The Nevada journal., 1853-09-23
From the Poughkeepsie Eagle.
A Miners Sermon.


young physician, who after having received
his diploma from one Of our Medical Colleges,
finding that there was chance OF gaining a
livelihood by the practice of his profession in the
place Of his nativity, concluded to pack up his
tools and emigrate to the land ct gold on the Pa
cific Here he found no better enc .uragement in
the practice Of medicine, for which he had been
duly prepared and licenced. AS last resort he
turned miner, and exchanged the scalpel for the
pick axe. In a recent letter to a friend at home,
he embodies sort Of valcdictory sermon to his
last pursuit, which is we'll worth perusal.
"WHY WILL YE DIG !'-Son of man ! for the
light of whose presence my spirit ycarnett and
my bowels grumbleth, dost thou ask me why {?
Is it not written that fortune smiles NJ en- fools
And for the sake of the smiles, hath not thy SER
want been making fool, yea, an ass Of himself in
vaina For five years and ten days he has So
iourned in this place--he has dIved into the wa
ter, he has torn ancient rocks from their resting
places and removed them afar Otf-he has like
wise torn his breeches in parts not TO be spoken
of!-he has rooted into the mud like unto a
swine His beard hath grown long the skin up
on his hands and face hath changed its color until
he is now likened unto wild beasts, and his gar
ments are rent and soilcd, so that 'sackcloh and
ashesp would be fine as purple and linen to him.
He would fain feed on husks, but there are none
Yea, he who in times past was wont 10 fare sump-
tuouslv, and to grumble over greater delicacies
snuffs with gladness the fragrance Of pork and
beans and gnashes his teeth impatienty over
irving slanack. He bolteth a raw onion with un.
speak able ayidity. Potatoe skins fear his pres
ence, beef vanishes before him and dogs look in
vain for the bones. He sighs for the flesh pots Of
Egypt, and mournS over the barfenness Of the
lands.
In his sleep nevertheless the good angel OF the
past degns to visit him, and delightful visions are
opened to bis recollection, for delicious bill of
fare floats before the mind of the dreamer, and
he orders oysters and terrapin for six only to
awaken to his Internal slapjacks and rnelasSes.
All this hath thy servant endured. Is he not
then a fool an abomination in the sight of wis
dom And is it not unto such o2ly, that fortune
dispcrses her fayors Yet she hath deserted me.
l approach her and she Hieth | double on her
trail y and she turneth away Iawait her coming
and she stands still Isecrete mySelfin her path,
and seize her unawares! But she glideth OFT as
though had caught hog by his creased tail
Sic transit, | cXclairn, with sick heart reyile
poverty and curse fortune.
Lo! are not these evils And wherefore should
they be visited upon thy servant! Surely he
hath not sinnc as other men slnneth lie hath
not coveted his neighbo1s OK, nor his ass nor his
man servant, nor his maid seryant-for be ii
known unto thee, that there are no maid servants
here. He has abided by the Flaw and the proph-
cts" but the PROFITS have not abded by him
out sIopc-I depart without scrip or provinder,
taking no heed for the morrow, for the morrow
takes no care of me. Ere five days shall have
passed the shirt tail of thy servant will be waving
in the breezcs of Nevada. a remnant Of it will
be nailed on the highest mountain that he crosses,
IN emblem of the extremity to which man may
be reduced in the land Of Ophir Yet think not,
oh! Elisha, that | would rend my garments, for
this alone. Verify I say unto thee, an evil gcni-
us hath long pursued me. She hath followed me
close upon my footsteps, that every thread and
fibre of nv raiment is familiar to her eye. And
fin pursuit o. me, she should gaze upon this relic
in the solitary Businesses of the mountains, she
will at once recognize it. and believing to have
been torn and destroyed by wild beasts, she will
retrace her steps and thus | will escape her.
90 hence, Elijah, unto the town of Sonora,
where it has been prophesied that thy servant
will heal the sick, AMI prosper with amazing pros
pcrity. AS Moses reared the serpent in the will
derness for the children of Israel to look upon and
be cured Of their infirmites, so / will elevate my
sign among the Gentiles, and they may gaze upon
it and be made whole. Their offerings of gold
and silver will be acceptable unto me, and if they
live not afterwards, peradyenture they may find
treasure in Heaven.