davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-04-08
The Habit OF Prayer.

When Hezekiah received the blasphe-
nous letter from Rabshakeh, he knew
what to do in his extremity, for he
"spread it before the Lord" When
Nehemiah was challenged by the Per-
sian monarch for his sadness of counte-
nance, and asked what his request was,
he was not dismayed, for even with the
kings cup in his hand, "he prayed
unto the God of heaven" When his
mutinous band, at the sight of Ziklag's
smouldering ruins, spake of stoning
David, he was not appalled,, for " he en-
couraged himself in the Lord his Cod"
and said, " Bring me hither the ephod."
When his thorn in the flesh" afflicted
Paul, he, too, had his resource in
prayer, and " besought the Lord thrice"
concerning it. And to take again the
highest and hottest example, when the
divine Lord himself was oppressed by
that mysterious agony, which came
upon him in Gethsemane, he cried,
Father, if it be possible, let this cup
pass from me; nevertheless, not as l
will, but as thou wilt" Now, if we
ask how it came that in the times of
special emergency those great ones ran
first to God, we shall find the answer in
the fact that prayer had become the
habit of their lives. They had kept al
ways open the mercy-seat; so in the
hour of urgency they could find it easily,
and run along it with speed These
were not exceptional instances in their
histories, or if exceptional at all, they
were so not in the direction which their
souls took, but only in the gravity and
of cic ~
never pray save when they are in peril,
rarely if ever get at such times the full
benefit of prayer. Their cry then re-
sembles the shrek of a conquered en-
envy for quarter, and is not the entreaty
of a loving son for help, and so it brings
them little relief. But he who has been
daily, or even more frequently, at the
mercy-seat for years and knows God as
his Friend, receives always grace suffi-
cient for him, and strength according to
his day. Not long ago, a friend told us
that when youth he was sent by his
father for some purpose or other to a
farmstead which had been for long
time tenantless and neglected. The
buildings were going to ruin; the grass
had grown in the courtyard; the road
into the place was almost indistingush-
able from the field along the side OF
which it ran. There was no trace OF
the recent presence of human beings
except in one particular, and that was
the pathway to the nell. That had been
trodden by many feet every day fol-
years, and it was still hard, almost as
asphalte, clearly marked and easily
found. So let it be in our case with the
foot-walk to the mercy-seat. Whatever
else we neglect, let us keep up the
habit of communion with God. Prayer
is the key of position. He who has tina
has still God in reserve, and can say
"The Lord is on my side; l will no
fear what man can do unto me. "-Reu
w. T. Taylor, DID,, IN the Quirer tol
April.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-04-08
Gbe firesioe.
Disinfectants and the Cholera.

"While wishing success to all lawful
scientific experiments, we must not
lose sight of the fact that cholera,
typhoid, and all kinds of plaques are
diseases that either arise directly from
overcrowding in cities and camps, or
that find in the results of overcrowding
the awful hot-bed, the deadly swamp,
in which they may increase and multi
ply. Cholera" said Captain Horton,
musingly, Il" seems to me to be disease
of so terribly infectious a character that
whatever the municipal authorities may
do to stay the progress of the epidemic,
the individual himself who lives where
it is rampant is powerless to defend
himself" Here, again, think you
err. 1t cannot be too well known that
the choleraic germ-and the same may
be said for other plague sporules, ty-
phoid ncluded-cannot exist where
there is an abundance of pure air. The
dilution, medical men tell us, of poisons
of this kind renders them inert. l do
not think it is dilution that effects this.
In my opinion. just as there is deadly
serpent AN ophiophagous reptile -
which eats deadly snakes, so there is a
gaseous poison that destroys plague
poisons, and that is oxygen gas, which
in its diluted form we breathe, and can
not live without" "Then," said
Captain Horton, " if 1 understand you
Alright, you would defend the fortress
of life from the attacks of invisible
enemies by means of disinfection?"
Call it rather by perfect publication
of all our surroundings, and the MAIN
tenance of complete and thorough
cleanliness. do not quite like the word
disinfectants for MANY reasons. A
disinfectant is never needed when there
is pure air and wholesomeness. You
may destroy dangerous emanations and
foulness in the air by the use of disin-
fectants, but the best plan is to remove
the cause. A person by constantly
using disinfectants might manage to
live-hardly in health, though-in
room permeated by the vapors from
cesspool Removal of the latter would
be the wiser way of going to work.
Again, a disinfectant may be itself
poisoner of the air, and often it is
mere make-believe. You smell the
odor of the chemical, whether it be
chlorine, or carbolic, or anything else,
and you say to yourself, Why, this
disinfectant is doing its work nicely.
No impurity can exist in the air where
this is So, l say, do not trust al
together to disinfection; it is a good
servant, but wants careful guidance and
watching, and must not have more
work to do than it can accomplish. y
Casselps Family Magazine for April.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-04-08
Children and the Church.

We must work on this idea-that
children can be brought up in the
Church of Christ. The notion that we
must wait till their natures get bent
the wrong way and then esteem 1t the
special office of religion to convert
them is mischievous. The highest Of
flee of Christianity is not conversion,
but education. 1t aims to lead out the
most hidden life, as the sun of spring
educes the life of seeds. And the work
begin before he is proper individual.
The mere infant is the subject of i'm
pressions. The spirit of good home
enters the child through every pore of
being. Then, when he becomes old
enough to think, and to know right and
wrong, he can be influenced. Indeed,
it is not easy to set bounds to the influ-
ence which good parent may exert.
The child that is properly taught and
trained will be almost sure to go right
in after life. This, then, is the work
we want to do-bring our children up
not only for the church, but in the
church, nor suffer them to wander from
it. Let our children feel that they are
pupils in Christ's school-that they are
to be taught in it from the first, taking
its lessons in the order of their needs.
The glory of Christ's church is in this
that it meets the soul at the commence
ment of the way, and leads it along
1t adapts its instructions to the sue
cessive wants of the human spirit, and
opens its treasures just as fast as the
nature is prepared to receive them.
The church says, in the language of its
Founder, "Come unto me and learn"
Learn these lessons now-the higher
lessons by and by, and as you are able
to take them up. 1t says, also, "Do this
work now, and you will find out, through
faithfulness, what higher work awaits
you" "This do and thou shalt live," is
the recurrent language of the New
Testament. This do and thou shalt
live is the word of the Spirit in the
church also. Do the work which is
nearest at hand. Invest with conduct
your present thought, faith, love, and
theu shalt Twelve the life of God in
the soul, and of the soul in God. The
church says this to the child whose only
way of doing the Heavenly Fathers
work is to learn from parents and
teachers. 1t loves to have the young
soul lean on, and cling to its earthly
protectors, till it becomes strong enough
to stand alone, as some plants need a
trellis till they can bear to be trans
planted. The Christian Teacher.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-04-08
All Seen at Last.

1t is not too much to think that
when God shall have made up all his
Jewels, and the number of the elect
shall be complete, he will make it a
part of their happiness to look back
from the height of heaven upon all
their winding track and to see that
every step has been ordered in infinite
love; that their sorest trials have been
merciful; that their freest choices have
been links in Gods chain of purpose,
that their very sins have been over
ruled for good. And if this shall APP
pear amazing in the history of an in
dividual, how shall it shine respondent
in the nations of them that are saved,
when ten thousand times ten thousand
intermingling and entangled lives shall
visibly accord with one infinite plan
and center in one sovereign purposel
The great end of creation and Provi-
dence and grace is Gods own glory
Reu. j. W. alexander, ID.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-04-08
HOODS SARSAPARILLA

till now, have been free from the COM
plant, and feel thankful that I have re-
ceived effectual relief by taking the med
icine. JOSEPH FISHER, of Fisher & Col
ton, Montpelier, Vt.
81 have been troubled with disease of
the kidneys for five years, and tried num-
Der of doctors without much relief had
great prejudice against advertised e4e-
dies, but an uncle of mine being cured of
rheumatism by Hoods Sarsaparilla, he in
duced me to try that medicine. After TAX
ing half bottle 1 feel greatly relieved
my appetite has never been so good, and
I sleep soundly. / know there are many
troubled as / have been who have the same
prejudice against proprietary medicines. |
think that If they should try one bottle of
Hoods Sarsaparilla they would be con-
WINGED of its merits. 20. CoRGDEN, Bur-
lington, VT.
Restored to Health.
Mr. E. A. Remington, ticket agent at
Oak Bluffs, Martha's Vineyard, says his
wife was all used up" She failed to re-
ceive benefit from medical treatment, and
it was feared she was going into consump-
ton. She decided to try Hoods Sarsapa-
rlla, at the same time dropping all other
medicines Mr.. Remington says: "In a
little while her appetite began to improve.
Then her strength came back the short
ness of breath was overcome, she was
braced up in every part of her body, and,
in short, was soon as well as she ever
was in her life, and she has remained in
good health ever since. | am thoroughly
convinced that Hoods Sarsaparilla is a
good thing, and when I do come across a
good thing 1 like to speak we'll Of it,"
A good many people suffer from kidney
and liver complaints, without knowing
what their trouble is. Hoods Sarsaparilla
has cured many severe cases of this kind.
Mr.. c. 1. Pitman, Dorchester District, Bos-
ton, took Hoods Sarsaparilla for the sim
pie purpose of purifying his blood. He
was greatly surprised and gratified to find
that it was doing what all other remedies
had failed to Occurring a severe kidney
trouble with which he had suffered foi
eleven years. He earnestly recommends
Hoods Sarsaparilla
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-04-08
A Country Doctor.

He was an excellent specimen of the
country doctor, self-reliant, self-sacri-
ficing, working a great deal harder for
his living than most of those who call
themselves the laboring classes-as if
none but those whose hands were hard
ened by the use of farming or mechan-
ical implements had any work to do.
He had that sagacity without which
learning is mere incumbrance, and he
had also fair share of that learning
without which sagacity is like traveller
with good horse, but who cannot read
the directions ON the guide-boards. He
was not man to be taken in by names.
He well knew that oftentimes very in
Notwithstanding words mean very grave
disorders; that all degrees of disease
and disorder are frequently COMPOUNDED
under the same term; that :" run down"
may stand for fatigue of mind or body
from which week or a month of rest
will completely restore the overworked
patient, or an advanced stage of NOR
tai illness; that seedy" may signify
the mornings state of feeling, after an
evenings over-indulgence, which calls
for a glass of soda-water and cup of
coffee, or dangerous malady which will
pack off the subject of it, at the short
est notice, to the south of France. He
knew too well that what is spoken
lightly of as "nervous disturbance
may imply that the whole machinery
of life is in deranged condition, and
that every individual organ would groan
aloud if it had any other language than
the terrible inarticulate one of pain by
which to communicate with the con-
sciousness.-Oliuer Wendell Holmes, in
ApriI Atlantic.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-04-08
How 1t was Done.

A little church in certain inland
town was like that of Laodicea. Moth
ing could be said against it but that it
was dead. The pastor-a young, zeal
Gus man-on the first day that he faced
his congregation, saw body of well-to-
do, elegantly dressed, polite people,
who rose and knelt at the proper time,
and gave money properly when the box
went round. Three years later the
same faces met him, and he had not
kindled in one of them CLEAN of spir-
itual life. In the meantime he had
preached the terrors of the law and the
mercy of the gospel; he had wrestled
with God for them; he had carried
them, dead weight, on his heart.
"They are frozen to DEATH" he cried
to an old minister. Why does not
God warm them to life?" "A little
exercise might have that effect" said
his friend. But the younger man did
not understand what he meant. About
this time poor woman died in the
town. She sent for the pastor. 81
have four children she said; " l want
them to be Christians. l will give
them to your church" "To my
church," exclaimed the young man.
Yes. They are godly men and women.
l have asked God that they may be
fathers and mothers to my children"
The woman died on Sunday morning.
The clergyman told his flock the story
that day, and repeated the message
without a word of comment. "The
mother is lying dead in the tenement
house, No. 10 Blank street. The chill
dren are with her." he said. After
church he went to No. 10. One mem
Der after another of his congregation
came in. They were different faces
from those he knew Stern old men
patted the poor babies tenderly on the
head, and the commonplace, fashion
able women took them on their knees
with plying hearts, and holy mother
love shining in their eyes. The next
day there was an informal church
meeting. The children were placed
with worthy woman in clean little
house. Provisions and clothes began
to come in; even the young girls of the
parish made pretty little comforts fol-
sour babies" The matrons of the
church grew intimate over this mutual
charge, and the men presently sug
gested that the house would accommo
date other motherless little ones. This
was five years ago. There is now al
orphanage belonging to the church, il
which all the members take keen in
terest. The fact that these children
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-04-08

Everybody needs spring medicine. The
blood must be purified, the system strength
ened, and the digestive organs toned and
regulated. If you have never tried Hoods
Sarsaparilla, do so this season. 1t has just
those purifying, regulating, and strengthen
ing influences which you so greatly need.
Take Hoods Sarsaparilla now and we are
sure you will be glad that you resorted to
this reliable spring medicine. Do not delay.
For years have made It rule to use
a medicine every spring to cleanse my sys-
TEN. Last spring / used three bottles OF
Hoods Sarsaparilla, and derived more BEN
eft from it than from any other medicine
have ever sed."-CHARLEs p. SMITH,
Youngstown, Ohio.
A Good Appetite
Always accompanies good health, and. per
contra, an absence of appetite Is an indi-
cation of something wrong. The loss OF q
rational desire for food is soon followed by
a lack Of strength, for when the supply of
fuel Is cut off, the fire burns low. AT this
season, nearly every one needs something
to revive and sharpen the appetite, which
is lost in the facilitating effects OF chang
ing weather. II it is neglected, the system
gets into low state, and is especially liza
Bile to severe attacks of disease. The uni
versal testimony given by those who have
used
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-04-08

1 had been troubled with catarrh to some
extent for q long time, and had used va
rious medicines as remedies with no good
results, when, in the summer of 1881, L
was so affected by the disease that speech
was somewhat difficult and my voice was
entirely unnatural. 1 then began to take
Hoods Sarsaparila as remedy, and with
such good effect that in few weeks speech
was easy, the voice natural and my gen.
eral health was much improved. Some
times "a return of the disease is induced by
taking cold, when ] resort at once to the
use of Hoods Sarsaparilla, which / keep
by me constantly, and always find relief.
l regard Hoods Sarsaparilla as an invalu-
able remedy for catarrh, and, judging by
its effects upon myself, | cannot say too
much in its praise."-J. S. CnLEY, Jeri-
cho, Vt.
Hoods Sarsaparilla
Combines, in a manner peculiar to ITSELF
the best blood-purifying and strengthe ming
remedies Of the vegetable kingdom. You
will find this wonderful remedy effective
where other medicines have failed. Give
it trial. 1t will purify your blood, regu-
late the digestion, and give new life and
vigor to the entire system. Hoods Sar-
saparilla will positively cure-when in the
power of medicine-scrofula, salt rheum,
dyspepsia, biliousness, sick headache,
kidney and liver complaint, rheumatism,
catarrh, and all diseases caused by low
state OF the system and impurity of the
blood.
cover year ago I took severe cold,
which resulted in little sore in my ear.
The sore grew worse, until it spread over
my neck and both sides of my face and 1
was in very bad condition. 1 tried va
rious medicines, but they did me no good.
1 retired one night pretty well discour-
aged, when 1 suddenly thought of Hoods
Sarsaparilla. 1 rose early in the morning,
and the first thing 1 did was to go out
and buy a bottle. l began taking it, and
in two days my face began to heal. In
Miss CARRIE NJ. WARE, Milford, N. II.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-04-08

as to its great merits in restoring and
the appetite, in promoting
healthy action of the digestive organs, and
as purifier Of the blood, constitutes the
strongest recommendation that can be
urged for any medicine. Those who have
never used Hoods Sarsaparilla should
surely do so this season. 1t will certainly
benefit you.
During the summer l was feeling all
run down, and thinking l needed some
thing to tone up my system, 1 was recon-
mended to try Hoods Sarsaparilla. After
taking two bottles / felt much better. l
had also been troubled with dyspepsia, and
Hoods Sarsaparilla helped me more than
anything else could find. / can cordially
recommend it to any one feeling as l did. F"
JAMES r. BARROW, Darrow House, Fort
Wayne Ind.
Scrofula---Terrible Case.
"In the winter of 1879 1 was attacked
with scrofula in one of its most aggrava-
ting forms. At one time had no less than
thirteen large assesses over and around
my neck and throat, continually exuding
an offensive mass of bloody matter, dis
gushing to behold, and almost intolerable
to endure. 1t is impossible to fully de-
scribe my sufferings, as the case was COM
plicated with chronic catarrh. After three
years OF misery, having been treated by
three physicians, 1 was worse than ever.
Finally, on the recommendation Of w. j.
Huntley druggist, of Lockport, | was in
duced to try Hoods Sarsaparilla. And
now, after having taken twelve bottles,
within the last twelve months, the scrofu-
lous eruptions have entirely ceased, and the
assesses have all disappeared, except the
unsightly scars, which are daily becoming
smaller by degrees, and beautifully less.
l do not know what it may have done fol-
others, but / do know that in my case
Hoods Sarsaparilla has proved an effective
specific indeed. AS an evidence Of my
gratitude l send these facts unsolicited, and
I am ready to verify the authenticity Of
this cure by personal correspondence with
any one who doubts it."-CHARLEs A
ROBERTS, East Wilson, N. Y.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-04-08
Be Not Afraid.

The church has always fought against
odds, and what appeared to be her
rashness has been her strength. The
battle must not go by default. God is
with us; our message is his. If we be-
lieve this, we shall be bold, and our
lips shall be touched with holy fire.
The task of st. Paul at Corinth was a
hopeless task, to the heather observer.
All science, wealth, civilization, luxury
refinement, were arrayed against his
preaching; but one thing that obser-
yer could not know, the Lord had
spoken to him in his heart, I" BE not
afraid, but speak and hold not thy
peace. l have much people
in this city," With the same voice
he calls to us, Be not afraid, but
speak. "-Archbishop of York.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-04-08

TWILL frankly tell you that my ex-
perience in prolonged scientific inves-
legations convinces me that a belief in
Coda God who is behind and within
the chaos of vanishing points of human
knowledge-adds a wonderful stimulus
to the man who attempts to penetrate
into the regions of the unknown. OF
myself may say that | never make
the preparations for penetrating into
some small province of nature hitherto
undiscovered without breathing a
prayer to the Being who hides his
secrets from me only to allure me gra-
ciously on to the unfolding of them
Professor Agdssiz.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-04-08

THEY tell this story of Mr.. Evarts
when he was secretary of state. One
morning the elevator which carried
him up to his office in the state depart
ment contained an unusual number of
strangers, presumably applicants for
memberships or consulships. Turning
to friend who accompanied him, Mr..
Evarts whispered, "This is the largest
collection for foreign missions that I've
seen taken up for some time"
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-04-08
Purifies the Blood
Three Peculiarities.

The superior qualities of Hoods Sarsa-
parilla are secured by three peculiarities,
namely:
First-The combination of remedial agents
used.
Second-The proportion in which they are
mixed.
Third-The process by which the active
medicinal properties are secured.
These are peculiar to Hoods Sarsaparilla,
and are unlike any other. The result of
these peculiarties is medicine of unusual
strength, which effects cures hitherto I'M
known.
al was troubled with salt rheum three
years. / took Hoods Sarsaparilla and am
entirely cured, and my weight has increased
from los pounds to 135."-MRs. ALICE
SMITH, Stamford, Connecticut.
Hoods SarsaparilIa
Sold by all druggists. 81; six for s5 Prepared by
c. l. HOOD CO.. Apothecaries, Lowell. Mass.
100 Doses One Dollar
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-04-08

look up to them as examples of Chris
tan life is a perpetual summer. "Your
people are the most live body of Chris
tians l have seen for a long time," a
visitor said. 81 think they have had
other treatment besides prayer and
preaching. Souls need exercise as
well as bodies to keep them warm"
The young man smiled. He had learned
how to understand many things in
these five years. Youths Companion.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-04-08
The Combination

and proportion of Sarsaparilla, Dandelion,
Mandrake, IVA Ursi, Dock, and other
remedial agents used in Hoods Sarsapa-
rilla, is exclusively peculiar to this valua-
bic medicine, and is found in no other
The cures effected by its use, unmistaka-
bly, prove that this peculiar combination
does possess specific power in relieving hui
manity of the various ills which arise from
impurities in the blood. The wonderful
cures it has effected in numerous cases,
when all other means had failed warrant
us in urging the suffering to give Hoods
Sarsaparilla trial.