The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1856-01-05
FOE lHE CALEDONIAN
LEAVES FROM OAKLAND
Gp 1a!iI NawiDornr.
Our S8lDbnel,s.

Nery,very quiet are the Sabbaths at our
new home. Think OF it, o We who in the
thronged cities, or busy villages, or quiet
country places, gather, each Sabbath morn
ing, at the cheerful call of the bell, to your
wonfed places Of prayer,-think of a country
place 50 quiet, that no Sabbath bell ever
breaks the stiffness, where Natures voice is
the only cali to worship.
We hear no bell, we See no stir; but we
know that at a little school house over the
hull, and through the opening" will gather
a few worshipperS to hear the word of lite
Our morning duties are done, we don our
Sundays best, and when the weather is fine,
set OF! FOR walk to the meeting" q, what
glorious mornings are some of these God
needs not mans temples here. for lie has /
reared to Himself temples in these grand old
woods, where His glory shincth cvermorc =
and from ten thousand throats is going up a
hymn Of grateful praise, such as never rose
heavcnward from human choir. Everything !,
around us seems full of vigorous life. Even
the road We tread seems to know that it has !
the freedom of The woods, and performs all
manner OF antics winding about, dod yins,
now to the left OF large tree. and now TO /
the right, and now dividing Itself in two and
embracing a large old stump III its centre
and next. making a long dcour to avoid
little spot where the rank grass and reeds be
tray the hiding, lace Of water. Certainly
nobody would ever suspect that this road was
projected or made by mans Jesi IN 1t cyi-
IDENTIFY grew out of the nature of the case.--
Truly. it is crooked enough to suit the veri-
est hatcr OF straight lines
Occasionally, tie echoes are startled bv
most un-Sabbath- like, >addening sound-thc
gun Of some strollinC hunter for where So
ciety is in state of formation, its restraints
are few and weak, and consequently sin is
bolder, and does openly what in older com
munites, can only be done in a corner. The
oufwayi distinction between good and bad is
far more strongly marked.
At last the school house is reached Ii is
a cozy little spot, enclosed on three sides by
hills, with the white, low rooted building,
surrounded on all sides by :all oaks. In
,oosed from the wagons and fastened to the
trees stand the horses and oxen which have
brought :bc congregation together VI VIC
have arrived early, We crowd in behind the
desks ard take back seat, which, By the
wav. W. ind r.uch too h.yh and narrow for
convenience or comfort. People come drop
piry in for an hour or So. according AS their
clocks are fast or slow, suppose. Men who
are or have been lawyers, doctors, or judges,
sit down on the low seats, and for the time,
at least, become like little children in
some RESPECTS, although, by the frequent
stretching Of their cramped limbs during the
service, they have evidently a realizing sense
of being 4 lite u,elikc them in some others
Handsomely dressed women, and women in
calicoeS and sun -bonnets, crowd the "lalcs'
side Of the house. Men with their dogs be
hind them, and mothers with babies i'll their
arms exc out the congregation, and help to
fill every nook and corner, and the rough
temporary seats in the middle of the floor.
The preacher" Oo use a Wcsternsm.)
,u..l.ll, ar. w,tL v,,,,l ,,,,vo by
ture,and refined by cultivation, though some
what dullcd by long attrition with rough hu-
manity, but earn, >t and faithful in his efforts
20 plant the seed, of truth in the hearts OF
his flock. His prayers are the simple, child
like petitions for our daily bread" and
thank sgIviEg for common, constant blessings,
which no man can utter, who does not see the
hand Of a Father in each event of life, j"
however trivial, and fully appreciate the
beautiful promise will hold thee bv thv
right hand. and thou malt be saved"
His sermons are striking examples of the
perfect simplicity o. the gospel, and its ad-
aptedness to all clas~c, spoken, as they are,
to an audience where almost every name and
sect are represented - Ny Master has CIV
en- us this warning my Master has given
y this promise-has sent US this message of
love-" is the simple burden of his liscourses
:, Rut ;he good man 5 mnlstratons are devoted
to another flock, a few miles distant, on earl
alternate week, and VT seldom find his equa
= in the desk the interN Ncning Sabbath.
On one of these occasions, not long since
we found, on entering the place of worship
that we were later than usual Most of tn,
people had assembled the preacher was il
the desk-a stranger, with white, fat face
and very round head, or lamentcd with
covering of white, strai ght hair The seat
were nearly all filled, but woman with
ROSY little baby on her lap, kindly made room
for me beside her. The meeting was opcne,
with singing ard the minister rose to pray
But such prayer, He must have Learned
a list of mcrcies by rote, as pedler does tn
contents of his tin trunk, Tor the rapidity
with which he enunciated his petitions ant
nra;scs was wonderful, bending his bod,
ne,rIx to the desk with each effort, and draw
" ;no in his breath at the last word, with
tome which, inasmuch as sound cannot b
wr;tten. was utterly lescribabIc. lie open
' ed his sermon, after announcing his text, b.
saving that probabl, we had heard that por
..,,.b J;xnensed ,rtth before. and there