Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

PUGUE OF LMIDELJTY. DR. TALMAGE DISCOURSES ON THE PREVALENT SIN. It Is Better for a "Man to Believe God Than the Eutire Human Race-What Great Men Think of thi, Bible-Argu ments Against This Plugue. NEW YoRK, April 5.-Continuing his course of sermons on "The Ten Pla gues of the Cities," Rev. Dr. Talmage to-day took for his sibject "The Plaaue of Infidelity." The discourse was daliv ered to large and appreciative pudiences at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in the forenoon and the New York Acade my of Mucsic in the evening, The text was Romans iii,: 4: "Let God be true, but every man a liar." That is if God says one thing and the whole human race says the opposite, Paul would accept the divine veracity. But there are many in our time who have dared& arraign the Almighty for falsehood. Infidelity is not only a plague, but it is the mother of pla gues. It seems from what we hear on all sides, that the Christian religion is a huge blunder, that the Mosaic account of the creation is an absurdity large enough to throw all nations into rollick ing guffaw; that Adam and Eye never existed; that the ancient flood and Noah's Ark were impossibilities, that there never was a miracle; thaw the Bible is the friend of cruelty, of murder, of polygamy, of all forms of base crime; that the Christian religion ii woman's tyrant and man's stultification; that the Bible from lid to lid is a fable, a cruelty, a humbug, a sham, a lie; that the mar tyrs who died for its truth were misera ble dupes; that the Church of Jesus Christ is properly gazetted as a fool; that when Thomas Carlyle, the sceptic, said, "The Bible is a noble book," he was dropping into imbecility; that when Theodore Parker declared in Music Hall, Boston, "Never a -boy or girl in all Christendom but was profitted by that great book,"he was becoming very weak minded; that it is something to bring a blush to the cheek of every patriot, that John Adams, the father of Ameri can independence, declared, "The Bible is the best book in all the world;" and that lion-hearted Andrew Jackson turned into a snivelling coward when he said, "That book, sir, is the rock on which our republic rests;" and that Daniel Webster abdicated the throne of his intellectual power and resigned his logic, and from being the great expoun der of the Constitution and the great lawyer of his age, turned into an idiot, when he said, "My heart assures and re assures me that the Gospel of Jesus Christ must be a divine reality. From the time that at my mother's feet, or on my father's knee, I first learned to lisp verses from the sacred writings, they have been my daily study and vigliant contemplation, and if there is anything inmy style or thought to be commended, the credit is due to my kind parents in instilling into ray mind an early love of the Scriptures;" and that Wtlliam H. Seward, the diplomatist of the century, only showed his puerility when he de clared, "The whole hope of human prog ress is suspended on the evergrowing influences of the Bible;" and that it is wisest for us to take that book from the throne in the affections of ulcoun ted mulitudes, and put. it under our feet to be trampled upon by hatred and hiss ing contempl; and that your old farther was hoodwinked, and cajoled, and chea ed, and be fooled, when he leaned on this as a staff after his hair grew gray, and his hands were tremulous, and his step shortened as he came up to the verge of the grave; and that your mother sat with -a pack of lies on her lap while reading of the better. country, and of the ending 7&llher aches. and pains, and re union not only with those of you who stood around her, but with the children she had buried with infinite heartache, so that she could re id no more until she took off her spectacles, and wiped from *themn. the heavy mist of many tears1 Alast that for forty and fifty years they should-have walked under this delusion -and had It under their pillow when they lay a dymng in the bask room, and asked that some words from the old book might Ibe cut upon the tombstone under the shadow of the old country meeting house where -they sleep to-day waiting for a resurrection that will never come. This book, having deceived them, and having deceivred the mighty intellects of the past, must not be allowed to deceive our larg er, mightier, vaster, more stupendous in tellects. And so out with the book from the court-room where it is used in the solemnization of testimony. Out with it from under the foundation of church and asylum. Out with it from the domestic circle. Gather together all the Bibles-the children's Bibles, the family Bibles, those newly bound, and those with lid nearly worn out and pa ges almost obhiterated by the fingers long ago turned to dust-bring them all tngether, and let us make a bonfire of +h~em, and Dy it warm our cold criticism. aneafter that turn under with the peloughshare of public indignation the polluted ashes of that loathsome, ad ulterous, obscene, cruel and deathful book which is so antagonistic to man's liberty, and woman's honor, and the world's happiness. Now that is the substance of what infidelity prsposes and declares, and the 'attack on the Bible is accompanied by great jocosity, and there is hardly any subject about which more mirth is kindled than about the Bible. I like' fun; no man was ever built with a keener appreciation of it. There is health in laughter instead of harm-physcial health, mental health, moral health, spiritual health,-provided you laugh at the right thing. The morning is jo cund. The Indian with its own mist baptizes the cataract Minnehaha, or laughing water. You have not kept your eyes open, or your ear alert, if you have not seen the sea smile, or heard the forests clap their hands, or the orchards in blossom-week ag ee with re dolence. But there is a laughter which is deathful, there is a lauahter which has the- rebound of despair. it is not healthy to giggle about God, or chuckle a'out eternity, or smirk about the things of the immortal soul. You know what caused the aecident years ago on the Hndson River railroad. It was an in toxicated man who for a joke pulled the st'ring of the airbrake and stopped the train, at the most dongerous point of the journey. But the lighting train, not knowing there was any impediment in the way, came down, crushing (out of the mang~led victims the immortal souls that went speeding instantly to God and judgment. It was only ajoke. He thought it wodld be such fun to stop the train. H~e stopped it! And so infidelity is chiefly anxious to stop the long train of the Bible, and the long train of the churches, and the long tramn of Christian influences, while coming down upon us are death, judment, and eternity, coming a thousand miles a minute, coming with more force than all the avalanches that ever slipped from the Alps, coming with more strength than all the lightning express trains that ever whistled, or shrieked, or thundered across the continent. Now, in this sentiment of infidel thinkers I cannot join, and I propose to give you some reasons why I cannot be an infidel, and so I will try to hellp out of this present condItion any who may have been struck with the awful First, I cannot be an intidel because infidelity has no good substitute for the consolation it proposes to take away. You know there are millions of people who get their chief consolation from this book. What would you think of a cru sade oftbis sort? Suppose a man should resolve that he would organize a con spiracy to destroy all the medicines from all the apothecaries and from all the hos titals of the tarth. The work is done. The medicines are taken and they are thrown into the river, or the lake, or the sea. A patient wakes up at midnight in a paroxysm of distress, and wants an anodyne. "Oh," says the nurse, "the anodynes are all destroyed; we have no drops to give you, but instead of that I'll read you a book on the absurdities of morphine, and on the absurdities of all remedies." But the man continues to writhe in pain, and the nurse says: "I'll continue to read you some discourses on anodynes, the cruelties of anodynes. the indecencies of anodynes, the absurdities of anodynes. For your groan, I'll give you a laugh." Here in the hospital is a patient having a gangrened limb ampu tated. He says, "Oh, for ether. Oh, for chloroform." The doctor says, "Why, they are all destroyed; we don't have any more chloroform, or ether; but I have got something a great deal better. I'll read you a pamphlet against James Y. Simpson, the discoverer of chloro form as an anesthetic, and against Doc tors Agnew, and Hamilton, and Hosack, and Mott, and Harvey, and Abernethy." "But," says the man, "I must have some anxsthetics.'' "No," says the doctors, "they are all destroyed, but we have got sometling a great (eal better." "What is that?" "Fuu." Fun about medicines. Lie down, all ye patients in Bellevue hospital and stop your groaning-alh ye broken-hearted of all the cities, and quit your crying; we have the catholicon at last! Here is a dose of wit, here is a strengthening plaster of sarcasm, here is a bottle of ribaldry that you are to keep well shaken up and take a spOoDf'l Of it alter each meal, and if that does not cure you. here is a solution of blasphemv in which you may bathe, and here is a tincture of derision. Tick le the skeleton of death witta repartee! Make the King of Terrors cackle! For all the agonies of all the ages, a joke! Millions of people willing with uplifted hand toward heaven to affirm that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is full of conso lation for them, and yet infidelity pro poses to take it away, giving nothing, absolutely nothing except fun. Is there any greater height, or depth. or length, or breadth or ammensity of meanness in all God's univer:e! Infidelity is a religion of "Don't know." Is there a God? Don't know. Is the soul immortal? Don'tknow. If we should meet each other in the future world will we recognize each other? Don't know! A religion of "don't know" f.r the religion of "I know," "I know in whom I have believed." "I know that my Redeemer liveth." Infidelity proposes to substitute a religion of aw ful negatives for our religion of glorious positives showing right before us a world of reunion and ecstasy, and high com panioniship, and glorious worihip, and stupendous victory: the mightiest joy of earth not high enough to reach to the base of the Himalaya of uplifted splen dor awaiting all those who un wing of Christian faith will soar toward it. Have you heard of the conspiracy to put out all the lighthouses on the coast? Do you kno .v that on a certain night of next month, Eddystone lighthouse, Bell Rock lighthouse, Sherryvore lighthouse, Montauk lighthouse, Hatteras light house, New London lighthouse, Barne gat lighthouse, and the 640 lighthouses on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts are to be extinguished* "Oh," you say, "what will become of the ships on that night ? Wniat will be the fats of the one million sailors following the sea? What will be the doom of the millions of passengers ? Who will arise to put down such a con spiracy?" Every man, woman, and child in America. and the world. But that is only a fable. That is what infidelity is trying to do. put out all the lighthouses on the coast of eternity, letting the soul go up the "Narrows" of death with no lght, no comfort, no peace-all that coast covered with the blackest of dark ness. Instead of the great lightho'use, a glowworm of wit, a firetly of jocosity. Which do you like the better, 0 voyager for eternity-the firefly or the lighthouse? What a mission infidelity has started on! The extinguishment of lighthouses, the breaking up of lifeboats, the dismis sal of all the pilots, the turning of the in cription on your child's grave into a farce and a lie. WalterScott's "Old Mortal ity," chisel in hand, went through the land to cut out into plainer letters the half obliterated inscriptions on the tomb stones, and it was a beautiful mission. But infidelity spends its time with ham mer and chisel trying to cut out from the tombstones of your di ad all the story of resurrection and heaven. It is the icon oclast of every village graveyard, and of every city cemetery, and of Westmin ster Abbey. Instead of Curistian con solation for the dying, a freezing sneer. Instead of prayer, a grimace. Instea,1 of Paul's triumphant defiance of death, a going out you know not where, to s top you know not when, to do you k-now not what. That is lnfidelity. Furthiermore: I cannot be an infidel, because of the false charges infidelity is all the time inaking against the Bible. Perhaps the slander that has made the most impression and that some Chris tians have not been intelligent enough to deny is that the Bible favors polyg nmy. ~Does the God of the Bible uphold polygamy, or did he:- How many wives did God make for Adam? He made one wife. Does not your common sense tell you when God started the marriage institution, he started it as he wanted it continued? If God had favored poly gamy he could have created for Adam fige wives, or ten wives, or twenty wives, just as easily as he made one. At the very first of the Bible God shows himself in favor of monogomy and an tagonistic to polygamy. Genesis 2: 24: 'Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother and shall cleave unto his wife.'" Not his wives, but his wife. How many wives did God spare for Noah in the ark? Two and two the birds; two and two the cattle; two and two the lions; two and two the human race. If the God of the Bible h id favored a mul tiplicity of wives, he would have spared a plurality of wives. When God first launched the human race, he gave Adam one wife. At the second lau-.ching of the human race he spares for Noah one wife, for Ham one wife, for Shem one wife, for Jabhet one wife. Does that look as though God favoredl polygamy ? In Leviticus xviii. 18, God thunders his prohibition of :core than one wife. God permitted polygamy. Yes; just as lie permits to-day murder and theft and arson and all kind of crime. He permits these things as you well know, but he does not sanction them. Who would dare to say he sanctions them ? Because the presidents of the United States have permitted polygamy in Utah, you are not, therefort, to conclude that they patronized it, that they approved it when, on the contrary, they denounced it. All of God's ancient Israel knew that the (;od of the Bible was against polygamy, for in the four hundred and thirty years of their stay in .Egypt there is only one case of polygamy recorded only *ne. All the mighty men of the Bible stood aloof, from lpolygamy, ex cept those who, talling into the crine, were chastised within aii inch of their lves, Adam, Aaron, Noah, Joseph, Joshua, Samuel, monogamists. But you say: 'Didn't David and Solomon get well punishea fer it? Read the lives of those two men, and you will come to the conclusion that 41 the attributes of God's nature were against their be havior. David suffered for his crimes in the caverns of Adullam and Massada, ia the wilderness of Mahanaim, in the bereavements of Ziklag. The Bedouins after him, sickness after him, Absalom after him, Ahithopel after him, Adon ijah after him, the Edomites after him, the Syrians after him, the Moabites after him, death after him, the Lord God Al mighty after him. The poorest peasant in all the empire married to the plainest Jewess was happler than the king in his marital misbehavior. How did Solomon get along with polygamy? Read his warnings, in Pr )verbs, read his self-dis gust in Ecclesiastes. He throws up his hands in loathing, and cries out: "Van ity of vanities, all is vanity.?' His seven hundred wives nearly .pestered the life out of him. Solomon got well paid for his crimes-well paid. I repeat that all the mighty men of the Scriptures were aloof from polygamy, save as they were pounded and flailed, and cut to pieces for their insult to holy marriage. If the Bible is the friend of polygamy why is it that in all the lands where the Bible predominates, polygamy is forbidden and in the lands where there is no Bible, it is favored? Polygamy all over China, all over India, all over Africa, all over Persia, all over heathendom, save as the missionaries have done their work, while polygamy does not exist in Eng land and the United States, except in defiance of law. The Bible abroad, God honored monogamy. The Bible not abroad, God abiorred polygamy. Another false charge which infidelity has made aaainst the Bible is that it is antagonistic to woman, that it enjoins her degradation and belittles her mis sion. Under this impression mauy wo men have been overcome of this plague of infidelity. Is the Bible the enemy of woman? Come into the picture gallery, the Louvre, the Luxembourg of the Bi ole, and see which pictures are the more honored. Here is Eve, a perfect woman, as perfect a woman as could be made by a perfect God. Here is Deborah, with her womanly arm hurling a host into the battle. Here is Miriam, leading the Israelitish orchestra on the banks of the Red Sea. Here is motherly Hannah, with her own loving hand replenishing the wardrobe of her son Samuel, the prophet. Here is Abigail, kneeling at the 'oot of the mountain until the four hundred wrathful men, at the sight of her beauty and prowess halt, halt-a hurricane stopped at the sight of the water lily, a dewdrop dashing back Niag ara. Here is Ruth, putt:ng to shame all modern slang about mothers-in-law as she turns her back on her home and her country, and faces wild beasts and exile and death, that she may be with Naomi, her husband's mother. Ruth, the queen of the harvest fields. Ruth, the grand mother of David. Ruth. the ancestress of Jesus Christ. The story of her vir tues and her life sacrifice the most beau tiful pastoral ever written. Here is Vashti, defying the bacchanal of a thous and drunken lords, and Esther, willing to throw her lite away that she may deliver her people. And here is Dorcas, the sunlight of eternal fame gilaing her phil anthropic needle, and ths woman with perfume in a box, made from the hills of Alabastron, pouring the holy chrism on the head of Christ, the aroma lingering all down the corridor of the centuries. Here is Lydia, the merchantess of Tyrian purple, immortalized for her Christian behavior. Here is the widow with two ruites, more famous than the Peabodys and -the Lenoxes of all ages, while here comes in slow of gait and with careful attendants and with especial honor and high favor, leaning on the arm of inspir ation, one who is the joy and pride of any home so rarely fortunate as to have one-an old Christian grandmother. Grandmother Lois. Who has more worshippers to-day than ary being that ever lived on earth, except Jes is Christ? Mary. Yor what purpose did Christ per form His first miracle r pon earth? To relieve the embarrassment of a woman ly housekeeper at the falling short of a beverage. Why did Christ break up the silence of the tomb, and tear off the shroud and rip up the rocks? It was to stop the bereaveinent of the two Beth any sisters. For whose comfort was Christ most anxious in the hour of dying excruciation? For-a woman, an old wo raan, a wrinkle-faced woman, aywoman who in other days h'id held him in her arms, his first friend, his last friend, as is it very apt to be, his mother. All the pathos of the ages compressed into one utterance, "Behold thy mother." Does the Bible antaaonize woman? If the Bible~ is so antagonistic to wo man, how do you accounifor the differ ence'in woman's condition in China and Central Africa, and her condition in England and America? There is no dif ference except that which the Bible makes. In lands where there is no Bi ble, she is hitched like a beast of bur den to the ploughs, she carries the hod, she submits to indescribable indignities. She must be kept in a private apartment and if she come forth she must be care fully hooded and religiously veiled as though it were a shame to be a woman. Do you not know that the very first thing the Bibie does when it comes into a new country is to strike off the skackles of a woman's serfdom? 0 woman, where are your chains to-day? Hold up both your arms and let us see your handcuffs; they are bracelets of gold, bestowed by husbandly, or fatherly. or brotherly, or sisterly, or loverly afiection. Unloosen the warm robe from your neck. 0 wo man, and let us see the yoke of your bodage. Oh, I find the yoke a carcenet of silver, or a string of cornelians, or a cluster of pearls that must gall you very much. How had you must all have it. Since you put the Bible on your stand in the sitting room has the Bible been to you, 0 woman, a curse or a blessing? Why is it that a woman when she is troubled will go to her worst enemy the Bible? Why do you not go for comfort to some of the great infidel books, Spi noza'sEthics, or Hume's Natural His tory of Religion, or Paine's Age of Rea son, or Dedro's Dramas, or any one of the two hundred and sixty volumes of Voltaire? No, the silly, deluded woman persists in hanging about the Bible verses,"Let not your heart be troubled," "All things work together for good," "Weeping may endure for a night," "'I am the resurrection," "Peace, be still." Furthermore: rather than invite I re sist this plague ofinfidelity because it has wrought no positive good for the world, and is always a hindrance. I ask you to mention the names of the merci ful and the edcational mnstitutions which infidelity founded and is support ing, and has supported all the way through; institutions pronounced against God and the Christian relligion, and yet pronounced in behalf of suffering hu manity. What are the names of them? Certainly not the United States Chris tian c.ommission; or the sanitary com mission; for Christian George H. Stuart was the presid -ent or the one, and Christ ian Henry W. Belows was the president of the other. Where are the asylums and merciful instituions founded by in fidelity' and supported by infldelity, pro. nounced against God and the Bible, and yet doing work for the alleviation of suffering? Infidelly is so very loud in its braggadocio it must have some to mention. Certainly, if you come to speak of educationol institutions it is not Yale, it is not Harvard, it is not Princeton, it is not Middletown, it is not Combridge or Oxford, it is not any in Btitutton from which a diploma would not be a disgrace. Do you point to the riman uniym-nities as exceptionns? I have to tell you that all the German umversities today are under positive Christian influence, except the Universi ty of Heidelberg, were the ruffianly students cut and maui and mangle ansd murder each other as a matter of pride instead 'of infamy. Do you mention Girard college, Philadelphia, as an ex ception, that college established by the will of Mr. Girard, which forbade relig ious instruction and the entrance of cler gymen within its gates? My reply is that I lived for seven years near that college and knew many of its professors to be Christian instructors, and no bet ter Christian influences are to be found in any college than in Girard college. There stands Christianity. There stands infidelity. Compare what they have done. Compare their resources. There is Chrintianity. a prayer on her lip; a benediction on her brow; both hands full of help; the mother of thousands of colleges; the mother of thousands of asy lums for the oppressed, the blind, the sick, the lame, the imbecile; the mother of missions for the bringing back of the outcast; ths mother of thousands of re formatory institutions for the saving of the lost; the mother of innumerable Sab both schools bringing millions of children under a drill to prepare them for-res pectability and usefuiness. to say noth ing of the great future. That is Chris tienty. Here is infidelity; no prayer on her lips, no benediction on her brow; both hands clenched-what for? To fight Christianity. 1That is the entire business. The complete mission of infidelity is to tight Christianity. Where are her schools. her colleges, her asylums of mercy? Let me throw you down a whole ream of foolscap paper that you may fill all of it with ,he uames of her beneficent institutions, the colleges and the asy lums. the institutions of mercy and of learning, founded by infidelity, and sup ported alone by infliedlity, pronounced against God and the Christian religion and yet in favor of making the world better. "Oh," you say, "a ream of paper is too much for the names of those institutions." Well, then, I throw you a quire of paper. Fill it all up now. I will wait until you get all the names down. "Oh," you say, "that is too much." Well, then, I will just hand You a sheet of letter paper. Just fill up the four sides while we are talking of this matter, with the names of the merciful institutions and the educational institu tions founded by Infidelity and supported all along by Infidelity, pronounced gainst God and the Christian religtin, yet in favor of humanity. "Oh," you say. "that is too Much room; we don't want a whole sheet of paper to write down the names." Per haps I had better tear out one leaf from my memorandum book, and ask you to fill up both sides of it with the names of such institutions "Oh," you say, "that would be too much room; I wouldn't want so much room as that." Well, then, -uppose you count them on your ten lingers, "Oh," yVu say, "not quite so much as that." Well, then, count them on the fingers of one hand. "Oh," you say, "we don't want quite so much room as that." Suppose, then, you halt and count on one finger the name of any institution founded by infidelity, supported entirely be infidelity, pro nounced against God and the Christian religion, yet toiling to make the world better. Not one! Not one! Is infidelity so poor, so starveling, so mean, so unless? Get out, you misera ble pauper of the universe! Crawl into some rat hole of everlasting nothingness. Infidelity standing to-day amid the suf fering, groaning, dying nations, and yet doing absolutely aothing save trying to impede those who are toiling until they fall exhausted into their graves in trying to make the world better. Gather up all the work, all the mercifal work, that infidelihy has ever done, add it all to gether, and there is not so much nobilty in it as in the smallest bead of that sis ter of charily who last night went up the dark alley of the town put a jar of jelly for an invalid appteite on a-broken stand, and then knelt on the bare floor, praying the mercy of Christ upon the dying soul. Infidelity scrapes no lint for the wounded, bakes no bread for the hun gry, shakes up no pillow for the sick rouses no comfort for the bereft, gilds no grave for the dead. While Christ, our Christ, our wounded Chiist, our risen Christ, the Christ of this old fash ioned Bible-blessed be his glorious name forever!-our Christ stands this hour pointing to the hospital, or to the asylum saying: "I was sick and ye gave me a couch, I was lame and ye gave me a crutch, I was biind and ye physician ed my eyesight, I was orphaned and ye mothered my soul, I was lost on the mountain and ye brought me home; inasmuch as ye did it to one of the least of these, ye did it to me." But I thank God that this plague of infidelity will be stayed. Many of those who hear me now by the Holy Ghost upon their hearts will cease to be scof fers and will become disciples, anid the day will arrive when all nations will accept the Scriptures. The book is going to keep right on until the fires of the last day are kindled. Some of them will begin on one side and some on the other side of the old book. They will not find a bundle of loose manuscripts easily consumed like tinder thrown into the fire. When the fires of the last dsy are kindled some will burn on this side, from Genesis toward Revelation, and others will burn on this side, from Revelation towards Genesis, and in all their way they will not find a single chapter or single verse out of place. That will be the first time we can afford to do without the Bible. What will be the use of the book of Genesis, descriptive of how the world was made, when the world is destroyed ? What will be the use of the prophecies when they are all fulfilled? What will be the use of the evangelistic or Pau line description of Jesus Christ when we see him face to face ? What will be the use of his photograph when we have met him in glory ? What will be the use of the BooK of Revelation, stand ing as you will with your foot on the glassy sea, and your hand on the ring ing harp, and your forehead chapleted with eternal coronation, amid the ame thystine and twelve-gated glories of heaven? The emerald dashing its green against the beryl, and the beryl dashing its blue against the sapphire, and the sapphire throwing its light on the jacinth, and the jacinth dashing its fire against the chaysoprassus, and you and I standing in the glories of ten thousand sunsets. Old Confeds to the Rescue. NAsrVILLE, Tenn., April 2.-At a meeting of Frank Cheatham Bivouac Confederate Veterans, yesterday after noon, the following letter was ordered sent to the Secretary of War: AssOCIATION OF CONFEDERATE) SOLDIERS, TENNESsEE DIVISION, NASHVILLE, renn., April 2.) Hon. J. R. Proctor, Secretary of War, Washington: DEAR SrI-In case of any serious complications with Italy, Frank Cheat ham Bivouac, Confederate Soldiers, of Tennessee.Division, 350 strong, hereby tender its services to the Unmted States. By order of the Bivouac. J1. W. MCMURRAY, President. The letter was written on a Bivouac letterhead, with the 11ag of the Confed eracy displayed across the top. Italians to Destroy Pittsburg. NEWCASTLE, Pa., April 3.-A natur alized Italian named Gabbarrio, who owns property at Wampum and is held in good repute, has made public a story of his having been approached by some of his countrymen with a proposition to join 20,000 Italians in a plot to capture and destroy Pittsburg. Gabbarrio says every Italian in Alleghaney and Beaver Counties ha been similarly approached. BLOODSH ED IN THE MINES. BATTLE BETWEEN STRIKING COKE MINERS AND OFFICERS. Seven Hungarlans Shot Dead and Forty or More Wounded--Trouble With Aus tria Possible--A Description of the Fight. MT. PLEASAN, PA., April 2.-This town was shaken to its very centre at 3.25 o'clock this morning. At that hour seven Hungarian rioters were shot dead and twenty or more wounded by deputy sheriffs. The greatest excite ment prevails. The stable in the rear of Vandertaker Zimmerman's store was used for a morgue, and the streets and alleys near it were crowded with anx ious Hungarians and rioters. As fast as the bodies were recognized, friends took them, and the moaning and wail ing of the relatives was heart-rending. About 2.30 this morning doubtless 1,000 men .gathered around Morewood. The deputies were keeping a sharp lookout. Their orders were definite: no one wa., to fire unless attacked, or when an advancing enemy failed to halt at the command. Finally, at almost 3 o'clock, about 500 strikers arrived on the Morewood road from Standard. This is thought to have been the last arrival. Each man in the crowd of 1,000, or perhaps more, was armed. Some carried sticks, some fence rails and some clubs that looked like small battering rams. As the Standard men and their allies drew up on the road leading past the com pany's store, the other forces on the hills gradually drew nearer the B shaft. At that time the strikers were sta tioned, besides the abovenamed places, on the hill west of the works, called Old Fort Defiance, and immediately in front of the store. A United Press reporter followed the Standard crowd, and halted on a hill to the east of the store. From there a fair view could be obtained. The moon, which had been hiding behind a cloud suddenly appeared and threw its rays across the scene of the conflict. The column advanced toward the Morewood store. The guards were in charge of Deputy Sheriff McConnell and Capt. Lear. The latter had been sworn in as a deputy, as were also some twenty men from Company E. They were stationed at the west side of the company's store. The deputies under McConnell were at the east side. As the Hungarians advanced, mak ing but little noise, the deputies re mained silent. Then the Hungarians passed, but they were bent on mischief. The column had' not all passed when those in front made a dash for the com pany's fence. Capt. Lear cried "Halt!" but not a Hungarian stopped. In an swer to the captain's command, three revolver shots resounded. One bullet whizzed pats Capt. Lear's head, and two men standing near him felt the hot lead pass their bodies. The deputy sheriffs then came to the rescue of the soldier deputies. The Hungarians dashed down the road, and broke for the company's stables. An other command to halt; another answer to the call by pistol shots. The infuri ated men kept their course toward the stables. The command was given to fire, and the deputies came to the aid of Capt. Lear. The strikers replied, but there were two many shots from the repeating rifles. The air was alive with bullets. How many shots were fired will prob ably never be known, but when the smoke cleared away and the men ven tured near the dead, it was found seven had fallen, and one is now dying from the effects of a bullet. The surviving strikers fled with remarkable rapidity. Soon physicians and undertakers ar rived and the bodies were examined, and those wounded were given all pos sible aid. The Hungarians were care ful enough to helo those away who were able to travel. No deputy or guard was hurt. DEPUTIES TO BE PROSECUTED. Mt. PLEASANT, Pa., April 2.-Peter Wise and Mike .tarett asked Justice McWilliams this evening to issue war rants for the arrest of the deputies on guard at Morewood, on a charge of mur der. The Justice said he was not clear in the matter. and refused to issue the warrants. Wise appealed to another justice, and he also refused. The vice president of the United Mine Workers has been around all day securing the names of the deputies in the fight of this morning. He charac terizes it an outrage. He says none of the men killed were found on the Com pany's property. Every one was found lying on the county road. Legal action will be taken. Squire McCabb has consented to issue the war rants prayed for, charging the deputies with murder, and the warrants will be issued this evening. General Manager Lynch, of the Frick company, and Su perintendent Ramsey, of the Mar wood plant, are made accessories before the fact. Physicians say that forty men were wounded in the fight, this morning, some of them mortally. TROUBLE WITH AUSTRIA POSSIBLE. MT. PLEASANT, Pa., April 2.-The Morewood massacre may precipitate trouble between the United States and Austria. The murdered men were not citizens, and had not taken the oath of allegiance to this government. Secre tary Parker, of the United Mine Work ers, telegraphed Max Shamburg, Aus triati consul at Pittsburg, as follows: "Seven scab workmen were shot in cold blood on the public road passing the Morewood mines about 3:20 a. m. None have been identified, but they are not supposed to be citizens." MILITIA ORDERED OUT. PITTSBURG, Pa., April 2.-The Eigh teenth regiment has received orders from Governor Pattison to proceed at once to the scene of the Mt. Pleasant troubles and assist the Sheriff of WVest moreland County. It is not yet known what time the regiment will get started. THlE CORONER's INQUEST. MT. PLEASANT, Pa., A pril 2.-Coro ner Watchfield arrived here about noon, and, after much difficulty in empanell ing a jury, the inquest was begun. The jurymen are all reliable citizens, and the impression is that the coroner made an excellent selection. Robet Weddell said: Capt. Lear gave his command the order to halt, and as some men started to get on the fence some one else called "Halt." Then a Hungarian said, "Come on." "Did they go ?" asked the coroner. "They did not have time. The dep uties shot. I did not hear Capt. Lear give the command to fire, and I was within 100 feet of him. He shot t wice. I heard that Mr. Ramsy said he would rather have the works destroyed than a loss of life." The latest reports place the number of persons injured in this morning's riot at fifty, three of whom (names un known) have since died, making a total of ten deaths. AN EX-PARITE OPINION. PITTSBURG, Pa., April9 2.Vice PLresi dent Penna and Executive Committee man Hayes of the United Mine Workers irrived in the city to.-night and went in to conference with members of the or der. Mr. Penna, in speaking of what he learned to-day at the scene of the riot, said: "When our evidence is de veloped, Americans will stand aghast. Personal spite is responsible for the occurrence. In the coke region the men go to work early. The marching about of the strikers is to strengthen the weak-kneed -ones and for the moral ef fect on non-union men. It would be useless for the strikers to march about after men had gone into the mines. In my opinion, the men had no intention of cmmittng any ovart act." HAMBURG REDEEMED. Governor Ben Tiinian Closes Up Is Am phitheatre. A UG USTA, April 3.-The Chronicle's protest has not been in vain. Hamburg has been redeemed. The sporting town of the two states will now have to retire on its unsavory record and live it down. No more cat and dog fights, chicken fights or any other kind of fights will be allowed to m2.ke night or day hideous. This is what Governor Ti-lman says, and so it must 'e7this town of ancient business im portance, but which has sprung lately into national notoriety because of the cruel animal and chicken fights that have taken place within its limits, will now resume its wcnted quiet, so far as wild ca2 and bull-dog fights are cencerned. A big cocking main between North and South Carolina commenced yester day in Hamburg and occupied a greater part of the day, a good crowd being in attendance. Six fights of the main were fought. These fights were witnessed .with considerable interest, as a good deal of money was up on the issue. They resulted 3 to 3, and neither state's cocks could crow over the victory. "Af tei- these "main" fights fot spirited hack ights took place, which, in their turn, resulted 2 to 2, leaving honors still easy. Just before the fights were concluded a piece of intelligence was received which caused something of a sensation. The news which somewhat startled the crowd was that an official order had been re ceived by the local authorities of the town from Governor Tillman, calling on them to stop all such fighting and to ar rest those who participated in such sport. This was news, indeed, and of the worst convincing sort. It was moving intelligence, with the accent on the move. The main, which was to be con tiied for three days, it was quite evi dent, could not go on. Fortunately for the participants, however, they could. And they went. They probably had scme uncomplimentary things to say of G overnor Tillman. Possibly The Chron ile, whose stand in this matter has brought the question to Governor Till man's attention, came in for a share of the compliments that were passed. But the procession moved on, just the same. The hight of day will not be hera2ded in Hamburg this moraing by the clarion notes of the chanticleer from the ol, North State. The tar heel has dusted, closed up his coops and quietly gone away. No longer is the message from tLe Governor of South Carolina to the Governor of North Carolina to be one of historic conviviality. Newit is, keep your game cocks on your on dung hill, and don't send them into my domain to enter the prize ring. A new battlefield will have to' be. se lected if the fights are to go on to a fin ish. The authorities are now armed with the law and if any more fighting is carried on, they are compelled to see that it is stopped. This is pretty hard on the sports, but it is the edict of the farmer governor. It is understood that a new place is to be selected and that the fights will be continued elsewhere in Carolina-at some poiat out of the reach of Chronicle reporters.-Augusta Chron icle. To Eang O'Malley. NEW ORLEANS, April 4.-The vigi lance committee last evening held a mieeting and considered what dispositionl should be made of O'Malley, who ap peared in the criminal court yesterday morning to answer the indictments found against him, and was released on $3,000 bail. There was a strong senti ment in favor of hanging himirom the Clay statue at once, but it was finally agreed that he should be permitted to sitand trial, and if not conyicted, to be s-mmarily dealt with. As the indict ments so far are framed on such flimsy evidence, an acquittal is pretty sure, if an impartial jury is found. JOSEPH F. RHAME, AT TORNEY AT LAW, MANNING, S. C. JOHN S. WILSON, Attorney and Counselor at Law, MA?NNING, S. C. A. LEVL TLW MANNING, S. C. prNotary Public with seal. GALLaEN HUGGINS, D. D. S., .prVisits Manning every month or two p:ofessionally. BRUJNSON HOUSE, SUMT ER, S. C. First class accommodations and excellen table. Convenient to the business portion of the town. 25 cents for dinner. J. H. DIXON, Proprietor. JOB PRINTING. rUHE TIMES OFFICE IS FITTED UP IN .La manner that warrants it in soliciting your patronage for job printing. Send us your orders which shall have prompt atten tion. Prices as low as the cities. Satisfac tion guaranteed. Keep us in mind. Lanning Shaving Parlor. HAIR CUTTING ARTISTICALLY EX ..ecuted, and shaving done with best razors. Special attention paid to shampoo ing ladies' heads. I have had considerable e:peience in several large cities, and guar a~tee satisfaction to my customers. Parlor next door to Manning Times. E. D. HAMTLTON. A.. S. J. PERRY. H. E. SIh!Ois. i. A. PRIN~GLE. Johnston, Crews & Co., -WHOLESALE JOBBERS OF DRY GOODS, Notions and Small Wares, Nos. 49 Hayne & 112 Market Streets, CHARLESTON, S. C. FORESTON DRUG STORE, FORESTON, S. C. I keep always on hand a full line of Pure Drugs and Medicines, FANCYAND TOILETARTICLJES, TOILET SOAPS, PERFUME]2Y, STATION ERY, CIGARS, GARDEN SEEDS, and such articles as are usually kept in a first class drug store. I have just added to my stock a line of PAINTS AND OILS, ad am prepared to sell PAINTS. OILS LEAD, VARNISHES, BRUSHES, in quantities to suit purchasers. L.W. NETTLES, M.D., Foreston. S C. ADGER SMYTH. F.J. ]ELZER, SpeealPari= SMYTH & ADGER, Factors and Commission mierchants, CHARLESTON, S. C. OTTO F. WIETERS, WHOLESALE GROCER, Wholesale Dealer in Wines, Licuors and Cigars, No. 121 East Bay, Charleston, S. C. OTTO TIEDEMAN & SONS, Wholesale Grocers and Provision Dealers, 172, 174, and 176 East Bay Street, C'EI.AR IL ' X M;IS T c ., S. C. ESTABLISHED 1844. Charleston Iron Works, Manufacturers and Dealers in Marine Stationary and Portable Engines and Boilers, Saw Mill Machinery, Cotton Presses, (ins, Railroad, Steam boat, Machinists', Engineers' and Mill Supplies. ?QBRepairs executed with promptness and Dispatch. Sendfor price lists. East Bay, Cor. Pritchard St., Charleston, S. C. PEROIVA.&I.i MFG. Co. DOORS AND BLINDS 478 to 486 Meeting St., CHARLESTON,$. C. THE BEST AND THE CHEAPEST. All goods go see~ Estimates furnished by return La. Iarge stock,- promp4 shipments. OUr goods do not shrink or warp. Geo. E. Toale & Company, MANUFACTURERS OF AND WHOLESALE DEALERS IN Doors, Sash, Blinds, Moulding, and General Building Materla Office and Salesrooms, 10 and 12 Hayne St., CHARLESTON, S. C. OLD CLOTHES MADE NEW. SEND YOUR DYEING TO THE CHARLESTON STEAM DYE WORKS,' All work guaranteed. 310 King St., CHARLESTON, S. C. SMOKE HEND CIGAR, THE BEST NICKLE CIGAR SOLD. B. A. JOHNSON, Sole Agent, Manning, S. C. .501 ISEMAN, Wholesale Grocer, State Agent, 13 Iast Bay. Obaarl1estori, S. O. M. Drake & Son, BOLLMANN BROTHERS, -WHOLESALE BOOTS,SHOES,&TRUlKS. Wholesale' 235 Meeting St., CHARLESTON, S. C. L'rgest stockt,best assortment, lowest prices,8 . Gro CerS, S. THOMAS, Jn. J. M. THOMAS. Stepen Tomas Jr.& B157 nd 169, East Bay, JHNWALESTON, S. C JEWELRY, SILVER & PLATED WARE, JOHN F. WERNER & CO., Spectacles, Eye Glasses &Fancy Goods. ..milWatches and Jewelry repaired by Wholesale Grocers competent workmen. --AND 257 KING STREET, CH ARL ESTON, S. C. Provision Dealers, -ESTABLISHED 1836. 164 & 166 East Bay and 29 & 31 Carrington, Thomas &A Co., Vendue Range, -DE ALERS NCHARLESTON, S. C. we~mas.A. Mc COBB, Jr. JEWELRY, SIL.VERWARE AND FANCY GOODS, General Commnission Merchant No. 251 King Street, AND DEALER IN CHARLESTON, S. C. LIME, CEMENT, PLASTER PARIS, HAIR, FIRE C H A RL ES C. L ESLIE .BRICKS N N CAY LAND PLAS Wholesale & Retail Commission Dealer in Agents for White's English Portland Cement. Ei'I S EI194 & 196 - Charleston, S. C gT~R, ~ N~ ~PHILADELrmua SINGER.' 'High Lou Cosgmnsofputy ggadalArm, Arm kid f onrypouc r rsetfly$28. $20. solicited. Offie Nos. 18 & 20 Market St., B. of East Bay CHARLESTON, S. C. STLul.O _g;FggggggNDALLAS.TEX W. E. BROWN & CO, Manning, S. C. B. T. MCGAHAN. A. S. DROWN. RoBRT. P. EVA.CRNHTL M cGAHAN, BROWN & EVANS, I h~re~ oe ntectadhs JOBBERS OF vtd eoeeadrfte ihalmd Dry Goods, Notions, o t arn.Hs0saiulgt n airytspl rhos.sHtaandcoldbttingl Nos. 226, 228 & 230 Meeting Street, hoebysrcatnintohewtsfhs IFT EEENE DAY STIA UflA~.LJAO.~JiN S. . Corieor." Cae.