The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1854-03-03
KNOXVILLE CORRESPONDENTS.
KNOXVILLE, Feb. 9th, 1854.

Dear Sir intended to write you yes
terday, but 4 second reflection led me to re-
frain lest some Of your most conscientious
readers might remember that wrote my last
on the Sabbath and might consider me in the
vile LIGHT of Sabbath-brcaker. Is it Sab
bath. breaking to write a social letter to
friend! That's question want settled some
time between now and next Sunday. How
could one spend 4 long Sabbath like ycster-
day, here in this solitary retreat, without writ
ing to you, or some other well known friend!
The social principle is too strong: flesh and
blood can't bear it, without wife or children
or friends to cheer one the whole live-long
day. The day was too rainy, the winds were
too boisterous and March-likc, and the streets
100 muddy, to allow of going over to my usual
place of worship, or even to step down the
shorter distance and hear that good young
minister, Mr.. lluilaker, preach at Temperance
Hall.
| read yesterday, with greater care than
ever before, Christ's sermon on the Mount.
Let the man who cannot or will not 60 to
church on the Sabbath-day, turn to the sa-
cred pages of st. Matthew and read that SER
mon. lie will lose nothing, then, by staying
away from public service. mean no disre-
spcct to the ministry, and certainly do not UNI
dervaluc the Importance, nay the indispcnsi-
blcness, OF their functions; but must say
what feel, that the reading Of that sermon
on yesterday, several times over, did me more
good than any sermon could have heard at
church. And fancy it would have been so
with others, who no doubt were in their ac-
customed seats on yesterday. have been to
all the churches at Knoxville several times in
the last year, and notice at all one sign of
inattcntion to the services which argues bad
" for the benefit the hearers are receiving,
let the service be in itself as excellent as it
may. allude to the habit Of looking round
al any increment in the congrcgation-as Il
person coming in, or leaving. ! see the old
est and most pious worshippcrs doing so. !
want to say to them, "you come here to mor-
ship God, in this his holy temple; and your
doing SO with your heart and your soul is al
together Independent Of the presence or the
absence, the coming in or going out of this
man or that woman. Then why your curiosi-
ty! Poor crring mortal, undcccive yourself
if you believe you came here solely to wor-
ship the Most High, and know that no incon-
siderable part of your induccmcnt wa mere
idle curiosity to see who would be here, and
what would be done. Better stay at home
and read THE SERMON" Yes, THE SERMON.
1t is my proof Of inspiration, of the truth of
the scriptures, of another world beyond "this
visible diurnal sphere" because it is too lofty,
too pure, too holy for poor human nature to
originate. 1t is incontestibly gift from God
to man. Then there is a God, and the rest
follows.
| wish had some news to write you in
stead of this dull philosophy, or religion, or
whatever it is. But really have not. There
has not occurred anything of striking inter.
est since my last, except perhaps temper
ancc meeting at the court house one evening
about the middle Of the week, designed to
produce some harmony of action among the
several temperance organizations Of the city.
intended going to the meeting, as belong
to one temperance organization; but rs was
taking my new hat down from the top Of n
wardrobe, heavy plank box rat trap come
tumbling down unbiddcn on my head; and had
it not been for remarkable toughncss Of the
ceryical vcrtcbrm and uncommon thickness
Of the left parietal bone, this correspondence
would have been ended co mSianie. The
blow stunned me, il fact, 50 that could not
get to town: and certain numbncss, and
dulness Of intellect Il lcar) are yet the con.
sequences. Reader, if this letter is duller
than you think il ought to be, lay it Oh the
rat trap and don't 90 to blaming me with it.
In fact the blow knocked all the news liter
ally out of me, and has kept me from going
over to the city since to get any more. The
only news have heard since the accident was
from a celebrated young borc-the bore, pal
exccllcncc-Of Knoxville, whose well known
visage is sign of dismay wherever he ap'
pears, who called the other night at my re.
treat and gave me the important intelligence
that the Turks had taken COnStantinopie!-
"Ah, iEdccd"-"ycs, believe Mr.. Gibbor
told me of it before" said |. "Gibbon!" sid
he" 81 did not know such n man lred in torn. "
The Corporation of this city has determined
to erect gas-works, and light the place with
gas. am opposed to it. By the single ruiz
of three | want this sum worked out: If the
aforesaid young bore, with dark streets, could
make his way the whole distance to my re.
treat, what would become of me, and Others
who live in the heart of the city, if the streets
were lighted with gas' Ans. Bored 10 death
This city is determined 10 be a city in real
ty as in name: instance, the gas-ights soon
to be provided. We have now another long
sought dcsidcratum in our new market house
which was opened recently. | understand
that gentleman came in the other morning
with wagon load of produce and had his
servants to arrange the various articles most
tastcfully in their respective stalls, and stood
waiting in the cold wintry air at day-break in
expectation of the eager throng of hungry
denzcns who he thought would come rush.
Ing TO the market place