tile fiintilii; Sirtlt. [For *hc American Presbyterian.] " 0 GOD EE NOT EAR EEOM ME.” Psalm lxxi. BY JESSIE GIENN, Be with me, when My spirit is light! When hope hath flung Its magic spell o’er a heart still young. Weaving the future a robe of joy When dreams of youth my heart employ,— Be with me then. Be with me, when My spirit is sad ! When love’s bright day, With hours of hope has pass’d away ; When each sweet tone and love-lit eye Are counted with things long since gone by— Be with me then. Be with me, when A lonely Bigh from my heart will swell; When a tear its tale of grief will tell; When thoughts iu flashing acros the mind Sadden, by leaving new pangs behind, — Be with me then. Be with me, when, My wounded heart Beeks peace in prayer. When low, I bend, ’neath earthly care; Lord! when in sorrow to Thee I come, Teach me to murmur, “ Thy will be done Be with me then. Be with me, when I bid farewell to the scenes of earth. To scenes of trial, to scenes of mirth, When breath grows faint, when the form grows cold, When Death’s grim clasp doth the heart enfold; Be with me then. . Be with me, when I journey on to a world unknown, 0 let my tread follow close thine own! Dear Lord I be near 1 show thy child the way To realms of peace, and of endless day,— Be with me then. HOW THE DOG SPITZI HELPED THE BE FORMATION—III. (Prom Ca r ters’ “ Tales from Alsace.”) In tlie forester’s hut in the depths of the wood, the men had meantime awaited in anxious sus pense the end of the storm, and when at last its fury had subsided, and the streaks of dawn were beginning to redden the eastern sky, they sought earnestly to devise the most successful plans for the liberation of the pastor. The Hart, then known also by the name of the ‘ High Forest/ extended at that time beyond the town lands to very near the village of Modenheim; several paths led through it to the Ensisheim road, a few through the Mulhausen territory, others through that belonging to Austria, towards Sauersheim. No one, however, could know by which of these roads the soldiers would convey their prisoner. It was therefore reselved that the armed townsmen should lie in ambush in detachments through the thicket, while Vincent the forester, Frank and Hansli, traversed the forest in a. different directlSib, taking Spitzi with them, in tljte. hope that he would with the great est security lead them to his master’s track. But lo and behold-, on their looking round for the dog, it was, dispovered, to the consternation of all, that it had disappeared, and no one knew what had become of it! \ ‘ Well 1 then, let us, in the name pf our God, and with good courage, do our part!' The Lord can lead you to the right path even without the dog!’ said Oswald von Gamsharst with a tone and spirit well fitted to cheer them on. And so they parted, hastening each to his appointed post. Let us now turn from them to the poor cap tive pastor, whom ‘the Austrian troopers/ as the Chronicle has it, ‘ violently bound on ahorse, his face downwards, and led away.’ As since the Peasants’ War the Mulhausen men, and Pastor John in particular, had been uncommonly beloved among the country-folk, the troopers had received instructions to eonvey their prisoner through the deep recesses of the wood, avoiding the villages, lest any rising should take place among the inhabitants, and any attempt be made to set him free. At nightfall, however, they were overtaken by the storm, and obliged to seek shelter from the wind and rain in a char coal-burner’s hut, being unable to pursue their way in the thick darkness. The soldiers gather ed round the fire which the mistress of the hovel had kindled on her hearth. They left the horse on which the prisoner was bound outside, fasten ed to. a tree; and being rough and inhuman, as men were in those days wont to be in their treat ment of prisoners, they abandoned him to the fury of the elements. Then indeed the un happy victim learned to know the force of these words, ‘ Another man shall gird thee, and shall carry thee whither thou wouldest not.’ He was truly a devout man to the will of God iu all things ; he loved his Saviour with his whole heart uprightly; but he felt at the same time that he had a human, a sinful heart within, that trembled at the thought of death as the penalty of sin. Then, from the very depth, in his mo ment of extremity, did he cry to his Lord, the Conqueror of death, entreating Him for in creased faith, for consolation, and for grace to overcome the fear of death, and that he might, be enabled, amid the pains of martyrdom that awaited him, to praise the Lord even to his latest breath. And as he lay thus bound, the thunders rolled and crashed overhead, the lightnings en veloped him in a glare of light, and torrents of rain poured upon him. Then, awe-struck, he felt an instinctive shrinking at the voice of the Lord, as if a foreboding of the terrors of judg ment seized him, and in his inward conflict with fear and faint-heartedness he could only ejacu late with a sigh, 1 Lord, have mercy upon me!’ But the intercessory prayers, then rising in the Augustinian church on his behalf from the hearts of Theresa and the brethren, were not in vain. The rain ceased, wind and thunder were hushed, and in the tempest-darkened heart of the man of God the day-star arose. All grew still, —light sprung up in his soul, he breathed more freely, and felt relieved, as if an angel had taken -from him the deadly load of anguish. Presently he heard a Btirring among the bushes. It was Spitzi! The faithful Spitzi leapt out of the thicket, and, os the old Chronicle relates, f immediately began to lick and caress its master's face., hanging down towards it as it stood below.’ -How much good did these love tokens of the faitnful animal do to the suffering pastor! ‘ Spitzi, my good Spitzi 1’ said he tenderly, the -tearß that moistened his eyes'at this glad sur prise bringing bins relief, and the canine frmnd quickly responding by ardent endeavors, after THE AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN, THURSDAY, MARCH 18, 1869. his own fashion, to inspire him with hope and comfort, never wearying of springing up to him, and repeatedly licking either his face or his fast bound hands. The charcoal-burner’s wife, who in the glimmering dawn had stepped to the threshold, saw the black creature hovering round the captive pastor, and instantly retreating with in the hut, and crossing herself, she came to the soldiers and exclaimed in terror, ‘ May God have mercy on us ! the Evil One, in the shape of a black monster, is performing his pranks about that parson prisoner of yours !’ ‘lt must be that black beast that always fol lows him like his shadow!’ said one of the troopers. ‘ Gladly would I yesterday have earned the reward which Finninger’s youngster Mike promised me if I could strike the accursed animal its death-blow. But I never could con trive to get at it, and assuredly it must be pos sessed of the devil, a very fiend incarnate, for it bit me in the calf of the leg, and tore my trou sers besides!’ ‘ Let us see now if we cannot massacre it and earn the reward!’ said another. When, however, they issued forth from the hovel, Spitzi had slipped away, darted like lightning into the thicket and vanished, leaving not a trace behind! ‘lt must have been the Evil One himself!’ said the charcoal-burner’s wife, again crossing herself, as thfc soldiers moved off with their captive. The fact of this black dog having shown itself once more was truly most unwelcome news to those men, for they feared, not without good grounds, that tidings of the road by which they had struck off had reached the town, and that the Mulhausen folk might have sent armed men into the Hart to set their pastor free. They consequently resolved to exercise the greatest caution : they bound the victim yet more tightly, and placed in the centre of the troop the horse on which he lay strapped. The leader gave the word of command to the soldiers surrounding him, that, in case of a surprise and of their being unable to hold their ground, they should give him his death-blow at once; ‘for/ added he, ‘ even if we cannot bring him alive to Ensis heim, they will be satisfied if they know we have stopped his mouth forever from preaching.’ As Pastor John heard these words, he commit ted his soul in faith to his God and Saviour. Resplendent and victorious over njght with all her dark horrors did the sun now rise in the clear azure sky. The storm had purified the air, and the morning burst forth with wondrous beauty. The little birds on the bright green trees were busily shaking and trimming their plumage after the rain, singing their morning hymn, or chirping a friendly greeting to one another; the crystal drops were glistening on the leaves,- the forest flowers and the tender mosses, like dia monds in the sunbeams, and a balmy fragrance was wafted up to heaven from the monarchs of the forest, refreshed after the tempest,—sweet as the savor of praise and thanksgiving ascend ing from a devout heart after it has been exer cised in silent prayer. For some time the long convoy moved for ward in the best possible order. In some places, however, the rains had flooded the paths and made them impassable. The soldiers were ob liged to strike into bypaths with their prisoner, and suddenly found themselves in a free, open space, overshadowed by lofty beeches, and un known to them before. As they were ignorant to which side they ought to turn, they halted to confer, the matter of chief importance for them being to remain on Austrian territory, and never to set foot on ground subject to the jurisdiction of the town. When they looked around they ob served a small boy diligently engaged in gather ing strawberries among the bushes. ‘ Hey! youngster/ the soldiers cried to him, ‘ which is the road to Sauersheim V ‘ I have always heard/ replied he, ‘ that the best way thither lies through Modenheim.’ ‘ But we do not wish to pass through Moden heim. Can you not tell us where the, Mul hausen territory begins V ‘ At the boundary-stones.’ (Bannsteineri ‘ And where may these be ?’ ‘There, —there,—over there. You must seek them out for yourselves; you are all taller than lam!’ That the soldiers had already entered the townlands, a good quarter of a mile from the ‘ Bannsteinen,’ sly, loog-headed Hansli knew full well. And when the long cortege was broken up, the soldiers having drawn off to the one sidfe to which he had pointed, and the horse on which the prisoner was bound being no longer 'sur- 1 ' rounded by the murderous band, £e sprang for ward like lightning to the pastor, and whispered, ‘■Be of good cheer, uncle; they are coming to set you free ! See, there is Spitzi already I’ and as the faithful dog rushed foaming out of the thicket, and with one bound darted forward and was up on horseback,, prepared to .defend his master,. Hansli; ran ,in among the bushes, and cried with all his'might, ‘ Mere,'here, and God for us /’ ‘ God for us /’ resounded on all sides so loud and- so earnestly that the forest eohoed : with the cry. The armed men advanced and the fight began. But now Spitzi toojoined bravely in the combat; for as, on perceiving the armed troops from Mulhausen,oneof the Austrian soldiers hastened towards the captive, to execute his leader’s behest by putting him to death with a single stroke of the javelin, Spitzi sprang at him furiously, and bit himin the hand so severe ly that his weapon dropped on the ground. And so God was for our forefathers ; they gained the victory, drove the Austrians to retreat, and led off Pastor John in triumph to the forester’s hut, where Oswald von Gamsharst; and Father Bernard received him with hearty Jove, and with warm gratitude to God. ‘ And now,’ exclaimed Frank, as soon as he had folded his liberated brother in his arms with overflowing joy, 1 now all honor to Spitzi for ever ! But for him we should hardly have suc ceeded in finding thee! At daybreak, when we fancied he had run away, he suddenly came back to fetch us; he had run on ahead, returning to us again to point out the way, until he led us to the open space, where by God’s gracious help we found thee, and set thee free. Let no one ever say again that dogs have no heart or understand ing; Spitzi at any rate is cleverer and more faithful than many a proud human being !’ Pastor John could not say much, in reply ; he was exhausted, his limits were stiff and swollen owing to the hard knots of=the rope; • and .the blood had been driven to the head to ■ such a de gree that he could- qply with difficulty stand erect. _ He was immediately lifted into'the cart} in which a couch ol straw was prepared in all haste; Spitzi took up his position at his feet, while Hansli sat beside his head, and refreshed him with fragrant and delicious strawberries, gathered in the forest glades before the sun was up. Von Gamsharst, also, and Father Bernard mounted once more into the cart, which Frank had decorated with oaken boughs. The men-at arms likewise adorned their hats with green branches, and waved verdant trophies high in the air, as the joyous procession approached the town. But when the watchman on St. Stephen’s tower descried the wreath-encircled cart, and the hats and boughs carried aloft, he blew his horn, hoisted a flag, and shouted the glad news to the citizens below through his speaking trumpet at the highest pitch of his voice. The tidings ran like wild-fire through the place, every man hastened to the walls, and when at last the procession arrived, and the gates were thrown open, then our pious ancestors gathered on the ramparts, united in the hymn of faith of the early church of the Reformation— 1 A safe stronghold our God is He,’ and those returning replied from without with gladsome confidence- — ‘ A trusty shield and weapon the bells of all the churches accompanying the soul-elevating anthem of praise with their fes tal peal. The cortege went first to the church of St. Stephen. Pastor John led the van, sup ported by Oswald von Gamsharst and Frank. He was received with a joyous and cordial welcome by the burgomaster and his brother magistrates, and forthwith sank, deeply affected on his knees before the altar. Otto Binder addressed the assembled multitude with much feeling from the words, —‘ And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud’ (Gen. ix. 14). ‘ Over our city/ he remarked-, 1 the Lord has brought clouds, but in ’mercy and forbearance He has suffered them to pass away.’ The audience were inspired with the same strong emotion that ani mated the orator, and it seemed to one and all as though at that solemn moment they beheld the seven-hued bow of grace extending its glorious arch. The Lord had graciously helped, had confirmed faith, revived hope, raised the courage of His saints., and by His goodness His own work in our Qhurch was thenceforward carried' on steadfastly. Pastor John’s first visit was to the home of the Finningers. The old wheelwright, Hans, received him with much embarrassment, dread- ing the reproaches he expected to, receive, and the announcement of a well-merited penalty. The man of God, however, held out his hand in a friendly manner, and said,— ‘ Your son Michael thought to do me an injury, neighbor, but God has brought 'good . out of evil; therefore let us live in peace with one another, and forgive and forget injuries mutually, as we wish that the Lord may forgive us our trespasses.’ After which he solemnly and lovingly spoke to the heart of the. father, exhorting him earnestly to consider the matter of the salvation of His chil dren’s souls. Hans Finninger seemed touched and'even impressed; he willingly gave the pas tor his hand in token of reconciliation. Hosti lities ceased; but alas! as soon as the old wheel wright died, his wife and five children all went post-haste down the broad road leading'to de struction, so that their names are indelibly marked by a bloody track in the page of our city’s history. And Spitzi, the hero of the day, whose praises were on the lips of all;—we must not forget to record something also concerning him. Did not Theresa, as soon as he leapt down from the cart, catch him in her arms, and press him to her heart as tenderly as she had done her dear little Crooked-Beak of old ? And does not the old autumn hymn say— ‘ God in his tender kindness sends Dumb teachers to instruct His friends ’? What lesson may we then learn from our good friend Spitzi? I believe we may learn a pre cious lesson of Loyis and Humility. Are we as faithful to our Lord and Master in Spitzi was to his earthly master ? And after having saved him, on his return home, he lay down quietly in his corner, and fell asleep in peace, end the next day never thought he had ; done auything extraordinary. Are we like him |in this ? or, have we not all reason: to confess with our pious bard, Paul Gerhard, — ‘ I rest upon the ground Of Jesus and His blood. For ’,tis through him that I have found The True Eternal Good. Nought have I of mine own, Nought in the life I lead, What Christ hath given me,—that alone Is worth all love indeed’? TEACHING THEOLOGY IN THE SABBATH SCHOOL. Not, long-since a writer of the Watchman and Reflector, in “ A Word to Sunday-school Workers” said, Teach Christ; not theo lbgy, but -Ch : riat-; not biblical' literature, but-Gbristr—Sbow“Hiff as "the model life,” &c. ./‘Make Josns ‘ the One altogether lovely',to/the child.”; 41Hhis is excellent, only fromone point weTjegJeaye to dissent, or, rather, to ask how an intelligent Chris tian teacher can teach Christ and not at the same time-teach something of theology? How shall I tell, to even a child, “that sweet story of old, ‘ when Jesus lived among men,” and show Him as the ‘ sinless man/ if I do not endeavor to,instruct, as far so a child is capable of receiving, of His huma nity and as a human Saviour, One to whom a little child may come ? How shall I show a Saviour able to lilt us Godward if I do not endeavor to impress on the infant mind that He is also God? I must show some thing more of Christ than a “ model life,” to make a deep impression on the heart; I must touch upon the Divine love which came to seek and to save; a love grieved when yve sin, a love ready to forgive our transgression, if I would have that love lead to Him or to likeness with Him. But the Sunday-school, certainly in this country, J is n'dt a' mere infant school, but a school where oun iyguth,jvjith expanding minds are taught* in the Scriptures and taught 1 of" Christ?' The very question, «■ What, think ye of Christ involves in at one of the finest points of Christian doc trine. Shall w.e discountenance thought on the subject? If you would you could not. You cannot even trace the narrative life of the man Christ Jesus, and keep clear of spiritual issues; you cannot touch upon the spiritual and leave theology wholly out of the question. You may dwell on His teachings, in even the most practical things, and you will find something of doctrine running through it. And the mission of Christ’s earthly life, the plan of redemption through His death; what is Christ to me without these truths becoming fixed in my heart ? When a mere child, we remember hearing a discourse on the words, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteous ness and to this day have not forgotten its import. And now we firmly believe that were our children and yoi th in the Sabbath schools of our evangelical churches better instructed in the doctrines of God’s Word, as far as they could understand, and en couraged to think more for themselves, we should have far stronger men and women in our churches. Besides this they would be altogether imore likely to embrace and to hold fast to the truth. How many have drifted away to unbelief because of lack of scriptural knowledge 1 how many to accept the errors of human reason because they were not better instructed in “ the truth as it is in Jesus !” By ignoring theology we make the cross of Christ of no effect. We would not teach simply a dogmatic theology; but we would bring the truth to light through our teaching of Christ. We would make the Gospel more effective by instruction in the grand cardinal doctrines of the cross, which is the foundation of the true Christian life. How often may the heart become affected and lifted to a higher level by contemplating Christ as revealed through some of the doctrines of the Bible The Christian who thus understands Christ, who has learned by experience something of the beauty and exceeding richness of the Christ, may hereby elevate the Saviour to a loftier Bphere in his affections. Lot more of be mingled in the teach ing of the “ sincere milk of the Word,” that Christ may be glorified ‘thereby. — Watchman and Reflector. SAVING AND LOSING. People differ more in their religious no tions than in almost anything else. Some only have their meetin’ houses, while others have churches. Some join their society, and others are members of the Church. The “ church people ” are often held up to reproach for spending money in paying ministers; while the preachers of the “ meetin’ ” give their people the gospel free. A blunt old gentleman, once being urged to join a. certain meetin’, because it was cheaper than the “church people’s reli gion,” inasmuch as the preaching in that society was given “ for nothing,” replied : “That is just as. much as it is worth, too.” That kind, of religionists don’t do much to wards carrying or sending the gospel to the destitute heathen world. Stingy, narrow souls take to that kind of religious thinking, like a duck does to wa ter. Talk about money for the minister’s salary, or repairing or building a church, or for missions, or for educating young men for the ministry, or for religious publica tions, and the like, if you want to stir up their wrath! That is “ money-preaching;” and, to them, it smacks strongly of carnali ty. Evil communications corrupt good man ners ; and hence, some of our people are damaged badly by association with these surrounding sects and societies, whose reli gion does not cost anything. Come easy, go easy ! Cost nothing, worth —how much ? Christianity cost the life of God’s dear Son, and is worth more than all our money. Our ministers, in some charges, are so cowed down by this selfish feeling among the membership, so hostile to giving, that they are absolutely afraid to say “ money ” to their people, for any cause. There are members, who give their ministers cause enough for this fear. At the bare mention of the cause that calls for giving, they pack er up, like a cat, when you. rub the fur the wrong way. No sense of duty to God, or moral obligation for the means of grace, no thankfulness for the hope of salvation, moves their hearts to make an offering unto the Lord, Money given r to the operations of the Church,, is so much thrown away, they think; i£l 'Ajyf what is selfishly withheld from the benevolences of the Church, they sup pose is just that much saved. This is, virtu ally, the practice of many members of the Church. God knows their hearts, and will hold them to account. Farmers do. not save by withholding their seed from the ground. They sow the soil liberally, so that they may not reap sparing ly. That is just what the Bible tells us, we should do, in giving. Sow, in order to reap ! Lend to the Lord, to be repaid again with increase! Lay up treasures, to have them, in time of need. Put them safely in hea ven, where they will always be ours; not on earth, where thief, and moth, and rust, may take them from our hands. .Riches make to themselves wings, and fly away. Secure them in the Church. A church cause, lately, appealed to a fami ly for a hundred dollars or more ; they thought the servant of God who presented it, a little crazy to ask so much, and so gave nothing. Since then, they paid twice that much to carry on a law suit, and lost their case. Can not God head up Jonah when he runs from duty ? In how many ways do they not lose what they keep ; and in God’s good time, they securely gain to their own good what they give to Him. Said a man to a minister, not long ago, “You remember, you asked me for a thou sand dollars ?’’ “ Yes; will you give it now ?” “L can’t; for since then I have lost eighty thousand ! ’ How often does it thus happen 1 i.What is. given to the. minister,. tO^the Church, to the Lord’s cause in any proper spirit, is the most securely invested, for time and eternity. What is wrongfully kept, when it ought to be given, can be turned into a curse for you, or for your children. You cannot afford to refuse to honor the Lord’s call upon yoa. No troubles in the Church, or neglect ef other members, or ill-feeling towards the minister, will excuse the people from giving to the Lord. It is, after all, to the Lord , and not to man, that our offerings are to be made. It is a Christian grace; and the minister has as plain a duty to enforce the necessity of its growth upon the .attention of the people, as to preach repentance and faith. —Reformed Church Messenger. PEAT POE THE YOUNG, The Day of Prayer for Colleges wasobserv ed in various sections of the land. There is something hopeful in the fact, that Chris tians every where are more deeply interest ed in the youth and young men in our liter ary institutions. All denominations are asking for more ministers, and the Church in her need is crying to God for the out pouring -of the Holy Spirit upon the youth of our Seminaries and Colleges. The fol lowing extract from the New York Observer shows the great importance of prayer for young men, not only on set days, but at the family altar, and in our sanctuaries every Sabbath: “ In the beginning of the 18th century a revival of spiritual religion began in the University of Halle, and such was its power and result, that Prof. .Tholuck says more ministers were given to the Church in Ger many in forty years than she had in all her previous history. One such fact as this illustrates the rela tion of prayer for Colleges to the work of the world’s conversion: and sets it so clear ly before the mind and heart of the Church that the two stand to one another as means and ends, premises and conclusion. If Our yonth are converted, many of them will be ministers of the gospel; they are the heralds of the cross; the world will get the word through them and so will be saved. How shall they hear without a preacher ? There are Bix millions of children in a course of school and college education in the United States. Of these but few, com pared with the whole number, are, trained for the Christian ministry, but they ought all to be made the subject of earnest prayer, that they may be trained to virtue, useful ness and heaven. Millions of them, are indeed, the children of unbelieving parents, under no religious influences at home, and who may be ex pected, in the ordinary course of things, to grow up as their parents. But in these schools are also hundreds of thousands, per haps millions, of children who have pious parents, and to them the Church looks for her future members and ministers. The children of the Church are in school, and for them prayer unceasing ought to be made.” [Prepared weekly for the American Presbyterian. *| LESSORS Off PAUL-IX. Acts 13: 14; 15: 36-36; 11. Cor. 11: 26,27. Where do Paul and his company go next ? Who composed his “ company ?” What is shown by this expression ? Where they probably directed by special reve lation ? Do you suppose Paul had a vision? What four reasons for their going there? Are any of these reasons like those which led them from Antioch to Cyprus ? In vhat direction do they sail ? Across what sea ? What bay do they enter? . What noted battles were fought on and near it ? 1 ' In what direction from Cilicia was Pampbylia? What province on the west ? Meaning of Pamphylia? Of what nation were the inhabitants chiefly? Where was Perga ? How did its situation resemble that of Tarsus ? For what was it noted ? How long did they stay there ? Did they preach, there? What painful event toof place at Perga? Was this return against Paul’s wishes ? What led Mark to leave them ? Was he right or wrong? Did he forfeit his claim to be thought a Chris tian ? What had been his home-influence in reli gious things ? What was there to make him timid ? Are there times when timidity is WTOng in in every one? How ean we gain courage in dping right ? Had anything taken place recently which would make him discontented ? • Did Mark ever return to the l work ? On what oecasiou ? What did Barnabas then wish?: What did Paul say when.-Mark wished to go? Did they ever work .together again ? Prove that Paul' afterwards became attached to Mark ? Where did Paul and Barnabas' now go ? What dangers would, they he' likely to en counter on the journey ? What famous robber-region were they near ? What was the character of the population of the mountains ? . How does Paul describe the dangers of this journey, in one of his letters ? What perils iWere there: arising .from the char acter of the co® try ? At what time of the year is ;it supposed they started? What custom prevailed among the people of Perga ? What would make the first part of the journey animated and interesting ? What changes, in, country and. climate in going from Perga to Antioch in. Pisidia. The course of whatstream -did they follow ? Where was. Antiochiin Pisidia ? ;i Why so called? 1 " .
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers