Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1854-12-06

ed, grey hairs, in common with the rest OF the
head. -
The ears, moreover, are alarmingly long and
| broad and stick out from the bare, lumpy,
bony sides of the head as If designed, in his
case, for pair of wings and looking at the
long, slender, shrivelled neck, there is q feel
ing of uneasiness lest the head should actual
| ly fly off from the body.
And then, when he speaks, which is always
! in low, soft, femeninc voice, there is curl
| of the lips and iendish sort of grin in the fea-
lures, discovering, at the same time, sett of
long, yellow teeth.
This, reader, is not altogether carricature
however much the finer feelings of delicacy
may revolt at the picture. Kings and Emper-
ors are not always great in proportions, as they
are great in name and lineage; nor digniied
| in appearance and Il anly in bearing, accord
| ing to their rank and elevation in the world.
| The mere circumstances of birth and royalty
| have, in all ages, filled most of the thrones of
nations; and it has been their misfortune to
| fill them, too often, with persons as deficient
| in body as they have been in capacity. This
was mournfully the fact about this period in
r ONE The Immediate successors of Angus
tus were mere carricatures-living only for
their appetites, ,iand relinquishing their thrones
| for premature death, brought by their
| own, or the vices of their ancestors.
| Nor is this all of our Emperor. He must
also be viewed in his private, domestic reia-
| tions.
| And here, instead of finding the grateful
@h. foil fb.a Low
| ing husband, spreading joy and happiness
around him, his character is blackened with
| every odious, unnatural crime. Childish pet
ulance, and low, mean jealosy, have, as al
ready intimated, put his wife and mother to
death; his fits of furious anger has driven his
children from him while his nearest relatives
and most confidential friends approach him
with trembliugs.
Then, this private develOpement Of eharac-
ter has taken wider sweep, and philosophers
and statesmen have alike fallen bsfore it. 4
Seneca has been put to death, and scores Of
Senators, as we'll as many Of the Roman no
biity ave shared like fate.
This is the bloody Nero-this poor, diminu-
tive crcature-whose inglorious reign so pre-
cipita' cd the declining gorics of the Empire;
and of whom it has been Justly chronicled,
that >seyery act Of his life was an outrageous,
horrid crime - and who as al history con-
cedes burnt two-thrds Of Rome, and then
blamed it upon the Christians, only that he
| might have an opportunity of witnessing fresh
deeds OF cruelty, torture, and death.
Bu, who are these Christians this little
group Of joyous mourners, now seated in the
| presence Of this bloody tyrant, as stated p
who have unfortunately fallen under his dis
pleasure yea-whom kings and Emperors, in
later times, have combined to crush.
They were the disciples and followers of ore
Jesus Of Nazareth. = And who is this? Such
a question, volumes would scarce cufice to an
swer. 1t must do, however, to gay, that he
was born in Judea, lived poor man, and died
a martyrs death.
Ae was great teacher, however and, among
many other marvellous things which he said
and done, he taught strange and wondcrous
doctrine.
| He told of another life and world, beyond
the gloomy vale of death, where there were
no aching heads nor bleeding hearts; where
there no sickness, nor sorrow-whose
fields were perpetually green, whose flowers
never faded, and whose sun never set III dark
ness, and where decrepit age was renewed in
| to all the unchanging lovelness of youth.
| Then, he told of what must be done here in
! order to get there-how men must repent and
| believe, do good, love mercy, and walk hum
| bly, with God and, if needs be, rejoice in trib-
ulation, suffer the loss Of all things, and brave
death in any, or all of its horrors.
These things, great multitudes in Rome had
/ rejoiced to know and believe; and had set them
selves earnestly about the doing of those things
which were required, in order that, at death,
they might go to this strange, happy world
And they called them Christians, or by way
Of reproach-Nazarenes.
| To be continued.