The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-02-05
CHAP. VII.
g A daw s not rec koned a religious bird
Because il keeps a-cawing from a steeple.r


! II would give notice to the congregation
that the Rev. Mark Tyler will address the au
dience this afternoon, on the subject of Foreign
Missions, and give some account of new race
the Whalla Basheen, said to have been discovered
in the vicinity Of the source Of the Niger in the
interior of Africa
| How well do | remember the above announce
ment, as it fell from the lips Of good old
| Father Mason, in Chesterwood church, one win
try Sabbath afternoon, and the glance of eager
curiosity which | bestowed upon the bland,
oily-lookiDg individual who eat leaning back in
the pulpit at his side.
Not that the appearance Of an agent was a
wholly new event in that place, for we were
sometimes favored with their presence, though
Father Mason's two round, clear-eyed glasses
were said to look rather obiiquely upon the
mass of them, and they usually confined them
selves to the new portion of the town.
Little pitchers have big ears;" and there
was q little pitcher in Miss Agues's parlor, who
sometimes heard it limited that Father Mason
was cod fashioned not to say obstinate; that
he did not keep up with the demands of the
church; and unless he could De made to see
has failure, they could not expect to "compete"
with the Second Society, or even the Method
lists and Episcopalians, who had already come
IN and erected the banners of their respective
creeds the bearing Of which remarks little
pitcher by no means comprehended then. Bat
this announcement was clear this man would
speak of Africa that wondrous land "beyond
the line," of which Uncle Steve had told Ad'line
and me-where "they raised lions, and tigers,
and the hump-backed camels," pictures of which
he had drawn for US in the wet beach sand be.
fore his door, where the whole sea coast was
edged by border of bright gold dust. Had 1
not spent hour after hour, when Miss Agnes
thought me coming the lesson in the geogra-
ply before me, at the picture of the Sphynx, in
traVersng the great desert, feeling its hot breath
upon my cheek, its burning sands scorching my
feet, boundless, vast, and silent, as the great
luminous sky above my head?
And so / listened eagerly to each word the
preacher let fall that afternoon, and they were
many; but, oh what different Africa than
the one Of Uncle Steve's picturing! My warm,
rich, luminous image was blotted out in the
universal darkness, both moral and physical, in
which the speaker shrouded the "Swart Mother
of Nations" With his measured, sepulchral
tones, he dwelt upon the curse of Canaan, and
the terrible punishment which awaited the
slcth and selfishness OF the churches in with
holding the means Of conversion, until l shud-
dered with terror, and expected to see Miss
Agnes and every one tear off their rich Jewels
and clothing, and, wrapping about them the
sacl1cloth and ashes, of which the preacher
spoke as most betting their sins, go at once
to the perishing nations Of Africa l Judged
like child. | had not learned the difference
between sentiment and earnest belief. Miss
Agnes did no sunh thing she merely wiped
away her tears that the speakers fowery perora-
ton had drawn forth, and joining Miss Moore,
they walked home, discussing the ministers
style, his looks, his manner, his small, white
hands; then, Miss A gnes quoted some passages
from Dumas's 80 Sinai" a copy Of which, pre-
scented by Cousin Ralph, always lay, with her
French dictionary and grammar, in e conspicu.
GUS place on her 9arlor table, and Miss Fanny
reioined with some stanzas from Mrs. Hemans's
Traveller at the Source Of the Nile;" and this
was al.
No; for that week tie reverend gentleman
attended Miss A1tnes home from the sewing
circle, and followed up the acquaintance by
! frequent calls, often remaining to dinner or
tea, doing ample justice to the good things Of
the table, while lie descanted, in that suave,
subdued, but rathsr sweet voice of his, on self.
sacrifice and depotion, and how remarkably
and beautifully these virtues had been in all
ages illustrated b. woman.
Miss Agnes esrly introduced nae to his no.
| tice, and told my STORY.
"Ah, a suggestion of Mr.. Ralph Annesley's.
n2u ihe EOnor ID meet tE;iC gentie man at the
house of a friend. while attending the Anniver.
saries in New York, some two CT three wears
since. He seemed strongly tinctured with the
pernicious dogmas Of the times-the pride of
| human reason; but Providence sometimes
chooses to work With strange instruments. and
can make even the wrath Of man to praise
| Him. ! can scsrcely conceive how person
bound in the sweet ties of relationship to your
salf and en;oyinS the inestimable advantage of
your society, can hold such errors.'
Miss Agnes b!ashed, and made answer, that
her Cousin Ralph's errors were indeed source
OF great grief to- her; but she really believed
he had a good heart.
TIE heart; aye, nly dear Miss Lathrop, we
cannot Judge such people by the kselt. The
unregenerate heaTt is deceitfui and desperately
wicked. He MAJ De charitable, benevolent,
virtuous, and hoiest; but 1 need not tell you
that these are Tat the cloak, the poor filthy
rags, which delsded morality and selfright.
eousness wrap around their victims" returned
| Mr.. Tyler, with q mournful sway of the head,