The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1870-06-03
vaMandIgham on the Bible

OA AAO ABA0AC
Hon C. L. Vallandigham deIlv-
cred a lecture recently on the lIt-
erature an history of the Bible. 1t
was an eloquent production, and
gave great satisfaction. We select
q few passages:
Nothing IN the whole range OF
literature, In poetry or fiction,
could equal the detail of the Incl
denis OF the deluge-full of exquis-
tie beauty and interest, and the
episodes so % speak, of the dove
and the rainbow. The posterity
OF abraham and Lot exhibited a
delineation of passions very oypo-
site of Cain. There was q strife
between the herdsmen of those two
patriarchs. Abraham, rich in cat-
tie and gold and silvOr, addressed
his poor and younger kinsman in
the simple eloquence of u great
heart: Let Lhers be no strife, j
pray thee, between thee and me,
and te'wuen thy herdsmen and my
h~erdsmen. for we be brethren. Is
not the whole land before thee? Ii
tho uwilt tLkc the lett hand, then l
will 20 to The right; or if thou wilt
depart to The right hand, then l
will go 10 the loft
"Tho parting of Hector and An
dromeda Ia the sixth book of the ii
lad has always been considered IN
the highest degree affecting. Yet
It could not be cluimed that it ap
pealed more strongly to the sympa-
thies than the record Of the expul-
sion of Dagar, and her wandering
in the wilderness when the w
vas spent i'll the bottle, and she
cass the child under one of the
shrubs and wont and sat her down
over against him, n good way off,
as it were, Il bow shot, for she SAID,
'TeL me net see the death of the
child And she sat over against
him and lifted up her voice and
Vept.' The simple language ap-
peals stronger TO the feelings aDd
sympathies of every mother than
the most dignrfied, epic verse.
The Story of Rlxpah ID worthy
Of the best powers Of epic and trag-
ic muse, and the narrative of the fl
Ial Ruth and noble horcIsm ofEsth-
or are not tc be forgotten.
THE entertaining of the three
men passing the tent OF Abraham,
his purchase of;he cave of Machpe-
lax, In the field of Ephron, for a
burrying-pEacc, are variations full
of interest and pathos. X = x x
AS 4 record of the feeble begin
ming of ma y of the arts and scicn-
ces, and Of their gradual progress
and develop ement, the Bible vas
worthy of Dur attention and study.
Also. the b ,ginning Of agriculture,
Pasturage and agriculture were
chroicled mere. So tho record of
the first vintage and the first drum
keness' and of its striking cOnse>
quences. Here were recorded also
the beginn hgs OF geography, ship
building and navigation, aid OF the
manufactu c of brass and iron; the
history anu progress OF trade and
commerce and architecture. 4
knowledge Of the arts and sciences
and tt o art of war is 10 I've found
contained IN the Bible. In the BIZ
ble We havc u chronicle of the car
liesl system OF government. leglslar
tion and Jurisprudence. Here We
learn d how property IN bond was
first acquired. Here we read Ofthc
first purchase OF real estate. Hero
was line law ofInheritance arp be
quest. lie art Of heating also found
menJlon in this book, and it also
! contained the origin of two of tho
most ren arkabie social and politI-
cal Institutions ever established
Marriage and the Sahbalh-both
ordrined Mt the creation, but the
Sabbath irst."