Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1867-12-24
YELvERToN.
The NEGLECTED. Warning.

The Neglected Warning
Embosomed in the hills above the village
Of Sheffield, in England, was a large artificial
lake, covering some seventy-six acres. A vast
body Of water was imprisoned here, kept back
In front by huge embankment. All down the
valley were scattered peaceful homes, busy
factories and cleaning FORCES. No doubt the
inhabitants sometimes looked up toward the
beautiful lake, and thought how fearful would
be the ruin if the dam should give way; but
though it was sometimes whispered that it was
not as well constructed as it should be. no one
apprehended danger from this cause.
One Friday night the winds beat the huge
waves with violence against the sides Of the
basin, adding still more to the immense pressure
which such volume Of water must cause As
the sun went down, messenger called at many
a cottage door, telling that all was not right "a
bove, and it would be safer to leave their homes
for the night. Many needed the friendly warn
ing, but others could see no danger The en-
bankment looked the same to them that it had
ever looked since they could remember. It had
stood worse storms than this, many time And
so they laid themselves down to rest but oh,
what an awakening was before them.
A young farmer noticed at dusk an ugly crack
in the vast wall, and workmen were hastily
brought to strengthen the works They then
toiled on till midnight, another party striving
to lessen the pressure by drawing off portion
of the water. But little after midnight a
furious gust of wind drove the waves with great
violence against the wall, and in anothermoment,
with burst Of sound like deepest thunder, they
leaped the barrier. rushed with mad haste down
to their work Of death. Here farm house,
with all its surroundings It's we'll stored barns,
and focks and herds were entirely swept away.
There row OF cottages, with all their sleeping
inmates. Here a great wood entirely disap-
peared before the wrath of the foaming waters.
The scene was wild and terrible beyond de-
scription. Whirling on with the resistless tide
were wrecks OF husbandry, stacks of hay, drown
ing cattle, and men, women and little children.
whole village was swept away or laid in
ruins
How terrible such scene, even to locker
on. But how infinitely more dreadful to have
been one of the victims. What despair must
have seized the poor cottager who treated as an
idle rumor the warning at sunset, and laid him
down to sleep In his doomed dwelling. But
when the floods came there was no escape.
Yet what is temporal ruin compared with that
which is eternal? How have you treated the
warning God has sent to you
The LIGHT OF NATURE-There lived in
Phliadelphla, many years ago, a celebrated
Indian chief named Tedyscung He was sitting
one evening by the fireside of a friend, both of
them, looking silently at the fire, induging their
own reflections
At length, the silence was interrupted by the
friend, who said Il will tell you what I have
been thinking OF. L was thinking Of rule
delivered by the Author Of the Christian religion
which, from its excellence, we call the Golden
Rule
Stop, said Tedyscung, don't praise it to
me, but rather tell me what it is, and let me
think for myself [ do not wish you to tell me
of its excellence-tell me what it is.
1T is for one man to do to another as he would
the other should do to him.
That impossible 1t cannot be done.
Tedyscung Immediately replied and taking his
pipe, lighted it, and commenced walking about
the room. In about quarter of an hour he
came up to his friend with asmiling countenance,
and, taking the pipe from his mouth, said
Brother, have been thoughtful on what you
have told me- If the Great Spirit that made
man would give him neao heart, he could do
as you say, but not else
EEK. xxxvi e. A new heart also will I
give to you, and a new spirit will [ put within
you; and | will take away the stony heart out
Of your flesh, and [ VIII give you heart of
flesh.
LOST IIME.-Let any man pass an evening
IN vacant idleness, Or even in reading some silly
tale, and compare the state of his mind when
he goes to sleep or gets up next morning with
its state some other day when he has spent a
few hours in going through the proofs, by facts
and reasoning, of some Of the great doctrines in
natures science learning truths wholly new to
him and satisfying himself by careful examina-
ton, OF the grounds on which known truths
rest, so as to be not only acquainted with the
doctrines themselves, but able to show why he
believes them, and to prove before others that
they are true, will find as great difference be-
tween looking back upon time unproftably vast
ed, and time spent in self-improvement. He
will feel himself in one case listless and dis
satisfied In the other, comfortable and happy
In the one case he did not appear to himself
humble, he at least will not have earned any
claim to his own respect in the other case he
will enjoy proud consciousness Of having, by
his own eXertions, become a wiser, and there
fore, a more exalted nature.
SUMNER IN JERUSALEM During the two
months of March and April it Jerusalem is
dense mass of flowers of an Incompatible fresh
ness Of colors. The animals are small, but ex-
tremely gentle Lively and graceful turtle doves,
blue birds so slight that they alight upon blade
of grass without bending it, crested larks that
come almost to the feet of the traveller, little
brook turtles with quick, soft eyes, storks of
grave and modest air, putting off all timidity,
allow themselves to be approached very closely
by man, and seem to call him. In no place in
the world do the mountains spread out with
more harmony, or inspire loftier ideas. Jesus
seems to have loved them especially The most
important acts of his divine career were perform
ed upon the mountains there he was best
insured there he had secret conferences with
the ancient prophets, and showed himself to his
disciples already TRANSPORTED
IhnSn t1uo Ennc that lnnLc 60 Solarnr