The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1856-11-19

optyeu without a murmur. The smoking
ylands were arranged on the tables by scores
OF slaves, and the throng prepared to COM
mence the sumptuous meal, when a voice
pealed from the pulpit. loud as the blast Of
a trumpet in battle, "stay, gentlemen and
ladies, till the giver of the barbecue asks
Gods blessing =
Every heart started, every eve was direct
ed to the speaker; and whisperless silence
ensued, Tor all alike we're struck by his re-
marlable appearance. lie was almost ri-
ant in stature, though scarcely twenty years
of age; his hair, dark as the ravens wing.
flowed down his immense shoulders in masses
Of natural ringlets, more beautiful than ever
wreathed around the jeweled brow Of queen
by the labored achievements of human art
his eyes, black as midnight, beamed like
stars over face pale as Paran marble, calm,
passonless, spiritual, and wearing singu-
lar, indeiinable expression, such as might
have been shed BY a light of dream from
Paradise, or the luminous shadow OF an an
gers wing. The heterogeneous crowd, hum
ters, gamblers, homicides, gazed in mute
ast0nishment
The missionary prayed-but it sounded
like no other prayer ever addressed to the
throne OF the Almighty. II contained no
encomiums on the splendor of the divine at
tributes; no petition in the tone Of commands;
no orisons for distant places, time, or OBJ
jects; and no implied instructions as to the
administration Of the government of the
Universe. 1t related exclusively to the pre-
sent people, and the present hour; it was
the cry of a naked soul, and that soul
beggar for the bread and the water Of heay-
enly life.
He ceased, and not till then did become
conscious of weeping. | looked around
through my tears, and saw a hundred faces
wet as with rain.
"Now, my friends" said the missionary.
"partake Of Gods gifts at the table, and then
come and sit down and listen to his Cos
pel."
1t would be impossible to describe the
sweet tone Of kindness in which these SIM
pie words were uttered, that made him on
the instant FIVE hundred friends. One heart,
however, in the assembly, was maddened by
the evidence OF the preachers wonderful
power. Col. Watt Foeman exclaimed in
sneering voice: "Mr. Paul Denton, your
reverence has lied. You promised us not only
good barbecue, but better liquor. Where
is the liquor: !"
There" answered he missionary, in
less finger at the matchiess Double spring.
gushing up in two strong columns, with a
sound like shout of joy from the bosom of
/ the earth. There" he repeated, with a
look terrible as lightning, while his enemy
actually trembled on his feet 'tthefe is the
liquor, which God the Eternal brews for all
( his children.
''Not in the simmering still, over smoky
I fires, choked with poisonous gases, and sur
rounded with the stencil Of sickening odors
aud rank corruption, doth your Father in
Heaven prepare the precious essence Of life,
the pure cold water. But in the green
glade and grassy dell, where the red deer
wanders, aud the child loves to play, there
God himself brews il and down, low down
in the deepest valleys, where the fountains
murmur and the rills sing and high on the
tall mountain tops where the naked granite
glitters like gold in the sun, where the
storm-cloud brOods and the thunder-tones
crash and away far out on the wide, wild
sea, where the hurricane hOwls music, and
lbg waves roar the chorus, ''sweeping the
! march &c God"-there he brcws it, that bey-
erage Of life, health giving water. And ey-
cry where il j. thing OF beauty, cleaning
: in the dcw.drop; singing in the summer
rain: shining IN the icegcm, till the trees
all seem turned TO living iewels-spreading
a golden veil over the setting sun, or a white
! gauzc around the midnight moon; sporting
! in the cataract; sleeping in the glacier;
, dancing in the hail shower; folding its
bright snow curtains softly about the wintry
: world; aud weaving the many .eolorcd iris.
that seraph's zone Of the sky, whose roof is
the sunbeam Of heaven, all checkered DER
with celestial flowers, BY the mystic hand of
rcfractiun. Still always il i beautiful
that blessed iiie.wateF! No poison bubbles
/. on IL brink; is foam brings not madness
and murder; no blood stains its liquid glass |:
! pale widows and starving orphans weep not
. burning tears IN it, clear depths no drunk
ards shrieking ghost from the grave curses
! il IN words Of eternal despair! Speak out,
. ms friends, would You exchange Il for the
i; demons driiik-alcclol 20
!, A shout Ike tie roar Of a tempest answer
! ed-"N0:"
!, Critics need never tell inc again that back.
$ woodsmen are deaf to the divine voice of
. eloauencc. tur saw, at that moment, the
: missionary held Tie hearts ii Tie multitude,
"a il were. IN the hollow Of his hand. and
iIe popular feeling rem in current so ir-
! resistible, that even the duclist, Watt Foe
man, dared not venture another interruption
!, during the meeting.
i have Just reviewed nv rerurt of that
9 singular speech ID ihc foregoing sketch, but
alas. discover that | have utterly failed 10
I convey the foil impression ~ ms reason ard
Imagination received il. The language. 20
be sure. i ihefc--tliat never could forget ;
y bHt Il lacks lie spirit; the tones IL unuttcr.
able pathos. the csdenecs Of m0urnlul mn.
e sic. Alternating with crashes of terrible pow .