davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1878-01-02
"All in a Glow"

A walk in wintry weather, is not, we are
confident, enough in favor with our people
especially with those of Sedentary habits.
And yet it is the best time of all the year
for realizing the full pleasure and profit Of
pedestrianism. How grateful the crisp air
is to the lungs How clear and sweet it is to
the nostrils How it inspires and Sustains
one in swinging gait of four or five miles
an hour! How the cheeks glow, and the
eyes shine, and the muscles Jingle with de-
| lightful vigor, after walk through the win
ter sunshine
The able-bodied man who will crouch down
shiVeringly in the corner of Street-car-in
an air rank and fetid from the pack of hu,
manity breathing and exhaling therein
when he has only two or three miles to walk,
deserves to be assailed by the demons Of in
Auenzs, neuralgia, coughs, colds and head
ache that Turk therein. Even ride in a
buggy or sleigh robs the trip of half its
benefits. The air is good, to be sure, but
the exercise is lacking, and its resulting
benefits TO the blood and the muscular and
nervous systems. ala
Who that has experienced it would ex-
change the exhilaration that comes from be-
ing "all aglow after brisk walk through
the sparkling air, for the social or the merely
lazy satisfaction of having had ride? The
reflections of the poet Holiness "proud pc
destrian" are no fanciful sketch to the real
lovers of winters walk. The lassitude of
spring and the languor of summer, which
made sauntering either necessity or a de-
light, now give way to the vim and Vigor of
health, seeking its natural expression of &C.
tivity under favorable conditions.
Winter walking is sure cure for cold feet.
1t banisbes the "creep, craWls from the
spinal column, and sends the sluggish blood
about its business. AS " nervine," it is q
million times better than medicine, and for
improving the complexion, it is worth a
whole hsrbor-full of lotions and washes. 1t
will put an edge on appetite that you can't
buy at the doctors, and in promoting diges-
ton is better than a corner drug stores en-
tire stock of bitters and pills. If you have
never tried it, take walk. Keep your
mouth closed, your shoulders we'll thrown
back, your head up, and remember that YOUR
legs-and especially your hipS-were given
you to walk with. Some people walk with
their knees, bodies and shoulders,-and no
wonder they don't like it. We don't like to
see them. There is an art in walking as in
other things. If you don't believe it observe
the motion of some splendid woman who
knows how to move, or study the gait of a
man who has some spring and litheness to
him. There ought to be Professor of
Walking in our gymnasums andhigh schools.
But let those of US who are past that, learn
bow to walk by walking; and December is a
good time to begin,-GOldsn RHls,
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1878-01-02
The Game of Fagot- Gathering.

There is jolly indoor game for the win
ter, called, "Fsgot- Gathering" which has
been described in print before, but it makes
SO much fun that many who have never heard
of it will be glad if We tell about it here.
First you take some slips of paper, as
many as there are players, and on one Of
them you write "Fagot- Gstherer on each
of the rest you write either "good wood or
snapper" making three times as many
(" good woods as "snappers." Of course,
anybody who knows about wood fires will see
that this is because some sticks will burn
quietly and brightly, while others will crack
aud snap and fly without the least warning.
You put the papers into hat, and each
player takes one, telling nobody what is
written on it. Every one then sits as near
to the wall as possible, leaving clear space
in the middle of the room, and the player
who has chosen the Fsgot- Gatherer slip
proceeds in serious, business-like way to
bundle the fsgots He, or she, chooses four
or five girls and boys, standing them together
TO T6pr6beuI idSob3 anu Vueu mhheo elAnli"l
groups of the rest in other parts of the room.
This done, he begins to " bind the fagots ?
by walking slowly around each group, max
ing with bis arms such motions as real
fagot-binder would make. The "sticks are
quiet until the binder lets his arms fall, but
then comes sudden change; the "good
woods run to their seats, but the "snap
pers chase the binder" and try to touch
him before he can begin to bind another
"fagot;" failing in this, they have to go and
mourn among the "good woods" Then the
binding of the second "fagot" goes on, like
that of the first. But when a "fagot gath
erer is touched, the "snapper takes the
place of the "gatherer,' who goes and rests
himself. The game ends when all the Z" ia
COTS " have been used up in this way, and is
then begun again by another selection of
papers from the hat. The fun is in the
frights and surprises of the 'fagot gatherer,"
who, of course, does not know who is q
"good wood and who is snapper; and
ali do their best to avoid betraying them
selves. If you have good big room and
lots of players you will find this game as
full of fun as you can wisb.-St. Nicholas.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1878-01-02
he has given to US.

he has given to US.
Some of the most pleasant hours we have
ever spent have been in families where house
hold worship was fact; where not only the
father offered prayer, but where the whole
group, father, mother, and children all joined
in singing some of the sweet songs of Zion
The influence of those seasons of family wOr-
ship and praise was long felt and to-day
their memory is precious.
Oh parents teach your children to sing
Gods praise. Join them yourselves in sa-
cred song, and let not your family devOtions
be cold, lfeless ceremony, but cheerful,
happy hour of worship, for the return Of
which al will be glad, and the memory Of
which can be taken into the duties of life,
imparting strength in the time of trial and
temptation. "Praise the Lord; for the
Lord is good; sing praises unto his name
for it is pleasant. - Young Pilgrim.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1878-01-02
Central 4resbgtuIan,
Va, Wednesday, Jan. 2, 1878.
SOMETIME.

Sometime, when all Hfes lessons have been learned,
And sun and stars forevermore have set,
The things which our weak judgments here have
spurned,
The things over which we grieve with lashes wet
Win flash before US amid life $ dark night,
As stars shine most in deeper tints Of blue
Aad we shall see how all Gods plans were right,
And what most seemed repcoof was love most true.
And we shall see how, when we frown and sigh,
Gods plans go on as best for you and me;
How, when we called he hesded not our cry,
Because his wisdom to the end could see;
And cen as prudent parents disalOw
Too much of sweet to craving babyhood,
So God, perhaps, is keeping from US now
Life's sweetest things, because it seemeth good.
And you shall shortly see that heightened breath
Is not the sweetest gift God sends his friend,
And that sometimes the sable pail of death
Conceals the fairest boon his love can send;
If we could push sjar the gates OF life
And stand within and sll Gods working see,
We would interpret all this doubt and strife,
And for each mystery find there key.
But not to-day. Then be content, poor hearth
Gods plans, like lilies pure and white, unfold
We must not tear the elose-shut leaves apart
Time will reveal the ealyxes of gold;
And if through patient toll we reach the land
Where tired feet with sandals loosed, may rest
Where we shall clearly know and understand
think that we shall say, " God knew the best
Christian Observer.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1878-01-02
The Panama Wharf.

Charlie and Lucy we're sitting one evening
on their Uncle Georges knee.
"Uncle, said Lucy, who was dear child,
" what did the minister mean this afternoon
at church when he said that the man who
despises small things shall fall by little and
little p"
"Well. Lucy, my DEAR" replied Uncle
George, I" think that you will understand
me better if tell you story.
" Many years ago was visiting at Pana'
ma. This is place which you will find on
your map, south of the United States and
Mexico"
" 1 remained here for many months
Near my hotel was very large wharf,
Year after year the ships had come up to IT.
and had unloaded their csrgoes. 1t was built
at very great expense, and every person
thought it entirely safe. Merchants often
permitted thousands of dollars worth OF goods
to remain on it over night. 1t was the Gus
tom of the wharf superintendent to examine
it every month. Now, while [ was there, the
report was spread that some little insects
were eating away the wood. He looked al
the place, but said it was of no consequence
that there were only few insects thai
could do no great harm. Month after month
passed, and still these little creatures ate
away at the wharf. They did not seem tc
be numerous, and but little attention was
paid to them.
"One day, as | was looking out of my
window, / heard dreadful crash, and, be-
hold, the whole immense wharf had sunk into
the sea. Sixty or seventy persons were kill
ed and an immense amount of property was
destroyed-all by the work of these little
tiny insects. Afterward it was found tina
they had been eating for years at the wood
Had they been stopped at once, no harm
could have come; but the superintendent
thought them too small to notice, be despisec
them because they were 80 small.
Children" said Uncle Geo. &c, "be care
full of little things. Whenever you diScove
bad little habit, kill it at once. If you
don't it may kill you. Ask God, for Jesus
sake, to help you, and He will; for He ha
promised to hear those who ask Him. IS
s. Visitor.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1878-01-02
DIRE &c T OR Y
Presbyterian Church in the United States.
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.


The General Assembly will meet at Knoxville, Tenn,
on the third Thursday of May, 1878, at IL Am.
CLERKS.
REV. JOSEPH R. WILSON, d. D., STATED OLsEK,
REV WILLIAM BROWN. D. D., PERMANENT CLERK,
The Stated Clerk is the Treasurer Of the
General Assembly.
TRUSTEES.
Hos. JAMES HEMPHILL. President, Chester, S. @.
REV. JOHN DOUGLAS, VIcs-PEEsIDsSr, Charlotte
JESSE H. LIfyosAY, Esq, SECRETARY and TREASURE,
Greensboro, N. O.
sUsTENTATIoN.
REV: ], LEIGHTON WILSON, D. D., SECRETARY,
Box $751; Baltimore, Md.
REV. RICHARD MoILWAINE, Coordinate SKoRs
rARr and TREASURER, Box SSl, Baltimore, Md.
FOREIGN MISSIONS.
REV. ]. LEIGHTON WILSON, D. D., SECRETARY,
Box SSl, Baltimore Md.
RLv RICHARD McILWAINE, Coordinate SEoRsTA-
and TREASURER, Box 33l, Baltimore, Md.
PUBLICATION.
REV. JAMES K. HAZEN. SECRETARY, Richmond,
q. GENNET, Esq, TRsAsURsR, Richmond. Va.
EDUCATION.
REV: JOHN N. wADDEL, d. D., SECRETARY, Mem.
e. W. MACRAE, TREAsusx., Memphis, Tenn.
Applications TO the Executive Committee for aid
first referred the appropriate Presbyteral Exec
utve Committees for their approval and are 70 be for
warded by them to the Assembly's Committees
COLLECTIONS
The General Assembly has appointed the following COL
eeons 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 Minister'S On the first Sabbath
In July
For Evangelistic Work: On the first Sabbath in Sep
TENDER.
For Education: On the first Sabbath in Noversge1
In where is highly inconvenient 70 take up coll
lecons 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 thus collected be appropriated
the abovenamed Objects when necessary, local OBJ
ecs such proportion the church session may decide
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1878-01-02
Home Melody.

How richly suggestive of thought is a
happy group at the close of Sabbath day,
uniting their voices in singing the praise of
their Creator and Redeemer. We think
there is no feature of home life more charm
ing than that of family song. Of course, in
those homes where no one can sing, (but such
homes are few We cannot expect this pleas
ure; but those who can make melody with
their lips have source of pleasure and profit
open to them which they ought not to be
slow in improving.
One of the best ways of teaching Christian
sentiment and inspiring religious principle
into youthful minds and hearts is by song.
The name of Jesus learned in song in the
days of childhood will not easily be forgotten
in older life. God has given US voices and
the power of song in order that We may stag,
spd we all ought to try to improve the gift,
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1878-01-02
The
Southern Presbyterian Review
A CARD,

A CARD.
THE present Editors of the SOUTHERN PRFsBYTE'
RAN REVIEW having invited certain brethren in
Virginia to full and equal share with themselves
in the conduct of the same and certain other breth
rem in various parts of the Church to become specia
pledged colaborators and these invitations having
been accepted and these pledges made, it is now
hereby announced that the Association of Minis
ters' responsible for the work will henceforth con.
sist Of
GEORGE HOWE, HENRY G. ALEXANDER,
JOHN B. ADGER, j. M. P. ATKINSON,
JAMES WOODROW, JNo. L. GIRARDEAU,
JOSEPH R. WILSON, CHARLES A. STILLMAN,
R. L. DABNEY, B. NJ. PALMER,
B. M. SMITH, j. w. PRATT,
THOMAS E. PECK, s. s. LAWS,
STUART ROBINSON.
The REVIEW will continue to be to certain ex-
tent open journal, avoring free discussion within
mits; but 1t is the desire of all who have it in
charge to make it more than ever representative
of our whole Church, as it's name imports, and q
faithful exponent of the Cslvinistic Theology and
the Presbyterian Poity.
There will be no change in the terms of publica-
ton, nor in the general principles of the conduct of
the work.
Communications may be addressed to the publish
ers, James Woodrow, Columbia, s. c., or to Rob't
L. Dabney, Hampden Sidney, Va, or to John B.
Adger + ndeton, 8. G,
The friends of the enterprise are requested to
make some effort to increase the subscription lists
OF the REVIEW. de6-t
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1878-01-02
The Towers of Silence.

The Five Towers of Silence are cemeteries
IN Hindoostan. They are far more noted in
India than the beautiful Greenwood of New
York, or the lovely Mount Auburn of Bos.
ton, are in this country. These Five Towers
are the burial places of a very peculiar PEG
pie, the Parsees, or Fire Worshippers, sect
founded by prophet who lived before the
Moses of our Bible. They are of Persian
descent, and are a rich and prosperous class
of people, even though they do worship the
sun, and believe that the earth represents
God, and is too sacred to be their last rest
ing-place.
There are five of these strange, black
granite places just outside of Bombay. They
are tall columns, twelve or fifteen feet high,
and forty feet wide, of solid stone, enclosing
deep well. Of course this leaves large
stone platform all around the mouth of the
we'll. But we'll let traveller describe it
for you.
compartments, radiating like the spokes
of wheel from the we'll in the middle, are
arranged on this platform in three rings or
circles Of open stone collins. In the outer
most circle are placed the bodies of men, in
the middle those of women, and in the inner
and smallest circle, nearest the wall, those OF
children.
"The parapet of each tower has an extra
ordinary coping, formed, not Of dead stone,
but of living vultures. These birds, on the
occasion of my visit, had settled themselves
side by side in perfect order, and in a COM
plete circle around the parapets of the tow.
ers, with their heads pointed inwards; and 80
lazily did they sit there, and so motionlesa
we're they, that, except for their color, they
might have been carved out of the stone
work. Presently sudden stir among the
vultures made US raise our heads. At least
hundred birds collected round one of the
towers began to show symptoms of excite
ment, while others swooped down from neigh
boring trees. The cause of this soon revealed
itself. A funeral was seen to be approaching.
You know that vultures live on the flesh
of the dead, and the wonderful instinct which
God has given them made them aware of the
near approach of that on which they love to
feed. These terrible birds have watched
many funeral come to that lonely spot.
All Parsees, as / have told you, are buried
in the Towers of Silence. When a Parsee
dies the body is wrapped in white sheet,
and carried by bearers, dressed in pure white
garments, to the garden, the friends follow
ing at some distance. The bearers then IN.
lock the door of one of the towers and lay
the body, uncovered, in one of the open stone
cofius, and then the vultures Swoop down.
In about three weeks the bearers return and
remove the skeleton to the well, where the
bones find their last resting place."
.."taa Vide Awake.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1878-01-02
The Grip of Faith.

John Welsh, one of the early Reformers
of Scotland, born in 1870, has given lively
picture of faith, which may serve to encour'
age some trembling believer:
cit is not the quantity of faith that shall
save thee. A drop of water is as true water
as the whole ocean. So little faith 10 as
true faith as the greatest. A child eight
days old is as really a man as one OF sixty
years; spark of fire is as true tlre as
great fame; a sickly man is as truly living
as we'll man. So it is not he measure OF
thy faith that saves thee it is the blood that
it grips to that saves thee. AS the weak
hand of child that leads the spoon to the
mouth, will feed as we'll as the strongest arm
of a man, for it is not the hand that feeds
thee, albeit it puts the meat into thy mouth,
but it is the meat carried into thy stomach
that feeds thee; so if u GU canst grip Christ
ever so weakly, he will not let thee perish
Gail that looked to the brazen serpent,
never go far off, they were healed Of the sting
of the fiery serpent; yet all saw not alike
clearly, for come were near hand aud some
we're far off Those that were near hand
! might see more clearly than those that we're
far eff; nevertheless those that were far Oh
were as soon healed of the sting when they
looked to the serpent as those that we're near
hand; for it was not their look that made
,hem whole, but He whom the serpent did
represent. So if thou canst look to Christ
ever so meanly, He can take away the sting
of thy conscience if thou believest; the weak
est hand can take gift as we'll as the strong
est. Now Christ is the gift, and weak faith
may grip Him as we'll as strong faith; and
Christ is as truly thine when thou hast weak
faith as when thou hast come to these trium
plant joys through the strength of faith. =
PresbuteriQn.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1878-01-02
A THORN IN THE FLESH.

Every evening when the clock struck
seven, grandma laid down her knitting, and
Eunice took up the Bible. It was reading
time" then-the hour cOnsecrated TO the best
of books. Neither the old lady nor the
young girl ever wearied of its pages, although
they had studied them nearly every night
since Eunice was first able to spell out, with
many psuses, the words of the first chapter
of the Gospel of John. Now she had become
good reader, and it was great delight TO
her grandmother 30 listen to her as she read,
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1878-01-02
PR NE.

New subscribers applying early for the year 1875
may have, without charge, the numbers for the last
quarter of 1877 of such periodicals as they may sub
scribe for.
Or instead, new subscribers to any two, three, or
four of the above periodicals, may have one of the
"Four Reviews" for 1877; subscribers to all FIVE
may have two of the "Four Reviews" or one set of
Backwood's Magazine for 1877.
Neither premiums to subscribers nor discount to
clubs can be allowed unless the money is RENTED
direct to the publishers. No premiums be given
TO clubs.
TO secure premiums it will be necessary to make
early application the stock available for that pur-
pose is limited
THE LEONARD SCOTT PUBLISHING CO.,
Al Barclay Street New York
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1878-01-02

A CURIOUS VILLA curious will has
just been settled in Berlin, containing NOR
al worth wider circulation than miser'G
last testament often obtains. The poor man
died, when, to general surprise, it was found
be left thirty-four thousand marks. The
thirty thousand in package, signed and
sealed, was to be given to his native town, in
Bavaria; one thousand each to three broth
ers, and one thousand to friend with whom
he had quarrelled. 1t was stipulated that
none of the four should follow the body to
the grave, which suggestion the three brothers
gladly accepted, but the quarreller walked
alone, and forfeited his thousand marks for
the sake of paying last mitigated honor.
When the package was opened for the town
it disclosed another will, giving the thirty
thousand to any of the four who should dis
regard the stipulation.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1878-01-02
HOLIDAYS.

TIE hottest of all holidays are those
Kept By ourselves in silence and apart
The secret anniversaries of the heart,
When the full river of feeling overAows-
The happy days unclOuded to their close,
The sudden joys that out of darkness start
As fames from ashes; swift desires, that dart
Like swallows singing down each wind that blows
White as the CLEAN of a receding sail;
White as a cloud that floats and fades in air,
White as the whitest lily on streSm,
These tender memories ares fairy tails
Of some enchanted land we know not where;
But lovely as a landscape in dream.
H. ". LOngtsllOw,
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1878-01-02

QUIET WoRK.--Lsrge conventions, meet
ings where thousands are in attendance, etc
make big noise in the world, and fill much
space in the newspapers, yet they do not &C.
complish very much. The most of the work
has to be done in very different way. On
this point politicians seem to understand mat
tiers better than ministers. They tell US that
though mass meetings and conventions are
striking and exciting, yet it is the silent, hid
den work that influences the campaign. The
men, therefore, that work in the outof-the,
way places, and in private, can take comfort,
knowing that though little is heard of them
in the world, they are doing great work
for the Lord Church advocate.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1878-01-02

WELL BUILT.-The engineer of the East
River Bridge resides in New Jersey, and fol
three or four years was not able to leave his
house on account of sickness. The structure
was put up according to his plans, but he
never saw it until last summer. When they
brought him up the East River on tug, and
the great engineer caught his first view Of
the magnificent towers, and the festoonery Of
wire, he exclaimed 40, it looks just as
expected it would" Happy that servant Of
Christ who on the day of judgment can be-
hold the completed structure of his life, and
exclaim, "Thanks be to Gods grace it looks
just as 1 expected it would, and just as my
Master taught me to build it p