' p P P _■! i I_ i PP P GENESEE EVANGELIST. No.. 73T. fartrg. , '■ THE TIME FOR PRAYER. „ When is the time for prayer? - With the first beams that light the morning sky, Ere for the toils of da; thou dost, prepare, Lift up thy thoughts on high; Commend thy loved ones to his watohful care! Morn is the time-for'prayer I - And in the noon-tide hour, If worn by toil or if sad cores.oppreaa.; Then unto Cod thy spirit’s sorrow pour, And he will give. thee rest; Thy voice shall reach him through the fields of air; Noon is the time for' prayer! When the bright sun hath set— While eve's.bright colors deck the shies; When with the loved at home, again thou’st .met, Then let thy prayer arise • for those who in thy joya andi sorrows shore; : Eve Is the time for prayer 1 ■ And when the- store oome fqrth— When to. the trusting heart sweet-hopes are.given, And the deep etillness of the hour gives birth < To pure, bright dreams of heaven— _ Kneel to thy- God—96lt strength life’s ills to bettr; Night is (he time for prayerl When is the tlme.for prayer? In every hour while life is spared to thee—- In orowds or solitude—in joy or cure-—. „ Thy thoughts should heavenward flee, "' At home—at morn and eve—with-loved ones-there, Bend thou the knee in prayer. fHomspa&ettcA JiEITER PROM CHINA. jfgiiorrora words an* &bntenoes uses bzthe OHISEBB, The Chinese language, whether spoken or written, abounds in words add set phrases, which are considered as felicitous and ominous- of good. The use-of such is very common, especially on tmoasiona jbyous and complimentary, I propose in this letter- to illustrate: this peculiar trait of Chinese character, by a reference to several of their words and steredtyped sentences. - The Chinese unieorn, (kilingj) is -in popular use, an omen of good. This fabulous animal is as having only one horn, with a body all covered with scales. For several thousand years ithaa-eludcd the visioh of mortals; except ing ouce t .When,ibis stated to have-bten seen by Confucius id hjte old age. He is said 1 to have re garded-it’da-ominous of his approaching death. The# tdy, that Confucius was the elf of- the .Unicorn,! Hence perhapsthe-originrof the common laying,' that an extraordinarily bright boy, is the “Son-oil the - unicorn.” Sacha hoy is also-spoken of aa<the “gift of. the unicorn.” At the lhasfc of lanterns in the middle of the first Chinese month, a kind, of lantern is exposed for sale in great numbers, representing a boy riding the unicorn. When one purchases such a lantern and gives it away to a friend he means, I wish you may have a very bright son. A “child that cos ride the unicorn ” is one who gives marks of unusual-talent and of future: promise as a scholar or a’mandarin. The word or character for Longevity, or old Age, is regarded ds yery felicitous, aUd is used in a very large variety of wayst A coke-made of dough in the shape of a peach, otthe: likeness of a peach, traced on paper and-painted, is called longevity peach , the peaoh being adopted as a symbol of ' long }ife. The character is sometimes made out of strips of dough in'which a red coloring matter has bean put. After being baked, this longevity cake ia placed on the top of a plate full of other cakes,.and in connexion with other things is pre- ] sented to one -on- the celebration of his, or her birth-day. Sometimes this character made out 1 of broad-cloth, or velvet, and from two to three or foUT feet longhand of proportionate width, pasted on a foundation of red silk, or red crape, or some 1 other good-looking material,- is used as a birth-day 1 present to an aged friend. The character on such 1 presents is frequently gilded very neatly. At other times the word for old age is written in an : ancient style, and an one-hundred different forms 1 of a large and uniform size, on- a sheet of red paper. These, characters are then gilded. The sheet having been neatly put on rollers is then presented - to some aged relative or friend, on the occurrence of his or her 50th, 60th, 70th, or 80th birth-day. - It is usually suspended in the reception<-room, and is really a fine-looking ornament. The meaning 1 of the donor of the longevity peaoh, or of any - form of the longevity character thus presented, is, mag you enjoy a, green and happy old age. On the birth-days of gods and goddesses, offerings of plates of wheaten longevity cakes are often made before tlioir images. The character for longevity written neatly in a largo form on red paper, with blnok ink, is posted up iu large numbers' on the door-posts or window-posts of their houses. The character for happiness is considered to be very felicitous, and is much used by the It Chinese at Fuhah&u as a symbol of good. Often- I times it is written' with black ink on rod paper, I several inches square, and oh white paper with F red ink, and-then pasted up on the doors of houses. This is done quite generally about Chinese new [ year. Sinnetitttm it is engraved on in raised 1 lettering,' and then glided and suspended, or ■ nailed up over some door, inside or outside the ■ house, or on some-cross-beam or post. Not un ■ frequently is it seen written very prettily in a ■ large form from 2 to 6 efr 8 feet acfdss, in red ink, ■ on the wall opposite the front or main door of a I house. . They explain - this- custom by saying -that f happiness will be always near by, and on opening the door, every one will see it. Sometimes the pictures of four bats are made at the four corners of the happiness character thus-written on the ‘ wall. The whole is then called “ five happinesses,” the characters for bat and happiness having in this dialect the same .sound. A very happy co incidence! Eveny body.desires as much happiness as ho can obtain, and this -is .one of the Chinese ways to indicate this universal desire of mankind. The four characters, happiness, official emolu ment, longevity and joy, are often .written to gether in a certain way, ono of them .comparatively of a large size, and the other three inside of it, or on it, and in a smaller size. The wholC combi nation would seem to be unintelligible, except to the initiated, and is regarded as a kind of amulet or charm by some. The “five happinesses” are explained as referring to wealth, office, tranquillity,: virtue, and death m eld age and in peace, (not by violence or in a disgraceful manner.) The Chinese here are singularly fond of wearing ornaments made of gems, Or some precious stone, either genuine or icirtatei. The stone is firatent or ground down'to’the desired size and shape, and these happy oharadtbrs or setrteneesare engravedj on it, such aa “ Happiness like the eastern ocean," 1 (abundance,) or “Longevity like the southern mountains/' (durability and permanence)) or “Long life, wealth and office,” or “Gold and gems filling the house," qr Bimply the word “Happiness,” These badges,, or ornaments are of. various shapes), circular, square, oblong, or fanciful. Some are made to imitate, flowers. They are woi;n as flpger r rings, or on the caps of men or boys, or as ornaments for the heads of females, on are suspended from various parts of, the dress.. . The design in many instances is not only to ,add to. the respectability of the wearer, but often also to express the wish of the wearer for the object, indicated by the character. Such ornaments are ’often worn sus penflcd on the side of the persons of adults. Some seem to believe that such a use helps them to keep their balance, and acts as a preventive against slipping or falling. When the outermost uppen garment is short, such ornaments are not (infrequently seen dangling down much in the same manner, as fops and fast' nuSh srt the west sport a gold chain and fixtures. The expression “a. hundred children and a thousand grand-children/’ is a very popular and felicitous- phrase, consisting of 4 Chinese cha racters. A lantern coarsely made, abontafoot,or a foot and a'half long, and 8 or 10 inches in diameter, covered with a kind of white gauze, and having on one side the characters for “Hundred children,” and on the other side the characters for “Thousand grand-ehildren,” cutout of bright red paper, and fastened on the gauze, is in very common use here. At burials, weddings, and on removals, this lantern is used in pairs, and is re garded as an omen of good. On ordinary occa sions, if used at all, it is used singly. Two such lanterns are hung up on the poles of sedans in front of the sedans themselve‘s, one on each pole, on returning from the burial of an elder member of a family, or from placing the coffin in a dead houSe for a'season' while procuring* a suitable Burial-place, each lantern having a lighted candle iri it, although in broad' daylight. The sedan which carries the ancestral tablet of the dead, and those which contain the female members of the household, have each such a’lantern. Also on re moving from one house‘to another, such lanterns are hung on the poles of the sedan, which have in them the ancestraltablets, and females of the family, the candles being lighted all the way. On marriage Occasions such lanterns are also invariably used among the heathen of this place. The object of the use of this kind of lantern is to indicate the desire for a numerous posterity. Those who have many children and grand-children are described as “ho miang,” havin'g a “happy lot.” Pictures of two boys, mutually embracing, or locked in each other’s arms, standing side by side, are often seen exposed for sale. They are an in dex of peace and harmony, representing two per sons mutually agreeing, and as constant compa nions. Some families procure this picture, and h'Mig it "up- ifa their house, as a symbol of their desire to have all in the family-live in peace and fove with eafeb other. On the same picture, Some tithes, is painted the likeness of two bats. Such a'picture symbolizes the desire fof Happiness as well 'as harmony, the word for bat being of the same sound as the word for happiness! In some temple's there are images of youths as large as lads 6or 8 yfears old. These are worshipped for the purpose of preparing peace and'harmony among those who once were friendly to- each other, or be fWieen husbaid and wife, brothers or partners id business,' &0., iri case of enmity or bad' feeling existing between then?. i gome of the friends or relations of the estranged parties, go without their tnowlodge to the temples where these images are, and take some of the* ashes ont of the censer, standing before the images, (at the same time Offering lighted incense and candles before them.) Having mixed these ashes secretly in tea or wine, it is given to the- parties whose reconciliation is sought, to drink; It is believed that in due. time they will become friendly, ami at peace with each other. If, however, they are aware of the min gling of the ashes in the drink, it is asserted that this means for their mutual reconciliation, will prove inefficacious. > Thp; character for. jot written twice together# and as though it were one character, is regarded as h very auspicious combination. It may.mefip double joy, or joy repeated, and indicates, when used in the manner mentioned below, a desire that occasions for rejoicing may be repeated. People take very red paper, and trace om it with black inkj as neatly as possible,: this- character for re peated or dqmbU -joy.. i: lt is, then taken and stuck up on the door of abride’sroom, or on some of the dbors.or a; he w[ bouse, or on the doors of an old house into .which the family has just moved, or on the doom: s.ooq-before, or after new year’s, or on the wall opposite one’s house, &e., &o.| as caprine, or" taste, or circumstances .at the time sebin to Suggest. It is thus used as a symbol or omen of prosperity. • j : : • : I will ' dose this letter by referring to another peculiar and:singular custom prevalent here. On occasions, festive or mournful, such as marriages, births, deaths, funerals, Celebrations# birfh-dayis# &c., the Chinese avoid the saying or the as much as possible, 6f inauspicious and unpro pMbus WOrds phrases, those which 'dan he eoastruedasf unfortunate and ofill omen. Forex anip!e,at weddings nooneßhonldsay any thing about 8»y one not having children or grandchildren, &e. At births no One Should drop a word about the uMli being weakly dr sickly, or about its not ; being easy td hnrse, or bring up, &c. Should sttbh expressibiisihb heard#-they 1 would be likely to throw a damper on all and be after wards rernembered by the family. Should any thing unpropitious or unfortunate afterwards occur, the person Who Uttered the expressions would probably be regarded as the cause, or the occasion of It, and perhaps would be hated and abused for - it, even if spoken in jest, or in "regard to some • other person or place'. The utterance of “bad ■ words," (and here there is not the remotest refer ■ enee to vile and filthy language, but to unlucky i and unpropitious words,) must be carefully and i Studiously avoided, by servants, relations,' guests, i ‘the family,&e., on specially festive or said occasions, i “jpg/ the same reason. language relating to con i' flagrations should be avoided by workmen engaged pn a new house, as well as by those Who happen • to 'come to the place. A short time since, the writer hagpeoingtfo jgo to the place where a large. 'i buifdihgwas being put up, askedoneofthe work was not on the 'prit j. cise site of a recent fire- An angry and violent 1 answer was returned, not relating to the subject of PHILADELPHIA, TBDBSDAI; 4tfflE 28,1860. my question; Supposing myself to have been misunderstood, the! same inquiry was and a similar reply was given. Finally the man in. a very excited manner replied in the negative to-my question, adding that the owner of >the premises would be very much displeased if he ■ knew that I had talked about the burning of houses there. Here I had unwittingly used terms fcnd references which being capable of an evil or unlucky construction, should, in accordance with Chinese prejudices and customs, have been entirely ; avoided, unless I had intended to 1 excite the auger of the person addressed, or of the owner of the premises. - Puh Chou, March 14, I 860; 1 CHAUCER. Chancer, frequently ealled' the “Father of English Poetry,” was bom in London, in the year 1328. His parents were respectable and prosperous, and were enabled to give hitn a classical education. He commenced writing poetry at the age of seventeen. His 'muse soon gained him many friends, among whom was John of Gaunt, afterwards Duke of Lancaster, who remained his true friend for life. With the Duke, he went to France on a military expe dition, which gave him an opportunity of gain ing that knowledge which was invaluable to him as a poet. . After he returned from France, he obtained a lucrative situation as Officer' of the customs. For a number of years he abode under the smiles of the court, caressed by the King and his consort, flattered by the public, living, if not in luxury in great comfort,’ and ■with sufficient means for exercising a generous hospitality; In the reign of Richard 11., how ever, in consequence of an attachment to the doctrines of Wickliffe, he was exiled from England, and obliged .to take refuge on the continent. Aft f er suffering, for about two years from the neglect and dishonesty of professed friends, whom he had left in charge of his pro perty, he returned to England. He was a short time afterwards thrown into prison. During his confinement, he kept up a cheerful, hopeful courage,, by again wooing the muses. After an Imprisonment of two years and a half, he was released,, well laden with the rich experiences of trial and adversity, with his nature made more sympathizing and kind, and almost pre.- pared to write his great work. In the time of Chaucer, the Saxon language was semi-bar barous, it had no countenance among the great. The Norman French was the language of the court and of business life, the Latin, that of scholars and philosophers. It certainly re quited moral courage to write in the Saxon language at that time, and to risk a reputation on its-capability of flowing into harmonious verse. The first English book, Sir John Mandeville’s Travels,t.had not' yet been published. 1 But' Chaucer showed the power of the vigorous old Saxon"in verse, and improved it by a ju dicious Intermixture of words from the French and other languages. Dryden says, “From him the purity of the English tongue began.” Two marked characteristics of Chattcer aTe his con fidence in woman, and his love of nature. He differs very much from the prevailimj taste of the age in which ho lived, in his sketching of female characters: It was customary then to make woman almost a divinity, and invest her with all the dazzling attributes, that an age of chivalry could imagine. He does not, like Spenser, make her Juno-like in beauty, or ele vate her above all the common weaknesses of out nature. His wdmen are flesh and blood, patient, gentle, pure; yet such as demand our charity and forbearance, by exhibiting liftlc faults. Although he has portrayed the Wife of Batb,And 'a few other' female characters that we shrink from with disgust, yet we know that he has delineated these for the purpose of giving ns a true picture of his times/ The lovely Emilia, the patient Griselda are both fair ex ponents of his estimate of the female sex. His passionate love of books and study is exceeded only'by one thing, his love, of nature. The sweet carol of the birds, the balmy odors of the Spring, the waving foliage of the woods, will lead him to throw aside his books and allure him to a ramble in the field and grove. He re marks “that birds and flowers are able to dissi pate allhis cares.” His charming residence at Woodstock must have furnished him consider able material for describing the beautiful in nature. It- was here, after his exile and im prisonment, that ho returned in hjs old age to write his principal work, the Canterbury Tales. Having been a soldier, a courtier, a public of ficer, a- traveller, an exile and- a- prisoner,-he appears by these varied experiences, to have been remai kably fitted for his great undertaking. It waaswritten in -the*ynar 1389. In the pro logue he gives ha the plan of his proposed work. He states/ that when going, on a-pilgrimage; to the :that;famou3 saiqt, Thomas hßecket. he stepped at the Tabard, inn, Southwark, for refreshment and lodging, and there met with a company, wh'o were going on the same pil grimage. . While at supper,, the landlord of the inn proposes that they shall each tell a tale- on their journey, to while away the time, and 'on their, return, another, making sixty tales in all, and that he who told the best one, should be provided with a supper at the expense of the rest, on their return. He offered to go along with them; and act as a judge of the merits of their narratives. The number of Pilgrims was thirtyincluding the landlord ; but Chaucer has told only twenty-four tales. These give ns a true and faithful picture of middle life in England during that age. The first is that of Palamon and-Areite, by the Knight, a noble'and dignified epic. .Among others, we have the Miller’s tale, the Wife of Bath’s, tbe Prioress’s, the Frere’s, the Pardonere’s, and the Monk’s. The characters of the Frere, the Pardonere, and ,the Monk, be has sketched to exhibit the moral pollution,of the religions or ders of the day. In contrast to these, he has given us one of the most beautiful delineations of the true ambassador of God, ,that we can find in uninspired language. This is exhibited in the character of the “ Poore Personne,’’ which has been imitated by Dryden, and no doubt was < in ,thq minds of Goldsmith and Co.wper, when they described the faithful minister of Christ. What can teaoh us more impressively.than these few lines, the foundation' of all ministerial suc cess? ' • / • -■ ■ “ That first he wrought] and afterwards he taught.” And again, “But Christes his Apostles twelve, He taught, but first-Wfolwed if himselve.” Cha,ucer’s leading'purpose in writing this work seems to have, men to reform the clergy, and to introduce a purer form- of spiritual re ligion. He endeavorfe to do this by strong satire, always a powerful weapon in the hands of a master. He was fer in advance of the age in his religious views, i&d in complete sympathy with Wickliffe. Anotier- feature of this work is its. democratic tendencies. His characters are all from middle life; instead of the usual subject of courts and princes, Tie enters into the every day life of the people/>and exhibits each class of the citizens by their appropriate type. An objection is to Chaucer, on ac count of his oceasio’ndkcoSaxseneGS; pears to be more the fitjult of the age than of the poet, for we gather frotn his writings that he was the steadfast friend of virtue and religion. In order to properly Appreciate Ghaucer, not only the peculiarities .of the old Saxon must be mastered; but bis must be closely studied, and accurately pondered, and then there will be -discovered a terseness# ar beanty in the ancient idioms which the cursory reader could not pos sibly have imagined. J 5 M. P. J. SINIM. - r- - r - < THE B. AND 0. R. EXCUR SION. . v Memphis, June 15t,.1560. Dear Editors:—l ”jiad long heard that this was a “great place, anclplestmed to be one of the largest of our western cities;” but I had so often heard the very same L thipg of so many places,, I was nearly taken aback with the handsome ap pearance, busy aspect,iUtfd rapid-growth of Mem phis.-- The localiomof the City isver-y prepossess ing. Upon ahigh bltfff, fully one hundred feet above the'river, up§g tlm convex side of a majes* tio curve in the streamJTfa buildings are crowded solidly for two miles r -tw density of the built up portion becoming-less and less as you recede from the river, until the- city seems to melt imper ceptibly into the suTrodnding country. The main street has sery much the appearance of some parts of our Chestnut street, being built up with fine-rows of stores - for many squares. They are quite large, Ud the display is so rich and varied, one almost thinks he is looking at the handsome prints, the housekeeping articles, or the rich shawls and silks of! our own stores in Phila delphia. One is struqk with the rapidity with which the city is - growing. On almost every square there are- buildikgs or blocks of buildings going up. nd*fr 1400 -houses being built, including many first til ass stores, four-or five stories in height; with handsome iron fronts, -iron cornices and mouldings]' Amongst them is a-spar cious hotel .which own ers of the northern endpr the city are putting up. What can of-this activity-in build ing, this rapid growtlp?'; / Several railroads have centred here within-the ! past few years.’ One lead ing to Charleston, one to Mobile and New Orleans, one out into the state; of Arkansas, across tho river, and the one on which I- came, leading to Cairo,-and when complfilcd, to Louisville: These roads bring in an immense amount of cotton and other produce, which hero is sold and shipped by steamers either to New Orleans or to the northern and eastern, railroads. ' Twenty-five millions of dollars worth of cotton were shipped here last year —sixty - thousand- bales of it going northward. These railroads, together with the river, keep Memphis in communication with a vast tract of improved country, and &s there is no city on the river within five hundred, miles of her, she; is of necessity, a great trading centre. .The fact, that the houses; and stores are rented long before- they are.finished, proves that this growth is as yet behind the the trade of the oity. -? - , At the northern the city lies a large piece of property formerly owned by the United States Government, as a rope, manufactory-—where the western hempLWAS'formerly spun into ropes to be used in the rigging of our navy. A : million- of money, has-been spent her§. There is a rope-walk 1700 feet long—the longest, brick building, I judge, in the country—besides other buildings of the most permanent! character, -like everything Uncle Sam builds. : : The affair did not pay, how ever, and in a fit of economy, the senate of the United States donaied.ihe whole property to the city of. Memphis,-and-forever- abandoned- rope making in the West. The'buildings are rented out as warehouses, mills, machine shops, &0., bringing in to the city treasury a handsome income annually. The city thus possesses real, estate worth a million, while its whole debt for railroad construction and inter nal improvement is but|tCn equal-amount,- How fortunate for rope making was found by good Uncle'Sgjtnjnot to pay! In the streets there is'constantly lying a thick coat of yellow dust, wMoh, as -the wind rises, .is whirled about in all to- the -great an noyance of as ,well as. pedestrians. I noticed at some places they- were* spreading a layer of .small pebble stones from the bed of the river over some of the streets, and upon approach ing nearer, found some of the workmen having a long chain fastened round the ankle, while- the other end was attached toi the waist. To me it was a revolting sight. - They call these workmen the “chain gang.”- It is made up of prisoners who have committed minor : offences in and about the city. The ungovernable ones have the chain fastened upon them to prevent their running away. A keeper has his eye upon them all day, and at evening, they are .taken to-the calaboose, as they call it, a jail built upon the bluff. I vastly prefer our owu way of’treating culprits, hiding them entirely from view, for certainly, upon the feH? of 'our children, and -the rising generation generally, the effect is better to have criminals of whatever grade shut out from .society entirely, than to familiarize the mind by looking at them every.day, even though some of them wear the disgraceful chain. ■ ■ ! ; I see’ much fewer of the slave population in Memphis than I had anticipated. Xherc .are about as many white men as black, driving the hacks and wagons about town, labpringin the stores and depots, and doing the srork genecrfly. I am informed that the is V,ery small, indeed;. most of. those,! do see, being slaves. ~ There was a,Blave sale at ,auction.adver tised a.day or two ago; flat I did not get to see it, as I had intended, and my curiosity had to go *]£' Vq unsatisfied. I passed a store on M?”v r jtreet, how ever, with the sign over the ; and , Slave Dealers.” A room opened upon the street, with benches'hround the wall; on one side Sat a dozen of black men dozing the time away, and opposite them, as many more women and children quietly waiting their turn to be bought.- Two white men sat at. the door, ill favored and of hard features; who I judged pur chased and owned slaves in a manner which-would ■not come under our Detroit resdlutions—for the cause of humanity, the rightß of guardianship,-&c. I have just, had a delightful drive' through the environs of the city. I‘said above, that the-town merges almost imperceptibly into the* country. The feet is, in the city, dwelling-bouses-ore scarce and rents exorbitant. Think of a comfortable dwelling; such as-we pay four or five hundred a year for in Philadelphia, bringing' readily twelve to fourteen hundred in Memphis. We thought-at home that the stores under the Continental- were renting high at four thousand a year,'but I hear of a fide store finished a short time since, renting for five- thousand dollars a year’; on a lease of fifteen years—and any good store brings from on 6 to four thousand they tell me. A two story frame house that I saw on the edge of the town , with an ordinarily sized yard, rented for six hundred a year long before it was half built. These high rents, of course,- cause a’great speculation in town-lots. A sale occurred a day or two since, on a tract not quite a mile from the river,—an abundance of eatables and drinkables were set out for the bid ders; but-the lots were withdrawn, there being no bids highter than three thousand dollara for lots fifty feet front by one hundred'and fifty deep — and this was not satisfactory to the owner.- This was completely in the country,’no house within two squares'of it. • - ■’ ■■ These high rents, together with the heat of the summer season, have the effect of driving all those who can' afford itto buy land outside the city and build -their 1 residences upon it: The consequence is that a drive such as that I have just taken, leads through a-beautiful series of flower-gardens, surrounding comfortable quiet residences, where all is inviting and beautiful. Many large old trees are left standing about the bouses, giving a very shady, codl and” inviting appearance. Many of the houses are but one story in- height, with ve randah’sextenflingalmost completely around them. This style of building, when at all tasty, as is often 1 the case, is' exceedingly attractive, there being something oriental in it, something like what I- fancy the houses in India must be’: - I saw a beautiful Presbyterian church' just finishing in thisrural district, and I hear of another finished last year, making a total of four Piesby terian-churches (all of the Old Sehool) in the city. I was glad to find that one of. those upon whom they depend for assistance in building these churches, and one who- is-mnain-etay in-the first Presbyterian church;-is no'Other than a-scion of our .good o}d -Pine, street ehurch, one., of Dr. Brainerd’s boys &s he calls them, who-, came out here twelve or thirteen.years ago in moderate cir cumstances, when Memphis was young, and now holds as-prominent and influential a position as any mau .in the .city. ; Altogether, this city .of Memphis has left a fa vorable impression on my miud, its immense cot ton business, its rapid growth, its fine stores, busy streets and landings, and withal, its pretty, charm ing suburbs; one. that -will not soon be effaced. SOD’S WOHDIBFUL WOBE IS ITALY. • The kingdom of Sardinia, now embraces pearly twelve millions of people, who in apiost remark able manner have become accessible to the gospel —seven millions of them within the last few months. Well may y?e exclaim, “Lo, what hath God wrought!” ' This new kingdom of Italy is remarkable* for its large and interesting cities, each of them the seat of a university and containing a largo number of literaiy and scientific men. Five of these cities, Florence, Genoa, Milan, Turin, and llologna, must exert great influence by means of the press, while Genoa and Leghorn will, possess immense commer ciafadvantages. The people of this new kingdom are better educated than the rest of Italy, and if their freedbra shall fee continued, who can esti mate the intellectual activity that shall prevail, ihd the power of an unfettered press among them l . We can fora.some estimate of what this impulse is likely’to fee, when wo consider ■what Turin 'has dohe’ since 1848. 1 During thef'last =fen or twelve years, a greater hum her of ably conducted peri odicals have been published at Turin than in all the rest of Italy combined. Greater things, will ceftainly yet be done in Florence, if not in Milan and Bolbgna. ! : • 1 , •* What a field*then fbr the Christen press, does the’new realm ofNbrthern Italy pfesent! ’Thanks be to God, the .constitution of- theoriginal king dom of'Piedmont now extends over all the newly acquired' provinces/- Between eleven add twelve mSllion’Ttaliahhehjby'fe-day the great boon of re ligious liberty.. The-Bible societies should lose n'o time in commencing the. work' 1 of publishing the- Sferiptttres in the Italian/ language, nat all the great centres above baragji. i • For' several years the American Tract Society hitsassisted in the publication of religibus works ib thb Italian*tongue*at Geneva and elsewhere; it has also’ issue'd ’the‘Pilgrim's Progress and some exceilenttracts at New York in the saine language; hut how it should /enter into Italy with; all vigor and energy, and hot' simply print, but circulate its valuable publications. The admirable History of fhe i: Bbfo‘rmatibnr of the SixfeeritliCentury, by Dri Meirlfe-©'Auhigh% the'Hisferypf the Befbrmatioh in Italy, by Dr. M'Crie, and’ Lucilla, by the late Adolphe Mbnodi areall* translated into. Ttalianj ahd'have-been published at Geneva or Lausanne, as have’also several other and smaller works: Pa ]earib’s“ Benefits ofChrist’s Death,” and the life and Writings of Olympia/Moratta; should by all Meansbe re-publisfeed and widely cireulatedin Italy. The time, fey has'pome when the inhabitants of Brescia ' might well learn] what was the faith, as well as the heroism, of their citizen,-Arnaldo da Brescia, who lived in the,l2th century, and nobly suffered crucifixion at Borne in behalf of the truth. His bbdy was-'bufued, and his ashes were thrown infejthe wafers.of the Tiber, in order that his fol lowers might have no memorial or relic of their leader. It would be well, also, that the people of TuSfeny should know 1 why, towards the end of the 15th century, Savonarola was burned, and his ashes cast into the Arno at Florence, a noble martyr for the truth, who ranks among “ the Re formers before the Reformation.” ] ' ■’ Wbat a contrast between'ltaly in 1887, and for many years afterwards, and the Italy of 1860! In the spring of 1887, accompanied by two ladies, we bad occasion to visit the principal'cities of Italy. We carried in the-botfem-of our tranks, with,great care,’ six Italian Bibles and many tracts, to Borne and Naples, and gave them to friends who loaned ttieni to Italians; * The next time the : TOtef : wenf : to Italy* he carried twelve Testaments, tb those cities; and during his many years of residence at Paris, he sent thither several hundred copies by travellers. This required caution. He also sent several hundred copies to the Waldenses, and took pains to have the 40 or 50 recruits, whom they annually furnished to the Sardinian army, supplied with the Scriptures. Through the ports of Leg horn and. Genoa, with much difficulty* a few thou sand Bibles every year made their way into Italy by the help of the booksellers and the ses. But now the North part of Italy, with the exception of fVenitia, is open to the Bible and the tract. More < than 11,000,000 of people have received both. Again we say, “Lo, what hath God wuought!” It would appear from the number and:.variely of religious sects in Japan, that the government does, not actively interfere with liberty of con science, nor sustain any system which properly can be termed a State or organized ecclesiasticism. It is true is nominally a distinct eccle siastical power, and. the-Mikado, or spiritual Em peror, is beliavedi to.be inspired and of heavenly descent. But while he receives' all the outward manifestations:of respect, and even of religious re verence, bis temporal power has been substantially transferred, to the Tycoon, or actual sovereign, and he himself-has become the mere shadow of an Emperor, or the-representative of a traditionary or obsolete system,- winch has yielded to the more modern .and military-policy of.the nation. Indeed, it.may be said that the Mikado is a kind of Pope without a See, and that he enjoys a general ho mage and a certain spiritual rank, but Dot the least authority to interfere in the temporal affairs of the Empire. . \ i ~. . .. The purest sect in Japan adopts the dogmas of Sin-Syu, which although somewhat obscured by a modified mythology, still recognize oho Supreme Deity, and teach bodily and mental purity, and certain religious ceremonies: of an elevated cha racter. It is said . that -tho Divine laws are not construed so as to affect the future life; and there is no doubt that the disbelief of the Japanese in the doctrine of eternal punishment, as taught by the’Jesuits, did much to suppress the; growth ot Christianity in the Empire. The SimSyu system is adopted in its purity by. only a small portion of the nation, the great ma jority combining it with the doctrine of Buddha, the prevailing religion of the East, and which em braces in its system over three hundred millions of souls... The peculiarities of Buddhism- are too Well known to need any description, but the sys tem is probably practised in Japan very much as in China, as the sacred books are in the language of that country. Besides this sect called Iliobus,' made up of Buddhism and the doctrines of Sin- Syu, there is a large party in Japan who are fol lowers of. Confucius. These despise the popular religions, and affect a system of pure morality and charity toward their fellow-men. The writer in the Westminster Review, from whom we collate these statements, and who inhis turn, has gathered them from the travels of Kemp fer, de Charlevoix and Oliphant,. evidently sym pathizes with the Japanese followers of Confucius, and- especially for “ not presuming to dogmatize upon the nature of God." In other words, he feels partial to the unbelief of the irreligionists; and it cannot be doubted that the followers of Confucius, have.no belief in. Divine revelation, or in its possibility, or in.any form or system of re ligion. We-have the authority of M. Hue, the French Missionary, who exhausted every topic of interest connected with China, for saying that skep ticism is the predominant influence of that coun try; atl d that the Chinese are a race of doubters audiufidels. For this reason he apprehends that the introduction of Christianity into China will be attended with unusual obstacles; aud it does seem, indeed, as if a nation whose philosophers are so radically skeptical as to despise all religious senti ment and expression, will not come easily under the influences of spiritual light. As so many of the Japanese, especially of their philosophers, are followers of Confucius,- they are perhaps open to the same comments as the. Chinese; and their dry, emotionless, and undevout system of moral philo sophy may perhaps be. one of the causes which operated in expelling Christianity from the Em pire, as well, as an obstacle to its introduction ata future period- G. W. M. THE DUTY OF THE CHRISTIAN CITIZEN. We have entered upon another political cam paign. Tho questions involved are exciting, and the interests at stake inconceivably valuable. We would not, if we could, disparage the importance of the great questions upon which thirty millions of, frpomep s are called upon- to express an opinion, and to render a judgment. We are not among those who withdraw from the arena of civil duties and responsibilities. Freedom, if worth possess ing is worth defending, aud extending to Others; and he. is a sorry Christian who cannot preserve his peace of mind and his garments unspotted, Without neglecting his civil duties.' We hold thajt a Christian ought to he well ac quainted with the pohtical issues before the coun try- ■ Ignorance is, the, stronghold of despotism; a| M an igeorant people cannot long preserve their liberties. If, therefore, religion were unfriendly to political inquiry, it would' be inimical to the best interests of theeountry. It is the duty of a Christian, to understand agriculture, the-mecha nic arts, music and painting, and it is no less his duty to know what measures will promote the highest interests of the country he is called upon to Assist in governing. A- Christian ought to vote. This government is a government of the people, and each citizen is a sovereign. The ballot is the mighty power which makes' presidents, senates and cabinets. It pro motes peace or stii s/up,war; defends and extends freedom or slavery; fosters -national industry, or curses the land with leanness. He who holds in his hand .a ballot should think and pray before he votes. It would be great folly for good people to stay away from the elections, because, in that case, the government would fall wholly into the hands of wicked people;, and we are assured -by inspired authority, that “ when the wicked bear rule the land mourns.” l?ut w.hlle it is a Christian’s duty to understand his civil obligations and to discharge them prompt ly? firmly and conscientiously, he must be careful to avoid the errors and excesses of the worldly po litician, add the spirit which, too generally, con trols politics. ' . . , , He ought not to become a man worshipper. The best of candidates are but- imperfect men; ana they deserve only the respect due to man. (Jail no man pn earth master. It is common, however, for the political friends of a candidate to fill newspapers and song books with his praises; and if a Christian believes the half he hears, apd suffers this political trash, clap-trap, atid buheomb, to absorb his; thoughts, his candidate will soon fill more of his mind and heart, than his Saviour. He ought not to become a man hater. How easy it is to suffer political differences to degene rate into personal hatred; and hatred of our fel low-men, even of a political opponent, add of pne who is plainly in the wrong, is inimical to- piety. No one can foster it in his heart, even during a political campaign,- and for the best of politfeal -causes; without backsliding. 1 - He,ought not to become angry, and to enter into angry discussions. Anger is a miserable reasoner. Itsdogio always damages its cause and ite candi date; and, therefore, as a matter of policy, it sp®uA4; be avoided; .Hut: 'anger is.a sin, even tpRUSP esexted. in .disputes with the most unrea sonable men in defenee ot the very best measures. ; Suflpr then this word "of exhortation. Examine the questions before the country. Let no party bind you against your conscience. Do not be a VOL IT.—NO. 44 —Whole So. 209. RELIGION IN JAPAN. If. Y. Journal of Commerce. party mao. Throw your political influence into the right scale. Vote as yon shall 'answer to God. Keep your temper. Never forget that yon are Christ’s servant, Christ’s .representative, and that Christ must always he supreme. In a word, so conduct yourself in this exciting crisis that you may constantly grow in grace and approach hearer and nearer still to the mind and spirit of the Lordi Religious Telescope. EXCELLENT ADVtCE. The following extract is from a recent address by Valentine Mott, M. D., liL. D-, before the graduates of the TJni versify Medical College, of Yew York. The sentiments are admirable, and are worthy a place in letters of gold, in the of fice of every physician : , i“With the,j»inisfef;s of religion, of whatever denomination, yon will always, I hope, maintain, the most , amicable relations. They are gene rally men of' education and refinement, with whom you may easily affiliate.’ 'Though It will be yours to deal chiefly with the issues of tem poral life, yohh must'remember ; that there are also maladies of the soul. You must not allow too much.contemplation of secondary causes to lead you to forget the great First] Cause, and insensibly develop in you the philosophy" of ma terialism. At the bed-side of a dying patient, it will be yonr. duty to study- the symptoms of approaching dissolution —the facies , Hippo braiicd—the bubsuUus—ihe muscce volitantes —with your fingers on his wrist to catch the last dying flutter of his pulse, but during these moments you may satisfy no impertinent curi osity. . “In the presence of the departing spirit yonr office ceases. In the retinue of the King of Terrors you are but a man like other men. Least of all can I extenuate any rudeness shown at such a time to the messenger of spiritual conso lations, be he Catholic or Protestant, educated or illiterate, white or black, bond or free; nor should you, at any period in the progress of dis ease, deprive your patient of the ministrations of his accustomed spiritual advisers. Friends may be excluded and conversation interdicted, but those consolations of religion, that fall ‘like the dew upon Mount Hermon,’-should always be encouraged,” The following are the closing words of the address;: “It will be a blessing to you through life to believe that; whatever else may be false, the Bible is true —that the Son of God is your Elder Bro ther—that He has hecome the first fruits of them that slept—that He has ascended up on high, and sat’down at the right hand of his Father, bringing life and immortality to light, and in this way giving the greatest gifts unto men. To believe that the Author of the universe is your Father—that his power and care extend to the birds of the air and the lilies of the field— and how much more shall they enrich you i, every' hair of whose head, he has assured you, is num bered in his sight? ■‘Go forth, then, 'gentlemen, to your labors. May the Spirit of him who spent his life in heal ing the sick, in giving sight to the blind, and who restored to life tfie widow’s ;soh, Actuate you in all your ways, and may the blessing of God,rest upon you ! t ' “Tale et Valbque.” ON THE KNEES. An aged; Christian woman once wrote to her sist.er: “Such is my debility and languor, that when I kneel down to pray, I am presently over powered. with drowsiness—so that I am; like one talking in my sleep. lam sometimes assisted to pray best in my chair; but it is a heavy burden not to be able to pray on my 7cnees.” Well might she deem that inability a heavy burden. Kneeling is the natural posture of prayer. The spirit of “ humility, contrition and subjection,” prompts it directly and irresistibly. We’are per plexed to understand how private devotion can be; sincere and fervent, jvhere this prompting is pot felt. . “.Under certain circumstances,” gays Origen, “in cases of sickness, people may pray sitting or lying." He knew nothing else which could excuse the failure to offer the prayers of the closet “on the knees.” . Nor. do we. :The posture of prayer re-aets on the spirit of prayer. The spirit is checked, where the befitting posture is refused, ,We doubt not that many Christians pray in secret with much formality and lifelessness, because; they do not pray “kneeling before the Lord our Maker.” If they doiibt whether their want of; fervor flows in part—it may be in great pai-t—from this source, let them subject the matter to experiment. Let them call upon God in private, during the next month “ on' their knees.” We propose the test' with confi dence. The issue is not doubtful; . These views suggest another thought.—He who has been accustomed to pray “on his knees/’ and who is beginning to adopt a different posture there —has already taken the first step in apostacy from the power, if not from the life, of godliness. There; can scarcely be. an exceptional case, where no physical necessity compels the change. .The spirit of prayer has abated, and no longer seeks expression in the picture natural to it. Let such a ones take timely warning, lest “sitting, or lying,” in the prayers of the closet, should accele rate and confirm his;departore from the depth and ardor of devotion. - MAN AND HIS SATtOUE. ■ A very old German author diseohrses thus ten derly of Christ: - “ My soul is like g hungry and a thirsty child, and I need his love and consolations for my re freshment; I am a wandering and lost sheep, and I need him as a gbod and faithful Shepherd; my soul is like a frightened dove, pursued by a hawk, and I need his wounds for a refbge; lam s feeble vine, and I need his cross to lay hold of and wind myself about it; I am a sinner, and I need his righteousness; I am naked and bare, and need'his holiness and innocence for a covering; lam in trouble and alarm, and I need his solace; lam ignorant, and I need his teaching; simple and foolish, apd I need the guidance of his Holy Spirit. . “In no situation, and at no time, can I do with out him. Do I pray? he must prpmpt and inter cede for me. Am I arraigned by 'Satan at the divine tribunal? he must be my Advocate. Am I in affliction? he must be my helper. . Am I per secuted by the. world? he must defend me. When I am forsaken, he must be my support; when dying, my life; when mouldering in the grave, niy resurrection. Well, then, I will rather part with all the world, and all that it contains, than with, thee, my Saviour, and, God be thanked, I know that thou too art not willing to do without me. Thou art rich, and lam poor; thou hast righteousness, and I sin; thou hast oil and wine, and ‘I Wounds; thou hast cordials and refresh ments, and I hunger and thirst. Use me, then my Saviour, for whatever purpose, and in whatever, way thou mayst require. Here is my poor heart, an empty vessel; fill it with thy grace. Here is my sinful and troubled soul; quicken and refresh it with thy love. Take my heart for thine abode; my mouth, to spread the glory of thy name; my loye,and all my; powers, for the advancement of thy honor, and the service of thy.believing people. And never suffer the' steadfastness and confidence of my faith to abate, that so at all times I may be enabled from the heart to say, ‘ Jesus needs me, and I him, and so we suit each other.’ ” Religions World.
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