davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-06-25
Sensible and Eccentric!

The following specimen of 'plain preach
ing" is extracted from GA Century Sermon
Delivered in Hopkinton, Mass on Lords
day, December "a, 1915, by Nathaniel
Howe, pastor of the church. Second edi-
ton. Revised and corrected"
"There is one question which I wish to
ask Shall do it? The expression of
your faces seems to give consent. 1t is this:
Do you know by what means l have become
so rich as to have great house finished and
furnished, farm, herd of cattle, flock of
sheep, horses, and money at interest?
"The principal reason is this: because l
have been doing your business and neglect
ing my own. What is your business Your
business is to support your minister, and that
is what 1 have been doing for more than
twenty years. And what is my business
My business is to study and preach; and in
that have never abounded. 1t is true
have been absent from public worship not
more than four or five Sabbaths in twenty
five years; but 1 have frequently been pre-
sent and attempted to preach when it has
been mortifying to me and could not have
been edifying to you. Ihave sometimes ad.
ministered reproof both to the church and
society in manner that has been thought
to discover some degree of severity; but in
these cases you have always had good sense
enough to know that you richly deserved it.
Christian Intsllgencer.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-06-25
Providence and Prophecy.

Rev. Joseph Cook, in noble passage in
his prelude, the other day, referred to the
facts of Providence and of prophecy: "What
has Providence meant in carrying forward
all the years of human history according to
a given plan When sat under Abrahsm's
oak at Hebron, l opened the Scriptures, and
read that from chosen man should spring
chosen family; and that from chosen
family should spring chosen race and that
from chosen race should spring founder
of new religious empire; and that out of
a chosen race should thus come chosen re-
ligion and that this religion should embrace
the earth. As sat three hours alone under
Abraham's oak and read these statements
concerning chosen man, family, nation and
religion, ! could not but be impressed, l will
not say with the feelings Of superstition, but
certainly with those of awe, and terror, and
faith and hope. l set no dates. Prophecy
is, perhaps, never adequately explained ex-
cent by it's fulfllmsnt. 1 will not attack the
devout scholars who have lately in prophetic
conference discussed these topics with great
learning and earnestness. Much mischief,
no doubt may come from mysticism on the
topic of prophecy; but more mischief may
come from our coldness, from our Indifference
on this theme, and from our unwillingness to
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-06-25
"a NOISY SUNDAY"

The Montreal Daily Witness has the fol-
lowing:
"It is not pleasant to criticise one who
has been guest of the city, aud as citizens
of Montreal we most heartily own the friend
liness and good feeling toward our city and
country which prompted the recent visit of
the Brooklyn 18th regiment, as we'll as the
happiness that visit has caused. Speaking,
however, as fellow citizens of Chrstendom,
We are bound to say that had Mr.. Beecher
planned scheme to undermine the ussges
which surround and keep holy the Lords
day, and to lessen the general respect for
Puritan Professionalism, he could hardly have
invented any means more ingenious than by
coming to country of mixed population like
ours, where he is regarded by the majority
as the very presiding genius of Paritanism,
with following composed largely of the
members of church which has named itself
after the shrine of the Pilgrim Fathers, and
then leaving our streets in broad daylight on
Sunday afternoon, and departing from the
station amid uproarious hilarity, almost at
the very hour which is conSecrated to the
holy calm of our summer evening service.
1t is easy to answer that the way in which
the people of Montreal turned out to give
them their parting cheer, shows that the
evening services was not very important to
them, but Mr.. Beecher has no doubt read
the text: 'Woe unto him by whom the Of
fense cometh. The coming of the Brooklyn
regiment under Mr.. Beecher's spiritual
oversight, must have been looked upon by a
large portion of our people as fsir repre-
of Professionalism in ils highest de-
veopment. And what have they learned
They have seen high honora paid to o man
Of whom them have heard strange things.
There may have been those among them
ready to disbelieve those strange things, so
diligently told them, had they seen in his
bearing the evidences of holiness, modesty
and conscientiousness. Instead of that there
has been boisterous indifference to those
things which PuritaniSm is reputed to hold
most sacred. Montreal, has, on the whole,
q quiet Sunday, and we hope it will be long
before it prefers to its present Sabbath of
rest, either the Partisan or the Beecher Sun
day. We are glad to find the Roman Cath
oic clergy joining heartily in the defense of
the holy day, and We hope their influence
will be exerted until it prevails over the cir
cuses, merry 60 rounds, and other unseemly
things which in this city prevail chiefly
among the members of their own flock.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-06-25
How He Was Led to It.

The Rev. DR.. Palmer, of New Orleans, is
very widely known as a Southern preacher
of marked power in the pulpit and of great
influence in public affairs. The papers are
calling attention to the fact that his father,
the Rev. Edward Palmer, is still in the min
istry, although now ninety years old. ln the
recent life of Jonas King We fnd an interest
ing letter from him, which shows the power
of suggestion and its far-reaching ipfu.
euce. Jonas King was employed in 1879
20 as a city missionary in Charleston, S. c.,
Mr.. Edward Palmer was then teaching an
academy there, but was often invited to give
public addresses. At the close of one of
these addresses Mr.. King accompanied him
home, and said to him: "Have you ever
thought of the ministry yourself?" ITO
which," says Mr.. Palmer, 81 promptly re,
piled Look, dear sir, at fond wife and
four loving children, whom l am bound by
every tender and loving tie to support, and
then see whether such question can be
asked" Mr.. King rejoined eff the Lord
shall call, he will open the way" aud begged
him to consider the subject prayerfully. He
did consider it, went to Andover Seminary
for three years, and has labored in South
Carolina ffty-four years "Instrumentally.
therefore, DR.. King ushered me into the min
istry; and thus, perhaps, through me, my
two sons, laboring in New Orleans and Mo
bile"
1t deserves to be added that the Palmeri
were of pure New England stock, and tina
the brother of the principal of the academy
referred to was then the pastor of the Circu
lar Congregational church in Charleston.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-06-25
SABBATH LAWS.

Civil society protects, and both directly
and indirectly fosters and encourages, every
thing that adds to the material and physical
welfare and comfort of the people. 1t pro-
vides directly for the intellectual culture and
elevation of the people. Our great and be-
ne6cent system of education, sustained by
the State, is one of the methods by which
this is done. But man is chiefly distinguish
ed by his spiritual nature-mOral and reli-
eious. There is no land, except those in
habited by the lowest savage tribes, which is
not thickly dotted with shrines and fanes,
temples and affairs and churches. And the
religious nature of man has been and is now
employed to mislead him to his own hurt, to
Cypress him and to employ him as an instru-
ment for the oppression of his fellow-men.
Can any one give reason why the State
should foster and protect the cultivation of
the physical and intellectual natures of man
and refuse the same protection to the culti-
vation of his spiritual nature! Let the
State withdraw its protection from property,
and we should have anarchy. Let protec-
ton and support be withdrawn from our ed
ucstional institutions and We shall have a
return of ignorance and barbarism. Let the
Sabbath be overthrown and superstition will
supplant religion. We do not ask that the
State shall teach religious dogmas. We ask
only that one day in seven shall be given to
religious study and spiritual culture; and to
this end that encroachments upon the brief
time allotted to spiritual, religious and moral
culture, by the labor of trade, commerce OF
manufacturing, or by public exhibitions OF
smusements inimical to religious culture
shall be prohibited.-InteriOr.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-06-25
THE BROKEN LINK.

A man who prided himself on his moral
ity, and expected to be saved by it, was COZ
stantly saying: 81 am doing pretty we'll, on
the whole 1 sometimes get mad and swear,
but 1 am strictly honest. work on Sab
bath when | sG particularly busy; but |
give a good deal to the poor, and | never
Was drunk in my life. This mau hired a
canny Scotchmsn tc. build sfence around his
pasture lot. He gave him very particular
directions. In the evening when the Scotch
man came in from work, the man said :
"Well, Jack, is the fence built and is it tight
and strong?" II Gamma say that it is sill tight
and strong," Jack replied, 'bus it is good
average fence, anyhow. IF some parts of
it are little weak, the other parts are extra
strong. I don't know but l may have left 8
gap here and there yard wide or SO but
then made up for it by doubling the num-
Der of rails on each side of the gap. | dare
say the cattle will find it q good fence on
the whole, and will like it, though | Gamma
say that it is perfect in every part"
"What" cried the man not seeing the
point, "do you tell me that you have built
fence around my lot with weak places in it I
Why you might just as we'll have built no
fence at all. If there is one opening or place
where an opening can be made, the cattle
will be sure to find it, and will all 90 through.
Don't you know that fence must be perfect
or it is worthless ?"
81 used to think 80, said the dry Scotch
man "but heard you talk so much about
average matters with the Lord, it seemed to
me we might try it with the cattle. If an
average fence won't do for them, au afraid
that an average character won't do in the
day of Judgment. When was on shipboard
and storm was driving US on the rocks, the
captain cried, Let 60 anchor! But the
mate shouted back, 'There's broken link
in the cable. Did the captain say, when he
heard that, mo matter, i,'s only one link.
The rest of the chain is good. Ninety-nine
of the hundred links are strong. Its average
is high. 1t only lacks one per cent. of be-
ing perfect. Surely the anchor ought to re.
spect so good chain and not break away
from it? No indeed he shouted Get an.
other chain!' He knew that chain with
one broken link was no chain at all that he
might as we'll throw an anchor overheard
without any cable, as with defective one
So with the anchor Of our souls. If there is
the least flaw in the cable, it is not safe to
trust it. We hsdpetter throw it away, and
try to get rev one that we know is per
| fect."-C Christian CgnOSure
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-06-25
CREED AND CRIME.

The Catholic Review holds Professionalism
responsible for the crime which abounds in
our country. 1t says:
"Crime is more rife here than in any land
for che reason that here Protestanism has
had an opportunity to work out its natural
and inevitable results, unchecked by the re-
straining influence of Catholic tradition and
principle, which s potent yet even in those
countries of the old world which have ceased
to be Catholic in name"
Some time ago the Review attributed the
increase in crime to our public school sys.
tenn. We made inquiry and found that the
majority of criminals in our State were classed
as Catholics We gave, but have forgotten
the exact proportion. We remember that it
was large, though not so large as the proper
ton among criminals in the city of N. York.
The Observer states that "last year 1,030
boys under fourteen years of age were con-
fined in the Tombs; about 200 of them we're
Protestants, aud 800 Catholics" and that
"in Scotland there are more than 81 crimi-
mails among every 1000 of the Romish popu-
lablou, WnHe alnOug tue HHole VI tuo TesI VI
the population the proportion is only little
over per 1000"
In Scotland Professionalism has had an
opportunity to work out its natural results,
ETC., and it's proportion of criminals is very
small. A fraction of it's population have
what the Review calls the "restraining inha-
ence of Catholic tradition and principle"
and among them the proportion is large. o.
the average, Catholicism is credited for six
criminals where Professionalism is credited
with one. In Ireland the influence of Cath
olc tradition has been as completely felt as
in auy country on earth, and there, if any
where, Romanism can show its hsndiwork.
The proportion of criminals amor the Cath.
olic population is very high, almost three
times as high as among Professionals. We
are not disposed to charge the crimes of
Catholics to the Catholic Church, but to
show that the restraining iof flsuce," of
which the Review boasts, is really less effsc-
tive in keeping men from crime than the in.
Auence exercised through Protestant church
es-Cadada Presbyterian
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-06-25
Receipt for sermous

The following was found among some old
family papers, written, it is believed, by DIR.
Salter, master of the CharterhOuse, 1761-
1777:
"a receipt how to compose q sermon {:
Take some scraps out of the best books you
have; weigh them and sift them thoroughly;
then divide them into three parts, for divid
ing them into more is generally thought to
crumble too much; work these well and han
die them neatly, but neither mince nor chop
them. Season the whole we'll with a due
proportion of salt; put in nothing that is too
hard or difficult to digest, but let all be clear
and candid; it should have some fire, for
that will raise it and prevent its being heavy;
you may garnish it with few fjwers, but
not so thick as to hide the substance; take
care that it's not overdone, for, as it is the
last thing served up, if it's not inviting, some
of the company may not taste of it; in a
hard frost or extreme cold weather, it should
be done in twenty minutes; in more temper,
ate, it may take half an hour; if it's done
in quarter of an hour, it's fit for king.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-06-25
Pulpit Speaking.

Many clergymen have pulpit voice.
When they are out of church they speak as
other people do. They do not employ a
deep chest.note when they inquire of the
butcher respecting the price of roast beef,
aud they do not use dismal monotone when
they discuss domestic matters with their
wives and children. But as soon as they get
into church they unconsciously assume an
artificial tone; and they are apt to do this
when they have any devotional functions to
perform. 1t has often been observed that if
a minister who is chatting easily and natu.
rally at table should be asked to say grace,
he will suddenly assume his pulpit voice,
articulate with it during the ceremony, and
then resume the conversation in his proper
voice with the dexserisy Of ventriloquist.
The pulpit voice is probably attributable in
large degree to deeire to give solemnity
and iupressiveness to the performance. 1t
results from an effort to convey to the hear
ers the deep sense of awe which may fairly
be supposed to sufuse the clerical mind
But the result to the listener is far more
likely to be an almost irresistible tendency
to 20 to sleep The effective voice always
is the natural voice. The skilful actor
touches every chord in the entire gAmut of
passion, and he gives force and effect to
every phase of sentiment, without putting
any undue strain upon his vocal machinery.
A great truth must be far more impressive
when it is urged in the speakers ordinary
tones, modified only by whatever Influence
of sincere feeling may govern the speakers
mind, than when it is offered in an artificial
voice, about which there can be no Sugges-
ton Of genuine passion.-Philadelphia Bul-
letin.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-06-25
The Perspective of the Bible.

The Rev. DR.. Gibson, of Chicago, has re-
Gently delivered a course of Lectures on
Biblical themes with great acceptance to the
large audiences which have attended them.
The second of the series is entitled, "The
Perspective of the Bible," in which this fine
passage occurs:
"The objection is often made that if mir
aces were go plentiful in Bible times, why
are they not of common occurrence still? Let
US consider for moment: plentiful in Bible
times What are Bible times One would
like to know within few Thousand years,
or triAe like that, what times are meant.
If you think miracles were abundant during
all the centuries and millenniums of Bible
times you are greatly mistaken. There is q
general impression that the Bible is book
full of miracles, which come in at random as
they do in the old heather mythologies but
those who pay any attention to Bible per-
spective know better. Have you ever con-
sidered that in the Book of Genesis, cover
ing more than two thousand years at the low
est computation, there is not single miracle
wrought by human agency? Adam works
no miracle; Abel works no miracle; Enoch
works no miracle; even Abraham works no
miracle. Nor one of all the pstriarchs.-
How different from all the old mythologies,
and how different from what it would have
been if this book had come to US merely from
some dim, neurological past Even where
God Himself is represented as doing things
out of the general course of nature, it is only
at long intervals, and very rarely, as in the
translation of Euoch, the judgment of the
food, the confusion of tongues, the birth of
Isaac. Remember that these events we're
centuries apart from each other. Even if
there had been miracle for every century,
which there is not, you could scarcely say
that they were very plentiful If you look
at the history perspectively, you will learn,
first, that all through Bible times miracles
were not the rule, but the exception; and
more particularly that the miracles cluster
around particular epochs, when there was
special need for such signs of divine presence
and power"
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-06-25
Preaching by Telephone.

In letter from Halifax, England, to the
London Christian Signal, correspondent
describes some recent telephone feats there,
one of which was as follows:
"On Sunday morning one of these trans.
mitters was pla ced upon small shelf in the
pulpit of Square church, some two feet to
the right and behind the preacher as he
stood. Telegraph wires connected it to the
station, and thence to the Office Of Mr.. E. G.
Warburton, superintendent engineer of the
Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Company s
telegraphic department at Manchester, where
were collected correspondents Of the Man
chester daily newspapers, number of cleo
tricians, and others. At Square all had been
prepared beforehand, aud nothing whatever
was known by the congregation of what was
going on. At Manchester, Mr.. Walter EN-.
mott had charge of the arrangements, and
by the time for service everything was in
readinesa- -Ths-distsses- between -the-two
places as the wire went was about thirty-six
miles. Precisely at half past ten the clear
voice of DR.. Mellor w4s easily recognized as
he announced the number of the opening
hymn. The two verses were read, and in a
moment afterward the notes from the organ,
some three or four yards away, might be
heard, and in moment or two the fine
strains of the congregation, in beautiful har-
mony, were so distinctly heard as to create
surprise Above all, because be was nearest
to the instrument, could be heard the deep
bass voice of the pastor, singing heartily
throughout the whole Of the hymn. After
ward there was prayer, other hymns aud les
son, and then came the sermon. On the
whole this was distinctly heard; occasionally,
as when the greacher's face vas turned
further away from the instrument, or when
he spoke in an unusually low tone of voice,
or through the induction caused by the trans
mission Of messages along the telegraph
wires, sentence OF two might be missed,
but these difficulties may be remedied. AT
ter the service short conversation was car.
ried on between Halifax and Manchester,
and later on Mr.. Wadsworth, the organist
played the Hallelujsh Chorus on the or
gan, which was very distinctly heard at Man.
chester. The experiments gave great salts.
faction"
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-06-25
ELECTION.

Gall that the Father giveth Me shall
come to Me; and him that cometh to Me
will in no wise cast out."-Jobn vi: 81
Think when and why Christ spoke of this
gift of the Father. The connection Of
thoughts is on this occasion somewhat like
what We read in Matthew xi.
Jesus when on earth noticed the hardness
of men 8 hearts, and their unbelef. He felt
grieved when they rejected Him. He fore
saw the Judgment and punishment which
would come with greatest severity on those
who had neglected the greatest privileges.
Had He labored then in vain, and spent His
strength for nought? Then Jesus betook
Himself into the secret places of the Most
High. Gall thai the Father giveth Me shall
come to Me-" His reward was certain 1t
was written, "He shall see of the travail of
His SOUL" Election was Christ's encour-
agement. Do you grudge it to Him But
Christ Himself, and Christ only, is our en-
coursgement. From this secret and mystic
rious repose, from this retreat of election,
Jesus goes forth like the sun, shining forth
with radiant and vitalzing light, and saying,
(" Come unto MSS you who in Bethsaids,
Chorazin, and Capernaum labor and are
heavy laden" And perhaps some of those
who had neglected and rejected the mighty
deeds done among them were pierced and
melted even when they heard Jesus say,
"Come unto Me-.
Look now at these blessed words, And
him that cometh to Me will in no wise cast
out" There is sometimes such Aood of
light streaming into room from two sides
that, ss a consequence, We see nothing dis.
tinctly from very excess of light. You en-
ter, end you see nothing-no chairs or table,
or friendly face to welcome you. Shading
one window, We perceive objects clearly. So
it happens that, wishing to see both parts of
this sentence at once, we are bewildered.-
Especially when you are only beginning to
think earnestly about God and salvation, you
are not able to grasp two truths at once
and willfully and obstinately fixing your
thought on the two in conjunction, you are
in danger of losing both. You caricsture
the doctrine of election, and block yourself
up in fatalism; you take away the sweet
ness from the blessed, genial. and peace
breathing gospel-Come unto Jesus. Be-
lieve, then, that there is no contradiction,
but harmony, between these two declarations
of the Lord; more than that, that the one is
the foundation upon which the second rests,
the fountain from which it flows. Take it
for granted that between Christ's encourage
ment, the Fathers giving, and your encOur
agement, Christ's receiving you, there is
vital connection, or in other words, that
Christ is right in saying "And," and not get
or but, "him that cometh to Me will in no
wise cast out."-A, Saphtr. d. ID.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-06-25

look upon the absolutely oVerawing facts
that prophecy has been fulfilled; that as the
past has been, so the future will be; aad
that as God has kept, so He will continue to
keep His Word with US. The same mystic
rious predictions which have been fulfilled to
the letter for four thousand years, foretell
also the enswsthing of the globe with king
dom which now very nearly touches arms
around IT,"