condense,”
I shall be happy. I trust, whichever direc
tion this communication takes. One word:
Please publish the following names of dele
gates to the Annual Conference from Jack
sonville Distiict Conference, omitted in Sec
retary’s report of proceedings: J. J. Davis,
O. Buddinston, J. W. Piice, M. D., Rev.
W. A. McLean. Alternates: Rev. T. N.
Gautier, F. V. Seagle.
Frederic Pasco.
Jacksonville , Fla. , June 27, 1876.
TO THE COLUMBUS DISTRICT.
Dear Bbethken: Half the ytar is gone.
We enter upon the third round. So tar we
have but little to condemn, much to encour
age, more to elicit devout thanksgiving to
Almighty God. Through His blessing our
pastors are “ standing every man in his
place” preaching the word, visiting from
house to house, and enforcing the Discipline.
Our churches are comparatively free from
wrangling and heresies, our membership
is unworn by disease, and unwasted by death,
our homes are untouched by storms, our
Sabbaths have been bright, our week-days
suited to labor, our seasons propitious, our
recent harvest beyond the average, and onr
present prospects almost unprecedented.
Admitting that human nature has its im
perfections, faces their freckles, the sun its
spots, we our straits, still this is no time to
dwell on, or magnify these meaner things.
It was done in the days of David —and will
never be otherwise. The Psalmist could
have been a first-class croaker—but the
mercy of God, as seen by us, controlled op
portunity, and converted his mouth into a
fountain of golden sentiment and ceaseless
praise. “Praise waited for Thee,o God, in
Zion : and unto the shall the vow he per
formed : thou makest the outgoing of the
morning and evening to rejoice : thou visit
est the earth and waterest it: thou prepar
estthem corn, when thou hast so provided
for it: thou crownest the year with thy
goodness ; and thy paths drop fatness.” Let.
us, my brethren, imbibe his spirit and imi
tate his example.
Att-t ndance on public worship has been
large, congregations serious and resp msive.
wiihnow and then a conversion. “Say not
ye, There are yet four months, and then har
vest?” Lift up your eyes, and look on the
fields ; for they are white already to harvest.
God honors special efforts. Instead of wait
ing for signs, they are signs of faith accep
table and well pleasing in His sight. If the
ministers are engaged at other points the
Church ne.dnot wait. “There is a lad here,
which hath five barley loaves, and two small
fishes.”
To human eye, the Sabbath-schools ap
pear to be doing well. Here, as elsewhere,
the exact amount must be determined by
weight. A bushel of wheat outweighs a
basket of chaff-is Dss bulky—but more val
uable. A splendid school boasts of numbers,
good singing, indifferent lessons, bad behav
ior and frequent sensations —the latter is the
life of that school. A solid Sunday-school
is a seeker. It seeks by all its organization
add exercises to tiring the the children to
Christ, to church and into church “Seek,
and ye shall find.” Every child properly
instructed knows how to repent, believe,
pray, love and give -he is in sympathy with
ihe great enterprises of the church. Sunday
schools that know no'bing of Allen and Larn
buth — do nothing in the mission direc
tion, are "Imperfectly organized. Prizes and
siimulan sAre edged tools, to be carefully
handled. Sporting seed always sprout in
sirong soil. “I learned to bet in the Sab
bath-school.” The marks impart emphasis
to the eye and ear. A hypothetical case
sUfculd m ake us slum the ragged edge.
Waiving the formality o a reply I pro
pose, the Editor consenting, to tax you with
visit. They will be brief.
Yours in Christ, J. B. McGehee.
Talbotton, J one 26.
WILLI AMSTON FEMALE COLLEGE.
Mr Editor: The Commencement of ihe
Williamslott Female College in the great
event of he year in the pleasant litile village.
Unfortunately for many who had arranged
to be pr- sent, it came off amidst the coulin
u and rains of last week. Notwithstanding the
inclement weather, and the swollen streams,
the village was well filled with strangers,
and the exercises were of unusual interest.
The Commencement sermon by Rev. A.
B Woodfin, of o®lumbia, S. C., was a raie
treat—intellectual, earnest, eloquent. Mr.
W. rose above all minor differences into a
clear atmosphere of religious truth, and wof
the hearts of his hearers, both clerical and
lay.
The lion. James Farrow, President of the
Loui-ville Female College, was ihe i-peaker
selected for the occasion, but being detained
by high water, your correspondent was
pressed into service Have you ever at
iemp ed to extemporize a literary address?
1 is a desperate and frightful venture. One
effort is enough. Mr. Farrow came during
the afternoon, and delivered a very chaste
address to the young ladies on “The Impor
tance of Little Things.”
The exercises of the Kindergarten eonsti
tuted one of the most interesting features of
the occasion. The lit tie ones did credit to
their teacher and themselves. They are as
well drilled as a squad of soldiers who load
correctly in twelve movements; and have
gathered a large amount of knowledge in a
pleasant, even playful way The cotnpre
h risivetiess of the system is surpressing.
The concerts of the College are gotten up
with exquisite taste. The musi instrumen
tal and vocal, and the floral decorations of
s age and hall, of this last, were equal, if
not superior, to tliose of ils predecessors.
The exercises were closed by a touching
Baccalaureate, and the presentation of di
plomas to the graduates.
It is only just to an accomplished enthusi
astic, and most modest teacher to say, that
as an educator of youi g ladies, President
Lander has hut few superiors in the profess
ion. Aided by Rev. S. A. Weber, and five
or six ex -ellent teachers, his institution is
winning golden opinions through this sec
tion of the Siaie.
A few days ago the young ladies of the
College surprised, and, 1 suppose, gratified
their President by presenting him with a
purse to bear his expenses to the Centennial
Exhibition. He expects to leave next M>>n
day, and will he absent three or (our weeks.
O. A. Darby.
Williamston, -S'. C., June 24, 1876.
FOREIGN MISSIONS—A GOOD EXAM
-I*l,K.
Mr. Editor : Th s week I received from
JVll. >11,711 McllmUtniy till 111 <dr,
Monroe comity, Ga , through Rev. Hiratn
Phinazee, sixteen dollars for our Foreign
missions. This is the contribution of three
members, himself among them. Having no
missionary themselves in the field, they give
t.t eir contributions to our missionaries.
Said the veneiable man, as lie he handed
me the money : “ I want, to take stock in
this great enterprise Take this money, and
send it where it will do most good. God
has commanded His servants to preach the
Gospel to every creature, and I must do my
part.”
Doubtless, there are in tie North Georgia
Conference churches stronger than Mt. Zion,
that have not contributed a cent this ytar to
Foreign missions. Mho is to he b amed—
the churches or their pastors?
M’ho wiil follow the example of these wor
thy members of our sister church?
To the numerous friends of Rev. Hiram
Phinazee, it will he a pleasure to know that,
though feeble in body, he is still at work for
the Master. He is calmny waiting, with his
aged wife, the summons that shall call him
f.otn earth to heaven. Geo. E, Gardner.
ERROR.
In my last acknowledgements of money
received for domestic missions, I should have
reported Grantville,/(/7eert dollars instead of
nine. P. A. Heard, Treas.
Athens, June 22, 1876.
MISSIONS, NORTJIGEORGIA CONFER
em:k.—received from .ivxe t-j to so.
DOMESTIC.
Jonesboro $5 00
FOREIGN.
La Fayette $lO 00
Milner 12 50
Forsjth station 26 00
S4B 50
P. A. Heard.
UtissionarjL
From the Nashville Christian Advocate,
LETTER FROM CHINA.
.Shanghai, China, May 13, 1870.
Dkak Biiothkii : I have not written you
for some time, but it is not too late, and so
send you a few lines. We hear from San
Francisco of increasing violence shown to
the Chinese as they land from the steamers.
We regret this very much. The Chinese
here do not obtain news very rapidly, and I
presume, excepting Hong Kong and Canton,
but few Chinese know of it. We can tell
what the result would be if they had any
knowledge of these facts. Up to the present
moment we are allowed to go from city to
city, proclaiming the glad news of salvation
to thousands without any hinderance. There
is here open to us and the Christian world a
wonderful field for missionary effort. We
meet wiih countless thousands on avery
hand to whom we can dispense the bread of
life. The field is vast and the harvest ripe,
but the laborers are few. It is true, the
Roman Caffioli ,-s in the interior provinces,
more than a thousand miles from this place,
a e suffering persecution, and hundreds are
being iortured and slain, but in the provin
ces near the coast, up to this time, native
Christians meet with but little hostility. How
soon we may have it no one can tell. It
mu t come, sooner or later, before the pres
ent existing false systems of religion s' all be
di-placed or overthrown. The Roman Cath
olics close their doors, but Protestants throw
their doors wide open, and invite the peo
ple in to hear the unsearchable riches of the
gospel. Officials fear Roman Catholics as
bolding civil junsdiciion over their native
Christians. They do uot fear Protestants,
for they know we have no such desire. Let
the Church send us men and means, that
they may prove to the Chinese that there ib |
VOLUME XXXIX., NO. 27.
a vitality in the religion we pioess. Send
us men determined to succeed in this work,
and God will pour out a rich blessing upon
Qg J. VV. Lambuth.
Christian Literature in the Mission
Fibi.D. A correspondent of t lie Christian
Advocate (N. Y.) writes: “The Rev. E.
Faber has brought out three volumes of a
Commentary on the Gospel by Mark in Chi
nese ; and the Rev. Samuel Dodds, of
Shanghai, has recently published, in the
same language, a Commentary on the /.jos
tles to the Hebrews. Mrs. Mather, of Mir
zapore, who has spent thirty fi e years
among the Hindus, has just i-sued, in Urdu,
a Bible dictionary, containing 1,670 articles,
and tilling 578 super-royal octavo pages. It
is sad to be one of the most valuable books
ever published for the use of native Chris
tian teachers and preachers. The Rev. J.
Lees, at Shanghai, lias brought, out a Chinese
version of ten of Sankey’s hymns, “ Hold
the Fort” being one of the s lection. Rev.
Ben Helm has transla ed into Chinese, and
published, a catechism f r children, origi
nally published in America. Thus daily the
Christian author, translator, and distributor
ot Curistian literature provides the newest
and best arms for the soldiers of the Cross,
and impeiceptibly, bin surely, organize the
great vi. tory.”
The Ultramontane paper, Germania, con
tradicts the statements which have been
made about conferences he and at the Vatican
between ca dinais and foreign diplomatists,
for the purpo e of devising some modus vi
vendi between the Church of Rome and the
Governments nqw at variance with it.
The London Miss ouary Society has de
finitely resolved to underiake the Mission to
Lake Tanganyika. They have dispatched
the Rev. Roger Price, the son-in-law of Dr.
Moffat, to Zanzibar, to make preliminary in
quiries ou important points.
The Rev. Dr. Curry writes that the Mis
sion in Rome of the Southern Baptist
Churches of the United States must either
ue enlarged or abandoned. There are
000 in li ,nd for the building of a chapel in
Rome.
Ten years ago there was not, a Methodist
Church in Sweden. Now there are seventy
societies, fifty-six preachers, and forty local
preachers. There are five thousand in em
bers and thirty-one churches, which have a
seating capacity of twelve thousand.
The Woman's Foreign Missionary Society
of the M. E Church b- gait its operations in
1869, and that year raised $7,000, and last
year it raised $76 000. That was progress
in a good work.
OUR SOUTHERN COMMISSIONERS.
Mr. Editor: 1 see by the circular letter
of Rev. Bishop Paine, the venerable and be
loved senior superintendent of the M. E.
Church, South, published at Nashville, and
copied in the Christian Advocate last week,
that in the official certificate of our Commis
sioners to the Chuich, S uth, their just and
proper titles have been omitted. The certi
ficate was prepaied by one of my exec llent
associate secretaries, who, in omitting the
titles, followed the severe taste of the Gen
eral Conference we served. But, on reflec
tion, I presume that the General Conference
in this case would be willing that the honor
ed brethren who represent the Methodist.
Episcopal Church in this grave and impor
tant comm ssion should l> ar the honorary
titles whic i have been conferred upon them,
and which in every ease have deen worthily
conferred. I am constrained, therefore, to
supply the omission. Our commissioners to
confer with commissioners of the M. E.
Church, South, are Rev. Morris D’C. Craw
ford, D.D., Hon. Enoch L. Fancher, LL.D.,
Rev. Erasmus Q. Fuller, D.l) , Gen. Clinton
B. Fisk, and Rev. J. P. Newman. D.D.
Geo. W. Woodruff, Sec. of Gen. Conf.
Fall River, Mass. , June 24, 187(1.
N. Y. Christian Advocate.
Henry Scriver, cashier of the New York
Book Concern, has been arrested and placed
in Ludlow Street jail, on the charge of em
bezzling the funds and securities of that in
stitution. The amount in all to ah .tit $15,-
600. Of this sum $4,000 was in cash, and
sll 000 in bonds belonging to other persons,
temporarily left with the Book Agents for
eafekeep ng. The c-asli appropriated was
taken within a few days of the discovery of
the defalcation. Scriver had taken out of
the safe $15,000 of the Book Concern bonds,
owned ny outside persons, and had pledged
them in Wall Street in stock speculations.
Fearing expo-ure from the fact that the own
ers might call for them at. any moment, he
had used $4,000 of he funds of the Concern
to redeem them, and had put them back
again in the safe.
The Rev. Dr. Cuvier says that the history
of the song which Mr. Sankey sings ,-o often,
“ The Ninety and Nine,” is curious. “It
originally appeared in the corner of an
American newspaper, from the pen of Miss
E. C. Clephane. \\ hen Mr. Sankey was
among the Scottish Highlands, he tried to
find some hymn piculiarly suited (o the pas
toral tastes of his auditors, who were mainly
shepherds. He discovered these lines in
The Rock, an English Evangelical newspa
per. He adapted them to a wild, plaintive
air, and ihey soon* sung themselves into the
hearts not only of rustic Highlanders, hut
of lords and ladies in fastidious London.”
Stcfos of fj)c (Hitcdi.
GENERAL NEWS.
Omaha, June 28. —'The following is just
received at the department headquarters
from Captain Nickerson, aid to Gen. Crook,
dated Camp South To k 'Tongue riv-r, June
19, via Fort Felterman 2d: “We had a sharp
fight on Rosebud cieek on the morning of
the 17th inst lasting several hours. The
Indians made the attack, and had a force
they no doubt believed sufficient to whip this
command.”
Chaki.kston, June 23.—T0-day there was
a meeting of the committee of one hundred
at the Chamber o! Commerce, and a Com
mittee on Reception, of 21, was designa
ted.
Washington, June 23.—[Official] - Gen.
Crook reports nine whi.e men killed and fif
teen wounded in the third cavalry, two
wounded in the sec nd cavalry, three wound
ed .n the fourth infantry, and Capt. Henry,
of the third cavalry, severely wounded in the
face. Ihe loss of the Indians can not be
estimated. Four companies of infantry and
one of cavalry are ordered to report to his
hear'quarters in the field at once.
Washington, D. C., June 23.—General
Schofield is ordered to West Point, General
McDowell to the Military Division of the
Pacific, and Colonel Ruger to the Depart
ment of the South. The Division of the
South will be discontinued.
Atlanta, June 24 —The biggest election
ever held here was the contest of to day.
Ihe lame, halt and blind vced. Theie were
free carriages and free whisky for both can
didates. The stiaight tickets were counltd
with tbe following result: James, 1,307;
Colquitt, 1,091.
The following card is published in the
Times: Cer ain publications in the newspa
pers of this city, in reference to the use of
liquor in the late canvass, are thought by
my friends to require some notice from me