Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 18, 1859
THE SABBATH DISCUSSION.
By J. H. W.
STEPHENSON, CHOWN AND REPORTER.
BRO. SMITH: By the kindness of a friend I have just been favored with Review No. 10, containing your remarks on what purports to be a report of the discussion at Crane's Grove, Ills. I have examined this publication, which shows that I was fully justified in protesting against their report, which I did in the tent. The reporter, (!) as he claims to be in the pamphlet, publicly announced that he was not an experienced reporter, and could not give a verbatim report, and Mr. Stephenson said they were all taking notes, and should revise his report by their notes. A glance at the book will satisfy any one that they have done this, evidently to their own satisfaction.
Under the circumstances it was supposed by my friends, and so expressed, that it would be necessary to review and expose their course in regard to this report. But on reading the book my mind is entirely changed. They have so far overdone the matter that it must be its own antidote in the hands of every honest, candid reader.
In the Preface it is recommended as a correct report; and one reason for their so judging is that it so nearly corresponds with Eld. Chown's report from his notes! As Mr. S. is fond of logic we will state his reason here in a logical form. Thus: Eld. Chown took notes: the report agrees with Eld. Chown's notes: hence, the report is right! This is according to what Mr. S. said: they depended on their notes more than on the reporter.
Notes are only expected to gather some of the sentiments. A Report is designed to record the expression. Therefore a report that has to be corrected or judged by notes is no report at all. But another query arises. Was Eld. Chown competent to take notes? The following facts may cast light on this:
Joseph Marsh and J. M. Stephenson have had a discussion in the Expositor on the pre-requisites of Baptism. This paper discussion was drawn out by Mr. Marsh's declining to publish a report of a Western Conference, in which a resolution had been passed on that subject. Of this refusal Mr. Stephenson complained, but Mr. Marsh justified himself on the ground that the report of the Conference, of which Mr. Chown was clerk, was not got up in a manner fit for publication, and he had no time to re-write communications. And then to show the groundlessness of Mr. S.'s complaint, he states that the same objection existed against Mr. Chown's report of the debate; that it was not fit for publication, and that Mr. Stephenson himself prepared Eld. Chown's report for publication in the Expositor! No wonder Mr. Stephenson recommends Mr. Chown's report, and notices its harmony with the other. Having revised and corrected both of them, if they do not agree, it cannot be his fault!
Your remarks in regard to the amount of matter reported are correct. A teacher of phonography followed me a while last winter on the same subject. He said I spoke about two hundred words per minute, and said also that no one could report for me but an experienced reporter, and one being in practice; as I spoke rapidly and with little or no recapitulation or repetition. I open this book at random and find a speech purporting to be of half an hour, containing 1257 words. I turn to another and it contains 1161—about six minutes' speaking! Two sentences in the last read as follows: "But if he uses it to show there's a force in using it also to show"
But if this calculation be objected to we will look at it from their side, that is, allowing their claims to be just, that it is in the main a faithful report. Here is nearly a full report of a thirty minutes' speech containing 1200 words, just forty words per minute! and yet the Reporter declared we both spoke too rapidly to be reported. A good writer may nearly reach that number in common long-hand, and a moderate practice of the corresponding style of phonography will overrun it. But if I did not speak over fifty words per minute, why these broken sentences? One of two things is certainly true—either the pretended report does not give one third of the amount spoken, or else the pretended reporter cannot write in phonography much faster than I can write in long-hand. They may take either side, but either side will utterly condemn the book.
In another place I am represented as referring to the Apostle Daniel 15th chapter! On one page I count about eleven broken sentences. Now to compress a speech of thirty minutes into eight or ten is bad enough if the given sentences were given correctly, but to compress it thus by clipping the sentences, and giving them by halves is an imposition. I here speak only of those sentences marked as broken, or unfinished. Besides these there are found in almost every paragraph sentences with a word or words omitted, so as to leave them without any force whatever, and in many instances to entirely change their meaning. This is the general character of the book. I will notice a few instances to show the truth of my remarks:
On page 14 I am reported as having said: "Exodus 34th, &c. It is a sign and a peculiar sign, especially to that people."
This expression is exactly the opposite of what I was endeavoring to show by the scriptures. Mr. S. had asserted that as a sign it was peculiar to that people. See page 12. I compared Ex. xxxi, (not "Ex. 34th,") with Gen. ii, and Ex. xx, to show that it was a sign because God rested on it when he made all things, and therefore was not peculiar to that people. The reporter being only able to catch part of the sentence re-constructed it according to the words he had taken without regard to the sense of the argument. And the revisers knew that I never put forth the above declaration. And this is true of other passages, literally "too numerous to mention."
The above quotation stands between two explanatory, or rather apologetic notes of the reporter. The first is this. ["Here the 14th chap. of Deut. is referred to, but I cannot see the application made of any passage taken from it.—Reporter."] This shows that in his haste he took down the passage he supposed I referred to, but failed to take my remark; but as he was mistaken in the passage he was not able to construct any report. Deut. xiv was not referred to, but Deut. iv, doubtless was.
After the above quoted sentence, is the following note: "[I cannot exactly get the connection of the passages here referred to, with the remarks made upon them. The verse is omitted and I am not at liberty to supply it.—Reporter.]" The "passages referred to" were, as before stated, Gen. ii; Ex. xx; and xxxi; to show that the seventh day was the Sabbath of the Lord, made at creation, and the Creator's sign or memorial. What idea can the reader get of my argument from such a report as the above? None whatever.
Our views in regard to the unity and completeness of the decalogue are too well known to need notice here. That it was a law is shown in Ex. xxiv, 12. That it, the law, was the ten commandments is shown by comparing the above with Ex. xix, xx; Deut. iv, 12, 13, &c. And I think I have never failed in speaking or writing on this point, to make myself understood. Let us now look at the report of this argument as follows:
"Exodus xxiv chap., 12th verse. Here God was going to call Moses up into the mount that he might give him a law. Then in Deut. iv chap. 12th and 13th verses. Now Moses is here referring back to past events,"—"saw no similitude, only ye heard a voice,"—"and mount sinai was altogether in smoke, &c., &c." Here was the burning of the mount that Moses referred to, "I am the Lord thy God, &c." The mountain burned with fire, &c. "[This is a jumble of quotations and remarks that I can't see head nor tail to! Guess he was trying to find something, and so kept reading and talking alternately to fill up the time.—Reporter.]"
This charitable comment98will be viewed in its true light, especially by those who, remembering the point in question, are aware of the fact that I could give the chapter and verse and repeat from memory every passage referring to the subject. The reporter shows himself in no enviable light. And this is the general course adopted by the publishers and reporter of this work. In the report of my speeches, there is an abundance of long dashes and unfinished sentences, as high as eleven on one page, with frequent sneering remarks by the reporter. On the contrary in one of Mr. Stephenson's speeches is the following:
"[Here Mr. Stephenson got to talking in double quick time, or at the rate of about two hundred words a minute, and therefore the report is imperfect, for which I am sorry.—Reporter.]"
No doubt his grief is deep; but notwithstanding its imperfection and the reporter's commiseration, not a dash or broken sentence is found in the whole speech!
I have stated that Mr. Stephenson, in that discussion, took new and unwarrantable positions; but I find that many of them were only used for that occasion—they do not appear in the book. Their omission, of course, would not be detected by the reader, inasmuch as my speeches are not reported. No one could tell by the pamphlet that he had explicitly declared that he would not be bound by any dictionary in the world. I will only call attention to an instance on page 92, in the "twenty-fourth speech." In this speech as spoken, he affirmed that "the law of sin and death," [Rom. viii, 2,] was the law of the ten commandments. He commented to show that that was the sense of the apostle's argument. He said that my argument tended to the same conclusion, and that Bro. Andrews considered it so in his pamphlet on the law. Bro. Andrews whispered to me that he should correct it. I advised him to produce the book and have Stephenson himself correct it, which he did. Of course his flourish over this "plain fact" looked rather silly when he had to confess there was nothing of it. I read Paul to show that the law of sin and death was the law in his members warring against the law of God. The following is the report of that matter:
"Look at his text in Romans by which he proves that the law of which Paul treats was the ten commandments.—When a thing is plainly stated it may not be gainsayed, viii, 2d. Once I was troubled to harmonize this with grammar. I happened to find Bro. Andrews' work and it threw some new light upon this point. The law of death and life are two different things. The wife of a man and the man whose wife she is, are two different things."
The reported speech then passes on to 2 Cor. without noticing the position he took in his spoken speech! and without intimating that he had to confess his misrepresentation.
But enough. To show all its falsities, would be to take it up page by page. But I do not feel that we have any reason to fear its influence, or even to regret that it is what it is. Seeing they have undertaken to get up a work of misrepresentation and falsehood, it is better for the cause of truth, which it is designed to oppose, that it should be so glaring as to expose its authors. In this respect it is complete.
I have noticed it at greater length than I intended, certainly greater than it deserves. And here I take leave of it, a final leave, I trust, unless my brethren shall think advisable to further expose it at a future time.
I cannot forbear the remark that we have learned a lesson in regard to the spirit and disposition of our opponents, in this matter. All can now see that nothing is too base for them to resort to in opposition to the truth; and that we cannot longer look for fairness or honesty from that source. It evidently becomes us to steadily adhere to and advocate the truth without any regard to their boastings or their falsehoods.
J. H. W.
Wauseon, Ohio, Aug. 10th, 1859.
THE GOLDEN RULE.
In the bustle of life, when the truth of the heart
Is tried by a selfish control,
Where, where is a refuge to shield and impart,
True light to a heaven-born soul?
Oh! pause not to ask what the wisest would do;
Their wisdom ne'er found such a gem;—
"All things that ye would men should do unto you,
Do ye even so unto them."—
UPON THIS ROCK I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH.
By Francis Gould
AND the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Luke xvi, 18. Men are generally wiser in things concerning this life than they are in things relative to eternal life; or "the children of this world in their generation are wiser than the children of light."
If a person wishes to build a house he is particular to seek out or prepare a solid foundation to build upon; knowing that if he builds upon a sandy foundation it will soon be demolished by the floods and tempests that so often sweep over the land. The question often arises in my mind why men are not more wise in "laying up in store a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life." Certainly if we cherish a false hope, if we take the traditions of men for our guide, if we enter not in by the door into the sheep-fold, but seek to climb up some other way, we are denominated thieves and robbers.
It is all-important that we build upon the rock; for other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1 Cor. iii, 11. Says one, There are so many different doctrines and sentiments advanced at the present day for truth, that I hardly know what truth is or what to believe; but this is a poor excuse. God has spread out before us ample means by which we may know and understand the truth. Says the psalmist, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."
Again, hear the words of the apostle. Now therefore we are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God. And are built upon the foundation of the apostles, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone. Eph. ii, 19, 20. The principles of Jesus Christ as taught by himself and his holy apostles, constitute the rock for the church to build upon. Christ was all and in all to the church in ancient days. The children of Israel were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud, and in the sea; and did all eat the same spiritual meat, and did all drink the same spiritual drink; (for they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them; and that rock was Christ.) 1 Cor. x, 2–4.
He was with the three worthies in the fiery furnace, to strengthen and comfort them in their tribulation, and is a rock to both houses of Israel. Notwithstanding they as a nation have rejected him, yet God is gathering out of them a holy nation and a peculiar people. See Isa. xxvi, 2; Zeph. ii, 1; Rev. v, 9.
Again, And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken, but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. Matt. xxi, 44. Here Christ is brought to view as performing two different offices. First, he calls on men everywhere to repent, to come to him with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, and accept salvation through the merits of his blood. Second, he puts on the garments of vengeance, "and is revealed from heaven in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." This will be strikingly fulfilled in the destruction of the metallic image. Dan. ii, 34, 35. The nations of the earth will be dashed to pieces, and become as chaff in that day; but unto the remnant church which have been gathered out, will be brought to pass the saying of Zechariah the prophet, And he shall bring forth the head stone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it. Chap. vi, 7.
Again, the text says, Upon this rock I will build my church. It is a matter of the utmost importance how we build thereon. Now if any man build upon this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; every man's work shall be made manifest; for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. 1 Cor. iii, 12, 13.
I understand that order is the first law of heaven; hence church order is indispensable. Let us look at the order that was established in the primitive church: Men were chosen to preach the gospel that were full of faith and the Holy Ghost. Notwithstanding they were ignorant, and fishermen, they were to go out without scrip or purse. To their names were attached no high-sounding titles, such as Rev. D. D. They were not confined to any particular place to preach. Sometimes it was in the ship, by the sea side, in the open field, in the highways and hedges, and in the synagogues. Compare with this the popular preaching of the present day. Churches must have an educated ministry. Ministers must have both scrip and purse, or they cannot preach. They must have a meeting-house with a high steeple, and overspread with carpets. They must be called Rev., thus calling themselves by God's name, ("for holy and reverend is his name,") and breaking the third commandment by taking the name of the Lord in vain.
Are there any at the present day who walk in the primitive paths? I have thought much of late of those who are proclaiming the present truth, who have gone forth into the highways and hedges, leaving their homes and their families, sacrificing their all, subjecting themselves to different climates, while crossing over the bleak hills of New England, or traversing the broad prairies of West, and sometimes no other quarter for the night than the green earth, and no other covering than the broad, blue expanse above. Such was the lowly condition of the blessed Pattern. Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. Luke ix, 58. But my cry still is, "Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people O Lord, and give not thy heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them."
Again: "And these signs shall follow them that believe: in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues, they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." Those gifts are being developed in the judgment church; but the ire of the dragon is stirred, and he will soon make war with the remnant of her seed which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. But there is safety in standing on the Rock of eternal truth.
FRANCIS GOULD.
East Brookfield, Vt.
THE FAMILY INSTITUTION.--MORALS OF OUR NATION.
By Joseph Clarke
"Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife, even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband."
A good deal of stress is laid, in scripture, upon the importance of the family relation. From Genesis to the Revelation allusions are made direct or indirect to this subject; and many are the rules, and warnings, and directions, with regard to this interesting and highly important connection.
In ancient times it was considered by such men as Abraham a subject of such moment as to call upon God for direction, in the choice of a companion for life.
The family relation was the first human institution of a social nature, established by Jehovah; and every other government may be considered as branching out of this; and in those countries where this institution is honored and sustained most sacredly, there is the greatest security for life and prosperity, and it may99be safely asserted that where this institution is most respected, in such locality there is peace and harmony as far as such influence can be felt.
Wherever parents understand their relation to each other, and conduct themselves in accordance with the rules laid down in the Bible, there are well-regulated families; there children learn order and harmony; there, too, is peace, love and union; no domestic broils, because where parents are one, their influence is felt, their commands obeyed, by their household.
But strike at the foundations of the family relation and all is disorder throughout the circle. From every quarter there is confusion. Let the band of union be sundered by division, no matter how slight, or how unobserved by the great world, that moment Satan takes his seat there, and generally he is quite successful in his plans. The bonds of order begin to slacken, and when this bond of connubial affection is once broken, then follows disorder, and hatred, and every evil work.
At the present time many enter the married state as lightly and as thoughtlessly as they did in the days of Noah; and consequently when toil and affliction appear they are overcome, and either they sink down into stupid apathy, or rise in rebellion against God, (silently it is true,) but the state and workings of the heart manifest themselves in the tumults and battlings of life, in its little domestic broils, and in half-in-earnest inuendoes, or severe jokes, or habitual fault-finding, or perhaps the number of divorces and the oft-parted family, may be an index of the true state of public morals in this respect.
"Without natural affection." Of course "vile affection" has taken the place of natural affection in many instances, perhaps a majority. Witness its effects upon the state of public morals, and let those who think the picture too highly colored visit Washington, the metropolis of our nation, or any of our State capitals, and let them bear witness to the vile practices of our representatives there; and it is vain to say they do not represent our moral as well as our political character. They do not fail to give an index of the fallen character of our people.
Yes, truth, purity and fidelity are buried. Justice has hid her head; and vice stalks forth, not only tolerated, but covered with a wreath of laurels; and as the witless heathens bowed down before the image of Nebuchadnezzar, so now do the masses bow to the car of voluptuousness, which now draws its crowds of votaries, of every class, from the country hamlet to the crowded city.
Alas, it is so! No man of information will deny the facts, and that an awful crisis is at hand. Were there no prophecies and no Bible, yet men's common sense would teach them that anarchy and confusion, or monarchical despotism, must soon displace our free institutions. Yes, foresighted political men are now either retiring from public life, or drowning their better senses in vicious tastes and occupations; and politics are already only a game of chess. Alas, how has she fallen! our once comparatively happy country.
Why is all this! Is it not because our people have imbibed the manners of the old world? have abandoned the strict morals of their ancestors? because the manners of foreign cities and courts are imitated here on this free soil of America, a freedom purchased by the blood of thousands of free and noble men? and because here the habits and manners of other countries have tainted the life-blood of this republic?
Those who are acquainted with the manners of European courts, are well aware that they are subversive of every feeling of natural affection; and a false feeling is implanted of regard to forms and ceremonies called "etiquette," that does in fact almost dissolve every natural and pure emotion of the soul, and to no relation is this accursed "etiquette" more at antipodes than the most refined and delicate attentions of the parties concerned in that most important and interesting relation of matrimony.
Let legislators talk of edicts and statutes defending the family tie, what avails it, so long as the code of popular etiquette pervading all classes from Washington down to the country village, is in itself calculated to annihilate the God-implanted sensibilities of the human heart.
But in vain we lament over fallen humanity. These lines are prompted from a desire to reach some of God's people who will come out of this Babylon of vice, ere she finally totters to irretrievable ruin. And here is one of the most important points of reform.
Let the husband first love his wife, let him cherish her, regard her feelings with the tenderest care. Let him regard her character more scrupulously, if possible, than his own. In fact, let him take it in hand to make her as happy and as good as lies in his power, by kindness at all times, by patience, if her temper requires it. Next, let the wife see that she reverence her husband. Let her not reproach him, even though he may seem to deserve it. Nothing makes her more unlovely than contempt for her rightful lord. Let her honor him, and thus she will please God and man, and advance herself. If husband and wife have any controversy, let them dispose of it as quietly and thoroughly and as finally and as sweetly as possible; and let them conclude both now and forever to love mutually, and by every act and word and look and thought to win each the other by love unfeigned from day to day and from year to year. Let love increase and flow out, making thy house joyous as a river fertilizing the adjacent meadows, and so life shall be like heaven. Angels shall guard thy waking and sleeping hours. But let the temper be ruffled, the words harsh, the countenance fallen, and no one can love thee, (without a miracle), neither canst thou love whilst thou doest wrong to thy fellow. Hast thou a hard heart? Canst thou view the tear of thy companion fall at thy murmur or reproach, and not recoil at thine own baseness? Is thy heart a flint? Is thy tongue a sharp arrow? Hast thou no remorse of conscience, no relentings? Then fly to thy closet, often there plead for such love and sympathy as Jesus has. Hast thou a desire for love and peace? Then do not despair: there is a tender place in thine heart. Cultivate its best affections, and remember that thou canst not expect any thing but darkness and gloom, while thou dost unnecessarily give pain to any living creature. Especially will good angels avoid the unhappy, divided family. Come, O peace! rest in each family and heart.
JOSEPH CLARKE.
EXTRACT FROM SCOTT.
By A. C. Hudson
[Bro. Smith: It is pleasant to me to come across such passages as the following from Scott’s Practical Observations on Prov. xxviii. It is peculiarly pleasant to find them in old writers. They remind us of old paths. Though you may not deem them worthy of republication in the Review, yet I trust you will not be uninterested in reading them, they are so applicable to those of our times.]
A. C. Hudson.
“It is evident that numbers are not aware of their guilt and danger; but are either insensible through ignorance, or presumptuous through a form of godliness.’ Though they ‘turn away their ears from hearing the law,’ yet they contend for the doctrines of the gospel; they hope to be saved from hell by grace and faith, though they are not saved from sin, and this present evil world. They also attend on ordinances, and make many long prayers, though they neglect justice, truth and mercy: but such prayers are an abomination to the Lord; for they never heartily pray to be delivered from hardness and blindness of heart, hypocrisy, covetousness, and the love of the world, or to have the law of God written on their hearts. Yet alas! there are such numbers who agree in forsaking the law, and in excusing and commending each other; and they meet so many teachers of their own stamp, that they keep themselves and one another in heart and countenance: and they verily conclude, that all else in religion is needlessly strict and scrupulous. So that when such as regard the whole word of God, conscientiously keeping the commandments and walking uprightly, as well as believing the promises, and trusting the mercy of God through Christ for salvation, attempt to contend with them, and argue, ‘that without holiness no man shall see the Lord,’ they treat all their warnings with supercilious contempt, as the result of ignorance, bigotry, and a narrow mind.
“Especially those who are rich or grow rich in this cause, become ‘wise in their own conceits;’ so that ‘there is more hope of a fool than of them.’ And they despise the poor, especially when, being men of understanding, they search them out, and detect their hypocrisy and delusion. For ‘evildoers understand not judgment;’ their lusts blind them, and God sends them strong delusions to believe a lie; so that they mistake hardness of heart, vain confidence and carnal security, for gracious assurance and holy boldness. While the established believer, trusting in the Lord, and walking in the path of duty, fears no enemy or danger, but dreads always lest he should be deceived by his own heart, to dishonor God and commit iniquity; these self-deceivers treat tenderness of conscience and all jealousy of themselves as want or weakness of faith, or remains of a self-righteous spirit; and thus they harden their hearts against fears of every kind, till they fall into mischief. But true piety begins and proceeds in deep humility.”
OLD FASHIONED SUNDAY-KEEPING.
THE following article will show how Sunday was kept in England in king James’ time.
“Sunday of all days, was chosen for the ratification of peace with Spain, but the nature of the ceremonies and rejoicings was such as to exhibit an awful profanation of that holy day, illustrative of the habits of the times, and forming a fit prelude to the introduction of the book of sports, which sanctioned so shamefully the practice of Sabbath-breaking, and awakened the righteous displeasure of the English puritans.
“A most imposing pageant was exhibited by the procession in coaches and on horse-back, all the parties clothed in the most gorgeous attire. In the royal chapel various pieces of church music were performed, after which the peace was ratified by the king’s oath, on a copy of Jerome’s Latin Bible, before the Duke de Friar, constable of Spain, the ambassador. The air was rent by acclamation. Then came the grand banquet and drinking, which lasted about three hours. Meanwhile, dancing had commenced in the drawing-room, to which all had repaired. The prince of Wales opened the ball with a Spanish gallarda, and after various other dances, it closed with a correnta by the queen and lord Southampton. Upon this, from the window they had a view of an amphitheatre filled with people, where bears, the property of the king, were baited by the greyhounds; a bull running about, tossing and goring mastiffs let loose upon him, followed next; the whole scene concluding with rope-dancing and feats of horsemanship.”—Ellis' Letters, Vol. iii, p. 207; Anderson’s Annals, Vol. ii, p. 372.
Prayer.
By Dr. Huntington
THERE is much in all prayer that passes our understanding. It is the meeting-point of the seen and unseen. It is the border-land between earth and heaven. It is the contact and communion of finite beings with the Infinite. What wonder any analysis of ours should fail to unwind all its mysteries and explain all its divine economy? It is enough that wherever religious wisdom has opened its lips to teach anything, it has taught this; enough that the great body of believing men since Christ, if we may not say since the begining, have proved it: that all revelation, calmly, as by prophetic, unanxious, assured authority, promises especial blessings to it; enough that Christ, by his example and by his lessons, enjoins it: ‑If two of you on earth shall agree as touching anything they shall ask, it shall be done for them.‑ ‑For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.‑—Dr. Huntington.
Advice on Writing Concisely
WRITING FOR THE PRESS.—As a long-winded orator rose on a certain occasion to make a speech, a considerate friend at his elbow, said to him,—“Now begin in the middle of your subject and leave off before you are done.”
Write Short, Pithy Articles
leave off before you are done."
The same advice may be given to writers for the newspaper press. Give us short pithy articles, not long, prosy ones. Condense your thoughts. Go at once to your subject—let the introduction take care of itself,—and don't spin out your ideas. An article over a column in length, in these fast times—when cars behind locomotives with ten-foot driving wheels are the most popular,—are seldom read. Brief articles full of pertinent matter—these are what are in demand.
Rules for Good Conduct
“KEEP good company or none. Never be idle. If your hands cannot be usefully employed, attend to the cultivation of your mind. Always speak the truth. Make few promises. Live up to your engagements. Keep your own secrets, if you have any. Your character cannot be essentially injured except by your own acts. If any one speaks evil of you let your life be so that none will believe him.
Use Time Wisely
Make good use of time, if thou lovest eternity; yesterday cannot be recalled---to-morrow cannot be secured---to-day only is thine, which, if once lost, is lost for ever.