American Missionary | Page 6

interest in these American Highlanders. One, the systematic and brutal outrages inflicted upon them by the rebel authorities and their heroic endurance; second, their unimpeachable and unswerving loyalty to the country; third, the tremendous debt the loyal Christian people of the North owe them. Take the following order issued by J.P. Benjamin, Secretary of War, November 25, 1861, which appears on the 140th page of this book;
"_First._ All such as can be identified in having been engaged in bridge-burning are to be tried summarily by drum-head court martial, and, if found guilty, executed on the spot by hanging. It would be well to leave their bodies hanging in the vicinity of the burned bridges."
The State had voted in February, by sixty thousand majority, to remain loyal to the Union. These Highlanders had sought to save their section of the State from rebellion, and to defend their cabin homes from outrage and butchery. In doing so, they had burned bridges, and for this the government at Richmond deliberately instructs its army officers to hold a mock trial, to hang, and to brutally expose the bodies of those who had been executed, so that surviving friends would have to look upon these sickening horrors! It seems almost impossible that any man could deliberately perpetrate such monstrous cruelties. But the order was issued by the rebel government and carried into effect. Indeed, the brutalities went even farther than this. In December, 1861, two men by the name of Harmon, father and son, were hanged. Only one gallows was provided, and the authorities compelled the father to stand by and see his own son pass through the horrors of strangulation while awaiting his own execution. (Page 151).
The diary of Parson Brownlow, from which abundant quotations are given in this volume, furnishes many similar instances of cruelty perpetrated against these loyal mountaineers; but they were true to the flag from beginning to end. They left their homes, and camped in the forests and "down the coves" of their own wild mountains. Parson Brownlow encamped for days in concealment in Tuckaleeche and Wear's Coves in the great Smoky Mountains. Had fair and honorable means been used, these loyal mountaineers would have saved Tennessee from that disgraceful chapter in her history which records the dark story of her treason. This book must stir the patriotism and Christian enthusiasm of every one who reads it. It ought to lead us to make genuine sacrifices to show our appreciation of their supreme devotion to the country by sending to this Mountain Work, opened by the A.M.A., generously of men and of means.
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ENGLISH AS IT IS NOT TAUGHT.
He didn't crack a smile.
I feel many gratitudes to you.
His forgiven name is John.
Help us to bring forth meats for our repentance.
I won't fool with the Lord no more.
Help us to pray as the Republican did, "God be merciful to me a sinner."
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At one of our schools, students had been learning the Beatitudes to recite at the table, and one Sunday they were asked to write the meaning in their own language. One wrote, "To be poor in spirit means weak but willing." Another, "Poor in spirit means that a person who has religion and don't make a great to-do over it, has as much as one who cuts up over theirs." ("Cutting up" means the noisy demonstrations in meeting).
A pupil gives us the following insight into the precise appearance of the beings of the future world. "An angel is two lines which intend to meet," in response to the question, "What is an angle?"
According to one of our growing historians here, Gen. Gage, of Revolutionary fame, didn't altogether believe in the then existing styles, for we were told the other day, that, "Gage, learning that there were millinery stores at Concord, at once sent a force to destroy them."
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CLIPPINGS
FROM PAPERS EDITED BY COLORED MEN.
The only colored daily paper in America is printed at Columbus, Ga. It is a four column folio, neat in make-up and well edited.
COLORED EXHIBITIONS TO THE FRONT.--At the recent Virginia Exposition Mr. J.C. Farley, the colored photographer, was awarded the first premium for his work, for which he is to receive a diploma and medal. Our esteemed townsman has entered a new field and ascended to the topmost round of the ladder at one bound.
A COLORED PRIZE WINNER.--Give a colored man a fair show and he is certain to give a good account of himself. One of the notable college contests in Illinois is known as the Swan Oratorical Contest, and is held annually at Lombard University, at Galesburg. This contest was held Thursday night of last week. The first prize was awarded to Burt Wilson, a colored student, who lives at Galesburg, and is one