davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-09-26
The Effect of Unbelief.

The eleventh chapter of Hebrews reads
like a poem. In that wonderful chapter the
apostle describes the triumphs of faith: BY
faith the Red Sea was divided, the walls or
Jericho fell down, the mouths Of lions were
stopped, the violence of fire quenched. and
even the grave robbed of its prey. coos
word everywhere represents faith as an IT.
resistible power. By faith we become Chris.
tians "He that believeth hath everlasting
life" By faith we vanquish every foe.
ssThis is the victory that overcometh the
world" BY faith we maintain serene and
peaceful spirit "He that believeth shall not
make haste.n If such be the power of faith,
terrible in its hindering effects must be @ the
power Of unbelief, and so it IS. When
PETERS faith ia led, he began to sink. The
deciples could not heal the poor demoniac,
because they had not sufficient faith.
We read of certain place that Jesus did
not many mighty works there because OF
their unbelief" Mark adds that he could
not.n Unbelief is the great trouble with the
church today. When Christians relegate to
a plst age many of the most precious gltts
and endowments of the church, how can these
promised blessings be veriteds we nave
money, members and machinery, but IN
many quarters these resources are rendered
inert for want Of faith.
1t may be said of many that they will be-
lieve any one but God and in anything but
his Word. Unbelief keeps men under the
power of sin, prevents their corning to the
cross, and it is the sin Of all sin, because 1t
robs the soul Of pardon, peace and heaven;
Eve did not believe the word that God had
spoken, and so ate the forbidden fruit Thus
unbelief let down the bars Of Paradise, and
lost mans primal purity. Very often when
Christians get an answer to prayer, they
publish the weakness of their faith by pro-
Claiming it abroad as an astonishing thing,
as though it were the most wonderful thing
in the world, that God had answered their
! PRAYER. Men and women who do believe
Gods promises in all their fulness and sim
plicity, are lookai upon by average Chris
tians as marvels Of faith and power. The
wonderful thing really is not that a few fully
believe God, but that so many fa.l to receive
his promises. Untelief is the barnacle upon
the ship of Zion. Let but the gift. OF faith
descend upon the church in the fulness OF
its power, and the world will tremble before
the advancing hosts of God Jesse s.
Gilbert, A. M, in Times Of Refreshing.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-09-26
A Chinese Headsman .at Work.

On one occasion we were ashore In
Canton. China, writes naval officer. in
the Mail and Egpress, seeing everything
curious thatwas to be seen, when through
the streets came large body of troops
guarding five men carried in flat baskets
suspended on bamboo rods from the
shoulders of coolies. ..,..s.
"Sam, what are they going to dowith
those men2" we asked of one guide.
"Oh," said he, they are pirates, and
the troops are going to cut off their.
heads" &.
We followed, and in short time came
to an open courtyard just off one OF the
main thoroughfares of the city. The
soldiers filed in one each side, and the
Mandarin, who wore the blue button,
seated himself in chair.
The five prisoners were made to kneel on
the ground in Indian file, their 'queues'
were coiled up on the backs of their
heads, and with slight inclination the
backs of their necks were made perfectly
, bare. An officer was sent for the execu-,
toner, and he appeared, making the
salute to the Mandarin. A look in his
face revealed nothing save the same
stolid expression that is seen in all
Cinnamon, but he carried himself with
q swagger, that plainly said that he was
the most observed of all men there, and
that it was an easy task that he was
about to perform.
The prisoners were kneeling, their
hands tied behind their backs, and
heavy bamboo rods weighed at each end
were laid across the calves of their legs.
! The Mandarin rose and read the warrant
of execution. On the faces of the people
who had focked to see the executions
an expression of fear and anxiety was
! depicted. A command was given, the
executioner walked to the side of the
first man, and drawing long, narrow
knife from under his robe awaited the
order. The supreme moment had come;
five lives were to be taken. The men in
the rear could see every movement of
the executioner and of the man in front
of him. To the ''outside barbarian" it
was fearful moment. A command was
given, and in an instant the knife was in
! the air and in the next moment head lay
on the ground. A great fountain of blood
spurted from the neck, and the execu-
toner was beside the next man. Again
the command, and headless body the
result, and in less than the time it takes
to write this line the five men were be-
headed.
We ran to the bodies in our curiosity
TO see if any muscular action was taking
place, but there was none beyond the
Slowly closing eyelids. The law was
vindicated. The troops formed in line,
the heads were put in the baskets that
lately carried the bodies of the pirates,
and the march was resumed through the
nitv
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-09-26
A Disease as Well as a Vice.

A writer in the Ladies' Pictorial says:
"The fact that intemperancei is often as much
disease as it is vice has long been recog-
nized by such Of US women as has given any
study to this subject-one which, l am sorry
to say, is of growing Importance as regards
our sex. A friend of mine, who has devoted
much time to the reclamation of female
inebriates, tells me of two cases which illus,
trate the evil in the two extremes of social
life. In the one case very poor woman had
become such slave to it that it was only by
stepping into the road in passing public
house and avoiding the mere smell Of drink
that she was able to keep the pledge. In an.
other case a lady of good position used TO
throw herself on couch, close her eyes,
clutch her hands, and literally fight against
the craving when it came with exceptional
force. Happily, she, too, conquered, but the
two instances show painfully enough how in
temperance may grow from habit into q
well-nigh incurable disease in any class of
society,""
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-09-26
Postal Chir0gl Apply.

GLOW about the difficulty of illegible
handwritingsl" asked Herald reporter
of the Superintendent Of the Chicago
Post Office.
"Well, that is, generally speaking,
not as bad as might be expected, espe-
cially in a cosmopolitan city like
Chicago, which can boast of all sorts OF
national handwritings. Long practice
has skilled our eyesight and gift of dis
tinction so that we but rarely have
difficulty in deciphering any style OF
writing. In my twenty years experience
Think remember only two or three oc-
casions where I was unable to make the
writing out. Judged by nationalities
the Chinese are by all odds the worst
penmen-that is, of our style of writing.
You'd die laughing if you could see
sometimes the chirography some of those
almond. eyed gentlemen indulge in.
"The Italians come next as illegible
writers, and then some of the Scandina.
vians and few of the Germans, who
affect German script and get off some
very bold figures with the pen. The
Americans are, that goes without saying,
the plainest and most distinct writers.
But even among them there are q
good many who affect such peculiarities
of handwriting that puzzle us not lit
tie. Especially what's called the back
handed ones--it may look. pretty
enough, but the characters all run into
each other and make the effect of blurr'
ing the whole. 1t takes study to de-
cipher this style of writing, and you Of
ten have to twist the letter and turn it
sideways and upside down to get any
sense of it.n
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-09-26
Father Mathews Fable.

Father Mathew frequently used the fol-
lowing illustration: A very fat old duck
went out early one morning in pursuit of
worms, and, after being out all day, she sue
ceeded in filling her crop full Of worms; she
had the misfortune to be met by a fox, who
at once proposed to take her life to satisfy
his hunger. The old duck appealed, argued,
implored, remonstr ated. She said to the lox:
You cannot be so wicked and hard-hearted
as to take the life Of harmless duck merely
to satisfy the cravings of hunger" She ex-
horted him against the commission Of so
great sin, and begged him not to stain his
soul with innocent blood. When the fox
could stand her cant no longer, he said: "Out
upon you, madam, with all your fine feathers;
you're pretty thing to lecture me for taking
life to satisfy my hunger. Is not your own
crop full of wormsl You destroy more lives
in one day than do in a month" This was
yenders of LIQUOR when they charged him
with spelling their trade and taking the
bread from the lips of their children.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-09-26
Ben. Butler and the Cripple.

There was boy in Lowell, Mass, the
son of poor man, who, a number OF
years ago, was run over by a railroad
train. Both legs had to be amputated
close up to the hip. The company told
his father they would give him $1,000
or the boy practical education. The
father accepted the latter alternative, and
the railroad company made a telegraph
operator of the crippled boy. When he
became of age he found he was not get
ting as good pay as other operators. He
wrote TO General Butler and asked if
anything could be done. General Butler
sent for the boy. The whole story was
gone over.
cpl take your case" said the noted
lawyer. Then he sent for the solicitor
of the railroad company. When the
solicitor arrived at the GeacraPs office
the legless boy was in chair on the top
of q long table. General Butler ex-
planned that he proposed to begin suit
for the boy to get damages.
"But," said the solicitor, 1--WE agreed
with his father to give him practical
education. We made telegrapher out
of him, and there is no law for getting
any further damages.
'.You can't tell me anything about the
law" was General Buffers reply; "but
how much damages do you think that
! boy would get if he sat on table like
that before a jury2"
The railroad lawyer caught the point
at once. II do not know" he said.
"How much do you think he would
get2"
Butler.
-"rll compromise with you," hurriedly
returned the lawyer, aud by his shrewd
stage effect General Butler got over
! 5000 for the boy without going into
trial. The lawyer knew Butler could
make it cost the company that much, as
we'll as a good deal of trouble, and he
was glad enough to compromise
Chicago Tribune.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-09-26
10 BE DRUNK Is q Sin.

To drink deeply-to be drunk-is, says the
great English statesman, John Bright, sin;
this is not denied. At what point does the
taking of strong drink became q SIM We
suppose a man perfectly sober. one, glass
excites him. and to some extent disturbs the
state of sobriety, and so far destroys it.;
another glass excites him still more; a third
fires his eye loosens his tongue, inflames his
passions; fourth increases all this; fifth
makes him foolish and partially insane; q
sixth makes him stupid senseless, degraded
mass. But when does the sin begin! At the
first step toward complete intoxication, or
at the sixth, seventh or eighth? Is not every
step from the natural state of the system
toward the state of stupid intoxication an
advance in sin. and yielding to the un-
wearied tempter of the soul'
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-09-26
A Freak of Lightning.

The Vicar of Midgham, Reading,
England, is voucher for a story about a
man recently in his employ. The man
was moving grass when rain storm
came up, and he took refuge under an
elm tree. There was not, the Vicar af-
firms, any sign of either thunder or
lightning, but as the man was whetting
his scythe he heard Kissing sound, and
IN an instant he was knocked against
the tree, the sleeve of his shirt split
from top to bottom, his arm rendered
powerless, his scythe doubled up, and
hole the size of a form made in the brim
of his felt hat. All this without any
perceptible noise, except the hiss, or any
flash.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-09-26
A,coboI DulIs the Moral Sense.

Deterioration of the moral obligation is, as
serts Dr. W. G. Towers, among the earlier
phenomena of alcoholism. 1t is perverted
and enfeebled. and sentiments OF hoDor, OF
reputation and of decency are no longer
cherished or regarded. The responsibilities
Of social life and the proprieties Of personal
conduct are no longer considered. He who
was thoughtful now becomes negligent, self
ish and indifferent; gives himself up to in
dulgences and cares not for his reputassi99n. 9. Or
of honor, of justice are lost These changes
are gradual and progressive, their evolution
being largely influenced by the hereditary
traits and previous moral culture Of the in
dividuaL The sense Of obligation, TO- his
family is forgotten, and the responsibility, ,e OF
The affections are not only enfeebled, but
perverted, and not rarely are they displaced
by hatred and aversion. He who was calm
reasonable and patient becomes excitable
and perverse and intolerable Of opposition
after while, the character being more
changed, joys and sorrows fail to provoke
real feeling. At last the confirmed sot mani
tests moral traits that are simply infantie.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-09-26
A Daily Benediction.

On granite shaft at the grave Of man
who had filled many offices Of honor and
trust is this inscription, HE was daily
benediction in his home" What splendid
epitaph that isl
of any man to say Of him that he made his
home happy
ness at home"
May it not with equal truth be said that he
is bappiest who carries happiness into his
home, even as it is more blessed to give than
to receive"
It was well to have day set apart during
the first week of the year to pray "for the
hallowing Of the home in all its relation
ships" 49,. :.
"Love, ioy, peace, long-suffering, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, meekness. temper
snce" These are the fruits of the Spirit,
and he who hath them will "show by his
good life his work in meekness of wisdom"
A friend of a good woman once said,
"When heard her giving orders to her ser
wants knew that her soul was at peace Wild
her Master"
ness is sown in peace for them that MAKE
peace" ou
Good homes are thu surest foundation upon
which the State can rest. Better for the
State than bolts and bars, are love and law
in the homes. When these are wanting,
then come reformatories and prisons.
The home is the best place in which to SOW
the seed of the word. A Christian home is a
church in the house, and mothers pulpit Is
a good place from which to preach. How
many prodigal boys and girls have been
brought back to home and to Christ by the
~
! What grander Sci m ms are ever preached
than the silent sermons of godly life with
| in the homea
at wasn't masters sermons, but it was
| masters life that did it," said clergyman
servant who had been brought to Christ.
Perhaps there never was time when the
| family-life more needed to have thS Christ.
life within it than it does Just now in thest
times Of abounding temptations. How i'm
| portant it is that the young should be taugh
to "walk in the way Of good men and keep
the paths of the righteous" A good way tc
bring others to Christ is to give ourselves tt
| Him goou way to teach Righteousness o
life is by the example OF our own ,righ
living, 1t was said of distin
guished New England jurist that ''h'
lived the Beatitudes daily" Who can fully
others to Christ2 A life like that in tn
home would be Of greater worth to those WHIT
bear the family name than great riches o.
earthly honor An eloquent orator, who fill
large space in the history of his country
after making the bequests in his will, added
these words: This is all the inheritance
can give to my family. The religion o
Christ can give them one which will maxi
them rich indeed"
That W, good prayer Of David's, "Witl
thy blessing let the house of thy servant
blessed forever IN. Y. Observer.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-09-26
Deluding the Doctors.

a somewhat smart trick was played
on the doctors of Boston by the Globe of
that city the other day, which sent re-
porter, an athlete, in splendid condition
physically, to ten of the leading physi.
clans for advice. He described collec-
tion of imaginary symptoms, telling the
same story to each. Not one of the ex-
aminers pronounced him healthy man,
but every one of them gave diagnosis
and prescription-the diagnosis and
the prescription in every case differing
from the other nine. But in Justice to
the medical profession it should be un-
derstood that physicians have never been
trained to diagnose lie, and that is
what they were called upon to do in this
case.-Neao York Graphic.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-09-26
Temperance News and Notes.

temperance NC"S ahu A'ooSS'
Eternal temperance is the price of good
health.
Of 5000 convicted criminals examined by a
French medical man, NJ. Marampee, more
than half were drunkards.
The Topeka Capital says: "Kansas has
saved nearly Sl2, ,OO0, ,0OO since she turned ner
back on the whisky traffic"
Last year 969 distilleries of this country
produced 1894, ,376 gallons of whisky, with
an average net profit of sIS,4o4
DR.. Norman Kerr says one of the effects OF
inebriety is ''unblushing lying" and that IN
police courts it is carried to an alarming eA'
tent.
There are now eight mission vessels crus.
ing in the North Sea, each a combination OF
church, chapel, temperance hall and dlspen-
sary.
That was q wise reflection Of the phloso-
pher who said: "He who spends too much
time before che bar is apt to bring up behind
the bars"
The population of the Kansas penitentlary
has decreased sixty during the past year, ana
several poorhousss have closed for lack OF
patronage
The st. Petersburg fRussia) Zeitung says.
ssThe race which proves unwilling to be 1ree
from alcohol will be mercilessly trodden
under foot"
Out of the 200 OOO,O 900 natives under British
rule in India, there are $50, QUO ,OOO whose
religion requires them to abstain from lntoAf
eating drink.
Ex-Governor Berry, of New Hampshire,
who is now in his ninety-second year, organ
lied the first temperance society In the otaee'
at Hebron, sixty-two years ago.
Through the efforts Of Mrs. E. s. Moftat.
Assistant Superintendent for department OF
soldiers and sailors, a law has been secured
prohibiting the sale of liquor within one
mile of the Soldiers Home at Grand Raplds,
Mich.
Cardinal Manning, the eminent represent
alive of the Roman Catholic Church IN Eng
land, says: 1.-THE drink trade, which IS grow
ing every year, is our national SIN, our na'
tional shame, and if not arrested soon, WILL oe
our national ruin"
Luther Benson, the Indiana temperance
orator, is described as second Cough. ne
was once forsaken drunkard, but reformed
and is now a consistent church member. ne
is an eloquent speaker. He is heavy SET
man. with deep bass voice and raven DlacK
hair.
As the annual local consumption in France
of brandy is II, 0O0, 900 gallons and the year
| ly product only 13,000, 900 gallons, American
| lovers of eau de vie are wondering what tne
| stuff is which comes across the Atlantic
| labeled as French brandy. Scientific experts
say that most Of it is cheap German spirits,
favored with cunningly devised extracts and
. COTOlal2
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-09-26
RELIGIOUS READING.
The Lamb Lost and Found.

The Lamb Lost and Found.
A lamb had left the fold,
And wandered far away,
In search of greener grass,
And flowers more sweet and gay.
But no true food it found;
The flowers that seemed so fair
Were bitter to the taste;
Poison was present there.
The lamb still further strayed,
But searched and searched in vain;
Stumbling along the ground,
Weary and weak with pain.
1t sank in miry bogs,
With thorns its fleece was torn;
In fear Of wolves, it soon
Began to bleat and mourn.
The Shepherd heard its voice
And sought the lamb astray;
He gladly gave His life
To drive the wolf away.
Within His loving arms
The wandering lamb He brought
Rejoicing He had found
The treasure He had sought.
Now, welcomed by the flock,
Happy and safe at home,
The grateful lamb resolves
1t ne'er again will roam.
Dear Shepherd! give me grace
Never to leave Thy side,
Nor seek strange food, content
With all Thou dost provide.
Still may hear Thy voice,
And follow at Thy call;
Each whispered word obey,
And love Thee al ovs all.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-09-26
BeIpium'S Menace.

NJ. Emile Lavelaye, writing with great
earnestncss and urgency on the economic
crisis in Belgium, adopts the line of argu-
ment with which Britain has been familiar
lied by the late William Hoyle, and charges
his countrymen with wasting by far too
large share of their means in the consump-
tion of alcoholic liquors. There is a cabaret
for every ten families in Belgium, and
within the last fourteen years the consump-
tion of drink has doubled. Whereas the
drink bill of Britain is declining, that Of Bel
gium is going up. M. de Lavelaye COM
pains that the government encourages
dram-drinking by not making 'the trade"
contribute sufficiently to the cost Of gov
ernment. The spirit duty is only one-fourth
of what it is in France, and one.tenth Of
what it is in England.-NeW York Observer.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-09-26
TEMPERANCE.
The Temperance Tree.

What mighty tree thou hast grown
Since long years ago thy seed was sown,
Sown in The hearts of men by hand divine,
In days of old, look thou not upon the wine
Thy root is deep within the soil,
Around tic trunk no serpents coil,
No fear from thee Of adder's bite,
Thou dost protect and aid the right.
Thy branches reach across the sea
All looking, reaching up toward Thee,
Though not alike, yet joined in heart,
Of the grand Old tree part.
To guard the home they all agree,
Like children of one great family,
A refuge from the serpent's power,
Thou art growing stronger every hour.
Think not it can eer be slain,
Truth crushed to earth will rise again."
And right shall ever conquer wrong,
Though the strife be fierce and long
Thy foes have tried, but all in vain,
To stay thy branches, rend thee in twain,
Yet all united thou still dost stand
For God, and home, and native land.
Ellen Agnes Martin.