DEPARTED MINISTERS.

Some things may appear in this book that are of little interest to the general reader.  In this respect, however, it may not differ from many other books.  The reader should kindly bear in mind that nearly all of the ministers and other Brethren whose names appear, in the fore part of the work especially, are known on earth no more, save as they live in the memory of those whom they have left behind.

In the list of deceased ministers are to be seen the names of Peter Nead, Abraham Flory, Daniel Garber, Daniel Miller, Martain Miller, George Hoke, Benjamin Bowman, Jacob Wyne, John Wyne, Daniel Thomas, John Harshberger, and a host of others.  The records of these noble ministers of the Word are on high.  No earthly monuments have ever been reared in honor of their achievements; and they need none.  The good they have done by leaving the world and the church better off than they found them has won for them a crown of glory in heaven as imperishable as the throne of the eternal.  The reader should remember that a sort of filial love for these men still lingers in the memory of many, who, in their younger days were personally acquainted with them.  They heard them preach; and they looked up to them as children to parents.  A lock of hair from a loved one long since passed away, is a little thing,—­a very little thing in the eye of a stranger,—­but in the eye of a loving friend it is above price.  So some things in this work, apparently trivial to the general reader, may be highly prized by others.  I will give, for an example, the following statement: 

MONDAY, November 21.  Peter Nead and Benjamin Bowman go with me to Harrisonburg, and obtain license of the County Court of Rockingham County, Virginia, to perform the ceremony of marriage.

This statement, taken from the Diary, may seem of no consequence to some; they may feel, as their eyes glance over it, that it is of no interest to them; when at the same time, to others it will be an incident they will never forget.  Many can now say that one or the other of these ministers performed the ceremony when their father and mother were married.  One or the other of these names stands upon the “Marriage Record” in many an old Family Bible.  Even the grandchildren will find interest in things like these; and to learn more about these, and many other great and good men who have lived and died in the church of the Brethren, will not only interest the mind, but improve the heart.

A MAGNIFICENT DISPLAY OF THE AURORA BOREALIS.

THURSDAY, January 26.  This night, says the Diary, a very wonderful display of the Aurora borealis was witnessed.  The sky was all over a bright red, with white streaks streaming up from the north.  The sight was wonderfully grand.  As to the cause of this sublimely beautiful phenomenon various opinions have been held, and various theories launched upon the waves of scientific thought; but none, as yet, to my knowledge, have covered the ground of a satisfactory solution.  Let the cause be what it may, there seems to be no good reason for fearing any harm to the earth or its inhabitants from its occasional appearance.