davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-12-13
I Cant Help 1t.

That was What Harry Day always said
when ne was told of any of bis bad habits:
" can't help it," which really meant: q
don't aoisb to helO it," because we know vel
enough that We can every one of US help
doing wrong if we try in the right way.
Oace Harry came upon an old story in
worn, soiled book which he routed out of
chest in the lumber closet, and this story SCI
him thinking, as it may, perhaps set some
Young folks thinking about the reason why
it is necessary to resist what is bad in lit
earliest beginning.
"Long ago there lived an old hermit who
had left the busy world for a cell in the de
sert, and who was reputed to be learned and
wise.
MANY people used to visit the lonely man
that they might receive his advice, and once
a youth came to him who begged to stay with
hin for a time as his pupil.
"The hermit consented, aud the first day
be led mis- young companion into small
wood near to their humble dwelling. look
ing round, he pointed to 8 very young oak
tree Just shooting from the ground.
60 Pull up that saplDg from the root
said he to his pupil, who obeyed without any
difficulty. Tney went on little farther,
aud the old man pointed so another tree, but
also young one, whose roots struck deeper
This vas not 50 easy to pull up as the fire.
had BEEN but with several efforts it was &C
compished
1.-The third had grown quite tell and
strong, so that the youth was a long time be
fore be could tear it up; but'when his mas
ses pointed 10 fourth 4uich was still larger
aid stronger, he found that, try as ne might
it was impossible 70 move it,
"Now, remember, and take heed to whal
you have seen, said the hermit. The bad
habits and passions of men are just Ike these
trees Of the wood. When young and tender
they may be easily overcome, but let them
once gain firm root 10 your soul, and no M
man strength is sufficient to get rid of them
Watch over your heart, and do not wait til
your faults and passions have grown strong
before you Try to uproOt them.
That was the end of the story but, as
have said, it set Harry Day thinking, and
when 81 can't help i" was rieing to his lips
he was ashamed to utter it. So he set him
self to the work Of mastering his temper, hi
ideness, and all that conscience told him
vas smiss. Though this is work that lie
not done in an hour or day, month, or
even a year, it will be efsc,ed at last per
haps after many failures) by prayer and by
perseverance nay, it must be done unless
We wish to become the servants and the
slaves Of sin.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-12-13
The Gospel of John.

Rev. DR.. Palmer, of New O-eans, says 10
recent sermon on passage from Johns
Gospel:
"There is an amazing depth in the Gospel
Of John, which renders it almost hopeless of
Exposition. The other E,augelists, indeed,
resent perfect portraiture of our Lord
throwing, with artistic skill. feature after
'eature upon the canvas. They record His
Miracles with historical precision, and recite
Ills parallels and frsgmentary discourses with
oucliOg simplicity and beauty. Yet their
representation, compared with that OF
John, is largely external. They present the
igure of Christ before the eye with such
singular attractiveness, that we instantly ad
mire and adore. Bat John nestles 10 the
Lords very bosom, and creeps into the Sa-
YOURS heart; whence his gentle voice
breathes as from an oracle the words of love
which are ever found in that Saviour heart
So that, reading the New Testament, We pass
through the Gospel of Matthew, Mark and
Luke, very much as the priest of old passed
through the holy place; until in John we 6ud
the holy of holies of the Bible, it's innermost
shrine.
The transparent clesrness Of Johns style,
20 certain extent, also deceiVes US. A gu
perfcial reading takes in the import of the
words 30 that we seem to understand, until
We begin to reflect; and the longer We read,
he more the deeps open before us-unti, at
length, thought and reason are swallowed up
10 the vastness of the revelation Of this mys
tic and seer. Il is as though one should
stand and look up into the clear blue sky
above; which parts before the eye, and the
sight is nowhere hindered, but pierces onward
and upward, until vision and fancy are lost
10 the immensity of space. Just so, you and
kneel at the edge of one of those sublime
atterances of Christ, which are reported by
John; and as we look, we seem to gaze into
he very depths of eternity. To take up
chen, these thoughts to pass them through
;be prism of our analysis, and then to throw
Them into logical forms, would seem almost
Orofsne in its GOODNESS. Yet it is the hard
condition of all earthly knowledge thus to
analyze aud to explore; and our only hope
is afterwards to re-combine the elements
which we have separated, and to glow with a
warmer devotion than before.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-12-13
Nasbaudrg.
Cost of Fences.

We find by compilation of reports TO the
D Department of griculture, that cash value
of the annual farm products of the United
States is over So $50 10000, while the
value of all the live stock, including horsep,
mules, cattle, sheep. hogs. was. on the first
day of February. 1872 81 $50 2ll 933, or
about $500 600 900 LEES than the value Of the
annual farm products
To protect this So $50 600 900 worth Of
growing crops from being destroyed by the
$l,659 2l2 933 worth of live stock, we have
built GIG, 1879, 428 rods of fence, nclosing
$50 505,Gl4 acres of ground with an aver
age OF 6 10 rods per acre, costing ST. 08 per
rod or So SO per acre, making a oral cos'
of ST. 74S 529 1856, or about $50 3l7 1872
ab I'VE the value of all the live st,c,. The
annual decay aud cost Of repairs cannot Re
Ies than ten nor cent Of the original cost Of
fence, or $l74S52 9ls; interest a, seven
per cent. per an"um $l243l9 S11; toal
annual cost S299 l72 729 Ba tbis-is no,
all. A fence occupies aud wastes an aver
age of one half rod wide. or one acre for
every 6ft0 enclosed making total f'r all the
fences of so l0l 123 acres. The gross pro
csed per acre for the cultivated ground III
the Uuted s ates, for the year 1871,
amounted to SO IS. Call il 81 per acre, aud
taxing two thur g as The est If cultivation,
We bavr So as the net proceeds Dor &C 2,
which would show an annual los. OF $3.50 SOB
369 which, added to the annual cost TO set lie
up and devel pttec 'unrry, aud th"se who have
he heaviest burden Of taxes to pay would have
to expand more than all The stock 10 the un
try is worth to fence in their crops, and give
f ee range to the stock owners, Who need not
own or improve, or pay taxes upon ST. gle
acre? But people are beginning to believe
that when they have bought piece of lard
add paid for it, aud pay taxes upon it, they
ought to own the land, and the crops grow
Jog thereon, and be protected 10 their rights
to do with it as they please, providing that
nothing which they do or grow or keep shall
Interfere with the right Of Others Lutheran
Observer.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-12-13

All were several hundred lines long. One
he called "The Battle of CheviOt;" another
F." Olang, the Great" This writing of poetry
was his amusement; he did not neglect HE
studies, bus pursued them with more and
more vigor as he grew older. In study, hl'
wonderful memory was great help to him
When little child, after residing "The Lay
of the Last Minstrel" he repeated verse af-
ter verse to his mother, till she grew tired
and told him to stop. He could repeat the
whole of Pilgrims Progress" and the
whole Of a. Paradise Lost.
When this wonderful boy became MAJ
Ge was very famous one Every article
that he wrote-and he wrote great many
caused a great deal of talk, and great deal
of admiration. And when, faally, ne pub
lished his History Of England, the Qleel
made him lord. None of this attention
seemed to spoil Macaulay. He lived, Wher
possible at home with his sisters, for ne never
married. To his little nepaeWs ana niece'
he was devoted uncle. He took them to all
the meuagsriea, gardens, and picture gal
leries sbou: London, and would always close
their excursions by giving them good din
ner. BE wrote rhymes for their amusement,
and sigued himself the Jadicious Poet.
Here is a sample. This tells about Two boys
who talked in church:
The besdle got good big stick,
Thicker than uncle thumb;
0, what a fright those boys were in,
To see the beadle come!
And they were turned out of the church,
And they were soundy beat;
And both those wicked, naughy boys
Went bawliug down the street"
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-12-13

defence of Gods Word have yielded so much
to infdel writer's that they are embofdened
to 90 on with new theories on subject
which human reason is incompetent to COM
prehend. "By faith we understand that the
worlds were framed by the word of God; 80
that the things which are seen were not made
of things which do appear" All attempts
to go beyond the word of God in enquiries
of this kind, have lead to cOntrariety, uncer
tsinty, and abSurdity.
I leave the full discussion of this subject
to those who have mind to it. There would
be no need of discussion, but that the minds
of some good men have been muddled BY
attempting to know more than we can ever
by searching find out. 7. ii.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-12-13
The Boys of Ny BOyhOOd,
BY WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT.


The boys of the generation to which be-
louged--that is to say, Who were born in the
last years of the last century or the earliest
of this-vere brought under system of dis
opliue which put far greater distance be
tween parents and their children than now
exists. The parents seemed to think this
necessary in order to secure Obedience
They were believers in the old maxim that
familiarity breeds contempt. Ny own pa
rents lived in the house with my grand father
aud grand mother on the mothers side My
grandfather was disClplinariau Of the
strictest sort, and | can hardly fad words to
express the awe in which stood of him-au
awe 80 great as almost to prevent anything
like affection on my part, although he was
10 the main kind, and certainly never thought
of being severe beyond what was necessary
to maintain proper degree of order in the
family.
The other boys in that part of the country,
my schoolmates and play,fellows, were edu
Gated on the same system. Yet there were
At that time some indications that this very
severe discipline was beginning to relax
With nay father and mother | was on much
easier terms than with my grand father. Il
a favor was to be asked of my grand father
it was asked with fear and trembling; the
request was postponed to the last moment,
and then made with hesitation, and bushes,
and confused utteraDoe.
One of the means of keeping the boys of
that generation in order was a little bundle
biIchen rode, bound together by small
cord, and generally suspended on a nail
against the wall in the kitchen. This was
esteemed as much part of the necessary
furniture as the crane that. hung in the
kitchen fireplace, or the shovel and tonge.
It sometimes happened that the boy suffered
a fate similar to that of the eagle in the ia
BILE, wounded BY an arrow fedged with
feather from his own wing; in other words,
the boy was made to gather the twigs In
tended for his own eastigstiOn.
Il has never been quite clear to me why
the birch was chosen above all other trees
of the wood to yield its tWigS for that pur-
pose. The beech of our forests produces
sprays as slender, IS Gegible, end as tough;
and farmers, wherever the beech 10 COMMON,
cut its long and plant branches for driving
oxen. Yet the use of birchen rods for the
correction Of children is of very great anti
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-12-13
Good Advice.

Ia the pocket book of Hon. S epben AL.
len, who was drowned when the Henry Clay
was burned on the Hudson several years
SINCE, was found printed slip, apparently
cut from newspaper, of which the following
IS copy. 1t is worthy to be engraved on
every young mans heart:
"Make few promises. Always speak the
ruth. Never speak evil of any one. K 'ep
good company or none. Live up to your Ell.
gagements. Never play game Of chance.
Drink no kind of intoxicating liquors. Good
character is above all things else. Keep
your own secrets, if you have any. Never
borrow money if you can possibly help it
Do not marry until you are able TO support a
wife. Keep yourself innocent if you would
be happy. When you speak to person, look
in the face. Make no haste to be rich, if you
would prosper. Ever live misfortune ex
cepted) within your income. Save when you
are young, to spend when you are old. Avoid
temptation, through fear you may not with
stand it. Never run into debt, unless you see
way to get out again. Snail and steady
gains give competency with trarquil mind
Good company and good conversation are the
siuews of virtue. Your character cannot be
essentially injured, except by your own acts
If any one speak evil of you, let your life be
80 that no one will believe him. When you
retire to bed, think over what you have been
doing during the day. Never be lie; if your
hands can't be employed usefully, attend to
the cultivation of your mind.
"Read over the above maxims carefully
and thoughtfully at least once week"
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-12-13
Robinson Crusos s Island.

Every boy who has read the story Of "RoS-
inson Crusoe" land who has notY will be
glad to learn how that island looks to-day.
Professor Agsssiz visited it not long before
his death. and he wrote thus; 1.-The Island
of Juan Fernandez is more famous from D.
Foes fiction than from Sslkirk's history
Fernsnd, z discovered the Island in 1913, aud
introduced goats In III an Iodian was
left there, and subsisted on goa's three years
before taken off IL October, 1904 Scotch
sailor-Aexander ,S-Ikrk-was left here,
and was taken off in 1909, having livel here
four years aud four months in solitude-liv
log like his Iodian predecessor, mostly OF
goats flesh. He told his story to D Foe,
and out of it grew R bnson Crusoe The
wild goats are still numerous here, add & cks
Of hundreds of them may be seen upon the
mountains. The island is about ten or
twelve miles long by four in bread,h-the
shores mostly preciptous, AID the mountain
ridges three thousand feet in height The
wafer around the island is deep, and the
whole appearance ia as if there had once been
an extensive island, with splendid rugged
chain upon it that sud lealy The Bottom had
been Knocked from under all except this
patch of ten miles By four, and that all but
this patch had sunk Into the sea. Valleys
ADD mountains spurs aud gentle slopes are
all cut of by this precipitou. edge; and there
are but few places on the sla9d where yen
can effscs landing. There are, to day,
twelve persons. including several children,
living on the island. They have good p9ul-
try and vegetables, splendid beef, and car
get goats by ciubing after them. Other
things they purchase with the proceeds Of
heir beef, milk and poultry, for which they
fnd market in passing ships--especially in
American whalers. We spent May day 10
rambling on the island and about its shore,
cunning, fishing, herboriziog, and collecting
generally. Sharks, crabs, crsyf shrimps,
molIusks of various sorts, star fish, and sea
urchins of divers kind, few insects, some
numOiog bird, etc., we're among the fruits
Of our labor. The plants Of the island bore
a general resemblance to those of the CONT
uent four hundred miles to the eastward
which surprised me. az both the prevailing
Winds and ocean currents are opposed to any
TRANSPORTATION from the southern part of the
continent
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-12-13
& Centennial History.

A missionary in North Carolina writes
A Scotch Highlander, not long since, landed
at Wilmington on lovely Sunday morning,
Just as the church bells we're calling the
children into their respective Bible schools
throughout the city. Observing groups of
looking children, white aud colored.
hurrying along, and delighted with the sight
of the living panorama and the hearing Of
the bells, our Scotch friend asked little
girl as she ran, Bible in hand, What all this
meant? Very politely did the child reply,
as she opened her Bible, Here, sir, is my
verse in the morning lesson of my Sunday
School, blessed is the people that know the
joyful sound: they shall walk, 0 Lord, in the
light of thy cOuutenance."
In the afternoon the missionary entered
the rooms of the Centennial Mission Sunday
School as the incident was being related by
the welcome stranger. He said, in conclu-
sion, "My friends, if what have seen and
heard to-day be fair sample of Sabbath
observance in America, ! need not ask fur
Their for the secret power that has perpetual
ted the liberties of this great nation through
her first century. | have found it to-day.
Gods Word, open to your children in the
light Of the Sabbath, in your homes, church
es, and Sunday Schools, among rich and poor
alike, has given me the secret through the
lips of the little girl blessed is the people
that know the joyful sound; they shall walk,
O Lord, in the light of thy couutenance. ="
N Y. Evangelist
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-12-13
FoR rHz CENTRAL PREss4rER1As.
EV0LUTIOKIsM.
HUXLEY, DARWIN, AND DR.. Mc'cosH.

HUXLEY, DARWIN, AND DR.. MC'COSH.
These gentlemen, ali syowed EvolutiOnists,
are not satisfied with Gods revealed mode of
creation; they think it must have taken 8
much longer time to create such big world
as this, with the sun, and moon, and all the
starry heavens! And doubtless it would have
been so in their hands, and therefore each Of
them, according 60 their several fancies,
points out better mode. But unfortunate
" they differ among themselves, SO that We,
in our ignorance, are at a loss which to follow.
Huxley takes 8 short cut, and denies that
they were cyeated a. ali, and so he summari-
" disposes Of the whole matter. Darwin sc
knosledges the necessity Of creator, but
then tarus the particles Of matters loose to
seek their own associates. His theory is that
matter was created in small globules, and
then left to seek their proper organizations
By natural selection. So that, as God takes
no further supervision Of his creation, it may
have required millions Of years to find their
proper places
Dr. McCcsh differs with Darwin IN this
that he believes il the continued providence
Of the Creator. His theory is that God
created matter with certain forces which
would bring it's particles in their proper or
ganizaGons under the continued supervision
OF the Divine Creator. He says, cit might
take q million Of years to form an ear"-he
sees no difficulty ia supposing that "a new
horn may be evolved from an old one" See
an elaborate review of Huxley's lectures in
New Yogk, published in the " = World.
Geo. in bis Word, gives a very brief &C
count Of t5e creation in o single chapter
Gen. Is; chapter, God said, 'Let there be
right, and there vas light" Then the in
rDired writer gives al account of the work Of
SIX successive days, and pronounces it all
very good. On the seventh day lie rested
from his work, and ballowed that day as q
d.y of rest for his creatures. And it has
been SO observed, probably from the begin.
reg, certainly from the giving Of the law On
Mount Sinai.
Let the COMMON sense of mankind decide
Between these a5spgdities of SC, called Scien-
fists, aad Che simple account of the creation
in Coos inspired Word. Many writers in
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-12-13
Limit Your Wants.

From the nature of things, the income OF
most of the inhabitants of the earth must be
limited, and, indeed, within very narrow
bounds. The product of labor throughout
the world, if equally divided, would not make
he share Of each individual large. L. is i'm
possible that every one should be what Is
called rich. But it is by no means impcssl
BILE to be independent Aud what is the way
TO compass this-as Burns'sppropriately des-
iguates it" glorious privileged" The me'hod
Is very simple L. consists in one ruiz: nit
your wants. Make them few and inexpen-
siVe. T. d. this would interfere but ltir
with your real eIj,ymeot. 1t is mostly
matter Of habit. Y,u require more or you
are sati f d with less Just as you have &C
customed yourself to he one or the other
L nit your wants. estimate their cost, and
never exceed it, taking pans always TO keep
it indie Of your ifc,me Thus YOU will sc
cure your lasting lid -pendepce Young men
think of this. A great deal Of The happiness
Of your lives depends upon H. After havt g
made your money, spend it a. you choose,
honestly; but be sure you make it first.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-12-13
The Length of Days.

At London aud Bremen, the longest day
has sixteen hours.
At Stockholm, in Sweden, the longest day
has eighteen and half hours.
Al Hamburg, Germany, and Dautz'g,
Prussia, the longest day has seventeen hours,
and shortest seven hours.
AtSt. Petersburg, in Russia. and Tobolsk,
Siberia, the longest day has nineteen hours,
aud the shortest i've hours.
At Tornea, in Finland, the longest day
has twenty.Ono and baf hours, and the
shortest two and half hours.
At Warduuys, in Norway, the day lasts
from May 2lst, to July p without Interrupt
ton; and at spitsbergen, the longest day is
three and half months.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-12-13
D l R 4 C T 0 4 Y
Prssby terrain Church in the United States.
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.


The General Assembly will meet NV Orleans, La,
on the third Thursday of May. 1877 A. NJ.
CLICKS
REV JOSEPH r. WILSON, u d., STATED CLsHs
Rpv WILLIAM BROWN. D. b, PsR.Asssr OLEsx
The stated Clerk is tx the Treasurer of
General Assembly.
TRUSTEES
Hon JAMES HEMPHrLI PRRstpssr. Chester 9
Rev JOHN DOUGLAS. Vtos PSEsiDssr Charlotte
JESSE LINDSAY, Esq sEcSgr.EI and TEs.sUsEh,
sUSTENTATIoN
REv J LEIGHTON WILSON ID D.. SECRETARY.
Riv W Rio@SRD @cTLwAINE, 60 ordinate suoar.
rARY and TREASURE X S3l, Baltimore, Md.
FOREIGN MISSIONS.
REV J. EIGHT0N WILSON, d. D., SECRETARY,
RLv RiTHSED MciLwAINF, 60 ordinate ssc.Kr..
At and lRIAsuRER, BOX 1884, Baltimore, Nd.
PUBLICATION.
REV f THOMPSON BAIRD, D., SECRETARY, Rich
G. GENNET, Esq, THrAsssrH. Richmond. Va.
EDUCATION
Rev JNo. N wADDELL, ID D., SECRETARY, Mem.
A. DoD TRkAsuyss, Memphis, Tenn
Applications the Executive Committee for aid are
drst to be 10 The appropriate Preshyeral Exec
utve Committees for their approval aud be for.
warded by them 10 the Assemnly's COMMITTEES
COLLECTIONS
The General Assembly has appoin following col.
ectons 10 be taken up annually IN all the churches
For Sustentaton: On the first Sa b5ath In January
For Publication On the first Sabbath In March.
For Foreign Missions: Ga the first 81 bbath In May.
For the Relief OF Disabled Mi Isters and the Widows
and Orphans Of Deceased Minister'S On the first sabbath
in July
For Evangestic Work: On the first Sabbath in Sep
TENDER
For Education On the first Sabbath in November.
In cases where IL is highly nconvenent take up COL
econs on these days. they shall be taken up
possible thereafter
The Assembly recommends 10 the churches that they
adopt the apostolic plan OF taking up weekly collections
and that the amounts thus COLLECTED be appropriated TO
the above named objects, when necessary OBJ
ect snch proportion the church may decide