Genoa (or even East), instead of West? Where would the May Flower have landed, had she pointed otherwise than West? Remember, oh, my young Verdis, Handels, Goethes, Chaucers, Coopers, etc.-remember the great Yo Semite. Remember the great undeveloped future. Remember Brigham Young. Remember the Modocs, and go West. June, 1873. IT PAID. I refer to our vacation. Spiritually, physically and financially, it was a success. Here is the record. One week visiting at Portage, New York, amid scores of relatives and the scenery of the Genesee River, the wildest in creation (the scenery, not the relatives). One week working on the farm, "the dear old farm," in Rome, Pennsylvania, and my arm is lame yet. One week convention in Rome, and it was joyous (new). One week in Towanda, Pennsylvania, likewise joyful (first time). One week in Chester, Vermont, at State Sunday School Convention, "Brilliant with Bliss and Sunshine!" (Original.) Firstly, then, it paid spiritually. Any man's heart will be rested by going home and looking again into the loving faces of his mother and sisters. A singing man will be much cheered by taking his own new book and going back to his own native land" for a convention. But how my soul feasted on the Sunday School praise meetings, Bible readings, etc., and the wonderful sympathy of the Vermont State Convention. C. M. Wyman, whose name is so precious to many who will read this, used to teach music in Chester, and his brother, remarkably like him, was in the Convention. Do you wonder that I enjoyed making mention of his intense Christian character and musical fervor? Do you blame me for asking Vermont to send us more such men? Do you suppose I could then and there sing his own "Immanuel's Land" unmoved? Surely, voice and skill are much, but soul and character more. Secondly, it paid physically. All singing men are not constitutionally lifters. Therefore the variety of digging potatoes for one's own breakfast, of splitting kindlings, shaking apple trees, engineering wheelbarrows, etc., to say nothing of moving pianos, transferring baggage and carrying valises, babies, etc., has been found useful. Depend upon it, my dear fellow-sitter, the thinking machine will not "produce" unless some attention be paid to the furnace, boiler, pipes, etc. Don't crowd. You're on time! What's the hurry? Lastly, (and leastly, if we only could see it), it paid financially. Of course the expense was, like many a musical man's expense, greatly in excess of receipts, but money is worth only what it will bring, and we doubt if ever the money expended would have brought us more satisfaction. Somehow the panic" didn't seem to reach Vermont, as they paid and over-paid us, and no collection! I go to Clinton, Missouri, next week, and I hope it will pay. Musically and truly, P. P. B. The terms “praise meeting," "service of song," "praise service,” etc., have of late become quite common in connection with religious gatherings. What is the best manner of conducting a praise meeting? First Every meeting for God's worship should be a praise meeting. We always have much for which we should offer praise. In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." "The joy of the Lord is your strength," and "whoso offereth praise glorifieth Me." Many a good sermon has been blown away for want of a hearty hymn to harrow it in. Many and many a poor prayer-meeting has dragged its slow length along for want of the lubrication of a cheerful praise-spirit manifested in some soulful song. A special "praise meeting," like any other, can't be worth anything and cost nothing. Preparation and percussion are the two p's requisite. Give, a meeting-house, with a common-sense platform, a cabinet organ, and one book of hymns and tunes to each individual present, good light and perfect ventilation, and he is indeed a heavy minister who can manage to have a dull, uninteresting, unprofitable service. Preparation may extend to arrangement of hymns selected beforehand, as didactic, descriptive, devotional, etc., and tunes as chanting, cantabile, choral, etc., authorship and incidents of hymns and tunes, date of composition, etc.; Bible texts volunteered from the audience, on praise, containing the word "praise," or, whom should we praise? why? when? where? how? etc., with prayers full of purpose, are among the necessary preparations. Percussion in my next. DETROIT, October 22, 1874. How did it go off?" is as frequently and as properly asked of a praise meeting or any other religious or musical meeting, as of a cannon. One very important thing is promptness. Don't wait for anybody, or anything. First, ask a blessing. "My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from Him;" then a familiar hymn and tune which all can sing. "Ariel," "Shining Shore," "Rock of Ages," or "Sweet Hour of Prayer," will be a good "send off." Urge every one to sing as well as may be, but be very careful that no one or two or four sing so well as to separate themselves from the rest. When the sun rises, stars disappear. One who sings a little too well may discourage a dozen. Stimulate the desire to sing rather than urge singing as a duty. "Why is ye always a whistlin', Jem?" asked a laboring man of his fellow. "I whistles to make myself happy," said he; "What for do you?" "I has to whistle 'cause I is happy," was the reply. How many poor Christians we've seen singing to make themselves happy; how few have to sing because they are happy. Good singing may produce good feeling, but better have the heart right, then good singing, true praise, will be The Christian's vital breath Don't criticise too severely. Many matters of time, tune, etc., will regulate themselves, or, at least, be most improved by being well let alone. And generally, those who sing at all think they sing pretty well; so don't waste time and breath by scolding. If your congregation had a chance to sing oftener, they would sing better. The best way to learn to sing is to sing. Make due allowance for the modesty of such singers as that good old deacon who said he knew his voice was rough and heavy, so in order to not make any discord he always tried to keep a little behind the rest! Occasional Scripture texts, illustrations, prayers, etc., will add greatly to the interest of a praise meeting. Finally, adjourn just before the meeting is out. The best time to stop is just when you feel most like going on. So I stop. December, 1874. 1. E. THAT IS MIRANDA. [Of course I write it; but it's about her.] On reading something like this from a letter received from her old fellow in New York. She don't know that I read it; but while she was getting the baby to sleep, I peeped into her desk, and as the letter lay there in the further corner, in plain sight, under some old scrap-books and things, my eye very naturally fell on the following sweet and touching extract: "And now my own dear Mirandy, i sympathize for you. If you can't stand it any longer fly-i will meat you. How can you indure that base one? i pity you i pity you. M.K. t., esq." After reading that and some more, I felt inspired, and sat right down on the spur of the occasion, and wrote the following beautiful philippic: Pity that blackbird singing on that thorn bush, Pity that terrier that has a wharf rat caught, We're awful poor, but still we're middling happy, We're not to blame for living in Chicago; I. E. THAT IS MIRANDA. I am content to board and wash and darn him, Don't pity me, sir. 229 And ten more similar stanzas, when my feelings overwent me, and I laid my head down on my penwiper, and, in the ecstasy so familiar to all poets, soon fell asleep. March, 1874. YOURS AND OTHERS. CHAPTER XXI. MR. BLISS' CORRESPONDENCE-LETTERS TO HIS FAMILY-HIS LOVE FOR THEM AND HIS DEVOTION TO THE GOSPEL WORK-BEAUTIFUL TRIBUTE FROM FLORIDA-"WHEN JESUS COMES." HE greater part of the following letters were written by Mr. Bliss to his relatives; the others, to those who were so near and dear to him as to seem to be of his own kin. The first one contains the first poetry he is known to have written : My mind is established, with full purpose of heart, to serve God, to live acceptably and be prepared to meet my Judge in peace. Let us be careful to love God supremely, and keep His commandments, that He will be willing to own us, and that we may all meet around His throne to part no more. P. P. B. This world is all a fleeting show, With trouble, toil and care; Its joys are trivial and we know The best of friends and neighbors part, How often does the tender heart With thoughts of friendship swell. But if no more on earth we meet, Written and composed by |