smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1869

The Synod of Virginia records with Sor-
row the death of our beloved brother, and
bear united testimony to his exalted worth
and great usefulness. Early in life he con-
secrated himself to the service of God, and
formed his plans to preach the Gospel of our
Lord Jesus Christ. He entered Yale Col
lege in October, 1884, and graduated in
August, 1888, He began his theological
course in Union Seminary of New York
City in 1888, and graduated in May, 1S41.
He was licensed to preach the Gospel by the
3rd Presbytery of New York City, March
1S41. In the first Saturday of October,
1S43, he took charge of the church of Alb
ingdon, Va, where he continued to labor
till called to his reward. Deeply impressed
with the solemn responsibility of his profes-
sion, he devoted all his time and all his ener
gies of both mind and body to the work of
winning souls.


As Christian he was distinguished more
than any thing else, for the strength of his
faith in a prayer hearing and covenant
keeping God. In circumstances of trial
before which most men would have despaired,
his hope was undiminished. GAS preacher
he was practical and instructive, striving
rather to make truth plain than to indulge in
Improbable speculation. His influence
has been felt for years throughout South
western Virginia. There is not church in
all that section of the country in which he
did not preach the Gospel, and administer
the sacraments more than once. One of the
last works of his life was to carry the Cos
pei ''to the regions beyond, and gather to-
gether the elect of God, into a church or
ganization. 1t was his meat and drink to do
the will of his Heavenly Father. To the
last days of his life he seemed to luxuriate
in nothing so much as in the work of the
Lord. His heart seemed to yearn over the
desolations of Zion, and he was continually
forming plans for sending the Gospel to the
waste places, and carrying it himself.


His lsbors during the last two years of his
life were greatly disproportionate to his
strength, and hastened his death. He
preached till his strength was completely
exhausted, and he could preach no more.


His ministry ended in the town of Abing
don, Va, March 1869.


"Blessed are the dead who die in the
Lord. They rest from their labOrs, and
their works do follow them
Year: 1869

A Christian lady, whom I have never yet
seen, has, for several years past, interested
herself in me and my family. We have re.
peatedly received packages from her con-
tanning articles of clothing, books, money
and other useful things. Letters have also
been received, expressing kindly feelings
These tokens of regard have at length be-
come quite numerous; and as some of them
almost daily meet my eyes, am afectingly
reminded Of their giver, and sincere graft
tude is awakened in my heart. sometimes
wish that could see the face of this benev-
olent friend, and in person express to her
my sense of obligation.


But this l hardly look for in this world.
But it is my hope that shall ere long meet
her in heaven; and it seems to me that l
shall there feel peculiar interest in her,
and that | shall never cease to be grateful
to her for all the kindness that she showed
me by the way.


All Christians have a Friend infinitely
greater and dearer than all earthly friends
Friend whom they have never yet seen.
However humble and unworthy they may
be, He loves them with sincere and fer
vent affection; He feels deep and tender
interest in their well-being; He has given
Himself for them; He sends precious mes
sages to them; He speaks to them loving
words; and He has given them one peculiar
token by which He would have them keep
Him in remembrance.


And He is very dear to them-the chief
est among ten thousand. They feel that


"One there is above all others,


Well deserves the name OF Friend"


"Whom, not having seen, they love; in
whom, though now they see Him not, yet
believing, they rejoice with joy unspeakable
and full of glory" Their hearts often burn
within them as they mediate upon Him by
the way. They feel grateful sense of OBJ
legation to Him. His love constrains them.
They look forward in delightful anticipation
to the time when they shall meet Him in
heaven. He will forever be the chief object
of attraction to them there. They will
never cease to remember the great love
wherewith He loved them, and all His mer-
ciful kindness towards them: and they will
never cease to express their admiration in
grateful songs of praise.
Year: 1869

In brief sketch of the life of Rev. SAM
B. Wilson, D. D., it is difficult to do justice
to such character as his.


No striking events marked his career; it
was the even tenor of his beautiful Christian
life that commanded universal appreciation.


In his whole character and department he
presented perfect model of Christian min
lister and Christian gentleman.


Amiable and courteous to all with whom
he came in contact, he was as free from
blemish as any man we have ever known
1t is impossible to believe that he had an
enemy. No calumny or even suspicion ever
stained the robe of righteousness, which
covered him ss a garment.


1t is needless to speak of his pastorate of
thirty seven years at Fredericksburg, which
resulted in the ingathering of large num-
Der of souls into the fold of the Great Shep-
herd, who will ever shine as stars in his crown
of rejoicing.


As preacher, he was uncorrupt in doc
trine, faithful, earnest and persuasive. His
elocution was easy and graceful; in manner
and matter he was impressive.


As presbyter, he was for many years the
Nestor of Winchester Presbytery. Wise
and sagacious in counsel, his advice was al
ways heard with respect and veneration. A
good debater, he was always sensible and ju-
dicious. And when the occasion called forth
the powers of his mind, his speeches were
sometimes of marked ability; especial pr
ing the exciting period of 1887, pd
1889.


AS Professor in Union Theolo ni-
nary, he was sound in doctrine, md
diligent in imparting knowle' ose
who sat under his instruction.


In his declining years he des ekly
and gracefully to the tomb & on
Jesus, whom he had so long ti s end
was calm and peaceful.


"Help, Lord, for the godly easeth
from the earth
Year: 1869

The Sabbath days followed each other,
and had higher fulfllment in the Sabbati.
cal year; and the Sabbatical years followed
each other till they had higher fulfllment
in the year of Jubilee, the great year of
rest, of deliverance and release. But this
itself was typical of the Christian kingdom;
and the prophet Isaiah in describing it, as
the acceptable gear, is by the very words,
which describe its observance, speaking of
the coming of the Christian kingdom. This,
therefore, is the great Sabbath on earth,
which all those Sabbatical days and years
presignifed. And in this great Sabbath
our lot is cast; that kingdom, which consists
in doing the work of God, not our own, and
in the peace and "rest which remaineth unto
the people of God"
Year: 1869

A small vessel was nearing the steep
holmes in the Bristol channel. The captain
stood on the deck, his watch in his hand, his
eye fixed on it.


A terrible tempest had driven them on
ward, and the vessel was scene of devasta-
ton. No one dared to ask, SIS there hope?"
Silent CONSERVATION filled every heart, and
made every face pale. The wind and tide
drove the shattered bark fercely forward
Every moment they were hurried nearer to
the sullen rock which knew no mercy, on
which many ill-fated vessels had foundered,
all the crew perishing.


Still the captain stood motionless, speech
less, his watch in his hand. "We are lost!"
was the conviction of many around him.


Suddenly his eye glanced across the sea;
he stood erect; another moment, and he
cried, "Thank God, we are saved The
tide has turned in one minute more we
should have been on the rocks! He returned
his chronometer, by which he had thus meas.
ured the race between time and tide, to his
pocket; and if they never felt it before, as.
suredly both he and his crew were on that
day powerfully taught the value of minute.
Year: 1869

ing this period a very memorable awakening
occurred under his ministry, which extended
to other churches, and was blessed in many
wonderful and genuine conversions to God
Resigning in 1914, he was drawn again to.
ward that employment which seemed to be
the great providential allotment for him,
and to which he was most enthusiastically
devoted. He became by far the most con-
spicuous educator in his particular field
among all our clergy, and perhaps, among
our private members in the State.


He erected important buildings, and
founded college, which bore his name, and
gathered patronage and credit from many
different regions. He was distinguished by
the thoroughness of his teaching, and loved
his work, not chiefly for its emoluments,
which was very large, but from strong SEN
timents of interest for the thorough advance
ment of those who became his pupils.


After the war, his college being broken
up, he launched upon more extended enter
prise. He was an active founder of the Ed
ucational Association of Virginia, where,
aided by such men as General Lee, and the
University Professors, he was seeking great
system in extending education in the State,
and by help of journal which he undertook
to edit, he was advancing to those disinter-
ested and more conspicuous influences that
might have been the most important of his
history.


His death, which occurred on February
18th, 1869, though not sudden, yet was un-
expected by the great multitude of his
friends. 1t was peaceful and trustful, and
yet humble and prayerful, to very great
degree. A bequest of near $4,000, to be
employed lin its interests) in the education
of foreign missionary, or for other objects
connected with our Church, testified his in
terest in its labors, and was connected with
an early purpose, from which Providence
turned him aside, to devote his own life to
the foreign fields.


Our brother Leavenwor was an eminent
ly sound and able preacher of the word, sin
gularly gifted in prayer, industrious even in
later years in sermon writing, and in study
for the pulpit, exemplifying in many ways
the tenacity of purpose and steady adhe
renee to his work which so characterized his
great grandfather in his pastorship in Water
bury through period of SO years.


Mr.. Leavenworth had larger continuous
connexion with East Hanover Presbytery,
than any other ordained member living at
the time of his decease. His effort to sys-
tematize missionary duty on the part of pas
tors is well remembered in that body. Let
us cultivate his painstaking virtues, while we
place him here on the list of those whose
faith we are to follow, considering the end
of their conversation.
Year: 1869

The Synod heard with sorrow of the death
of our late venerable and beloved brother,
Rev. Jesse S. Armistead, D. D.


His strong physical constitution, his vigO-
rous mental powers, his profound knowledge
of theology, and ecclesiastical affairs, his
unusual energy and strength of purpose, his
devoted zeal and love for the cause of his
Master, and for the Church with which he
identified himself, caused him to be tower
of strength to this Synod and to the whole
Year: 1869

Prayer is the peace of our spirit, the still
ness of our thoughts, the evenness of recol-
lection, the seat of meditation, the rest of
our cares, and the calm of our tempest;
prayer is the issue Of quiet mind, of un
troubled thoughts; it is the daughter of
charity, and the sister of meekness; and he
that prays to God with an angry, that is,
with a troubled and discomposed spirit, is
like him that retireS into battle to medi-
tate, and sets up his closet in the out-quar


ters of an army. Anger is perfect alien


alton of the mind from prayer, and there
fore is contrary to that attention which pre-
sents our prayers in a right tone to God.
For so have 1 seen lark rising from his
bed of grass, and soaring upwarSg singing
as he rises, and hopes to get to ven and
climb above the clouds; but or bird
was beaten back with the loY kings of
an eastern wind, and his mot irreg


ular and unconstant, desc lore at
every breath of the tempt could
recover by the liberation an@ weigh
ing of his wings, till the lit was
forced to sit down and pant, i'll the
storm was over, and then it d eper-
GUS fight, and did rise and sin had
learned music and motion from as
he passed sometimes through TN about
his ministries here below; so is rayer
of good man. Prayers are but the body
Year: 1869

meet him in the upper sanctuary, to be stars
in the crown of his rejoicing.


We record with gratitude the goodness of
our God in giving to our brother SO long and
useful life; and to US such good hope that
he has entered upon the higher service of
the Master in heaven.


We deeply sympathise with the family Of
the deceased, and commend them to the care
of Him who careth for the widow and the
fatherless.
Year: 1869

ADOPTED BY THE PRESBYTERY OF WEST HAN


OVER.


The Presbytery has heard with grief OF
the death of our venerable and beloved
brother, Jesse s. Armistead, D. D.


While lamenting that by this event the
cause of Christ has lost an able advocate,
the Church staunch defender, and this
Presbytery beloved co-laborer and ad-
wiser; yet we rejoice in the great wo1 pich
the Head of the Church gave him 9Th
to perform; in the testimony to pth
that his life and labors in the Gq I'd
ed; and in the good hope we che be
has gone to his reward, and entd a
higher sphere of service in the
tuary. We tender to his widow
our sincere sympathies, and trust
God of all grace may comfort them
and be their shield and buckler, am
great reward.
Year: 1869

ments of these schemes of division and plunder
make it manifest that in this way Mr.. Wckliffe did
not judge them unchartably, however this judgment
might seem harsher than his kind and genial heart
was wont to make 1t was but the utterance of that
manly candor which was instructive in his nature,
and his protest against Jesutry and hypocrisy among
Christians as far more hateful and hurtful sin than
even open schism and manly strife.


Perceving clearly that the thrusting out of the
Year: 1869

of Greenfield, N. Y, recently, there was a trio
of weddings In one house, at the same time,
on which occasion an old lady and her two
daughters were led to the altar. The mother
was a widow; the first daughter was q widow
of two months, and her husband a widower OF
four months; the other was girl of seven
teen, and the espoused a man OF about thirty
years, who had recently obtained divorce
from former wife. The minister was oon-
siderably confused to know when he had
finished, and it was understood that he was to
be paid at wholesale price, and receive the
equivalent in fire wood.
Year: 1869

1t needs argument Mortgage Of sQG-
500 mile what for long time the only railroad
connecting the Atlantic and Pacific States
The entire amount of the mortgage will about S3OUOO
and the interest 81 in gold The present
Of this is S2OOOOO per annum
while the earnings for the year FROM WAY
| NESS only, on AN AVERAGE OF LESS THAN 700 MILES
| OF ROAD IN OPERATION. WE'RE MORE THAN
Year: 1869

Such securities generally valuable proportion
time they have to The longest six cent gold interest
of the T. s. the G will be due in and they
worth ll2. If they had years they
less than 25 perfectly safe First Mortgage Bond like the
Union Pacific should approach this The demand
investment is already considerable and the compile
tion of the work will doubtless the price large
Year: 1869

gil these? No. They must, be
thrown out. The number of off,
cors must DO reduced, and the
money that now goes to feed those
cormorants must bo diverted to
its proper channel, that is to the
Improvement of tho soil, to the
erection Of houses, to tho educa-
tlon OF your sons and daughters
and to tho diffusion generally of
intelligence and virtue, SO that the
land now dcsolato may bo mado to
blossom as tho rose. 1t eau be
dono. Let tho people tako the
matter in hand and I toll you a
tow years will witness the redemp.
ton of tho State and n shout Of
triumph will go up to heaven.


JUNIUS.
Year: 1869

Goose LAKE.-Goose Lake, in south.
eastern Oregon, has great resources" A
correspondent Of the Eugene Guard gives
some account of them:


An industrious man can, during the
month Of May, gather any day from ten
to twenty dozen goose eggs, and as manv
duck eggs, and all they cost is the picking
up, as they are laid by the wild fowls
which breed by the million. IF that conn
try had railroad facilities, then ice would
become valuable crop there, as all the
lakes in that region are froze to the bottom
during one half of the year. 1t would
only be necessary to prepare large watts.
say ten feet high, ten feet wide and thirty
feet long, and ELL them with water during
the summer and they would freeze solid
the next winter; when in this condition.
you could set them aboard of the cars and
send your ice to any market in the Union.
and your fortune is made But fine lime
is known to be valuable in Oregon, and
the margin of that lake abounds with the
elements of that article. A smart bow
could easily pick up FIVE bushels of egg
shells day, which, when burned would
produce four barrels of the best lime in the
world, worth fifteen dollars barrel in anv
market. Here is money again. Feathers
is an article, she want of which is sorely
felt by all in Oregon. 1t would only be
necessary to have patent spring net, say
about one mile in length, and half mile
WIDE, made of such material as would be
invisible to the fowls, and any one can see
that there would be no difficulty in taking
from ten to twenty Thousand fowls at a
haul when all you would have to do
would be to pick 'em and let 'em 90 till
their feathers grew out and then net 'em
again.
Year: 1869

For months and months ain article, and
very good one, too, has been working its
way through every paper in the State, in
tlmatlng that " the want of the age is men,"
We think OF another great want of the age
to be-women, also. Women who are not
for sale. The days are not vet over when
many marriage certificates Join hand and
fortunes, but no hearts Women Who'll know
their business and mind it +; women who
will not at sight of wounded renutat;ou
be Dc reused to back-biting bloodthirstiness,
IKE a shoal of porpoises seeking the blood
OF a companion. Women who will prove
help to their husbands. Women. who
will even forego matrimouy rather than be
the pelpless dependents on the man who
marrles them, his toy, his plaything. his
slave, imprisoned in an elegant bonse
pleased with fine apparel, show off at the
opera, and whose companiohship, so far as
goes, as any counsel, assistance or cheer in
his struggle with the world, is to him of
as much value as would be that of their
humblest serving maid. We want more
women who will be ashamed to marry a
man merely because he can give them
food, raiment and shelter, as they would
be for an hour to associate with him init
mately for tithe of these equivalents
What are such unions when the motives of
either party are laid bare? We are scandal
lied at the amount of open prostitution in
our large cities. Those who desire to in
vestigate the cause of this evil, may find
them if they will scrape bare the flesh from
the skeleton of what, in 'upper-tendom, is
called a "good match"


We want more thinking women, who
will realize that women's life need not see
its brightest days in the bloom and igno-
rance of youth, that it need not, as years
advance, be all passed in vain struggle of
transparent efforts toappear young, and who
will not deem old age to be hopeless
period by reason of the absence of external
attractions We want women who will
learn that the growth of female intellect in
the increase OF years, confers on them ad
ditlonal charm and luster; that mental at
fractions need not involve the dreaded
slatternness and reputation of blue-stock
ingism that it grants them additional pow
er and influence over the other sex !; and
that as she grows older, one such woman
builds for herself beautiful and lasting ten
ements in the hearts of all who are brought
In contact with her-OdL.Zand Ne,cs
Year: 1869

BEAUTIFUL EXTRACT following ex-
tract contains some wholesome truths beauti.
fully set forth:


Men seldom think of the great event of
death until the shadow falls across their own
path, hiding forever from their eyes the
traces of the loved ones whose living smiles
were the sunlight of their existence. Death
is the great antagonist of life, and the cold
thought of the tomb is the skeleton of all
feasts. We do not want to go through the
dark valley, although its passage may lead to
Paradise; and, with Charles Lamb, we do
not want to lie down in the muddy grave.
even with kings and princes for our bed
fellows.


But the fiat of Nature is inexorable. There
is no appeal of relief from the great law
which dOoms US to dust. We flourish and we
fade as the leaves of the forest, and the
flower that blooms and withers in a day has
not Trailer hold upon life than the might.
lest monarch that ever shook the earth with
his footsteps. Generations of men appear and
vanish as the grass, and the countless multi
tudes that throng the world to-day, will to-
morrow disappear as the footsteps on the
shore.


In the beautiful drama of " Ior," the in.
stinct of Immortality, SO eloquently uttered
by the death of the devoted Greek, finds
deep response in every thoughtful SOUL
When about to yield his young existence as
sacrifice to fate. to his beloved CIemanthe
ne replies: :" have asked that dreadful
question of the hills that look eternal-of the
clear streams that flow forever-of the stars
among whose field of azure my raised spirit
hath walked in glory. All were dumb. But
while gaze upon thy living face, feel that
there Is something in the love that mantles
through its beauty that cannot wholly ner.
ish. We shall meet again, Clemanthe. y
Year: 1869

THE RISE In CoAL.-It Is boldly asserted in
several journals that the coal companies OF
Pennsylvania instigated the strike which bas
lately taken place among the coil miners of
that State for the purpose o raising the price of
coal. We can hardly believe there is any
truth in the statement 1t is further stated
that, as Iar as can be ascertained, nothing has
been done by the companies toward effecting a
compromise or acceding to the demands of the
disafected workmen. II II thought that they
will hold out for a long time, and accept MOTH
ing less than the increase cow demanded,
which ID about fifteen per cent. The strike
will NO doubt become generally Y. CONNER.
ctQL
Year: 1869

While the erection OF frame workshops on .he
pubic grounds where Government buildings
worthy Of the sites assigned them are in couMe
OF construction may be excused, because Z;


necessary evil and only q temporary one, no
terms Of censure can Re too severe for such dis.
regard, or defiar ce OF the rules of good iste
and propriety as prompts the erection on our
beautiful squares and parks Of the unsishtly
wooden structures and more elaborate archi-
tectual cruditiss which now dishgure some of
them. And yet we see that more such offepces
are contemplated. Armory Square-part of the
noble park extending from the Capitol to the
Potomac-is particularly unfortunate, and
seems for some reason to have been recklessly
seized upon as fit spot for desecration by use,
or rather misuse, or an Omnium gatherum
OF all sorts Of odds and ends of shabby build.
ings As if it was not enough that the bald and
staring pile Of bricks and mortar known as
the Armory, or the frame shanues built for
hospitals during the war, should continue TO
mar the prospect and derract from the beauty
OF these grounds, It is now stated that the .re-
PAIR shops" OF the Quartermaster's Depart
ment, formerly at Lincoln Depot. east OF the
Capitol, are to be removed to the same place.
Shade Of Downing forbid! Can not some other
site be found, or is 1t absolutely necessary that
the Governments old wagons should be re-


paired and old harness mended in the shadow
of the Capitols We pause for a reply.