fbr Oa Jptt&r
“WERE TOO EVER IN LOVEr
BT MAI
1m lo«l"-wW s *“ o °’ ■'
Proponhited tomo, £ad>f >»ho« mgsMjW" ■
WW>rtU h ' :
I «i oft qtuti lb lor. wia H 2
ynm u» d vW bH*ht. i«u™» d«l»«ea.pit> «u»
X did ton that r.»-riA tat y»a vAwtd not to ton.
Xnll tW »> tflbcttons w«jre placed on a rote tree, 1
guarded and treasured 1
Imd orfer wm fair mdldau more lored by fond lortr,
Bat I would not dwuldtbat girtJow diacorfc. -
Tfct long «iuaj ( J mw eoeb *\ort of •* bonnet,
Mj b carl'i wannwt doreUouwaa firmly ftxod on tt*
JfdW’T pnty ydu don’t latigh nor my Tolly disclose,
Bnt 'twee Jong ore toy heart was lulled into-repoae.’
ind now draw up nearCT, to that no one tb&n hear— ‘
A real lore tale I will breathe lu-yodr odri .*
i'm lore—end witfi—o,l so fear you tell, •
i,lore my<r(/" fondly—nono other so well. r .
"She Ha? Outlived Her Usefhlaess."
Nor long since, a good-looking man, in
midd'e life, came, to our doora'sking for “the
minisier.” When informed that he was out
of town, he eeohied disappointed and anx
ious On being questioned as to his Busk
ness, he replied ; “ 1 havo lost my mother,
and as this place used to be our home, «pd
my father lies here, we have come to lay
her beside him.”
’ Our heart rose in sympathy, and we said
“ You nave met with a great loss.”
“ VV’eli—yes,” replied ihe strong man,
wiifa hesuancy, “ a moiber is a great loss in
general; but our mother has outlived hqr
usefulness; she was in her second childhood,
and her mind was grown as weak as her
bpdj, so that she was no comfort 10 herself,
and was a border) lo every body. There were
seven of us, sons and daughters ; and as we
could not find anybody who was willing to
board her, we agreed to keep her among us
a year about. Gut I’ve had more than my
share of her, for she was too feeble to be
moved when my lime was out; and that was
more than three months before her death.—
but then she was a good mother in her day,
and toiled very hard to bring us alt up.”
Without looking at the lace of the heart,
less man, we directed him to the house.of a
neighboring pastor, and returned to our nur
sery. We gnzed on tbe merry Utile faces
which smiled or grew sad in imitation of ours
—those linle ones to' whose ear no word in
our language is half so sweet as “Mother;”
and we wondered if that day could ever come
when they would sav ol us, “She has out
lived her usefulness she is no comfort to
herself and a burden to everybody else)" and
we hooed that before such n day would dawn,
we might be taken to our rest, God forbid
that we should outlive the love of our chil
dren Hath er let us die while our hearis
ore a psn ol iheir own. that our grave may
oe watered wild their tears, an d our love
l.nneci wnh uieir hones of heaver.
VI hen Ihe hell lolled for Ihe mothers bur.
ia we wen' lo the sanctuary to pav our only
tux-n of respect for the aged stranger; for
we fef that we could give he' memory a
tear, even though ner own children had none
"She was a good mother in her day, and
toiled hard to bring us aM un—she was no
comlon to nersel., and a burden to every. ]
body else 1 ’ 1 hese cruet, heartless words
rang in our ears as we saw me coffin borne
up the aisle. The bell lolled long and loud,
unlit us iron longue had chronicled the years
o me tun-worn mother. One—two—three
—lour five. How clearly and almost mer
ntv each stroke told of hen once peaceful
slumhe- of her mother’s bosom, and of her
seat or night-fall on her weary father’s knees,
on—seven —eight—nine —ten —rang out the
late o ner snorts upon the green sward, in
me meadow, and hv the brook Eleven—
twelve—thirteen fourteen fifleen, spoke
more grnvelv oi school days, and little house
time toys and cures Sixteen —seventeen—
eighteen, sounded out the enraptured visions
o maidenhood, and ihe dicam of early love.
.Nineteen, brought beiore us me happyjbnde.
twenty spoke oi me young mother whose
heart was full to bursting with the new strong
love which God hud awakened in her bosom.
And then stroke after stroke told of her early
womannooo—o.' me love ana cares, and
noacs. and tears, and toils through which
Sne parsed during these long years, till fifty
rang on: harsh and louc. From that lo
amt. each alroke told of Ihe warm-hearted
mother and grandmother, living over again
her owt jovs and sorrows in those of her
enuuret and children’s children. Every
lamnv of all the group wanteo grandmother
mer.. and ine only strife was who should se
cure the prize : but harl ! the bell lolls on !
bevenu —seventy.one —two—three—four.—
iine begins \to grow feeble, requires some care,
u no; always perfectly natienl or satisfied ;
*ne goes from one child’s house to another, |
ao that no one place seems like home. She
murmurs in plaimive tones, and after all her
ton anc weariness, it is hard she cannot be j
anoweo h pome to die in: that she must be
sen;, rather ihan invited, from house to house,
tugniv— eight v-one—two —three—four—ah,
she is now a second cb'ld—now “ she has
ounived ne' usefulness, she has now ceased
to be a comfort lo herself or anybody that
u. she has censed to be profitable to her
carth-crav’mg and money-grasping children.
Now sounds nut, reverberating ihrough
« U k'M° ve V f °7’ s1 ' nn( l echoing hack from ihe
hill o, the jjead,” Eighiy-nine! there she
ties now in the coffin, cola nn d still-she
makes no trouble now, uemands'no ipve. no
«oit wofds, no tender, little offices. A look
of patrerti endurance, we fancied also ttn ex
pression.of grief for unrequited love, sal nn
hot marble fen lures. Her children were
'here, clad in weeds, of woe, nnd in irony
we remembered the strong man's wnrde.—
" Sne was a good mo>ber in her day.”
When ihn bell ceased lolling, the strange
minister rose in the pulpit. His form was
ver y erp cv, and bis voice strong, but his hair
was auverv white. He read several passa
ges ol scripiure expressive of God’s com-
Passion to (eeirle man, and especially of his
tenderness when gray hairs are on him, and
an strength faileth. He then made some
ucning remarks on human frailty, and of
dependence on God, urging all present to
™ ® lr peace with their Master while in
Pa laal ’hey might claim his promises
„ J! n np t arl aDd flesh should fail them,
he said, “the eternal God shall be
• - r eiuge, and beneath thee shall bo (he ev.
to sne-
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VOL. 2.
#&LSBO-
' J ‘ ■> ■ • •T 1 \T r~ I. ,(, • ,t 1 ': •
erlasting, arms” Leaning over (he .desk,
anj| g()zing inieni.ly,on the coffined fdrpj be.-,
fore him, fie ihen’sqjd , reverently, “ F.rpm .a,'
little child, I .have honored ifie j fiu}
never iil| grey liaira covered my own fy?a<j,
did I know truly how much love andsvmpa
thy this class have a right to demand of their
fellow-creatures. Now f (eel it. Our moth
er,” be addecl, roost tenderly, lies
in.death .before us, was a stranger to jtjrie,' as ,
afe all these, her descendants. All I know'
pf her is what her son has told me 10-day—
that was brought Jo this town from afar,,
sixty-nine years ago, a, .Happy
hero.she .has passed most, of her life, toiling ,
as only mothers ever have strength to loij,
until she had reared a large family, pf sons
and daughters—that she left her home here,
clad in the weeds of widowhood, to dwell
among her children ; and that till health and
vigor left her, she lived for you, her depend
ants. You, who together have shared her
love and her cave, know how well you have
requited her. God forbid that conscience
should accuse any of you of ingratitude Or
murmuring on 'account of the care; she has
been to you of late. When you go back to
your homes, be careful of your words and
your example before your own children, for
the fruit of your own doing you will sorely
reap from them when you yourselves toner
on the brink of the grave. I entreat you as
a friend, as one who has himself entered the.
“evening of life,” that ym) may never aay,
in the pretence of your families nor of heav
en, “ Our mother has outlived her usefulness
—she was a burden to us.” 1 Never, never ;
a mother cannot live so long as that 1 No;
when she can no longer labor for her :hil
dren, nor yet care for herself, she can fall
like a precious weight on their bosoms, and
call forth by her helplessness all the noble,
generous feelings of their natures.
Adieu, then, poor, toil-worn mother; there
are no more sleepless nights, no more days
of pain for thee. and ever
lasting usefulness are part of the inheritance
of thn redeemed. Feeble ns thou werl on
earth, thou will be no burden on the bosom
of Infinite Love, but there shall thou find thy
longed-for rest, and receive glorious sympa
thy from Jesus and bis ransomed fold.”
till
TTTTiT
■rr.T>7TM ocT-jc«Ti?jrf?rsjr.7 I rra«roi , ‘.riP> ■ *- '> f (\f 10 To? ri Tj
H. 1856* •“
. ADariagDeed of Horsemanship..
If.yo,uXee|
am.bpt i more
—I shall attempt what a muchaciiqijOf ien
years iwon I d,consider ».feat perhaps;And
what may that be, Senor. Cibojero,]:".naked
the officer, soeeringly.i“lwill.check my
horse at’full gallop on-the brow of yonder
cliff! Within two.-lengths—‘dess—the same-’
distance that is traced Iterq, op s the banks oj,
the gsqppjl I’f XT&e surgri^,prcaie'ii,|>y
announcement beta (he bys.lfmdersfo/.sp’nje
momenta in silence.' -It .waa.a proposal of
sticlr wild and reckless daring -that it was
difficult to belieVb that the maker ofit whs in
earnest, , Even the,two officers..weVe'for y
moment staggered by it, and inclined to fan*
cy the ctbolero was not'serious, but mocking
them.
I"'-*'
TyjvT
m- as..
The Dotohmanwhohadthe 8&all-Pox.
'* S*S'U 2 *1 K]
•- *lO I
The sAt albritfside of thcdriver'brie
ai brtak'bf day, aSP'lhe stage
drove blit bf Black bbrry; he through
passenger Vb 1 SqaSsii Point, It Ska’s a Very
cold morning. In order to break the icd, for
a ebnycrdaliohV Kb'prdisVd thd'poifits of'the
off hbifSp ; lijaive’ff' 11,1 ’ '
&ommtitticBt{otio.
i t • . _ j. i
XT i,
" For the Agitator,
Spiritualism.
.-sp"; tKe a driy£r Ihaivpfl.; .
“Ymi, 'gdilt hbrse.'indrenews how
to Irivp him 1 !” ' ' " , ' i ; ’
'lt was evidently n’jipse of rnixed’breed.
Where to tVooo, who psed la'drivd this
stage?” _ ;-, 1 ; ‘
“He*s bid up. npit ter riimatiz, jester
week,, pwl, j ,(fives for Rin(, j,.
I the newspapejv A. fellow
a back peat, notjipving the
fear pf.mjjrdered English on coax
ed theDylch driver jp,,o long, conversation,
much jo (hp delight of, a very pretty Jersey
Blue-fdelie, who laughed so, merrily that it
was contagious; and ip.a few mimpes, from
being like unto a conventicle,, we were, as
wide awake as ooetof •CmufmrVi audiences.
By aunrite i/fe. were in excellent spirits, up
to all aorta of fun, andwbena litUeiialer, our
stage slopped at the first watering •,place, the
driver found himself in the center,of a group
of treaters do the distilled juice of'apples.
“Here’e package to leave at -Mrs* Sc ud
der’s—the third’house on the lelhlhand side
niter you get in Jerico. What do you
charge?” asked a man who seemed to know
tho driver. v
The cliff lo \yhich Carlos had pointed was
part of the bluff that hummed in the .valley,
it was n sort of, promontory, bower, that jut*
ted out from ihe general line, so as lo be -a
conspicuous object‘froth the ploitf below.—
Its brow was,of equal height with the rest of
the precipice, of which it was a part—-a. sort
of buttress— l -and the grassy turf that appear
ed'along its edge was but the continuation of
the upper plateau. Its front to the valley was
vertical, without terrace or ledge, although
horizontal seams traversing its face shoWfed.a
stratification of lime and sandstone alterna
ting with each other. Prom the sward,uppn
the valley to the brow above the .heights was.
1000 feet sheer. To gage up to it was Mrial
to delicate nerve—to look down put the stout
est to the proof. # * * , * * * All
stood watching him with interesting eyes.—r
Every, movement was noted. He first alight
ed from the saddle, stripped off his rnanga,
had it carried baok.and placed out of the way.
Me next looked to his spurs, to see tbai .the
straps were properly buckled.
After this he removed his sash, and placed
the sombrero firmly on his head. ; Ha but
toned his velveteen calzoneros doWn nearly
lo his ankles, so that their leather buttons
might not Bup open and discommode him.—
His hunting-knife along with his whip hegave
to the charge of Don Juan. dlis attention
was next turned to the hor.se, that stood all
this time with his ueck curved proudly .as
thoujjh he divined that he was to be called
upon for some signal service. The bridle
was first scrutinized. The great bit—a
Mameluke was carefully examined,, lest
there might be some flaw or crack in ,lhe
steel. The head strop was buckled 19 its
proper lightness, and then "the reins were
minutely scanned. They were the heirs oI
a wild horse's tail, closely and neatly plaited.
The saddle now had its turn. Passing from
side to side, Carlos tried both stirrup-leathers
and examined the great wooden blocks which
formed the stirrups. The girth was the last
ns well as the most important object of his
solicitude. He loosened (he buckles on both
sides, and then tightened them, using , bis
knees to effect his purpose. When drawn
(0 his liking, the tip of his finger could not
have been passed under the strong band.
“Pom » leffy,” answered he. '‘Receiving
the silver,'he gathered up the reirik and put
the square package in Ihe stage bo*; Just as
he sltfrled'lhe-horses, he leaned his head out
of the stager an d looking back' to! the man
who gave Wm the bundle, shdutep out the'
questidh ■:' “Ter first haos on tef left band
Out of YWico V’ r ’'
' The mkh didn’t hear him, but the driver
was satisfied. On we went at a very good
rale, considering how heavy the-roads were
Another long stretch of sand and we were
nearing Jerico.
“Anny poly know der Miss Sculler haus?”
asked Ihp driver bracing his feet on the mail
bag which lay in front ot him, and” screwing
his head round so as to face it. There
seemed to be a consultation going on inside
Ihe stage.
“1 don’t know nobody of, that name in
Jerico, do you, Lishg V asked a weather
beaten looking man, who evidently “want by
water," of another who apparently went the
same way.
Fbiibd Cokb:. permit me through ! (he
medium of the Agitator, to convey a few rd
marks to the public on the subject'd* Spirif
unlism, aptf especially to skeptics,; those who
calf themselves such—who alledge (bat Spirit
ualism is worthy of the devil->—andthat class
of men who want to live on the crpdujhy of
others, or' whb are, Willing to 'risk thejr eter
nal welfare on some, faith or creed, because
their fathers andgrund-fmhers did the same.
I hold that laith, theory or belief never
changed a facV, af/d never estabfished d fact,
independently of itself, That is it did not
become a (ant because it was believed to be
such but on the contrary, all truth is immu
table, eterndl and self-exittemj and therefore
existed before man, and of course previous
to his faith, theory or belief. Truth is the
great centre around which man has endeav
ored to rear monuments iA nil the various de
velopments of past ages and generations.
Man hos in every nge of the world, paid
homage to truth as he understood it; but in
this enlightened day and age of human pro
gress, mankind have discovered that what
was believed to be true centuries ago is not
therefore true now, no matter how high the
authority or from what earthly source it ema
nated j for “truth is mighty and must pre
vail.”
A Young Sian’s Character.
No young man who has a just sense of
his own value, will sport with his own char
acter, A watchful regard to his character
in early youth will be of inconceivable value
to him in all Ihe remaining years of lilb.
VVhen templed lo deviate from strict propriety
of deportment, he should ask himself, con 1
afford this 1 can I endure hereafter lo look
back upon this 1
It is of amazing worth lo a ytfUng man to
have a pure mind ; for this is thu foundation
of a pure character. The mind, in order lo
be kept pure, must be. employed in topics of
thought which are themselves lovely, chasten
ed and elevating. Thus the mind hath in it’s
own power the selection of its themes of med
itation. If youth only knew how durable
and how dismal is Ihe injury produced by the
indulgence of degraded thoughts, if they on
ly realized how frightful are the moral de
pravities which a cherished habit of loose im
agination produces on the soul—they would
shun them as the bile of a serpent. The
power of hooks to excite the imagination is a
fearful elemenl of moral death when employ
ed in the service of vice.
No-jyqnder ho observed all thilk caution. —
The snapptlrg-ofa strap, or ihe flipping of a
buckle, might him Unto etern
ity. Having satisfied htmSelTihal was
right, he garnered up the reins," and leaped
lively into the saddle. He first directed his
horse on a walk along the cliff, and within
a few feel of its edge. This was to strength
en both himself and the animal. Presently
the walk became a trot, and then a gentle
"canter. Even this was no exhibition fearful
lo behold. To those regarding it from be
low, it was a beautiful but terrible spectacle.
After a while he headed back towards the
plain, and then stretching into a fair gnllop
the gait in which he intended to approach
the cliff—he suddenly reined up again, so
as lo throw his horse nearly on his flanks.
“There was old Squire Gow’a darter, she
married a Scudder and moved up here some
two years back. Come to think'on’t, guess
she lives nigher lo Glasshouse,
Lishe.
The cultivation of an amiable, elevated and
glowing heart, alive to all the beauties.of na
ture and all the sublimities of truth, invigor
ates the intellect, gives to the will independ
ence of baser passions, and to the affections
that power of adhesion to whatever is pure,
and good, and grand, which was adapted'to
lend out the whole nature of man into those
scenes of action and impression by which its
energies may most appropriately be employ
ed and by which its high destination may be
most effectually reached.
The opportunities of exciting these facul
ties in benevolent and self-denying efforts for
the welfare of our fellow men are so many
and great, that it really is worth while to
live. The heart which is truly, evangelically
benevolent, may luxuriate in an age like this.
The promises of God are inexpressibly rich,
■ he main tendencies of things so manifestly
in accordance with them, the extent of mor
al influence is so great, and the effect of its
employrdenl so • iaible, that whoever aspires
after benevolent actions, and reaches forth
things, that remain for us, to the true dignity
of his nature, can find free scope for his in
tellect and all-aspiring'themes for the heart.
Again he resumed the same gallop, and
again reined up ; and this manoeuvre he re
pealed ai least a dozen limes, now {with his
horse’s head turned towards the cliffs, and
now in the direction of the plain. At last he
was seen to (urn his horse toward the cliff,
and take his firmest seat in ihe saddle. The
determined glance of his eye showed that the
moment had come for the final trial. A
slight touch of the spur set the noble brute
in motion, and in another second he was in
full gallop, and heading directly for the cliff!
The suspense was of short duration. Twen
ty strides brought horse and horseman close
to the verge, within half a dozen lengths. —
The rein still hung loose—Carlos dared not
tighten it—a touch ho Ijnew would bring his
horse to a halt, and that before he had cross
ed the line would only be a failure. Another
leap—another— yet another! Ho! he is in
side. Great God Ihe will be over! Just as
ihe horse appeared about to spring over the
horrid brink, (he reins were observed sudden
ly to tighten, the forehnofs, became fixed and
spread, and the hips of the noble animal
rested, upon the plain. He was poised at
scarce threq feet from the edge of-the cliff!
While in this altitude the horseman raised
his right hand, lifted his sombrero, 1 and alter
waving it round, returned it to his head. A
splendid picture from below. The dark forms
of both horse and rider were perceived as
they drew up on the cliff,' and the imposing
and graceful attitude was fully developed
against the blue back-ground of the sky.—■
The arms, the limbs, the oval outlines of the
steed, even the very trappings could be seen
distinctly; and for the short period in which
they were poised arid motionless, the specta
tor might have fancied on equestrian statue
of bronze, its pedestal the pinnacle of the
cliff.
The driver finding he could gel no light
out of the passengers, seeing a tall; raw boned
woman washing some clothes in front of a
house who flew out of sight, as the stage flew
in, handed me the reins as he jumped from
his seat and chased’ the fugitive hallooing,
“I’fe got ter small pox, I’fe got der—Here
his voice was lost as he dashed into the open
door of the house.' But in a minute he re
appeared, by a brhom with an enratzed wo.
man annexed and a loud voice shouting out:
“You gil out o’ Ibis ! closr yourself quick
er. I ain’t going to have you diseasing hon
est folks if you have got the small pox I”
“I dells you I’fe got der smal pox.—
Too’l you vesleli? der sjuu. pox!’’
This time he shouted it out in capital letters.
“Clear out! I’ll call the men folks if you
don’t clear!’’ and at once she shouted, in 11
tip lop voice, “Ikel Ikg! where are you 1”
Ike soon made his appearance on the full run.
“VV-whats the matter, mother
“I dell you onct more, fur der last time.”
“I’fe got der small pox, uni Mishler Ellis
he gifs me a leffy lo give'der small pox to
Miss Scpdder, nod if dal vrow is Miss
Sculler, I bromised lo gif her der small
pox.”
It was Miss Scudder, and I explained to
her that it was a small box he hod for her.
The affair was soon settled as regarded de
livery ; but not as regarded the occupants of
the old stage coach, as we rolled away from
Jerico. The driver joined in although ho hud
no earthly idea as to its cause-, and added
not a little to it by saying in a triumphant
lone of voice :
“I vos pount to - give ter old vomans ter
small pox!”— Spirit of the Times,
How to Expel Rats.— A writer in the
Farm Journal at Philadelphia, soys he got
effectually rid of rats in bis house in this
way : He raised a board in his garret floor,
and into the opening between the ceilings
placed a dish containing pulverized black ox*
ide of, manganese, and poured over it hydro
chloric (muriatic) acid. The board floor
was then replaced. The effect of this chem
ical mixture is to disengage in the cold that
most powerful, deodorizing, fumigating gas,
chlorine. Being heavier than atmospheric
air, it accumulates at the lowest levels.—r
The tendency of the gas was therefore to
penetrate every vacant space between the
walls and ceiling, and at lasi found its exit
in Ihe cellar. It may be here slated that the
quantity of gas so liberated can exert no de
leterious effect upon the house or its inmates ;
indeed the result is raiher beneficial than
otherwise upon the general health. The ex
perimenter in this case that after he placed
the mixture within ral-dom, it “seemed all
night long as if Bedlam had broke loose, but
the noige ceased by morning, and .1 have
neither seen or heard of a ral in my house
for three months,”
Beat tuis Meanness, —We have heard
of a good many small ilungs and mean acts,
but the following which was told us the other
day is about as contemptible a specimen of
sordid meanness as was ever brought to our
no i ice. i
Some years ago while Cnpt. SVard was
sailing a crab on the upper lakes a man fell
over-hoard in the evening. The fact was im
mediately discovered and the Captain prompt
ly threw a number of loose articles into the
lake for tho drowning man to seize upon.—
Among these happened to be X bunch of
shingles from q lot which the imperilled gen
tleman was having transported on the boal.-
When the vessel was lurnpd about it was dis
covered that this bunch had Hosted within
reach of the man and (hat he had sustained
himself upon it.
He was taken on board and without ex
pressing any gratitude for his deliverance, he
(old the Captain, with considerable agitation,
that he should expect pay for his shingles
that had. been thrown overboard! Captain
Ward replied that he was sorry—thaj if he
had known the shingles were hia be : would
not have done it I '
Yes, the lime has came when man himself
is beginning to reason l , and feel the truth in
its mightiness. Now ’thi invisible spheres
are being revealed 10 thb interior vision of
those who would bask in kite sunshine of im
mortality. Yes, there isla mighty work to
be accomplished ; but few, comparatively, re
alize the blessings descending from the high
er spheres, yet unite with a skeptical world
lo denounce and deride. The great spiritual
unfolding goes silently on, and no power on
earth that man can call into requisition can
stay its progress. Nought hut the power
that upholds and governs ihe innumerable
worlds can slay its course; it is by Him,
through Him, and in Him, that we hold spir
it communion. Oh, Heavenly Father! what
shall we offer in gratitude fur thy rich bless
ings ! He speaks through his angelic hosts,
and says—“ Would that thou wen, 0, man,
more contrite and humble of heart I”
What is knowledge?—To be away from
homo when people come to borrow books knd
umbrellas,
The proof that this divine assisting agency I
has ever been turned to the purifying and ele- i
vating of man’s condition, we have but to re- ■
vert to the history of past ages. Yet how
were the seers, the prophets and even the
Savior crucified and. held up to scorn and de
rision by a skeptical world 1 and can we, the
progeny of such skeptical ancestors disclaim I
the denunciatory spirit ? Most assuredly not. I
We see it fostered in the bosoms of our pro- 1
fessing Christians. They, like our ancestors,
crucify every new development that comes:
not within the prescribed rules and bounds of'
their peculiar tenets. They, like those, mea
sure God’s love, God’s eternal Laws by their
own selfish standard.; and this denunciatory
spirit is most prevalent among the professedly ;
religious class. They are the slowest to re- i
reive the spirit visitations and acknowledge
their merits, notwithstanding they come with
such overwhelming evidence. So deadening
has been the sectarian influence upon all
mankind, that to bring one to realize his true
spiritual slate is an uncommon task. Noth
tug but the divine power, through the medi
um of ministering angels, can accomplish this
mighty work of redemption. The lime has
arrived when religious intolerance must go
down before his ministering hosts, who have
come to do his will on- earth as it is dono in
Heaven. But man must be Spiritualized be
fore he con fully appreciate the ministry of
angels, or the love that God bears for his
children. We see Ihe divine rays in the
eastern horizon os it were, rolling back the
mysticism of past ages and developing instead
a sound basis of evangelical theology. Up
on this, the white flag ol truth waves in splen
dor, moved by breezes from the unseen
world, and bearing the inscription of life and
immortality. Influenced by this glorious be
lief, I have thought to avow it before man ;
holding that truth is eternal and will stand
when all else shall have passed into oblivion.
It is urged by the opponents of this belief,
that it is the agency of Satan or evil spirits.
This allegation may deserve a passing notice,
as it is made end held up by the high digni
taries of the church. I I rust I may be par
doned for saying a few words in its defense,
briefly to show what Spiritualism is and what
it leaches.
This is a true story, and when anybody
can beat it he shall have our jiaf, and if
be desires it, a written acknowledgment .of
our unqualified belief ia the doctrine of total
depravity.
It enables us to feel and to know, that our
most secret thoughts are known to the intelli
gences of the Spirit-world, whatever the char
acter of the intelligence may be, whether for
good or for evil. ]i has been for centuries
preached to us that a superhuman intelligence
knows our every ibouuhl; yet how few have
actually realized it. How few have acted ns
if the} believed it. Let the sins and crimes
of mankind answer; but now it comes so
demonstrated that no candid tfian can doubt
it. It is a fact as certain as the sun that
shines at noon-day ; and I would ask what
better preventative to vice can (here be than
the thorough conviction that the deepest se
crets of our hearts are all known to the in
telligence which is ever around and near us.
It demonstrates the immortality of the soul,
by direct appeals to the senses.' Hitherto the
appeal has been to abstract reasoning nod
credulity, and what ill success has attended
that effort, no one knows better than (hose
characters above alluded to, who have been
the most skeptical on this point. But now
tho proof comes Hko that which establishes
tho fact that the grass grows end the water
runs, and leaves no room for cavil in the
sane mind. It demonstrates that the spirits
IMWVjtH
of our departed friend? can, and do commu
nicate with us who anMeil behind; showing
how enduring, itlbelove they ifaeartoqaVrm •
tho.cdld gVqvu'.dods Dot'quancfc its ardor ;
and that their care ond sympathy Ann fa
,fromus m men'would' j hut that it,is
ere i 1 arodbd 4hd hWr u*»
that jgpaTMich tbo for btf fUt
,us tq, cdthpreneod. It fs nbwhroughi ptThiar
that'«!? Tsaif hncfeirsland :U and learn KoW (<>
aiiaia it. would learn thatitwould'.bo
ad more' i'&mreo of Unhappiness to.pur ’d«r
parted friends thus to Tabor for our'rederap
lion fromsini itUnowforlherojp their
ministerial wpacitips tp.ldad a aipner to m.
penlante. ' Tfhdji' wtttili Ijekti to bear to tho
moutner's heqiT such cttmfori ns has never .
yet'been hdVSk ~ They would learn then if
they have Viol yetlearhedylhatit could be no
suop grept unljitpylnees for the Christian
mind' to remain’ amid'slrifes and sorrows
which It could not alleviate; apd they would
see,' practically, ihaiThere is no sorrow for
suffering humanity ,'Which Heaven through
its messerigeits, ctra dot heal.
It demonstrates also, that through Ibis spfr
it influence, be it what it may, the sick are
healed, the lame made l 6 wa)t, the blind made
to see, and divils cast out of those who are
possessed. These are the eutO of the winders
which are now being wroughtin this land by
the influence which is stigmatized by the high
dignitaries of churches as emanating frqoi
the devil. There are hundreds ami thou
sands of witnesses of their existence around
us everywhere, and every one who Wishes
can behold them for himself. I have only
to odd in.conclusion, that if this is the work
of the devil, he has for the past eighteen cen
turies been grossly misrepresented, fahich I
shall leave for your candid Judgment to de
cide, nod if you can decide that there is any
power by which man’s condition is bettered,
uy which his character is made better, by
which he is enabled to progress in all that ia
great and good, by which he is taught hia
destiny, not only here, but hereafter, and
that upon his progression depends his happi
ness in all eternity; that, according to the
immutable laws of-'God, ho must progress
onward and upward forever, —I say if you
’ can conclude uhat, that power is tatanic,
then, I confess that ham entirely unacquainted
with his character. l<.
No Gloom at Home.
Above ell things there should be no gloom
at home. The shadows of dark discontent
and wasting fretfuloeS» should never cross
the threshold, throwing their large black
shapes, like funeral palls, over the happy
young spirits gathered there. If you will,
your home shall be heaven, and every in
mate an angel there. If you will, you shall
sit on a throne, and be the presiding house
hold deity. O! faithful wife, what privileges,
what treasures, greater or purer than thine I
And let the husband • strive to forget hi*
cares as he winds around the long narrow
street and beholds the soft light illumining
his little parlor, spreading its precious beams
on the red pave before it. The night is cold
and cheerless perhaps, and the December
gust buttles with the worn skirls of his old
overcoat, and snatches with a rude hand and
wailing cry at the rusty hat that has served
him many a year. He has been faarrasaed,
perplexed, persecuted, tie has borne with
many a cruel tone, many a cold word, and
nerved himself up to an energy so desperate
that his frame and spirits are weakened and
depressed ,- his temples throb with the pain
beat caused by a 100 constant application ;
he scarcely knows how lo meet, his wife with
a pleasant smile, or sit down, cheerfully to
their iiitle meal which she hasiprovided with
so much care.
Bat the door is opened , the overcoat (brown
hastily off. A sweet voice fails upon hi« ear,
and the tones are so sod and glad that' hope,
like a winged angel, Hies right into his bosom
and nestles agnmsl bis bean.
The latch is lifted, and the smiling face of
his wife gives an earnest welcome, Tha
shining hair is smoothed over her fair brow ;
indeed she stole a little coquettish glance at
the mirror hanging in its narrow frame, just
to see if she looked neat and" pretty before
she came out. Her eye beams with love, her
dress is tasteful—and—what 1 Why! he
forgets all the trials of that long, long day,a*
he folds her in his arms and imprints a kisa
upon her brow.
A home where gloom is banished, presided
over by one who has learned to rule herself
and her household, Christianity ! —oh! he is
thrice consoled for all bis trials. He cannot
be unhappy ; that sweetest, best, dearest sol.
ace is his —a cheerful home. Do you won.
der that the man is strengthened anew for to.
morrow's cares 1
A Happy Reply.—A letter from Paris to
the New York Express contains the annexed
anecdote :
Lust week I told you of the blunder mads
by the Putrie in announcing that the newly
elected Speaker of the House of Representa*
lives was a negro. I have now something
belter still to tell you. In conversation with
a distinguished gentleman lately returned
from Italy, he related to me the following
anecdote : '
An English gentleman of education and
refinement approached on American friend,
saying, playfully, “So, Mr. , I see’your
House of Representatives, determined to keep
the country in a state of agitation on lbs
subject of Southern slavery, has succumbed
to the influence of a powerful Northern ma.
jority and elected one Banks, a negro,
Speaker!”
“ Indeed,’* replied the American, very
composedly; “ pray where did you procure
your information 1"
“ Prom the newspapers, to be sure,” ans
wered the other.
“ In what terms were the facta staled V "
quietly asked the American.
“Simply that Mr. Nathaniel Banks, ‘J Black
Republican,’ had been elected Speaker afler
a long and arduous struggle, from which I
gather that Mr. Banks, being a ‘Black Re
publican,’ is of Course, a black man.”
“ Then, sir,” replied the American, “if the
paper had stated him a ‘red republican’ you
would have concluded Mr. Banks to bo an
Indian !’ ”
The name “ Black Republican” was then
fully explained to John Bull, who expressed
himself a “wiser, if not a better man” fey
the iafovma'ion.