davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-10-13
For THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
rs 1T A GOOD EXCUSE?

A great many protesting Christians in
fact large majority, do not attend to public
duties we owe to God our Father, to Christ
our Saviour, and to our fellow members of
his Church. Take as an example the week
ly prayer meetings. How few attend, and
what small hindrances we allow to keep us
from this holy and sacred place of worship.
You who have given. yourselves to Al
mighty God, and solemnly vowed to do his
holy will, cannot find time enough to come
before him once during the week and spend
one hour in prayer! Do you really feel that
you are Christian? Do you feel that
there is crown prepared for you in heaven ?
When you hear the sound of the joyful bell,
calling you to unite in prayer, and you turn
deaf ear to attend to some little trife, does
not a small voice within tell you you are do
ing wrong? Will you who have given your
selves to God, now let these little matters
keep you away from his house of prayer?
But what's it that keeps you thus away
One says, have just received a bill Of
goods to the amount Of ten thousand dollars,
and if I do not open the largest portion of
them tonight, tomorrow 1 will lose hun
dred dollars, or fifty dollars at least. Que
night doesn't matter; l will attend next
week.
Or another says, there is to be business Of
great Importance in the lodge tonight, which
makes it impossible for me to attend. [ am
at church every Sunday, and 1 am careful
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-10-13

to do nothing wrong during the week.
am sure l do nothing wrong in not attend
ing. L keep the rules of the lodge, which
a great many ministers belong to, and If
there was anything wrong in it, I am sure
they would not belong to it.
Another thinks the weather so bad he can
not possibly attend tonight. But just last
night the weather was as bad as tonight, and
he hired hack to go and spend half the
night at neighbours. Another tells us he
was visiting to-day, and felt too tired to-
night to attend prayer meeting. He will
go some other time, &C., &c.
Do you feel that you are a child of God
when you refuse to come and spend this
hour in his worship? Is it safe to conclude
that you are when you allow such trifes as
these to keep you away? Could you not come
and spend this small portion of time, and
then attend to these things afterwards ?
-QleAgears from to-day where will you be !?
z anJS .s4ls5aossu- ! 70 give an acccalt
to God ere another year passes away. You
may be one of them. What will be your
excuse to him for your neglect of this duty |?
What will your gains be worth in thatsolemn
hour? Can you pass the gates of death
hoping to enter into eternal life when you
know you have lived prayerless life?
Would that you could be persuaded to make
good resolution and keep it to the end of
life-"By the grace of God l will from this
day faithfully meet with the people of God
who meet where prayer is wont to be made"
and never more be among those who "for-
sake the assembling of themselves together,
as the manner of some is.
''Prayer is the Christians vital BREATH
The Christians native air;
His watchword at the gate Of death;
He enters heaven with prayer
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-10-13

Auu No ouS"Se NAO q pure NV ct VI "o'1A VI ~
It as crystal, proceeding out Of the throne OF &c
Of the Lamb" )"
A living stream, as crystal clear,
yelling from out the throne
Of God and Of the Lamb on high,
The Lord to man hath shewn.
This stream doth water paradise,
1t makes the angels sing;
One precious drop within the heart
Is Of all JOY the spring:
Joy past all speech, Of glory fOll,
But stored where none may know,
As mamma hid in dewy heaven,
As pearls in ocean low.
Eye hath not seen, nor ear hath heard,
Nor to mans heart hath come
What for those loving Thee in truth
Thou hast in loves own home.
But by His Spirit He us
The secret doth reveal:
Faith sees and hears: but o for wings
To touch, and taste, and feel;
Wings like dove to watt US on ~
zsf..es Ssss- s.15C0I o. sIul
Lord of the Ark, put forth Thine hand
And take Thy wanderers in.
o praise the Father, praise the Son,
The Lamb for sinners given,
And Holy Ghost, through Whom alone
Our hearts are raised to heaven.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-10-13
Vol. 5.---NO. u.
So Much to Give Up.

"Yes, know ought 10 DC Onlis'i"n'
and at times wish very much to be one.
"Well, why are you not?"
60 there is so much to give up"
"What must you give up?"
"What? Why everything. Doesn't the
Bible say we must leave all!'
eyes, all that is wrong, all that would
hinder us in following Jesus. Let us see
what this is in your case. l have often
heard young people say, I cannot give up
dancing Perhaps this is one of the things
it would be hard for you to part with"
go no; I do not care for dancing; 1 do
not know how to dance; and if did, hope
I should not let such foolish reason keep
me from being Christian" ;"
81 trust SO, my friend, and am glad you
have better excuse. Perhaps, then, (par-
don me for naming it, you may have ac-
quired love for the social glass or game
of cards, and feel that it would be 1afd to
give them up for the water of life, and pleas
ures that never will fade away"
"No, I love not either of these. l am
thankful I have no such bad habits"
"You have, probably, dear friends whom
you would fear to give up, or who would
sneer at you for being Christian"
eyes, l own 1 think of that sometimes,
although some of my friends are themselves
Christians"
care those whose ridcule you fear, whose
companionship you value more than Christ's,
are they friends in whose love you can al
ways trust? Are they better, more loyable
than your Christian friends? Would you
choose their society always?"
"No, own should not; and since you
press me so closely, must say I respect
them less than other friends. In my heart
| feel that they are not worth caring for, if
they would sneer at me for choosing the
right"
Probably they would not sneer. You
say you have Christian friends. Did you
esteem them less for choosing the narrow
way? Did you ridicule them?"
"No; l honored their courage, and longed
to follow their footsteps"
$50 might it be in your case. Your
friends would esteem you more. Perhaps
they would follow your example"
Forgive me for suggesting another objec-
ton. Many men think they cannot do bu.
siness in Christian way, and have hope
of becoming rich. So, loving money better
than their own souls, they sell themselves
for few hundred or thousand dollars"
"Say no more. l grant that like most
men have desire to be rich, but | want
to be so honestly. My common sense, too,
teaches me that Christian is as likely to
be wealthy as wicked man. do not think
desire for unlawful gain is one of things l
should have to give up"
"What great thing, then, must you give
up? You say it is not pleasure, bad habits,
nor friends, nor money. What then are the
all things which are worth more than your
immortal soul, more precious than Christ's
love?"
"None, none. am without excuse"
"Then come to Jesus now. Give him all
your heart-yourself. You will find he
will give you back. all that is valuable, and
infinitely more he will freely give you. You
will be joint-heir with Christ. Give your
heart to him, and he will give you new
one. Give your friends and he will give
back all that are worth keeping Is there
anything else you would keep?"
Nothing"
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-10-13

SECRET OF TRUE GENTILITY.-Depend
upon it, religion is, in its essence, the most
gentlemanly thing in the world. 1t will
alone gentilize, if unmixed with cant, and
I know nothing else that will alone.-COle
ridne
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-10-13

WHITTIER ING?-Tell me what is be.
hind you and will tell what is before you.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-10-13

BE SoBER.-Many a man has drunken
soul, who never had drunken body in his
life.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-10-13

THE CAPTAIN of our Salvation never lost
a battle, even when he lost his life.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-10-13

IT IS WRITTEN with the pen of HEAVIER
that there is hell.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-10-13

WE MAY EXPECT that God will speak to
us, when we stand ready to do what he com.
mands us.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-10-13

DELAYS OF MERCY are not to be under.
stood as denials of prayer. At the end ii
shall speak.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-10-13

A WICKED MAN may die in presumption,
but not in peace.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-10-13

A HEART full of the world, is heart full
of wants.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-10-13
A LIVING STREAM.

"And he Showed me pure river of water of life,
clear as crystal proceeding out of the throne of God
and of the Lamb "
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-10-13
For THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.

TO BE CONTINUED.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-10-13
CAPITAL Rule in Verse

Believe not each accusing tongue,
As some weak people do,
But ever hope the story wrong,
Which ought not to be true.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-10-01
Amussmtnis. Et.


ACADEMY OF MUsIc.--This Evening at S-French
opers; " Robert lc uiSble."
AMERICAN INSTITUTE NATIONAL EXHIBIIIoN.-
Thk Day and Bveuiug st the Empire City Skating Rink
BoOTI's THEATER. Twenty thrd-St, between Fifth
and SIAs vsSIhis Rveuing AT a." Leah" Miss Bsteman
fIFTH-AvE THEATER. Twenty fOurth-St. and ruth
Nye1hs a" Od Heads aud Young Hearts, Mr. H. L.
Davenport. Me Clara Trainings
Nmo'S GARDEN.-This Evening at S.-"FOrmoSa !;
OF, The Rsroad to RFin."
OtYMPIC THEATFR- Evening at S." Uncle
TOMS Cabin" Mr. q. G. Howard g. L. Fox
san FRANCISCO MINsTKEIs.-This Evening.-Mls-
eelaueuas performances
SOMERvIIIE AIsr GALLERY. No So Fifth-ave.-
This Day-E1aibfioH 81 The Mae Muses."
THEATRE FRANCAIs.-FOurteenth- Even
Ing-BeHelt II Nine Parsps Rosa English Opera: Martha
THR TAAlAiANY.-1ammany Hall. Fourteenth St
This Rveuiug at 8.-"To"-James Mace Statues
WAIIACK'S THEATER.-This Evening at 0.-'PrO-
gresS" john Gilbert J. w. Nasck
NoOp's MUSEUM broadway and Tbirtieth-st =
Open daily 10 I've dramatic performances Gsy.
Al Rustic Prna -" Irish Tutor" AT 8, "Wip wan
Wiukle"
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-10-01

the water every fortnight two or three scow-
loads of rock of rs cubic yards eacl when
somehow or other he manages to knock on at
the expense only of dozen or twenty cans OF
powder and the labor of four men. VI course
the gunpowder is expensive, and the services
of the steam rock picker have to be paid Tor
handsomely. But the Government pays for
none of it until b. Maillefert 81 Co. fuinii
their contract by removing the rocks. Shouid
they fail the whole appropriation Will go 10
pay for the cotfer-dam, whether anything
is accomplished by 10 or not. We have
lately been informed that the superintendent
of the cofier-dam has been appointed by zen.
Newton to report on the Professors progress.
Judicial impartiality is doubtless valuable
quality in person having charge of the con-
struction of expensive works for the Govern
ment. Meanwhile, however, we cannot withhold
our admiration from those wise and solemn
patriots who are lifting up their voices against
the Hell Gate job which Prof. Maillefert Is
prosecuting on tile ono cure no pay" principle,
and who urge instead complete devotion to the
other "Hell Gate job" the main principle OF
which is "pay any way" aiLr ..'
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-10-01
HE'LL CITE.

Most persons know that the explosion of gun
powder under water is attended with serious
effects on any fish, ships, or rocks in the vicinity.
What Prof. Mallefert has done and is doing
at He'll Gaze affords ample illustration. In
encouragement of his practice of shattering
rocks after this fashion theory has been given
out by the y. S. Army engineers that subma-
rine percussion is powerless against a fiat sur
face; that "the resistance of the rock is so
"much greater than the resistance of the
water that nothing can be accomplished.
Taking it for granted that the theory is true,
and that Prof. Mallefert will sooner
or later reduce his reefs to fiat
surface Gen. Newton has assumed the
responsibility of constructing an expensive cOf-
fer-dam preparatory to sinking shaft and
running tunnel under Hallets Point. If this
tunnel is successfully completed, as undoubt-
edly many tunnels have been before, Hallets
Point can easily be blown sky-high, after
which Messrs. Morris g. Cumings's machine can
nick ND the broken rock. ThereupOn dan
gerous obstruction to navigation will have been
removed. business on Manhattan Island will be
largely transferred northward, and nothing will
remain but for Government to foot the bill.
Gen. Newton knows that sufficient money
to complete the work which he has commenced
has not yet been appropriated. He does
not know how much money he will need,
any more than the State of Massachu-
sets knew how much the Hoosac Tun-
mel would cost when it committed itself
to that work. He. does not know that Prof.
Maillefert will ever reach a. flat surface,
The rocks at He'll Gate are of gneiss, standing
IL In, atro 10 prnf
Maillefert has hitherto used only gunpowder.
With equal facility he might charge his canis-
tiers with nitro-glycerine. the explosive force of
which is four or five times greater, although
the effect is confined to narrower radius.
To overcome any obstacle he has yet
encountered, Prof. Maillefert has found
gunpowder amply sufficient Finally, the
theory of thu. Government engineers is only a
theory.
Meanwhile, Prof. Maillefert is taking out of
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-10-01

galleries caught fire, and at our latest advices
had been burning twentyfour hours. One
man was brought out dead, and two moro
were known to be in the mine, beyond the
reach of help. On the very day of this
accident congress of miners, consisting OF
the representatives of 1000 men, met at
Pontypridd in Wales, and effected an
organization chiefly for the purpose of regu-
lating their relations with employers, but also
for securing q compulsory inspection Of mines
The Sheffield disaster of course will give en-
phasis to their demand. We too must have
general inspection law. or such traps as the
Avondale pit will never be abolished. In some
parts of the coal regions-in Schuylkill County
VIC belieye-there is a law Of this kind, and
we hope the miners will agitate the matter
until we have one everywhere. 1t wont do to
trust the men with the care of their own
lives. No matter how dangerous Tue construc-
ton of mine may be, there will be miners
willing to work it.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-10-01

Mr. Robert Coningsby the agent of the Br,,A
Workingmen, who lately travelled this counts
makes the admission In late number OF n,
Spectator that England is only free-tradi,.
country as far as it suits her convenieo.s
"she s protectionst in dealings with Amev;..'
Gin 1859 the amount of duty levied in Ene,iI
sports on tobacco from the United States W..
$50, ia, 400, which sum exceeded by more IL,
"half million dollars the whole of the dutie-
"On English manufactures collected during tb.s
"year in the United States" Remarkine th.a
American rails are better than when ath.
cheapest Welsh rubbish could be imported q
"such low rates that it did not pay to maks
"use of the enormous stores" of native in.
ore-and further instancing Russia's protecti,
experience in iron as equally benefcial-h.
says: "The American cotton-manufacturine IN
"dustry sprang entirely out of the adoption Of
"the protective policy. Five millions Of spindIes
care now busy where the only occupation Tor
"the hands would have been hard feld-work
" il the trade system had been adhered
"to." This view is virtually coincident with
the theory 80 common in England that the
failure in the cotton supply and the distress d
Lancashire are due to these same protected
competing spindles.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-10-01

friend of her husband After s0journing sew
eral months in Europe the guilty parties return
to this country and take steps to obtain
divorce for the lady The erring wife and one
or two other witnesses swear that they have
exercised due diligence. and are unable to find
the husband in the State of New-York, not
withstanding his place of business is in
the New-York Directory and well-known
to all the parties. Judge Cardozo then
orders that the summons in the case be pub
ished in The Weekly Ne,OS and Jewish MesSen-
qer (the husband being Republican and
a Christian). An affidavit is produced
of the service of the summons through the Post
Office which affidavit even the signer now admits
to be false. Thereupon Judge Barnard
turns over the case to one of his ncOrrupt0ie
Referees, who reports, the day after, that he
has taken testimony and is of opinion that
divorce ought to be granted. The Judge at
once enters a decree, and the day after it is filed
the eloping parties are married, the publication
of the notice of this event being the only intima-
ton the first husband receives of any of these
proceedings The only material evidence upon
which the Referee based his opinion was that
of a Mr.. Harrison. who seems to be as mythical
as the Mrs. Harris of fiction. In his testimony
he asserts that he saw the husband, in company
with strange woman, enter house which he
knows to be of bad character from having
frequently been there himself. He states that
he saw them alight from a stage, aud is par
ticular to give the date as March 49, 1868,
although that proves to have been Sunday
and no stages were running. Various other
incidental statements in the testimony having
been shown to be untrue, Judge Clerke In
stantly set ASIDE the decree of divorce for fraud
and imposition. The next step is to punish the
peTjureTs.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-10-01

The open and the concealed Democratic press
of this city vie with each other in their censure
of Secretary Boutwell, for smashing the Gold
Ring. Why should he not do 1t 7 Is the Sec
rotary to be blamed because he protects the
credit of the Government And can any man
be blind enough not to see that the whole
movement to put gold up was a direct stab at
that credit We suppose the duty OF the Sec
rotary to be SO to manage the financial
interests of the country committed to his care,
and 80 to exercise the discretion granted him
by the laws, as to mako the revenue which he
collects go az far as possible toward the pay
ment of the obligations he has to redeem, and
the elevation of the Government credit. Why,
then, should he not sell his cold when it is
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-10-01
OBITUARY.

DEATH OF Ex-POsTMAsTER ISAAC v. FOWLER.
Mr.. Isaac V. Fowler, Postmaster in this city in
1885, dead Those who know anything Of the machinery
Of Tammany politics. will recognize that Mr. Fowler
was in general view, the victim Of circumstances His
administration unfortunate possibly criminal but 10
is not supposed that he was party TO any absolute
fraud indeed, his good nature his generous dsposi-
host Is sufficient contradiction to any aspersion Of
his character, matter Of pecuniary consideration
Mr.. Fowler for many years conspicuous membsr
of the Tammany crowd and earned the honors received
by hard work in the ranks On his appointment he
hailed as the coming who had come, and for long
time he welded nearly all the patronage Of the Govern
ment In this city. But after brief career Of intox
eating prosperity he found himself In deep water; hts
kindness had been his bane, and In trying to serve
others he had deeply compromised himsef he failed
and went abroad and thenceforward his name was re-
membered only by few faithful friends who properly
appreciated his position and his temptations Personal
ly Mr. Fowler deservedy popular and had hosts OF
friends BY his general good nature aud frank besr
ing As politician he Of the good, easy men Of
olden times. who could be used for sinister purposes
by the sharp who WELD the party destnie
1t is pretty generally believed that he was made tho
scapegoat for those who deeply compromised
and who needed victim to take away their own con-
domination.
The Hon. Rufus Dwinnell, ex-MayOr, and for
many years leading lumber merchant In Bangor, Me-
died last evening.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-10-01

The Brooklyn City Democratic Supervisors
may be deemed apt disciples of the Tammany
school. They come right up to the work of
political fraud with all the GOODNESS and eff
frontery of veterans. Last night they were
guilty of as indecent piece of trickery as ever
disgraced the proceedings of any public body.
The Special Committee to whom was referred
the lists of Inspectors and Canvassers of Reg
istry for the forthcoming election reported
their list of appointees. and accompanied it
with resolution, the burden of which was that
the report be adopted, and on that the previous
question was promptly sprung, and demand
for the reading of the list as promptly declared
by the Chair to be ont of order. The Repub-
lican members endeavored to obtain their
rights, but they had none that Democratic
Supervisors and Democratic Mayor were
bound TO respect The report was pushed
through under the previous question, the
seven Republican Supervisors being ut
terly ignorant rs to the names OF
the appointees in their own Wards. To aid in
the contamination of this outrage, Mayor
Kalbheisch, who had not been at a meeting of
the regular Board of Supervisors for year,
presented himself and voted for the report,
going it blind each time the Yeas and Nays
were called. Last year the Mayors presence
on a like occasion evoked considerable discus
sion as to whether his er-o6icio Supervisorship
in the regular Board gave him a seat in the
City Board. He does not appear to have
profted by that discussion. Cannot the De-
mocracy of Brooklyn be sbamed into at least
q show of decency in a matter involving SO
sacred q right as that of the elective franchise