davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-12-27
Dr.. Eall. Of Kentucky.

DR.. Nathan H. Hall was also very con
spicuous minister in the Synod in the olden
times. He had a fine physique; form
round, portly, and commanding; face that
in the pulpit struck and attracted the stran-
ger and prepared him for sermon
His voice was excellent-rich, round, and
sonorous, and never cracked nor screamed.
He was for many years SO mixed up with
the reViVals within the bounds of the Synod
that some churches seemed to think that a
revival could hardly come without the com
ing Of Dr.. Hall. After the field was pre-
pared and everything was prepared by the
pastor, he was pleasant and most etflclent
assistant. He always upheld the hands OF
the pastor. He never assumed anything
imperioua over young men. If he found q
young pastor of independence and capacity,
and sufficient to manage his own meetings,
he saw it at once and acted accordingly.
He would control the meeting if thrown on
his hands, but would not exacti it of thepastor.
His sermons were not logical exactitudes,
but they were eminently Scriptural. He
would dash whole hot masses of Scripture
sentiment and language upon the heart OF
TIE sinner, or bedew the soul of the Chris
an with the gentle illusions of divine truth
adapted to his condition. Although holding
pastorate in Lexington for number Of
years, yet the pastoral work was not his tit.
test nor most useful field of labor. Yet,
singular and wrong as such things seem to
u, the very talents and graces which made
Hall and Barnes such eminent instruments
of evangeliStiO usefulness were hedged in
and curtailed by tying them down to pastor
ates. Hall was a poor pastor, as all such
men are, but he was an eminently superior
evangelist. Yet this eminent ability and
high grace of labor were made to play
the part of mere incidental side work.
This is not the way to make the most Of
Gods great gifts to our Church.
DR.. Hall was never much of an ecclesias-
tical lawyer. When he rose to address al
ecclesiastical body, he did it in the same
warm, hortatory style as he would revival
meeting Many years ago, when the Gene
raj Assembly had met in Louisville, DR.. Hal
was up addressing the body in his ardent
hortatory way, when one gentleman who
knew the Doctor we'll said to another from
New York, "Wait little, and he'll call W
the anxious" We suppose the New Yorker
got over his laugh some time ago, but il
seemed to be renewable as long as the As
sembly lasted, when he met the friend who
made the odd remark.
Dr.. Hall, in the late years of his life
moved to Missouri, where he died. W.
think it something ike misfortune for al
old minister to move away late in life from
his old home and friends. As to myself,
want to live and die among those for whom
| have worked. want to be laid away By
the loving hands and hearts of those wht
know NE better than all the world beside
Don't cali this maudlp, nor ohide it 81
weakness - Pennsylvania Presbyterian.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-12-27
~ audEp.
Farmers Friends

The French Minister Of Agriculture has,
by recent act of his, done as wisely as if
be had had at his elbow, to prompt him, Mr..
Davy, of Camden Town, or the Rev. Gil
bert White, Of Selborne. Ia all the rural
districts of France proclamation has been
posted on the signboards and at the corners
Of the roads, headed with the imposing title,
{" Ministry of Agriculture. This placard
warns the French farmer, in brief bur ADM
rably chosen language, to the following
effect: Hedgehog.-Lives on mice, small
rodents, slugs, and grubs-animals hurtful to
agriculture. Do not kill the hedgehog
Toad.-Farm assistant. Destroys from
twenty to thirty insects an hour. Do not
kill the toad. Mole.-is continually destroy
ing grubs, larvae palmer.worms, and insects
injurious to agriculture. No trace of vege-
tation is ever found in it's stomach. Does
more good than harm. Do not kill the mole
May-bug aud its Larvae or grub-Mortal
enemy to agriculture. Lays from seventy
to eighty eggs. Kill the May-bug."
The notice further goes on to argue against
the destruction Of small birds, which are, &C.
cording to the authority of the Minister of
Agriculture, the only allies on which the
farmer can depend for the extirpation Of
Vermin. Children are solemnly warned TO
abstain from birds nesting, and are at the
same time advised that they will be paid
twenty-five confines for every five hundred
May bugs which they may place in the hands
of the garde champetre. 1t remains, of
course, to be seen what effect this ministerial
edict will produce. 1t has been the habit in
France from time immemOrial to destroy re.
lentles8ly all the email birds, and there are
many people who are ready to tell ua that
the French vine .plague-the phyllOrera ues
atatrir lis entirely due to the fact that there
are in France no small birds to eat up the
spring caterpillars. In England you can
hardly walk for yard along country lane
without disturbing dozen or more feathered
denizens of the hedgerow. The blackbird
dashes out and scatters along the margin of
the brook, with timorous futter of wing
and noisy cackle, half of alarm and half
of fleeing defiance. The yellow hammer
hovers from twig to twig, uttering his
"skeet skeet! skeetl" of turbulent dissst
sfaction. The black-h bunting fits
and flaps this way and thet among the sedge
and dried grass on the margin of the ditch
The little goldeu-crested wren pops in and
out between the LEAKAGE; and the tomtits
hang head downward and drop from bough to
Oough, uttering their shriIl shrek of queru-
lous challenge. In France the pedestrian
may walk mile upon mile, and not single
bird will meet bis eye. The French peasant
ry have been for some years past possessed
by the ignorant notion that all little birds
live on seeds, and that the fewer small birds
there are about the more plentiful is the crop
likely to be. This prejudice the circular of the
French Minister of Agriculture will, it is to
be hoped, remove. On the whole, small
birds do more good than harm. They de-
stroy certain number of buds, no doubt
but they also kill perfect infnitude of in
scots.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-12-27
Stick to Your Business.

There is nothing wli,h should be more
frequently impressed upon the minds Of
youug men than the importance Of steadily
pursuing some one business Toe frcqpent
changing from one employment to another is
one of the most common errors committed,
and to it may be traced more than half the
failures of men in business, and much of the
discomfort aud disappointment which rem
der life uncomfortable. II is very COM
mon thing for a man to be dissatisfied with
his business, and to desire to change it for
some other which, it seems to him, will prove
a more lucrative employment; but in nine
cases out Of ten it is mistake. LookrOund
you and you will 6ud among your scquaint
anees abundant veri6cation of our assertion.
There is On honest farmer who has toiled a
few years, got his farm paid for, but does
not grow rich very rapidly, as much from
lack of contentment mingled with industry
as anything, though he is not aware of it.
He hears the wonderful stories of California,
and how fortunes may be had for the trouble
of picking them up; mortgages bic farm to
raise money; goes away to the land of gold,
aud after many months of hard toll comes
home TO commence again at the bottom Of
the hill for more weary and less successful
climbing up again. Mark the men in every
community who are notorious for ability and
equally notorious for never getting ahead,
and you will fud them to be those who never
stick to one business long, but are always
forsskiug their occupation just when it be-
gins to be profitable. Scientific American.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-12-27
D I z &c T o 3 Y
Presbyterian Church in the United States.
THE GENERAL AssEMBL,

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
The General Assembly will New Orleans, La,
on the third Thursday of May 1877 at IL A. NJ.
CLERKS.
Rev. JOSEPH R. WILSON, ID. D., STATED oLEax.
Wilmington, N. O.
REV. WILLIAM BROWN, D. D, PERMANENT Ctrar,
The Stated Clerk is orTIoro the Treasurer of the
General Assembly.
TRUSTEES
HoS. JAMES HEMPHILL, President, Chester, S. @.
REV. JOHN DOUGLAS, vIcE-PREsIDEsr Charlotte
N. q.
JESSE H. LINDSAY, Esq, SECRETARY and TRsAsusH.,
SUSTENTATION.
Rev. J. LEIGHTON WILSON, D. D., sxoRzrARr,
REV RTCHARD McILwAINE, Coordinate sronr.
rARY and TREASURER, Box SSl, Baltimore, Md.
FOREIGN MISSIONS.
REV: J, LEIGHTON WILSON, d. D., SECRETARY,
RLv. RICHARD MoILwAINE, Co ordinate sxcAurI.
Rr and TRSAsURER Box SSl. Baltimore, Md.
PUBLICATION
REV. E. THOMPSON BAIRD, d. D., SECRETARY, Rich
@. GENNET, Esq, TREAsURER, Richmond, Va.
EDUCATION.
Rev. JNo. N. wADDELL, u. D., SECRETARY, Mem.
A. F. DoD, TREASURER, Memphis, Tenn.
Applications to the Executive Committee for aid are
utive Committees for their approval and TO be for
warded by them TO the Assemby's Committees.
COLLECTIONS.
The General Assembly has appointed the following col.
lections TO be taken up annually in all the churches
For Sustentation: On the first Sabbath in January
For publication On the first Sabbath in March
For Foreign Missions: On the first Sabbath in May.
For the Relief OF Disabled Ministers and the Widows
and Orphans of Deceased Ministers On Sabbath
in July
For Evangelistic Work. On the first Sabbath in Sep.
TENDER.
For Education: On the first Sabbath In November.
In where It is highly nconvenent to take up COL
ectons these days, they shall be taken up
possible thereafter.
The Assembly recommends to the churches that they
adopt the apostolic plan of taking up weekly collections
and That the amounts thus collected be appropriated
the aboyenamed Objects when necessary 10 local OBJ
ecs in such proportion as the church session may
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-12-27
Good Advice.
SeTUer.

1t is said that an English Admiral used to
be fond of relating that, on first leaving a
humble lodging, to join his ship, his lsLdlady
presented him with Bible and a guinea,
saying, "God bless and prosper you, my lad;
and as long as you live, never suffer yourself
to be laughed out of your money or your
prayers. f"
The young sailor followed this advice
through life, and had reason to be glad that
he did 80 when he became an old man. Il
helped him in many trying places, and kept
him true to his own interest, aud to his God.
We don't know how many boys and girls
need the first part of the advice; still we
often fud youths who allow themselves to be
bantered into foolish spending of money by
their companions. Sometimes they don't
wish to appear mean or close, and thus allow
themselves to be tainted and laughed into
spending the dimes they know they ought to
keep. All this is wrong. Boys, and girls
too, ought to be brave enough to stand up for
what they know to be right, whatever others
may say, or however much they may laugh.
But we fear the last part of the advice is
oftener violated than the first. There are
more boys and girls laughed out of their
prayers than out of their money. Sometimes
they don't want their own brothers or sisters
to know that they continue to say their
prayers every morning and evening after
they leave the mothers knee. Aud then
when boys get out into the world, as they
often DO quite young, how many of them are
ashamed TO pray before others Don't be
discouraged, boys. Act like men in the
matter, and be better than many men. Be
true to yourselves, and in the end you will
not only be respected by the world, but you
will always have the approval of our own
conscience.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-12-27

of human mind to receive it in its purity
People don't like monotony and limitation,
and this should be avoided, because it is not
of God. The clear and faithful reiteration
of cardinal truth is of God, and becomes the
strength of the teacher and preacher of Je-
sus Christ. John the Baptist's ministry was
repetition, calling upon the people again
and again to repent. But there was variety
in his preaching. Paul we'll knew the need
of saying the same thing more than once
Christ himself, above all others, repeated his
sayings freely. He did not deliver himself
once for all in studied manner, but had
recourse to the topic again and agaip.--DOn-
aid Frayser, ID. ID.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-12-27
4nnsEhold aftnrds.
Teach Your Boys.

Teach them that true lady may be found
in calico quite as frequently as in velvet.
Teach them that a common school eduCa-
ton, with common sense, is better than a
college education without il.
Teach them that one good, honest trade,
well mastered, is worth a dozen beggarly
professions"
Teach them that q" Honesty Is the best
policy that tbs better to be poor than to
be rich on the profits of " crooked whi8key,"
ETC., and point your preCept by examples of
those who are now suffering the tOrments of
the doomed.
Teach them to respect their elders and
themselves.
Teach them that, as they expect to be men
some day, they cannot too soon learn to pro-
tecs the weak and helpless.
Teach them By your own example that
smoking in moderation, though the least of
the vices to which men are heirs, is disgust
ing to others and hurtful to themselves.
Teach them that to wear patched clothes
is no disgrace, but to wear ''black eye" is.
Teach them that God is no respecter Of
sex, and that when be gave the seventh COM
mandment, BE meant it for them as we'll as
for their sisters.
Teach them that BY INDUCING their de-
PRAYED appetites in the worst forms of dissi-
patton, they are not fitting themselves to be-
come the husbands of pure girls.
Teach them that it is better to be an hon
est man seven days in the week than to be q
Christian (?) one day and william six days.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-12-27
p r E II III ME-.

New subscribers applying early for the year 1877
may have, without charge, the numbers for the last
quarter of 1876 of such periodicals as they may sub.
scribe for.
Neither premiums to subscribers nor discount to
clubs can be allowed unless the money is RENTED
direct to the publishers. No premiums can be given
to clubs.
Circulars with further particulars may be had on
application.
THE LEONARD SCOTT PUBLISHING CO.,
al Barclay Street. New York.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-12-27
Old Greek Treasures.

As may be expected, the late wonderful
discoveries of DR.. Schliemann at Mycena
have excited intense interest among antigua
rians and classical scholars. Mycenia was
one o. the capitals of ancient Argols, and
was situated near the ancient coast of Greece.
Eighty Mycenans died with the little band
of Spartans at Thermopyle 4SO years before
Christ. The Argives destroyed the city in
466 B. c., and when Thucydides visited it a
century later he found it 10 ruins. But parts
of the walls and the tombs remained, and it
was in the latter that the German savant has
just brought to light the treasures. DR..
Schliemann visited the scene of the present
exploration in 1867, and early in the present
autumn he began the work which has just
eliminated in the present valuable discovery.
In the great circle of parallel slabs be-
meath the archaic sepulchral stones, which DR..
Schliemann has shown to be the tomb tf
Agamemnon and his companions, ne has dis.
covered immense tomb8 containing jewelry.
He found in one portion of tomb human
bones, male and female; plate, jewelry of
pure archaic gold weighing five kilogrammea,
two sceptres with heads of crystal, aud chased
objects in silver and bronze, and great guam
tity of women's jewelry in gold, handsomely
worked. Immediately after commencing ex.
cavations at an adjoining tomb, large head
of COW in silver, with immense horns of
pure gold, was found. A large girdle of
gold, five gold vases, and immense golden
buttons were also found. All these objects
were marvellously worked. Among other
discoveries are nine silver vases and Dumer-
Gus swords of bronze, but no trace of iron
work. The following articles of pure gold
and splendid ornamentation were also found:
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-12-27
The Orator.

If oratory were only the communication
Of information or the statement of an argu'
ment, the presentation of facts, or the reca.
pitulation of statistics, the newspaper would
soon dispose of the orator. But all this is
but an element, material of oratory. That
is not merely the statement or the argument.
Nor is it only a rhetorical, or passionate, or
picturesque appeal. Bat it is all these, pen
etrated and glowing with the power of living
speech. 1t is what is called magnetism
nameless delight.
Nothing is harder to convey in descrip.
ton, or in the very words, than eloqaence,
which is the name for the deepest charm Of
speech. Where it lies is not to be said. 1t
is the most elusive of secrets. It's the spell
of the magician, but it is not in the wand
nor in the words. 1t is not the voice, the
mien, the movements, the tone, although it
may seem to be in all. It ID the song of the
cuckon-
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-12-27
Running in Debt.

dwell on this point, for / would deter
others from entering that of torment. Half
the young men in this country, with many
old enough to know better, would GO into
business-that is, into debt-to.morrow, if
they could. Most poor men are 30 ignorant
as TO envy the merchant or manufacturer,
whose life is an increased struggle with Pc
cuuiary difficulties, who is driven to constant
shining" aud who, from month to month,
barely eVades the insolvency which sooner or
later overtakes most men in business so that
it has been computed that but one man in
twenty of them achieves specunisry success.
For nv own part would rather be con-
vict in a State prison, a slave in a rice
swamp, than to pass through life under the
harrow of debt. Let no young man mia
iudge himself unfortunate, or truly poor, so
long as he has the full use of his limbs and
faculties, and is substantially free from debt.
Hunger, cold, rags, hard work, contempt,
suspicion, uriust reproseh, are diSagreeable,
but debt is infinitely worse than all. And
if it had pleased God to spare either or all
my sons to be the support of my declining
years, the lesson which I should most ear
nestly seek to impress on them is, "DeVer
run into debt" Avoid pecuniary obliga-
tions as you would pestilence and famine.
If you have bat fifty cents and can get no
more for week, buy peck Of corn, parch
it, and live on it, rather than owe dollar!
Of course know that some men must do
business that involves risk, and must give
notes or other obligations, and do not con-
slider him in debt who can lay his hands di
rectlv on the means of paying, at some little
sacrifice, all he owes; speak of real debt
that which involves risk or sacrifice on one
side, obligation and dependence on the 9th
sr-and l say from ell such let every youth
humbly pray God to preserve him evermore.
Horace Greely.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-12-27
that cry,
Which made me look thousand ways,
In bush, and tree, and sky

Jefferson said he listened enchanted to
Patrick Henry, but he could not remember
what he said. He might as well have tried
to reproduce the music of the wind harp. It
was Charles Fox, if We remember correctly,
who said to the young man who told him
that he had heard most eloquent speech
from Burke, and could repeat every word of
it, "It was not very eloquent if you can re
member the Words Eloquence is the tone
of the picture, the rhythm of the music. A
sbrewd observer said that he always remarked
a peculiar cadence in eloquent speech; and
it is not Unusual for eloquence to leave the
nearer spiritually elevated in a manner for
which the words do not account. Until men
become insensble to this power, the newsps.
per will not supersede the orator, nor the
campaign document" the stump speaker.
Harper's Magazine.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-12-27

SLEEP FOR CHILDREN.-Iti Is well known
chat childhood requires a greater amount Of
sleep than maturer age. The rule should
be-; For children between five and seven,
ABOUT twelve hours sleep; above that age,
zen, and never less than eight hours. Care
should be taken that they be disturbed as
bitle as possible. The time for going to
sleep should be seven in summer, and about
six o'clock in winter; and keeping strictly
70 these hours will not only be beneficial to
The children's health, but will aecustom them
TO habits Of punotuaity and obedience.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-12-27
Central 4resbptuian,
0faoo no. 1918 Eain street, nearly opposite
the Post Office.
TIE RE6.

Three Dollars a year, payable in Advance.
PAYMENTS may be made to local agents wherever
practcabe ali ministers of our Church are author
sed to act as such. Or by checks Post.o6ice money
orders, or letters Registered by Postmaster Other
wise IT MUST BE At TEE RISK OF TEE PARTY suD
INa IT.
OBrTuAR1zs.- at ten cents line. The
party sending can make the estimate BY counting
eight words to line. Pdywsnt IN advances.
CoNEuHIoATIoys AND LsrTzRs on Bus1russ
should be addressed to Central Prssbyteriaa, Box
81, Richmond, Va.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-12-27

The British Quarterlies give to the reader well.
digesed information upon the great events in con.
temporsneous history. and contain mastery crit.
csms on all that is fresh end valuable in literature,
as well as summary of the riumphs of science and
art. The wars likely to convulse all Europe will
form topics for discussions that will be treated with
thoroughness and ability nowhere else to be found.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-12-27
Central 4resbgterian,
LITTLE THINGS.

A cup of cold water timely brought,
An offered easy chair,
A turning Of the windOw-bind,
That sl may feel the air.
An early flower unssked bestowed,
A hight and cautious tread,
A voice to softest whispers hushed,
To spare an aching head.
o, things like these, though little things,
The purest love disclose
As fragrant atoms in the air
Reveal the hidden rose.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-12-27
TERMS (Including Postage:
Payable Strictly in Advance.
Gu q 8.

4 discount of twenty per cent will be allowed to
clubs of four or more persons. Thus: four copies
OF Blackwood or of one Review will be sent to one
address for $780, four copies of the four Reviews
and Blackwood for $4s, and 80 on.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-12-27

AN exchange remarks that "amid the
general reduction of wages there is one thing
the wages of which sre notreduced, and that
is sin.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-12-27

THE CHURCHILL stand near it, or to
be in it, is a good position; but full Of dan
ser to hypocrisy.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-12-27

ENTAIL religion upon posterity, aud God
will entail blessing upon it.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-12-27
Choice Periodicals for 1877.

The Leonard Scott Publishing Company,
Al Barclay Street, New York,
Continue their authorized Reprints of the
FOUR LEADING QUARTERLY REVIEWS
rhe Edinburgh Review Whig),
The London Quarterly Review, (Conserratire)
Westminster Review (LiberdD,
The British Quarterly Review, (ErangelicaD,
Containing mastery criticisms and summaries of all
that is fresh and valuable in Literature,
Science and Art; and
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-12-27
BLAOKWOoD's EDINBURGH MAGAZINE.

The most powerful monthly in the English Ian.
guage, famous for STOKES, ESSAYS, and
SKETCHES,
OF THE HIGHEST LITERARY MERIT.