St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1873-05-09
From the Portland Press
Birth andiBaptism. m.--Discourses of First
Principles
El ErIIEAIN CHAMBERLAIN CUMMINGS.
PORTLAND. 1873

Er ErIIHAIM CHAMBERLAIN CUMMINGS.
PORTLAND. 1873.
This volume has been prepared and
published lis il memorial of a pastorate
extending over several wears. and de-
Nel"plng between pastor and people All
unusually strong personal attachment.
The hold which the preacher and teacher
obtained over his parlshioners lis such,
grew int" friendship which retains its
vitality and beauty even now that of
iirial connection has ceased. This. of
itself, Is conclusive evidence of the
value and gcnlinenrss of the ministry
of VII. Cummings 1T st. JOhnsbury. In
reading the diScourses of which this
volume l. made up, we discover al least
Il portion oi the secret of this affection
ate and enduring sympathy they are
written III the very spirit of the Gospel
itself: they abound i'll revelations of
the writer's interior mind. which is at
once. OF an ardent spiritual force and
of Il most delicate refinement and they
prove that it WAS through the yearu-
ings of his own heiut that he was able
to approach the hearts of others. To
those who sat under his ministration,
these pages speak with the added elo-
qucnce of remembered voice, while to
those whn only meet him in his book.
there will come. with its perlIsal, :,
clean conviction of his carmestuess and
OF his skill III setting forth those truths
which cannot too often claim our serious
attention. He calls them First Prin-
riplc> and truly they are such in The
spiritual economy. He gives us. i'll his
opening discourse. the birth of orr Lord
III plain language full of the pictur-
cSquc portrayal of the circumstances
which attended il, and in 80 doing he
brings to light the spiritual first princi-
piles which ndcrlic the birth of each
fresh human soul into its kingdom.
whereof perhaps the crown may also be
ot thorI>. He tells of the baptism of
John. and applies the meaning which it
bore. (" that of all preparatory steps
t"r setting the heavenly above the
earthly. He dwells upon the Passion
of oul Lord as cNcmplitying those
deeper experiences of the soul. by which
We are best fitted to know. to do and to
endure. And in the sermon on the
Comforter. he lays down the axiom that
obedience and faith must precede the
reception of that peace which passrth
all understanding.
In the gradual unfolding of the
writer's plan certain progressive al
rangemcnt OF topics is made. and from
the beginning of the Christians career.
a> cXcmpliiicd III the birth of Jesus, he
l. led on through regeneration, baptism.
and suffering to the full and tree eA-
ercisc of all his moral qualities, and the
.t f.lirh Ia.
life. Words of good cheer are spoken
all the way, and there is constantly
apparent IL tender impulse to pour forth
Il personal love of the saviour. and the
power of Reproducing with great vivid
Hess those events in the life of Jesus
upon which human sympathy and spirit
ua emotion have seized with appro-
priatimg forces. There is as much of
genial Sweetness i'll his representation
of the means by which the soul may
win the salvation il desires, as of fervor
in his admomitions to seek it without
delay. The discourses are as tree from
controversy or dogmatic assumption as
they are penetrated 10y that quiet per
>"nal conviction. which supplies ii more
wcighty authority than any aggressive
spirit gives. We commend it to readers
of all religious opinions for it speaks
the universal language of Christian love
and fellow ship. and the special modality
ut the preachers own creed is subOrdi-
natrd I" the great first principles to
which he asks attention.
This volume bears the imprint of our
own city and Is tnr sale AT Loiing, Short
and llarmun's. NJ J. NJ :.
llI\r> To missing MOTHERS.
men who arr nursing babies should
never drink tea. II | had time | could
tell Nou in plain terms the reasons for
this assertion. do not believe in tea
tnI any one outside of the countries
where il i raised, and have no doubt
thai there IL l. national blessing.
Americans need no such astIingents.
n" such nrrve-quickucrs. That tea
drinking l. one great caus.. of nervous
ness among nIIr women. | believe every
thinking man and woman will agree
and often wish that our first row with
our mother country had been over
something worth fighting about instead
uf an old tea chest. Oat meal. Indian
meal. gaucl and cocoa. oI chocolate are
the beverages To ht partaken of 10y
women who nurse their babies. These
insure quality as well as quantity, and,
made of good rich milk. can he freely
partakcn of. There is no need of ali
ordinarily healthy woman growing thin
hccallSc she is nursing. Then, again.
infants should he held as little as posi-
bic. and trotted and rocked. never.
Accu>tom y"ur baby al once to the bed
oI cIib. and insist. whatever YOUR nurse
may SAY to the contrary. upon its sleep
ing alone. Then feed Your baby rcgu-
iaIlI. and di>ibusc Nomr mind of the
impression that il i> hungry every time
il makes Il noise. No woman should
nurse her infant uticner than twice i'll
the night. and at six months this should
hc stopped entirely, in order to guard
the mother against the exhaustion which
fellows inevitably upon the keeping up
of this unnatural night drag. Once i'll
two or three hours during the day is
also quite often enough. Bear in mind
also that Your baby wants. and must
have. cold water to drink daily. Begin
first. and Immediately. with i teaspoon
lul. allowing the child to be its own
Judge IL tn quantity. Give YOUR ba-
bie> room enough. and enough to eat
of h" right kind. good air to breathe
and plenty of sunshine. and my word
nm il You will have no trouhle: and
mothers can only do this by taking
proper care of themselves. The pres
cnt system of bringing up children is
IN ;homination but what more can he
expected with :" little preparation for
life and its duties on the part of our
women Hcraid Of HsaIM.
I'm Illinois editor lately wrote to the