The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-01-09

a
| the time We remember years ago seeing scores OF
men and dressed in white robes on a clear spring
morning gathered in the fields, ready hear the last
trump They gave their property away to those who
they thought were deluded IN receiving IT, and
all ready TO go up unencumbered. Alas the prophet
had forgotten, In adding up the right hand column
carry Que, aud that made difference Of about 900
years. Dr. Cumming will have 10 engage the Light
ming Calculator before we can accept his dgures again
We were so disappointed the previous that
we shall wait now until we hear the rumble Of the first
earthquake and then our real estate will go to the first
In Mr.. George Smiths ''rhe Chaldean Account OF
Genesis TRANSACTIONS are given OF fragments Of AS
syrian tablets OF great interest TO the Biblical scholar
The author believes the inscriptions TO have been made
as far back as b. e. 1000 II this shall prove true
vest deal of testimony will be discovered corroborave
Of the Biblical account OF the creation and the deiuge
1t is very curious fact that while science Is sneerng
at the first chapter of Genesis 10 such an extent that
its nasal organ has already assumed decided pug rel
les being discovered, tablets and monuments are
being anearthed of evident antiquity, with inscriptions
which are only paraphrase OF Holy Writ Now then,
ii the people who there Whereabouts say that IL
so, and science says that II was not so, in the
chaste language of our chased friend, What are We
gong TO do about itg"
He dying at thirty-two years of age. Having
been awakened 10 the religious life by Methodist he
desired be received into the Church that he might
/ leave testimony for Christ His family, however,
close communion Baptists and insisted, against
the prayers OF the dying that since he couldn't be
immersed he should not join the Church And so he
died, sorrowful. Is this paganism Christianity
Common sense says the former but blind bigotry says
| the latter.
Mr.. Powell, Of Chicago, in antLrevival sermon
I u
very small proportion OF converts made under Moody
and Sankey circumstances hold last II was not
particularly encouraging sermon for those who are
getting ready for these evangelists but then II was de-
hverod by what is called ''radcal, and that Will
perhaps account tor the When liberal" defines
radCasm he says II IL the spirit OF investigation
which goes down to the radr or root Of the matter
but when conservative defines It be says II is kind
CONCERNING those converts who grow to be very hot
and become very cold, are reminded of the answer
OF the Scotch woman. When one asked her If many of
fallen back but those that ddna fall far forrad"
1t seems that even time wholly obliterate the
footprints of history. The accumulated dust of ages
cannot cover from hungry and determined eyes the
localities where great events have occurred Lieutenant
Condor, OF the Palestine Exploring Expedition Brit
shl has identified nearly every important spot IN the
Holy Land. He has worked up the details to such an
extent that he can point out the very place where
David and Goliath had their unpleasanness and almost
the house in which saul visited the Witch of Endor.
This whole work of exploration east as we'll west Of
the Jordan has been attended with very encouraging
results. American dollars are well spent when they
help to dig up forgotten facts
/ Mr. Moncure y. Conway who is the author Of some
very pleasant and instructive essays is suffering from
/ an ntBblical mania in an acute form. He told Mr.
Frothinghams audience on sunday morning last that
the Bible has intrinsic value whatever, and that
believe in the book consequence OF one those acc
dents which are said to make history The tide or
Moorish conquest in Spain checked, therefore we
I believe in the Bible Had the Moors succeeded we
/ should all be reading the Koran. What narrow
escape have had TO be sure We were educated INTO
/ dim notion that the Almighty had something to do
with the Bible but it was only the Moors after ALL
! Well, by and by shall get hold OF 1.-THE whole
! truth, and then We need not believe any hing
The Nation has thoughtful article on authority,
in which occurs this curious nt-'Hardy any
thing believed among us by either young or old, be-
somebody has SAID it. y The sentence looks for
midable, at first sight and has certain automatic APP
pcafance which makes you feel like saying, Just so,
my friend, just So " And yet it will contain just as
important truth II you make 1t read the other way,
thus:-"Amost everything is believed, by both young
and old, because somebody has said II The whole oi
history history sacred and PsSans believed VS. SIMPLY 5yy
confidence in the somebody who was with Napoleon
ST. Helena then what he tells passes into veritabe
history and assists to form Judgment Nearly every
conviction of the universal mind rests on the author
ity OF somebody's testimony. We accept the genera
facts OF science which lar beyond the reach o our
personal investigation, the authority of somebody"
in whom have confidence, and Christians, when
they accept Holy Writ, spell the word with capital
letter thai all, Somebody.
Some Of the papers are engaged in making COMPARE
pendent movements and that of Theodore Parker
Nothing can be more obvious than the difference. Dr.
SWINGS and Mr. hurrays is the independently OF preach
ing, while Theodore Parkers was the independently OF
thinking There is the dlmmest blush OF reason
why the two former ciergymen should hire halls and
theatres aud robe themselves in the dull gray OF mar
yrdom. There ecclesiastical organizations which
open to them both Their independent attitude is
simply clerical eccentrcity II they like TO indulge
IN The luxury OF an OUTSIDE position no ono
reasonably object. Theodore Parker, however,
was outsider because under heaven would
let him inside Even the Unitarans got scared at his
huge negatives He lived out OF doors all his life and
really OF the weets Of a mild o. mar
tyrdom. It's all very well to be Independent when the
ecclesiastical Medes aud Persans decree that you shall
only the crossbow or the hntocK, but when you
find IN the Christian armory the Sharp, the Reming-
ton, the Spencer and pretty neery every other arm
that has been invented and at liberty TO make
your choice, To be Independent then is simply TO
be crotchcty or dyspcpuc None OF
chains neither do We propose to- but we ought ali 10
DO willing TO pull IN harness
The advantages Of Presbyterianism over Congrega-
tionalsm method OF Church government are again
illustrated Rev Nj. Macdonell, of Toronto preached
a sermon The Hereafter" in which he expressed
doubt concerning eternal punishment as Scriptural
doctrine Ofcourse there was blaze and an explosion
Heresy that point was fatal He was not even in
the position OF the clergyman who IN answer 10 the
horror toned INQUIRY the dear old lady, Nv hatl
don't you believe that some will be damned forever
not even iewr" quietly replied, Madame, II 10
barely possible thai very few may be, but not
many" The old lady cried out hopefully, Well
that's better than nothing, at any rate Poor MT
Macdonel had doubts about the few. The matter
however will be settled quickly and decisively He is
simply required TO give IN his assent TO the West
minister catechism within week seek another pas
torate The Congregatonalists would have debated
the matter Tor months and then have left 1t unset
tied. They would have called advisory councils, mu
tua councils and all sorts OF conventions, simply TO
prove themselves powerless Every church gets on
better when It has Of appeals, which renders It's
decisions and ends the mattel.
In the city OF Benares there Is an evangelist who is
improvement on Sankey He not only sings de-
hghtully, but plays the violin well, and he does
both at the same time. Entering bazaar lie collects
a crowd about him by means OF his Stradivarus and
then, when they just about TO take their oveeyod
partners for dance he sings like Brignol with low
sweet accompaniment on his fiddle, and the peoples
hearts are greatly stirred The spiral stairs that lead
to heaven seem TO be made OF musical notes It's bet
ter TO sing our way than 10 cry II there.
Popular ignorance OF the Bible the basis OF great
many curious anecdotes. We all remember the story
OF the member Of Congress who, when challenged TO
repeat the Lords Prayer, began, NOW lay me down
TO sleep, at which the challenger said, IL give II up,
| didn't believe you knew H.. II is said that when
Mr.. Chase Governor OF Ohio his Thanksgiv-
ing proclamation made up Of quotations from the
Bible. Some politicians who happened TO meet grew
very much excited IT, one party insisted that the
composition plagiarism, and when asked TO tell
whore had either the sentiments or words adj
mitted that the whole thing 50 indstinet in his
N m re- nj
assertion than that he had somewhere other heard
or read something like a. The other party however
laughed the 10 scorn and Insisted on the
originality Of the composition Quite q number Of our
popular quotations are from the Bible, such as
for instance, "God the KING" There is death IN
the pot;n al would not live Away" "The King OF Ter
rors;' II am escaped with the skin OF my teeth ~ He
Eiveth his beloved secp;n Every fool will be mod