Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-09-27
search The Scriptures.

"SuWm CuiQUen sends us these recS:-One
of the Rev. MIR. Surgeons slamming senten-
ces,' which you quoted in a recent number OF
the Home Journal. reminds me of a sermon
preached in the old Bay State, some forty or
fifty years ago, by famous minister, in which
the same point was made, and, probably, To
his audience, with quite as telling in effect
His text was Search the Scriptures and after
enforcing it in variety of ways he clinched his
argument by the following narrative, of which
l omit and qualify some portions, as somewhat
too bomely for your columns: My dear breth-
rem, God works in a mysterious way, and amt
above using the hum6lest means to bring his
critters to their senses, when be sees them
slothtul in business, and gong down 10 he'll
with their eyes shut; aud here's point, which
affords a solemn warning to all who neglect
this great duty. Some time ago, knew a
man down at Marbehead Pont-a fisherman
"a desperate, wicked man, profane swearer,
a drunkard, who never dsrkened the doors Of
the meetn' house, or took delight in holy
Kings. lie had a family-a wife, three sons
and two daughters--all bad as himself all
igoin' straight down to hell rs fast as their
egs could carry them.-But at last they were
lroHght 60 their senses in this wise, and from
limbs of Satan, transmogri6ed into children
n light Once upon time there was great
tOubie in the heads of this family Ii was
lmg since they had been moved or raked, and
81 20 speak, there was varmin in the grass
Tley All got desperate uneasy, and 10 come 20
tbs point at once, there was loud cry for the
fine tooth comb. But, my friends, nobody
kmw where il was. IL couldn't be found II
oo,ldn't be found And so il went on from
bal TO worse. Scratchin' WAS of no Hse-'twas
toe bad for sesatchin Lookin' wouldn't do
'tms too bad for looku'. They hunted every
WHERE for the old line tooth comb-irom gar
retto cellar, and from cellar TO garrett They
rsRacked every closet and every drawer,
batit couldn't be found. Here the preacher
paued, and looked around; then went on in
a low, solemn aud earnest tone. Ar length it
wasiound. Who found il | don't know; bat
il cs found, 10 the great JOY and everlasting
salv ton of all that family. And. my friends,
tches do you think they found ilg say pkere
do pn think they found li A long pause
'The found il in the old family Bible, (sOf,o
Coce They found IL in the old family Bible,
(ereseRdO) They found IL in the old family
Biblf (iR a u0ice Of LtHRder) and the dust las
90 thick on IL that YOU might hare written
ddnlMtiOn on the kivCr. Therefore, IN 4,
tone Fdeep emOtiOR,) my beloved brethren,
scare the Scriptures
Vey likely ], Is of the same preacher that
the FLOWING anecdote j. told Ia which, un-
: luckif, he came OF second best.
May years ago, when the new sects OF New
Englad began TO break down the good ola
congregational barriers, and make incnrsions
into te sheeptolds Of the regular clergy, a
reverod divine, whom well knew--a man,
at ono, Of infinite ecoentrieity, good sense aud
good hmor--encouutered one OF these irregu.
lar Practitioners at tie house Of one AZ his
flock. They bad pretty bot discussion on
their pint of difference, bot at length the Ia.
terlope finding more than bis match al pollen.
ics, wond of by saying: We'll, doctor yon'l
at leastsll0w that Il wss commanded 90 preach
the gosel 20 every crtier.' True rejoined
the doc,r--'trne enough But then | never
did hea that Il was commanded 10 every
Acritter 70 preach the gospel"