The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1855-08-10
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that religion is reality, and that those who
are actuated by the spirit, and governed by
its principles, are entitled TO confidence and
respect.
The following anecdote was related to us
a few days since. 1t has been published and
better than we can tell it-but it will bear
| repetition.
Two men were travelling in the far west :;
one skeptic and the other Christian. The for
ner was OH every occasion ready to denounce
religion as an irnposture, and professors as
hypocrites According to his own account
of the matter, he always suspects those who
made pretentions to piety-felt particularly
exposed in the company of Christians-took
special care of his horse and his pockets when
the saints were around him. ,.
They had travelled late one evening and
were in the wilderness; they at last drew
near to solitary hut, and rejoiced at the
prospects of shelter, however humble
They, asked admission and obtained. But
1T was almost as dreary and comfortless
within as without; and there was nothing
progressing in the appearance of its in
habitants. These were an elderly maii, his
wife, and two sons-sun burnt, hardy and
rough They were apparently hospitable,
and welcomed the travellers to such homely
fare as the forest afforded; but this air of
kindness might be assumed to deceive them,
and the travellers became seriously appre-
hensiye that evil was intended. II was a
lonely place, suited to deeds of robbery and
blood. No help was at hand. The two
friends communicated to each other their ap-
prehensions, and resolved that on retiring to
their part of the hut-for there were two
apartments in it-they were to secure it as
well as they could against the entrance of
the night in watching, so that one of them
should be constantly on guard while the
other slept.
Having hastily made their arrangements,
they partook of their homely fare, and spoke
of retiring to rest. The old man said it had
been his practice in better times, and he con-
tinued it still, before his family went to
rest at night, to commend them to God, and
if the strangers had no objection he would
do so now. The Christian to find brother
in the wilderness, and even the skeptic could
not conceal his satisfaction at the PROPOSE
tion. The old man took down a well worn
Bible, on which no dust was gathered,
though age had marked it, and read wish
reverence portion Of the Sacred Scriptures
He then supplicated the Divine protection.
acknowledged the divine goodness, and
prayed, for pardon, guidance, grace and sal
walton. He prayed, too, for the strangers /;
that they might be prospered on their jour
ney, and at the close of their earthly jour-
ney, they might have home in Heaven
He was evidently a mar Of prayer, and that
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was wont to be made.
The travellers retired TO their apartment.
Accordingly to their previous arrangements,
the skeptic was to have the first watch ofthe
night, but instead Of priming his pistols and
bracing his nerves for the attack, he was
rapping himself in his great coat and cover
ing himself in his blanket, as if he had never
thought Of danger. His friend reminded him
of their arrangements, and asked him how
he had lost his apprchensions of danger q
The skeptic felt the force Of the ques-
tion, and Of the all it implied--and he
had the frankness to acknowledge that he
could not but feel himself as safe as at a
New England freside, in any house or in
any forest where the Bible was read as the
old man read it, and prayer was offered as
the old man prayed.-Ereter Neaos Letter.
W.
RAILROAD PoETRY--A correspondent OF
the Broome country Republican, describes
his jaunt over the Syracuse. and. Birming-
ham Railroad, from Cortland, in the follow
ing poetical strain -
So much worte in Cortland,s bounds
and would have finished there, had not the
down train 'dwhishe lound resounded through
the air. :. So shaking Fairchild by the hand,
who had come up again, I bid farewell "a
every fear, and jumped upon the train
Rushing round the hill side, darling DER the
rivers, under roads, Van Bergen drove his
train. The moon sthrew bright efulgent
rays on each small ripple's crest; the river
seemed ribband stretched across the mead
ow's breast; the evening wind came steal.
ing through the car with gentle sigh, and
brought a cinders from the engine, spang
into my eye; few aud short were the prayers
said, and spoke not word OF sorrow, but
4 lIfnbbed at my eye till I mado it red, and
tknev stwould be sore on che morrow. We
81 not homo at the rate we ran, at an houl
juSl light foff retiring, and down from hi
post oaine The engine man, and the fireman
ceased his firing. And thus too will ceas'