davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1873-05-28
MEXICO.

Most of US are familiar with the condition
and needs of the heather world; of India
and Africa, of China and Japan, and with
those European countries which have been
for ages under the binding influence OF the
Papacy; but how many of US have had our
thoughts turned to the broad, fair lands that
lie at our own gates, our near neighbor,
Merico? We have responded to the Provl-
dence that has opened Papal lands over the
sea to the entrance of the light, and Bibles
are pouring into Spain and Italy. Earnest
hearted men and women are entering through
the open doors, and Protestant churches and
schools are ditfusing light and knowledge;
but are we thoroughly aware that Mexico,
with its five or six millions of children and
youth, is open to Protestant effort! That
this land, 80 often convulsed and desolated,
is now republicans thrown oft the yoke
of Rome, and established religious liberty !?
Mexico is calling to US for pure gospel,
calling very, very earnestly. Thoroughly
sick of priestcraft, and hungry for the bread
of life, the people of many of the cities and
towns have of their own accord formed socie
ties for worship, adopting some simple form
of service and appointing the most intelli-
gent of their number to preach and exhort
At Cos this has been done; church has
been formed, and without any ordained min
lister, has grown to membership of one
hundred and seventy, and has erected the
first Protestant church ever built in Mexico.
Laymen have been chosen to administer
baptism and the Lords Supper. This has
been done also around Mexico and Zacatecas,
and in many smaller towns wOrshipping as
semblies have been formed and converts bap
tized.
1t may not be generally known that the
great work for which God thus opens the
way in Mexico is now in His providence
thrown directly, almost unexpectedly, so far
as our church is concerned, upon our Pres
byterian Board of Foreign Missions. Thus
are we, in sense, compelled as Presbyte-
rians to come into this old land, so full Of
romance and rioting in the past, and OF
young strength and capabilty for the future.
For what would the Master say should We
refuse to accept gift, which may be turned
to such account for His glory? and to the
good, not of Mexico alone, but to that Of
our own country? The Papal power in
these United States needs the support of
our powerful though restless neighbor. A
great conflict is before US. The work in
Mexico appeals strongly, then, to those of
Gods people whose sympathies are especial
| ly given to home missions. A flank move
ment upon the enemy is known to be often
more effective than direct assaults. Let
Mexico become Protestant in name and fact
and the Papacy in these United States would
receive deadly blow.
Oh that our Lord at His coming may
find that we, like Him, have finished the
work He has given us to do; that every
field has been occupied, and His people every
where ready to offer Him the rich fruitage
and harvest, which is according to His
promise, to those full of faith in Him, and
obedient to His word Woman'S Work for
Woman.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1873-05-28
God in the Constitution.

The Ministerial Association (Presbyte-
rian) Philadelphia, at several of its meet
ings, held lively and interesting discus
sions upon the subject of the proposed reli,
gious amendments of the Constitution of
the United States. Many able speeches
were made on both sides of the question.
One of the most effective was from the Rev.
Henry A. Boardman, D. D., who opposed
the suggested amendments on the following
grounds
First. Because it is contrary to the genius
of the Presbyterian Church, and to all its
traditions, to undertake to enforce religious
doctrines by legislation.
Second AS likely, if adopted, to be ut
terly nugatory in keeping unprincipled men
out of Office and stemming the torrent of
corruption now sweeping through the high
places of the land.
Third. Christianity is now recognized by
our Supreme Court as part of the common
law of Pennsylvania. Let well enough
alone.
Fourth AS DISTINGUISHING our excellent
Hebrew population and many other good
citizens.
Fifth. AS violating the solemn compact
into which VIC have entered with people of
all realms and creeds to come and live in
our country.
Sixth. AS certain to create "ChriStian
party" in politics, with its inevitable con-
verse, an "Anti- Christian party one of
the greatest calamites that could befall the
church.
Seventh. As utterly futile unless the
masses of the nation could be thoroughly
evangelical, and certain to be repealed at
an early day.
Eighth. AS inaugurating On agitation
which must in every way be hurtful to real
Christianity.
DIR. Boardman was followed by the Rev.
Robert Davidson, D. D., the Rev. James
W. Dale, D. D., and others, who, on val ous
grounds, took the same side. the Rev. DR..
T. P. Stevenson, the Rev. George Morton,
and others argued ably on the other side.
No vote was taken, or decision in any way
made.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1873-05-28

Affection is the Christians school. Here
he is made to know himself and his God, his
duty and his destiny. Here he learns the
vanity of things temporal, and the value Of
things eternal.
Though He slay me, yet viii 1 trust in Him. -
job xiii: Is.
What God-hOnOring thing, to see a strug
CLING, sOrrOwing child of earth cleaving fast
to God, calmly trusting in Him, happy and
at rest in the midst Of storm and suffering
What a spectacle for the host of heaven
Now, then, is the time for the saints to give
glory to the Lord their God. Let them prize
affection as the very time and opportunity
for doing so, most of all.-BOaar.
For a small moment have | forsaken thee. but
with great mercies viii l gather thee. In little
wrath hid ny face IRON thee for a moment; but
with everlasting kindness viii l have mercy on
thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer lisa. Inv: Z,
s.
1t is but little while at the uttermost,
that God lets any of his children walk in
darkness, and always this darkness prepares
for greater light. And sometimes God dark
ems our room that he may show with greater
effect those visions of his own glory on which
he VIII have our attention to be fixed, and
which We either viii not, or cannot see, in
the glare of the MONDAY of this world.
''The angel Of the Lord encampeth.rOund about
them that fear him, and dehyereth them. Psalm
xxxiv: 3.
The angels Of the Lord came to the Sa-
viOur in that garden agony, when such cup
of sorrow was pressed to his lips as his peO-
pie never drank; and he was strengthened.
So they visit the chamber of sickness where
the good man lies, and minister unto him,
when al earthly comforts fail They call
the saints to follow them they take him on
their wings and bear his soul to heaven. -
IrsREUS
IF we suffer, we shall also reign with him. -
= Tim. IL. -
One hour Of eternity, one moment with
the Lord, viii make US utterly forget life
times desolatiOns.-B0aar
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1873-05-28

CURIosITIEs OF THE BIBLE.-A man who
was condemned to solitary confinement for
life in prison, relieved the tediousneaS of the
years by aScertaining the following facts:
The Bible contains :, 1856, 489 letters, 49,
692 words, 81, 173 verses, 1,189 chapters, and
66 books. The word "and" occurs 49, 277
times; the word "Lord occurs 1856 times;
the word "reverend " occurs but once, which
is in the 9th verse of the 111th Psalm. The
middle verse is the 9Th verse of the 18th
Psalm. The 21st verse of the 7th chapter
of Ezra contains all the letters in the alpha
bet except theJ. The finest chapter to read
is the Goth chapter of the Acts of Apostles
The 18th chapter Of II. Kings and the 9th
chapter of Isaiah are alike. The longest
verse is the 9th verse of the 9Th chapter of
Esther. The shortest verse is the Both verse
of the 18th chapter of st. John. The 9Th,
18th, 21st and 31st verses of the 1O9th Psalm
are alike. All the verses of the 136th Psalm
end alike. There are no words or names of
more than six syllables.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1873-05-28
Sunday School Literature.

One of the religious euriOsities of the day
is the quantity of Sunday School literature.
The quality of it is something more than a
curiosity; it is a real source of anxiety to
those parents who have children to be in-
hueneed by it. As a general rule it may be
divided into two classes the morbid, pain
full. memoirs of such systematically good
children, that it is no wonder every honest
boy and girl looks very suspiciOusly on them /;
and the religious sensational style, full of
thrilling scenes and wonderful escapes, and
such good and evil fortunes as never had,
nor viii have any real parallel. The evil of
the first class is in nourishing on death bed
seenesIthe tit.bit of the book that dreary
fascination for sepulehral subjects, latent in
every child's heart, and in inducing kind
of spiritual precoeity which is the very worst
form Of this disease. The little children of
Sunday School memoirs are not the kind of
little children set for our example-they are
thedreariest and most unnatural little old men
and women.
The second class is very little better in its
influence than the dime novel, to which it
is too often initiatory. The ethics these
books teach are neither in accord with the
Bible nor everyday life. In spite of novels
religious and otherwise there are evils that
have no apparent compensation. Job does
not always recover his sons and daughters,
and the problem which exercised the man of
u and the Psalmist is still unsolYed.-
Stories then, which always represent the
good boy as successful, and send the bad
boy to jail or to the grave, have tendency
to unsettle the proper motives of well-dO.
ing, which is the lovs and appreciation of God.
For creed which takes its central point in
a conscious selfshness has little in common
with that religion which teaches US to Glove
our neighbOr as ourselves.
These books are such as child naturally
likes. Any boy or girl prefers true story,
unless it be unadulterated fiction Ike Hans
Anderson, or the " Arabian knights" and
the materials for true stories are abundant
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1873-05-28
The Religion we Want.

We want a religion that bears heavily,
not only on "the exceeding sinfulnesS Of
sin" but on the exceeding rascality of lying
and stealing. A religion that bapiShes small
measures from the counters, small baskets
from the stall, pebbles from the cotton-bags,
clay from the paper, sand from the sugar,
chicory from the coffee, alum from the bread,
and water from the milk cans. The religion
that is to save the world will not put all the
big Strawberries at the top, and all the little
ones at the bottom. 1t will not make one
half pair of shoes of good leather and the
other half of poor leather, so that the first
shall rebound to the makers credit, and the
second to his cash 1t will not put Jouvin' s
stamp on Jenkins kid gloves; nor make
Paris bonnets in the back room of Boston
milllners shop; nor let piece of velvet that
processes to measure twelve yards come to
an untiwely end in the tenth, or spool of
sewing-silk that vouches for twenty yards
be nipped in the bud at fourteen and half;
nor all-wool delaines and all.linen handker-
chiefs be amalgamated with clandestine cot
ton; nor coats made of old rags pressed to-
gether to be sold to the unsuspecting public
for legal broad-cloth. 1t does not put bricks
at FIVE dollars per thousand into chimneyS it
contracts to build of seven dollar material ;
nor smuggle white pine into floors that have
paid for hard pine; nor leave yawning cracks
into closets where boards ought to join; nor
daub the ceilings that ought to be smoothly
pastered; nor make window-blinds with
Stats that cannot stand tbs wind and paint
that cannot stand the sur, aQd fastenings
that may be looked at but are no account to
be touched. The religion that is going to
Sanctify the world pays its debts. 1t does
not consider that forty cents returned for
one hundred cents given it is according to
the gospel, though it may be according to
law; it looks on man who thus acts and
who continues to live in luxury as thief.
Such is the religion of the blessed Jesus and
of His book, the Bible.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1873-05-28
A Remarkable Relic.

The Moderator of the Presbyterian Gen
eral Assembly will sit in chair that is a
sort of heirloom of Presbyterianism. 1t
was used in the famous Synod of bort in
1913, when Deputies from England and the
Reformed Church in Europe tried to recon
Gle the doctrines of Luther, Calvin and Ar
minus. A Dutch family that emigrated
from Holland brought the chair to Albany,
New York, in 1850. 1t has been handed
down from generation to generation as
precious heir loom, until it was bequeathed
to the Rev. DIR. Chester, of Albany, about
sixty years ago, and from him it was trans
ferred to the present owner, a Presbyterian
gentleman of this city.
1t is rather handsome, straight backed
chair, made of Eoglish cherry, not near so
massive nor so deliberately carved as might
be imagined from its Dutch origin. Some
sleepy student of Calvin or Luther or Ar
minus some two hundred and fifty years
ago permitted the candle to drop from his
reading stand, and one of the arms was
slightly cnarred before he woke up and put
the taper back to its place. The morocco
back evidently does not date back to the
sixteenth century, and is probably not more
than hundred years old. So much solid
Calvinism rubbed against the original leather
that it was no doubt worn out long before
the Arminian tenets were thoroughly demol-
ished in Holland This historic chair was
sent down to Mr.. Stephens yesterday (Cal-
vert and Baltimore streets), and there re
ceived an extra cushion, partly to preserve
the old one and pastly to enhance the com
fort of the Moderator. -BaltimOre Ameri-
can, 18th.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1873-05-28
Solomon S Temple.

Some interesting facts are given in an ar
ticlo in the Edn5urg Revieo0 respecting
SOlomOn's temple. In size, the great pyra-
mid of Egypt is the only structure on the
earth which could be compared With it.
1.-THE Great Pyramid demanded, indeed
large amount Of naked human labor; but
in Moriah there is cOmpulsion of the fea-
lures of Nature herself to the service of the
builder. In actual bulk, the Great Pyra
mid is to the Temple rock as five to nine, if
we descend but as far as the slls of the five
double gates of the mountain of the house
If we carry the comparison down to the
level at which the lowest foundation of the
walls is inlaid in the rock at the angles of
the enclosure, the bulk is three times that
of the Great Pyramid The cubic contents
of the mason's work may not amount to "a
tenth part of that piled up by SOuphis But
the hill has been honeycombed with cham
bers and galleries; and the declining part
to the south covered with vaults and arches,
to which Gizeh can show no parallel. The
length of the eastern wall of the sanctuary
is rather more than double that of one side
of the Great Pyramid. Its height from the
foundation on the rock at the south and
near the northern angles was nearly third
of that of the Egyptian structure. If to this
great height of l52 feet of solid wall be ad-
ded the descent of ia feet to the bed of
Kedron, and the further elevation of 160
feet attained by the pinnacle of the temple
porch, we have total height of 426 feet,
which is only SO feet less than that of the
Great Pyramid. The area of the face of
the eastern wall is more than double that of
one side of the pyramid. Thus the magni-
tude of the noble sanctuary Of Jerusalem
far exceeded that of any other temple in
the world. Two amphitheatre8 of the size of
the Coliseum would have stood within its
colossal girdle and left room to spare"
1t is estimated that the temple when all
its parts were filled, would hold TWO hundred
and ten thousand persons. A careful ex-
animation of the probable site of the brazen
altar has led to the discovery Of an appa
ratus for furnishing current of air to the
fires, on which the best devices of modern
science can suggest no Improvement. In
connection with this fact, lit is remarked
by the rabbinical writer's as a matter par
taking of the nature of the miracle that,
during the whole continuance of the first
temple, not only were the three fires that
burned day and night on the hearth of the
Great Altar unextinguished, but that what
ever was the weather or the current of the
wind. the smoke ALWAYS rose STRAIGHT To-
ward heaven.
The sanctuary is neither square nor rec
tangular, but trapezoidal in shape. The
inquiry is suggested as to what circumstance
determined its form. The question is an
swered by the survey. The north and south
lines correspond with the meridian. The
east and west lines do not run exactly east
and west, but with variation of 100 g.
north of east. The line points to the place
where the sum rose on the morning of the
day the temple was founded.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1873-05-28
Northern Assembly and the Centenary
Celebration.

After full discussion, and after strong OPP
position from DIR. Van Dyke and others, the
General Assembly of the Northern Presby-
teran Church adopted report of which the
following is an abstract:
The Committee on the proper observance
of the Centenary of American Independence
made the following suggestions:
First, that it is appropriate for the Pres
byterian Church to participate in the Cen
tennial of American independence, and in
the international exposition of 1876, which
is to be held in Philadelphia under the sane
ton of Congress. Second, that several per-
sons be designated to prepare historical dis
courses, to be delivered at some time yet to
be appointed. The Committee suggest as
subjects discourse upon the period from the
founding of the Presbyterian Church in this
country to the commencement of the war of
the revolution; from the war of the revolu-
ton to the adoption of the Presbyterian form
of government, 1856; from 1856 to the pres
ent time; the present condition, prospects,
work, needs, &C., of the Church; education
under Presbyterian influences from the first
settlement of the country to the present time
historical sketches of the several boards and
other agencies established by the General
Assembly.
The report asks that the Assembly solicit
the. appropriate Com;lisSee' of the centennial
commission to set apart a space for an
exposition of the books published by the
Presbyterian Board of Publication, and of
other works of American Presbyterian au-
thors, and for the exhibition of ancient books,
manuscripts, relics, and other objects Of inte-
rest pertaining to PreSbyteriani8m; that the
Board be authorized to prepare a volume
illustrating the centennial; that the first Sab
bath in July, 1876, be designated as day
of prayer and thanksgiving; and it is recon-
mended that on that day the pastor of each
church under the jurisdiction of the General
Assembly deliver discourse on the history
of his church, and collection be taken up
the same day for a suitable fre-proof build
ing for the Presbyterian Historical Society.
The week commencing the second Sunday
in July, 1876, is designated as the time for
appropriate exercises to be held in the city
of Philadelphia, in commemoraton of the
first century of the nations existence. All
Presbyterians in the United States and in
foreign lands are to be invited to participate
in these exercises.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1873-05-28
The Sunday School of the Future.

The signs of the times are that the Sun
day School is destined to a glory and renOwn
as an agency for saving souls which Charles
Borromeo, Robert Raikes, William Fox and
Ludwig Thacker never dreamed of. Many
Of the best and wisest men of the Church
grow more and more enthusiastic in the
work, while thousands upon thousands of
average wisdom and goodness are not whit
behind them in their enthusiasm. These all
may realize that there are many defects in the
minor details of methods. They may lament
the fanCiful, extravagant, preposterOus, RI
diculOus and nonsensical features which its
weak-minded devotees may have foisted upon
it. They may be sick at heart over some OF
the silly songs and frivolous music which
bears its name. They may regret that there
are not more Christian men and women capa-
bic of teaching the doctrines and facts of the
Bible without misstating or distorting them.
They may heartily condemn some of the
means resOrted to for the purpose of interest
ing the children, and may have grave queS-
tons concerning the lawfulness or wisdom
of others. But for all this they believe that
the underlying principle is ordained Of
Christ, and the essential features of the in
stitutiOn more than the happy thoughts Of
active Christian minds in these latter days.
They believe it is of God, and that the
sphere of its place and influence will yet be
very greatly enlarged, and in the process,
the Objectionable and repulsive features will
be sloughed off.-G. T. Leonard
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1873-05-28
Mr.. George Smiths Explorations in Assyria

Mr.. George Smiths Explorations in Assyria.
The Daily Telegraph publishes another
message from Mr.. Smith, dated "Mosul,
April 26, containing details which cannot
fail to be interesting to our readers.
l have examined, he says, many of the
ancient remains and monuments, and the
general face of the country from KoyuDjik
on the river Tigris, down to Babylon on the
Euphrates. Thence | have crossed into the
marsh district of Hillah, and investigated
the Birs Nimroud. l have also been across
the Desert as far as Tell Ibrahim. In the
course of these visits and of my excavations
nearer Mosul, I have obtained upwards of
eighty new inscriptions. One among them
is from very important STEELE Of Merodach-
Baladan, King of Babylon, son of Milihu,
grandson of Kurigalzu, period 1900 B. C.
Another notable inscription is that of Vul-
nirari, King of AsSyria, recording list of
expeditions and triumphS achieved during
the reigns of Assurabalid, Belnirari, Sui,
and Vulninari. This interesting record
gives the particulars of the restoration of
the causeway to the great Temple of Assur,
date 1920 B. G. | have also recovered part
of the series of tablets containing most Gu
rious and ancient Babylonian legends, as
well as Syllabaries of great utility, bilingual
collection of proverbs, and some astrological
and neurological tables. Among other dis
coveries | may mention contemporaneous or
historical memorials of Sargon, Esarhaddon,
ASsurbanipal, Nebuchadnezzar, Nabonidus,
Cambyses, and Darius. l have, moreover,
lighted upon some curious tablets of the
Parthian period, bearing unmistakable dates,
with many other more or less interesting re-
lies, the particulars of which will be learned
from the letters which have despatched to
you.
l exCavated at Nimroud for seventeen
days, and explored there the Northwest Pa
lace of Esarhaddon, the Temple of Nebo,
and also some entirel y untouched portions of
the Southeast Palace. This latter is of
greater extent and grander character than
has been supposed. | found spacious halls
and fine chambers, the walls of which were
ornamented with bands of plain colors-
Under the pavement of one of these halls l
came upon six clay figures having the head
of lion joined to human body. These
figures have four wings, and each of them
holds in the left hand the symbolical basket.
One of my most recent discoveries is that of
perfectly new text of the annals of Tg
lath-Plleser. l am at present digging hard
to obtain, if possible, the remainder of this
highly important piece of history,