Year: 1876

NASHVILLE, Dec. 8, 1876.


The common salutation, "How's
trader is now answered, ''There is
none" Therefore no words will
fellow on this subject


The general duIlness in news mat
ters is fearful. Even in politics it
is distressing. People have about
run out of something to talk about,
and as is common at such times,
have commenced to devour each
other. Gossip runs high and low
here. Nashville has not grown so
large but that everybody knows
everything about everybody else.
There is no village in the land
where gossipers are better posted.
They 60 down into the family Sc
crets and bring up maidens fair and
young. A timid flower, blushing
sweetly in a happy young life, has
her CHEEKY laugh tortured into
bitter cry for the poisoned arrow
has struck home. II may be a girl
pure as the flowers that clasp her
forehead, who in the hour of JOY is
stricken dumb by the breath of the
traducer. There are more people
sent to the grave by this method
than the world dreams of. Timid,
modest victims suffer in silence and
fade away without making a sign
If there were no hereafter, what a
farce this life would be, anyway
1t is all mistake to suppose that
mems sins are ato1ed for in some
way here. The most brutal muir
derer sleeps sounder than the most
pious man in the land.


1t was Carlyle who said, "Make
yourself a good man, and then you
will be sure there is one less rascal
in the world" And in this Carlyle
gave good advice. 1t is true, i:
everybody should take it, there
would be no more work for the
preachers, but the preachers could
turn their hands to something else
something, perhaps, for which
many of them are better suited
Now, you must not think am go
ing to say anything sneering about
ministers. l would rather lose a
chance to say good thing than
say it on this forbidden subject.
know it is very common for people
to shake their wise heads at the
clergy and impressively declare
that they are no better than they
should be. But there are so many
rascals in this world who have
never heard Carlylc's advice, and so
many who have beard without heed
ing it, that we cannot afford to dis
charge the preachers. One of the
best uses of the minister is to help
us remember the Savior In-times of
prosperity. None Of us are apt to
forget Him in day of trouble. And
when old age comes on, it is very
natural to 60 to the Savior. Many
of US, in fact, try to get religion
when. it is too late in life to try to
get anything else. We fill the
worldly dish full, and give the Lord
the overflow. 1t is said of the
Queen of Sheha, that upon behold
ing the pleasantness of Jerusalem,
the splendor of SolOmon's court,
and. above all, the magnificence of
the temple, with the services therein
performed, "there was no mO-e
spirit in her." What wonder, theIe
fore, if the soul should be affected
even to sickness and fainting while
from this land of her captivity she
beholds by faith the Heavenly Jeru-
salem, the city and court of the
Great King, with all the transport
ing glories of the Church triumph
ant; while, in her meditatiOns, she
draws the comparison between her
wretched state of exile upon earth
and the unspeakable blessedness OF
being delivered from temptation and
affliction! Whose heart and flesh
does not exult and shout aloud for
JOY at a prospect of rising from the
bed of death to dwell with the liv-
ing God?


But 1 have not said what start
ed to say. To be plain, meant to
put in a good word for the preach
ers. If a few Of them have turned
to the right or the left, out of the
straight way, it is no reason why
we should doubt the whole body Of
them. When a fool stumbles and
falls he does not bring walking into
disrepute, but only warns his hreth-
rem to walk very straight and keep
a good lookout for pitfalls.


1 am pleased TO hear the name Of
your Representative-elect, Mr. Tai
iaferro, spoken OF in connection
with the SpeakersSip of the House.
He would ill the position with
grace, dignity and ability, and do
honor to his glorious old county.
He has many friends and admirers
/ here. OLD GILES.


The ordinary injunction to boys
is, be men; but We would say, be
boys. A hoy has no business to be
a man until he grows into one; be