DIXON ACQUIRES PEACE OF MIND.

  THE Sabbath morning appointed for Mr. Goshawk's second discourse, was one of the most delightful that ever shone upon Beechland. Mr. Goshawk was late in coming; he had been, against his inclination, detained on the road, and although this caused considerable uneasiness among the mass of the congregation, it left Dixon more time to thoroughly collect his ideas, and prepare himself according to his own notions for the service of the day.

  On the previous Sabbath, occasion had been taken by Governor, to extend his acquaintance among the servants out of doors, who, like himself, were occupied by the light labor of looking after their master's vehicles. A group of carriage drivers had huddled themselves beneath the shade of a wide-spreading oak, and there they sat in cozy and confidential conversation.

  Among the group was Mr. Moreton's Quash, a fellow celebrated among his own race as a wit, and he kept his auditors in constant laughter, only suppressed by the vicinity of white folks in church.

  Quash, finding that the minister did not arrive at the time expected, insensibly became animated, and putting his hard hand upon the head of a negro sitting next to him, said:

  "Gentlem, I expose to gib you, widout furder circumloquation, a toast"—general attention was paid; "now I wishes to know who owns dis ere eight-hundred-dollar nigger carriage-driver, belonging to Widow Hartshorn?"

  "Why, his missus owns him," said the outsiders all at once.

  "Who owns dis nigger, called Monday?" repeated Quash, looking triumphantly around.

  "Why missus owns me," said Monday, getting rather annoyed at being made a butt.

  "Dus it is, gentlem" said Quashee, "dat de niggers run about in dese supersilious days, and like de poor white man don't know who owns him, consequentially, dis culered gentlem am so ignoramus dat he is prepossessed by de very gentlem, dat is to minister de consolizations of de good book to de sinners dis day."

  This significant allusion to the possible relation the comical-looking Monday might bear toward Mr. Goshawk, was received by Quash's auditors with a burst of laughter which might have continued apparently until now, had not a carriage, rapidly driven, scattered them from the immediate front of the church door; out of which descended the reverend gentleman, and the family of the planter at whose house he was the temporary guest.

  The little church was at an early hour crowded to its utmost capacity, and in an obscure corner, among the listeners,

  The preliminary services having been concluded, the Rev. Mr. Goshawk rose and stated, that he should that day found his sermon on part of the second verse of the thirteenth chapter of Paul's Epistle to the Romans: "Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God."

  In his preliminary remarks, he stated that he presumed the institution of Slavery was most absorbing to their minds, and that therefore he had concluded to confine himself to its scripture view. That he had more recently been on at the North, and had been compelled to have his attention drawn to the important subject, by its agitation among the people he had so recently visited.

  At this announcement Dixon turned fairly pale, and was obliged to disguise his excitement by leaning his head upon the slip before him. His next impulse was to leave the church, for he shrunk, in his then humor, from having the full enormity of his crimes drawn by the powerful eloquence of the preacher; but recovering himself, he determined to receive the reproof in store for him with a penitent spirit, and as part of the penalty he had to pay, for, as he thought, "his many sins."

  "Slavery," continued Mr. Goshawk, "is the oldest institution relating to the government of men that exists in

  Dixon, as these announcements one after another struck his ears, was perfectly overcome with astonishment. He rubbed his eyes, as if trying to wake up from a sound sleep—an expression of incredulity rested upon his face, and he looked around, as if to satisfy himself that he was not dreaming.

  "Again I ask, if slavery were this terrible evil, would the men selected by our Saviour, to carry the everlasting gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth, allowed it to go uncondemned? Could these martyrs to the truth be charged with moral cowardice? No! for men, most all of whom were slain alive in defence of their cherished principles, could have had no fear. The apostles, if they had been anti-slavery men, would have cried aloud, where the evil existed, and not like these modern disorganizers, abused and vilified the slaveholder, when not only out of the way of all usefulness but of all responsibility.

  "The laws of God, touching the subject of slavery, are spread as clearly through every part of the Scriptures as are the stars in the firmament of heaven. Human reason may do battle against them, but the only result will be the most glaring manifestation of mortal weakness. The institution of slavery, from its divine origin, must continue so long as sin shall have a tendency to lead to death, so long as Jehovah shall rule and exercise the attributes of mercy to fallen, degraded man.

  "If slavery," continued the preacher, "was a thing as bad as its ignorant enemies represent, why are the Scriptures so silent as to denunciations. Innumerable chapters can be found justifying it, regulating it, yet no commands that it should not exist. In Genesis, we have a pleasing record of the ameliorating influence of slavery even in those early times. 'Judah said unto his brethren, what profit is it if we slay our brother and conceal his blood? Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him.' The saving of the life of Joseph was the consequence, and following it came all the blessing that through him flowed toward the children of Israel. We are also to notice, brethren, that the holding of slaves, in Jacob's day, was neither illegal nor uncommon. We are, therefore, not surprised that history gives us to understand, that in the golden streets of Jerusalem were to be found the mart for slaves. I can imagine the patriarchs of old, as do now our noble planters, trafficking for servants, and selecting with care those which best answered their purposes.

  "In later and more glorious days, the streets of Rome, and those of every dependency of that great republic swarmed

  "What," continued Mr. Goshawk, "is the position of the slaveholder? He is the true patriarch; the parent of a large family; his duties are sacred; he not only has the bodies but the souls of men in his keeping; he educates and religiously instructs his dependants; if they are sick, he nurses them; if naked, he clothes them; and if borne down by age and infirmities provides a support and finds a retreat for them. Unlike the employer of the free laborer, his care never ceases, it does not stop the moment the recipient is no longer pecuniarily useful.

  "And here, brethren, it is forced upon me to make those personal applications of our discourse, that naturally arise in considering this interesting theme. It is charged against us, that our peculiar institutions encourage cruelty to the negro. How absurd and unchristian is this scandal. Imperatively commanded by the Holy Book to buy slaves, we are also enjoined by the same Holy injunction, to keep them in obedience. The divine law shows internal evidence of its high origin, by providing for the punishment of slaves with rods, and asserts, that if the slave die in a day or two after his beating, yet his owner shall not be punished, because he can appropriate to his own use, his man-servant

  "Are we immaculate? are we not subject to excitements like unto other men? Is it wonderful, that having, by Providence, the great responsibility of slave-holding put upon us, that we should in the administration of our sacred office, sometimes, in moments of excitement, punish not more severely than the law permits, but more than our interests justify? Moses, who was denominated the meekest of men, in a fit of passion threw down the hand-of-God-inscribed tablets of the law; cannot, therefore, a fatal blow to a degraded negro be passed by in silence? Peter, who was evidently of a southern disposition, of a chivalrous, noble temperament, in the very presence of our Saviour, on the impulse of the moment, drew his sword, and smote the servant of the high priest. That a master, provoked beyond endurance, should do worse to that which he owns and has bought with a price, should be set down to the amiable and redeeming traits of humanity, rather than to the indulgence of improper and brutalizing passions.

  "Brethren, we are charged in the South with assisting in affrays, duels, and murders. I need not say that these slanders need no refutation. Look at the annals of crime of the immaculate North,—the crime of every day,—and ours sink in petty incidents, compared with the enormity of these free people. We are charged with encouraging duelling; but when did a high standard of honor injure the unregenerate heart? As a clergyman, commissioned to preach peace and good will to all men, I condemn the practice; but if the grace of God prevails not, better that

  "We are charged with not being as good as our neighbors. Our brethren of the North have gone into the temple, and thanked God that they are not as other men; announced that they do not oppress,—that they are given to alms. For all they have done in sincerity, Heaven be praised; but I will simply say, in answer to such hypocrisy, that our Souther piety is unobtrusive.

  "If the windy work of blowing trumpets at the corners of the streets,—if vociferation, and noise, are the evidences of religion, we are lost; but Southern Christians 'do good in secret,' that they may in abundant crops, and increasing wealth, be rewarded openly. Our ministers compare favorably for learning and zeal with any North; and if we are not given to sectarian controversy,—if there be a quiet calm in the various churches in our midst,—we have not to blush at beholding the fanatical evidences of misguided and misdirected zeal.

  "But brethren, why dwell upon the unnecessary and needlessly imposed task of defending ourselves against the folly of fanatics and envy of irreligious men?—let us turn and contemplate our glorious destiny, and remember, that we have been singled out by Providence, as were the children of Israel in olden times, to be his peculiar people. The Southern Christians are chosen as the instruments for the greatest and sublimest Christian revolution ever achieved by mortal being. When the poor African was landed on our coast, the slave-robbers did not know that

  "In the glowing and eloquent language of a beloved brother, 'I feel satisfied with the tendencies of things.' I stand upon the mountain-peak, above the clouds. I see far beyond the storm, the calm sea, and the blue sky. I see the Canaan of the African. I stand there on the Nebo of his exodus, and look across not the Jordan, but the Atlantic.

  "I gaze as did Moses from Mount Pisgah over into the promised land; I see the ocean divided by a great wind, and piled up in walls of green glittering glass on either hand; and through this crystal avenue the children of Ham are crossing upon dry ground,—the marching host amid the pillar cloud and fire. I look over the Niger, black with death, to the white man—instinct with life to the children of Ham. There is the black man's home; there, is his father's land,—there will he exhibit his own type of Christianity. Verily, verily! this emancipated race may rival the most amiable form of spiritual life, and the jewel may glitter upon the Ethiop's brow, in meaning more sublime than all the poet's imagery.

  "Brethren, in the ordering of events, the African will go,—the ocean will separate,—the miracle will be accomplished; but let us remember, that we are potter's clay in the hands of an overruling power,—the chosen instruments of great good; and let us encourage in our hearts that simple childlike faith, that makes us satisfied with things as

  Never, probably, was there a discourse uttered by a human voice, that had a more powerful effect upon an auditor, than did Goshawk's upon Dixon. He had taken his place in the congregation an hour or two before with a wan face, sunken, careworn eyes, and debilitated frame; he now walked forth absolutely changed in his physical as well as moral constitution. A new light had broken in upon his mind; he was clay in the hands of the potter,—a blind instrument for doing good. He had gone to church, feeling that he was in the slough of despondency, but was now conscious that, under the enlightened influences of "the sanctuary," his burden had rolled from off his soul; and in the exuberance of his new view of things, he absolutely snapped his fingers over his head, and took one or two steps that gave promise, if their style had been continued, that the spectator would have had a very good idea of a country jig.

  The "Head-quarters" on the morning of Mr. Goshawk's sermon had been unusually dull; as Busteed remarked, "The Sunday races, down at Sawyers, always tuck away some of his customers, but the flare-up at the church coming on at the same time, he was doing nothing at all." Even Puckett for a while deserted the popular resort, and walking over to the church, thrust his head in at the door, and got, what he said, was the "milk in the cocoanut;" and not waiting for the closing ceremonies, he rushed back to Busteed's, and leaning over the bar, commenced quite an animated description of what he had

  "Oh, nonsense, Goshawk didn't pile it on so thick as that, did he?"

  "Yes, he did, though," returned Puckett, emphatically; "and the parson went it even a little stronger, for he make out Dixon and sich like to be rigler missionaries of the gospel."

  At that instant Dixon stepped into the bar-room. His improved appearance, and genial manner, compared with an hour or two before, struck both the landlord and Puckett; the latter, unable to contain his gratification, remarked:

  "Major, you look better than you did this morning—you must be getting well."

  "I am better," said Dixon, emphatically; "I've got clear of them confounded pains, that's troubled me so much: I am now as good as new, and we'll take a drink to celebrate the fact."