High altars, from which angels see Roll, Comets! and ye million Stars! Ye that through boundless nature roam; THE FLOOD AND THE ARK. ▲ HARD-SHELL METHODIST SERMON ON NATURE. In the autumn of 1830 I attended a Methodist camp-meeting in the interior of Georgia, and heard a sermon which I have never been able to forget or describe. The speaker had just been licensed, and it was his first sermon. In person he was small, bullet-headed, of a fair, sandy complexion; and his countenance was indicative of sincerity and honesty. He was taking up the Bible in regular order for the first time in his life, and had gotten as far as the history of Noah, the ark, the flood, etc. Besides, "just before his conversion, he had been reading Goldsmith's 'Animated Nater'; and the two together, by the aid and assistance of the Sperit, had led him into a powerful train of thinking as he stood at his work-bench, day in and day out." The text was: "As it was in the days of Noah, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be;" and he broke out into the following strain : "Yes, my bretherin, the heavens of the windows was opened-ah, and the floods of the g-r-e-a-t deep kivered the waters-ah: and there was Shem, and there was Ham, and there was Japhet-ah, a-1-1 a-gwine into the ark-ah. "And there was the elephant-ah, that g-r-e-a-t animal-ah of which Goldsmith describes in his 'Animated Nater'-ah, what is as big as a house-ah, and his bones as big as a treeah, depending somewhat upon the size of the tree-ah, a-l-i a-gwine into the ark-ah. And the heavens of the windows was opened-ah, and the floods of the g-r-e-a-t deep kivered the waters-ah; and there was Shem, and there was Ham, and there was Japhet-ah, a-1-1 a-gwine into the ark-ah. "And there was the hippopotamus-ah, that g-r-e-a-t animalah, of which Goldsmith describes in his 'Animated Nater' ah, what has a g-r-e-a-t horn-ah a-stickin' right straight up out of his forward-ah, six feet long, more or less-ah, depending somewhat on the length of it-ah, a-l-1 a-gwine into the ark-ah. "And there was the giraffe-ah, my bretherin, that ill-contrived reptile of which Goldsmith describes in his 'Animated Nater'-ah, whose fore-legs is twenty-five feet long-ah, more or less-ah, depending somewhat on the length of 'em-ah, and a neck so long he can eat hay off the top of a barn-ah, depending somewhat on the hithe of the barn-ah, a-1-1 a-gwine into the ark-ah. And the heavens of the windows was opened-ah, and the floods of the great deep kivered the waters-ah; and there was Ham, and there was Shem, and there was Japhet-ah, a-l-l a-gwine into the ark-ah. "And there was the zebra, my bretherin-ah, that b-e-a-ut-i-f-u-l animal of which Goldsmith describes in his 'Animated Nater'-ah, what has three hundred stripes a-runnin' right straight around his body-ah, more or less-ah, depending somewhat on the number of stripes-ah, and nary two stripes alike-ah, a-l-l a-gwine into the ark-ah. "Then there was the anaconder-ah, that g-r-e-a-t sarpint of which Goldsmith describes in his 'Animated Nater'-ah, what can swallow six oxens at a meal-ah, provided his appetite don't call for less-ah, a-1-1 a-gwine into the ark-ah. And the heavens of the windows was opened-ah, and the floods of the great deep kivered the waters-ah; and there was Shem, and there was Ham, and there was Japhet-ah, a-1-1 a-gwine into the ark-ah. "And there was the lion, bretherin-ah, what is the king of beasts, accordin' to Scripter-ah, and who, as St. Paul saysah, prowls around of a night like a roarin' devil-ah, a-seekin' if he can't catch somebody-ah; a-1-1 a-gwine into the ark-ah. "And there was the antelope-ah, my bretherin, that frisky little critter-ah, of which Goldsmith describes in his 'Animated Nater'-ah, what can jump seventy-five foot straight up-ah, and twice that distance down-ah, provided his legs will take him that far-ah, a-1-1 a-gwine into the ark-ah. And the heavens of the windows was opened-ah, and the floods of the great deep kivered the waters-ah; and there was Shem, and there was Ham, and there was Japhet-ah, a-1-1 a-gwine into the ark-ah. “But time would fail me, my bretherin, to describe all the animals that went into the ark-ah. Your patience and my strength would give out before I got half through-ah. We talk, my bretherin, about the faith of Abraham and the patience of Job-ah; but it strikes me they didn't go much ahead of old Noer-ah. It tuck a right smart chance o' both to gather up all that gopher-wood and pitch and other truck for to build that craft-ah. I am a sort of carpenter myself, and have some idea of the job-ah. But to hammer and saw and maul and split away on that one thing a hundred and twenty year-ah, an' lookin' an' lookin' for his pay in another world-ah, I tell ye, my bretherin, if the Lord had a-sot Joh at that, it's my opinion he would a-tuck his wife's advice inside of fifty year-ah. Besides, no doubt his righteous soul was vexed every day, hand runnin'-ah, with the filthy communications of the blasphemious set that was always a-loaferin' and a-saunterin' around-ah, a-pickin' up his tools and amisplacin' 'em, and a-callin' him an old fool or somethin' worse-ah. And, to clap the climax, he was a preacher, and had that ongodly gineration on his hands every Sunday-ah. But the Lord stood by him, and seed him through the jobah; and, when everything was ready, he didn't send Noer out to scrimmage an' scour and hunt all over the wide world for to git up the critters and varmints that he wanted savedah. They all came to his hand of their own accord-ah, and Noer only had to head 'em in and fix 'em .around in their places-ah. Then he gathered up his own family, and the Lord shut him in, and the heavens of the windows was opened-ah. But, my bretherin, Noer-ah had use for patience after this-ah. Think what a time he must a-had a-feedin' and a-waterin' and a-cleanin' out after sich a crowd-ah! Some of 'em, according to Goldsmith's 'Animated Nater'-ah, was carnivorious, and wanted fresh meat-ah; and some was herbivorious, and wanted vegetable food-ah; and some was wormivorious, and swallowed live things whole-ah; and he had to feed everything accordin' to his nater. Hence we view, my bretherin-ah, as the nater of the animals wasn't altered by goin' into the ark-ah, some of 'em would roar, and howl, and bark, and bray, and squeal, and blat, the whole indurin' night-ah, a-drivin' sleep from his eyes, and slumber from his eyelets-ah; and at the first streak o' daylight the last hoof of 'em would set up a noise accordin' to his nater-ah, and the bulls of Bashan wer'n't nowhar-ah. I've often wondered how their women stood it. Scripter is silent on this pint-ah; but I think I know of some that would a-been vapory and nervious under sich circumstancesah, and in an unguarded moment might a-said somethin' besides their prayers-ah. "My bretherin, one more word for old Noer-ah, and I will draw to a close-ah. After the out-beatin' time he had, first and last, for so many hundred year-ah, if he did, by accident or otherwise, take a leetle too much wine on one occasion-ah, I think less ort to a-been said about it-ah. Besides, I think he was entitled to one spree-ah, as he made the wine hisself; and accordin' to Scripter, it makes glad the heart o' man-ah. "My bretherin, as it was in the days of Noer-ah, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be-ah. The world will never be drowned agin-ah. It will be sot a-fire, and burnt up, root and branch, with a fervient heat-ah. Oh! what will wretched, ondone sinners do on that orful day-ah? They will be put to their wits' end-ah, and knock and straddle around in every direction-ah; for all at onet, my bretherinah, they will behold the heavens a-darkenin'-ah, and the seas a-roarin'-ah, the tombs a-bustin'-ah, the mountains ameltin'-ah; and everything, I think, will be in a confused and onsettled state-ah." THE YOUNG TRAMP.-CHAS. F. ADAMS. Hello, thar, stranger! Whar yer frum? We're common folks, ain't much on style; Come in and stop a little while; "Twon't do no harm ter rest yer some. Youngster, yer pale, and don't look well! No home, no friends? Naow that's too bad! Willing ter work, can't git a job, Wall, naow, that's rough, I dew declare! Ter see yer take on so, and sob. How came yer so bad off, my son? Father was killed? 'Sho'; whar? Bull Run? I shan't forgit old 'sixty-one! So yer were left in Bosting, hey! Those Bosting boys were plucky, wife, 'Twas when the "Black Horse Cavalcade" Poor feller! He was stricken dead; Why, lad! what makes yer tremble so? Ter pay his boy the debt I owe. |