North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1868-11-18
McGREG0R, IOWA, WEDNESDAY, NOV. Is, 1868.

which a column Of air, of equal base, a
the moment is capable Of supporting, an
consequently the ponderosity Of the latter
This being observed. the following simp]
axioms are derived, viz: d. s.'s.'-
Rain is most plentiful, and thunde
most frequent, when the quicksilver fuc
tuates little below the average. If tn
quicksilver descends rapidly, storms o
'cind are presaged while, in proportio,
as it rises, the probability Of fair weathe
increases. Settled weather must not b.
expected while the column Of mercury il
low. Sudden and considerable changes
in the quicksilver either way, are com
monty succeeded by fair or foul weathe
equally transient; while a steady and grad
ual rise from day to day, ofperhaps abou
one tenth Of an inch in twenty-four hours
or a prolonged fall in the same way, maj
safely be trusted as forecasts of continued
fine weather, or much rain, according to
the circumstances. N't 2sE
Celestial. When the sun riseM clea,
and bright in the herison, it denotes q
pleasant day; but foul weather, if it is
overcast with thin cloud if he set being
free from clouds, a fair night followeth
also being then Divers coloured, his beams
long and red, denotes wind the next day
from that part, or quarter of Heaven
His beams appearing spotted, green, black,
or pale, portendeth rain that same night.
If at his setting there be one or more
circles about him, you are to observe
whether they are red, and here and there
broken. for then it is forecast of high
winds that night, If obscured thick and
black circles, it signifies cold winds and
snow, if in winter. Many circles denote
wind, no matter what are their colour, but
more especially if they appear red. If
but single circle be about him, and that
clear and of no continuance, fair weather
is to be expected. Also blackness in the
moon, or circles around her, are omens OF
rain, and red tinge denotes wind. l
may return to these rules in some future
letter, so little understood by many people.
.v .. THos. S. SHAW.
Eastman, Nov. 7th, 1868. eg7ew3s ~
We clip from New York letter the
following extracts:
NJ Methotlism.
A hundred years ago, handful Of men
and women, followers of John Wesley,
assembled in John street to dedicate a
chapel they had reared for worship. The
building was of wood, unpainted and un-
finished. The minister and his people
builded the church with their own hands.
The seats were without backs; the gallery
was without front; and when occupied,
men and women climbed up to it by a
ladder. 1t was contrary to law to build a
place of worship in New York at that
time, except for the Dutch or Churchmen.
The Dutch were very lenient and would
not have disturbed the Methodists if they
had built dozen chapels. The Method
its were conscientious, and applied to the
Dutch authorities to know how they could
erect their house of worship and not vio-
late law. The sturdy Dutchman told them
to put chimney and mantiepiece into
the honse, and it would be dwelling and
not a chapel. So the first Methodist
church in America sprang into being.
The site of this first chapel is retained to
this day. On it stands plain, unpretend-
ing-looking brick building, known as John
street Church. 1t was densely crowded
on the 25th of October, the anniversary of
the dedication Of the first church hur-
dred years ago. Bishop James presided.
A love feast, sermon by the bishop, a
free conference meeting, and collection
of S3, 900 to meet the repairs o! the church,
marked the occasion. The property is
worth not less than 500, 900. 1t is now
owned by the denomination, and the trus-
tees are elected by the General Conference,
which meets once in four years. A tablet
was unveiled, erected to the memory of
Philip Einbury, the first pastor, who built
the pulpit with his own hands, and to
Barbara Hicks, who broke up the conclave
Of card-playing Methodists, drove them to
prayer, and Embury to the pulpit. The
Bible that Embury preached the first SER
mon from, bearing date 1911 was used by
Bishop James on this occasion. The
Methodists Of to day, with their many
affairs girdling the earth, on which the sun
does not set; with their colleges, educa-
tional and theological institutions; with
countless church edifices of marble and
stone, among the most costly in the land !;
with an unnumbered membership embrace
ing orators, poets, scholars and statesmen !;
with its mighty centenary donations en-
bracing individual gifts from 81 900 to
$3.50, ,OOO-form q marked contrast to the
little company, who, in their weakness
and poverty reared the first chapel on the
site Of the John street Church.
RITUALIsx.
The present rage is for religious matters
with some tiuge of sacred association.
One of our leading furniture men has on
exhibition q magnificent set of pulpit fur
niture, made for the new national church
at Washington. The pulpit, sofa, tables,
stc., are made from wood brought from
Gethsemane, the Mount of Olives, Mount
Lebanon, and other sacred places. The
vestibule of the church is to he paved
with the marble that once adorned the
court of Solomon's Temple. Other
churches are in quest of religious wood.
Puritan ministers advertise baptism with
Jordan water, and if the Ritualists don't
look to their laurels the Puritan churches
will outstrip them in vestments and adorn-
ings. Old candle-sticks, match-boxes, and
other relics of the past were exhibited to
the faithful in John street Church the
other Sunday. The holy garment at