GENESES, -. EV:VieV44ST,,. : -.Whole, Ni. 74A.
it( itt g.
For the Ametican Fretehyterian.,
SZO OP THE SOUL
BY DAVID BATES:.
Why comes, still oft, the:ransomed thought,
A 5,111118113 mellow,strain
Bloats sweetly to the settee. ellsousht t
'And stirs the thrtibbilli brain?
The body groweth old and weak;
Howe'er,itt spirit young,f,,,,,
The burning wmli the sour would speak,
Pall feebly from the - tongue.
The spirit's, willing, hut the
Is eatk," though struggling sti
Togive ant f i eSh;`
TO mandates afrike '
. , r •
Beyond a few more years,' at
Zid power on earth eau save
The, bod 7,, °which must find it, B !roat,.
And tuOulder in the grave,
'Whet bath It &het
Thou oaret'the Beery
oßut little in - the• propor'isayi
And evoh that eePlveiVi -
. .
Beset on •every-itand:idth in;
Necessity its law;
Bow: could. theitidgmentiguide.the
Or ehange,the. wroog it saw?
'Not what it would, but what it Ittylk,
Left no free choice, but strife
Ttigether from the air and crust
The elemente Sri life.
. ,
atlYttin the 80131 would sotte and sing,
With pinions soiled and bound,
:.put pel/ed,to traiNter. airy,wing
,drooping ()tuba gruund ,
•
Liftes lesson o'er,, its ialor done;
Shall not the s Int find lest,
a *And taste the peace itw Sailour Won,
And be forever blest?
Therthee and happy souls rejoice,
May nut !,h t 9 juip
And all these .promptinga And a t ioicb,
Tn purbr recline of Inuit 10
ovovApititittte.o.
,
For the. Amerlam? Presb*erran.
' ZETTIIR FROM 011,INA.
%VC lIREAD-1,04F supEasrriow.
Iwhich,it
--pe TAW?. :7, stogy ar custom.
is said, * became popuir is
,this city only twelve
or fifteen yiari ago, will affOrd, ample thaterialp,
for a letter illustrative of some traits of Obinese
1 010lenistainsAxisiing here.
ORIGIN ANR 11,ATURV.
It came to pass that the Temple of .Sapp
VTR, 9ftilese, leceted , in thg,,apburbs,
new the, sett, th 4e4Qof rah
,Cbait and delrgted tu
the v(eFehlP of the Five APP t erereOrPe ar,e sepT
posed to rule over egidemieler
eases, was in want of money. Its, guardian%
or the committee appointed by the neighbor
tiloA '4oi'ehtiskiere ;of ileee devrls, to many a its'
Lignirsi .a e 4 V aIR endrecO the raetke,Of a
superatitionlelating fan OerteliTh AtseARQUI2IOB
V-hmeag4 4 l4 l 4- 140 1 ,4 4k -- ritsoo 6l l 1 e 0,.• •
to w I A94 . °VA they: werei..ti . .,Wroitnic cit!ie - -
cessful. It is until t by,sutne..4 this InFtpni had ;
44 introduced, eqtae geNfitiergiAte tiu,,
14flielY tato Fuh 0 4 4 11 !WATee free 3 s(tuth.:.
ere part of the proylucer, whOse4lesignin so, do- ..
dig. wfta . also to, fill a fainiehed,purse;, rather,
to add to the sinfla tes . ,„glijq htttehle
Whieb !se 00 4 4 trAtOteg ht , hetel - eut
few were Ittmlee,-eßeeg ,l o9 adopt the, seperett.
*lns use of thaleavaa nu t der his, auspices.
Nhe pornmi,ttee gave opt, that, at a spOlied
time, the Five Emperors would, have ltt
nese / to,bestow upon those of their worshippers
vliß'n►igi~t. ask for them, certain loaves of wheat
I ;hl'eadf 0 1 # 1111 4 1 '044M. th:att ea the. ne x t
year r ,they were to return, as thank-offering,
twice the number received. The manner of ask
fag was , thle: The worshippers presented, them-
Selves before the images of the Five Emperors,.
with a brace of candles and .a smill , bunch.cf in
dense-aticks,... Baying lighted theie candles and ,
these incense-sticks, and having placed them re
spectively in the' eitedlestieke; end the censers
provided for the purpose, belonging to the tem
ple, they knelt down and bowed three times be
fore the images, at the same time making par
ticular requests; e. g., for success in- business,
for recovery from sickness of some member of
their family, or, far. continuance In. health, Stn.,
according as they pleased. or preferred.
Some, however, made their request while hold-
ing the incense in their bands on theitknees, as
well as while, bowed down, On arising from
their knees, they received some of the loads,
which were taken from before the idols, one,
two, or more, as they wished, Their names,
be name of the neighborhood in which they
ved, and the number of loaves given them,
:re entered in a bdok by sonie one connected
th the temple. The` worshipper was either
rtually or actually promised, in the name of
he Emperors, that be would attain that for
which he sought„ Or, Ltu some say it. wanun.,
derstood, under the circumstances of thonise,
that he came nyder, the' epuctal protection or
heir majesties. They Shared. whir Wm some of
their food, at his particular entreaty, and less
could not reasonably be expected of them than
that they should exert , themselves to protect
him, or enabinhim to attain, the object of his,
heart's desitel flaying received these loaves
of bread, the, man (for women are not permittall,
to engage in devotional acts in the temples of
the rive Emperors,) returned home to break
up and divide , them among the msrnbers qf
h ouse h o ld, all mutually enjoying the favor of
these gods, aßti pil4lo l 3',anticiPating the bless
ing prayed for.
The stmeeeding.yearp,pp .03% indicated by a
public notice,from the temple committee, those
who had recived loaves-of bread the , previous
year; were expected ,th bring to , tie temple their
thanksgivings, and an opportunity was given
them, to take more on the satue,te!mg, or to any
other person who was disposed to ellitt_vate:the
protection of the Elve Emperors in this way.
Those who, came to render thanks were expected
not only to bring double the number of loaves
received the..prev.io,us year, or the coat in 1p0407'
of double the number received, but also , a small
quantity of silt mock-money paper, which ; they
were to burn for the use of these gods in the
lower regions. They were reqnired also to
burn incense and candles, and to ,boW down be
fore the idols When 8E1.014410k thanks in the
Same manner as when they solicited the loaves.
SPREAIk Or Tilt NIW; StirtHETITIONg
This , superstition, thus managed by the Buff
,plicating,liappiness Temple, in ; . a slibit/spaett
of time has become very common and popthiiri
Other temples erected in honor of the 141176'RM=
perors• imitated tbe' example, likewise 'having
*an , eya to the ‘i material , aid" received i ' kany
temples deiotedk to the worship of a. Celebrated
goddess i who is regarded se the gtnitlessionnid=
Wifery, have'aleo' adopted tit sititilar superstition's
list# of bread-loaves On the oneuSion ofejlebratifik
her hitith-day in 'the first Chinese Month orevery
year. ( Bit: the- Tern pleof Se pplieatink-llapir=
nem; which first couneneed- this en peretitioiroir
tin:extensive•seals, it is.said, has bY Teri themoit
numerbusibodyotenstomers.for itelottves. The
quantity; tvideli was eiposed for-saleon the/last
day of - May.in the suburbs near the., city,. Wei
enormouLl' . .
!,.., In ansivertaingniriesiwhythe , pooPle should
lon aeon have., lidepted ! this. use' t: breadzkinVes.
inuniehi titithliers;iPitoingiertedthet,r-int: long'
after ite;recommendition-'ll "the ~ : frimille for
Supplicating , Hoppinestysorhe ludfriduttle did ,
actually . atteccee,d in , attaining- the' object? for
which they prayed before. the , Five Emperors
whirl 'success they attributed; to Abe favor and
protectionl . • of/ 40d5.,. ,- .lilei , wee r, noised'
abroad; and' eiciteit!:others ;to -try :the same:
means:.: Now, the:cuatom, having , -beconie'este
bibbed) and:. papnlar;!..Multitudes; annually Ob
serve it,. not , l6:!'m tuilrbetente ev'elfY4tership ,,
per isf sure In 'attain; his.wish ft►rxeipii4exiee; of;
Course, shows that luirie not '.- - - , but , in..Part-be,' i
cause the Ethporers,•heing supposed tart& oVer
the, cholera. , and ! other. epidemic . or 'penitential ,
diseades,iPievalentinthe anteater tiine; are Much
feared:by the Common; -Peoplei I , if.::tliei••iliontd;
not be 'boncired-ae usual, "1t Strinited they
might 'exhibit:their - &Pleasure tlsY causing an
unnsualainbune of , . Sickness and- of death in the
domminiity, ~ it is:reported thet:nterteiti Per:
son. SolicitedNiireadLloavee in. the . talial man
ner at the - . Te caple ofi en pplicating-Itappinees,
and Aftemardit went over lo" the i island trf , lor;`
mosywithont , retarningAhanite intperson;ltlidi
without having made arrangemeute.fili its being
denebyeeme - pne , else , in. hie , name.' 7 On' hie re 7 ,.
turn, tii , Fah: Chan,..niter several ` years' absence;
hivingiatnassed,ennidderable money, and 'stilt
neglec ki 6 g=ta , make the usnalAhink-offering;ac-
cardingito. , rule, to the Five kniperors, itis Said'
theywent;thernselfen, or: tliit . some' of their as
sistant images, to 'his Muse one night,. and de-:
- Mended the usual effeiing.; His delinquencies
having thus been vividly recalleVtn'inind, he
decided to make the thanksgiving of mock-mo
ney,,and,nclosyros„:nr3th% value of the loaves,
reckoned according , yk:geonwtrical progression,
the Ttlti9„ l )o4 ,VF ) 0 1:.44,4 1 t.e ~FRI,,- , fluakt°
the tl i tlntAqr 9fix , Pfgs.,49WA§: *qikt!•- 40!AkIr,
hadsoMe thAntripp)FAßTl:PlA_WXVl; . lntheir., .ho!,,
gat at his expense. , Aech. a story ...as this once.
afloat m. this 04,14 1 .titoYci*TO the real *Pk
i"te - 7
~..,,!, 1;,,,, e.: ..
. It , .., , :, ~ ~ . :f ,:,.
04t On-the su p e r': ' one and credulCite minds
of the Chinese „--rig, tiffany who never Pre-,,
1 190 ,Y•PlAgfitqcfl"*iit:e eIIsPI . ril: to 4c4:14 it, in
itiii:, bowe r of j*ing;'lsnecesstut,,i4. oi9it w. 1.00 or,
plans, 0.0,. Oak other's to render prouipt thanks
tiv
giv' ,nceording, to the Ilhdey#h.edipg when. ,
•
eeeii , eil the lOves. The temple . whieh)s 7 _?g
"sues has no tear Claire on the receiver , 'for the
value therenym! gtvenhim,' gumh Ilse* d9n
bits' the, number giVen. tii!3 obligation to re
pay is only verbal or *Plied, and depends for;
the fulfilment Snlely en . the Authority of custom,
and 64 the s elfish , FtP4:RRO#494 4.440 t;ie,,
recipient of they 14.,y,p.
WERi.Airt THE VIOTIMS OF THIS SUPERSTITION.-
UNBELIEF OF TIM LEEEltiEff
Most of those Who engage in this superstition
belong to thClower awitrading Classes. It.is
wqrtity of mention, that few.of theliterary clue
.. . ,
engage in - this custom, except'for the ,fun of the.
thing, and in order to get :sonie sweet cake tot
eat gratis. They do not do it in 'order , to curry.
favor with-,the ; Five Emperon,s, hat. ruth.er to
setthe' ' agined poWer at defiance. 'lt is cyr
rent' "ed as an unquestionable fact, , that!
tn
soetsome of, the literary; class go,tethe
temples where they are not . fiersonally,ltpuivn,
and, get. as many of the loaves as they eau ob
tain for themselves, and also get some for ficti
tioni persons, whose names, residence, &c., they ,
profess to give with due solemnity and ePparent',
sincerity. ' The;sa loayes are then taken ,honie,.
or to some rendezvous, : where.they areeonsunte&
with the utterance, of .na respectful sentiments
towards the Emperors,•having cost them only,
an outlay of a cent or two for the, purebase of
the iuceuse and candles used:while presenting
theircrequests for - the loaves, AS for kneeling
down i and bowing their headsin the posture or
sincere worshippers before the images, they
have' no conscientions - sern pies about such pr -
tical hypocrisy. Such people, or course, never,
calculate to return thanks. Itis believed,,how
ever, that % the proportion of those who ,do not
make a thank-offering
,for loaves received is
exceedingly. small. Few of the common people,
would 'dare to treat the _Five. Emperors inench
a manner, for fear of exciting, their displeasure
and incurring their revenge.!
The number of families which obserye this,
unperstitiou annually, I have heard:estimatecl,by
Chinese valiont!iy, ranging from-ten:to forty per
cent. Itisimpossible to ascertain• the correct ,
proportion, even if it was very important to do
tio. T donbt whether more than one-twentieth
chserye thecustorn,on aueverage, year by year.
Many_families engagain it only once or twice,
while many meyer engage in it at all.
COST OF 'THE` OFFERIIIO:=-PROFITS OF; TER
The loaves are sweet, and ; cooked:by steam-.
ing. They are usually round,' from five to seven
inches in diameter, about two inches thick; and
weigh probably from.ten t? twelve'ounces,'
They cost from about two , cents to two And,,,a.
half cents .each, as purchased at the shops or,
stands for. use as thank: offerings.: The cost of
the incense and the candles used by the devo
tee while preferring his request for loaves, is
usually,,only about half a cent. When heyenders
thanks the additional expense for gilt mock:L
thonerpaper .(beErides the loaves or their value)
is froin a:tent to three or four cents,
cording to the 'quantity of money which he la
TEMPLE
• - ,`,4 . ;7:: .
pleased to: Imagine ihe- casts :into the invisible
treasury of the Five EMPerors; T•tiough-this
mock-money- tests 'a Teri , small sum, it is' be
lievedto repiesent eiomParatively large amount
of gold and silver; into whiCh ittis supPesed to
change:by the nit of brireing.
The annual aggregate of Abe profits of
. the
bread loaf sUperstitiorF to :the' temples; though
Comparatively small in' itself, is enorinenS, When
considered with' reference to - the:: amoimt of ca
pitaliinvested;'being neMinally-100'per cent. on
the value of the loaVes•=donferred on- wOrship
pereeach year: '':Ettefr giien out one' year,
accordingite the:theory, brings in two' lefties,
or thelottlire' of tiro, the meet Year. 'lf the- reci:-'
pient - omit& to , render thanks' thii way, the
year after receiving' the loaves; he is expected,
is a Penalty, to' give:the Sedond year after; fear
loaves, 'or the 4alitOof four loaves; if stilt neg
ligept the' third Year, eight, or"the value of
eight; the fourth 'year, slitter', &c.; increasing'
ins , the i geethetrical 'ratico Of I two, eicerding- tu t ''',
the * number of. years Paged over. ' The'loaves
that are Paid in ha - rhankl'offerings, are 'either
given -out to applicants for loaves, or eiposed
for sale to 'those who wish to purchase leaves,,
with which to make thahli-offerings. In this,
way the 'same loafmay-be presented to the ,tem
ple as a thanks-offering by one'person,, antl sold
by-the•agent of the temple to another, Whe again
presents it'as a thankLOffering,&C., several times
in the course of a few daYs. Tile theory is te
pay velne of the loaves money when
the loaves thernselies are not presented as
thank-offering;
, but of late years, in practice,'
the teMples are willinito takea little less'than`
the nominal value if paid in ree.dy money. •
have understood that five young men;mem-
Eters of the native chuich under care `of the Mie- .
sion of the American Board in thiscity, before
theirminieraion receive& loaves on apPlication
front the Five Fruperors. Three of. them have
paid the customary thanksgiving. 'The other
two never have, and, of course, now PeVer will,
if' they are true Christians. One of them de
lased' it, -for' some reason, for a year or two.
Afterwards, becoming connected with the mik
sion boarding-schbol, and somewhat interested
in the doctrines of the gospel, the question oe-
CUrrcil to him whether he ought or ought not,
to settle the account in the regular manner.
He wee.advised not 'to ,do it, as being inconsis
tent with the principles of the Christian religion.
Only a few days since, he referred to
.the, mat
ter, While conversing on the general subject of
thii superstition, and remarked that if he were
now. to render thanks for the two lcaves he re
ceiVedieven years ago, according to the rule_of
reckoning the namber,, he should require 128
loaves, -- enough to fill two or three large
baskets. .
This letter is already too long. If I should
proceed to indicate at, some length those traits
of Chinese heathenism which the superstition of
intrnaed to
havi:done whdn I commenced, lan apprehen
sive ne4hey the editor will have space nor the
reader WHO:lave patience to ,devote to them. I
am sure that the intelligent 'and pious reader
will not fail to draw some correct and impor
tant inferencei from the detail's which hnve been .
given. ' Let his reflections supplement ihe
shins of the writer.
Euh Chau, Jupe 14, nee. ,
For the American Presbyterian.
IY-NACATION-4860.--(OpntitinerV)'
FISHIN q.
I found here a great number.of idlers; which
did not tell very Well for the Avhing prospects.
but I was assured that if I would go far ennugh,
say eight or ten miles, I wouldfinfi plenty of fish.
The District Attorney, who had a bed in my room,
was not so sanguine, even then. They were all
" trout streams," he affirmed, "Minus the trout."
"By diligent fishing, you might hook 'now and
then one." - Otheri told 'large Stories, of "sixty
on a string," of "a large . basket full," and the
But the proof ofthe thing i t s 'to try it. got a
ride with the mail boy, Crossing the river` and
goirig North-westward, to, I forget what place,
thirty miles beyond. I detertnined to go . with
him 'as far as he followed the stream upward, in
which my search was to be, and which proved to
be abotit eight Miles. Here I left him, and took
to the stream. As precautionary against hunger,
Intopped. at a. place •where he changed the wail,
called Marietta--nOt alarge town—and inquired
at its one More and one tavern, for some ireekers,
cheese, herrings, bread, or anything portable and
eatable. 14Iyendeavors were rewarded with three
biscuits, the remains of the morning's baking,
price tett, cents. I found , them uiefel, though
one ,of them WISS melt desiccated: for savory
mastication. I-stopped at this place on my way,
back, -end rested at the store a-few minutes.
found the-keeper: and dealer in a towering, rage
about, the "tienshus mani" who had just'been
along, and bad apParently cornea. little too late in
the' day; the said merehant having begun to feel
his imbibitions moving him to wit at the 4C censhus
man's" expense, and which: wit was not duly ap
preciated ; the said l‘censhus man" being apps=
rently a lucre matter-of-fact man, totally without'
imagination. "He asked me," said the indignant
merchant, ‘ 4 if I could 'read. I told him before
I wave- clerk; and he must be'a big fool to.think
a clerk could not read. He asked me, too, how
o/d - my wife was. I told him I did not know nor
care, and it was none of-his business." I left him
i-n'hiss indignation; and . 'wondering if *" the cen
shus man' would come back and fine him thirty
dollars," as he threatened.
.
Well, as to trout.' The brook was as pretty a
stream• as one need to see run over the earth. It
was coldi clear 'as the air"it ran in, wound among
the alders and the grass, babbled and brawled
over the stones, dove under logs and piles of brush,
spreading out thin now, and gathering up thick after
a little. It, was just the.kind of. a brook for the
fish to luxuriate in. And sure enough there was
"now and then one." But the bank was trod like
an Indian trail with fish wemen; and you could
tell where all "the holes" were, without seeing
them, by noting where the fish wOmen put, their
feet. Besides, the day was hot and clear, and the
stream not thickly shaded, and all John Bunyan's
skill was needed to the denizens: But
the less they bit, the fewer grasshopPers to 011284
=IS
,
r ,
and ottt,Ohi , =and ' , would ' ne,:oateh trout than
ggrasshoppers:Sii2gular ve t dthese grasshUppen.
When you don'liwantAhU , ‘U for anything, likely
they Willi be all. Over you liithout 4he least fear
But once -Nrant them for bait ; and see -how little
they oravelyour aiqUaintanea. Ifyousee him he is
on , seme,-distant, flight;- 14( if emigrating, or he
dives into the grass; and pile no'irlker'e. 1 ron , may
give ,ehasebut just as yOU‘drop &tin upon litn
helaa just then left., If ypileize him* , frr your
hind, aloniwith tt, handful 'aftgrais, 'dirt, and titioks,
which you sh&-Irrernove'tilllyou'oonie tcrhim ; he
is not there, though you wire sure you had limli
I think small Ofeatoliittir trout and grasshoppers
too. It is better tube'prolilWjvith worms, grubs,
or, even a bit of - fresh beef, Ikhielr isotopy, good-bait.
But trout bite;. : poorly tAtjslate. in the; season.
The lauguors
,of the heatAlituu,to,-overtalce them,
a9dl tl!eY- eotne , , cut Intl ftut,l
' f 3
.n I)P4 1057 ,
..,04- if}
37 ,
they were only common ' 1 '
';?Tille furt , ot
front fishing is, largely ; i -'' a d ze And tiie-with:,
3 11 1 . 1 :,ek 411 3 Y, , ,bi!e4 1 lAntlt , ,k.„, Jae, ' ,2 4ay and June-
!hex, take hold ,then 1i)041,,0h,rt ,13 1 . Gough at a,
temperanue k 'speech.;, gosl.tilDy, ire ; t ,as dulLasl
Cien„ Cass on- the dange4of the union, , ~,
"How many, did;lon getin, That ,is :mot fon
yon ; to know, dear; readeri , , got some; More
than we want; but beymid so much of light,- L.
am,dark.,- threw , some , 4trttk:the- grass ; *where
to..get, t4ePT,,Wa! more hopeless ,to _take:
then?, 4°M-ow:stream. IVA few or ,many, tbey
,wete good, say ten inches Bin length, and almost:
uniform,, I .ta*ed them that evening
for the first time in more than twenty year, and
they were as good as mt.; and what is more,
a hearty meal of thelo.did*Otlgitebte the hight-
wO 8 P.,;1 1 0 01 1o. ,otay - ,#,ad try them the next
day, when
,th e e , wzeather ;or. fine for, it,, and in
another stream.., ...,But, the' jaunt or the-one day
had consumed mei, and .1 - : iyas forged to, abstain.
sNAK*
A friend of mine,• ppg . ..;my speaking of this
region as one good for . exereiseof "the,pls-.,
i v
catory art, advised me t 0,,,
,nnitfor the reason,
that
."' the rattlesnakep wep,so thick, that jf YOU_
but sat down on.a pile,ofbrush, two or three of
them would, poke up their heads-through it"
I am not much afraid of hakes, and disregarol-,
ed the monition. But rthie coming here, and
mentioning the matter, no matter to, whom 1,,
found the reputation not untotldefl. Every
person. to whom I spoke
. .a,s forthwith eloquent
on snakes. My first, inf o _
. ants were ,the two,
boys Who carried the A jl, and with whom I.
(.
got a ride;' one of there about seventeen, and,
the other younger. These declared they had.
seen one thii season, "eoalgr,Onnfif as iny,leg."'
To ascertain the cause otsuch lateral obesity,_
tha reptile '34zisdivlded,k‘awas found to be the
bee.rer of forty-nine Otherand juvenile serpents,
eaeh with serpentine el abiiities. It , was, in,
fact, a yegular, suali°l. tiption. The, ,boys,.
~
iii:ilkerteilited, that -( 1 4 :. . , , -their-4. 0t.0....
farm wirscieiitat, °et ' I , l* the "varments "--
; *, . ' - '
the boys did not say " *(t , 44,"—vvbere. their
hibernatien . was condo* ; and that here,- in
the Spring, upon a warm day, persons would
go and destroy perhaps• fifty at a. time. The
oil was pronounced to be bight- valuable!
,e,i
worth two dollars per ounce,- and `,`one. snake
would often furnish as much as half an ounce of
the oil," Whether , after his hibernation or not, I
did not learn.
But in, killing to save the oil, it was needful
to ,despatch the busines& ttnd the snake ,too,
with neatness and celerity, else, in his. frantic
contortions and strikings about, , he„wonld bite
himself, and then his oil would be spoiled. So,
much for the boys' account.
I fell into conversation with twp gentlemen
on the same subject; one, a resident, physician,
and the other a Platteville.lawyer. Both were
fuminops on snakes. Tbnse excelled in lougi-,
tude, as the boys did it(the latitude of their
reptiles. The lawyer, declared he .had, lately.
seen a yellow rattlesnake; seven and-a-half feet .
in length 1 and that-a neighbor of his had been
bitten and was not yet , well, into whose leg two
fangs were struck, at a distance of two inches
apart! There is latitudn and longitude both.
Only to think if snakes walked about on the
epda..of their,tails, to meet them, looking down,
into, your face, and ready to smite you in the.
eyes! Good. is it, thatilon their bellies they,
go, and eat dirt." .It is goodenOugh for them.
The doctor, though but: a dry-matter-of-fact
sort of a man, was just as,eloquent, although, he
shortened, his snake six inches, declaring, him to
be. seven,feet in length. As for that, .I would
as soon he had been seven and-a-half, for. six
inches, when you have got up to that length, is
not worth minding..should 6e quite as fear
ful of the seven footer, on , his tail, as of the
other, and klittle.mpre4uStrions one.
The d i ctator had eaugl4lu),l-"ened thee :"fort
puts)! He. had, one witliohirteen rattles, and
five feet 44 length.: oeofiy, be and ,his student
thought_ to experiment upon; him. They satu
rated a sponge with. ebforoform;-and held it
near him. in his box. At Phis he was highly in
dignant, fearing, perhaps, an operation—and
flew: around the box in.a furious manner, hiss
ing, and striking hither aud thither: At last he
got sleepy, and subsided. The hox was set in
the sun, but in a few minutes he was found to
have " shuffled 'off the, mortal coil," though he
was in a snakish one. The doctor determined
now to make "a - -subject:":of him, extracting
his fangs, and all;the attendent madhinery and
chemicals. His fangs were, how long, Etc you
think, friends ? A little more than two,. inches I
Monstrum horrendumi I supposed they.were:
..half an inch long:; and thosa,of.the massassan
gas are. Bat' they, the thassassauguas, are a
helotish generation, and not 'worthy to be
named.
I learned a thing more. The fangs, as we all
know, are hollow, and Mid poison is' helein4
little sack at the root of them; in such a way, as
that when the fang is erected—for itiles prone
in the jaw customarily—and is struck against,
any thing,.the pressure squeezes the poison into
and throngtthe tooth. A slight pressure
exude it. In striking, therefore, a.man, if the
boot be hit, or even the .clothing ; all, or nearly
all the poison will 13e-shed in - the.leather , orlhe
cloth before the :tooth' hits the flesh Thus the
wounds of the greater'number'are bat slight;
and are readily cured; for it is a fact to which
all. are-agreed,• that the deaths by-bite are but
-‘ • f :
few ant ottile number bittbn. ' • ,
doine atiOther'conclusion; in" my : Own'
reffections, on this snake subject.. He always'
if he dam before Striking ; 'But,
ways , Oceurred 'thine, that he cOuld not, in this
Way, -strike , far with- any -effect; .for in •uricoiliiig
he would be obliged to writ/cat. also, 'for .US
,yoir
draw out a
„coil, tbere, s ia.a lateral rolling over.
But I saw into a new kink, in the case, upon
studying- into snakes. TA . l§ reptile' uncoils
after another fashion than' 'this. There is no
rolling ;11E7: - liXteraliy, 'the' operation. His
undoilhigls'• ifjhe Were :coiled' aboiftlie oat
side' Of a ;roller, just as a 'tape.line is ;. and,-
`fn jfii ` Ilowing it but, the- *hold nail "revolves .
'about 'the Centre till' it' is udrolled. lit thb; ways
th - el snake gets hid impetus. The legs, or 'whit
,ailaweik-tO 'foll 'diSfrilittbedbifiii
tlfe whole length of body, avid ivhen begs' in
coil,_ they air 200'2* I to big' Fetid-
With thifspeed' off afshuttle. And-Alms,
wall strike the length of nail.. 'Bo' you bad:
bestimiiirealitne'dn too elbSe:a propinquity for
'a 'tar os rattlesnake urni, may be-longer,
than yonntbink. ,
- 'Well, 1 did , notget bit,. nor , did , Ii see or-even
hear'one of the "vernients."' r.irttled tbe. tall'
wBeds, preciPioe's, over rocks,.'
e " • . ' r
cpyiylol:44l.9ilgh brash fences, and gave them,'
ev.ery , opportunity to get, the ::"advantage of , me;
but:all - the opporttinities - were hist- . tO
and I came awai'safe. 'Probably it is not My
destmy.to be bitten by 'rattlesnakes. - I think 1 . ,.
am grat,einl for,this i Tb,ere &choice _ anion!
distempers accidents, calamities; even. though:
they kill you
• f
The'tiiniwillcome when rattlesnakes Will ao - ,t .
bite one , of the 'checks . to Man's,
wickedness ; brit. wiled-tire " possess' t'he
earth, "f such:Terrain must " go, for there will be ,
nothing td hurt or destroy in all: the Itiorsl!S holy
Mountain. . • '
.As to their,siallpng...you iri. the Jape. also, as
.hintetkat ? no person need fear :dap, unless the
face be near the groimd, for•: 'none •ot these. rep
tiles aim 'high ainn4the great , snake 'which ainied
at mother. Vve's heart. = 1 t good bye rattle ,
snakes,:trout, and ,Boseobel. It is not likely
that; " , we three soon meet again." AMBROS*.
Pox:the 'Amen'Can Pizebyterian
NOTES. OF SUMMER TEAVEL.
-*Haviqgpassed.several. weeki upon the sea-beard
. .
of Massachusetts in Boston, Salem, at Nehent,
ond,at Lowell filand': our party T ieSolVe4, to ex
change the sait' breezes the :hold headlands the;
snug coves, the black, jagged, 44 1 precipitom ;
rocks* of-the coast; tor 'the - green: fields; farms, and
orchards= of the country, 'and:especially for the
grand mountain scenery` of the interior.' Acp(;rd
icigry,.. taking the Fitchbul-g train, of cars at
Boston & we :were rapidly Ahirled away .from the
7' o diciC74 — lrtfreiii,ata as Taw y
drawn up grade. among the Majestic Mountains of
Massachusetts.'
While in Andover, we bad seen the'yenerable
head of Waehusett Mountain in the distance,
lifting its broad shoulders above the Mountain
Range around it,. and thrusting, its bead among
the, clouds, as though, not satisfied With earth, it
were disposed to look into the upper regions, and
see what was going on behind the veil; and now
we were every moment nearing that mountain,
and every . Moment risinc , higher into the, cold tAir
that plays its gambols,so freely in. that. Alpine
realm..:Fifty. Boston, from oston, we werelanded
at the Westminster station, and from the station
we ascended steadily for three miles into the re
gion of perpetual cold, our horse painfully walking
with us for three miles up the sides of the moun
tain range, until the town of Westminster -was
reached.
-Upon the highest land in the town stands the.
Parsonage, and as we lipproa.ched it, rising higher
and higher up the bill, the radiant faces of the,
inmates, -with , their , waving, handkerchiefs, and .
shouts of welcome, aSSured us that there were as
warm hearts in those regions of , _frost and, snow,
as din the more; genial.regions we had;left , behind.
But, where is the Mountain, we cried ? where is
your great, Tfachusett.? we want to see your
Lion, and to hear him roar. They enjoyed our
amazement for awhile, as we looked into the
clouds for their lion, and at length said, "You are
looking too high, lower the, range of your vision,
and come down to earthly.things ) . if you, want to,
see mountains." And, to be 'Sure, we had for
gotten that we ourselves were upon a mountain
top and Lowering the, range of our eyes, there
lay the , grand old lion,, crouching solemnly at our
very side. His head was hidden by a cloud, and
they said, " The , mountain has.his cap on to 7 day."
But his mighty , side, canopied by trees of deepest
green, lay outstretched •before us " for many a
rood„" and there, upon his breast, sparkled a
beauteous gem, a diamond of the first , water, in
the form of a crystal Lake,, on whose pellucid
waves the trees of the. mountain cast their occa
sional shadows, giving the still lake:the light and
shade, the sparkle and the grace, of the richest
jewels. Even , as we were gazing, the changing'
wind began to break up and,soatter the clouds,
and soon the mountain emerged,frorn bis shroud
and shook off the dew qrops from his, hair, and
faced us so fully, and smiled upon us so benig-,
neatly, that we immediately felt at home with
His Royal Highness, and gave him our entire
allegiance. 0 how, did we feel our insignificance
by his side—we, the creatures of a day ! we,
soon to pass away! Tle, to stand through other
generations, and other eras , down to the very
end! He,' the patriarch of thousands.Of
As we gazed upon his awful
.form ;; a stanza
partly froin memory, partly from the, present
thought, went singing through our minds:
"Waehusett's the monarch. of =anteing,
• They crowned hink•l6ng ago::
• With his silver sheen, and mantle of green,
And 'dindem of :maw:"
And: Coleridge's' noble lines, written in the
preseneo tame-up with irrepressi
ble.power:
Thou first and chief, great sovereign of the vale,
Or struggling With, the darkness ail the nights'
AndAisite4;4l.night by . tropps of stars,-
Or when they climb-Abe sky,.or whiny( they sink:,
doinpanioit of` he morning star if
• Thyseltearth'irospetai . , had of the'dawn:
Go, herald, wake, 0 wake i and utter_ praise!
thou kingly spiriCtlironed-aniOng the hills,
Thou tirettd.ambassadorfront earth to Heaven,
Greatilierar,eh, tell — thou the silent sky,
And telllthestar.s, and tell ynn rising sun,
Earth with her thousand voices, praises God."
All the time, we were,in Westminster, we•were
on. the, .mount, ; both literally and figuratively.
Whereyer we rod,e, although we-; crossed some
streams, and. plunged ; into, some rayines„yet the
etre.eele were mountain terreete,, anal the ravines
were mountain, gorges.
Moreover, .all things among-.these trtountains,
the stately towns and settlements of nature them-
selves, : their magnificent forest-robes, their deep
dark glens r their rushing- and roaring cataracts,
their, apparent union: of earth and= sky, as they,
stretch upward ; from the abodes of men, and bury
their, summits - in the henvens---rdi: things here,
te9 4 49 0 Y. , t9,.Pr00tc scgIPP f7 6 7 7 #o°P.
And, ttletisitgar,affon. p, that we might all be ,thus
transfigured—that we might be changed in re
spect to ourcarthward tendencies--that we might
oftener dwell in the mount, and bring the mount
with4ra into the vale and, whether on mountain
ox, op, plain, ., walk and livemithGod.
POSITION :ANDICISSION OF 'OUR 0111:0101I:
.FROM THE `MODERATOR 8 SERMON. '
The 'American 'Presbyterian ChUrch rapidly
struck- its roots-deepinto our soil, and. spread its
braneheefalabroad. It.grew ,not only from with
in 'and by.-conversions.from the world but by
large accretions from two dissimilar quarters
from the - partially Preslryteriadied communities
of New England, and from the more rigid Pres
' byterian cemmunions abroad, which had felt the
stiffening and - deteriorating influence of the over
shadaivitig'cliiirch establishments. The rapid in
corporation into our bedy„of such diverse elements,
as might naturally have been expected, gave rise
to questions of- difference, which would never
have sprung up had the Chiirch been enlarged
only, by development front within and conversions
from without:God had a purpose to achieve in
the union of" the three classes of - elements which
were brought iogether in ;the 'progress of our
Church. Ini :the days our early weakness pit
would not have been well had all the' Calvinistic
families and ministers from Scotland, Ireland,
Holland, France and New,England, been divided
into small and jealons sects on the same territory.
It was - a blessed thing •for the general cause, that
they were, for the - most part, drawn into otie com
mon organization and fellowship. But it was an
evil incidental to such.annion of. elements, that
while the native Presbyterians in the body were
homogeneons,• the accession's from Europe and
New England. were ; -notable to, sympathize fully
either with each
,other : or 'with the more strictly
American portion of the Church. And this evil
grew' mO're Soriorts tre.tirne advanced, because the
semi-Presbyterianism of a - part' of New England,
as. was natural, gradually gave place to a purer
°congregationalism bordering on Independency;
which here its, legithiate fruit at last in the great
defection of Unitarianism. During the earlier
stages of this growth of pure Congregationalisin,
the•aecessitans to our ministry from New England
were doubtless- increasingly repelled by the tem-.
p,er anti spirit of
,the sterner Presbyterians, who
came in fresh from the•Churches.of Great'Britaisl
_And ;the dontinettain, were stirre.
trp - h - y re:action, to watch carefully againalla.xness
and. heresy. •
By
.such causes the difficulties which were part-'
Iy : healed by,the liberal Adopting Act, of -the ori
ginal Synod in 1729, were again aggravated and
brought tetheir crisis in the division of 1.741.
This breach"was healed by another generous and
Chtistion Compromise in 1758; and after this
time. until,•th.e organization of our ,Assembly in
1789, the unity and: peace, of, the Church were
hut little inteiTupted. Our, growth was' unprece
dented, and the_sympatity ctf our orthodox'New
England brethren with us was, no doubt, greatly
increased by the progress of defection under their.
own,ecclesiastical ,'system, at home., lied the ac
cessions to our Chruch from other., bodies been
made from the beet:lining only by European immi
gration, we should have lost our true American
geniu.s and spirit, and have become a stiff, ultra,
symbolical body, to the great disrepute of. Our free
system. Ilad our accessions been only from• New
England, we should have swerved from our
genuine Presbyterianism and have incurred the
danger of losing. our ecclesiastical identity as a'
middle groned Church. In -1801, the celebrated
Plan -of 'Unitin, so cordially' apprOva by our As
sembly and the General Association of Connecti
cut, brought into close connection with us a large
number of our Congregational brethren. This'
union had its great providential use in off-setting
and= modifying any tendency to excessive-rigid
ness ,and: formality, from the incorporation, with
us of so many elements from .abroad,; , and still
more, in shielding the churches and the ministry
in the new settlements of the North-west, from
the dangers of an extreme. radicalism. This ar
rangement may not have been wise for the' mere
denominational interests either of Presbyterianism
.or Congregationalism:; but it has clearly contribu
ted' to the, preservation and, furtherance of. evan
gelical Christianity as :a whole. It might have de
stroyed the balance in the Presbyterian Church,
even to, her-final subversion, had its relaxing ten
dencies been met lay,no special influences of a
counter nature and, bearing. But the growth of
the Church from her own children and 'by evan
gelization, and the continued reception of foreign
Presbyterians, including the reception of the As
sociate Reformed Synod in 1822, tended "to pre
serve the balance.
It could not be, however, that elements so hete
rogeneons would always rem.* essentially banned
onein the same anrch. Theiintagenisth of which'
the different parties in the Church gradually be
came :conscious, as the body grew larger, showed
themselves in connection, with the outgrowth from
the Plan of Union, of a new system of missionary
effort, whose chief characteristics were, indepen
, dence of the Church and the co-operation of
Christians of two or `"three different`denominations
in the same voluntary associations. This system
was IneSt 'naturally suggested by the dose sympa
thy which existed between large portions
,of our
Chiirch and the Churches of New England- Its
early Working was' attended with some jealousy
between its friends and those 'in the Church who
bad, been always accustomed to use the machinery
which our, ecclesiastical system provides for con
ducting missionary work. But the differences in
thieregard might easily have been accommodated,
had`there not been at work beneath them deeper
tendencies towards a very` liberal construction of
the Calvinistic syetem, on one side, and a very
rigid construction of it, on, the other side, together
with clarresponding, tendencies towards laxness
Oer against excessive strietnees in the administra
tion of Presbyterial• government. The under cur
rents and the upper currents Soon ran closely to
gether, insomuch that :friendship to ecclesiastical
BoardservoluntarY'Stacieties, beeame the test, of.
sympathy with New. England theology and liberal
Presbyterianism, or wittil Ultra Calvinism and a
stern ecclesiastical administration. It coincided'
with. these, , oanses and occasions, of : conflict, that
the,, accessions to eur.Chtirch from New England,,
were :loeated mainly in the non-slaveholding
States, and, those froin foreign Chtirches, chiefly
either in the slaveliolding States,:or near the di
viding line.' " •
With such disturbing
,forees in the bosom of
tile -0 4 1 4 it is, t
Ds ;wane that Ma, great crisis
was rapidly brought
.npenus. A stipulation with
this Synod of Pitanirgh for' the' transfer' of the'
VOL. Y.—NO. 4.--Whole No. 221.
Western Forekn Missionary Sooiety to the. Ge
neral Assembly,.whicla had been entered into by
authority of the Assembly of .1835, was rudely
broken by a, bare majority of the,,Assembly of
1836 - , under the lead of - hrfluentiallriends of the
American Home: Missionary Society.. This act
precipitated the division of the Church, which
was virtually effected by the violent and demon
strably unconstitutional measures of 1837. AU
strife now became: onefor 'power between two
parties ; the one party. embracing' chiefly the mo
derate Calvinists, the friends of a. mild
,Presby
rerial administration; the advocates of voluntary
associations for missionary:purpOsea;and, the more
anti-slaVery portion of the - Church ; and - the other
party, embracing the extreme Calvinists, the chem
.
pions of .a stern ecclesiastical regimen, the friends
of ecclesiastical missionary Boards, and the great
body of the more resolute defenders of slavery.
The abrogation 'of the Plan .of.. Union and the
EXscinding Ants of 1837; •Were . thi'rvilrre of the
latter.party; and , adherenee to those-measures in
1838,, made a rupture , of. the Church a-jiecessity,
unless, the : minority, had consented
,to submit
the most grievous injustice, and this at a.sacrifice
of their most cherished principles and convictions.
By the division• of that-day, the tendencies in the
Church. towards , extreme conservatism, carried
with them our institutions, and the prestige of
majority and. power; and the tendencies. .among
us towards radicalism in doctrine and polity were
so released from their former restrictions, and so
itinaulated by antagonism and re-action, 'as for - a
time to threaten the dissolution of. our .body, in
that- preparations were actually made ,on
either side of us for. taking possession• of the
,hare that' see Med ahout to fall to each of the
waiting expectants. But God's counsel is not to
be overthrown. The prospect of a speedy dis
memberment of our, body gradually - grew dim;
then many of the Men who had led, us in the
conflicts of 1836, 1837, and 1838, forsook us
and took their places in the ranks of 'lndepen
dency. By degrees the radical elements of every
dlass, and the extremely conservative elenients
sought their, fit, homes in, other communions ; so
that before half a score of, years- had elapsed we
began to, emerge from the sea of conflict, like a
new continent, a homogeneous, middle ground
Church: and beginning to 'east about us for ap
pliances and means to fortify ourselves in , the -
position assigned to, us by Divine Providence, we
found ourselves without church institutions, with
out organic strength, with nothing but the cot A
sciousness of rectitude and vital force, and a clear
perception that God had set a great work before
us as American Presbyterian's. At the same time
our Congregational brethren having been aroused ,
to a new consciousness of denoniinational, life, re
scinded the Plan of Union on which our eo-opera-
Live missionary Societies were founded, and-en tered
upon the earnest propagation of strict Indepen
dency, as .a doctrine and a practice:
Presbyterian Quarterly Review.
D. H. E.
,An astonishing feature of the word of God;is,,.
notwithstanding the time at Whieltits compositions:
were written, and the roultittain of the topics to
which it alludes, there is not one physical error---.
not: one - assertion. or allusion' disproved by:the pro
gress of • modern science. None 'of. those • mis
takes which the, science of each, succeeding age
discovered in
,the books. of the preceding: above
all ? none of - those absurdities which modern as
tronomy indicates 'in such great ninibers in the
writings,
„ o O
f the ancientsn-theireacied codes; in
th"e'er pi , e11 7 -tht; "..t
thers of the church; none of these .errors are to be
found' in' any of our, book*
. .Nothing there will
ever contradict that 'whinh, after so Many ages; ,
the investigations of the learned world hare been
able. :to reveal to us:on the state: of our globe, or
that of the heavens.
~Peruse with care our Scrip-.
tures fromone.end to the other, tofind-there such
? Teta, "and,whilSt you apply yourselVei to this eA
aniination, remember that it is a book
sPeaks" of every thing, Which, describesnature,
-
which recites its creation, which tells:as:of - the
writer ? of the atmosphere, of the mountains, ef the
valleys, of the
,animals, and of
.. the plants. It
is a book which teaches.us of, the first revolutions
of the World, 'and which foretells its last. It re
counts them in the • circumstantial: lang,nitgen - of
History, it extols them in. the snblimest• strains of
poetry, and, it chants the charms of glowing songs.
It, is a book which full of 'oriental rapture ? , ele
vation;yariety, and boldness. it is a book which
speaks of the heavenly . andinvisible world, whilst
it also speaks of the earth and things visible. It'
it is a book.whieb, nearly fifty writers of every de
gree of cultivation,.of every state,. oleverycondi
tion, and living through the course of fifteen hun
dred, years, have concurred to make,lt is a "bookwhich was Written in the centre of ; Asia, in 'the
sands of Arabia, and in the deserts of Judea; in
the court ef the temple of the• Jews, in the music
schools .of the.prophets" of Bethel and Jericho, in.
the 'srinipfuous. palaces of ilabylon, and on the ido
latrous hanks 'of Chebar",,and finally, in the centre
of western civilization, in the Midst.of'polythelein .
and- its idols,. Cud in the bosom of : pantheisiw and
its sad, philosophy. It is ,4.,b00k: whose first wri
ter had been for years a, pupil of "the ,tnagipians
of Egypt; in whoie opinion the sun, the - Stars,
anct'the elements, were endoired with iritelligenee,
reached on the elements, and governed the' world
by a perfect. alluvium., It is a book' whose first
writer preceded? by, mere than nine lumdrelyears,
the most ancient philosephera. of ancient Greece
and Asia; the Thaleses, and the Pytbagorases,
Zaluenses, the Xenopitons and the eonfiteiuses.
It is a book which carries its narrations to the hi
erarchies of angels; even to the most distant
epochs of the future, and the glorious scenes of . the
I last day. Well, Starch among its fifty slithers,
search among its 64books, its 1,189 chapters,
and'31,713 verses, search for one of the thousand
errors which the ancients and moderns committed
when 'they spealr,ot thnhesveps,
,of the earth, of
their revolutions, or their elements—search, but
you will find none: , .
THE SIMPLICITY OF THE BIBLE.
The fact that" God gave a revelation, not for
the learned, but for all classes of men; not for,
any one age or nation, but for all ages and all
nations; proves, that that revelation , may be un
derstoo, at least as to its direct teaching, without
the aid of human science. It is an iustructive
fact, that the Gospel was understood, and did
achieve its 'nest signal triumphs, at periods when
every existing system of philosophy was funda
mentally erroneous. The entire history of the
Church in all ages, and in the present, sustains
me in the assertion—that the Gospel has lost its
power over the human conscience and heart, pre
cisely in the degree in Which there has been de
parture from the obvious meaning of the language
of the Bible, to accommodate its teaching to any
science or system of philosophy. The , history of
the Church furnishes not a solitary exception to
this general statement; indeed, one of the most
convincing proofs of the inspiration of the Scrip
tures is the fact, that every attempt to improve
upon their obvious meaning, (and there have been
many such,) has been attended with loss of
poliei, or has exhibited a perverted' and perni
cious power. NATHAN L. Rica, D. D.
OLD PASTORI3.—Rev. Dr. Snell is still pastor
of the Orthodox Congregational church in West
Brookfield, where he was settled June 27, 1798 ;
Rev. Brown Emerson is pastor of the South church,
Salem, over which he was settled April 24, 1805.
In -addition to these, Rev. Alfred Ely, D. D., of
Monson, was settled Dec. 17, 1806; Rev. Samuel
Osgood, D. D.,. of 'Springfield, June 25, 1809 ;
anrfßev. Luther' Sheldon, of Easton, October 24,
1810.
THE ACCURACY OF. THE BIBLE.