Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-05-14
TIMELY TOPICS.

THE largest topaz in the world was sent by
Chirello and his son for Ferdinand II, of Ma
pies, who worked upon it for fifty years. 1t
weighs seven Roman pounds, and it has carved
upon it Jesus breaking bread at the
last supper. 1t will probably be purchased
for the Vatican, and stored away among its
treasures.
RALPH WALDO EMERSON, in the maturity
of his years wrote: 1.-THE soul does not die
with the body. On the borders of the grave,
the wise man looks forward with equal
elasticity of mind and hope; and why not after
millions of years on the verge of still newer
existence? For it is the nature OF the intellj-
gent beings to be forever new to hope"
STURGEON says: "Haye you ever read The
Ancient Mariner?'" dare say you thought it
among the stro INCEST imaginations ever put
together Dead men pulling the
rope, dead men steering. But do you
know that have lived to see that time, have
seen it done? have gone into churches and
have seen dead man in the pulpit, a dead
man as deacon, a dead man handling the plate
and dead men sitting there
Jeremy Taylor descants upon marriage
thus: Marriage has in it less of beauty, bnt
more of safety than single life; it hath not
more ease, but less danger; 1t is more merry
and more sad; it lies under more burdens, but
is supported by all the strength of love and
charity, and those burdens are delig htful.
Marriage is the mother of the world, and
preserves Kingdoms, and fills cities and
churches, and heaven ITSELF
THERE is remarkable revival in progress
in the Fuh- Chau district, China, in connection
with the Methodist mission. One of the ma
tive preachers is said to be man of unusual
power, and is described as Thorough. going
American reviValist." Another native, q
merchant, brings from twenty to thirty OF
his porters, clerks and servants to church
| regularly, and has also purchased bank
building for the Methodist Anglo-C Chinese
college.
THE armies of Europe are kept full
by conseriptions, relentless drafts.
These often produce great dis
tress. The present year an only son OF q
poor family was drafted IN France. The fam
lily were frantic: the father rushed to the
Seine and threw himself in to save this son to
his mother, as the son of widow could not
be drafted. The poor fellow was rescued
but how terrible the expedients to keep full
standing armies?"
THE New York Tribune remarks that it is
not often long service in any employment is q
positive hindrance 10 man in doing his
work well; but the president of the Delaware
and Hudson Canal company yesterday testified
to disconragi exception to the rule Before
the senate special committee, now Investigate
ing the spuyten Duyvil disaster, he declared
that many railway employees grow careless
through long immunity from accident. He
estimates that rs per cent. of the disasters
can be traced to this cause.
THE question is asked why insanity prevails
to such an alarm ng extent among Scandi-
naYians, Germans and Italians? A great ma
jority of the inmates of our insane asyIums
are of foreign birth. An answer to this i'm
portant inquiry comes from Lombardy and
Middle Europe to the effect that the peasants
are kept down to such a state of poverty by
the oppressive landed system of the country
that the dismal prospect before vast numbers
is insanity and death. The form of insanity
is largely produced by long use of IN
wholesome food, which ultimately unsettles
the reason, and violent attacks generally re-
suit In speedy death.
SENATOR THURMAN, of Ohio, said to g
friend, regarding his recent visit to Europe
~ enjoyed myself very much, sir, very much
indeed; but have one serious regret. ] am
very sorry that did not have an opportunity
of seeing Prince Bismarck and the Queen oil
England "And why did you wish so par
ticularly to see them?" asked the friend, in
surprise. The Senator, with sly twinkle in
his eye, but with his utmost severity of man.
ner, answered: because, sir, after seeing
them, might have been able to say that
had met two people in Europe who did moi
want a sixpence from me-"
ANexchange says: "An agnostic differs from
an atheist in that he is not cynical concerning
religious belief, has no criticism or sneers to
offer on the creed evangelical, and is not 6
sbigot,' as an atheist has been defined. He is
simply one who sadly confesses chat his mind
is incapable of receiving as credible the theo.
ries of religious belief in their most imperative
and monitive principles. A deist believes in 9
Deity, an agnostic cannot see personal Deity
but merely correlation Of forces, called ma
Iture, in the mighty mystery that surrounds as.
They claim as their disciples such writers
and thinkers as George Eliot, Yicto,
Hugo, John Stuart Mill, Huxly, Darwin and
|Tyndal. It is asserted that if the truth
were fully known it would divulge the fact
that in every city, town and hamlet, all over
the civilized world, the churches contain
among their regular attendants, large numbers
of persons who are at heart Agnostics.
Mr.. FRouDE, in his preface to the Life oil
Thomas Carlyle, says: "Mr. Carlyle expressed
a desire in his W i'll that of him no biography
should be written. find the same reluctance
in his iournal No one he said was lkelx