The Lutheran visitor. (Columbia, S.C.) 1869-1904, September 27, 1872, Image 2
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COLUMBIA, S. C.
Friday, September 27,1872.
.1 Editors:
Rev. A-H. RUDE, D.D., Columbia, 8. C.
R*V. I.X MILLER, AM., Staunton, Va.
fn essential*t, unity ; in non-essential*,
liberty ; in all things, charity.”
J. > . e. '
mm
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' ' ■
I A
Personal.—'The readers of the
Visitor will bo leased to learn that
the senior editor will soou be at* his
(Hist again greatly improved in health
tixnn his trip to the salubrious air of
the far-famed Valley of Virgiuia,
and cheered by the warm reception
given him auiid the scenes of his
onrUa^jenn. The friends of tjio
ehureh and the paper should not
tail daily to pray that his valuable
life may loug be spared, to the end
that the charub, through his labors,
may be greatly extended and pros:
tiered. . M.
Ip any apology is due to the
leaders of the Visitor for giving to
them the article which follows, writ
ten four years ago, but never! till
now saw the light, we preseut the
following. The Senior, who has for
a, fortnight been rusticating among
the friends of other days, hi the dear
old Valley of Virginia, has just laid
an injunction ou us to send by morn
ing’s' mail au editorial, so that the
insatiate desire of the printer for
“more copy” may temporarily be met.
To meet this injunction of the Senior,
furnish the printer with copy, as
well as reserve si/ffieent time for the
nameless and numberless duties de-
vnlvinr.DH.iv lyinniiHi w, niwowTu? tefgToo- »f u.hi
THE LUTHKRAN VISITOR COLUMBIA, S. C., SEPT KM HER 27, 1872
there anything to compensate for
this outlay of money, this inconve
nience of petson, and this temporary
leveling of character f Aye, there
was a great “moral combination” to
be witnessed. The clown was to dls
play his clowuishness, men were to
turn somersaults, horses were to be
riddeu, and lady (!) performers (so
the pictures said) were to prove that
woman can, oven in the midst of a
large crowd of spectators, divest her
self of that which is the crowning
excellence of female character, MOD
E8TY. This is, in substance, the
u greatmoral combination” to-be wit
nessed, the quid pro quo to be re
eeivod for the loss of time, the waste
of money, ahd tho i*ersoiial torture
to which those who formed part o:’
those motlpy crowds subjected them
selves. ,
.
And_yet with nothing better than
we have given above to be said in
their defence, not a few, eveu o
professing Christians, are loud iu
their advocacy of them. One says
“I Saw nothing wrong there, nud
cau see no harm in attending.” Le
us apply %he test. Did you see auy
good! No one will dare answer in
the affirmative., Then where there
is uo good, there must be harm
Neither harm nor good in an outer
tainmeut! “How can these thiugs
be!” We are taught that uature
abhors a vacuum. If there is not
one thing, thcie must be another in
every crevice in tho material world
Every space will contain a substance
either solid, liquid or mrifonn. Ant
just as much do morals abhor
vacuum as does nature. Everything
that comes witbiu the sphere of
morals will be good or it will be
evil. There is no half-way, no ueu
tral point* It must be one, or it
must be the other. To say, then,
that there is no good couuected with
a thing, is a tacit admission that
there is evil.
But apply the test further. Who
are those engaged iu keeping up
these “great inoral combinations f
ChrWHans f Oh, uo! Aud why
not t Simply because uo intelligent
Christian could get the couseut of
his conscience to follow such a busi
ness. We submit, then, whether it
is not a clear case that Christians
should not contribute their influence
and . money for the prosperity of a
business iu which they could not
conscientiously engage themselves f
Have we a right to aid anything ou
which we cjuld not ask the blessing
excused for bringing to the light of
tfay a paper which has fpr long
mouths and years lain in the ob
scurity of our now little used editor's
drawer. But while, for reasons we
can not now recall, we never pub
lished what we wrote so long since,
during a circus mania which raged
in the Valley soon after the war
there is yet occasiou surely for line
upon line ou this subject. Not a
^ summer jiasses over our heads that
» one or more of these youth-corrupting,
money-wasting, religion defaming iu
stitutipus does not appear in our
midstj and by the aid of lying hand
bills, pictures of animals which no
naturalist has ever hear(|of, and of
feats which uo human being can ever
perforin, together with the help of
the indiscriminate puffing of the
.secular press, they succeed in en
ticing many into an atmosphere thick
with the impurities of obscenity and
irreligious influences. We feel that
the pulpit, the religions press and
the religious world have no small
share of responsibility and obligation
iu this matter. If the teachings of
the pdlpit and press, and the prac
tice .of .those professing godliness
were, as, they ever should be, uncom
promisingly against al| such demor
alizing entertainments^ it would not
be long till a public sentiment would
be created that would frown down
everything of suqIi a nature.
But enough by way of apology
and preface.
the circus. - 1
0 r
Iu a period of not less.than two
weeks from this date .-(August '26),
two tleveling iniquities, tinder the
name of ctscuses, have visited bur
town, as well as nearly every place
of importance iu this Valley; and
we regret that truth compels ns to
the admission that in Staunton, at
least, and we believe everywhere in
their route, they were extensively
patronized. Black and white, re
fined and rustic, genteel and vulgar,
in dense masses crowded the canvass,
and for hours—sweltering from the
heat, panting ibr want of pore air,
and inhaling the conglomerate odor
which the living mass, brnte and hn-
man, confined in that pent-up circle
emitted-—enjoyed (?) the splendid enter
tainment. And why all this ! Why
did people leave their homes and
their employments, and freely spend
their money, amounting in the aggre
gate to thousands ? ^Vhy did refined
ladies submit to be jostled about by
the burly Irishman aud the odorous
Africsa, who would have felt in
sulted had the same characters
offered to occupy the far end of a
long pew wirl>t)H$i in church? Was
"'says .the non-professor,
surely no reason why
a
. “Bat,”
“there is
should not atteud, as I am uot
Christian." Wo reply, there surely is
the best of reason. Again we ask,
what are the characters that com
pose a circus! ,Ifc is already admit
ted they are not Christians. Are
they, £lien, men aud women of repu
that from ltobiuson, Dan Gastello,
Van Am burg, et id genus, tliere is
one to be found of pure moral char
acter.
Is it right, then, for you, who
though not a Christian, yet set great
store to your purity and good name,
to encourage a set of men and wo
men whom to entertain in your
honse you would consider a lasting
disgrace? To show by your pres
ence,, your pleasure, your money,
encouragement to these traveling
cess pools, is to very nearly ally your-,
self to them in principle. It is cer
tainly making “yourself partakers
of others’ sins.” Though not a Chris
tian, do* you uot value parity of
heart and character? Then frown
dowu those of “easy virtue,” whether
found in the purlieus of your towns
and cities, or in the mingled herd
of menageries and circuses.
Then think of the waste of money.
None will contend that any one is
benefitted by attendant; upon a
circus* Admit that if is possible to
touch pitch and yet not be blackened,
the .misdirected uso of our money in
these times of want and suffering
is of itself a sin.
Robinson publishes that in Win
chester alone he took in over #3,000.
The two'circuses theu iu this valley,
at a moderate estimate, took iu and
carried ofi at least #20,000. And
this, too, from a people who have
been stripped of their property, and
spoiled of their wealth! A people
who have dead and crippled living
heroes appealing to them not to for
get their past services and sacri
fices; the one demanding a monument,
simple but lasting, to preserve his
memory to his childrcu and country
men, the other asking ns to provide
him with a scanty support, which in
consequ ace of mangled limbs he is
no longer able to secure. The widows
and children of our deceased country
men are i reduced to beggary and
want, and in mute eloquence demand
at our hands some grateful recogni
tion of the services of their buried
husbauds and fathers. Bat for these
we have nothiug to spare. We al
most grow impatient; at the bare
at the endless calls made opou onr
purse. Bnt iu the face of this sacred
duty, so criminally neglected, * we
cau i>our our wealth by the thous
and, iuto the hands of circns pro
prietors, and think we have done no
wrpug. O' shame! whore is thy
blush ?
Will not God visit,, with a lash
more smarting than that just re
moved, a people who eat* thus rob
those who have the highest claims
upon their liberal and cheerful sup
port? If, after our dead are deceutly
cared for, our living maimed and de
pendent, fed and clothed and sheltered,
and our dismantled and burnt church
es replaced, there is surplus funds to
divert to a chauuel from which there
cau be uo possible .retuni, meu
choose to si>oud It in this way, there
will then be somo excuse ; till then,
we feel it to be a sin of no tommon
enormity. .< M.
For the Lutheran Visitor.
- Synodical Resolutions.
We are beginning to hear com
plaints, “loud nnd deem” coming np
from every quarter of tlie church, to
the effect that many of our Syodieal
resolutions are “merer sound, signify
ing nothing.” There is reason for
complaiut, and it is high time that
there should be a 'reformation inau
gurated in the matter; Finding upon
the record, in these latter days, that
one of our Synods bns Jtesolred.to do a
certain thing can uot safely bo ac
ceptcd as a guarruutec that the
thing -will bo done. But why not ?
Examine those resolutions, and you
will generally find them to lie, in
themselves, excellent—giviug evi
dence of earnestness, practical seuse,
and a projier appreciation of the
church's w^nts, on the part of those
who frame and adopt them. Listen
to the discussions upon them on the
floor of the Synod, prior to their
adoption, and, utiless you are what
is vulgarh and irreverently called
“an old stager” in the Syuodical
harness, you will be charmed with the
energy, the enthusiasm, the detenuf
nation, with which the brethren are
coming up to their work, and you
feel as though the cluycb ought to be
heartily congratulated ou the pros
pect of tho immediate dawning of a
brighter day.
But ask about these same resolu
tions a year or two later, and bow
often is it the ease that you find
them to have been but a dead letter
-the minutes their tomb! -
ly, and jou.can not admit that yonr
first judgment concerning them was
incorrect. They still seem to be the
very thing for the juncture which
called then) forth. They express in
good,' stroiig English, that which
was neither unimportant nor imprac
ticable. VVhy then was little or
nothing accomplished by them ? Was
it because resolutions upon paper,
table moral character! \ ou do uoj^ .however good, can do nothing of
believe they are. \ou have no itlea themselves, and because the brethren
having exhausted, as it would seem,
all their euthusiasm and energy in
merely framing, discussing, and
adoptiug them, there was no power
left in the church to give them force
and efficiency*? If so, would it not
lx* well for us and for the chnrch to re
member that fact in the future? If only
onr resolutions once made, recorded,
and printed, execute themselves, onr
various church interests, no doubt,
wonld go forward very satisfactorily
indeed. Bat as that can not lie, as
any rational person can sec at a
glance, . we respectfully submit,
whether if would not be wise for us,
in our Synodical conventions, to hus
band our spirit and strength a little,
so that instead of spending them
altogether in the making of resolu
;ions, something might be reserved
for carrying them out after we get
lome ? Even if the division of
abor were so made that a little more
of effort should be given to executing
than to making reaolutious, we do
not believe that the chnroh at large
would lose by the rtrraugcmcut.
Seriously, we are, to make use of
a houiely but forcible figure, (origi
nating, we believe, among our Meth
odist brethren,) something like
chunks of wood, more or less ignited.
When brought together, as m Synod
ical conclave, and blown upon by
;he breath of eloquent exhortation,
we are soou all ablaze with devotion
to the church, and straightway re
solve great things on her behalf. Bnt
iow hard it is for ns, after our separ
ation, to maintain in any good meas
ure the warmth which glowed in our
bosoms prior to the Synod’s adjourn
ment ! Some of ns honestly try
sometimes, no doubt, each in his
own field of labor, to keep up a little
□dependent blaze, and to fire the
learta of our people with interest
in and zeal for tho general enterprises
of the chttrch, bnt then some cranky
church member, i>erhaps a member
of the k Church Council, takes a notion
that we are getting a little tyo ar
dent in certain directions, and that
it is his duty to throw a little cold
water on onr efforts, and how grace
fully the flame flickers! how speedily
up to the next Synod for the annual
blowing.
Now tho dopjpgable results of this
sort of work so promptly suggest
themselves to every sensible, reflect
ing mau, that they need uot be very
particularly pointed out. It It a way
of doiug thiugs which cau be pro
ductive only of evil, and that oon
tinually, both t! the ministry and to
tfco church at large.
It is sadly demoralizing to the
character of the individual minister.
It makes him a party to “promises
made, but never kept.” ' Weakens in
him the sonse of obligation to keep
his word. Accustoms him to look
upon the violation of pledges made
in Synod with growing indifference;
and familiarizes him to a voluntary
assumption of responsibilities, after-
went to be disregarded, which may
not always be confined to his mere
Syuodical relations. Fanlis descen-
SUM, &C.
It introduce! among our uiibistera
a lamentablejtrnut of confidence in
oue anotbw;A want of confidence
which,ou the.*#!* hand, is very dis
couraging, sometimes almost paralys
ing, to the effiarts of those w ho are
disposed faiththlly to act upon the
resolutions they have helped to make
—and which, on the other baud, those
who are careless in dnt^, make to
serve as au excuse, at least to their
own coincietioes, for their failures to
do what Synod has enjoined.
It brings onr Synodical bodies as
such, nud our ministers as men, iuto
disrepute with our people. The
members of our churches soou learn
that in our couveutions, saying is one
thing, aud doing quite u different
thing. Settling down iuto the cou-
victiou that onr annual discussions
aud resolutions are, for the most part,
“all talk aud no cider,” they fail to
expect lunch Qpetn our deliberations
and decisions, lose interest in the en
terprises wo have in hand, and be
come careless in many instances as
to the sort of delegates they send
up to the Synod, or as to whether
they have a Lay representation there
at all. Bo that at last there is, at
least, ooui|taratfve failure aud all
around—a want of confidence,! a
want of earnestness, a want of sys
tem, a want of prayerful, self-deny
ing, laborious devotion to the
cliarch’s interests, under which our
Zion sadly langaisbc* iu this South
ern land, aud seems vainly to be
sighing for the day when she may
A,
garment of praise for the spirit of
heaviness.”
Brethren, shall this state of things
continue among ns ? Slmil the future
of our Synods be no improvement
npou their jiasf ? Shall we permit
the evils here hinted at to go ou in
creasing iti number add magnitude
to the end ? With God's blessing
We can easily change thht which is
fast makiug the worthlessness of
Synodical resolutions proverbial
among us; aud if we would advance'
the church’s interests, aud prove
faithful to that which link lieen com
mitted to us, we must chajngc it. We
are glad to know that thi# is the firm
conviction and solemn determination
of many of our brethreu. ITere and
there we begin to see chiering signs
of a growing efficiency in our Syn
ods. Let the good work |jo on. Let
ns who are ministers ctiljtivaty more
assiduously than ever Christian affec
tion, courtesy and confidence, in our
intercourse with one nnother. I<et ns
earnestly seek to exercise caution
and practical sense iu ouf legislation
for the church, and prayerfully strive
to rae£t all tlx* obligations which
that legislation imposes u|hiii ns.
Let our churches recognize more
folly the importance of sending their
very best men to-represent them in
onr Synodical Conventions—men of
sincere piety, mCu of known business
capacity and experience, then of posi
tion aud fnflnedbe in their respective
congregations—men who Will actively
and intelligently co-oi>eralto with tho
ministry in devising and carrying
out such measure's as the (OteceHsful
prosecution of the gfeat work in
which we are eilgaged may demand,
aud give over the suicidal policy of
sending only those who can' most
conveniently go, regardless of their
fitness. Let such laymen, when
chosen, endeavor faithfully to do
whnt the church asks at their hands,
even though a little sacrifice of time
and money be involved in it. fin a
word, let all of fts, ministers and toy
men, prayerfully seek to take advan
tage of every opportunity, and to
use all the means within our po'We*,
for advancing the interests of our
For the Lutheran Vidtor.
lews Churches.
A friend has placed in our hauds
a letter received from one of bis
members, who is now on a visit to
the “far West” It eutertaioed us,
and will doubtlessly also interest not
a few of our readers:
■ ", Iowa, Aug. 18, 1872.
Of religious matters I cau uot
give you a perfect accouut, not
having had a loug enough expe
rience here. One thing, however,
1 know, this community is very re
ligious. Hie people here are gen
erally Catholics, or, to speak cor
roctly, “Romanists;” and they are
very strict in observing days, fasts,
ceremonies, etc. Borne of them
would not for their life cat meat
on Friday, but they drink “lager” or
brandy till they reel, aud think
tlit iuselvea awfully. holy. It is re
ported that the priest himself got
snoozy on the Fourth of July. I
myself heard him announce from
the pulpit the manner in which the
Fourth was to be celebrated, aud
that they would have beer on the
occasiou. Upon the whole, however,
he is said to be a better mau thau
his immediate predecessor, who they
say was a regular soapstick. Be
fore the preseut priest came, the
Catholic beer saloons, and of course
grogshops, were regularly open ou
Suuday, aud debauchery worse ou
that than any other day. The pres
cut priest has stopped this profaua
tion. It is still not uucommon here
to some to slip^around to back doors,
aud after awhile to come out the
same way, bnt not in the same con
dition. Another very religious or
irreligious practice is to carry pro
duce to market ou Sunday on the
same trip they are making to church.
It is a common thing to see a woman
with hew book of worship and a bas
ket of eggs at the same time ou
Sunday on her way to church.
In chnrch, however, very strict
rules are observed. Some of these
commend, themselves to Protestauts
even, while others seem ludicrous.
One custom, I think, might be ob
served by Protestants to their credit
as worshipers of Jehovah; many
here, when they enter church, kneel
down as soou as they get to their
scats, and appear to s{x*nd a brief
time in sihuit devotion. This is as
suredly uot unbecoming to any chris-
tiau. But they also have a custom
of bowing at every move they make,
vutumg m, gtMug mmm, or jming
from ouc place to another, they al
ways first fe bow to something; wheth
er it is to the image of Mary, or the
Saviour, or some saiut, I do not
know, for they have so many im-
ages, pictures anil ornaments, that
it would take a loug time to learn to
know all of t)icm. I saw one hang
ing above the pulpit on the wall. It
was about the size of a common
doll. baby. I did not know what it
represented, until the priest in his
sermon, admonishing his hearers to
follow Jesus, turned to the image,
took It down, and holdiug it out
wards, to the congregation said, “fol
low him.” Then I knew that the im
age represented Jesns. Now this
worship of I can not under
stand. • Flow can a true worshiper of
God bow down to any image when
he is told so plainly not to bow to
any ,likeness of anything, either in
heaven, or on earth, or under the
earth ? But these people even ren
der to man the reverence which
alone belongs to God. When St.
John wan about to bow down to the
angel, the latter said: “Do it not,
for I also am one of thy tellow-ser-
vauts.” Yet these ix*ople actually
pay that homage to the priest which
belongs to God alone. There is an
Irish lady living within a few rods
of onr honse. She is otherwise not
very ignorant, and wants to be con-
sidered as good, or rather better,
than the common class of people
about here, yet I am told that she
actually, when meeting the priest in
the street a few days ago, got down
on her knees to honor or worship
hitu.
To tell you of all the maneuvering,
mumming, siuging, tolling, robing,
and nnrobing with golden raiments
and other gowns, is'more than I can
detail. You have probably seen
such things yourself, as they are
common to all Roman tots.
One thing 1 noticed uncommon to
other chnrehes. The communion
was given to a single member. They
do -not appoint regular communion
meetings, at which all the members
meet anil commune together; hut
when n member wishes to commune,
household or denomination near here.
There is aximall church between this
and 8 that I noticed on my way
out, which I was told was a Lutti-
cran church; but all thftt 1 know
about it is, that the members are
Germans. There is a German Meth
odist chnrch not for from here to
which I have been several times.
The last time they had communion,
I was very much pleased, for it ap
peared so mucb like our own meet
ings, that there were bnt two differ
ences ; the communicants knelt
around the altar, and the language
was all German.”
beloved Zion, for it is utterly vain to 1** to *h« makes it known to the
look for God’s blessing ahd help an-1 priest, and receives It alone. You
less we are faithfully striving to help
ourselves. Let us to steadfast, im
movable, always abounding in the
work of the Lotd, and wo shall soon
know from the blessed and abiding
results, that onr labor is not in vain
in the Lord.
• • •
Rev. A. J. W#ddell, of Morristown,
Pa., has declined the call extended
mention of their wants, and complain it dies away!—aud we smoulder on i to hiui by the Lntherau
again in the old way, while we go | Winchester, Ya,
church of
of coarse know he only gives tho
bread, and drinks the wine him-
seif. *'
I have toen to other chnrehes
since here, bnt they being Protes
tants I saw nothing very remarka
ble. In the Presbyterian there is a
considerable difference from us in
giving the bread and wiue; two lay
members carry both around through
tho house to the communicants. I
do not know of any of our own
For the Lutheran Visitor.
ADDBJS8S
Delivered before the Sabbath school of
the Wentworth Street Lutheran
Church, Charleston S. CL, at the
monthly concert, SAugust 4th, 1872,
by Captain D. 0. Wayne—a . Vet-
• trymdn of the church.
Beloved Children, Teachers,
and Officers Tu response to the
solicitation of your devoted Super
intendent, and I trust from lore to
the Savior, and also the tender lambs
of HU flock, again I appear before
you to raise my feeble voice, aud con
tribute niy mite to the Sabbath
school. On this occasiou.I trill tell
you something about two young mee
who lived many years ago. aud the
story of whose lives U most interest
ing, especially so, because all that I
may tell you about them is true. . 1
hope you will pay dose attention to
all I say to you, and may God bless
wliat may be said.
Away down the loug aisles of the
oeuturies, there lived two remarkable
young men. They were from entirely
different stations, in .life. Oue of
them was the sou of a great king,
who -swayed the sceptre over a
mighty nation, “achosen people,” and
his son was reared in laxary and
splendor. His companions and asso
ciates were the scions of royality,
the elite of the kingdom. He was a
captain under his royal father, and
had com maud of one thousand meu;
was a mau of great personal bravery,
having distingushed himself in seve
ral bloody battles, and was at last
killed in battle, as also were his'two
brothers; and his royal father was
sorely wounded, and fell upon his
own sword and pat an end to his
life. Tims iierished the king and
his three sons in oue battle. The
youug man about whom 1 am speak
ing possessed many uoble traits of
character, and prominent among
in ‘ ii ..i. au» s .it i >nl
friendship to the other youug mau,
(about whom I will speak to yon di-
reetly.) For be perilled his own life,
and incurred the fierce anger of
his father, in order that he might give
timely warning to his young friend,
and thereby enable him to flee from
the vengeance oi htoiufuriated father,
the king, who hud sworn to take the
young man's life. My little boys aud
girls, is uot this a uoble 8|»ectacle,
a charming aud most toantifol char
acter ; one to admire, to love,- to imi
tate. How few could now to found
who wonld encounter a father’s an
ger, and peril. their life to save a
friend. The sacred narative tells us
that so great was his love for his
friend, that “his soul was knit with
the soul of his frieud,” that he loved
him as his own soul, that l^e stripped
himself of the robe that whs upon
him, and gave it to his friend, and
his garments, even to his sword, and
to his bow, aud to his girdle. Now
who among these boys wonld give
their friend his bow and arrow, or
his kite, or his little boat, or his little
chest of tools ? aud who among
these dear little girls wonld give her
frieud her pretty dress, her pretty
bonnet, her beautiful doll, her haud-
some work box, bet lovely reticule,
her splcudid musical box! The ex
ample of devoted friendship of this
noble yo.uug man is worthy of irnita-.
tion by all who hear me.
I will now tell you about the other
young man. His parentage was hum
ble, his father a shepherd or a farmer,
his sou a shepherd’s boy, whose duty
it was. to take care of his father's
flocks, to I coil them to green pastures,
to defeud them from ferocious wild
beasts. It was a pursuit which re
quired great presence of mind iu
time of danger, real-courage, un
daunted bravery. For we are told
that on one occasiou he slew a lion
and a bear, aud delivered the lamb.
He had no rifle with which he could
shoot the lion and the bear, but he
caught him by the beard and sinoie
him, aud slew him. It was a fierce
encounter, one which would have ap
palled less stonter hearts. He. at
tributed his success in the fearful
struggle wholly to the Lord, and to
Him ascribed his deliverance. What
an exampla to all who hear me. We
generally take all the praise and
credit ourselves.
1, * « r . •
Not very long after his fight.'with
the lion aud bear, there came to war
against his nation a powerful neigh
boring uation, and they bad iu their
army a mighty man, a great giant,
aud day after day this giaut defied
*the armies of the living God, for
forty days; and all the men of war
were afraid to go out ani fight with
I.
or against him. All this time the
young man wqa tending faU fother’i
sheep; three of his toother* hag
joined the king’s army, and one <w
his father sent him with provisisat
for his brothers, and cheeses for
captains of thousands. He was a du
tiful son, and promptly obeyed Ms
father, and went to the eamp «fhi*
king’s army. As soon as he arrived *
be was told about this great gt am
who daily defied hit people, tani^f
whom they wees poee oftafcL a* u
once determined to fight the giaot
although be was but a youth. Ta
king told him he was not able to
fight this giant, but bis trust was h»
the Lord. The king then put on him
his own armor. The yonng man did
not like -his equipments, and pat
them oft Then be took bis staff j,,'
his baud, chose him five smooth
stones out of the brook, put them is '
his shepherd’s bag which he had, sad
his sling was la his hand. Thus
armed he went out to fight the giant.
The giant came on and drew near
unto the yocng man, and when he
saw him he looked opoo him dix
danfnlly, and the giant said to him,!
“Am I a dog that then comest to tat
with the staves?” and he cursed him
by his gods. He then tried to tern
fy the young man,'and said to him,
“Gome to me, and I will give thy flesh
to the fowls of the air, ahd to the
toasts of the told.” The yonng man
undaunted, replied to him, “I ootne
to tbiv in the name of the Lord of
Hosts, Li! f the armies of Israel
whom thou b.ist defied. This (lay
wili the Lord deliver thee into atiae
hand, aud i wifi smite thee, and take
thine head front thee.”. Then the gi
ant arose, and drew nigh to meet the j
yonng man, and he banned and ras
toward the army to meet the giant;
he then put his hand io hte bag, took
thence a stone and slang it, and smote
the giant in bis forehead, that the
stone sunk into it, and he foil upon
his face to the earth. Then the
yonng man ran and stood upon the
giaut, and took his sword and dev
him, and cot off his head.
After this battle the king took the
heroic young man to live with him.
and placed him over the men of
war.
I could tell you a great deal more
about this young man, bnt have not
the time. I wish you to read the
1st and 2d books of Samuel, and tell
me the names of these young ineS.
I cannot forbear to speak of the noble
character of this yonng man. He
wan uniV**salty tmtrrxA fcjr Stim
people. His affection for bis friend,
the king’s son, was deep-seated, an
cere, holy. When the king and h»
son were slain in battle, he lamented
for them in language touching!)
beautiful and affecting: “The beantj
of Israel is slain npon thy high
places: how are the mighty fallen.
I am distressed for thee my brother;
very pleasant hast thon been unto
fFi:<
jhbSE
hi
r
me; thy love to me was wonderful,
surpassing the love of woman. - How
are the mighty fallen, and the,
weapons of war perished.”
You will see from the brief history
I have given you, that indeed they
were remarkable youi^ men. The
yonng mau who fought and slew the
giant was made king over his nation
and ruled in righteousness. From
him descended the Saviour.: Both of
them were types of the Baviour. We
learn from the history of these young
men what can be. accomplished by
firm, unshaken trust in God. Yo«
will be able to accomplish what U
seemingly impossible—day giants,
gaiu distinguished positions in the
world, and become blessings to yemr
fellow meu. May God incline you
to study the lovely characters of
these youiig men, and induce yon to
imitate them, and love Him and His
word.
“One there is, above all others,
Who deserves the name of Friend,
His is love beyond a brother’s,
Costly, free, dud knows no cod.
They who once his kindness prove.
Find it everlasting love.”
For the Lutheran Visitor.
The Lutheran Almanac.
Being again engaged tu compiling
“The Lutheran Almanac,” aud feel
iug very desirous of arriving at *f
great a degree of accuracy as ihissj
bio, I shall be greatly obliged toeB
secretaries of Lutheran Synods i«
our country, if £hey will send me, fo
the 2oth of the present month, a copy
of their respective minutes; or H
these are not yet printed, D letter
stating the number of ministers,
congregations, and the names and
residence!* of new ministers. As?
corrections of the Clerical Register
or other intelligence will be thank
fully received. ' **• v ’|jjj
M. Shkklkiuh,
White marsh, Montgomery Co., F*-
lo Erect Churches.—The Baptist*
arc engaged in raising a fond
#500,000 to aid new congregations !t!
the erection of new houses of
ship. Over #300,000 have airesdv
been secured, aud three tuore.#23»
000 subscriptions and a general «*$jj
lection iu all the churches will tnsk*
np the entire half million.
JJ, BUfiisjj
were coat* ii|
The mtyi
from a*>u!
bis fieM
tit ay his wifj
drowned in
Death had
' of los e w
together,
child, did In
mother** pi;
n A to the hoi
*Se took ev<
long walks
inhabited di
tihe neoessar,
and herself
nortfcfifasqd
roads; we ver
ure to set
her hand,
Her dress wij
woven ami
bauds ; a re
buckle,
feet were cLi
high heels;
ingij ‘«ad<
snow which
ly melted,
the snow, w]
foot, and da z
ed to the p
tains along
companion
seooe of k'Bi
duties often I
daughter aloj
assay.
During oi
joornejs, sin
^of a foil
tain, or from
glare of the
was failing
seemed to in
V gray and hah
it .Was as
shaped mot hi
air wherever]
and she coulj
AkUJ oUififct W.j
of cobwebs
The gray v<
, heavier, and
, from a long a|
| his daughter
The aged u
ajourney to
his moans; I
-as possible, ai
passed, to, and
with bin daugl
fectly blind,
to see .the i£ij
exposure had
of his daughtl
aud bright ey<
both. ‘ Fathi-i I
the oapiul of |
cult and foti<
months; bui
strength too ni
down with sic
arrived, anil
poor blind gir]
hor father. 8!
% entirely forsa!
l'erfbct strait]
a state ©f gre:j
Lfska was oue
.she now'expei
tat and “fors;,!
God was a vci]
greatest trouble
rough wavs
& v en before si
**ntiment of I
tent fever tool
of her great k
kept off the d«?|]
erwiac might h\
and when at
« scionsuess, a u]
Whispered gent I
n it h friends."
true I'rieuds, u
the «uknown
found at death j
house, where
A VOU]
l he keeper of tl
in, had t i|
n <** to h is u )
ireful „„ rsin
skill, had|
blessing, be*u i,
her life* Mighty
a «»y since th<
of mourning foj
light of hi
s| gi»e<i‘lj£ r to a
'stenoe. oijjy
• (o her on,
• Vo “ yon lov,
V daughter.
£ fi, ' W Pl«,
I 1 no “ore, 1Ui
v r J old now,
because
***** (bum,
" ttbr »ced her
v
Si. - -
V
K