davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-01-22
What Is In Thine Hand

All great works are done by serving God
with what we have in hand. Moses was
keeping sheep in INDIAN God sent him to
save Israel, but he shrank from the under
taking. We sympathize with Jethro's herds
man-alone, stranger, owning not a lamb
that he watched. He had nothing but his
shepherds rod. cut out of thicket, the
mere crab-stick with which he guided his
sheep. Any day he might throw it away
and cut a better one. And God said What
is that in thine hand ? With this rod, with
this stick, thou shalt save Israel" And so
it proved. You are a manufacturer or a
merchant, or mechanic, or man of leisure,
or student, or a sewing woman. God
wants each of you to serve him where you
are. You have your business use it for
God. Order it in a godly manner. Do not
allow any wickedness in it. Give godly
wages preach Jesus to your clerks by be-
ing like him-doing good. Use your profits
for God, feeding the hungry, clothing the
naked, visiting the sick, comforting the
wretched, spreading the gospel far and wide
What field you have to glorify God in
Just where you are If you have nothing
use your tools for him; he can glorify him
self with them as easily as he could with q
shepherds stick, an oxgoad, sling, or two
mites. A poor girl who had nothing but q
sewing-machne used it to aid feeble church
All her earnings above her needs were giver
toward building house of worship, ant
in year she paid more than Others hun
dred times richer than she. So you can do
if you will. Think of the widow with tn,
two mites, the woman with the alabaster
box, and Dorcas aud her garments DO a
much, and have as great reward.-Th
| Bibie SLudenL
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-01-22
The Revealing of the Hidden.

"God sees our hearts as we do faces"
Thomas Kempis says. Life is double
sided. There is a within as well as a with
out. But in the long run it is what is
within that prevails. A bad heart will make
bad face at the last. knew graceful
woman once from whom God had taken her
only child The heart and hands were
empty when the child had gone, but there
was this poor solace left the stricken mother
she could compel the brush and pencil to
detain the shadow of the loved one. Aud
so, to ease her heart little and to occupy
her hands still somehow about the vanished
child, she filled the days with an exquisite
and patient touching in colors of a faithful
photograph of the flown treasure. Soon it
was as though you saw the child. Under
such touching all the hidden lights and shy
child looks stood evident. Then other du-
ties called, and for few days the picture
was laid carefully away. But when the
picture was looked upon the eyes were
dimmed, and the face was marred with
strange and ugly blotches. Patiently and
sorrowfully the mother wrought over it the
second time, and the disfgurements were
soon hidden. Then again the picture was
laid aside, and the ugly blotches reappeared
1t was ruined picture. The paper was
pad Ihere were some strange chemicals
hidden in it which changed the beauty to
deformity. The picture must be thrown
aside and another painted. In every life
the same process is going on. What is
ouerlam amounts to little. The inward
chemicals, the heart color, will push out A
bad heart makes bad face. Said the Mas
ter, What is whispered in the ear shall be
spoken on the housetop." At the Judgment
and often long before, our hidden things
must stand revealed. Keep thine heart
with all diligence, for out OF it are the issues
of ife"-Selected
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-01-22
The Divine Call.

Let me illustrate one form of this call by
my own experience. Trained religiously,
reached a young mans years before making
public profession of religion Occasionally,
prior TO my conversion, thoughts OF the min
istry sometimes flashed across my mind but
it was only flash. After my conversion
was earnest for the welfare of others, and
wanted TO promote the Interests of the church
and of humanity. The conviction grew
upon me that | must preach ; yet | tried to
put that away, because feared could never
succeed. saw the greatness of the work,
aud the reproachful poverty connected then
with the itinerant ministry.
There were two special difficulties in my
way. First, had no gift of speech. My
voice was poor, and in school | always
stunned defamation. ! firmly believed /
could never make speakers and so chose
the profession OF medicine which | studied
three years in a professional school, think
should have re,olutely rejected the idea OF
the ministry except that it seemed insepara-
bly, connected with my salvation. tasted,
prayed for divine direction but found
no rest until, in reading the Bible one day,
| found passage which seemed specially
written for me Trust in the Lord with
all thy heart lean n II unto thine own uu-
derstandingi iu all thy ways acknowledge
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-01-22
VIII Mamma Come Tonight

1t was little childs question, that was
born amid sobs and tears. The mother had
been absent two days and the tender child.
heart was yearning for her. "Sing some
thing, gran'ma," pleaded the plaintive voice.
"Sing My dear Mother" Softly in the
calm eventide, graudma's precious voice
sung low and tremulous:
cover the mountain and over the moor,
Barefoot and hungry wander forlorn,"
sung until the little heart fell asleep COM
forted.
The child is maiden now, expanded unto
the full stature of lovely womanhood. We
are sitting on the same old hearth stone to-
night where we were wont to sit in the days
that are no more. There are no lamps in
the room; it is frightened by the blazing
wood in the old-fashioned fireplace. There
are no flowers the fragrance is from the
burning Yule log, for the sweetest, most de-
icious odor issues from it.
We would be happy, but there are large
black shadows falling on the wall-there
are large black shadows falling on our
hearts. Our thought goes drifting out to a
hallowed spot in Goods Acre." far away,
where dear one is waiting the resurrec
ton morn. The eloquence, the pathos OF
silence is resting on the little hearthstone
group-the grandfather silver-crowned, the
grandmother who sang the lullaby in the
fer-off eventide. aud the child woman
grown. As look on her trembling lip, int
her large, lustrous eyes, tear-filled, feel the
great wall of her heart son for the touch
Of a vanished hand, and the sound of voic,
that is still" feel she is asking the SAINT
chld-question she asked in the long ago
will mamma come tonight ?" Two years
yet in this one sad moment we are living
again the pain we felt at her going-wheI
she aud the angel that held her hand wen
off toward great light that crept over
dark sea to meet them. After while ",
speak of her beautiful life-her patient
suffering life, the gentle influence that fel
upon all around her, aud as the whole glor,
and beauty of her excellence breaks upol
us, our souls silently turn to the dear Christ
heart who will transfgure our lives, AM
draw us up also into the light of eternity /
we will let him. With this blessed though
a sweet peace comes to each, sitting here il
the freight and we feel she has com
to-night-the child's mamma-our shinin
one in the sweet Christmas-tide.-IV {
| lfIiaa1le
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-01-22
The Great Fountain.

An aged gentleman at wateringplace
said to a lady, a stranger to him, as she came
up to take her usual draught of water,
Have you ever drank at the Great Foun-
tain Z" The lady colored, aud turned away
without replying, The following winter, in
another place. he was asked to visit lady
who was dying. As he entered her room
she said with a smile, "Do you not know
me do you not recollect asking a woman
At the spring, last year. Have you ever
drank at the Great Fountain p" yes,
said he " do remember" Well, sir, an
that person. ! thought at that time you
were very rude; but your words kept ring
ing in my ears. | was without peace or res
till found Christ, | now expect shortly t.
die, and you, under God, have been ih'
means of my salvation. Be as faithful t.
others as you have been 10 me, Never b,
afraid to talk to strangers on the subject o
religion"
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-01-22
For the Vermont Watch
A Child's Faith.

A little girl had been carefully taught by
her Christian mother that prayer would be
heard and answered. She was too small to
open the door of the play-room, and took
good care never to have the door shut when
staying there alone. But one day she found
the door shut fast and herself only in the
room. She came out and told her mother what
trouble she had been in, and how she had re-
membered what she had been told about
prayer; had asked God to open the door and
hedn. The mother questioned, Z" Did you do
anything besides pray ?" al laid down my
bread and butter, took hold of the door with
both hands and pulled with all my might, and
God opened the door," was the reply. What
better illustration of faith can be given
The Bible says, Faith without works is
dead" To pray is not enough we must
work with all our might to gain the answers
TO our prayers. How many have their hands
full of something; they are willing to pray,
but, crowded with earthly cares, they have
no time to work for Jesus. No time Jesus
took time to work for us shall we neglect
what he gave us to do ? Is it not time for
every Christian to lay down the bread and
butter" aud take hold of Christian work
with all his might ? F.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-01-22
The Fruit.Bearing Tree.

"Like a tree planted by the streams of
water that bringeth forth his fruit in his
season." If man is orking and growing
where God sets him, he is always within
reach OF the means necessary for his growth
and fruitfulness. He is always planted by
rivers of water. Men find these channels
in the most unlikely places in the most
unpromising parts of Gods garden. In their
very work they find something to engage
their energy, quicken their enthusiasm, and
develop their power. 1t is wonderful what
grand trees will often grow up among rocks !;
and what majesty of character and variety
and reach OF power will often be nourished
by hardships. One would naturally have
supposed that Paul's Imprisonment was the
end of his missionary career; yet it was one
of the most fruitful periods OF his life to the
Christian church of all time. Not to speak
OF his work in the imperial household, the
fruit of his being planted in that seemingly
barren spot drops rich and ripe into the
church's hand to-day, from the Philippian,
Colossian and Ephesian epistles, and from
the little letter to Philemon.
And this is a mystery to men of the world.
They look at the places in which some of
Gods servants are planted, and say it is
impossible they should bear fruit there.
Circumstances are all against them. There
are no capabilities in the place They must
go away or they will starve, mentally and
spiritually, aye, and bodily too; and yet
they do not starve and they are not crushed
Amid sickness, bereavement, scant oppor
tunities, hatred, scorn, they not ouly live
but grow, and have something to spare fol
other lives-yea, minister to them most
richly and effectively. What is more, they
| themselves are cheerful and strong and grow
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-01-22

A day That day just erased from my
calendar, how much could have been ac-
complished in it What a noble river of
holy emotions might have rolled through my
soul in that one day-what fervor Of love,
ardor in prayer and workings of faith,
bringing the light and joy Of heaven into
the soul
There hangs my calendar. cannot blot
out much longer. The last day of the year
is at hand. The symbols of what remains
may be erased by my driving pen; but
these links of life, these waymarks of the
path to eternity, these gifts of God, these
opportunities of usefulness, my gratitude
shall welcome them, my love and zeal carry
out their great design. They shall aid in
the grand result that my name shall not be
blotted out of the Book of Life l--New York
Obserper.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-01-22
l Blot Out a Day !

keep on the desk before me a calendar
of the year, with the day of each week by
numerals. When day is passed, draw
my pen across figure or the figures repre-.
senting day. IL is gone and blot it out,
SO far as the column OF numerals is con
cerned, can do so. But am startled by
the words, " | blot out a day" A day is d
wheel in the great machinery of lfe-a link
in the chain of my probation. 1t is as truly
part of vital aud essential being as yeaI
or a century. The day is given me. vii
it vanish at my bidding did not origin
ate, | only received 1t. ! have no more
power TO blot it out than 10 bring it in. II
was gift. How should treat the giver
if | could and would blot it out? 1t camt
as proof Of the love of the giver. To many
that day came not. II was on its way, bu
the chain broke. Hut divine kindness
would not allow me TO be loser. Shall
not honor the giver
A day of sadness, perhaps. Blot it ou
for that reason II my sins made the sad
ness of the day, then let the day stand
memeuto of aud reminder OF my folly. Tha
day is worth saving that brings such voic,
Of reproof. Perhaps the day was sad Jude
divine discipline. Surely then, il ought /,
stand, lest, blotting it out, offence be giyel
to him who afilicts 4" for our profit, that ",
might be partakers of his holiness"
A day OF giadness, perhaps, the sky bright
the air balmy, joy in friends aud all world,
comfort; above all, Joy in the Lord ant
gladness in his salvation. Shall | mar sucl
a beautiful picture Shall blot out sucl
day As erase the figure with pei
shall drop it out of mind as If there ha,
never been such day Is this the kin,
return
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-01-22
MONTPELIER, VT, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY o. 1879

him, and he shall direct thy paths" ac-
cepted 1t, and resolved TO do whatever God
by his providence should indicate by open
ing the way. never lisped to friend the
slightest intimaton of my mental agony
but took amore earnest part in the church
services. One Sabbath | felt strong i'm
preston that | ought to speak to the people
at night in prayer-meetng, as we had no
preaching. | said to myself How shall
II For my friends will say am foolish,
as they know | cannot speak with interest"
Especially | dreaded a certain old uncle,
who had been father TO me and superin-
tended my education. While was discuss
ing this matter with myself in the afternoon
my uncle came into the room, and after a
moments hesitation, said to me: Don't
you think you could speak to the people to-
night 2" | was surprised and startled. |
asked him if he thought | ought. lie said
Yes; ] think you can do good" That
night, for some strange reason, the house
was crowded, and | made my first religious
address to public congregation. II was
not written; it was not very well premedi-
tated it was simply an earnest outgushing
of sincere and honest heart.
My mother was widow. | was her eld
est son and the only child remaining at
home. | feared it would break her heart to
leave her, and feared it would be impossible
to do so. One day, after great embarrass-
ment, was induced to speak to my mother
on the subject of my mental struggles, and
tell her what | thought God required of me.
| never shall forget how she turned to me
with smile, and said a. My son, | have been
looking for this hour ever since YOU were
bornl" She then told me how she and my
n. r. I.fA =
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-01-22
Charity.

In one of the traditional sermons, trans
Initted by the Prophet Mahomet to his dis
ciples, is the following apologize on the sub
ject of charity: "When God created the
earth, it shook and trembled until he put
mountains upon it to make it firm. Then
the angels asked, 30 God, is there anything
OF thy creation stronger than these noun
tains 2 And God replied, Iron is stronger
than these mountains, for it breaks them.
And is there anything stronger than iron Z?
Yes, fire is stronger than iron, for it melts
it. is there anything of thy creation
stronger than fire 2 Yes, water quenches
fire. 20 Lord, is there anything of thy crea.
tion stronger than water 2 Yes, wind, for
1t overcomes water, and puts it in motion.
%, our Fountain is there anything of thy
creation stronger than wind 2 Yes, good
man giving aims; if he give with his right
hand and conceal with his left, he over.
cometh all things" Mahomets definition
OF charity embraced the wide circle of kind
ness. "Every good act he would say, lis
charity. Your smiling in your brothers
face is charity; an exhortation of your fel-
low-man to virtuous deeds is equal to aims
giving; your putting a wanderer in the
right road is charity your removing stones
and thorns, and other distractions from the
road is charity; your assisting the blind is
charity your giving water to the thirsty is
charity" A mans true wealth." says the
Prophet, ais the good he does in the world
to his fellow-men. When he dies the peo-
pie will say, What property has he left be-
hind him 2 But the angels who examine
him in the grave will ask, What good deeds
hast thou sent before thee ?" o prophet"
said one of his disciples, my mother, Omen
Sad, is dead; what is the best aims can
send for the good of her soul ?" Water"
replied Mahomet, bethinking himself of the
painting heats of the desert. "Dig well for
her, and give water to the thirsty" The
man dug well in his mothers name, and
said, "This well is for my mother, that
its rewards may reach her soul."-Irving's
MdhOmet
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-01-22
For the Vermont watchma
Formation Of Character.

If there is any one department of educa.
tion which has been more overlooked than
others, aud which deserves paramount at.
tention, it is, perhaps, the formation of char.
acter. Everything else should be made aux
iliary to this. Of what avail are the high
est intellectual attainments if there is an un.
amiable disposition, if bad passions have
gained the ascendency, if there is neither
obedience nor honor to parents, nor subms-
sion to authority if there is a wayward
will that has never yielded to the healthful
restraints Of reason and religion Charac.
ter, after all, is the great end. and that edu
cation is the best which is most successful
in forming character prepared for duty
and happiness--in the life that now is aud
that which is to come. We attach the great
est Importance to the establishment in the
heart from the earliest years, of sound prin
ciples, of obedience to parents, submission
to proper authority, kindness, gentleness
benevolence towards others-and piety. be
fora God
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-01-22
Railraad Timr GABLE.
CENTRAL VERMONT RAILROAD LINE
Commencing on Monday December 3Oth 1878.


Trains Going South and East.
Leave Montpelier Mt II. 1.2S A. NJ, 740 r. NJ,
and 800 r. NJ.
Mail-From Montreal. Malone, ~. Albans, Burlington
etc, leaves Montpelier at H. A. for Boston, New
London Springfield, New York and intermediate points
Mixed TraIn-fewes ST. Albans At $40 P. NJ Burlington
at $40 p. NJ Montpelier at 7i0 p NJ. for Mortified.
Night Express-From ogdensburR, Montreal, 81. Al
for Boston via Lowell or Fichbnrg, Springfield. New
York and intermediate points.
Trains Going North and West.
Leave Montpelier at g. % A. NJ, $40 A. NJ, 1910
p. NJ, and 4.22 =. NJ
Day Express-Leaves Boston via Fchburp at 73O a. NJ,
Via Lowell AT 500 A. NJ. New London NJ SEQ A. w.,
Springfield at 500 a. NJ, Montpelier at AZ for
Burlington, 81. Alhans, Montreal and Ogdensburg
Accommodate Train-Leaves Northneld at s. 80 A.
NJ, Montpelier ut $40 A. NJ, for Burlington, Rutland,
st. Albans, st. Johns and Richforl.
Mixed-Leaves W. r. Junction At 100 A. N Norhneld at
1900 NJ, arrives at Montpelier at 1882 p. NJ.
Accommodation Train Leaves Montpelier at 1910
Pm. for Burlington, Rutland and ST. Abans.
Night Express-Leaves Boston via Lowell at $50 r. NJ,
Springfield at 500 Montpelier at 325 A. Nj, Bur
lngton ST. Abans. Montreal and Ogdbg and the West.
Trains leave Montpelier for Barre at 7.2O a. NJ, 1900 A.
N. and Az p. Returning, leave Barre at 500 NJ,
1880 A. NJ and $50. PM
Sleeping attached TO Night Express trains running
between Montreal and Boston, and Montreal and SPRING
hel and New York via Troy and paror TO Day Ex
press between Boston and Montreal.
Through tickets Chicago and the West for sale at the
principal stations. J. W. HOBART, General Supt
St Alhana. VI. neremher 2s lala.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-01-22
Fol the We
Stray Notes.

In prelude to recent lecture, Rev.
Joseph Cook speaks of a church member,
who, on election dav, was seen among the
voters with roll of bills in one hand, pub
lcy offering money for votes for his candi-
date Such an act is both disgracefal and
demoralizing. From many years observa-
ton, | have noticed that on certain occa-
/ sions some church members practically
ignore their obligation to obey some Of the
plainest commands of the decalogue-espe-
cialy the ninth | have noticed that some
church members adopt the pernicious maxim
that call is fair in politics that they cir
culate false reports, and resort to practices
and methods which are manifestly wrong,
and which they would condemn on other
occasions. They do this pc nding an election
and some practice deception in giving in
their grand list. Men that are upright and
quite devout at all other times will tell big
lies and vote for bad men in elections, and
equivocate in giving in their list Is this
right?
e Shall we do evil that good may come Z"
The Roman Catholic priests of New York
city say that lotteries and rafting and gam
bling are right when the object sought is to
obtain funds for the church. am certain
Christians will not accept such a doctrine.
And yet is there not danger of giving
countenance to such perncious error, by
our church fairs and festivals with their
grab-bags and fish ponds and other similar
devices? A vile paper not long ago had an
illustration of modern method of raising
church funds. 1t was that of young lady
standing on an auction block in Christian
church, in the full gaze Of lascivious eyes,
inspecting her form, previous to the striking
off of the lady to the highest bidder, " for
one evening only" Oh Jesus, what insult
ferable abomipations have profaned thy
house, committed by men and women pro-
fessedy to honor thee!
At a recent Sunday-school review the
leader, in commenting on the baptism of
Jesus, said " AS our Saviour was baptized
in Jordan, The only proper mode OF baptism
was by Immersion" On this assumption
would like to know which was the party
baptized in the passage of the Red Sea? g.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-01-22

lr is rough work that polishes Look at
the pebbles on the shore Far inland, where
some arm of the sea thrusts itself deep in
the bosom of the land, aud lies girdled by
the mountains, sheltered from storms, the
pebbles on the beach are rough, not beauti-
ful. 1t is where long white lines of break
ers roar, and the rattling shiugle Is rolled
along the strand, that its pebbles are rounded
and polished. As in nature, as in art, so In
grace. The more the diamond is cut, the
brighter it sparkles; aud in what seems
hard dealing, their God has no end in view
but to perfect his peoplc.-Dr. Guthrie