u u
- COME AND TAKE ME. DcvivIbr.
CLEARFIELD, WEDNESDAY,-MARCH 28, 1855.
VOL. 1.
W. 36.
RAFTSMAN'S JOURNAL.
Dev. Jin"es, Publisher.
Per. annum, (payable iii advance,) SI 50
If paid within tho year. 2 00
No paper dis.-ontiauol until all arrearage aro
A failure to notify a discontinuance at the expi
taXion of the term subscribed for, will bo consider
ed anew cr.eaiPinont. -
,.Iiyi01tY.
; A wake, true! with grateful fervor fraught.
Qo tiif the mine of retrospective thought!'
Memory! ller quiet and kindling glance ia cast
Over the dim and silent realm of death ;
She ivakes and warms, with her etherial breath,
The pulseless bosom of the shrouded past;
She roams through childhood's far aad fairy clime,
Its withered buds reviving 'neath her tread;
She ranges, nith light bark nnd sail aspreal,
The tidclesS ocean of departed Time,
fihe guards the grave of joys which smile no more.
Moistuirg the flowers which droop regretful there;
She strikes the lyre o'er friendships fleet as fair,
And watc'uc3, weeping, Love's heart-hoarded store.
Ail that earth has or hopes lives but for ihtc :
This heart, thoa, Memory, fchall thiao aitar be !
(Driginnl Jtioral Cnlr.
1WF.ITTEX TOR THE JOCBSAL.1
1 THE
WTV fTf7 W
COrTBlCIIT SHOCKED.
C II AFTER XVII.
Tha morrow came ; and, with it, a tragedy
that roused a million of sleepers, and flealed
the fate of a relentless, bloody tyrant.
Valens was conducted across the great
iiuftre, and, in a few moments, was lying, pale
and faint, in the corner of the low, damp cell.
His sufferings were intense. Sharp, racking
pains were flying through his heal ; and his
!.snds sent up his arms an incc-saut stream of
tauish, that flew through his heart like dag
gers. He moaned, and moaned, and tossed
from aide to side, and prayed for to-morrow.
After a time, he managed to slacken the
biii igw-s a little ; and some kindly hand hav
ing s'ippel a small jar of water inside the
ucorof tho cell, he allayed his th!rst,-and his
-'ts t?c.inie less aceute, and his sufferings
son-.vLit relieved. The excitement of his
nervous system graduuliy abated; his mind be
cra composed ; and he thought of death. It
Lad r.o terrors. He rejoiced that it was so
near a: har:d, and longed only for the dawn of
t'-e day that woald forever termiuate earth's
sorrows, nnd conduct him to a painless world.
II ii dLxioty made thu hours move tardily.
Kara oae seemed to lengthen itself out into a
day. Night, however, at last flung her sable
inai'o uvor tha city. c sounds reached his
cv'.l, save the ehouts of the rabble in the
iurj-y, and an occasional quick, wild scream
extorted from the lips of the dying ; and
which, in despite of his maimed condition, in
some way, reached his senses, and sent a shiv
ering chill through his heart. Mow and then,
alio, lie thcugkt he had heard in an adjacent
cell the sighs aiid wailir.gs of other hearts,
and the holy breatnings of other lips. And
for these of his suffering brethren did he pray
most fervently.
Then, his dear wife ; his de&rest Valencia!
How he agonized in Ler behalf! His only
aoa, too ; and little Vare ! A thousand bles
sings were craved upon them. And his per
secutors ! "futber forgive them, for they know
not what they do."
He could not tell the time of night. The
nois, however, had died away in the square.
The old, grcapy lamp had burnt down, and
gone out. "Soft, queer hands seemed gently
liid on his forehead, and lightly over his damp,
feverish brows ; while sweet voices whispering
through his cell, strange words, that stole in
upon his heart with a mysterious influence,
and filled it with peace and joyousncss. He
felt very glad, and rejoiced greatly ; and. with
these feelings, his eyes closed, and sleep en
folded him in her toft, savory arms.
As he ilent. .vjxions tutted before him. ine
bright, sunny das of his youth came fly in,
hick, and were there around him. He fancied
Lizr.self a little boy, engaged in his childish
ports, flinging his bouquets cf flowers around
his mother, and receiving in return her smiles
and caresses.
Then, e&me up hi home that sweet, dear,
pleasant home, as it 1'ad ever been. Uo was
seated in the hall with: Valencia at his side,
her bright, beautiful face lit up with ibs smiles,
hor head reclining gently on his shoulder, her
.oft, blue eyes peering up bewitchingly in his
face, and her brown, golden curls dangling
gracefully over her snowy necii, while his
arms encircled Ler slender form, and his lips
impressed a kiss on fat chek, all just as
had often been in their early wedded days.
Then again, they were out promenading in
tho grounds. The perfumed air regaled their
senses, and the soft evening breezes fanned
their glowing, healthful cheeks. Along the
mooth, airy walks, their childreD sported,
end rang their merry, innocent laugh ; or
glided their light, fairy forms over the soft,
Telvet sward, aad plucked the scented rose,
th weej jeasamine,-rjast as they bad oft
o i by-jf )t dys. H vif tbre again
that night, and Valencia hung again on his
arm, while the bright, blue skies spread over
them in unsurpassed loveliness, and their
charmed, sparkling eyes watched, with a pa
rents exulting pride, the sports and gambols
of their three little ones. O ! how glad was
his heart, and what emotions of joy went
swelling through his breast!
"Here, papa ! O how pretty, papa !" ex
claimed Fiducia, as she bounded out into the
walk from behind a cluster of vines, with a
bunch of flowers in her hand, and her black,
glossy ringlets flying in the breeze ; "here, J
papa ; I gathered these for you. O ! aint they
nico ?"
Valcns stretched out his hand to receive
them ; it struck against the wall of his cell ;
he awoke.
"Oh!oh!" he exclaimed; it's a dream!
Alas ! all a dream ;" and he turned round with
a moan, and burst into tears.
Poor man ! These fond dreams of other
days were quickly sped, and they pierced his
heart w ith sadness. There was a strange re
bound of the soul ; and Lis feelings rushed
madley to the' extreme of gloom and despon
dency. He wept and wept. IIo could not
help it. He struggled hard and resolutely
with himself. He tried to think of other joys,
and happier days to come. But there was the
vision his dearest Valencia leaning on his
arm, and his children sporting joyously around
him, and he could not banish, nor withdraw
his thoughts from it.
But around hira were the thick gloomy walls
of the cell, and death, in some horrible form,
before him on to-morrow. And he sank down
down into deep, black depths. Doubts and
fears came crowding thick and fast upon him.
The light faded away. His joys all fled. His
ceil became as a dark, dismal dungeon of des
pair ; and out of the horrid depths he cried :
"I bow! I renounce my faith!" and he
rolled over on his back with a loud, despairing
groad.
"Ah ! my noble friend, what is that thou
sayest ?" said a low, deep, trembling voice.
Valens started, opened his eyes, and looked
up. J. tall lorm leaned over mm, wrapped in
a long, loose, flowing gown. One of the folds
was thrown over the head, and hung down like
a veil over the face.
"What is that thou sayest?" again said tho
tall, disguised form, with a deep, heavy sigh.
''Art thou a man?" said Valens, trembling
ly, and raised himself partly up.
"Thy old friend;" and Prythcus fell on his
knees at his side, and embraced him in his
arms.
They both wept wept sore.
"Oh ! what shall I do ! I've been tempted
tried. Alas ! my heart and my flesh were
about to fail me !" said Valens, weeping bit
terly. 'Cast thyself upon everlasting arms;" said
Prythcus.
"Oh ! that vision! that dream of the homo
of my bright and sunny days !" sighed Valens.
"Ah! my noble friend, think of your home
in the bright, starry skies ; think of that eter
nal city of those golden streets of that un
fading crown ; 3ca, bethink thyself to-night of
thy children in honor, glory, and immortality;
and how soon, too, we'll all mingle our songs
and halelujah's together there, in sweet, un
broken harmony forever!"
"Yes, yes ;" sighed Valens ; "true, true !"
"Ana coTildst thou, O ! couldst thou deny
that dear, blessed Jesus who bought you with
his blood ; aud for a few days of bitter anguish,
barter away the life to come ?"
There was sileuce. NotLing was heard but
the groanings and intercessions of the holy
man.
"Never! never !" at length exclaimed Va
lens, vehemently ; "no, dear, blessed Jesus
never will I deny thee ! I'll die in the faith.
O 2 my worthy, old friend, God has directed
thy steps hither to-night. Blessed be his holy
name."
"Yes, praise him bless hira; cast thyself
upon him ;" said Prytheus, exultingly.
"It's all well again; all peace and joy;"
and Valens threw his amis around the neck of
his old friend.
The door of the cell quickly closed; and,
in a moment, Trytheus was hurrying cautious
ly up along the dark, narrow streets.
He had learned the condition of Valens,
of his death on to-morrow ; and he had resolv
cd to see and embrace him once more, at the
peril of his life. The guard, supposing him
some one sent by the Emperor, had conducted
him to the door of his cell, asking no ques
tions.
North, at some distance from the Forum,
stood an Amphitheatre. This was a building
of vast dimensions, oval-shaped, and designed
for the shows of gladiators and wild beasts
These latter were kept in dens around the cen
tre or arena, and elevated above which, the
seats for the spectators rose in circular rows
or tiers, rising gradually back to the walls.
On one side, a sort of box or platform, elevat
ed above the seats, projected, and covered
with a canopy of state, and otherwise adorned.
This was designed for the Emperor, roagis
t rates, and a few select senators. A magnifi
cent portico, supported by arches, surrounded
the entire building ; and from which the spec
tators entered the interior, while a single door.
from without opened jnto the arena...
To b4 confirmed. .
NITOJIEMA; OR, GENTLE DOVE.
AN INDIAN LEGEND.
Long ago on the banks of tho Upper Missis
sippi among the tribes of the war-like Sacs,
there lived a young woman who for beauty and
for tenderness of nature was called the Gentle
Dove. The savages in the wilderness felt her
power, though revealed only in the majesty of
her motion and in tho music of her voice.
Crossing over the stormy deep, aud pursu
ing his journey through a trackless country,
came the brave and good missionary Mar
quette, bearing in his hands the Gospel of
Peace. Gentle Dove was drawn irresistibly by
the attractions of the cross, she was sprinkled
with baptismal waters and became a Christian.
If wben she was without the ark of safety, her
spirit soared above the troubled waters, how
lovely when its wings were glossed in the Sun
of Righteousness, and when she bora the
Olive Branch.
The fate of the good Marquette was this.
Self-sacrificing and devoted he went upon his
errand, proclaiming to the benighted children
of the forest the glad tidings,with a resolution
which despised all danger, and which knew no
fatigue. How sublime is the life of such a fol
lower of Christ. But alas! the disciple was
treated like his Master. His benevolent de
signs were soon mistaken, and ascribed to mo
tives base and mercenary. The savages sur
rounded him with clubs and arrows, but slip
ping away troin tiieir miasi ne went into me
forest and prayed. When they came upon
him ho was in a kneeling posture; they fit
ted their arrows on their bows, but perceiving
that he made no motion they approached, and
found him dead.
Soon alter this the Gentle Dove was espous
ed to Omaiut-si-ar-nah. son of the Nation s
Chief. Beautiful and manly in his person,1all
and athletic, with features regular and hand
some, skilful and adroit in the use of the bow,
in battle bold and daring like his sire, he was
moreover the faithful friend, the kind hns
bandj the generous host. But he was in tem
per sanguine, credulous, and jealous.
Scarcely had Gentle Dove become his bride
when he was called away to the wars, and hav
ing first committed her to the protection of his
friend Que-!a-wah, be clasped her to his heart,
and in tears bade her farewell. Many and ma
ny a message did he send from his distant cu-
campmcnt by the hands of a courier, for the
art of writing to the Indian tribes was unknown.
But at last Que-la-wah became enamored of
Gentle Dove, and sought y every means to
win her from her rightful lord. She indignant
ly spurned him from hr presence. Meantime
biing much perplexed in spirit she had a dream.
An awful form stood before her, and told her
that the Virgin loved her, and promised to re
veal the future to her. What she had suffered
from Que-la-wah was but a beginning of great
er woes to come, for he in whom her soul de
lighted should be deceived, and forsake his
faithful wife, and she should narrowly escape
with life. Moreover, there was about to be a
strife for empire; and a race of white men who
had gained a footing near the rising sun, from
small beginnings, should sweep over and sub
due the entire continent. Still, her nation
should not be without renown. A prince
should arise who should bear sway over many
chiefs, and many tribes. He should lead his
warriors to successful battles, aud when at last
his person should be bound in fetters, his soul
would be unsubdued. Moreover his name
should not perish, being embalmed in immor
tal verse, and tho Holy Virgin should be with
the Gentle Dove.
Que-la-wah finding that his proffers were re
jected vowed revenge. lie bribed the messen
ger whom the chieftian sent with tidings to his
love. She received them not and sent no an
swer, but he bore back word that he had de
livered them, aud that Gentle Dove had treat
ed them with marked contempt. She was a
abandoned and inconsistant and had violated
her pledge.
Omaint-si-ar-nah went into a paroxysm of
rage. He commanded those who stood around
to draw their bows and shoot him. As none
obeyed, he was about to drive a dart into his
own breast, but the weapon was wrested from
his hand. The flame of love being extinguish
ed, he passionately vowed revenge. He sent a
messenger, commanding him to entico her in-
Lto some secret place, saying that ho had bro't
tidings from her lord, then to slay her, and
bring back a lock of her hair. When they
were coma into the wood, Gentle Dove, who
carried her babe with her, pleaded so touch
ingly that the messenger of death relented,
and spared her life, if she would but retreat
into the woods and be seen in human compa
ny no more. Then he cut a lock from her
jet-black hair and peaceably departed.
How she wandered unhurt amid the beasts,
slept in a hollow tree how a wild buffalo be
came tame and gave milk from its udders for
her sustenance, how the Virgin took her un
der her sweet protection, and the birds sang
for her, and the corn and fruits ripened in her
retreats, all these things, form part of- tho his
tory of. Gentle Dove..
Meantime her lord returned nnbappy. In
moody melancholy he walked among the well
loved haunts and thought of Nitomema. On
the bark of a tree where they had once inscri
bed their mutual emblems, new hieroglyphics
met his eyebcyond the date when she had
been accounted false. Then the truth flashed
upon him, aud all night ho roamed the forest,
uttering the most doleful wails.- Ho found
Que-la-wah gathering sticks to make his mor
ning fire. "Base wretch !" he cried, "prepare.
By the Great Spirit, thou shalt die !"
"With this he fixed an arrow on his bow, and
shot him to the heart. Tender and touching
were the second nuptials of Omaint-si-ar-nah
and Xitorucma, and from this pair was descen
ded "Black Hawk!"
CASTING A "DEVIL" OUT OF CHTJKCH.
A Methodist clergyman who has been labor
ing in the vicinity, of Marietta Ohio, was not
long since, preaching to his people on the
miraculous power of tho Apostles over the de
moniac spirits of their day. Ashe was pur
suing his theme, the audience were suddenly
startled by a voice from some one in the con
gregation, demanding in a half-querulous,
half-authoritative tone, 'Why don't preachers
do such things now a days?' In an instant,
every eye in tho house was turned upon this
individual who had the effrontery thus to in
vade the sacredness of their sanctuary.
"The speaker paused for a moment, and fix
ed his penetrating gaze full upon the face of
the questioner. There was an interval of in
tense silence, broken at last by the speaker in
resuming his subject. Not content with a si
lent rebuke, our redoubtable questioner de
manded again, 'Why don't preachers do such
things now a days?' and curling his lips with
a sneer of self-complacency, drew himself up
pompously in his seat.
"Our reverend friend, (who by the way, is a
young man of great muscular power,) calmly
left the desk, and walked deliberately to the
pew where the interrogator sat, and fastening
one hand firmly upon the collar of his coat,
the other on the waistband of his 'unmention
ables,' lifted him square out of the seat, and
bore him down the aisle to the entrance.
Pausing for a moment there, he turned his
eyes upon his audience, and in a clear, full
voice, said, 'and they cast out the devil in the
form of a distiller,' and suiting the action to
the word, out went the knight of the mash-tub,
a la leap frog fashion, into the 6f rcct.
"The good pastor quietly returned to his
desk, and completed his discourse. After clo
sing the services, as he was passing out of the
churh, the out-cast distiller, with an officer of
the law, escorted our clerical friend to the
office of a magistrate, to answer for an assault
upon the person of said distiller. After hear
ing the case, the magistrate dismissed the
clergyman, and after ronndly reprimanding
the complainant, fined him for molesting the
services of the sanctuary.
"Since that day, we believe he has never for
a moment doubted the power of Methodist
preachers to cast out devils, at least within
the limits of the Ohio Conference."
Long Sermons. These, after all, are the
great mistake of clergymen the crying sin of
the pulpit. People will not read long dry
disquisitions upon secular sul jects, and reli
gious subjects uro listened to with pretty much
the same sort of uneasy ears. Tho truth is,
half an hour of good hearty laboring is about
as much as ordinarily sensitive sinners can
stand at one sitting; and when sermons are ha
bitually protracted bey snd that length, those
to whom they are perhaps the most importance
will habitually keep away. The value and ef
ficacy of sermons consist in what is remember
ed, not in that which is forgotten; and a half
dozen curt, epigrammatic sentences, with a
small relish of eloquence and rhetoric, is w orth
more upon a promiscuous congregation than
a whole day's work of preaching under the
ten hour svstcm. Deacons and class leaders
may be suited with ten hour system sermons,
but sinners wou't be and there's tho differ
ence. Long sermons and thin congregations
are inseparable.
Schools ix America. I can positively af
firm, from personal observation, that in point
of general discipline, the American Schools
greatly excel any I have ever seen in Great
Britian. In Canada and in the States, every
suitable provision is made for the purpose of
decency a thing usually neglected in the
parish' and bnrgh schools of Scotland. I was
much pleased with the arrangments in the
American schools to prevent disorder or im
proper interference one with another among
the pupils. All are at small desks not more
than two together in rows; so that the teacher
can conveniently reach every seat in the
school. It is customary likewise, to cause
all the pupils to enter slowly and decorously,
instead of being suffered, as I observe, even
in some of the most pretentious schools of
Edinburg, to rush out like so many wild ani
mals. Wm. Chambers.
rjyTho Nile begins to rise in June, and at
tains 21 to 23 feet of elevation in the middle of
August, and then floods the valley of Egypt,
12 miles wide. The Ganges rises from April
to. August 32 foot, and then creates a flood 100
miles wide. The Euphrates rises between
March and June 12 feet and cover the Baby
Ionian plaint. . . i '
Stemnrian.
Slavery was abolished in. Pennsylvania
in 1780.
When the heart is out of tune, the
tongue seldom does right.
- Nature forces on our hearts a Creator
History a Providence.
Clearfield was taken ofi' Lycoming, and
formed into a seperate county in 1801.
The first Congress met in Philadelphia,
in Carpenter's Hall, in September 1774.
A wag observes that ho looks under
the marriage head for the news of the weak.
Trust not to uncertain riches, but pre
pare yourself for every emergency in life.
Good sanse will lead persons to regard
their own duties, rather than to recommend
those of others.
Wealth docs not make the man, and
should never be taken into the account in our
judgement of men.
Jim Smicks puts everything to use.
Ilis wife has a bald head, and he straps his ra
zor on it.
The first successful attempt in Penn
sylvania, to smelt iron by means of bituminous
coal, was made at Karthaus, in this county.
Be careful how you make love to a
cross-eyed girl. You can't tell whether she
is casting her sweetest glances at yourself, or
at Mr. John Brown, opposite.
The heart that is firmly anchored on
the faith of the promise, "that all things shall
work together for good to them who love God,"
can never despair.
A beautiful and chasto woman is the
perfect workmanship of God, the true glory of
Angels, the rare miracle of the earth, and solo
wonder of the world.
The only sure foundation of human
virtue is religion, and the foundation and first
principle of religion is in the belief of the one
only true God, and a just sense of his attri
butes. It is almost as criminal to hear a wor
thy man traduced without attempting his jus
tification, as to be the author of tho calumny
against him; it is, in fact, a sort of misprison
of treason ngaim t society.
Mrs. Partington adviws all young peo
ple afflicted with the preparation of tho heart,
to apply tho cataract of mustard to draw out
the information; she says she has never known
a failure where tLis devise was followed.
Forgiveness is tho most refined nnd
generous point of virtue that human nature
can attain to. Cowards have dono good and
kind actions; but a toward never forgave it is
not in his nature.
"O mother!" said a very little child,
"Mr. S. does love aunt Lucy; he sits by her,
he whispers to her and he hugs her." "Why,
Edward, your aunt does not suffer that, does
she ?" "Sutler it, yes, mother, she loves it."
The first paper money was issued in
our State in 1723, the same year that Benja
min Franklin made his advent into Philadel
phia, a poor printer's boy, with a roll of bread
under each arm, and a few pennies in his
pocket.
A contemporary gave an anecdote tho
other day, of a father who was asked how he
meant to educate his daughters, and answered,
"I mean to bind them apprentices to their
mother." Tho reply is so beautiful as to com
mand assent without even an eflort to reflect
upon it.
The word Pennsylvania, is derived
from Penn, the name of the founder, sylva, a
wood or forest, and nia a Latin termination
signifying that the word of which it forms a
part is the name of a country. The literal
meaning of the name, therefore, is t:Fenn's
Forest Country."
The following notico was lately fixed
up at a church in Ucrfordshire, England, and
read in tho church: "This is to give notice that
no person is to Ihj buried in this church yard
but those living in the parish; and those who
desire to be buried are desired to apply to tho
parish clerk."
Politeness is never a loosing game.
Civility will always reproduce itself in others,
and the man who is always polite will bo sure
to get, at least, as much as he gives. "No
man," says Lord Bacon, "will be deficient in
respect towards others, who knows the value
of respect to himself ?"
The editor of the Ituthland Herald,
just married to a Boston girl, says that "a pair
of sweet lips, a pink waist ribbon, a swelling
breast and a pressure or two of delicate hands,
will as much unhinge a man as three fevers,
tho measles, a large sized whooping cough, a
pair of lock-jaws, several hydrophobias, and
the doctor's bill. - '
An Irishman, on arriving in America
took a fancy to the Yankee girls, and wrote to
his wife as follows: "Dear Norah: These mel
ancholy lines are to inform you that I died
yesterday, and I hope you are enjoying the
same blessing. I recommend you. to marry
Jemmy O'Rouke, and take good care of the
children.' From your affectionate huoband
till oatb." : -
abhailj lUnbiiig.
2
BAKDS 0? THE BIBLE.
The Bible is a mass of beautiful figures; ita
words and its thoughts arealike poetical; it'
has gathered around its central truthes all na-
tural beauty and interest; it is a templo with
ono altar and one God, but illuminated by a
thousand varied lights, and studded with a
thousand ornaments. It has substantially but
one declaration to make, but it utters it in the
voices of creation. Shining forth from the"
excellent glory, its light has been reflected ou
a myriad of intervening objects, till it has be
come at length attempered for our vision. It
now beams upon ns at once from tho heart of
man, and from the countenance of natnro. It
has arrayed itself in the charms of fiction. It -has
gathered new beauty from tho works of
creation, and new warmth and new power from
the very passions of clay. It has pressed Izi
its service the animals of the forest the flow
ers of the field, the stars of the heavens, all
the elements of nature. The lion spurning the
sands of the desert, the wild roe leaping over
the mountains, the Iamb led in silenco to the
slantrhter, the goat speeding to the w ilderness,
the rose blossoming i Sharon, ilii Iii! droop
ing in the valley, the apple tree bowing under ".
its fruit, the great rock shadowing the weary
land, the river gladdening the dry place, the
moon and the morning star,Car:uelby the eea,
and Tabor in tho mountins, the dew upon tho
womb of the morning, the lain upon the mown
grass, the raiubow encompassing: a dark plate,
the light of God's shadow, the thunder of His
voice, the wind and the earthquake of His
footsteps, all such varied objects are made
as if naturally designed from their creation t
represent nim to whom the Bi)ok and all its
emblems point. Thus the spirit of the Book
has ransacked creation to lay its treasures on
Jehovah's altar, united the innumerable rays
of a far streaming glory on the little hiil of
Calvary, and woven a garland for the bleeding
brow of Emauuel, the flowers of which have
been culled from the garden of a universe.
The power of the Bible over man has been
long obstinately resisted; but resisted in vain.
For ages has this artless, loosely pilod little
Book been exposed to the fire of tho keenest
investigations, a fire meanwhile.whichhas con
sumed contemptuously the mythology of tho
Iliad, the Georgics, the historical truth of
Livy, tho fables ofShaster, tho Talmud, and.
the Koran, the artistic merit of many a popu- .
lar poem, the authority of many a work of phil
osophy and science. And yet there the Bible
lies unhurt, untouched, with not one f its
pages singed, with not even the smell of fire
having passed upon it Many an attempt has .
been mado to scare away this Fiery Pillar of ...
our wanderings, to prove it a mere natural pro
duct of the wilderness; but still night after
night it rises. like one of the sure and ever shi
ning etars in the vanguard of the great march
of man, the old column gliding slow but gni- -ding
certainly to future lands of promise, both
in the life that is and in that w hich cometh
hereafter. -
While other books are planets shining with
reflected radiencc, this Book like the ena ,
shines with ancient and unborrowed rays.
Other books after shining their little season,
may perish in flames fiercer than those which
destroyed the Alexandrian library; this must ;
in essence remain flee as gold, but inconsuma- :
Lie as abestos in the general conflagration.
A KOIHES'S P2AYEE.
A mother had heard of the arrival of her
sailor-boy outside the Cape, and was awaiting .
his return w ith the anxiety a mother alone can .
know. With faith strong in God, she prayed ,
for his safety. News csme that the vessel was -
lost.
Tho father, an unconverted "man, who had
preserved a sullen silence, now wept aloud .
The mother observed, "He is in the hands ;
of Him that doeth all things well," and again
the subdued and softened spirit bowed, com
mending her son and her husband, in an audi
ble voice, to God.
In the morning, the little gate in front of
the dwelling turned on its hinges, the door -
opened, and their son, their lost, loved son,
stood before them. The vessel had been driv- .
en into one of the harbors on the coast, and
was safe. The father rushed to meet him.
His mother, hanging on his neck, earnestly ,
exclaimed, "My child, how caino you here?"
"Mother," said he, as the tears coursed down
his sun-burnt face, "J knew you'd pray mt
kon:e."
What a spectacle ! a wild, reckless youth
acknowledging the efficacy of prayer. It seems
he was aware of his perilous situation, and that
he labored with the thought, "My mother
prays; Christian's prayers are answerod, and I .
may be saved." This reflection when, almost
exhausted with fatigue, and ready to give up
in despair, gave him fresh strength, aad with
renewed courage he labored till the harbor
was gained.
Christian mother, pray for that son who fs
likely to be wrecked in the storm of life, and,
his prospects blasted forever. He may bo
saved. .....
1X7" A firm faith is the beat divinity; a good
life is the best philosophy; a clear consr4uce :
the best law; honesty tb best policy.-
J5
n n
ii