1900
A school boy at a prize examination furnished the following biography of the patriarch Abraham: "He was the father of Lot, and had two wives. One was called Ishmale and the other Hagar. He kept one at home and he turned the other into the desert, where she became a pillar of salt in the daytime and a pillar of fire by night."
Cyrus Townsend Brady tells an amusing story in his "Recollections of a Missionary in the Great West" of a little boy he knew on the frontier, who belonged to a family who had trained him to believe in the deep-water form of baptism and was experimenting with the household cat and a bucket of water. The animal evidently did not believe in immersion, for she resisted, bit and scratched until finally the little boy, with his hands covered with scratches and with tears in his eyes, gave up the effort to effect the regeneration of the cat. "Dog-gone you!" he cried, "Go and be an Episcopal cat if you want to!"
1893
"Do you ever pray for the coming of the millennium, madam?" "Not much." "Why not?" "My husband is a professor in a college for the training of missionaries. When the millennium is here there will be no need of missionaries and my husband will have no occupation."
Showing posts with label 1893. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1893. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Buddha's Sacred Eyeball Kept as Relic
1893
It Is the Veritable Visible Organ of Buddha
The following on Buddha's sacred eyeball is from the pen of a traveler who visited the Orient in 1888:
"Among the sacred relics of Horluji is the veritable eyeball of Buddha. It looks like nothing else but the tiny, black, veil-boiled pearl that one so often finds in an oyster stew. This 'Eye of Buddha' is shown every day at high noon, special mass being chanted by the priests while the relic is being brought out and displayed.
"For a consideration, and for the welfare of the temple's treasury, the mass can be repeated at any hour. We sent for the old priest, who came in company with a brother whose office was that of holding a big yellow umbrella over the 'holy man's' head. First he knelt, touched a silver gong and played before a gilded shrine with closed doors and golden lotus ornaments. Next he drew from one side of the shrine a large bundle covered with a wrapping of rich old gold and red brocade and tied with silk cords. This was reverently laid on a low ornamented table near the altar. Then, with muttered chants of prayer going on all the time, the old priest untied and laid out bag after bag of brocade, each lined with some dull contrasting color and tied with silken cords. After the ninth bag had been taken out and untied, an upright box, covered with more brocade, appeared and, lifting it out, the priest opened it and produced a little rock crystal reliquary and set it upon a gilded lotus pedestal that stood near. This reliquary was shaped like the tombstones in a cemetery — a cube, a sphere and a pyramid being placed one above the other and held together with gold wire. In the hollow of the sphere lay the tiny little dingy relic, which rattled around like a pearl or pebble when the priest turned and tipped the box so that I could get a better view of the sacred object.
"He never stopped once in his muttered chant, and after a proper time had been given for me to see it to my satisfaction he replaced the relic in its ten wrappings and again consigned it to its sacred shrine."
It Is the Veritable Visible Organ of Buddha
The following on Buddha's sacred eyeball is from the pen of a traveler who visited the Orient in 1888:
"Among the sacred relics of Horluji is the veritable eyeball of Buddha. It looks like nothing else but the tiny, black, veil-boiled pearl that one so often finds in an oyster stew. This 'Eye of Buddha' is shown every day at high noon, special mass being chanted by the priests while the relic is being brought out and displayed.
"For a consideration, and for the welfare of the temple's treasury, the mass can be repeated at any hour. We sent for the old priest, who came in company with a brother whose office was that of holding a big yellow umbrella over the 'holy man's' head. First he knelt, touched a silver gong and played before a gilded shrine with closed doors and golden lotus ornaments. Next he drew from one side of the shrine a large bundle covered with a wrapping of rich old gold and red brocade and tied with silk cords. This was reverently laid on a low ornamented table near the altar. Then, with muttered chants of prayer going on all the time, the old priest untied and laid out bag after bag of brocade, each lined with some dull contrasting color and tied with silken cords. After the ninth bag had been taken out and untied, an upright box, covered with more brocade, appeared and, lifting it out, the priest opened it and produced a little rock crystal reliquary and set it upon a gilded lotus pedestal that stood near. This reliquary was shaped like the tombstones in a cemetery — a cube, a sphere and a pyramid being placed one above the other and held together with gold wire. In the hollow of the sphere lay the tiny little dingy relic, which rattled around like a pearl or pebble when the priest turned and tipped the box so that I could get a better view of the sacred object.
"He never stopped once in his muttered chant, and after a proper time had been given for me to see it to my satisfaction he replaced the relic in its ten wrappings and again consigned it to its sacred shrine."
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Detecting a Culprit
1893
The Rev. Joseph Haven, who preached in Rochester, N. H., during the last quarter of the last century, has been always remembered for his genial spirit and his inexhaustible humor. One story told of him has many parallels, but it is quite as likely to be true in his case as in any.
The boy had been guilty of some grave offense, and yet would not confess it.
"I can tell who did it," said the parson, and accordingly he called together all the boys suspected and explained to them that he had confined a rooster under a kettle in a darkened room. One after another they must pass in and touch the kettle. When the guilty boy touched it, he might expect to hear the rooster crow.
The lads filed in and out again and were made to display their fingers. All but those of one lad were sooty. He, the guilty one, had not ventured to touch the telltale kettle. — Youth's Companion.
The Rev. Joseph Haven, who preached in Rochester, N. H., during the last quarter of the last century, has been always remembered for his genial spirit and his inexhaustible humor. One story told of him has many parallels, but it is quite as likely to be true in his case as in any.
The boy had been guilty of some grave offense, and yet would not confess it.
"I can tell who did it," said the parson, and accordingly he called together all the boys suspected and explained to them that he had confined a rooster under a kettle in a darkened room. One after another they must pass in and touch the kettle. When the guilty boy touched it, he might expect to hear the rooster crow.
The lads filed in and out again and were made to display their fingers. All but those of one lad were sooty. He, the guilty one, had not ventured to touch the telltale kettle. — Youth's Companion.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Maryland Churches Doing "Great Things for God"
Maryland, 1893
A Minister's Trip in Caroline Co.
Rev. J. W. Fogle writes up his recent trip through Caroline. He says The M. E. Church at Ridgely under the faithful pastoral care of W. W. Sharp, has been visited by a gracious revival and the people are planning to do "great things for God." Subscriptions are being taken to build a much needed church which will cost about $3,000. It has never been the writer's lot to visit a more intelligent and wide awake people than live in this enterprising town.
The people of Hillsborough also share the labors of Rev. W. W. Sharp, and the revival fires have begun to burn. Several have professed having faith in Christ, and the interest generally is increasing. The M. E. Church here has had of late ample opportunity for testing the result of short term pastorates. In less than two years they have had four different pastors. But under the faithful ministry of the present pastor every interest of the church is being served and the church is taking on new life.
The pastor of Burrsville charge is Rev. J. E. Graham. Rev. Graham is an energetic, earnest man, and the interests of the church are being well served on this charge. The charge now consists of four appointments, namely: Wesley, Thawley's, White's and Sheppard's.
Thawley's has had a great revival.
The extra meeting at Wesley was good, and much interest is manifested in the general work of the church. The Epworth League there is working by the motto, "Look up, Lift up."
White's is moving on to victory in Jesus' name.
Sheppard's Church, located at the junction of the roads leading from Burrsville and Denton to Greensborough has known better days than at present. But a revival of religion would cause the church there to "put on her strength."
At Greensborough the veteran soldier in God's army and one who has worn the laurels of victory through years of hard fighting, ministers to the congregation of the M. E. Church in holy things. The revival fires are burning, and this church, conservative in its nature, is inquiring "for the old paths."
It is proposed to render the oratorio, "Esther, the Beautiful Queen," at Masonic Hall, Denton, on Wednesday and Thursday evenings, December 26 and 27. Sixty persons will take part, among them some of the best musicians in the county. Prof. James Swann has been for several weeks training the voices, and this should guarantee the success of the entertainment.
The grand Christmas bazar to be held in Mozart Hall, Greensborough, on December 14, 15 and 16, will be under the auspices of the ladies of Holy Trinity Church, and will be an interesting event. Mozart Hall will be a bower of beauty during the progress of the bazar.
Rev. J. D. C. Hanna, of Asbury M. E. Church, Wilmington, will preach on Burrsville circuit tomorrow as follows: Wesley, 10:00 a. m., Sheppard's, 2:30 p. m., and White's, 7:15 p. m.
—Denton Journal, Denton, Maryland, Dec. 9, 1893, p. 3.
A Minister's Trip in Caroline Co.
Rev. J. W. Fogle writes up his recent trip through Caroline. He says The M. E. Church at Ridgely under the faithful pastoral care of W. W. Sharp, has been visited by a gracious revival and the people are planning to do "great things for God." Subscriptions are being taken to build a much needed church which will cost about $3,000. It has never been the writer's lot to visit a more intelligent and wide awake people than live in this enterprising town.
The people of Hillsborough also share the labors of Rev. W. W. Sharp, and the revival fires have begun to burn. Several have professed having faith in Christ, and the interest generally is increasing. The M. E. Church here has had of late ample opportunity for testing the result of short term pastorates. In less than two years they have had four different pastors. But under the faithful ministry of the present pastor every interest of the church is being served and the church is taking on new life.
The pastor of Burrsville charge is Rev. J. E. Graham. Rev. Graham is an energetic, earnest man, and the interests of the church are being well served on this charge. The charge now consists of four appointments, namely: Wesley, Thawley's, White's and Sheppard's.
Thawley's has had a great revival.
The extra meeting at Wesley was good, and much interest is manifested in the general work of the church. The Epworth League there is working by the motto, "Look up, Lift up."
White's is moving on to victory in Jesus' name.
Sheppard's Church, located at the junction of the roads leading from Burrsville and Denton to Greensborough has known better days than at present. But a revival of religion would cause the church there to "put on her strength."
At Greensborough the veteran soldier in God's army and one who has worn the laurels of victory through years of hard fighting, ministers to the congregation of the M. E. Church in holy things. The revival fires are burning, and this church, conservative in its nature, is inquiring "for the old paths."
It is proposed to render the oratorio, "Esther, the Beautiful Queen," at Masonic Hall, Denton, on Wednesday and Thursday evenings, December 26 and 27. Sixty persons will take part, among them some of the best musicians in the county. Prof. James Swann has been for several weeks training the voices, and this should guarantee the success of the entertainment.
The grand Christmas bazar to be held in Mozart Hall, Greensborough, on December 14, 15 and 16, will be under the auspices of the ladies of Holy Trinity Church, and will be an interesting event. Mozart Hall will be a bower of beauty during the progress of the bazar.
Rev. J. D. C. Hanna, of Asbury M. E. Church, Wilmington, will preach on Burrsville circuit tomorrow as follows: Wesley, 10:00 a. m., Sheppard's, 2:30 p. m., and White's, 7:15 p. m.
—Denton Journal, Denton, Maryland, Dec. 9, 1893, p. 3.
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