American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1851, 1851-03-27
AMERICAN TELEGRAPH


A POINTED FuYERAL DIsoouRsE.-The Cat
skin Wig, few days since, published a sketch
Of sermon by the Rev. Mr.. Murdoch, over The
remains of one Vedder. man of wealth. who
went to California, and came home to die. The
text was from James ~, 10: $50 ye now, We
that say to-day or tomorrow we will go into
such city, and continue there year, and buy
and sell, and get gains, whereas ye know not
what win be on the morrow For what is your
life? 1t is even vapor, that appeareth for a
little time, and then yanisheth away" The
style Of the sermon may be judged from the
opening. After giving the California frenzy
review, the Doctor says
''No case, however, has excited more remark
than the present. A man possessed of ample
property, dwelling at home in his palace of a
house, surrounded by those richly-cultivated
fields, in the midst of his friends and numerous
relatives, prospecting in all the gifts which a
kind Providence showered down upon him. is
seized with the gold mania, leaving his native
place to embark on the ocean, to which he is
an entire stranger, takes the most hazardous
voyage unknown Cape Horn-endures
all the hardships of that stormy sea for months,
then lands on that strange coast, submitting
himself to themerest drudgery of work to which
miners life is subjected and after eighteen
months trouble and difficulty realizes few
hundred dollars, with which he prepares to re-
turn to his really rich home, and is robbed Of
the whole, and left as beggar in the heartless
community. But finding his way hitherward,
he endures still greater hardships on his return
voyage--sickens as soon as he touches the land
Of his native State, and just succeeds in reach
/ ing his doorstep when death seizes him, and
( his grave is dug behind what was his own
barn" II ass7s
Mr.. LINTON lately made a communication to
the Asiatic Society of London, descriptive Of
mode of punishment peculiar to the criminal
code of the Celestial Empire A Chinese mer-
chant, accused and convicted of having killed
his wife, was sentenced to die by the total de-
priyation of sleep. The execution took place at
Annoy, in the month of June last. The con-
demned was placed in prison under the surveil-
lance Of three guardians, who relieved each
other at every alternate hour, and who pre-
vented him from taking any sleep night or day.
He lived thus for nineteen days, without having
slept for single minute. At the commence
ment of the eighth day his sufferings were so
cruel, that he begged as q great favor that they
would kill him by strangulation.
ROME, Rome is, perhaps, the only place
that docs not disappoint in any respect the
traveller. Its wonderful buildings, seen by its
wonderful light, are perfectly confusing at first;
and l have not yet settled into anything like
reasoned admiration of the beauties round me-
The character Of the churches is not religious.
The buildings always give me the idea of gor-
geous festiyity rather than of religion. This
especially with ST. Peter--wonderfully impos-
ing asst is. 1T does not suggest prayer.
- ---------u----- ,g4..
HUMBLE PERsoNs.-The husband who does
his wife's churning, and the man who says that
he thinks you do him too much honor.