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city paper, about the Synod of East Pennsylvania, says among other considerable generalities, "It is a fact peculiar to this body, that its clerical members are all either young men or not past the meridian of life." The connection may indicate, that this is intended to add so much to their praise. We should infer that the author of this communication is himself decidedly a young man, and that he

will have to grow somewhat older, before he discovers that there is anything honorable in age, or that years may teach wisdom. But "Observers" do sometimes make strange work with Synods, or at least they often attempt it. So may the Lord always preserve in our Synods some aged and venerable men, at least a few who are past the meridian of life.

Editorial Miscellany.

THE SCENES OF THE " AUSTRIA."-The terri- | committed his soul to the God who gave it, ble scenes that occurred on board and around and soon sank beneath the remorseless sea! the Austria during the recent conflagration, have only been partially described. Enough, however, has been told to render the catastrophe one of the most painful and appalling that ever took place on the ocean. There are few who have read the details as given by Mr. Brews, Mr. Vezin, Mr. Berry, and others of the rescued, who have not found their minds reverting again and again to the fearful incidents, and their hearts sympathizing deeply and keenly with the sufferers. The two young sisters who embraced, clasped and kissed each other, and then sprang into the sea, exhibited an instance as well of devoted affection as of moral heroism that has few parallels in history. They were compelled to choose between two awful deaths-one by fire and one by water-and resolving to die together as they had lived together, they doubtless made a last appeal to the Almighty, and then took the final plunge. The steward and the stewardess, both young Germans and lovers, probably betrothed and the wedding-day fixed, also took a last and a long embrace, wound their | arms about the bodies of each other, uttered a few fond words, and imitated the example of the gentle sisters. They were seen for a moment, still united, upon the bosom of the ocean, and then they sank never to rise, but in a condition of immortality. But perhaps the most touching scene was that of the Hungarian gentleman who, when satisfied that all was lost, gathered his wife and children around him, calmly described the fearful position in which they were placed, and then induced them, one by one, the wife leading the way, to rush into a watery grave. Child after child followed the fearful example, and then, when all had gone but the father and the infant that hung upon his bosom, he also

The feelings, the emotions of that father and his family, can never be realized by any living human being. The incident, every thing considered, was one of moral sublimity, and the annals of the world may be investigated to find its superior. But there were doubtless many other acts of devotion and fidelity, even unto death, while we fear that not a few instances occurred, in which cowardice and selfishness triumphed over the higher and holier principles of human nature, and life was prolonged at the sacrifice of duty and of principle. The exhausted husband who, as he trembled between life and death, begged Mr. Vezin to say that his last thought was of the wife he loved, the partner of his affections, will, it is to be hoped, never be forgotten by his bereaved widow. The father, too, as he made a final and fruitless struggle to get into one of the boats, and at the same time said that he "was satisfied if his boy was saved," exhibited a truly noble instance of parental affection. But the calamity, take it all in all, was most appalling. The more we dwell upon the terrible details, and ponder over the touching and thrilling incidents, the more are we impressed with the terror, the anguish, and the agony by which the minds and the hearts of the wretched victims must have been torn, before they breathed their last. Some, doubtless, met a speedy death, others struggled on in the waves while the faintest hope remained. Others again were suffocated in the cabins, while not a few-and the thought is truly awful-were consumed by a slow fire. But let us draw a veil over the horrors of the scene. And yet, that is impossible, for the mind will wander to the open sea, the burning ship, the terrified and struggling pas

sengers, while their shrieks, groans, and lamentations still seem to ring through the imagination, and to sadden and subdue the heart.

AT THE RECENT COMMENCEMENT of Gettysburg College, the honorary degree of A. M. was conferred on the Revs. D. H. Focht and D. Steck, and James Lynch, Esq. The degree of D. D. was conferred on the Rev. A. H. Lochman, of York, Rev. C. P. Krauth, jr., Pittsburg, and Rev. Geo. Diehl, Frederick, Md.

SCIENTIFIC PARADOXES.-The water which drowns us, a fluent stream, can be walked upon as ice. The bullet, which, when fired from a musket, carries death, will be harmless if ground to dust before being fired. The crystalized part of the oil of roses so graceful in its fragrance-a solid at ordinary temperatures, though readily volatile-is a compound substance, containing exactly the same elements, and in exactly the same proportions as the gas with which we light our streets. The tea which we daily drink, with benefit and pleasure, produces palpitations, nervous tremblings, and even paralysis, if taken in excess; yet the peculiar organic agent called theine, to which tea owes its qualities, may be taken by itself (as theine, not tea) without any appreciable effect. The water which will allay our burning thirst, augments it when congealed into snow; so that Captain Ross declares the natives of the Arctic regions "prefer enduring the utmost extremity of thirst rather than attempt to remove it by eating snow." Yet if the snow be melted, it becomes drinkable water. Nevertheless, although, if melted before entering the mouth, it assuages thirst like other water, when melted in the mouth it has the opposite effect. To render this paradox more striking, we have only to remember that ice, which melts more slowly in the mouth, is very efficient in allaying thirst.-Blackwood.

A CURIOUS Hebrew publication has just issued from the Berlin press-a Biography of Alexander von Humboldt, written in the ancient tongue and destined to extend the knowledge of the life and scientific labors of this celebrated man in the wide circle of the Russo-Polish and Asiatic Jews. The full title

is: "Alexander von Humbolt; a Biograpical Sketch, Dedicated to the Nestor of Wisdom on his eighty-eighth Birthday, by S. Slominski." The author is a Russian Israelite, who some years ago invented a clever calculating machine, and drew upon himself at that time, by his mathematical knowledge, the attention of the celebrated astronomers Herren Bessel and Jacoby, of Konigsburg.

A NOVEL LUXURY.-The latest novelty from Germany is a musical bed, which receives the weary body, and immediately "laps it into Elysium." It is an invention of a mechanic in Bohemia, and is so constructed that by means of hidden mechanism, a pressure upon the bed causes a soft and gentle air of Auber to be played, which continues to lull the most wakeful to sleep. At the head is a clock, the hand of which being placed at the hour the sleeper wishes to rise, when the time arrives, the bed plays a march of Spontoni, with drums and cymbals, and, in short, with noise enough to rouse the seven sleepers.

A SWALLOW.-The swiftest rate of locomo

tion, after the electric spark, light, sound, and cannon balls, is ascertained to be the flight of a swallow. One of these birds has been let off at Ghent, and made its way to its nest, at Antwerp, in twelve and a half minutes, going at the rate of five kilometres a minute i. e. four and a half miles.)

VALUE OF A DAY OF SUNSHINE.-One of our readers, fond of profound investigation, took pains on the last hot day, to study the census reports of agricultural productions, and to calculate therefrom the value to the country of each warm growing day between seed-time and harvest. He found it above $18,000,000 -and this is a low estimate.

IN the Grecian navy there is just about one officer to every two-and-a-half men; in the army, which numbers nine thousand, all told, there are no less than seventy generals! The royal palace at Athens cost two millions of dollars, for which the Greeks have an immense ugly pile of Pentelic marble, as large as Buckingham.

THE CHERBOURG WORKS, the completion of which the French and English monarchs have been celebrating, are marvels of engineering skill. The breakwater is 12,000 feet long between the arms which enclose Cherbourg roads. At the bottom of the water (averaging about 35 feet,) its base is 310 feet in breadth, while it rises to the height of 22 feet above low water mark, with a top-width of 103 feet. The great basin will have capacity for containing twenty ships of the line. Vast magazines line the banks, and workshops of every character for constructing and fitting out ships of war. Every rock in the roadstead is a fortress, and the breakwater bristles with batteries. A great semi-circular fortress faces the seas. The works are guarded by twenty forts and redoubts, and an amount of cannon never before united for the defence of one place. Military engineers pronounce Cherbourg impregnable.

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THERE

THE

Lutheran Home Journal.

DECEMBER, 1858.

FISHING-CORMORANT. HERE is in China, a bird somewhat inimical in its habits to the bird with us, known as the king-fisher. This bird is domesticated and becomes to the Chinaman, a lucrative laborer, so much so, that it is not unusual to find men, who depend solely upon these birds for their support. This bird is known as the fishing-cormorant, having a duck-like appearance, and is conveyed from place to place, upon a raft constructed of bamboo, which together with a paddle and a basket, consti tute the fisherman's stock in trade. At the call of the fisherman, the bird marches to the spot designated upon the edge of the raft, seemingly pleased to enter the water; he pauses a few moments, then suddenly dives beneath the surface of the turbid stream, seldom coming up without having in his bill a fish. This his master transfers to his wicker-basket, and apparently whispers some charmed words into his ear, places the diver again upon the edge of

the raft.

Sometimes they are unsuccessful: and frequently after remaining ten or fifteen seconds groping about in search of fish, they return to the raft unable to add to their master's stock.

When the diver is successful, he receives many caresses from the hand of his master, as well as a liberal share of fish for his reward; but not so, if, after several attempts, he fails to bring a prize to the surface, for he is then punished. He seems at a loss VOL. III. NO. 12

23

what to do. He turns himself around in the water several times, keeping his dark eyes fixed on his master's as if asking permission to try it again. Suddenly his master makes a motion with his hand, and down he goes.

He comes up with quite a large fish, struggling violently, as though surprised at the unusual situation in which he has found himself. He too is put into the basket, the proud cormorant is once more caressed, and then placed gently in the centre of the raft instead of upon its edge as formerly. He knows that his services, are no longer needed for a time at least, and with the stately step of a conqueror, he moves to the rear, while the next in turn advances to supply his place.

Their movements are regulated by a nod or motion of the hand from their master.

Here we see one who is unsuccessful, he sits a few moments perfectly motionless, but, seeming suddenly to see a fish, he drops into the water like a piece of lead, and nothing more is seen of him for at least fifteen seconds. Then he comes to the surface with a spring that takes him almost out of the water, but has no fish. His actions now express his disappointment almost as plainly as words could do. He evades his master, by sculling about in a small circle with his bright, unsteady glance fixed on him, at the imminent risk of dislocating his neck. His master points down with his finger, and down goes the unsuccessful fisherman.

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