| 326 and all sick cattle, to be used with judgment and skill." We would ask here, does God take care of cattle? Is it necessary that they should be administered unto with judgment and skill? and we would again ask, is not the health of man of more value than many cattle? or are we to be more reckless of human life, than we are commanded to be of the beasts of the field? The answer to these questions, is obvious to every reflecting mind.
We should judge, then, from the above, that a person who is acquainted with the physiology of the human system, and the nature and medicinal properties of herbs, is more competent to judge of those things, and to administer with judgment and skill, than the one who is ignorant, both of the organization of the human system, of the medicinal properties of herbs, and of the nature and effects of disease.
It is also evident that, if there is any danger, or wrong, in the administration of herbs, it is from their being in the hands of unskillful men, and particularly in the hands of an enemy.
On reviewing the whole subject, we cannot but regret that, as saints, we have not all faith, either to be healed, or to cast ourselves into the hands of God, and "whether we live, live unto God, or whether we die, die unto the Lord."-But inasmuch as all have not faith, those that are strong ought not to condemn the weak, inasmuch as they make a judicious means of those things which the Lord, in his mercy, has been pleased to provide, and appoint for the infirmities and diseases of human nature.
We are aware that this community have been a good deal imposed upon by quacks; that nostrums of all kinds have been administered by injudicious hands, producing the most deleterious effects; and that many have slept in the dust, who, if they had been let alone, would still have been in the land of the living; but that is no reason why those who have not faith should not be aided by herbs, administered with care and skill by judicious hands. If the heads of families are themselves acquainted with the nature of diseases, the medicinal properties of herbs, and the mode of compounding, preparing and applying them, so much the better. If they are not, the advice and counsel of those better informed, we think could not be injurious.
We have made these remarks, not so much with a view to instruct, or give counsel in those matters which we consider to be of a delicate nature, as to lay before our brethren and sisters the testimony of the word of the Lord on the subject, that they may read and judge for themselves.-ED.
SINGULAR EFFECT OF THE COMET.-
GERMAN TRAVELER IN ASIA.-The Augsburg Gazette of July 31, contains the following letter from Tiffis, of June 4th:
The Comet, which has been so often spoken of in the journals, was seen at Erivan on the 24th of February. Thus it was discovered in a provincial town in Russia sooner than in the southern countries of Europe, while in the capitol of our colossal empire the astronomers have not seen it, thought they were provided with an excellent refractor. The appearance of this celestial body has had a singular influence on the separatists in the German colonies of Georgia. These colonists, who quitted twenty-seven years since, their country, Wurtemburg, to go to Jerusalem, believing that the end of the world was approaching, allowed themselves to be prevailed upon by reasonable representations to remain in Georgia-joined to other German emigrants, who did not share their religious enthusiasm, they peopled the new settlements of Alexandereorf, New Tiffis, Marienfeld, Elizbethal, Katherinmenfeld and Helenendorf.-They lived in these villages, and gave themselves up peaceably to their labors.-Their wealth increased every day, and they seemed to have forgotten entirely their pilgrimage to Jerusalem, though they still remained separate from the Church.
For the last year or two, their ancient religious desires was revived. Young and old men all felt themselves seized with a pious ardor to see the Holy Sepulchre [Sepulcher]. The prophecies of a distinguished family of Katherinenfield supported their zeal and enthusiasm, and finally, when the comet appeared, they regarded it as a guide sent from heaven, and sold all their estates and refunded to the Crown the advances they received from it. The rich paid for the poor, the residue of their property was given to any individuals who presented themselves, and thus form three to four hundred persons, among whom were old men, women and children, set out without money, and on foot, to Jerusalem, in the firm persuasion that God would help them through all the dangers which threatened them, in such a long journey in the minds of barbarous countries.
Well disposed people sought to divert them from this disastrous resolution. In their religious enthusiasm the separatists disdained all advice. The governor general of the TransCaucasin [Transcaucasian] provinces, M. de Meidhart, a man of generous mind, who joins to a vigorous justice the most distinguished affability, used efforts to make the colonists understand the folly of this rash expedition. Having found them immovable in their resolution, he endeavored to
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