“SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES.” 11.
The painful and alarming lapse which
we behold at the present day, began
with the general increase of books, by
which the time for reading on the week
days was taken up with secular reading.
As the people, and especially the younger
class, began to have more leisure, instead
of allowing as much or more time for
the reading of God’s word/less time was
given to it till at last it came to be
read by the masses of working people,
only at family prayers. But had not the
hours of the Sabbath devoted to Bible
reading been broken in upon, it might
still have made us, like our fathers, deeply
versed in Divine truth.
The first entering wedge was in the
rapid multiplication of what is termed
religious reading. Religious biographies
among us modern Protestants have be
come as much a characteristic as the
lives of the saints among Catholics. It
is a pity, too, that our writers of biog
raphies could’not follow the Bible exam
ple, and give us plain unvarnished ac
counts, without eulogy or suppression.
Along with these came the religious
periodicals, including the religious news
paper, and the Missionary and Tract
journals. Soon after came the religious
.novel, both for adults and children, the
latter with the general introduction of
Sabbath-schools
What do we now find in our land in
the way of obedienee to this command
to make the Bible a study. As has been
the custom for a long time, the masses of
Christians do hot read the Bible during
the six working days, save once a day
at family prayers. They are seized with
the universal ambition to get wealth
and influence, and to improve those,op
portunities to rise in the social scale;
which are open to all. So, the most that
the business men and women of the
church allow themselves to read are the
daily paper; more and more regarded
as a necessity; one or two weeklies, oc
casionally a magazine or some popular
book. It Vould perhaps be utterly use
less toi attempt, under the present circum
stances, to secure time for the systematic
reading of ~,the Scriptures, during the
working days of the week. Probably
the combined power of our ministry and
religious press could not make this a gen
eral custom, until they had first excited
a greater love for it. - ; < ' . }
Our only hope is in the Sabbath, and
what we observe here is not the most
encouraging. First, this holy' day is
shortened at each end by a general cus
tom of continuing labor later on Satur
day night,-'and commencing earlier on-
Monday morning than on other days.
This, with the over-work of the week
past, requires a certain portion of the
time to be spent in sleep. After a late
morning meal on Sabbath the family
prepare for going to church, with much
hurry and bustle. The children have
scarcely time to look over their Sabbath
school lessons, and those.adults who
deign to prepare themselves, either for
teaching or recitation, give a hasty
glance at the commentary. After the
morning service usually there is a Sab
bath-school, and after that, either in the
afternoon or evening r a second preaching
service. This will allow on the average
but three or four hours of leisure. This
is commonly spent by the children in
reading their Sabbath-school books and
papers. The adults read the religious
newspapers, and latterly the secular
paper, which has gradually crept in. The
last daily perhaps may not have been
read, and in the country where there are
fewer dailies, -the last weekly which
comes on Saturday is commonly read at
this time. Some do not scruple to take
up the favorite secular book, the last
novel or most popular work. A few of
the more devoted may. be interested m
the Missionary journal,: where one. if
' taken. Only here and there a Christian
reads the Bible regularly, or takes time
to retire for religious meditation and
prayer. If he would read without dis
traction, he must withdraw, for there is
no restraint put upon conversation, par
ticularly when visitors, .or members of
the family who have been absent, are
present. This often consumes the whole
of the time, and the staple of ‘ it is the
weekly gossip, most of which was learned
at church. Thus are the impressions of
the pulpit dissipated, the Sabbaths dese
crated, and the commandments of the
Bible neglected. The next day begins
the busy race and toil for daily bread
and social position.
I will venture the estimate that the
masses in our American churches do not
read through the entire Bible once in ten
years; still the reading of one chapter
daily would be sufficient to go over the
whole book once in about three years, if
it were read in course. ' Certain portions
.are no doubt read over much oftener
than that. As the result of frequent in
quiries in Bible classes, both in city and
country churches, at least one-half of the
children of Christian parents have been
found not to have read the whole Bible
at the age of twenty years. Of the
other half, but few have read it through
more than once. It is common to meet
with those who have attended Sabbath
school regularly for ten years, who are
notwithstanding extremely ignorant in
respect to a general knowledge of the
whole Bible; but neither Sabbath-scbool
instruction!nor the pulpit can supply the
Jlace of systematic reading. *
The evidences of great ignorance ef
the Bible; and the consequences that flow;
from it are npt so apparent now, as they
will be in a few years, if the present
habits of the church continue. We may
take warning from a growing laxness of
opinions, a disposition to dispense with
creeds, a disrelish for doctrinal preach
ing, and a craving after sensations. If
tllfese tendencies do not take a bolder and
more alarming form, then, for once, we
may conclude that the teachings of his
tory are false, and that no evil will arise
from a disregard of a command of God's
Word; It is utterly impossible that the.
church should ever put on'its true
strength tilLthis sinful neglect of the
Bible is reformed, and thoroughly re
formed. Without it the services of the
sanctuary, and all the various instrumen
talities of the church will be compara
tively inefficient. Our revival efforts
will be feeble, and narrow in their influ
ence, and be more like the spasmodic
struggles of expiring spirituality, than
the vigorous-action of health. Once the
Reformed Church quickly spread over
several Catholic countries, and to. toler
ate it was to establish it; but now such
is the decline in moral power, that though
in this country the moral and intellec
tual advantages are on the Protestant"
side, yet Romanism is on the increase,
and the conversion of even , a Catholic
servant girl is a rare occurrence. We
shall never, as a chuTch, go forth con
quering and to conquer, until we take up
this sword of the Spirit. It is only by. a
change .in the church that we can hope
for a change in the habits of worldly
people, such as we now may see in Scot
land, and as has been witnessed in Hew
England, through which 'we (may hope
for powerful and wide spread revivals.
The reading which-has usurped the
time once given to the Bible is valuable
in its way. Some of it, particularly the
periodical press, probably will never be
dispensed with; but it is of infinitely less
importance to the purity and growth of
the church than the Bible- It ought to
be given up on the. Sabbath, or at least
a sufficient time should invariably be
firatigiven to God’s word. If that*were
done, much of it would never be read,
and would be cast out as useless waste
matter. If it were found upon making a
concerted effort, thatJhe temptation to
forsake the Bible for this reading was
too strong; then it wo§ld to
preach a crusade against our Tract Socie
ties, and Sabbath-schooi Publishing So
cieties. There often arise, crises-in the
history of the church, when it- id neces
sary to break men’s idols in order‘to frefe
them from the superstitions that cling to,
them. In such a case as the temptation
proving too strong, I would wish, as the
ancient tyrant did of the people of. Rome,
that they all had one neck, and that it
lay on the execution block before me, that
I might rid the world of them all, and
give it instead the light of God’struth.
I believe that in such an emergency our
Saviour would say, “Take these things
hence, they are an- offence unto me.” If
the Bibles, that through the enterprise
of our Bible societies, are now found in
every room of the house, and those that
are degraded into parlor ornaments, or
carried .about as Sabbath toys, could
speak, how would they cry out against
the neglect and mock honor they receive.
No irregular and indefinite suggestions
can check this evil. It must be met by
a positive and tangible rule, inaugurated
by concert of action. ; It may require a
heated controversy almost equal to a re
formation to establish it; and it must be
stereotyped by custom into an .institu
tion, through the watchfulness of the
guardians of the church. - The change
in the aspect of the question of intem
perance occasioned by the discovery and
use of distilled liquors, had to be met by
a new measure unknown before, even in
the times of the Bible. a The Scriptures
must become the principal study of the
church, if we would save OUr nation and
the world. That denomination that shall
soonest and most effectively remedy this
evil within its own body will become
the most powerful, and will be honored
the most by the Head of the church.
All of them.must assist in this, work, or
else those that, neglect it will be sup
planted before our land can be christian
ized. Unless the work is commenced
soon, the foundations of the Christian
civilization already established will be
undermined. ~; Puritan.
New "Tore, July, 1865. ;
CONVERSION OF THE JEWS.
Why are not GhrisHans more concerned
for the Spiritual Condition of the
Jews ?
If the Heirs of the Promise are begin
ning to renounce “the hope of Israel,”
to, despair of a Messiah, and sink into
cold atheism, becoming rationalistic and
performing the rites of Judaism, rather
from national than religious reasons, is'
it not time for the followers of Jesus to
rise for their help, place .the claims of
the. Saviour before them, and pray for.
the deliverer to come out of Zion and
turn away ungodliness from Jacob?
We should also be encouraged by the.
good results flowing from Christian efforts
in the Old World.
The London Jews’ Society alone, can
tell of twenty thousand converts, of
whom three thousand dwell in London,
and of more than one hundred ordained
clergymen, once of the Jewish faith,
now believers in Jesus and preaching the
everlasting Gospel ; although, when the
Society was first organized, it was not
known there were fifty converted Jews
in the whole of Great Britain.
Let those who hope in Jesus, think of
his brethren, according to the flesh, how
he loved them, and how, through them,
a' Saviour -and living oracles, were given
to the, world.
Their long, dark Wanderings of un-
THE AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN, T
belief and disinheritance have been occa
sioned by enormous sinning, but remem
ber God’s ineffable goodness, in that
the record. of their - casting off, though
dark as midnight has a tinge of light and
a glow of promise.
“ If they shall then confess their ini
quity; if, their uncircumcised hearts be
humbled, then will I remember my
covenant with Jacob, and with Isaac,
and with Abraham.”—Leviticus xxviy.
“ And when thou shalt call to mind
these things, among all the nations,
whither the Lord thy God hath driven
thee, and shalt return unto the Lord thy
God, with all thy heart and with all thy
soul, then the Lord thy God will turn
thy captivity and gather thee from all
the nations, whither he hath scattered
thee.”—Dent..xxx.
.“ As it is written, There shall come,
out of Zion the “Deliverer and shall turn
away ungodliness from Jacob: For
this is my Covenant unto them, when I
shall take away their sins,”—Romans xi.
Fellow-Christians, is not.lsrael to be
saved, and not to be utterly destroyed?
And if their partial casting away, be
“the reconciling of* the world,” “the
riches of the Gentiles,” what shall the
receiving of them be, but “.life from the
dead?” •;
And the time ? Anji will
not our "aUPionate Christian overtures
be kindly-and gladly received ? Remem
ber; we stand by faith. If we will not
believe that God is to receive them); and
labor thereto, are we not committing
the great sin; that occasioned their fall ?
and should we not take heed, lest, for
not continuing in his } gbodness, by imi-\
tating it towards Israel, we, 'also, be cut
off ? W. W. T.
Newburg, July 10.
MEN WANTED—FOR WHAS—AND OF
WHAT SORT.
BY E. A. GILLETT, D. D.
The.last number of the Missionary
Herald has as the title of its leading
article, “ A Call for Men.” The coun
try has made that call and it has ; been
nobly responded to in opr recentrconfliej;..
Hundreds of thousands have
the claims of patriotism, and; tens of
fhousands have laid down their lives on
the battle-field. .But there is. still,“a
call for men,” no longer to resist and
suppress armed •’ treason, no longer to
throw a living wjjjfc of valor around the
constitution of tnißrantry, but to engage
in a conflict more magnificent in its pro
portions, and more sacred in its object.
The need is felt in the foreign mission
field, where one after another of our
heroic and toil-worn laborers falls at his
post, and .the over-burdened survivors
are almost disheartened at timgseußer
their new burdens. The heathen world
is calling for men, men of God. The
field is broad and white for the harvest.
In our own land there has never been
such a call before as there is to-day.
Hundreds of places call for a self-denying
and laborious ministry, and thedestinies'
Of the country will be moulded by the
response made to the appeal.
But the great need is men of the . right
kind; men who will;go to their work as
our volunteer: soldiers wenftbthe battle!;!
men who /are willing'to face difficulties
and hardships, and who will
count it a privilege and an honor to do
so. Cravens, cowards, and idlers are
not entitled to the name* Of men. The
work to be. done does not allow the lux
urious indulgence or lettered ease which
many covet. It is, rough"work, wilder
ness work. One needs only to read
over the accounts of Presbyterian mis
sionary labors on the frontiers toward
the close of the last and at the com
mencement of the present century, in'
order to learn what kind of labor is
needed, and what sort of laborers, are
demanded to-day. The annual reports
of the old Connecticut -Missionary Soci
ety, and the journals of men like James
Hall, of North Carolina, Dr. Coe, of
Troy, and Timothy Flint, whose “ Ten
Years in the Mississippi Valley”., .have
photographed his owm perils, as well as
the barbarism and impiety he sought to
subdue, might not ..unprofitably form a
part of the reading of" our candidates for
the ministry, as. well as those actively ;
engaged in such duties. Our country
has .seen few. men superior ■ to .those who
have been trained in..this school of fron
tier hardship and discomfort. The wilder
ness and constant contact with its hardy
settlers contributed not a little to form
such men as Blackburn and Ramsey,
Henderson, Anderson, and Carrick.
Tennessee has no prouder names than
these in all hen history.' The times de
mand more, an hundred fold, of the same
stamp, both ft the South and West.
The fields are white for the harvest, and
the harvest will perish without the reap
ers. -
But it is not only, in the ministry ;or in
our new settlements that men are needed.-
We want them in all our churches,
ready and anxious to perform service,
not only in behalf of-the country, but in
behalf of Christ. We .want an infusion
of a more vigorous spiritual life. Each
member should be asking, ever in the
spirit of a volunteer, OLord, what, wilt
thou have me to do,?”- There is a vast
mass of heathenism in our cities and vil
lages. There are Chinas and Indias
lying, as it were, around our own doors.
Hottentots and New Zealanders, only
clothed in a civilized garb, and speaking
our own tongue, are in ignorance and
vice, desecrating our Sabbaths under the
shadow of our churches: To briiig
them within the sound of the gospel, or
to bear the gospel to them in one way or
■ another,/ is a work broad and varied
RSDAY, JULY.- 27, 1865.
enough tj challenge a manifold activity
on the part of all the members of our
churched-
Just sixty years ago, Admiral Col
ling wool, anxious for the prospects
of the British navy, wrote, “If the
country gentlemen do not make it a
point f plant oaks wherever they will
growjhe/time will not be very distant
when/ to keep our navy, we must depend
entimy-on captures from the enemy. . • I
wishfevery one thought on this subject
as lido; they would not walk through
their farms without a pocket full of
aeons to drop in the hedge-sides, and
then let them take their chance.” If a
zeal Correspondent to that of the British
admral for the navy, was felt now by
all ijjbehalf of the church, they would
be ai/anxious for the right kind of men
asjje was for oaks that would make
shidtimber. Our churches are not lack
ing! in pine and chestnut, but ; they are
less abundant in oak. Even now we are
largely dependent on “ captures from the
enmny.” A gracious Providence has
trmsferreS a Saul of Tarsus into Paul
tht/Apostle, has snatched from the grasp
of/kn unhallowed ambition talents that
hqve been gloriously consecrated to his
service. But we ought to aim at making
the church itself such a garden ftf the
Lord or such a forest of Lebanon, that
thousands of youth should be ready to
respond to the call for men> put forth by
the church in the name of her great
Head. . . ._ ....
MR. , HAMMOND’S LETTER? TO THE
CHILDREN.
I'KOIW THE eCEF OF ST. LAWBEXCE.
Campbelmown, Chaleur Bay, Gulp \
op St. Lawrence, June /
Mv 'Dear Litlle Friends: —The
words which I have been writing to you
for the last four weeks in the American
Presbyterian, the editor has called
“Familiar Talks.” lam now going to
write you a. “familiar” letter from aWay
up in these cool regions. My house, by
day and by night, now for more than a
•week, has been on board two beautiful
steamers, the Greyhound, and Island.
City. We have travelled., more than
eleven hundred miles since we left Bos
ton last Tuesday. *
. Sometimes the winds and waves have
seeihedhto dash our. boat about like a
plaything, but still she has kept on her
[way, and here we are no w in one of the'
most beautiful bays I ever saw.- Ifcybu'
had-visited Lomond, in Scotland,
and seen the-3Shptcpf mountains standing
around like .sdisj3iels to guard these
peaceful waters, yam would sa y this was
a place much like it Pand then it is so cool
here! What a splendid place it would'
be for a Sabbath-school pic-nic 1 Why
I’ve had on two coats all day, yes, and"
most all the time for a.week past! You
who live in the city would think it May
or Oetobetyif-you were stiddenlyS-let
down here from a balloon. But after
looking some time at the fields/clothed
with a carpet of a beautiful and peculiar
green, such as we never at this time of
year see in the States, you would soon
find it could not be October. I’ts only
the cool air that would make you_think
it October! Ah! How- : beautiful our-
Heavenly Father has made this earth on
which we live! ' Often these words in
the one hundred and seventh Psalm have
come to my mind, “ Oh that men would
praise the Lord Lor his goodness, for his
wonderful works to the children of men.”
If you will read that Psalm from the 23d
to the 32d you will find it a beauti
ful description of a storm at sea. When
we came around Miscou Island, -we
had a storm that made us think of
these words, and though some of our
party were sea-sick, we got the Bible
and read these words. I had a little
prayer meeting and it seemed as if Jesus
rebuked the winds, and said “peace, be
still:” If you turn to the Ist chapter of
Mark, you will find how when Jesus
lived on earth and;was once/in a storm
on the sea with-his! disciples, he saved
all .on board from shipwreck. How
thankful they must have /felt! I think
we felt something the same when -we
saw the peaceful.sun shining out. again,'
and everybody on board looking so.
eheer,ful and happy. The ship at one
time rocked so much that it overturned
a sofa. There was a lady on board with
two little Children, but she was so fright
ened that she took no care of her little
ones. She did not act to me like a
Christian, for if she had been one,. I think
she would have been more calm. The
sight of a. sofa turning over, Would not
have made her scream “we are all going
to the bottom /”
In the lady’s cabin my sister saw a
little girl down upon her knees in prayer,
and she was calm all the flme. Those
who put their trust im Jesus will not
be long frightened at storms whether on.
land or on sea.
Now, my little*friends, you have read
this letter so far,- and yet I don’t believe
you know exactly where my letter is
dated from. 1- think you will be more
interested if you will lay down the paper
for a little and get your-atlas,-and look
for Chaleur; Bay, just south of the
mouth of the St. Lawrence River. Tt
will take but a moment for you to learn
the way we came here—so I will tell
you. Two brothers in Boston, the
Messrs, Snow, who love children and
wish me to get some rest, so that I can
tell more little' ones about the way to
come to Jesus, asked me to take this
voyage on their line of beautiful boats
up to this anowy region. So after a few
days sail we reached Charlottetown,
Prince Edward’s Island.' “ *
There on a Sabbath we met four
hundred children, and I told them all about
how Jesus had bled and died on the cross
for them. Their.hearts seemed very ten
der, and I could but hope that some of
them would give themselves up to Christ.
Though these dear children were shut
up among the snows and surrounded
with thick ice for most six months in the
year, still I could not see much difference
between them and little folks in the United
States. They look much as if they had the
same kind of hearts at any rate that you
have, though they may be able to skate
and walk on snow-shoes better than you.
It would take too long to tell you of all
the beautiful places at which we stopped,
and of all the charming cool bays and
rivers we ascended all along the coast of
New Brunswick. Sometimes we used
to stop and catch cod-fish and mackerel;
at some places we saw them catching
great salmon, three or four feet long.
These we had to catch with a silver
hook. We could get plenty of them at
five cents a pound.
Some parts of this charming bay are
almost black with wild ducks. When
they go down South again to their
winter quarters they will not hear the
booming of cannon, and beneath their
flight see the ground covered with wound
ed and dying. Would , n'ot the birds
everwhere sing more sweetly if men
loved God and kept his commands ? Do
you read these commands daily ?
‘ In the Captain’s office, on board the
Island City steamer, there lays by
my side, as I write, a great chart. Do
you know what a chart is ? I will tell
you. ¥ lt is a kind of map that' tells
where all the rocks are, and- how deep
the water is all over this part of the
ocean. You know the boat keeps mov
ing in the night as well as in the day
time, and also when the fogs are.so thick
we can’t see a head at all. Still we have
to go on our way. Now . the Captain
looks carefully at the chart, and finds
-just the direction he wishes' to go, then
he tells the man at the wheel, who guides
the ship with the rudder. The way the
pilot does this is to keep his eye on a
little compass, which always points to
wards the north star. So; ymU.see, my'
dear.little friends,' that -we should getlost
without the chart and compass; • What
is that chaft like do you' think?' I can
almostbear you say “ The Bible.” Yes,
that’s it. The’Bible is the blessed chdrt
’God has so'kihdly'given us to guide/us
safely over tfie fbtigh seas of dife, 'amid
rocks and" quicksands teethe haven of
eternalrest: - 1 :li, ‘ '' ' l
“ With this In ybur hands, and with'
Jesus like the compass, telling'you all
the time what is right, you- need never
lose the way.
I have noticed" that Captain Wood
does not consult the chart merely when
we are in darkness and danger, but I
have often, in pleasant weather,- and in
sight of land, seen him studyingit. That’
made me* think We ought- to read our
Bible and pray to God -every day,- and
then when storms and dangers come upon
us suddenly, we shall be ready for them.
: I want to tell, you of another thing,
which I shall never forget.. ;Whenever
we came in-sight of a harbpr,-there is a
pilot ready who knows just how to take
the ship : safely through all tt& -dangers,
captainssare so. sure jthjatjthey can
get in'without a pilot/that.. they refuse
the offers of these meny.but wheutjheydo,
this, if they run the ship on a sunken
rock and she goes to pieces and is lost,
the owners, can get nothing from those
who insure the ship. Just so I thought
of poor blind and proud children refusing
to receive as their pilot to heaven.
They will be lost and it will be their own
fault; for Jesus comes often and kindly
offers to direct and help them;all the way
home to heaven. These pilotß often’
ask $4O to taki§ a ship into harbor, though
it only takes them but an hour. But
hoW unlike, they are to Jesus. He offers
to take every one home to heaven with
out money and without price-”':. What a
dreadful thing to be lost, after all He
has done for us!
I hope none of you, my dear, little
friends,. wifi. reject his offers .of'.mercy
and perish,. Will you not turn, to Him
“just now,” and! ask'Him to be your
pilot into the. heaven of rest ? Then I
shall meet you there, where there are no
rude storms, “ ingrgen pastures aniMje
side the still waters.”
Ybur Affectionate Friend, '•
. E. P. Hammond.
AWAY FROM HOME.
Take, the day boat, by all means, if
you are travelling from New York to
Albany. By this precaution you avoid
the dust that is sure to creep in at every
window arid crevice of a rail car/pro
ducing a most uncomfortable conscious
ness of the need of soap and water ere
you have sped half your way between the
two' cities. Nor do the cinders here as
sail eyes and garments with their fiery
greetings. Besides, the noble Hudson
is an object of' grandeur in itself, upon
whose surface you can gaze with grow- 1
ing delight for more than the nine hours
that are required to make the entire
journey. And then yoi/.have scenery
on either-hand that claims your study,
not only on account of the; historic, and
literary and artistic associations that
will abide through all future time, in the
groves a,nd hills that meet the eye in
quick succession, as the' graceful boat
ploughs the yielding water at the rate of
fifteenmpes; an hoffr; but- also for its
intrinsic sublimity and. beauty. The
groves may be cut dowli by the aggress
lve axe of an irreverent civilization that
cares not for the sacred memories of the'
past, but the localities that have been
rendered famous by the pen or the pen
cil or the heroic deed, will remain-,’
the everlasting hills will hold on to their
foundations, although their forest dra
jpery should be swept away, and the
nodding grain should smile, where now
the old century-rooted trees bend and
frolic in the storm.
Upon the margin of the river, not far
from Tarry town, is Bunny side, the resi
dence of Washington Irving, where
many of his »literary labors were per
formed, and where he spent the evening
of a pure and gentle life. About fifty,
miles north of New York, near Cold
Spring, is. the country neat of General
George P. Moms, whose first literary
enterprise, the Mi rror, a weekly periodi
cal, was conceived and inaugurated
while he was a journeyman printer in
the office of Mr. Seymour._ The first
number of that paper, he put in type,
partly with his own hands. The author
of the “ Old Oaken Bucket” worked, if
we mistake hot, at the same time in the
same office. Cole, the artist, gathered
the inspiration of his pencil-from the
broad mountain range that sweptgrandly
away into the far distance in view of his
own studio.
Revolutionary scenes of startling in
terest were transacted along the banks
of this noble river. Here Arnold ma
tured and endeavored to execute hisfoul
purpose of "treason. Here Andre was
captured, and met his terrible fate/ Near
Newburg were the headquarters of
Washington. At West Point is still to
"be seen the rock to which was fastened
one end of the mighty chain that was
stretched across to prevent the British
vessels from ascending the river. The
ruins of the fortifications then erected,
still remain. This locality is identified
too, with the history of later times.
Here were educated some of the arch
traitors who, during the past five years,
have endeavored to destroy the Govern
ment that kindly fostered them, and
which they were pledged by their solemn
oaths to sustain.
The scenery along the river is won
derfully varied. First are the Palisade's,
lofty stone battlements, rising perpen
dicularly from the water’s edge, and ex
tending several miles. Beyond this vast
rock structure, on the east, side of the
river particularly,' the surface of the
country rises in gentle undulations, form
ing .delightful eminences on which are
beautiful villas in every style Of rural
architecture. ‘Frequently the. houses are
grouped. into hamlets or villages, and
even cities. As you approach the High
lands, the river widens into a miniature
sea, bounded on the northern-border by
lofty mountains, that seem in the dis
tance to form an impassable barrier to
the. progress of the vessels' that are ap
proaching it. But as you’ draw hear, a
narrow opening suddenly appears, and
as .the boat passes along the deep chan
nel, you feel as if you could almost
touch the lofty hills that rise up grand
ly on either side. Soon the river
widens again, and the hills subside into
-less commanding undulations.' Here and
ther.ej.the hand j?f utility has interfered
with the naturai.fea!tures of the landscape,
and the sloping hill 'sides' P have' Been
transformed into perpendicular preci
i.pipes, to maTte a path, for the .rail car
that sweeps-along the edge of the river,
now 1 moving in a straight line for miles,
and then curving gracefully as it. winds
aro.und some projecting promontory, or
recedes along the borders of a quiet bay.
At several points, the road passes
through the river for a mile or more, in
order to save distance and curves. The
mind is inspired' with a sense of power
and beauty, as the eye follows the train,
speeding its way impetuously along the
iron track that holds it to its course;
now dashing forward in obedience to the
mighty force that impels it, and then
swayed into a slow and gentle motion
by the human will that governs its
movements. Our age is indeed a pro
gressive one. And with the Atlantic
cable'binding together the ends of the
earth, and. slavery eradicated" from our
own social system, we sob not what
'there is to prevent the universal' spread
and influence of a true civilization. Add
to the facilities which science has afford
ed, the co-operative force of a becoming
Christian activity, and there will soon
be a Brotherhood among mankind that
will beat swords into ploughshares and
spears into pruning hooks.
We had music on the boat. The perfor
mers, whom we supposed to.be Germans,
were only two in number. The one
touched the harp with a good degree of
skill; the other played the accordeon, as
we had never heard, it played before.
The soul of the performer inspired the
instrument with wonderful power'; and
as it stayed to and fro under his guid
ing hand, and conveyed to the ear, in
touching, subduing harmony, the real
thought and meaning of the composer,
the very muscles' of'fiiiTace trembled in
visible sympathy with the emotions that
were swelling within. ; The sun 1 shone
with a subdued ‘ brightness. The air
was cool. . And we reached the old
Dutch to the promise
given on the handbills, in time for the
Northern and. Western cars. Therefore,
we say again, take,the day boat, by all
means, if you want to go from New
York to Albany. C. A. S.
Worldly Pleasure.—No worldly plea
sure hath any absolute delight in it; but as
a bee, having honey in the mouth, hath a
sting in the tail. Who sees an ox grazing
in a fat and rank .pasture, and thinks not
he is near to the slaughter ? Whereas the
lean beast that;toils under the. yoke js far
.enough ..frqm the shambles. The' best
whjjced man cannot be so envied in his first
shows'ashe is pitiable in the conclusion.—
Joseph Hall. ' ■i -