davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-12-22
The Pavilion in San Francisco.

Rev. A. M. Stewart, in his correspondence
to an Eastern paper, thus refers to the above
building and its appliances:
The building is on Union Square, and has
been erected by the mechanical interests of
California. 1t is somewhat in the form of
the Crystal Palace, lately in New York
It's material is of California redwood, and its
appearance light, strong and tasteful, cover
ing an area of 10000 square feet. The in
terror capacity is nearly doubled by two
large galleries encircling the entire building;
which, in the evening, when lighted by its
thirteen hundred gas jets, its large central
fountain playing, its bewildering display of
machinery, productive skill and fine arts,
California fruits, grasses, grain and vegeta-
bles, two large bands of music playing, to-
gether with thousands of gaily dressed,
chatting, prOmenading people-presents a
scene, to miss seeing is a loss, and to wit
ness, life long pleasure.
GA thing of beauty is a joy forever. -
Such increasing wealth, gaity and luxury,
cause uneasiness, lest the doom of ancient
Babylon may return.
VAIN THOUGHTS.
"Jamie," said Scotch divine to pious
yet illiterate parishioner, who was a weaver,
g can you keep your thoughts on sacred
things on the Sabbath, when in the house of
God?" "Aye can /, was the confident re-
ply. "Well, Jamie, if you honestly tell me
after next Sabbath, that you had no vain
thought, I'll give you guinea" In due
time thereafter, meeting the confident Chris,
tan, inquiry was made about the trial.
''Ive lost the money" was quietly murmur-
ed. "Jamie, tell me what got into your
head?" "Why, when you were busy preach
ing, it came into my mind, How many
Looms the large church would hold. ,"
1t came into my mind while walking round
and through this immense building, "What
church it would makel" And why not?
have preached with ease to ten thousand
people seated in the Mormon Tabernacle
This building would receive with ease all the
seats of the Tabernacle, together with those
from Surgeons church in London; thus
seating twenty thousand people. And there
are twenty thousand people living within a
few minutes walk of the Pavilion. Such a
building would be an ornament anywhere.
1t possesses far more architectural beauty
than the famous Tabernacle, Surgeons
or Beecher's in Brooklyn. And yet the
Pavilion, with all its appliances, only cost
thirty thousand dollars. There are more
over plenty of living preachers with head,
heart and voice, to fill the entire building.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-12-22
Be Kind to Children.

Blessed be the hand which prepares a
pleasure for child, for there is no saying
where and when it may again bloom forth.
Does not almost everybody remember some
kind hearted man who showed him kindness
in the quiet days of his childhood? The
writer of this recollects himself at this mo-
ment, as a barefooted lad standing at the
wooden fence ola poor little garden in his
native village; with longing eyes he gazed
on the flowers which were blooming there
quietly in the brightness of Sunday morn
ing. The possessor of the garden came
forth from his little cottage. He was wood
cutter by trade, and spent the whole week
at his work in the woods. He was coming
into the garden to gather flower to stick
into his coat when he went to church. He
saw the boy, and breaking off the most beau,
tiful of his carnations-it was streaked with
red and white-gave it to him, Neither the
giyer nor the receiver spoke one word-and
with bounding steps ran home; and now,
here, at vast distance from that home, after
many events of so many years, the feeling
of gratitude which agitated the breast of
that boy expresses itself on paper. The
carnation has long since withered, but it now
blooms afresh.-DougIas JerrOld.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-12-22
The Syracuse Giant.

A correspondent of the NeaO York Evan-
gelist, speaks thus of this statue recently dug
up in western New York, near that city,
and about which so much speculation has
been awakened:
s'But the giant-what of him? We saw
him first, in his bed, before he had been a
week uncovered. We saw him again in his
new quarters in the city, and studied his
complexion, his form, his character, as well
as we could, and do not hesitate to pronounce
him a great wonder. 1t must be statue.
1t can't be petrefaction. 1t was never a
living man. We give not our own judgment
alone, but the results arrived at by most of
the intelligent and scientific people with
whom we have conversed, and who have care
fully viewed it. 1t is not recent thing. 1t
bears the marks of age, and the unquestion-
able wear of time and water. Even on the
suppositiOn that it was recently deposited in
its bed, on Mr. Newell's farm, most of the
intelligent who look upon it, give it an anti
guilty of at least 100 years. 1t is not fault
less, but still it is majestic, ten feet four
inches. high, and in good proportions, weigh
ing 1900 pounds. 1t is the work of mas
ters hand. But who made it, when, and
where? these are questions hard to answer.
The excitement over this wonder is very
great Twenty-Five hundred persons were
in to see it on Saturday last, and on Monday
it looked as though there would be as many
more. They are pouring in from the coun-
try, and from other cities around. 1t is
great speculation, anyway.
at is interesting to hear the comments of
those who view it. Thousands, after all, be-
lieye it petrefaction, and some of the most
intelligent can scarcely bring their minds to
any other conclusion. 1t looks, in fact, so
like the form of dead man of gigantic pro-
portions, that we can scarcely wonder at the
persistency with which some hold this opin-
ion. Even the scientific men who have
viewed it, have confessed that some things
strongly favor this idea, though they do not
receive it. Others pronounce it "hum-
bug" 'big sell, they know it was "made
to order" and buried few weeks ago where
it was mighty easy to find it again, Of all
these matters we shall possibly know more
at some future day. At presentit is a mys-
terry.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-12-22
INSTITUTIONS AND OFFICERS
oFTHE
Presbyterian Church in the United States

CLERKS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
Rev. Joseph R. Wilson, D. D., Stated Clerk, Au.
gusta Ga.
Rev. William Brown, D. D., Permanent Clerk,
Richmond, Va.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF sUsTENTATIoN.
Rev. j. Leighton Wilson, D. D., Secretary, Col
umbia, s. G..
Rev. Prof. James Woodrow, Treasurer, Colum.
bia, S. G..
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF FOREIGN MISSIONS.
Rev. j. Leighton Wilson, D. D., Secretary, Col
umbia, s. c.
Rev. Prof James Woodrow, Treasurer, Colum
bia, s. @.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF PUBLICATION.
Rev. E. Thompson Baird, D. D., Secretary, Rich
mond, Va.
G. Gennet, Esq, Treasurer, Richmond, Va.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF EDUCATION.
Rev. E. Thompson Baird, D. D., Secretary, Rich
mond, Va.
G. Gennet Esq, Treasurer, Richmond, Va.
TRUSTEES OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
Thomas C. Perrin, President
Joseph 81. Wilson, Vice President.
Jesse Lindsay, Secretary and Treasurer
FOR ONE YEAR
Robert Adger, Charleston, s. c.
Hon. j. A. Inglis Cheraw, s. G.
j. A. Ansley, Augusta, Ga.
John Whiting, Montgomery, Ala.
Rev. B. NJ. Palmer, D. D., New Orleans, La.
FOR TWO YEARS.
J. Hartman Brown, Baltimore, Md.
T. j. Kirkpatrick, Lynchburg, Va.
D. N. Kennedy, GAINESVILLE, Tenn.
John Handy, Canton, Miss.
Rev. Samuel Mckinney, D. D., Austin, Texas.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-12-22
Live Temperate.

A "merehant prince" of New York, a
portly six-footer of great manly beauty, who
never dined' without his brandy and water,
nor went to bed without terrapin or oyster
supper, and who was never known to be
drunk, died of chronic diarrhea, common
end of those who are never intoxicated and
never out of liquor. Halls Journal Of Health
gives this account of his death:
"Months before he died-he was year
in dying-he could eat nothing without dis
tress, and at death the whole alimentary
canal was mass of disease; in the midst of
his millions, he died of hamilton. That is
not half, dear reader. He had been a steady
drinker, daily drinker, for twenty-eight
years. Scrofula had been eating up one
daughter for fifteen years; another is in the
madhouse; the third and fourth were of un-
earthly beauty; there was kind of gran
deur in that beauty; but they blighted, and
paled, and faded-into heaven, we trust-in
their sweet teens; another is tottering on the
verge of the grave, and only one is left with
all the senses, and each of them is weak as
water.
The same periodical instances another case
that should supplement the one just given:
ga gentleman of thirty-6ve was sitting on
chair, with no specially critical symptoms
present; still he was known to be 'dissipa-
ted young man. He rose, ran fifty, feet,
fell. down and died. The whole covering of
the brain was thickened, its cavities were
filed with fluid that did not belong to it,
enough to kill half dozen men with apo
plexy; great portion of one lung was in a
state of gangrene, and nearly all the other
was hardened and useless; blood and yellow
matter plastered the inner covering of the
lungs, while angry red patches of destructive
inflammation were scattered along the whole
alimentary canal. Why, there was enough
death in that one mans body to have killed
forty men. The doctor who talks about
guzzling liquor every day being healthy is a
perfect disgrace to the medical name, and
ought to be turned out to break rock for the
term of his natural life at shilling day
and find himself"
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-12-22
The Phenomena of the Brain.

One of the most inconceivable things in
the nature of the brain is that the organ OF
sensation should be insensible. To cut the
brain gives no pain, yet in the brain alone
resides the power of giving pain in any other
part of the body. If the nerve which leads
from it to the injured part be divided, it be-
comes instantly unconscious of suffering 1t
is only by communication with the brain
that any kind of sensation is produced, yet
the organ itself is insensible. But there is
circumstance more wonderful still. The
brain itself may be removed, may be cut
away down to the corpus calcarum, without
destroying life. The animal lives and per-
forms all its functions which are necessary
to simple vitality, but no longer has mind;
it cannot think or feel. 1t requires that
the food should be pushed into its stomach;
once there, it is digested, and the animal
will even thrive and grow fat. We infer,
therefore, that the part of the brain, the
convolutions, is simply intended for the ex'
ercise of the intellectual faculties, whether
of the low degree called instinct, or the ex-
allied kind bestowed on man, the gift of rea-
son. Wagon on the Mind.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-12-22
Life of Webster.

The first volume of the Life of Daniel
Webster, by George Tcknor Curtis, has just
been issued from the press of Appleton 4
Co., of New York.
The following anecdote is an interesting
illustration of his great power in argument.
1t is related by DR.. Chauncey A. Goodrich,
a Professor in Yale College.
When the celebrated case of Dartmouth
College was to be argued by Mr.. Webster
before the Supreme Court of the United
States, Professor Goodrich went to hear it,
expecting to listen to dry, exhaustive, le-
gal argument. He said that so clear, so
convincing, so powerful was the argument,
that the court was entranced, and Judge
Story, pen in hand, fixed his eyes upon the
speaker, and never made note. Mr.. Web
ster finished his argument, stood silent a
moment, and then proceeded to make di-
rect address to the court, in the course of
which he came to speak of his personal feel
ings in regard to the College, and here we
quote Prof, Goodrichs report:
"'It is, sir, as I have said, small College.
And yet there are those who love tt
Here, the feelings which he had thus far sue
ceeded in keeping down, broke forth. His
lips quiyered; his firm cheeks trembled with
emotion his eyes were filed with tears, his
voice choked, and he seemed struggling to
the utmost, simply to gain that mastery over
himself which might save him from an un-
manly burst of feeling. will not attempt
to give you the few broken words of tender
ness in which he went on to speak of his at
tachment to the College. The whole seemed
to be mingled throughout with the recollec-
tons of father, mother, brother, and all the
privations through which he had made his
way into life. Every one saw that it was
wholly unprecedented, a pressure on his
heart, which sought relief in words and tears.
"The COURTROOM, during these two or
three minutes, presented an extraordinary
spectacle. Chief Justice Marshall, with his
tall and gaunt figure bent over, as if to catch
the slightest whisper, the deep burrows of his
cheek expanded with emotion, and his eyes
suffused with tears; Mr., Justice Washington
at his side, with his small, emaciated frame
and countenance, more like marble than |
ever saw on any other human being-lean-
ing forward with an eager, troubled look
aud the remainder of the court, at the two
extremities, pressing, as it were, toward a
single point, while the audience below were
wrapping themselves round in closer folds
beneath the bench, to catch each look and
every moyem ent of the speakers face. ;.
He sat down. There was a death-like ST.
lence throughout the room for some mo-
ments; every one seemed to be slowl y recov-
ering himself, and coming gradually back to
his ordinary range of thought and feeling.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-12-22
Thoughts for Parents.

1. Be what the children ought to be.
2. Do what the children ought to do.
3. Avoid what they should avoid.
4. Aim always, not only in the presence
of the children, but also in their absence,
that your conduct may serve them for an ex-
ample.
5. Are any among them defective? En-
anime s0hat yOu are yourself, what you
ayoid-in a word, your whole conduct.
6. Do you discover in yourself defects,
sins, wandering? Begin by improving your
self and seek atterward to improve your
children.
7. Think well that those by whom you
are surrounded are often only the reflection
of yourself
s. If you lead life of penitence, and
seek daily to have grace in you, it will be
impaired to you, and through you to your
children.
9. If you always seek Divine guidance,
your children will more willingly be directed
by you.
10. The more obedient you are to God, the
more obedient win your children be to you;
thus in his childhood the wise Solomon asked
of the Lord san obedient heart, in order to
be able to govern his people.
IL. As soon as the master becomes luke
warm in communion with God, that luke
Tarmness will extend itself among his pu-
pills.
r. That which forms wall of separation
between God and yourself will be a source
of evil to your children.
Is. An example in which love does not
form chief feature is but as the light of the
moon-cold and feeble
IA, An example animated by ardent and
sincere love shines like the sun; it warns
and invigorates. s, S. Magazine.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-12-22
Strange Structure of the Camel.

Two distinct species of Camel are known
to biologists; namely, the common Camel
(Camelus dromedariu8, which has one hump,
and the Bactrian Camel (Camelus Bactria's-
us,) which has two of these curious projec-
tons. 1t is popularity but enormously sup
posed that the dromedary and the camel are
two distinct animals, the latter being dis
tinguished by its huge hump, whereas the
fact is,.that the dromedary is lighter and
more valuable breed of the one bumped
Camel of Arabia, the two.humped Bactrain
Camel being altogether different animal,
inhabting Central Asia, Thibet, and China.
The camel played part in Jewish history
scarcely inferior to that of the OK or sheep.
This animal is enabled to go long time
without water, not because it requires less
liquid nourishment than other beasts, but be-
cause it is furnished with series of cells
into which the water runs as fast as it is
drunk, and in which it can be kept for some
time without losing its life preserving quail
ties. A camel has been known to imbibe
twenty gallons at one draught, and it has
the power of consuming by degrees the wa
ter which it has taken but few minutes to
lift into the internal reservoir. The lives of
travellers hare sometimes been saved by
drinking the water from camel killed for
the purpose. The water thus obtained is
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-12-22

unaltered, except by greenish hue, &C
quired by mixing with the remains of herb
age in the cells. If it can be kept for few
days this green hue and certain unpleas-
ant flavor disappear, the water becoming
fresh, clear, and limpid. The camel's hump
has no connection with the spine; when the
animal is well fed and properly cared for,
the hump projects boldly, and is firm and
elastic to the touch If the camel be ill,
overworked or badly fed, the hump becomes
soft and faced, and in some cases hangs
down on one side like a thick flap of skin.
Travellers have often mentioned the songs
of the camel-drivers. Miss Rogers says, in
her account of some Bedouins: "Their
songs were already subdued to harmonic
with their monotonous, swinging pace, and
chimed softly and plaintively with the tiuk-
ling of came-bells, thus:
Dear unto me as the sight of mine eyes,
Art thou, O my Camel
Precious to me as the health of my life,
Art thou, O my Camel
Sweet to my ears is the sound
Of my tinkling bells, o my Camel
And sweet to my listening ears
Is the sound OF my evening song"
A striking popularity of the Camel is its
unplayful disposition. The 1.-THE limbed
monthling is as staid and sober as its solemn
faced, decorous mother.-Hours at Home for
| December.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-12-22
Too Short.

Once, in a fearful storm off the coast of
France, brig was dashed to pieces on the
cruel rocks. Two men of the crew alone
survived the shock. They chung to little
ledge Of rock which at low tide was bare.
Drenched and bruised as they were, their
ship, and all their goods on board of her,
gone to the depths below, yet life was sweet
still. They chung to their rock of hope, and
saw with JOY that they had been observed
from the land. The distance was not great;
but in that boiling sea no boat could live a
moment. Their only chance of life was in
catching a rope that the men on shore were
preparing to throw them. The line was cast,
and they nerved themselves to clutch it
but alas it fell yards short of them. The
rope was not long enough to save them, and
it was the only rope at hand! A messenger
was quickly dispatched to procure another
but long before he arrived, the rising tide
had carried them off, The cold waters had
swept over them, and they were gathered to
their dead companions.
What sad thing it was for them that the
rope on which their life depended was too
short. So, what a sad thing it would be for
us if Christ's righteousness was not sufficient
for our salvation. If God required us to
make up part of the price ourselves, we
then should be like these poor mariners,
doomed to certain destruction. But Christ 1
work is all-suficient-an he offers it to us
without money and without price. You could
hardly pity these poor sailors, if when long
enough rope was waited to their very hands,
they should wilfully refuse to lay hold of it
if they should insist on being saved some
other way, though this was the only possible
way. But, is it more inconsistent than the
course of sinners? They will not come to
Christ and be saved, though He invites and
urges them to come. Oh, let none of us be
of this number. When the waves are just
sweeping us of, it will be tco late to stretch
out our arms toward the rOr, Do not trust
torepentance on dying bed.-Pres6yter'am
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-12-22

There is in church-yard in England a
stone which has on it an epitaph that de-
serves to be printed in letters of gold. 1t
is in these words: What I saved I lost:
sehat I gaze array hare"
Now if any one reading this has in his
pocket bank-note which he might well
spare, he can do one of two things with it.
He can give it to some good cause, to pro-
mote the glory of God, or he can keep it for
himself. Let US compare the two.
If given away, it may kindle fire some
bitterly cold night in desOlate dwelling
1t may stop the cry of starving children. 1t
may put warm clothing upon their almost
naked and their shivering bodies. 1t may
make the widows heart to sing for JOY. 1t
may send the Bible to many heather in the
far distant parts of the world 1t may, by
the blessing of God, ''save soul from death
and hide multitude of sins.
But look at the other side. If you go
home and hide it away with your boarded
gold, you may die twenty dollars richer, and
there may be just so much more left in your
estate. But may not your soul be made
poorer? May you not have less treasure
in heaven? May you not have cause to
tremble in hearing those dreadful words
'The God in whose hand thy breath is, and
whose are all thy ways-him hast thou not
glOrifed."
There is truth in those precious words of
the Lord Jesus-"I 1t is more blessed to give
than to receive" OLD PILGRIM.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-12-22
Annual Collections.

Our General Assembly has appointed the fol-
lowing as the times for the annual collections tor
its benevolent schemes:
For Sustentation: On the first Sabbath in JAN
uary.
For Publication: On the first Sabbath in March
For Foreign Missions: On the first Sabbath In
May.
For Education: On the first Sabbath IN No
vember
For the Relief of Disabled Minister'S, and the
Widows and Orphans of Deceased Minister'S
On the first Sabbath in July.
In cases where it is highly inconvenient to take
up collections on these days, the Assembly enjons
that they shall be taken up as soon as possible
thereafter
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-12-22
SYNOD of Memphis.

Chickasanc-J. H. Gaillard, Coonewa, Miss.
Memphis-Geo. A. RUSSELL Somerville, Tenn.
North Mississippi-E. NJ Richardson Grenada,
Miss
Tuscumbia-w. II. MITCHELL Florence, Ala.
Western District.-J. o. Sullivan, Humboldt, Tenn.
Synod of Mississippi.
Central Mississippi-J. Hunter, Jackson, Miss.
Loaisidna-A r. Graves Baton Rouge, La.
Mississippi-R. Price. Port Gibson, Miss.
Nep Orleans-H NJ. Smith, New Orleans, La.
Red River-J. +. Ford, Shreveport, La.
Tombeckbee-A. Fl. Barley, Charlottesville, Miss.
Synod of Nashville.
Holston-S B. Campbell, Leesburg, Tenn.
KnorriUe-J. K. Hitner, Cleveland, Tenn.
Nashriue-J w. Neil, Murfreesboro, Tenn.
North AIabama-W b. Vernon, Cornersville, Tenn.
Synod Of North Carolina.
Concord-J. D. Parks, Charlotte, N. c.
Fdyetteriue-D. Farley, Manchester, NC.
ORANGE. 81. Smith, Greensboro, N. G.
Wilmington-H. A. Monroe, Brown Marsh, N. G.
Synod of South Carolina.
s. Carolina-A. A. Porter, Spartanburg, s. c.
Charleston-W. 81. Adams, Charleston, s. G..
Bsthel-James 81. Sage, Lewisville, S. G.
Harmony--D. E. Frierson, Mars Bluff, S. G.
Synod Of Texas.
Brazos-R. F. Bunting. D. D., Galveston, Texas.
Central Teras-S. A. King, Waco, Texas.
Eastern Tears
Western Terds.
Synod Of Virginia
Abingdon-J. N. Naf, Dublin Depot, Va.
Chesapeake.
East Hanover-W. A. Campbell, Powhatan G. a.,
Va.
Greenbrier.-J. II. Leps, Frankfort, West Va.
Lexington.
Montgomery-Dr. j. D. Mitchell, Lynchburg, Va.
Roanoke--J B. Shearer, Black Walnut, Va.
West Han0rer-E Woods Charlottesville, Va.
Winchester-M. W. Woodwork, Burlington, W. Va.