smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1873

speclous rather than solid, communica-
tive rather than reflective, came for
ward to teach. They were men that
would have made Carlyle swear-made
to order to make knowledge to order.
. Their boast was that they could teach
how to talk of subject of which Won
knew nothing as we'll as of one about
which you knew everything. The
earnestness was gone. That of talk
succeeded. The Sophists had 10 faith
III God. They doubted themselves.
The previous PHILOSOPHERS had one
sided theories and, pushed to their re-
suits, landed in uncertainties. Ill at
tempts to grasp the truth had failed.
and men were ready to despair and
doubt, and to believe nothing. The
sophists reached that point Their
cardinal doctrines were that there was
no truth that even if there we're, it
was impossible to know it; and that if
known, the truth could not be colnmu-
nicated. The sum of it was that every
thing was true Of everything, the dog
ma OF the school being that all percep-
tions are ilIusory.


But the Sophists filled an important
place in the world of thought; they
called attention to the world of thought
as distinguished from the material
world. They marked the distinction
between sense and intellect They
brought men to doubt But doubt is
the beginning of knowledge. Reject
ing the possibility of knowing, they
presented a fearful abyss from which
men shrank and sought relief in
sound system for which the Sophists
made way. 1t came in Socrates.
Year: 1873

Bird. That his coming here was on
purpose to teach and persuade the
world, that he might save it from It's
sin, and bring men to love and Joy in
God-that the great power Of his cominc
lay in the manifesting of his love-
that upon this he depends to win the
.'orld-that he cannot use force, and
that therefore he yielded himself to
die by the hands of sinners, and SO
his death is the great proof OF his love
and also Of all the truth he uttered
He is then the great and only Saviour


4th. That everyone of one Of US
may find him for ourself-that we need
no priestly Intervention, no formal of
ferings and sacrifce-that He receives
ms to his love-to his heart at once,
when we 90 to him-that he asks no
penance-that he gives full and glad
forgiveness and puts within us his own
spirit to be our teacher and comfort
er.


This then is our Faith-Christ the
divine Lord and King the infallible
teacher--the mighty Saviour--whom
we may all find each for himself, by a
direct and personal communion with
him, without any sacrifcial or priestly
intervention-that in him we have eter-
nal life
Year: 1873

Our FAITH.
Let Us hold fast he profession Of our faith
Without waverlng; for he IS iai thiui that prom
ised. "-Hed. lo:225


Panl has been showing in this letter
TO the Hebrews that Jesus Christ is
the way and the truth and the life :
that he is the one high priest that
makes all others unnecessary that he
is the one perfect offering, that rules
out all others that in him we find
not only all that the devout Jews had
found in the priesthood and sacrifices
and laws given to Moses, but also all
the substance Of which those things
were the shadow; that Jesus Chrit is
in fact prophet and priest and king,
and that he ever lives to interpose in
our behalf What need then to 90
through with that old ritual since Christ
is revealed? AS Christians we have a
better Faith The Apostle therefore
says ''let us hold fast the profession -
CHE declaration) 'sof our Faith. -


Now brethren If these words are
spoken to us, it is worth Wilhelm ore
than occasionally to ask ourselves what
IS our Faith, what do we hold and be-
lieve concerning Jesus Christ.


We have the more need to do this
in these days, for there is nothing like
the distinctness Of our fathers creeds,
about those of their children. The
ancient landmarks do not stand exactly
where they used to. This is an age OF
free thinking and free expression, and
the world is full Of divers and strange
doctrines. Many good people hardly
know what they believe; and many
will tell you that though they believe
so and so to-day, it is quite likely they
will believe something different to-mor-
row.


Now we need not be afraid that truth
will be the looser by this state of things,
but that it may not be we have need
often to restate our faith, and declare
boldly what we do know, that our own
minds may be reassured and that the
world may have our testimony to the
truth.


Not that | 90 in for writing and re-
writing our creeds to me there is no
more unsatisfactory business than this
| have never seen a written creed that
altogether pleased me, and think that
if we keep our hearts in accord with the
heart of Jesus our Lord, we shall not
need any written statement of our
faith, either in him or in anything else.
But in our preaching, in our writing,
and publishing, in our correspondence,
in our discussions and in our converse
tions, let US hold fast the profession OF
our faith. and to this end it is good to
talk Of our faith and examine its toun-
dations, and keep fresh in our minds
the few things Of which we are sure,
and which are the fundamentals Of the
christian faith. What then my friends
IS our faith? What are the things we
are sure Of from which we canuot be
moved?


Surely these:


1st. That Jesus Christ was and Is
and is to be our rightful Lord that in
him dweIls all the fulness Of God-that
he rules with perfect wisdom and love
and power, seeking the greatest good of
the world.


end. That he was in the world as a
man among men, and gave the world,
in his life and teachings, a true and full
revelation of the character of God
that he is therefore the great the only
;nfalible teacher of the truth-that
when we have has teaching, has thought,
we have the truth itself
Year: 1873

The blacksmith who hears no po-
etry in the ring Of the anvil the type
setter who discerns none in tie click
of the type the shopsirl whose sew
ing machine brings only annoyance.
and never trace Of song on the wings
Of It's humming tones; the farmer who
does not notice that rhe birds pipe up
louder when be brings his rifle whet-
stone across the edge of his scythe
even the laborer who does not some
times wonder what proportion of
feast of strawberries as a luxury for
the wife and children stroke OF his
pick will purchase help these
people Not only do they not know
what existence is, but they have not
tasted the first drop in the cup that
brings its knowledge of what blessed
thing life is, after all, despite It's
troubles and annoyances, its circum-
stances and possibilities hamperel by
the little souled aud the selfish, who
are so often placed in the ruling and
employing positions. s.-h0sto" co"st'er-
cial Bulletin.
Year: 1873

Harry EVERY DA1-S;dey Smith
cut the following from a newspaper
and preserved it for himself:


When you rise in the morning:
form a resolution to make the day
a happy one to foloS-creature. It
is easily done; left of garment to
The so.rcHe;es.l. 81 encouraging cx-
pression to the striving-trihes in
themselves light as air-will do it
at least for the twenty-four hours.
And if you are young, depend upon
it, it will tell when you are old; and
if you are old, rest assured It will
send you gently a#d happily down
sha stream OF time to eternity. Bv
the most simple arithmetical sum,
look at result. If YOU send one Der
son, only one, happily through each
day, there are three hundred and six-
ty fvein the course q The yosr. And
supposilg YOU live forty years ONLY
after you commence that course OF
medicine, You have made 14.GOO
beings happy: at all events for a
time.
Year: 1873

y California man tied one end
Ola lariat around his waist and las
socd COW with the other. He
thought he had the COW. but at
the end Of the first half mile ho
began to suspect the COW had him.
Year: 1873

With some difficulty the Erie Committee
have obtained leave not only to continue their
unfinished investigation, but to carry it as far
hack as 1869. We do not see how the Assem-
bly could decently have refused the request
although it was grudgingly granted, and sew
eral of the members alluded with evident ir-
ritation to the blackening of characters by
legislative inquiries which seldom come to
anything after all. We have seen great
many of these inquests in our time, and we
can assure the uneasy gentlemen at Albany
that the danger of innocent men being held up
by them to contumely is danger of the re-
motest possible kind. They very seldom
catch more than half the rogues they are sent
after, but they never catch the wrong man,
and never hurt anybody in whose
innocence there is reasonable ground for be-
lief. The names of good and honest men are
sometimes used in disagreeable association
with those of rascals, just as the name of Sen
ator Bayard was included by McComb in his
Credit Mobilier list; but if they are good and
honest men their honesty is soon made to ap-
pear. Mr. narrower, for instance, who is hurt
by the assertion that somebody told some
body else that he had taken money for his
vote on the pro rata bill, may possess his soul
in patence., Casual remarks of this kind are
NOT evidence. They are not believed without
confirmation. They do no man any harm. 1t
is whitewashing rather than blackening that
we have to dread.


OF course the extension of the investigation
to previous Legislatures is not only proper in
itself, but absolutely necessary to the deyei-
opment of tho story which the Committee hss
Year: 1873

in that early age OF time, standing on his
wrecked life and among his dead. challeng-
ing God in cry of despair, which has come
down through four thousand years, to tell
him the secret of the grave, to poor, Daid-
headed, stopped -shouldered Jones next door,
who has been baked in every chance In lie
from strong youth to puerile old age, or the
blOated young fellow reeling to the station In
a pOliccman's grip with the blood OF man he
has killed on his hands and his fathers thirst
for liquor burning like fire in his veins-what
do we knOwf To which of us has not the
world proved On unanswered riddlef Are we
sure of the dead we have laid to silence out
on yOnder hill-sidci A week ago we were
sure. Our friend drove and dined with us,
joked was ready as he had been for years to
stand by us if trouble came. Our baby's hand
pulled our hair its soft mouth was pressed to
ours. Now there is nothing of them; abso-
lutely nothing but a cold decayiDg thing
which We will not name under the muddy
spring earth. And for ourselves-where Is
the man who might not have been better and
greater had the first clean, strong impulse and
plan of bOyhoOd not been thwarted by circum-
stancef Where is the ambition, the hope,
the talent, which we know was the very quick
and marrow of our life, now buried and laid
away forever, but never, never, by our will or
purposeP


Job, maddened by his intolerable pain,
knowing nothing of any life beyond the in
finite darkness of death, cries to God. Are
"not my days fewf Why dost Thou torment
"mef Let me take comfort little until
ego whence l shall not return" Which of
us, out of his own depth of grief or loss, has
not cried to Him, /" Is death the endf No
"more7 Then let me alone that l may ac-
" "complish as an hireling my day." Is there
not for each Of us in this question whether
the son of Mary did rise from his grave
eighteen hundred years ago a matter OF more
import than sales or reformsf Shall we put
out our hands through the trivial lilies and
violets and music and take hold of the sure
truth beyond2 1t was Of purpose that Jesus,
having brought back the secret of a new life,
a second chance to us for evermOre, appeared
first to the Magdalene who had lost all which this
world can give. He called her Mary" And
she turning, said unto Him, as we do,
"Master!n
Year: 1873




Just as we Of New-York are enjoying the
satisfaction of security which comes from
knowledge that the laws are vigorously en-
forced, Brooklyn has been thrown into state
of excitement bordering on CONSERVATION at
the discovery that murderers there go undis-
covered or unpunished. The Panormo and
Goodrich murders are still mysteries which
the detectives cannot unravel; and the con-
vctiOn of Van Sycllel on charges of poisoning
his wife has failed clearly from inefflciency or
lack of zeal on the part Of District-Attorney
Britton. This result of an extraordinary case,
added to the fact that the official in question
is under grave charges of malfeasance In Of
fee, of which certain proofs made public ap-
pear conclusive, has created feeling of in
security which agitates all Brooklyn, and finds
expression in the sharp criticism of the Dis
triet-Attorney by local papers which have here
tofore Overzealously defended him against all
charges.


The Van Syckel case has really been per-
mitted to go by default. Many of the most
damaging facts against the prisoner were not
brought out by the prosecution at all, although
witnesses who could have testified to them
were at hand. The dying declaration of the
poisoned woman, made only six hours before
she was corpse, that her husband had
poisoned her to obtain her property was not
elected by Mr.. Britton nor the notorious fact
established that within five hours of her death
she made will, in order, as she declared, that
her husband should not squander the property
of her children. Furthermore, it was known,
but not put in evidence, that the husband had an
insurance of $1,000 on his wife's life payable
to himself. These were relations of man and
wife and motives for the deed which the Dis
trict-A Attorney made no effort to bring to the
knowledge of the jury. If he knew them, he
was guilty of malfeasance in not eliciting them.
If he did not know them, he was clearly in
competent; and naturally the people whom he
was elected to protect dread that either his
corruption or incompetency be established and
he still remain in office.


Whether, as proposed, the Committee of
Fifty does, or does not. base additional charges
against Mr.. Britton on the conduct of this
trial, the District-Attorney cannot hope that
the circumstances will not weigh against him
in public estimation. The Issue of his trial
by the Governor, involving, as it does, the
whole question of legal reforms in Brooklyn,
is too grave to be longer overlooked; and Mr..
Britton has only to commit one other blunder
like that of demanding higher pay for smaller
service than any of his predecessors to sac
rifce his reputation wholly with the people of
Brooklyn.
Year: 1873

Whatever dreams Gen. Grant may have had
in the early part of the Winter of repeating
in the Hawaiian group the unfortunate ex-
pertinent which he attempted in Santo Do
mingo have probably by this time been dis
PEELED. Even the rapid transit of thought
and matter by telegraph and steam would
hardly reconcile the people of this country to
the annexation of Kanaka State under all
tho disadvantages pointed out by our special
correspondent in the letter from Honolulu
which we print on the third page of to-
days TRIBUNE. 1t is very clear from
his account that the islanders have no desire
to be annexed and that we have no reason for
wanting to annex them. The islands are not rich
and they never can become so. The soil is poor
and there is very little of it. 1t will not grow
wheat, nor oats, nor barley, nor coffee, nor
silk, nor many other valuable products which
have been tried from time to time in various
parts Of the group. The natural confguration
of the country renders the construction of
roads very difficult and costly Under these
circumstances there would DO no inducement
Year: 1873

Senator Patterson is still making inquiries
designed TO establish his innocence of the
charge that he was concerned in the Credit
Mobilier wickedness. There is something
pathetic in the unfortunate gentlemaD's per-
sistent endeavor. But when we recollect the
discord of his own original explanations, it
does seem hopeless task to try to clear up
the case now.
Year: 1873

The suggestion has several times been made


lately. that no evidence has been brought to
prove that Sambro Light was burning when
the Atlantic was wrecked. 1t seems almost
like questioning the inevitable, but, consider
ing the fact that so many witnesses before the
Halifax Court of Inquiry swear that they did
not see the light, it ought to be asked If 1T
was shining on that fatal morning. There Is
Year: 1873

Earl Stanhope thinks that there is no country in
Europe where there is such an absolute want OF
recognition of merit in arts literature, and science
as in England. He therefore suggested, at late
meeting of the Royal Literary Fund that the House
of Lords should ask her Majesty to create an order
for the decoration of men distinguishing themselves
in art science and letters. His suggestion was sp-
plauded and will doubtless be seriously considered
by the Queen. Lord Houghton approached the sub
ject in the upper House when he recently asked that
literary men should be permitted to wear foreign
decorations.
Year: 1873

An Auburn fisherman had a few days since rather
worse than the average fsherman's luck lie was
angling through a hole in the ice and supposed thas
he had caught a trout large that it could not be
brought through the orifice. SO he gently played
his fish with one hand, while with the other he
chopped the ice until the opening had been sufh-
cently enlarged Then with skillful twitch ne
brought out-a dead cat with brick on its necki
Total weight of the entire prize, nine pounds.
Year: 1873

1t is to be hoped that the admirable appeal for tho
use of Life-Rafts, which we published yesterday
from the pen of Mark Twain, will not bc permitted
to fall without response. The general apathy is
astonishing in relation to matter so full of vital
interest to every one. The questions of shipbnild-


ing of the education Of officers. of the training and
Year: 1873

The foreign relations of Japan, if not very
engrossing topic to the people of the United
States, are nevertheless more interesting to
them than to any other people outside of
Japan. Our own relations with that nation
have been intimate, pleasant, and profitable.
We have abundant opportunities for making
them closer. In our Yedo correspondence, printed
on the fourth page of this issue, is a clear
resume of the various topics which are in
cluded in the widening foreign relations of
our trans Pacific friends. From this it will
be seen that, whether we will OF not, we have
much concern in these affairs. 1t would be
to our national credit, possibly, if our Minister
in Japan had a little more discretion in some
things. But, aside from the Maria Luz COM
plication, it Is evident that the United States
in Japan has valued influence and a respected
friendship.
Year: 1873

suit interesting to railway people and travellers
has just been decided. Two Dartmouth students
were put off train on the Grand Trunk Railway
for insisting upon riding on tickets the day after
their date, marked Good for this train only" Ths
elected persons brought suits for damages against
the conductor, and one of them has recovered sl'o
We do not exactly comprehend upon what principle
of law this verdict has been arrived at, though there
cannot be much doubt of the equity.
Year: 1873

1t seems that Mr.. James j. O'Kelly, the cor


respondent of The Ne0- York Herald in Cuba,
is in the custody of the Spanish authorities at
Manzanillo, and is in danger of being treated
as spy. We cannot but think that the
American and British Consular officers, who
telegraph to this effect, have exaggerated the
gravity of Mr.. O'Kelly's situation. The
Spanish authorities in Cuba have never
been eminent for wisdom, but they would
scarcely commit 80 foolish an act as to ex-
ecute newspaper correspondent, from mere
wantonness. They cannot expect to carry on
a war for five years without some knowledge
of it coming to the outside world To attempt
to prevent this by the murder of avowed and
loyal purveyors of intelligence would be per-
formance which would speedily lose them the
little sympathy and tolerance they have still
been able to retain among civilized nations.
Year: 1873

There are forty towns in Massachusetts, which are
free altogether from debt. We have no complete
list of them but the names OF those which we have
seen are not important ones. IL is questionaDe
whether the "Out of Debt Out of Danger proVero
can always be applicable to a municipality especi-
ally when it is a small one, with a reasonable pros
pect of becoming greater. town can better AFFORD
to be in debt than to go without schools good roads
or a sufficient fire department.
Year: 1873

1t is said that tho President has a world OF
trouble with his Mobile appointments. lhe
noise over the Postmastership and Collector
ship of the port has hardly subsidized when II
is found necessary to vacato the last-hameu
Office. The alleged cause is defalcaton by
a son of the Collector The real cause OF the
whole trouble primarily, is that Alabama pol
itics have too much to do with the appoint
mcntS
Year: 1873

We wish all the newspapers of the country would
remember that Mr. c. C. Fulton the editor of The
Baltimore american, is not the ex-Surveyor who has
Just been removed from office. The decaptated OFF,
cial is the brother of the able editor, and
| it is doing a serious wrong to both of
| them to confuse them. We hope shall
not see this blunder again repeated in the
| country press. We occasionally make it ourselves,
but, for wonder, our example lin this solitary par
ticular is not good one to follow. The mistake
arises from too diligent reading of The american
Its columns are full Of such beautiful loyalty that
| when you hear of Mr. Fulton in the Custom-hOuse
you cannot but conclude that the articles you have
admired were written on Government stationery
during the hours consecrated to the receipt of
TOMS But the inference is utterly false. The latest
and best advices the subject contained in this
dispatch from Mr.. G. C. Fulton himself:


Please do bear in mind that Mr.. Fulton Of The Ameri
held an Office and there is no office that he
would hold that no one connected with The American
veyor Fulton is my brother but he has connection


its. Please also bear in mind that have relatives
and might almost say no friends. In office anywhere
though think claim Republican friends out
| OF Office than any other Republican IN the State.
1t is mere unmeanng coincidence that while the
brother remains in Office, the other pipes moth
| ing but strains of praise for the Administration
and when the first is removed the second thinks
foul of Civil Service Reform. We eshall devote
ourselves in future to conscientious differentiation
| of these Baltimore Dromios, merely observing, as
the African lady said of her twins, It's stonishin
how dem pickaninnies looks like one another.
specially Pomp~


| The course pursued by the Kentucky Legislature
respecting the Death Penalty is, to say the least
little questionable for while refusing to abandon it,
a law has passed the Lower House, authorizing ju-
ries to award either Imprisonment for life OF hanging
as the punishment of those who are convicted of
murder. The objection to such law is that ii is a
confusion of functions 1t is not for jury to fix
punishment but to decide whether the accused is
worthy of any punishment. 1t is for the statute to


fix the penalty; it is for the jury to decide whether
it be meried. To a certain extent this proposedlaw
gives uries pardoring power, which is another and
worse confusion. We wonder il the time will ever
come when people will be willing to meet this ques-
ton without equivocations evasions convicting
in clear cases of guilt, and hanging while that re-
mains the prescribed punishment


1t is to be hoped that the admirable appeal for tho
use of Life-Rafts, which we published yesterday
from the pen of Mark Twain, will not bo permitted
to fall without response The general apathy Is
astonishing in relation TO matter full of vital
interest To every one. The questions of shp-bnild-