SAO3&EB SYMBOLS.
BY REV. DANIEL MARCH.
NO. VII
: NIGHT AND MOBNING.
'lts. iSci.' il—The ii)i<jr'niiig J eoineth, and alSo"
fllOjHigllt
Imagine .a. company pf en- r
Cfqnpfdfor the night in ppe of
.;. yallgy§ among the mountain?
« vMjit were famiUac-j tihje pro-
J phets /of Israel. Thpy .were waiting im-
patiently forthecoming, dawn, that they
may start upon,,their Journey, in-jthp .copl.
air of the mom|hig, ,and ! reaeh !:; thpir,.p]pce
of reat .hpfore -the-bucning .heat of noon
combs on; As. they turn, with ojigerg^xe,
iir4o.6thevquarter
»j . from the bosom of darkness,.the; rq?y,lje7 ;
.;. -fhld -fit the.‘dawn.appeals j ihe. blue,..s;tar
> J spangled'curtain, of «the nightis slowly
>. -'lifted from; of . the eastern
mountainsyrand. they, can already see the
; ‘ golden fringe, mpon--,the robe, .of, the- king
.! fif-day; Joyful that the reign of, darkness
Is =past, and f thftt. the, whele. surrounding.
, ilandseape-will isponi gladdfn.in. -the smite.
of the all-beholding sun, they . lift up their
!:• woipes '/in.:loud, to the great
Father- of light.-.that. the;,morn come.th.
.. ’Meanwhile higher ,and Jughprascends.the.
;cdgwn' 5. .and, in its, gray ( light,..distant, ,ob
; jects begin to and.awv
:-ful;aspect { .. tEhe.jagged rpck .oyerhanging,
; the narrowpathway no lopger looks;
* f grim giant awaiting to crush.and trample
upon the passingtraveller... The solitary,
cedars crowning the rugged.heights seem
no.more like spiritual -sjentinels set to guard;
theforbidden .passes, of the mo j uiitain& The
roar toff, the, distant torrent, breaking the
:: awful, silence .with its prolonged, echoes,,
• no longer sounds like the tramp pf armed.
‘ men, or- tbe .thunder of. horsemen, rushing
•: to battle. The night wind pgasesip wail,
and moan as if foreboding deeds of ,rapine,
and' blood; ; ; Joyful.forthe coming; day,
d the pilgrims forget, the terror, the.weari
'»-• ness,* and thewatehing, pf,. ,the night/ - and,
. startjip*on th[eir.ioprß©y hefpre.the sun ap?,
-• pears.-. •' :.;r ;: 0! q
ssteeiMeanwShile- the huinid gis. which, at
.the ray of
‘■ •the feeblest- star, becqipes, agit.atcd by the
■ day/t,and; break up'
into opposingiand diversely {tapered feiir-’
rents. The icy wind of the;
sweeps down from the cold heigK’tS^&nd :
’felindeiises- ihvisim| ;!
iV ; J
ike-'drivihg—aadl darkeningi
every rf tfa6e’
1 the , dikti«it i 'hiHs}if(ilds ‘dbSviii ife?
ifnpehetrhhle'curtain updh'tbe'far-reachiijg
‘ 1 Veil# its hehvy btifdemupbn 'tile wind, 1
‘* l sweeps : ef hand -efefy-aidge'farid' rocky
’yd&k, closes'tie entrance bf
'’'‘ahddefife/’tifhthe-landmarks nf.thh'mohh
- tamsTdM- thSdh knbhls’of-ithelstfeaiiis'are
hidden, dnfl the tfaVeHets-findi themselves
cin'vblbpfe‘dir[m c ddrknessmore,bei4ildering ;
s'diid inSxtribSfilefthanthat of midhfglit? i: Tt
• te neitherfisy^er'might. "They have nei
theri^Mb'* i iighi'of‘ i the‘ , 'sua nor of the stars.
*The)y fhay return to the place from 1 which
thby karted while they suppose tfieinselvbs
1 '^j l bd ,< advaii'emg-mpon their jburhfey; 'Aiid :
mist which' has 1
' Adrkftinfde# tMsi'ihas 'not pufl’but ifie' sum’
Thb' mOifnin'g 'sttir Has .not bebn “ stayed .in
Ste«B p !bdufSB;i’, h or tiias the day-spring
forgotten place. ''iThough the'.path* bf
‘the'pilgriins is darker and more perplex
ing thad before/ still >they know that gui-
' daflcfe anTd> deliverance are'Constantly ap
proaching from on. high. To them the
morning cometh and also the night. They
press forward darklingandfearful upon :
their journey, climbing'the-steep. and-slipf;
petty height; winding around the project
* ing crag;‘overhanging the' dark abyss; yet;
! iall s th^ ! whiie assured'that 1 the junconquerr!
' able' light will-struggle -through the gar
thered clouds/the Sub will ascend the hea
'venS: with meridian brightness/ the ever
■lasting mountains will 2 appear upon their
‘•old foundations; and the pilgrim band will
pipes onward in safety and jby. To-them
' themorning Surely conies, though -for'ai
f tiiiib 1 ' 3 it ' veired in a ' deeper? night -
Athdthedarkei their path for a 1 while, the.
more vidll they rejoice in the ! crowned and
conquering day.' - ?
‘ In every faithful picture of human life,
the night must mingle with 'the’ morning;;
the ShdcfSs of’ Sorrow and calamity must
dafken the da#n of hope aud%ladness.;
the journey ’ that begins with joy must Bei
phrsued’ with peril and uncertainty.. The
successful seeker after earthly happiness
has only time to cry, “I have found it!”
' when the possession glides froth his grasp,
and he IS left to inourn,. with empty ’hand
'and Sorrowing" heart. • : Travellers amid
the diversified scfenes of lifd, ; wjehnter some
ijUii3t L vale, where the healthful air revives
the lahdscjape' delights’
tMth itsbe'auty; and we prom|Se outselves
secure rfepose; but soon the clouds gather
darkness on the distant heights, the sun
Is hidden and the tempest pours its angry
flood through the whole valley, and our
promised paradise becomes a desolation.
The morning breaks in beauty and glad-
ness, but it is night before noon. Dis- *
heartened by private griefs, and misled by
vain.attempts jo foretell thefuture, we en
large the lesson" b^indT«^ifiibi.'dieaiq®ffl& !
ment, and say there is no hope for the
world. We see enslaved and darkened
nations lifting up their byes to the dawn-
Beginning-., to rejoice Jn Ahe
promise of day, and then suddenly their
hopes are blasted by the coming; on of
deep, dreadful night. And* so ‘ every
change, from, the old .'cburkd, evhry; out
break' of popuiar paeßibn) ! cOhyalsipp
and supplies a hew
of “tribulation.’*" ' , *
; But the morning is hot stayed from its
.appointed hour, although, ‘to ,m,ah.’s;imper-.
fee,t vision, the 'envious night 'keeps, ever
.pace' with the ‘.’dawn. The frill j dayof
truth; and righteousness,.and fibefty.may
he ushered, ia )by a hoiyor of. great dark
mess, and. a cup of trembling, ' [ and the
earthquake throes of revolution. ' ; But the
decree of .providence, appointing the prog
ress of nations, is, not "reversed 'or
ten, although the advancp must 'he f mhd4 !
.through cloud and' conflict ’* The
dence .of God is wiser than the fears arid*
mightier than the policies pf‘mam :il< The :
night..tbat comes with the niofqipg is par
tial and temporary,, although for a tiMp 'it'
seems to, devour the day and'cut off’the
hopes of mankind. In the darkest period:
,o.f human history, we need.only theaslear
r yision, of Christian-faith,to. sep’the day ap-.
..pyoaching. If we take, only human feel-
ing or-human,philosophy for our guide we
shall he ready to admit that the “tide ,in
the affairs of men ” is only a tide—some
times adyaneidgyvith crowned and'.crested
billows,.gleaming .in the light and break
ing upon the bulwarks of the shor'e.'with
resistless shock and thundering sound;' and
then . retiring to, its original bed, only to
.repose and recover strength, for the repe
tition of the same aimless and ineffectual:'
charge. But if we, take the sure word-of
prophecy for our teacher, and, with such
a. guide, .endeavor to forecast the.,destiny
of nations, we shall see that the current of
human ..history, never - flows backward,
never stops 'in its. churse, Thh night of
conflict and disaster, which, comes with,
the morning of hope and progress,.is only
the • tempofary darkffess of an unsubstam,
tial mistwliich must’ dissolve and disap-.
*pbif : before 6 trio‘'-light' ‘aridoibeat of . trie
'ribmirig"sun.- " 'All«hhmahi!pVdphecies may.
httferly fdil— ofcthe’" wise come
'tripnriughty Trifeifirfuesr and sacrifices of
; theTaithfub maybetreatedTwith scorn, and
imahtyrsiipay'; sdem'
dfetaii shed>4n J vairt. ! :/Mmr,(inqtheir, m®d
;Bess, may shuftheir'eyes torth'e .fight, and'
Set- on fire the templevof Fstheir own liber
ties. 1; and, success,.
; thby may: overturn the) fairest jsjjructures.
■ that their
themselves beneathf thevrdim fhgi |h<|ir.
madness ba!s made;''-But snch.excesses
aild disasters to'the Cause! of-truth are only
the 'brief night that crinfes-with tha morn?-
t • . P. . , - - ,
mg. ' The thrones of iniquityimust .be .past
down, and the perishablesfriietureis.of.hu
inan-pridfei and passion retrieved,, to
■piafce'tn that living temple; whose .founda
tions'‘rire! everlasting,*;sfl3Sd Vwhose walls
shalfi'be builtby-God’S 'Orfn hand. . The
'kingdom) and th'e : greatness' of the power
under the wholu heaveu shall he,given un
to' Christ;) and- through whatever conflict or
oalairiity the nationsimust pass to fhe.fufi
fillmentiof that, propheey, the night, shall
not outlive the moriir. The sun of righ
teousness shall i fill the heavens with the
full day, and all the kindredfe and tribes of
the earth,shall, rejoice in his light.
.THEWAR JireTiFIED. ,
; BY R.E.V. \V. W. TAYLOR.-' ;
J Suppose,. out of the best motives, the go-,
vemment had let the,South go, unrebuked
and unmolested; and the nation-had found
itself, some stormy mom'mg, divided iraq
two parts?. ; .
. .At once, our national glory pales,and our*;,
nationalistrength, whether-, to defend our
selves or :to succor others, js..diminished far
morethanonehalfljOuriiamejUnitedStateS;
of must; blptted put, orj .whenT.i
-e yer. spelled or spoken, im tj&lls* forth <a lie.
: We must lower every flag, and with .opr
own hands use the spinors on. ey.ery other
star, whilst the stripes-..that might be left,
give.a gegr. meaning.to the : tattered rag ;*
now rendered ppyrerless, .to,, inspire
bravery in its defense, or. protect the na 7
tion ; from. the, insults and impositions of
the;gr.e.at powers-of the earth.’’
v:'Bat is it likely,Fha.t the. South, with the.
; towering pride and arrogance; with which
they first? set out, would have been satisfied,
peaceful * secession and .equal di-.
vision? .-,\After the -first|battle;; although
they were victors, .haying: seen the general
uprising of the.Nprjthandjtasted, the.bi,tterf
ihesS'-df a.bloody field, they cried.-out, “ Let
Iks alone, r ’lubtit> had they-beeh..,permitted
•unscathed!; and? .without any jprptestiroiii
the government, to have advanced in the
consummation of ■ their confederacy and
the settlement and inauguration of their
plans, the various claims had questions
growing out of a great division of the na
tion, could never have been stilted, with
;VP H I
ABEIifHIA, IHIJRSDAY, EEBRUARI 11 , 1864.
‘ out such concessions and humiliations on
our part, as justly to have put us in the dust
under their feet, or produced the speedy
■outbreak of hostilities.
What power could have divided the na
tional debt, the national property, the na
fionaU territory, and determined > 'what
.States.might go, and what remain? and
where was to be found the dictatriaf prat'
to draw the line of visible boundary be
tween the Jfortfi'and the South, the; East 1
and the West r : : '
' ’ As''well might' ybu r take"'a' Sabre, and.
cleave the human body 1 i'n tftvo', and’ expect
. each to live and !shake : hands; as to divide.
a ceUntrv that GodAlmightytas 'evidently;
made one. Can yoh cut through thp Bine,
Badge, and the AlleghanieS arid the Cnmv
befland Motinfairm' and' : the‘ ybClrv Moun- f .
tains and : ' the ' Sierra' ’ Nevada; arid ; : the.
Coast Hills ; of the Pacific ? ■ Will l you:
give a new terminu s to Chesapeake ''Bay, 7 '
and the''Potomac* River-; to thd Gjililjert!
land; tbe“-Teniresee and the Mississippi.'
the Arkansas, the RipiGi'ande and the Colo
'kado'i? If younpeniisinbtipo.tentenoiSgh'fbri
thisy-if.you cahnotfSifilocate those'granite
‘bones, tbevcirculatlon;
mighty Jarteriesuofv tKe: one ’grand, body
politic, 1 then, stand back , and; : sfty)-'
“What God hath joined
mteipubassunder.’? )
who shall,
legislate the fugitive slave laws, or, shall i
we,maintain; the ;old statutesl.-.jWbb yfiall
settle 'the'revenue flaws,, the passpoftrsys*”
tern,' the 'boundary : forfe ; and garrisonsAand
.standing, afmies.with interhatioßfti'ddnillsf
■salutes, privileges Andlduties ? ■. t
T.o : my mind,-it is .incredible that thfese
points could riave ; be»e T nsettled, otlifisOrt'*
tied, long maintained,, without, hostilities
arising;, and) if; fight we must,'how much'
better; to •do it; with our honor untar
nished; going' forth tb the battle on rtfie
high ' ground' of Nationality and Union
and the. with, the-united
strength and'enthusiasm of the nation to
punish Jtraitprs and rebels, to protect thri
-inheritance, derived from our,,fathers; add
. pid J.\'i 1 „Ct» r ; !5 1 > >1 ?•• - 7 .
perpetuate. it f to our children,'rather 'tharf
be galled' info war, in mere self-defense;
• : 4 ? nr.-.-: '~~ ■■ - - '
with no hearts nor hands to ; sustain it ; a!
miserable, unhefbic contest; Rowing out:,
of diplomatib knd 1 'tie poor. i&-?
sues of acres, dollars and'-cerits
And more than this are w&'b'oundlto'cons-'
temjjldte, In tie 'question'pf abquipßcerice Sin
( secfesMon',' 'dr r ffie?mo vemente
Could' wehave'hbp'edfbr a'single 'divi
sion.bfthe nation into ah iinbr6keS;lifcirth
and Sonth ? Had the'Tjnion, l Fn 'that ease) 1
beW pr of! eji ‘to be the'Vbpe : If Sand; lit fhadi,
fijeen tefmed,' and tbe
too feeble' to maintain ite suptlimaeyjjwopldf
not Section after 'section ‘-Mdidravifiji; both,
from the' old Hnldn Coß.'a
federacy, and 1 ' * State s - after I 'State, -s havS.
crumbled lack;'’info : 'inSep^fident.! ; K)v.e--j
eignty, tb'pfesyht a’fndp : like l, that;6f -bid's
'Greece;' anest“of ahfagoiiist rfeppblics and
like let, to ‘figbirtbemselyes.
into or bebohie;'the
.victims' 6f some Ibid, l^abking}^)
‘power t our‘dame) t‘o ‘go but 1 ; :'bin*fathers’l
work ’made) a f Vaifdfe', and ,tfip lopes,,of pa-^
for in
till jn fuitife; cpntury, , a
wiser and a better people than ourselves
should slowly irise)’ by some hpw revplur,
tion to work ‘out its'independence and
lead the way —
_ • If ;fbu'‘participate in iby views, you
WiH'iridulge the'hope of sboii .seeing •&£&
notary pOWbr of the insurtbctieii^rbkeh*; 1
Una ' the tjnipn element in ’ the ■ South : be-' j
coming triumphant. Ypumaiy See slavbfy/’
with its everlasting 1 agitation; abolished/ 1
HMciv Imlh 'firee'/ hut'laboring' ; for
wages;'master of. himself, settled ih Bis
stony sbuthefn home; the American name'
clOaiised of its disihai stain 1 before the na
ifedns; the national govermneht[new seated
‘ Otf itS';majestictfirone the United States
than’ißve f; therwKole land
under its beheficmi'mflnehee; opdmtd emi
gration and ; truly duitivated^Withdeatning,
and labor everywhere ’flourishing! :
. And, O, if it shall prove, that we have'
Deeii fighting the f laSt great battle of Ar
mageddon, for' freedom, equality, demo
.erotic government, education'end-industry/ 5
I and God shali exact' Of the .nations nd f
[.other; if He'shall graciously make our
! hationhl /afflictions disciplinary, for the
pr'Omotibn of national virtue and godliness, 2
to make’usthe glory of all lands'? If He
shail send--forth our example of real free
dom, with new power, to (filhearten aris
tocracies and tjd’annibs; imd'raise*up the 5
people and make them like ourselves,/who
Will find it in* his
sent''w;af.-But whilst' we' ’enshrihe -the
.names 5 of' the heroib'dead-, : and sympathize
with the be'reaved; ; we will rejoice that We'-
had wisdom and patridtism-to sustain the'
government in its dark berars, that By our'
bitter anxieties, our prayers, our contribu-'
tions and our'whrfefe; we took part in the !
struggle n adtf J shWe3 J in‘‘ ? the glorious tri-/
umphs J
When power, policy and tumult have
done their utmost, they have but effected
what “the hand and counsel of the Lord
had determined before should be done.”—
Dr. T. Scott.
HUMAN FBIENDSHIPS AND A DIVINE
FEIEND.
There are events in all natures which
qualities in other natures are adapted- in
a measure to meet and satisfy. ” The
qualities sought for in friends, depend
much ;on'necessties growing jjut of differ
ences of temperament, which influence the
gifd-character to
friendships. - .... , ;
';‘TBbjstrong; T selfieliaht -nature;
is drawn toward the, ’one of fa jiamid, splf
depredaling temperaineint; wkose heart
. .to,, its, greater . cfieeriulness., and
s strengthens' natyy as theweemodestj’,
: mpjintam daisy .spreads'its snowy b.ospm ;
- JW; -s»e ; dilu.^-ey e jl glory
’ 4Su)it l i,f6 e^?. > t. e ?<iri|B l jtq the, .offered;eup--!
sdf-abn|gatihg.v.Joj t
i ;aathan,'! laying; ?pye;passing-, jjhg L wonderful;
1 [lbVelddfwoman, and admicatibh; rand fa,
; ; ffid|d|m;’ at;the 'feet f oftfie shepkerd boy
!di.Rrinpeiy, tear|y, ; and^kmgly)traits;; i;i
r,,iJeßub; on one ,occasion; .tqofetheipface
' of a Bervant to liis disciples, that he might
teaefi tfiieid J to 'bbebime ■ ’servants;to -
Cach other. . Bo in all pure cm*th,ly f riend- 1
; ships, .there is -a.mutual serviee of self-for-;
| getting love, though :in; the strong and
) .tefiYe hat*hfes,; ft -Ofteief * take‘si oh
iM a)'maferiai , 'kerTide and sacri-!
, ‘ the : service of soothing,
i iwords and-noiseless unobserved deeds; Ini
such'efficient nattiresthelabor of ilove. is‘
■ •that" ofrthefair'•Moarbitess'-gleanin g, among
iLMJiSJ!;
and helpless friend, for whom she has- fort
Sakeh alfi and to whom her brave arid ac
tive dove has made her better than the;
: manly strength -and more Selfish affection;
of seven'sons. • : :
* 'But how much we all -discover in hu
man friendships that disappoints and;
pains us! How many unlpvely traits re
'riiaih in the .lo veliest characters; hdw much,
'cause ’bave : friends, the best and purest, to
beak' arid forbear. How sweet to .know,
then/ that every one, with every variety ■
' of f teiri|eramerit may! Arid -a friend in ithat;
iOrie'peifect, ’tiriciiariging, •'uridying friend
iresusl ' Every loveiy' trait ‘that wehave:
B ever'kbugiit ; for in earthly frierids we shall.
’find'! in Him;' for isi the chiefest
•amorig ten thousand,” -and * “ the’ one alto
;gather lovely.?’ -¥et iHAik a friend'Hrom
"Whoke gbodniess we need-nevef sbririforri A
o'ften ; Jis'"it ithei'caW'that eartfily
natures, possessirig lcsk Of evil' tocoritendf
■against than others;; arb 7 on that vei’y'ab;'
ehunt-apt to'ffefeliarid'giVeilegsibfraffeetioh:
(and\ sympathy ,tOf. those whb have many.
hvaywardvitendSneiesb' -■ B&t Jegus notorily.
ibffers hstajperfect friend' in -himself,ebuffa;
'perfect;sympathy:; He inbt only offers ffsi
ia friendship'^vithout one; iinperfectibn, but
is able'to riiake ms, like hiiriself/mbulding
us '-info.' His town Ibleksed Image, arid cat!
last;! will, riot be; ashamed: to : ’ weaf ns as ia'
gem in'-His crownroft-rejoicirig, and owns;
ri? as.Bfi8 f bel <^ T ,befoiß assembled;
universe., loyes,. us not because we-
Ig? Tre,.needs-iEßs'.di-:-
to change our, natures, andc ;
ft to- encourage our upward
efforls. .' ... .
y; ':tße,sttW, : Tfg l ruine(iJ?y jfcjie fall, - v .
~ all!” / '
'I (3J.0 (matter ihow unloyely by nature.or
peculiarly organized, or little understood;
yve ; piay', regard ourselves, Jesus under
stands us freely. “ Yes lie knoweth.our
frame; he feiuembereth that we are-dust,lt
as,a father'pitieih his children,,
that fear Him.s Are.
we despondinghe' is always able to give
JlS;hope.,. Are. we sensitive; none but
jloyjng vsjprds from . Jesus’ ever reached a :
quivering, .-heart. Whatever sorrow af
flicts, . there, is no time when wernayjnot
fly to his side and lay our weary heads
Upon his bosom of infinite love, and hear
'him speak fdour-gadness those comforting
words, L “Bet not yOur heart be troubled,,
neither 'let it Be f afraid; J, ' ; A.re we, way
wayward add-impulsive; 5; ever returning
from wandering' with 5 penitent heart; we,
mUy feel his 1 pitying-eyes’ upon ns, and
we may hear his assurance that though
Satan -Hath desired "to' have us, that he
may sift us as wheat/Jesusour Almighty
Friend will pray for us that our faith fail:
not, ' r ( ' ■ 7
Human friendship is rendered imperfect'
iina insufficient in its adaptation to oiir
wants, because earthly friends are impert'
feet like ourselves. How often have .we
gone.' to qarthly friends seeking conffort
because our hearts''were sick with sin and
care, only to find them encumbered with
the same' earthly Joatl, There is only one
friend who can send out frorn his presence
those who were wenry 'nnd heavy laden,
.wjth hearts‘truly-'' at' rest.' ; There 'is' only
bne'friend.who, is afways’willing, and has
always the' power, .both to tel) us to cast
our Wdeirupon huh and actually to re
move It;' Sle' is J a‘ friend who can never
•nit-* Slh’tul' \' f • • . ;. ■ - - * .
cue, or change, or grow weary of onj. con
tinual coming to him, • evefi | with
little eare and want He is never too
busy to listen to us, and there is no time,
or combination of circumstances, or state
of the infinite mind, when he is not ready
to receive us with a loving welcome, and
to attend to at] our wants for “Jesus
Christ is the same yesterday, and to-day,
and forever.”
0 who but a divjne friend could thus
meet ‘and satisfy the almost endless num
ber and variety of wants which yearn
from the great aching heart of this needy
world 1 M. R. L.
ffwfe,
ELEVESTTIi FAREWELL.
' Soldier : :—Thrpugfiout the variety of
JhoughiS wllieli,?during the last ten weeks, 1
J have sought, i© commend to your notice,
my kept a singleness of. purpose.'
jl have 1 emmestiy desired to set religion
■ before ypu as’ /tfe’object, of yoiir highest
effort, ai£4 to persuade you' to give to our
Saviour. Jesus the wannest love of your'
■’//Hit t *; ?-•!"?' 2 ’ - ; ■ . i ■„• . *
heapt, and freshest consecration of your
•life. } Nowhere have. I seen religion doing
rjte. work inoreblessedly, or yielding- its
mope hichiy,than on fields of war,
as well. as the dyirigl
Ih.aye written, toyou only because I long
to. sbp -ypu. doing:,, that work and sharing
those.comforts.- ,
r . WWlp. writingihese. articles, I have felt
.mysjeif rppewmg the.intercourse which; 1 1
■ jhaye, Jtefore enjoyed -with my soldier
.friends faop to face. I say friends, because
, American, every brave
soldier feafriend, and more'than a friend—
- •< * f ,■», ft? s -tf i.i. j iv cji ,
. a guardian protector. We always love tv
hehqld-.thp s .quality, of goodness in Our
j . and. we mourn over anything
vKhich. lessens the respect which wie wish
: to . feel lor. them. ~ You soldier, are my
, .pepsfactor, and the benefactor of all miy
countrymen. As suefi, I wish no dark
: .tra,it bp come, in and abate the true esteem
of the .good for yqu. I desire for you an
s apd outacting religion, because
it ; wijl so . ennoble your soldierly virtues
with immortal excellence, that no bar will
remain to ypur country’s pride in you.
, But . this consideration high as it is, is
. far enough below another which lends the
, greatest urgency to .my desire that you
yourself to Christ, and then
: live for-him,. Dear soldier, I see your
ejtejnal iSabyatipPht stake. You must die.
You may e.ome out from the next battle
without a: scratch, but for all that you
; mugt die. tt J[!ou may fill. out yohjr whole
( ,ternr of. ,and Return, alive to your
but,ypp, eschpe death.
■ then—6-
Jiusl.my heart’s desire
dKNyRJISf j&Slstypjp*: is that you may
ipunner.
.of. your;.death,.nor .the cause.in which you,
, .apy difference in,..th©
3P%§dBlBB£ ef preparation for .Seath.
fit is, the;,§ame law, for the soldier or the
: ciyiligni; foy.thgjfield^.where, amid shot and
shell,, -freedoms-battle is. fought, and for
the - chamber, ..where loving friends are,
rMPunoL You must; haye peace with God.
.through,our.Lord Jesus Christ, or death
is ,fpr c yo,u -the, gate . to,the black realm of
~etemal,TyTath.,,, j.,;,,. .
injS.uphyjare the. solemn apprehensions,
which proptpted me to seek access , to.you
through „the medium of these articles.;’,' I
have been .to you with the story, of the
' •. - r t r c^. c ' : •' ; f
cross, .out I could not go now; and so?L
smd 'jfo myself, “I T miiSt' wiite to, ..thaf,
soldierj'aha ’that the salvation,o£
thu soifl is precious still,' that the. arms of;
love 5 are; still duiltretched’ r,tp-.
save iumj and fSht ‘the Spirit^and-:jh§-
sjay, coine 1 ' I must speak- to
him; for hemay did before I See the camn
agatn-” ; „7 „ , ■ '
, But soldier, the time has come, for me,
miode of intercourse
,with. This-..is the letst scrap .which?,
for thp prespnt at least, I can contribute to,
the " Soldier’s Scrap Book.” I wish that
some better, man or .woman, with heart of
loyp and pen of fire would give another
three month’s service to this column. I
believe tuay one who will do it, will love ;
both the “sbldier and Jesus all the better,
is a sweet, reactionary power in
all .labors of holy love. if ; ?
. I'ieeve you in‘a moment of the highest
spiritual r interest to ‘our army. ; Gteat
religious awakenings in great. armies iu.
the midst' of warf are the last wonder of
the world. lt. ;opens,a new- page in the
history;’of war—Mine which the old: ages
wotna have pronounced a mad conception--
that ap " immense army of. combatants
shouldfind in its midst another army
raised tip; expressly to follow them/not
with sulphur : : and steel, but with both'
hscn'ds laden with help- I —one for the .body
and one for the soul. This mad concept
tion- or the; old- ages lias become- thef
rational reality of the present war. Kris’
the of prayer and love,
one that haspretfeed-'but so many thousand
ebfrffiissibn;!” ; Gud]yuhaplaihs;lia¥e
thanked heaven-fd'rits‘cbming, aiid maSe"
noble; ewajtnfrutions'to its efficiency.
God wrought!” Not onlyoi the Sabbath,
bat from day to day, and night to night,
camp sanctuaries are thronged. By
scores, by fifties, and sometimes by
hundreds, men rise in the presence of their
comrades and askforpTayers. They give
their hearts to God,“and,
‘ •“Tell to otbers connd,
What a dear Saviour they have foand
Ministers retam overdone frQm this grea;
ripe harvest fibld, but they cry earnesily
for others th fillthe ranks from which they
riiotrhow to leavevoa ahehherdl&Bs. when
the. fold is so glowing with blessings
within, and So wild with perils without.
ThrOnged -with of this
chara'cter, I closbTbls kenei'bf-'Sbraps for
the sdldier; Wiih shch*h the
hour*.' SdldSer,; 'it Et'thii clbdffhf mercy
which'is' you noW. The
shoWer which isPfcaining -from it, is the
shower of salvat&n. Now- is your time,
iris .the
celestial refteilfe ft—Fall* ib many of
Mose’who fkiftb ei heize'the ; gdlBS& oppor
tunity, it will hfe' thie las’tcall of grace.
“ For mercy the appointed bound
And tarns to judgment there- 1 ’
This sealing System ‘ mil be reviewed from
many dying beds, andrthe retrospect will
there lend!sweetness to peace, or bitterness
to remorse and. despair.
Expecting meet few and perhaps
hone of my. SPldier readers in the present
world, I rise-frdto this labor deeply affected f
with the thoughtthat l shall meet them all ft
i in the eternal; wprld, and before the throne
,pf our Judge. lTntil'then Farewell !
ONE GF THE HIDDEE ORES.
"PS. aiamjiuntomy fee;
andj;a light ;unto. my path. f ; ........ ■■.
; The missiPnary Moffat relates,the follow-
. i was onhfi travelling with an associate
in, the interipf. We had journeyed day
and night withpnt food. Hungry, almost
famished and wearied out, we came before
Sunset to a heathen village, but did not
venture to set foot in it, fearingjW.e’might be>-
rohbed or by thp inhabitants,;
the wild Korannas. We-accordingly re
solved to pass the night in- the open air
In’vain Hkd asked by for i
drink of water or. milk ;.it was denied u;
with reproaches., - Our hearts were greatly
troubled. We lifted them in belie vine
prayer to God. Soon after, we observed
‘a woman coming down from the heights v
! on which the syiUage lay. Hhe drew nea ?
•to; us with a jug ; in her hand aod a bundle
of sticks. -The jug contained jpilk. She
set it down 1 and went suddenly back again
But she soon returned with a jug of watei
in- one hand-and, a piece of emutton in the
other. She?-then sat down-and cut the
-meat in pieces.We asked her name and
.begged, her to, fell us to whom we owed
.offr 1 ’thanks?- *' S&E''sfia answered not s
'wPrd. At--last-SBh : answered “I know
■whose servants; yon? ;are,. and.l love bin
has,paid,,- ? Whospeversshall give t
■driii these little ones a cu;
ofyoid water only'yerily i sajc unto yoi
he'hhall *iff hb' i vHse -hfee his 'reward V'
: Hpon fartherr-iriquiry I learned that she
-Svas the. solitarjr light.that shone in thi
dayk plagej
■past. With glomhg words‘ahd tears she
Expressed : her“j6y at seeingUbne of th j
-seSvants- Of : Ghrist. Regardfeig her ad
really a asked hpty.rthe- light o
God had.fouml jts way in,to., her soul anc
how she copla maintain Ber'Jwth! withou'
opportuniffel’ ! Bf !i, commhß®Sif-with th
■ saints. Shfe drew a bodk from her boson
.-and said: - “That is thesptuigjfrom whic'
J thjs is the oiLthatJfceeps my lam
burning.in . theAarkness't&aFprevails i: -
the world’arofmd.’’ I examined the book i
it was Netv Testamen'
printed: byHhe; British and-.rForeign Bib! |
i Society, amissionan ft
upon leayjng school;. and. it was the boo-1
that ndurisnetf he.fhopei and confirmed he \
prospects 'for-eternity.-' 1 ■
; : ir- Uj i;-
• hb& MOituiNS swinso
** • ; r - {. . ,ftPAR . i
' ■ - ; ‘n !■ Vj;!;: 7
, , Ijiike '11: 25. Jtut he said Vgfl, rather blesst !■
are they that hear me word of God and keep i: r
When th’e ’pious missionary Georg i 1
■Schmidt; ‘wais ’obliged to leave his ehurc! p
,which;with .much labor be had gathere :|
iout.-of the heathein, it was soon scatterei J
.and the Mbravian missionaries who, aftt ||
an'interkipfroSii of’fifty yeare, settled ther S
again'in lri92 found scarcely a trace of h -I*
laborsremaining. A single aged Hottent: js
woman, named Helena, was pointed oi
to them as . having been baptized t. 3
Schmidt. The newly arrived missionarif *
visited the humble dwelling of Helena 3
She lay there; an old, blind helple* a
woman; her powers of mind had suffered _
like her hut lt was only wifi
the greatest' difficulty that lhe miesionarif E
could make Her who the'i
were and why they had come to Africa e
By degrees' a ray .of light seemed to fa a
Upon her memory, her heart-revived with k
her, her eyes began to sparkle. Trem
lously she raised berself upon her stra bi
bed and commanded a Hottentot girl wi «
was by, to'.Eruig her 1 something from K
comer of the httt. That, she said, tl; f
Georgd -had with her at L eI
'departure,'eßarging her-to preserve it a: ar
use ft Biin again. | T
was brbughfc As a -precious memor: th
it was wrapped up Mth the great: re
care in tw iheep-skiasJ ' They unroi -
them, and |6uud- tKem to 'Sbntain a 1! 01
landish 2sei& TestairiSeftt. ■ And thistakf'W 1
committed to her iiTnst she had not I! |hii
that slothful ’ servant, ;: (Luke, 19, 20-3
kept wrapped 1 up in 'a napkin, but i -
ffiithfully -used ft - according- to her o' I ■
hpited abilities. She herself could t ! W
read, but'young woman'of the nei-' de
borhoQd hbpie and read itAo her. T {coi
;ven4ralffidajsciple wh«g terdnnded by
‘heathen, had fiftyydUsi t:
to her Master through the -Strength imx
B ted'by his.avoEdj !was-in6w oveijoyen j.*?
the; arriva} ;«.n#jv.--ipissionarie.-' n 6
filled her soul with heavenly pleac’ j
For six years she was privileged-to i 'i
in communion with the church a- ;
established by the missionaries, and P l 6
good old age was gathered in as a st ;
of com iu his season. ■
8.8. H.