©he ©entre gcwoteat. - BELLEFONTE, PA. Tk* Cheapest and Beat Paper PUHI.IHIIKD IN CKNTHB COUNTY. From lha Now York OlworTor. INTERNATIONAL LESSONS. Fourth Quarter. t sit. atsst m. qsoit, b. d. DircMDCH 4. Lesson lO.—Balaam. NI'NUU 24: 10—10. Qoidm Tut i—"A dooblo-iulDdod tutu !• umlol.U to all bU *•/."—Joium 1: #. Central Truth : —God can muke uu holy li| witness lo bis truth. The Israelites are now no longer in "the great and terrible wilderness." They are close upon their promised inheritance. Moving northward from the point where we last saw ibein, they liave passed Moab on their Jell, and repelled and driven before them the opposing lorees ot ftdiou, king ot the Aiuorites,and Og, king of Basbau, aud taken possession ot their country. They are uow on the eaateru side ot the Jordan anil I lead Sea, aud thus within a part of the land towaid which they have been journeying. One effect of the victories of Israel was to strike terror luto the heart ot Balak, king of Moab. Naturally enough, he feared for his own posses sions. But he hud seen too much to venture a direct attack U|KU so pow erful a people. Accordingly he re sorted to what seemed a era I tier way. In those days people ami rulers hud great faith in diviners. Much power was thought to lie in their blessing or their curse. The soothsayers, who j Eractised the art of divination, were eliered to be in close relations with the gods and able to iutliieuce tbeiu. This was in Balak's mind, uud he looked about for some one who could help him by cursiug the people he feared. Of the soothsayers of that time, Balaam was, so tar as we know, the most famous. His home was in the far East, near to the Euphrates, in the city Pethor. It is evident that he had some knowledge ot the true God, the God of Israel ; aud this may have been one reason for Buluks sending for him. That he ever truly worshipped Jehovah, or served him with undivided heart, does not appear. He had noble [lowers and au eloquent tougue. God made use of bim us a cbaunel of true prophecy. But like Simon Magus, he practised sorcery or divination for money. Avarice was his ruling passiou. The New Testa ment describes him as "loving the wages of unrighteousness." Ho de sired to "die the death of the right eous," but was too sellisli and mercen ary to Uvea righteous lite. He could speak noble words, but had not the spirit which moves to worthy deeds. In the chapters preceding the lesson we are told how Batuk, by meuns of; gifts and promises, finally prevailed upon this man to come, as lie iiuagun d, to his help. Much as Balaam desired the reward, he did nut dare go lx-yomi the divine permission. Oue is here reminded of the saying of Carlyie, that Balaam had no desire to uo it; that is, that he did not care either lo gratify Balak or curse Erne), or "to do anylhiug so much as a nothing that would look like a something and bring the wages in."' The result was, that, restrained and overruled by God, he pronounced upon Israel a blessing, instead of a curse. The first great point, in the particu lar verses selected tor our present i study, is Balak's anger.. K> ioug as he hoped to be able to use Bulnum against God's people, be was profuse in gifts and honors. But, finding that he could not do it, his love turned to hate. In this, Balak has many counterparts. Men, hostile to God's people or bis truth, are eager to enlist j others in their opposition. To gain the desired end, they may resort to great professions of friendship, if not to honors and gifts. But the safe way is neither to follow uor to trust these people. When it appear* to them to be certain that they cannot use you, they will turn agsiust you, Their professed respect and affection has no depth, no reality. Another point to be noted is Ba laam's reply to Balak's angry threat and taunt. Had it come from the heart, it would have been noble in deed. When be said, "1 eannnt go lie rood the commandment of the Lord* he doubtless meant that God would not suffer bim to do it. He wanted the gold and the silver; nothing was so bard to resist as an offer of such a kind ; but already, on the way to Ba lak, God had met him, and made him feel the power of his displeasure. He dared not do as he would. But he might have used the "cannot" in a better sense. It might have been the expression of bis conscience and heart. On tome lips it would have been. Men have counted all things but loss, and suffered the lose of all things; have been afflicted and tormented; have gone to the stake and the rack, rather than "go beyond the com mandraent of the Lord." This say ing of Balaam is a good oue for old and young to remember, and to make their own. It is a noble stand to take. Hereafter, if uot here, it will be seen to be safe. The one other leading point to be considered is Balsam's prediction of tho future of God's poeple. Here God's Spirit spake through him. 'lho vision he had, of things that were to be, was given him by the Almighty. What he saw was a star and seejitre rising out of Isruel aud smiting Moab from corner to corner, uml destroying all the children of Bheth, of "sons of tumult." In Scripture language, the star and sceptre stand for royalty. The vision of Balaam was thus of Is rael's conquering might; and was ful filled in part in David's victories and dominion over Moab ami Edom. But its final fulfilling lias been thought to he in the person of Israel's greater King, the Messiah. In this last view, Moali and Edom would stand for any and ull enemies of God's |eople, over whom Christ shall finally triumph. It is not necessary to suppose that Balaam himself knew far-reaching and glorious his prophecy was. Nor are we to think of the victories to he won hy Christ as those of violence and death. Chiefly he conquers by love. A. such a conqueror he is now advanc ing- rßACTlCAl. SUGGESTION*. 1. There was nothing surprising in Balak's auger ; hud men commonly hale those whose help in wickedness they have vainly sought. 2. Balaam hud uo oue hut himself to blume that he was now the object of threats and taunts; dalliance with temptations gives the tempter nn ad vantage which he seldom fails to use to our humiliation and terror. 3. Balaam's ruling passion and cherished sin was nvaracc; it was this which now involved him in shame, ami, so far as appears, proved his ruin ; ours may be something else, but lor that reason.it may be uo less wick j ed and dangerous. 4. In this world obedience to God I mav cost self-denial, and loss of wealth I ami honor; nevertheless in the end it i will be seen to be the good way, over j against which a house lull of silver ! aud gold would IK- nothing. 5. Fine words do not make a true saint, nor do Dohle impulses, or spirit ual visions, or gifts of prophecy. True religion is a matter of the heart and the life. No man could utter loftier sentiments than Balaam; few have been slaves of baser posssions. 5. Attempts to serve God and Mam mon can never succeed ; God require the whole heart. Our Saviour has ut tered solemn warnings agnin-t waver ing or divided service: "No man can serve two masters." 7. The Divine kingdom is sure to ; triumph. To he in it, and of it, is to ! lie on what shall hy and hy be seen to , j lie the glorious winning side. IIIE CITY OF KINHS. I coxcßtsiMx cox\< ri*r virw or ntr. HOI.Y CITY or Jtlt'ULIS, Congressman Sunset Cox, writing from Jerusalem under date of Oeto ■' Ikt 11. sends the New York Express ; | the following graphic account of the j Holy ('ity : "1 sat rone is only three miles from j the famous vallev w here Joshua pur ; sued his enemy, hut as we approach it i i the moon throws i s light atiiY.-diadowr-. upon the ft sit hills and va.br*, ami i we cannot clearly discern, except un der its veil of witcucry, the olive ' groves, and cactus hedges, and wild scenery, which should show signs ol the fruitful water and soil. From the balcony of our hotel at Latrone wt take a survey of leads of lunar i! ver, amidst the enchanted rocks ami hills. We forget under its magical sheen that the very name*of our place indicate* that it i named after a thief; but was he not the gissl thief? and ha* not hi* "penitence" removed from his suppnwd birthplace the stigma ol stealing? This place has further and less dubious significance. It i* only a mile from the Castle Emman*,which the Crusader* built to command the pass to the Holy City. All about us nre the historic spots 'of the heroic : Maeoabcts —in one word, it is the tightiug-grouiid and the highway to Jerusalem. To the distant and pious render, everything tending townrd Jerusalem i* interesting, and, therefore, it is not frivolous to say that our driver was a French woman. Her sex, owing to tin mode of dressing her, we never suspec ted until we began our second day's journey, when we found her on the box, coaxing, rather than lashing, her team. Our baggage tied fast, and our equcstrnin guide ou his prancing barb, at daylight, the exhileration of the bracing dawn was enchanced by the near prospect of the approach to the city of our hopes. But no pen can de scribe the beauty of that morning. On n projecting spur of the mountain— bathed in roses which we looked for" in vain in the vale of Sharon—is a little village of square stone bouses. It was not because the "Lion-hearted" Crusader encamped here, seven hun dred years ago. it was not because the mountains of Judah quiver with all the arrows of Apoiio under the pink Aurora; nor because each rocky mountain became under its effluence a picture—or a statue, rather —forever indurated in the mind. But it was becusse through yonder winding glens holy meu of God, with grandest thought and emo tion, passed upward to the city of our hope! Up, up, still up, winding UNDER TtlE GLEAMING GLARE of t he oncejlerraeed elevations, through defiles that would not lie so comforta ble after oightmil tor lonely travelers, we pursue our morning drive. At length we reach a point of vantage, uuil cunt our eyes to the west. The blue aea ia there in measureless con tent. It ia thirty uiilea away, ami the light talis on its bosom, invoking its subtle mi lint relay. This sings of hopes long deferred. Khali these hopes bo disappointed? Our guide, ever vigi lant, and with chapter and verse for each spot, curves about our carriage. What are the rocky eaves ami glens, and the long, terraced *ln|>e —terrac- ed by regular uml natural limestone ranges, ami once terraced artificially ami usefully by man; with vine,olive, pomegranate ami tig? What are the gray, sombre rocks, tinged ruddy with iron? what the pretty intervales, lull of the old, twisted olives, whose trunks are full of hollows au| the topmast heights, and the stores ot sheiks, like Aber Ghausli, who ouee commanded ami rohlu-d from them? ! what the succulent grapes which old Kirjath-Jearim furnishes for our dusty 1 throats, uml the strange sight of a i Gothic minster in ruins in this laud ol the Gils-unites, this boundary between Judah ami Benjamin? What all these? Are we tint approaching the j city of our Ilojie ? Did not the ark i of the coveneut rest on yonder hill, iu the House of Ahinadab ? Was it not ! Irorne hence to Jerusalem by King ' David, out of w hoe loins came those simple yet grand teachers ami descen dants, whose marvels of morality mid miraeies of heaven have moved man kind? Roman roads uru here, autl 1 old pavements, and AIICII EH STILL HPIttNO BUOYANTLY over dry tor rents-beds; these are rem j uants of that Uamu power which j worshiped to god Terminus ; but these j are of mere passing interest, for yon der u|kiii our right do we bsik upon the birthplace ot John the Haptist, in ; the "hilly country of Judea?" All around are signal ami lofty points, gesturing heavenward, and associated i forever with the greatest names of the Hebrews. Samuel the Judge and Da vid the King, and ail |Hiinting to the city of our long deferred Hope, As we took to the South nnd North, and through zigzags and glens, birth and ; burial place*, fighting and praying ground of soldier and king, prophet saint, command attention; while to the West we bid larcwcli to the azure i sea, whose line is now marked by a long, steadfast range of white cloud , above, but parallel with, its horizon. We prepare for the descent. Still more windings, Samuel, the Judges, ami the Acts tain iu upon us from nor hi local genius u|miii the back. These a-rcd memories have a sudden con firmation by the instatieous appear ance of a venerable graylteard, in gown of religious foldings. II- has a grand escort. He turns around one of the zigzags as we turn down, and In! the diguitii'd form of the Coptic lb hop of Judea, upon a white mule! His attendant* also ap]M-ar; one bear ing his silver-mounted stick, the mace of hi* authority. This vision apja-nr* as suddenly as if it had emerged from one of the many caves which rami torth out of the heart of Carniel. Our -alutions are reverently mado; and we drive with fresh impatience over rolling plateau, at the top of the mountain*, which liegiu to tell u* in many ways that we are near the city of our Hope! The road grows more (wipoloiis with bcastsofburden. Arab woman with bine tattoo upon their ugly faces, ami dignified A raits in their togas of striped brown and dirty white, come and go. The terraces show mora cultivation. The cactus again appear* to shelter the gardens. Ha* kets of fruit, under green leaves, deco rate the beads of the pedestrian woman and load the dusty donkeys ; ami we rest ,Jin disillusion and impatience, in front of a Greek restaurant, whose sign of "Liquors and Billiards" would dis turb the Oriental vision hut for the sweet blush of the pomegranates out of the orchards, which give their tints to the rich garniture nf the garden*. We are allowed to understand from our guide,not that David wa* anoin ted or that Joshua fought here, hut that General Grant here lunched in a snow-storm ID February ! A few lazy folk in trousers arc about, to help our French female driver water the hor ses, while the unseen proprietor is making wine in his c-llar, unconsci ous of our sacred antiquities. A cup of cofTee and a fresh start, and onlv five miles to to the city of our Hope! Alton* ! A WONDEHFUI. SCENE. There ia little time now to listen to Scriptural texts as to prominent loeali tiea. Rags, refugees and Russians, men of one religion or another, ami of all qualities and costumes, are mixed up hetemgeneuusly upon the throng ed road, along with goats, sheep, cam els and donkeys. Water-carriers, bearing their sweating goatskins, are trudging into the city precincts; hut thia oulv signifies a denser population. We perceive the Convent of the Holy Crofe*, a conspicuous object, and the new Jusuit college aud an orphan asy : lum. We quicken our pace. Then the suburb*-—long block* of Jewish houses, newly limit, ouUide still of the city— appear; hut these only serve to conceal, ami mil to show, the view ol ilih city. 1 lieu the Rii-*i.tn establish ment, within walls, like a fortress, ami with its Hjilendid appointments, for pil grims ami siek, for poor and rich ; and then, a town itself, still outside the wul!*, from which you catch glimpse* ot the green *|h|m-s of the valley of Hiiiiioin, and the old dusty gravevard and empty pool ol'Gihoii, aud the an cient aqueduct; and there, right before U*. the lur-luim-d Juffagute, with it* moving mas* of people. Then the western wall* of Jerusalem, with their old gray stones and battlements ; and far off, shining and seething in beat and light, and as regular in its sub lime masonry as a wall built by the liund of man, full fitly miles away, is the splendid range ot Moub. Ihe shops and market, and build ing going on about the Jaffa gate, and the groups of all nations which take their way to and from it, or saunter and jabber about it, do not impress one with any feeling of sanctity ; but this oue picture, nay, these two pic tures, do! One is the weird, M->abiti*li mountain well of the Desert, tar off beyond the Dead .S-a and the Jordan ! I'iie other is uii unexpected, dramatic, ami at range spectacle in the midst of the road. Insight of this Holy City, -.a the first view, we perceive over a hundred pilgrim priests ami their friends—nil iu black apparel—fall prostrate in the dust! As we pas* tliey chant their prayers and ki- the earth. Who are they 1 Whence come they? rhev are pilgrims from the far-off Peninsula of Spain. Their wive*, sisters, mothers, am) parishoit -1 ers have caught the vision of the heav enly city, which their Saviour made the marvel of history, ami tlu-y lie "si lent a* a iiuii in adoration," ami then arise, giving glory, before the previous ami hallowed home of the Incarnate Son of God! what W'OXDKRH, indeed. It i* said that Time never work*. It <>nly eats and consumes, rot* and rusts But it doc* work ; and such wonders! Out ol this little span of Judcati laud, fifty by two bund ml miles only, and during ihc lap-- of two thousand years —w hat wonder* ! Beyond yon der hill*, now iu our view, was born in the manger the Gml Man—mystery ••I mysteries. Diese solemn, dark eyed priests of Spain, iu their reverent way, recognize the wonders, even a* the magi who came trom the Lust. Suppose thi* gave not the beautiful earthly vision of the Sacted ("itv ; sup- |ro*e the approach from the Jordan or trom Damascus would enhance umre the material attraction—was it not here that ? and swelling heart* of the Crusader* first beheld the city of their hope ami their jsiwer* ? It they c arid sail aud iiiareli, so far, under h--nil<-t and mail, ami all privation, to racuc the Holy Kepub here from tin- Payiiiiu, what wonder now that these from tin realm of "Isalrella the Catholic," who gave her jewi Is to enlarge the King dom ot fiiri-l upon our planet, should fall prostrate Ih-I- rc the wall* of that city which contained tbe grave w hence came the Re-let uicr ! We pondered much tin* strange spectacle. Pilgrim* trom far-off Ann riea, whose geography wa* not known until the j writs of Spain found u—not known when these great traiisnction* of salvation were here enacted —we could not retrain from sympathetic tar* at the pro* pci t of a city so hallowed by sacrifice, ami so sanctified by time. S. S. CX. Anffilolr of llaamrl. i f<*r tj' lrvfT>* Brave and grand men are never above or below emotion. I have lov <•<1 to dwell upon the heroisinand jmiri - o|i*m ot our great Democratic lewder \\ loii. 1.l Scott Hancock ; hia incor ruptibility, hi" soldierly self-sacrifice. Iu IrarlmutMi in battle, hi* perfect equi|K>irc during an exciting political campaign, and, more recetly, hia no ble attitude while his successful oppo nent in tliat campaign lay dviug. Now there cornea to me an incident allowing him, uparl from bin houora and achievements, touched by tee gnrndure of liia mother'* mingled love and patriotism, touched even teara. I heard the story ironi the lips of an old friend, an eloquent clergyman ami ring-hating lb-publican, who lor year* had known ami admired Hancock. In dune, 1564, the Methodist church at Noriislowu ** in great need of aeven hundre a short portly-built, dark complexion ed gentleman who had jut entered tie j room. It stru# kwe that I had se* n the gentleman In-furv, and i question ed my companion a to hi* i, through the change* that time ha* wrought, ha* been stripped <*f his jvtwer ami rich#*, and is reduced t# . that decree ul penury known a* shah by genteel. Hi* |*er trial history il lustrate* perfectly the ficlileiie* of for tune. 1 have klmwn him for many year*, and hid probably a* onuversaut ■ with ihe story of his wrong* as any man living. I have *cen bun wlnn the question of money was hut aeuon | iv. Spiagtie is a man poaseased of gnat capabilities, especially for con ducting business, as is attested by the success in which he carried on the en ormous interest* of the Spragtie manu facturing concerns founded by his fath er. and which have made millions of dollars Ibr their owuers through hi* management. His father, Ann-a Spmgue, laid the foundation of calico piintiug iu Ameriea in IK2M, erecting the first mill ou the site of the prm-nl Cranston Print Works. The story of how AmaM acquired the ku.-wledge of iiiatiulaeturiwg calico is an interesting one. He had experimented hundred* of times, and had ruined '.timiMiids of yards of cloth iu the vain endeavor to discover the great secret. Becom ing discouraged at his many vnsucctse fol aiteuipts.iiul uuly more ditcr mined to pnse*e the secret, he went to Eng land with the intention of obtaining the secret from the manufacturers there at any cost. He could not buy the secret, however, and the only way often to him was to enter the mills as a day laisirer at a few shillings a day, ami gradually work up until he could IK- in a position to steal the secret. At last he obtained a powition in thu col oring room of a great English print e-nshludiment, ami the secret was Ida, lie returned to Ithode Island and started his print works. The business was a prosperous one, and he laid the fouiidstbm of the Bprauuew great for tune. In 1A57 William Hprague as sumed •huge of the pmpeity, whith was one of great responsibility, al though scarcely twenty-five years of age. "Ou the breaking out of the war Bprague reaped u fortune of many million* !y the great a1 u trustee, Zu-hariah Out Ice, of 1 Vnvideiicu, to he iiiaiingeil until ull debts were dissolved. Tliree quarter* ol the sl'M-k in the luick Coin puny were it*n| hy Mrs. Sprague, Mrs. h amiy Sprague, Aniasa 8, r.iguo, ami \\ 1 11 lit in Sprague, rifjH-eii voly aunt, mother, ami brother to William. | This ► tin k wa- truiislerreil as collateral security for the payment of the notes ol the A. A \V . Sprague Maoufactur • tog ( oiiij.aov, ami trust notes wi-ra is ue,000,000 omre than it* liabil ities. Notes agaiusl the estate were vaiuetl at par at that time, hut the I value of the estate depreciated MI I much that the market value of the | note* descended to from sixteen to ; twenty six cents ou the dollar. Final ; ly the Sprague* *poole<| the is-ues," and engaging (b iis. Butler, of lio-t-.n, and Pry or, ol New \ ork, ami otlt*r law yer-, entered a |H-tiiioa in the Supreme ' >url ol Klnsle Island for Chafee'a removal as trustee. Tin* fietitiou was continued, ami at la-l, under the ad vice ol Cieti. Btith-r, ex-Gov. Sprague, as president of the Quidnick Com pa nv, di-plared C'iatee, ami up|oiiiu-d 11. (J. Chaoe in hi place. <"lialee hail the property attached for IoOOh.OOO hy William J. King A Son, the New York cotton brokers of w lioui Chafee pnrcha-ed cotton, the Htin claiming tiiat the Cjoidnii k com pany owed them thai sum for cotton. The Sprague concerns were stop|>ed by Chafee, who intended to sell them and chute up the affairs, throwing 10,- 000 geiiil in the mnuutacturii.-g world. Hut I fear he will not. The trouble wis!: which the w hole country is acquainted has greatly humiliated him, and he is not the same man he once was. In tact, his family affair* have troubled him more than hie money affairs have, and I believe that is what has diivtti him to the use of liquor. However, i hope to see him once more placed upon his fret, as I consider hint to be a niau who has been unjustly treated." Molar Ural. Proft—ir 8. P. lamgley, of ihr Al legheny Obaervatory, who went (o i California in July la.l lo measure from the summit of Ml. Whitney the > amount of solar boat radiated to the earth, ha* meruit, ami the result* of hi* experiment* will noon be given to the liovemnteul in the form of a re |ort. The general conclusions, how ever, wwin to be that the 'Volar eon- Mam," or ah.■•* that the true color i of the sun ia blue.