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and breaks its great power, so that only drop by drop can it come through, and the ground can drink by degrees what it needs; and what is over quietly trickles from stone to stone, under the covering of moss, into the swelling stream.

"And the wind it tempers, too. If there are no mosses the tempest drives the dry leaves together, and sweeps them down into the valley, and dries up the ground far down. But the mosses catch the needles and whirling leaves as they fall, and hold them fast, and weave themselves up with them to a protecting carpet around the trees.

not bring us its flowers, or else its fruit to eat, thrusts itself between the heavy rain and or to make into playthings? Wands for whis-threatened earth, and catches the flood of heatles, switches for riding whips, to say nothing ven in its millions of graceful little leaflet hands, of birch for the schoolmasters,-nutshells for baskets and boats, toys as countless as the fruits. From parts of the root, whole roots, seed, stalk, leaves, come sago, turnips, rice, sugar, tea, can you make a count of all the stores, and not forget some? And the kindly shelter of the trees for the summer's birds, and "And in summer, if the parching sunbeams the soft shelter of ferns and rushes for lizards and fall upon this rocky wall, and the pitch in the water insects! Stately trees and low grasses are bark of the old pine turns liquid, then again it full of their charities. Even low mosses have a is the moss that flings itself between the sungreat use and purpose. I must copy for you a beams and the ground, and never lets the condescription of what service the moss is that co-suming glow penetrate into the earth. vers the rocks far up on the mountain-sides. This is what the moss docs in Germany, and I can't think that American moss should do less. "It is the covering of moss on the forest mountains that gives sustenance to the brooks and torrents that flow from them. And through these streams life flows to the plants in the valley, and so to man and beast. This may sound like an exaggeration; but you would not consider it so, if you would for once consent to come with me and submit to a shower of rain in a picturesque ravine in the Hartz, or the Schwarz forests. I should like to take you to a steep precipice, where you could look over and listen to a forest stream far down, that murmurs softly to us. Here and there is a single white pine, or some tall fir thrusts its roots among the loose blocks on the mountain-side. But all is covered with soft moss,-stone-boulders, roots of trees, and the steep sides of the precipice, where no stone can lie. Then let there come a vigorous mountain shower, penetrating, wetting us to the skin, through and through! Then I would beg you to look around, above, below, and see if, after this drenching shower, there were any marked change. The brook below has scarcely increased. It still rains violently; but as far as you can see over the precipice up which we have climbed, and opposite us, all is as it was before the rain began.

"Now imagine the precipice bare. You would have then seen large masses of earth whirled down by the swollen brooks. Many a tree would have been carried away, too, and in a few years only a bare wall of rock would be left here where the old pine that has served us as shelter from the storm has been growing a hundred years peacefully, to a beautiful, mighty tree. This the moss has done. Other ground plants gave help, but insignificant in compari

son.

"These pretty little plants are mediators be tween heaven and earth when the rain-torrent comes down, as though by breaking away the forest trees, it would make room for the encum bered streams. The moss softly hushes it up, crying out, Gently, gently, boisterer,' and

"Yes, in wooded regions, the mosses are of incalculable worth. And the woods are equally valuable for streams and brooks, and these in turn make life possible. I have seen, in southern Spain, regions of forty miles in extent, where life has become insupportable, because there was no water; and no water, because the countless sierras are bare of trees."

And there are no trees because there was no moss to protect them!

And this little moss forms part of the Flora of the winter. It will make for you a charming study to learn its method of flowering and scattering its seed. A study, not a play, but as charming as a play. For I have tried to tell you "a little about the Flora" of the past year, only to show how much yet remains to be learned of these our beautiful companions. We have seen how they have waited for us, and upon us, in winter and autumn as well as summer and spring. Through the winter they are not even dead or sleeping,-they are always telling us something. And it is better to make a study of all the knowledge they will bring, than to try to make of it a play.

And a charming study, too. The boy that has dug over the Latin roots finds in his Virgil and Horace where are the fruits and flowers of his study that at first seemed so tedious. But Gray's "How Plants Grow," "First Lessons," and "Botanical Text Book," make the very first steps in the s udy of botany charming and delightful.

For this study one does not have to wait for elegantly printed or painted diagrams; but each season illustrates itself, bringing branch and bud, blossom, flower, leaf, fruit, seed, and dead leaves, for beautiful pictures of its own progress. Still linger into November and De

cember the brown leaves of the oak around the trees. The outer world has been growing more and more silent. Even the untimely cricket that chirped among the dry November grass is still. The gay harvest of autumn leaves is scattered. Even the yellow pumpkins that staid late in the fields, among the cornstalks, are housed now, and perhaps eaten.

We stop a moment to look at the beautiful and differing shapes of the dead leaves, as they lie before us in the road. They might give us another study, to find the names of all the different forms, and what each different tree bears. But the winter wind swept them away.

The love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 1 Tim. 6: 10.

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66 78.00
41.50 "
4.32 in.

while the decrease in the Deaths cannot but be very gratifying.

comments, while referring to one of the weeks of the In reference to these, one of the daily papers thus month just passed:

"Notwithstanding the fact that the weather during a portion of last week was unseasonably and unhealthily warm, Philadelphia enjoyed its usual freedom from epidemic diseases, while the returns of deaths for the week ending on Saturday show a large decrease from the number reported for the corresponding week of 1866. During the period last named 362 occurred; last week there were but 195a difference of 167, or nearly fifty per cent. In New ceeding that of Philadelphia, the deaths last week York, which has a population very little if any exnumbered 463-150 per cent. greater than Philadelphia. Our people have great cause to be thankful for the blessings which they enjoy. In the south and southwest, pestilence stalks abroad, and numbers its victims by thousands, and New York, with all its splendid advantages of location, shows a mortality two and a half times as great as that of Philadelphia."

The hail storm recorded in our Review of last month bears no comparison to one described below, which we give just as we find it in one of our newspapers:

"A REMARKABLE HAIL STORM.-A remarkable storm of bail occurred at Florence, Italy, September 25th. One stone was three inches square; another weighed eleven ounces; many consisted of a mass of concentric layers of ice, resembling those of an onion superposed on one another. Others bad a flat rough base, from which rose long attenuated crystals of ice two or three inches in length." Philadelphia, 10th mo. 5th, 1867. J. M. E.

ITEMS.

There is reason to doubt the truth of the report that Dr. David Livingstone, the well-known African traveller and missionary, was murdered in Africa. During this long and perilous period of nearly 30 years, Dr Livingstone had made himself better acquainted

month per Penna. Hospital, 58.35 deg 57.65 deg. with the people and land of Africa than any other Highest do. during month 73.50 do. Lowest do. do. 40.00 Rain during the month,...... 4:15 in. Deaths during the month,

being for 4 current weeks

1428

913

for 1866 and 4 for 1867.....

Average of the mean temperature of 10th
month for the past seventy-eight years 54.63 deg.
Highest mean of do. during that entire

European. He had successfully labored to promote African civilization by increasing African commerce and industry, and had especially done all he could to abolish the slave trade, though a great obstacle to his success in this was the pecuniary interest of the native chiefs in this nefarious traffic. At the suggestion of Sir Roderick Murchison, the English geologist and geographer, an expedition was lately sent from a British port to ascertain the fate of Dr. Livingstone, reported to have been murdered, while travelling, by some of his own personal attendants. Sir Roderick published strong reasons for discrediting this report, but opinion has hitherto ranged on the other side in England. However, J. S. Moffat, a missionary in Africa and Dr. Livingstone's brotherin-law, has written to London, giving strong reasons 22.47 inch. 30.20 inch. for believing that he was still alive. At Zanzibar a report had been received of Dr. L.'s safe passage through a district more hostile than the place where he was said to have been killed.

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COMPARISON OF RAIN.

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The control of the colored schools in New Orleans bas been transferred by the Freedmen's Bureau to the School Directors of that city.

JERUSALEM is connected by two lines of telegraph with Europe, and by one line with the East ladies. Yet very little ever appears to transpire there that is worth telegraphing.

The death is announced of Worthington Hooker, M. D., Professor in Yale Medical College.

FRIENDS' INTELLIGENCER.

"TAKE FAST HOLD OF INSTRUOTION; LET HER NOT GO; KEEP HER; FOR SHE IS THY LIFE."

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At Publication Office, No. 144 North Seventh Street, A Word to Mothers...

Open from 9 A.M. until 5 P.M.

TERMS:-PAYABLE IN ADVANCE

The Paper is issued every Seventh-day, at Three Dollars per annum. $2.50 for Clubs; or, four copies for $10.

Agents for Clubs will be expected to pay for the entire Club. The Postage on this paper, paid in advance at the office where It is received, in any part of the United States, is 20 cents a year. AGENTS-Joseph S. Cohu, New York.

Henry Haydock, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Benj. Stratton, Richmond, Ind.

William II. Churchman, Indianapolis, Ind.
James Baynes, Baltimore, Md.

Copy of a Letter written by Elizabeth Webb, in 1712, to Anthony William Boehm, Chaplain to George, Prince of Denmark, with his An

swer.

(Concluded from page 579.)

EDITORIAL
OBITUARY.................

593

Extract from the Letters of the late Wm. Grover..
Report of the Indian Committee.......

.....

595

595

599

600

603

... 603

603

605

607

607

608

Watch Main-springs and Hair-springs..
Friends amongst the Freedmen
European Correspondence.
POETRY.......

Visit to a Salt Mine.
ITEMS..

| them, and knew that they were the servants which I was sent to call; and I saw that they were both white and black people, and I said unto them, Why have you stayed so long? and they said, The buckets were frozen, we could About the middle of the 12th month, 1697, come no sooner. So I was satisfied the call of through the good providence of the Almighty, the Lord was to the black people as well as the we arrived at Virginia. And as I travelled white; and I saw the fulfilling of it in part bethrough the country, from one meeting to ano- fore I returned out of America, with many more ther, I observed great numbers of black people, remarkable things, which would be tedious here that were in slavery, who were strange people to mention. But O how great is the condescento me; and I wanted to know if the visitation sion and goodness of God to poor mankind! It of God were to their souls or not; and I ob- is good to observe the tender dealings of our served their conversations, to see if I could dis- heavenly Father; for then we may set up our cern any good in them. So after I had travelled Ebenezer, and say, "Hitherto the Lord hath about four weeks, as I was in bed one morning helped us!" And indeed I may say to his in a house in Maryland, and after the sun was praise, it hath been through many straits aud up, and did shine into the chamber, I fell into difficulties, more than I can number, and they a slumber, and dreamed that I was a servant in have all wrought together for the good of my a great house, and as I was drawing water at a soul and I have cause to believe that every well, to wash the upper room of the house, (and son or daughter that he receives he chastens, while I was at the well,) a voice came to me, tries, and proves; and those that do not bear which bade me go call other servants to help the chastisements of God, do prove bastards me, and I went presently; but as I was going and not sons. I may say as one did of old, it along in a very pleasant green meadow, a great is good for me that I have been afflicted, and light shined about me, which exceeded the light it is good to follow the leadings of the Spirit of of the sun, and I walked in the midst of it; and as I went on in the way, I saw a chariot drawn with horses, coming to meet me, and I was in care, lest the light that shone about me should fright the horses, and cause them to throw down the people which I saw in the chariot: but when I came to them I looked on

God, as faithful Abraham did, who was called the friend of God-who did not withhold his only son, when the Lord called for him. And it is my belief, that the Lord will try his chosen ones, as gold is tried; and will yet refine them, as gold is refined. And what if he bring us down yet again into the furnace, (which way it.

shall please him,) until we are seven times refined. We shall be the fitter to bear the impression of his image upon us in all our conversation; and that if the day should come wherein none shall buy or sell that have not the mark of the beast, either in the right hand or in the forehead, it is but what hath been told us beforehand. And those that will know an overcoming, it is by the blood of the Lamb, viz.: by abiding in the meek love, and patient suffering Seed, and by the word of their testimony; and that love not their life unto death. We may observe, that those who had not the mark of the beast in their foreheads, if they had it in their right hands, it would do; they could show it if there was occasion to keep off a stroke.

souls that so mightily esteem it. But the souls of the righteous are in the hands of the Lord, and there shall no torment touch them, although, in the light of the wise, both their life and death is taken for misery; but they are in peace.

Dear Friend: I have perused the little book which thou gavest me, and find the doctrine contained therein to be very sound and agreeable to the manifestations and operations of the true Spirit, and agreeable to the true Christian's experience; and the kernel of it very sweet and precious to my mind; and the more because I believe it came through a clean vessel, and the savor of life is in it. So I value it for the sake of the spring, and also for the sake of the preacher; and am heartily glad that the Lord hath raised up such a noble instrument among the wise and mighty of the land. I wish they may walk worthy; but I think not many of the wise, nor yet many of the mighty, do answer the call of humble Jesus, who said, "Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in beart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls." Now I de sire thee, if thou finds anything in thy mind, let me have it. So in the love which is pure, doth my spirit greet thee; and remain thy friend, in true sincerity. ELIZABETH WEBB.

What follows is his answer.

Dear Friend, pardon me for making so bold with thee; for the love of God constrains me. And I do believe that the Lord will show thee yet further what testimony thou must bear for his Name, and what thou must suffer for his sake, if faithful. For trying times will come, and offences will be given and taken; but there is nothing that will offend those that love the Lord Jesus above all; for although many murmured, and were offended with the Lord Jesus, when he told the truth, and that which is of absolute necessity for all to know and witness in themselves, as we read in the 6th of John, in Dear Friend!-I am heartily glad you are his answer to the Jews; but by that time he come to town again, that I may have an opporhad done, many went from him. Then said he tunity of seeing you before you leave England. to the twelve, "Will ye also ?" go away But Your letter has been read, with great satisfacPeter said, "Whither shall we go? Thou hast tion, both by myself and many of my friends: the words of eternal life; and we believe and but I have not been able to recover it out of are sure that thou art the Christ, the Son of the their hands-some having even desired to living God." So God hath given to the faith transcribe it for their edification and this is ful to believe, yea, and we are sure, that the the reason that I did not send you presently an Spirit of Truth is come, that leads the followers answer, though it had been all along upon my of it into all truth. The more my mind pene- mind to express the satisfaction I had at the trates into it, the more I am like to be swal-reading thereof; and to assure you how wel lowed up in admiration of his condescension and goodness through all dispensations; but above all, in the manifestations of Jesus Christ, our holy Pattern and heavenly Leader.

Dear Friend! my heart is full of the goodness of the Lord; but I must stop writing, lest I should be tedious to thee. And indeed reason would render it foolishness or madness for me to write after this manner to one in thy station but to say the truth, I cannot well help it, so shall commit it to thy judgment, let it be what it will. But this I will assure thee, I have no secret intention. My heart is plain. I mean as I speak, and speak as I think; and find it my safest place so to do, and to keep in humble obedience to the Lord, in whatsoever he requires of me; but I know the wisdom of God appears to be foolishness in the eyes of the wise men of this world; and we know the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God, and will prove so in the latter end to these poor

come news it is to me, whenever I mect a fel-
low pilgrim to the city, which is adorned with.
twelve gates, to receive all such as have made
up the family of God in this wicked generation,
and have been preserved for his peculiar people
in all parts and denominations of Christendom,
which now go a whoring after the imaginations
of their own hearts. I had a mind to have
given you my thoughts at large upon your let-
ter, true love being of a universal and ever-
flowing nature, and not easily shut up by names,
notions, peculiar modes, forms, and hedges of
men and if you should be pleased to corres-
poud with me, even after your return from
America, I shall be always ready to answer
your kindness, and to make up again wherein
I have been wanting at present.
And recom-
mending you to the infinite favor and protection
of the Lord, I remain, in sincerity,

Your friend and servant,

ANTHONY Wм. ВŒнм

The following extract from the letters of the late Wm. Grover we republish from the British

Friend.

our fathers cannot be forgotten by their children, for they are now enjoying the benefits. As time recedes, these benefits appear to grow brighter and brighter, and the result every day develops the untold importance which the labors of the Friends have been to us as a people.

"The Seneca people for the past year have enjoyed a degree of good health, which perhaps but few communities in any country have been favored with. Peace, quietness, and brotherly love have been manifested among all classes of people. There is a prevailing sentiment among us, that all differences of opinions, on all subjects, which have sometimes heretofore marred the kind feelings which naturally should exist one for another, should now be forgotten, and laid aside. I cannot recall the time to mind when such unity and harmony existed among the Senecas as at present.

"If I have any great desires, I think one of them is, that the ministry may be increasingly weighty amongst us. Our dear friends in that station are much to be felt for, and I wish that we may be favored with increased qualification to contribute to their help and comfort. How does the desire arise that there may be quite as much in weight as measure. It is a very inter-the esting time in which we live, and I think we are a singularly appointed people. How desirible it is that we may know our place and keep it,-a waiting, solid, self-denying people. Greatly favore we have been, and, we have reason to believe, we shall be, if we keep to our principles: I might say our principle,-the Divine light, life and power revealed in the soul. Believing in this with steadfastness, I believe we should often have to be very poor, and sit very low. But I fear to say much on this important and weighty subject. Before I quit it, perhaps I may as well say that I have (particularly of late) thought on the benefit and excellency of quietness and retiredness of mind, and the want of it, in our religious and favored Society, as well as in the world at large. If it were possible to make Friends sufficiently in love with it, what blessed effects might be hoped for from it.

REPORT OF THE INDIAN COMMITTEE.

"It is evident that sobriety and industry are on the increase more and more with our people. The farms are being enlarged and better cultivated, with the prospect of raising grain for a surplus. Houses and barns are being built, and other improvements made, corresponding with their gradually advancing condition.

"Considerable attention is now being given to the rearing of cattle and horses. Indeed, I may say, that all domestic animals are better cared for than formerly. The essential attributes of civilization in all its branches, it may be said, in short, are now in actual progress among your Red Brethren in Western New York.

Read and approved at the late Baltimore Yearly Meeting. "The timely aid of your Society in the proThe Standing Committee on the Indian Con-longation of the day schools of the Cattaraugus cern report, that we have continued through the past year to give unremitted attention to the object entrusted to our care, and to render all the assistance that lay in our power to supply the wants and necessities of the Indians as these became known to us.

The condition of the Indians in the State of New York is very gratifying to the Committee. These, it may be again stated, are the remains of the several tribes which once formed the powerful confederation known as the Six Nations; the Senecas, Cayugas, Mohawks, Oneidas, Onondagas, and Tuscaroras. They now number less than four thousand.

A letter received by the Committee from Nathaniel T. Strong, an educated Indian, formerly clerk of the Seneca nation, and now a member of their Council, dated the 1st of the present month, gives the following encouraging account of their present condition:

"It is very gratifying to me, and doubtless it is so to all our public men, and to the Seneca people generally, to hear the unabated in terest felt by your Society for the welfare of your Red Brethren in Western New York. The services rendered by the Society of Friends to

and Alleghany Reservations for their full winter terms, during last winter, was gratefully received. There is no longer any opposition by any portion of the people to the education of our children: all are doing what they can to have their children to learn to read and write in the English language."

The Commissioner of Indian Affairs, in his report to Congress for the last year, says, in relation to the New York Indians: "For the most part, these people are industrious and intelligent in the care of their farms, and succeed in making a fair living by their labor. Of many of them, it may be said they are not surpassed by the whites, in the care and diligence with whigh they pursue their business, or the success which crowns their efforts, as may be seen at the Annual Agricultural Fairs which have been instituted among them.

"These Indians exhibit a great interest in the education of their children, and as their location is such as to give them the benefit of the common school system of the State of New York, they are not slow to avail themselves of the privilege, there being 23 schools among them, containing 872 scholars out of a popula

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