chiefs between the years 1751 and 1764. It was no uncommon thing to see from two to five hundred Indians present on these occa sions,and many of the dignitaries of the province and of other colonies. In November 1756, the Delawares, Shawnees, Mohicans, and Six Nations, represented by their principal chiefs, here met Gov. Denny with his council, commissioners, secretary, and a great number of influential persons from Philadelphia. Teedyuscung was the chief speaker of the occasion. He was a wily chief, who had great influence over the Indians, and whose diplomacy was often a match for that of the whites. This conference continued nine days, and at its close a treaty of peace was concluded between the Indians and whites. There were other councils held here from time to time The principal of these were held in 1758 and 1761. until 1761. ENCOURAGEMENT. BY ELEDA. Though envy, hate, And rage with passion's fiercest power, Though faith be broke, And promises which seemed sincere, Though hearts prove false, Which all in honor ought to beat, Remember, there's a love that's true, And always hov'ring o'er thee sweet. Though love grow cold, And kind affection cease to be, ,Remember, there's a love that's warm, And always caring much for thee. Though all life's hopes Are wrecked, and naught of joy is thine, When all earth's love Is gone, and all is dark and drear, When from life's toil Into life's beauty thou art come, Then thou shalt know, and feel, and see, How great the love that brought thee home. THOUGHTS ON WRITING. 66 Having been requested to write a piece for THE MONTHLY, we would take great pleasure in complying with the request, did we not feel at a loss to know on what subject to write. The pen is now employed by so many and on so many different subjects, that there seems to be absolutely nothing new about which to write. We might spin out a romance with its scenes real," our characters "lifelike," and have our heroes and heroines fill our ideal of perfect men and women, or come as near perfection as human beings may. But when we think of this the question arises, shall we employ our talents thus? Is it the best return we can render for the blessings bestowed on us? Is this the way in which we can most honor God and benefit our fellow-men? Ah, no; we realize that there is too much writing of this kind, so much that the talents of some seem a curse to humanity instead of a blessing. Who does not know numbers of youths, yea middle-aged, and even aged persons who spend many precious hours perusing light literature to the neglect of their duties. They become so completely absorbed in some impossible imaginary scene, in the fortunes of some unreal, unhuman person-a phantom creation of the writer's brain—that it seems almost impossible for them to leave off reading. And when they have completed that which so delighted them, how much better off are they for having read it? None at all, their condition is the worse, if any thing. It is true, as some assert, that they may, to some extent learn the habits and dispositions of men and women and the features of the country, when the writer has a knowledge, as all good writers should have, of the condition and places in which he places his ideal char They may even find ters, and of the parts he figures them to play. some scientific facts scattered by the way. But will this repay us for the exertion of the imagination; for the under-estimating of our real, and grasping at ideal pleasures; and the increasing of discontent with our daily labors, our attainments and situation? We think not. Life is not so long that we can afford to spend so much time in accomplishing so little; besides, this could all be learned in a much shorter time, and the remaining time be employed in acquiring other knowledge. Is there not enough to be learned to employ our whole lives in learning, and at the end have learned comparatively nothing? There seems to be a false notion of knowledge prevalent, at least among a certain class, in our day. They appear to think if a person knows something of all the popular authors, if it should be only their names, and is somewhat versed in literature (more especially light literature), he is an intelligent, well-read intellectual person, even though he is not acquainted with those simple truths and principles, a knowledge of which would enable him to perform his daily duties in a manner most beneficial to himself and his fellow-beings. We know that there have been, and are, many good and useful popular writers, (and we are thankful it is so,) but we know also that the productions of many of these, (the socalled popular literature of to-day,) are, for the most part, giddy trash, calculated to fill our minds with nonsense instead of knowledge. Then, viewing the matter in this light, we cannot but hesitate to write for the public in such a style, fearing the perusal of our thoughts may be but a waste of time, and thus do more evil than good. Every writer is a public teacher, and should be competent to fill that station. Such teachers are needed now as leaders in the world of thought. Did we possess powers of thought and expression sufficient to convince all readers of the errors into which some of our great thinkers have lately fallen, and to show forth the evil consequences to which the embracing of their opinions would lead, we would spare no pains to have our opinions widely spread. But knowing our inability to do this, we can only hope that they will be met, yea, we feel they are being met, by those equal to the emergency. The evils of a Rationalistic, or Atheistic, are still worse than those of a light, imaginative, literature. Doubtless, for some time to come, our literature will be tainted by the now reno vated doctrine of materialism. We hope that writers may soon appear who will be enabled by the Holy Spirit to so treat this doctrine as not only to show those who are in doubt what is right, but also to bring its greatest advocates to see that they are attempting to erect a structure without a foundation, and that the only foundation of all things is God. We can hardly conceive how any one, much less learned men, can so boldly assert such views as they claim to believe. The Word of God tells us that false teachers will arise who, if it were possible, would deceive the very elect. Hence it becomes us to be ever on our guard that we be not carried away with any strange doctrine, but rather obey the Divine injunction, "Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and be ye ready to give an answer to every one that asketh a reason of the hope that is within you with meekness and fear." Doubtless it is in our literature we must look for these false teachers, for by means of it they can spread more widely their pernicious influence. Hence arises the necessity of a pure literature, and in order to this, of writers imbued with a pure spirit.. S. M. L. A BRIEF SKETCH OF THE MORAVIANS. BY W. Of all the religious denominations that in America sought freedom of thought and a place to worship according to the dictates of their conscience, the history of the Moravians is probably as interesting as that of any other denomination. The history of this sect, told as it is in the lives of their self-denying and devout missionaries, would far exceed the limits of this article. A glance, therefore, at their origin, and an outline of their actions in this country, and more especially in this County of Northampton, is all that shall be attempted. In the ninth century A. D., a sister of the king of Bulgaria being carried a prisoner to Constantinople, became a Christian, and, through her means, on her return to her native land, a Christian church was established in her country. A part of this church was afterward forced into the Roman Church, but a select few still refused to bow their knee to Romanism. This little remnant adhering to the pure and simple doctrines of the primitive church, suffered a variety of persecutions for several centuries, and at last were permitted to live in a wasted province on the borders of Moravia. Here they established a church in 1457, on what they deemed the Rule and Law of Christ, calling themselves at first, Fratres legis Christi; Brethren of the Law of Christ, and finally, Unitas Fratrum, or United Brethren. They were a regular, sound, Evangelical Church a century before the reformation of Lut her. Count Zinzendorf was not the founder of the Moravian Church, as imagined by many, but merely the protector of its members, when driven from their native land. When, in 1734, the Elector of Saxony expelled the United Brethren from his dominions, they resolved to migrate to Georgia, in America. They established missions in Georgia, but, refusing to take up arms in defence of the colony, were obliged to leave, and sought an asylum in the peaceable domain of William Penn, about the year 1739 or '40. Rev. Geo. Whitefield, who had labored in conjunction with them in Georgia, had begun to erect a large building in the "Forks of the Delaware as a school, to which he gave the name of Nazareth. Here the brethren driven from Georgia settled. In 1740 Bishop Nischman arrived with a company of brethren and sisters from Europe. They purchased the present site of Bethlehem. It was wild and woody; with the exception of two houses about two miles up the river, there was nothing but Indian huts to be seen. In 1741 Count Zinzendorf arrived in America, and in the summer of 1742 visited Bethlehem. While here he made a missionary tour among the villages of the red-men in the neighborhood, learning their names, securing their affection, and preaching to those ferocious warriors the gospel of peace. He also visited many other tribes in the western part of the state, and returned to Europe in 1743. Bethlehem and Nazareth continued to increase in popula tion, and prosper. New brethren came from other States to labor here, and many believing Indians were baptised. Bethlehem became a central, and controlling station, from which the brethren took their instructions from the elders, on their departure, from time to time, for the different outposts of the mission, on the upper Lehigh, Susquehanna, and eventually in the distant wilds of the Allegheny, and Ohio rivers. The defeat of Braddock, in the west |