Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1841-04-03

" urounu MS Weist eno ueu inc otner Gnu W
strong thorn bush on a point of the rocks, empted
into his throat pint Of whiskey, and deliberately
laid himself under the water and drowned, and was
discovered on the recession Of the tide. ARer some
demur as to the propriety Of burying him in the
church-yard, II was finally agreed 10. and SO there
rest the bones Of old Dutch Peter, According 70 the
last, and the strongest desire Of his heart.
Whist wss rather singular, the very next sexton,
OF his successor, had teen in his Office bu, shor,
time, until, through accident, or a fit, he fell into
the spring, a short distsnce from the church, and
shared old Peters fate.
In the case Of Peter the power of superstition in
deludns the sool, is s.rikingly manifest. No ono
who knew him. ever, for moment thought that he
was religious nun, and yet he supposed himself
to he a. good any member Of the church, on The
ground Of his reverence to the huge pile Of stones
which compose the church edificc, and his devoted
interest in keeping i'cean. and for the order and
security of KS enclosure. Thus he transferred the
sanc,ity with which he regarded the building and
premises, 10 himself, and became the substantive
spirit Of the most remote indications Of holy
ence and interest. Neither kncwing nor feeling the
nature of true piety, he was not able to distinguish
between its reality and its most disan. associations
and he naturally blended them into one and the same
spirit,
Thsssh it is probable ,ha. there are few who
would associate religious character with suicide,
,housh the act is encouraged by false benevoenee,
and insanity made the cause instead Of derravity
which is probably the guilty source, remotely or
presently of nine oet Of ten suicidal decls) or who
isnorsat or superstitious as Peter ye, it is
to be feared, that many deceive themselves under
the influence of the same feelings. nistaking solemn
impressions for holy affections, and the ave, which
is excited by contact with the materisl sanctuary,
and the rites and circumstances Of religion for the
spiritual power of the truths connected with them
In connection with these serious associations fthey
are punctilious in observing the eIternals which
they have adopted as the ceremonial Of their wor-
ship, they confirmed in the belief Of their piety,
and resign themselves 20 its suf6cicncy wl;hou,
gard to the state of their hearts, and in ignorance
and des,i,uon Of the true spirit Of godliness. Thus
persons will entertain solemn regard for the tenn
pie Of the Lord, who have no reverence for God
himself, be punctual in observance Of the seasons
und forms of worship and yet be unnteres.ed in its
duties-think it almost an unpardonable offence If
there should be any delay as to the Baptism Of their
children, and yet have no serious sense Of their
bap,isma1 vows, and utterly forget and nesec: tem
consider the communion 4 sacred feast, and yet
rise up to "a, sDl drik cherish tho mos, vain and
worldly feelings if indeed they DO no, view il in the
light Of on indulgence, dispensing them from oil re-
lgious feelings ami conduct and giving them IL
cense to sin, until its next return. Such take the
shell for the keyne the cssket for rhe Jewel, the dry
homes Of formality for the living, powerful spr. Of
the gospel. They have name TO live while dead,
the form without tho power of godliness, and arc
characterized by the Saviour as those who cry Lord
Lord, bu, obey not the will food. The heart pu-
rfed is the sea. Of oil true DEVOTION and acceptable
duty. The kingdom ofGod is within you. Cleanse
the heart, and the outside will be clean also.
There is another "reminiscences connected with the
OLD Church. to which it is pleasant to trn, because
Of its exhibition Of truly pious spirit, and its illus
tra,ion Of the principle Of christian sympathy. Good
old Captain Dawson, of the Methodist denomina-
ton, almost daily visited it. ! often me, him going
or returning, or on his favori,e seat, which was .
narrow bench q, the end Of the platform from which
the gallery is entesed, and beneath q broad arch
which covers paved entrance into the body Of ,he
church, and The stairs on The outside Of the gallery
There he would sit for hour almost notonless, with
eyes shut, and q soul evidently absorbed in de-
votion and holy eon,emplations, and under gentle
influence, which the calmness Of his coubtenance
indicated. I often wondered how the old man
could 81, there sioae so longs nor was the mystery
Snraveled, until, in after years it afforded me plea
sure to take the New Testament in my hand, or Z
religious book. and read on the tombstones, or on
the bench on which the captain had delighted to s
and saeJi.a.e Thea could 6sim kindred with the
spiri: ha. had Influenced him, and enter into the
sons which led the pioas veteran to choose .hs
lonely and solemn spot to hold communion with hi'
God, and the spirits Of a better world. The cniy
difference in The graver spirit, and morc intense
interest, with which the aged christian would dwei
on the narrow space Of time allotted to him, th'
app,oaching hour OF death, and eternal scenes
while ne would stimulate his hope and urge his af
fectons upward, and feel that he could adopt thu
language of simeons joyful request, "Lor, now let
test thou thy servant depart in peace, according
thy word, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation"
"Let me die the death Of the righteous, and e
my las, end be like his"
The Toronto ~. c. Pa,rio, states that upward
Of $4,000 soldiers, horse foot and artillery, the ver