Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1892-09-01
A FEW SHORT STORIES
Which You May Read, or Not, As 1t
Suits You.

Rev. White, of Xenia, o., who has been
for some time guest of friends at this
place, and who at home is a professor in a
seminary, lectured Sunday evening in the
United Presbyterian church, on the sub
ject of Bible study. He took occasion
to say some very pertinent truths regard
ing the reading of the Scriptures. No
other book is so loosely read. 1t is hard
ly pretended to be studied as arithmetic
or grammar. Brief sections here and
there are read critically as Sunday school
lessons, but disjointed from the context
they are of little value, serving not as
part of grand and symmetrical whole,
pointing both backward and forward,
but merely as bits of narration upon
which, as upon pegs, so-called practical
lessons may be hung. A mere novel one
will read from end to end and be able to
remember its story, but how many can
tell the story of Christs's life, as written
by any of his four historians? The same
energy, the same desire to know the sto-
ry and exactly the same methods should
be brought to bear on the ordinary read
ing of Gods word, as prevail with the
reading of any other work, whether his
torical, philosophical or poetical. The
Bible is history, philosophy and poetr' +,
and little is got from its study, if only
isolated passages are considered.
It would be interesting to know whose
fertile brain originated the names y
which the various sections and streets VI
this town are known. Marietta street
is easy, because the old post road to Ma
rietta, many years ago busy highway,
ran out in that direction from the Ma
tion-, pike. Market street, too, is easy,
because many years ago fiourishing
public market was held on it. But the
old Market House became unsightly, and
the loafing place of the toughest of the
youth, and was therefore torn away. But
why is the east end of town known as
Frog Hollow, and the west end as Goose
Hollow? And, to go out in the country,
why is jug Run so called? And that "old
swimmin' hole," where several genera
tions have learned to swim and have
tied knots in each others shirts, why is
it called Mud Sock? Then there is Good
Intent Hill-what weary man or beast
ever thoughrit its steep side place of Good
Intent? And, coming back into town,
why should that elevation in the east end
be dubbed Greasy Hill? Much is said of
the beauty of names, but the man point
ing out any beauty in this collection de-
serves a medal.
A good example of perverted ingenui-
ty is to be seen in the person of prison
oner lately confined in the county Jail.
The man is a perfect master of intricate
carving and delicate manipulation in
wood. With no tool but his pocket knife,
and no materials but old cigar boxes anu
glue, he fashioned an elaborate and Orna
mental dresser. which stands in Jailer
Harrison's Office. Wooden chains he
makes with rapidity and ease, as well as
balls inside of carved Enclosures, and
neat wooden card holders and photo
graph cases. Why could not such aman
make more than an ordinary living by ap
plying his talents to honest ends? Why
should he turn the business of his soul
to issues at variance with established law,
and suffer the penalties sure to come? ?
The question is too deep for casual dis
cussion. The mans nature is not idle
nor incapable-it is simply diseased, and
by diseased is meant that it is different
from what mankind has agreed together
to call right and proper, and toward which
mankind is supposed to strive.