From the New York Observer, IN ERNATIONAL LESSON BY REY HENNEY M.GROUT, D. Db, Plague Stayed,—2 rel 24: 15-25. te So the Lord was en- tried or the land, aud the Jiague was stayed trom Israel ——2 Samuel 24: 25, GotpeN Texr certain whether the events ned occu rred before or alter The time is jut it wir of Absalom. in the narrative, + Duvid was nearing the end ind the time, it would » of general prosperity. In moved to David was we occ son of calam- act was the very nambering the people; re ted asa great sin, and the people in the misery of a pesiience., The moral im- port o! the narrative will be best brought it by tracing ‘he more important facts t~—Outward- the done Ly judy numbering of add been before with divine approval. ny coul That the the outward king of a census, in th was not ac, je first verse of th ® learn that to moved the king appears, Satan so, most likely, & military aggression, alty of this » between famin ies, and pestilence we the latter, Either have been well suite d to The at the pride of the peo- correct rticular sin. tly also their ruler. It crippled their power, It ambition. Nor was it too severe to ac complish its purpose, Are we now to look upon fire, famine, war or pestilence a dgments for sin, or corrections for moral transgres gl sions ? We should never be in haste to inter. pret divine providences. No doubt one reason for the permission of the things | named is to teach men lessons of com” mon prudence ; as those that relate to | wiser building, better agriculture, more | careful drainage, and so forth. God does not disdain to teach these lower | lessons, But it is incredible that he should care for that which is lower, and not care for that which is higher, moral instincts agree Our with God's word | is testifying that great calamities have a moral purpose. By them God does seck to humble pride, restrain wander- ing feet, and let us know that sin can. not go unpunished. 2. wudgment deepening entance. —Oa - gmenl Peng Wane ur Saviour has taught us that the angels | shall judgment be God's minister's in the Matt, 12: 41 Here that they are his messengers fina we find present angle that smote the people became visible that the king was thoroughly humbled (v, 17). David was already a child of God. of n ae, It was as the And one sign of this appears in the fact that no sooner wa pleted than his him," and he greatly.” the numbering com” | “heart greatly smote said, “I have sinned | But now, under the stroke of | the divine hand, he bows in yet deeper He might thers, but he does not. penitence, have accused He takes all the blame on himself : “These sheep what have they done? Let thy hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my fether's house.” Here is no com- plaint that the stroke is too heavy ; no word of personal excuse : no shielding of self under another's fault. The spirit of the fifty-first Psalm is here. Such is the spirit of true contrition always, Do divine visitations always work such repentance ? Not always, Under them hearts may steel themselves, and grow harder. The Spirit's work must go with them. The heart must also open to the Spirit, 3. Repentance met by mercy.—-""The Lord repented him of the evil” (v, 16). As applied to God, these words are startling. Is he not unchangeable? Is he » man that he should repent? As applied to God the words simply point to a obhange of action, He is morally unchangeable ; and, for just that reason, his actions change when circumstances alter. When the sinner turns, his atti} tude toward him is reversed. In that sense he is said to repent. Note here that the mercy followed upon the deepened repentance. Verse sixteen merely anticiaptes, in a general statement, that which further on is re. peated with fuller explanation, It is { not have been in the the Lord « flor pestilence | thwarted their military | 1 | | : i when mingled goodness and severity have wrought contrition the the sin- ner finds mercy. Not that the merey came in conneec- tion with expiation. The first thing David was to do was (0 rear an alter (v. 18); by means of this the plague was to be stayed (v. 21.) Note that mercy did not straightway remove all the consequences of the sin, The plague was stayed, but the dead were not given back to life; the forces of a now desolated kingdom were not restored. Here is a point to be cherish: ed in memory .%= Pardon is complete at once; God smiles at once on the true penitent. But this does not remove the scars of sin. Sorrows are permitted to follow; partly as God's testimony the soul's refining and discipline, now the ills are chastizements for good; ments, 4. A trustful reconsecration.- That which now marks the conduct of the king is | obedience prompt and « heerful. sooner does he receive direction to ‘go up aod [rear an alter unto the Lord's than he goes up “as the Lord commacd ed.” Moving David way prepared before him. the stood on the to obey. Jebusite, whose threshing about to marked as the temple site, was before of “Let my spot now whatever the lord, the good unto band with the offer king might require: gseemeth But He was now in no king, take what ] of [] | him,” A noble offer was David's answer, n od for a « acrifice, and ma le re he aj whose ihstance now hing." loving trust “The Lord » itself was an expr For the t expiant nn, st me not Note the yw employed : The sacrifice { the same spirit. { not only sinified der. In it the whole creature was consumed; and symbolized grateful selfsurren . . 2] , | a8 it rose in smoking odors to God, stood | | for the whole being of the offerer. | Thus David anew gave himself to God. Nor would he do it without cost, It was it should be, no cheap surrender. Such is the end of true repentance al ways. Never does it stop with confess ions and pleas. Melted by mercy, and | moved by gratitude, and encouraged by forth trustful obedience, | divine assurances, it sets in self surrendering 0) PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS, 1. The sin of Israel was by no means peculiar. The same spirit of self glory- ing, snd independance of God's will, is in us all. a 2. Our own trials and ills may be Gods visitations for such sins, mercifully de | signed to bring us to repentance. | be no escape when once it has overtak- en us, The present is our day of mercy. i. For those who seek grace by the the door af the divine heart is wide | open ; expiation has already been made; | pardon will be instant and complete. and whatever ills remain will be over ruled for good. 5. The proof of our repentance snd trust will appear in prompt obedience child-like thought of God as our God, a heart ready for and any | costly, offering or service he may sp | point, | — A——— A Riddle for You. GUESS MY NAME BUT AVOID MY COMPANY, Though 1 do not wear a crown, | pos- sess more influence and power than any European sovereign, I have existed from generation to generation, but am assuming more sway over the civilized I extend my suthor- ity into nearly every city and village in the British The emperor of Hades is my strongest ally, and my sub ects very often emigrate to his king- jdom. Strange as this may appear, yet it is a faot, that high dignitaries in Christian churches solicit my company, and at times receive from my treasury handsome gifts to enlarge and beautify their temples of worship, while many of the clergy enjoy my association. The British government find me a warm supporter of their revenue, and employ my agents to collect it; they uphold my authority, and legislate for my large and flourishing business, ir- respective of the spiritual influence I exert on the population, They place at my disposal an immense nuniber of officials, whose vocation will be men. tioned farther on : while they encour age me to extend my commercial rela. tions to the colonies of India and Aus. tralia. I am at peace with all the crows. ed heads of Europe, but the ex presi. dent of the United States refused me admission ioto the White House, 1 have been given the active services of the police in the management of the trade. Magistrates, paid and unpaid, sit on the bench at my bidding, and bow to my authoiity, many of them are in my employment on high salaries. world every year, Isles, against the sin, and partly as a means of Only | not retributive pains,or wrathful judge- | No | found the! *Araunah? | floor | be | nobler vet | 3. From the final judgment there will | 1 ¢ v ati old way of humble, trusting repentance, | ormous ; 1 boast myself to be the richest | however | Lawyers derive much of their profes- gional business from the quarrelsome nature of my nearest friends, spend much time pleading for and against me. Judges on circuit acknowl. edge that keep them employed, and that I succeed in demoralizing more people than any other agency known, Jusiness men | compel to leave their offices and sit in the hungry jury box at my pleasure, while I am a fruitful cause of many of their bad debts. The medical profession are becoming disloyal to me, but I have still a large proportion under my grasp, and they constantly introduce me tonew patients where | make many friends, many of them never leave my side, and die in wy parlor; I show them due respect, and attend their funeral feasts, Papas and mamas introduce to their children at the dinner table, and | allow them to join my Sunday school, The fair me, many of them give me a morning call, and get so enchanted with my so ciety, they visit me again in the after noon ; many call three times a day, the last visit is always the most enjoyable, The government are really wost lib eral in aiding me in the various depart of my business—they appoint {men of undoubted character to see that | no robbery go on when | leave my still chamber, and that no cold water falls on my head. Being partners in the con { cern they hold the entire amount of | “preferred stock,” and give me in re tarn about three fourths of the poor house accommodation, a larger propor | tion of the wards in the lunatic asylums | and hospitals free of charge, while the bridewells and jails Lawyers me ments are open Lo my numerous customers, | It's all | tion is an enemy {defy it! | | my own in every city and town. While other people rest on Sunday, have the privilege of keeping W). nonsense to say that educa advancement, | {0 my have numerous school over (XK) people t work, 1 Weve r the Sabl w Hy roker i t ve until I an } snd though they love reapecta ity ot the { delight leading | chambers whic The cry | never starving children never I have neil mercy, § sion for those who get rui ing tox of my cord | down the rich from | the workingman and | family plenty to psuperism and rags. It's noth ing to me. Thousands of orphans are produced by my trade, but I leave them to the public charities, I travel free on all the railways, first class. second class and third.class, and i sail ip all the ocean snd chaunel steam {ers. I never get sen-sick. [| sometimes | s0 captivate the officers on board with my conversation thst they lose their | reckonings and steer for the rocks They | forfeit their lives, bt | am always saved As to my popularity, I am equally welcome at the banquets of the rich and | the table of the peasant. | am a favor lite in the palaces of kings, while the { outcasts of society and the victims of 1 if them | h end the br troubles ms her uy partak | bring y want ) {ree 5 uxury t and i" m i i | delirium tremens delight in my charms, I am s publie executioner myself, but | sometimes the hangman relieves me in the discharge of my duties, Possessing | such vast influence, my revenues are en | man in the world. Would you believe it, my income is $500.000.000 a year, which is equal to over $17,000.00 = | week, $2,500,000 a day, $100,000 every | hour, or over $1,600 a minute, { 1 am a suceessful warrior—-the num | ber of human lives killed in the battle. | fields of the world every year is small | | compared to the thousands | hurl into {an untimely grave, yet | use neither shot, shell, nor torpedoes, The devil and me we always agree 1 like Bim and he Hikes me | Having now given you some idea of | the extent of my power, | leave you to | guess my name. It commences with AL | ends with OL. READER deny him as & friend, yememd | and | Beware’ enith ! Dreceitfal are his many ways, they ond in ¢ death | A void his subtle pathe, that load to sin and wow Look up to heaven for help to save fy ws Irish Temperance League Advoc J 4 ot what fe » bh a foe ale. "me - — Table Etiquette in Holland. Social etiquette in Holland is not to be compared te that of the table. If the supremely Duteh ons is curious, the other is droll. eat, as they are helped, and cut it up into morsels, Then they lay the knife in front of the plate, and leaning on the table with the left hand, proceed to eat all with the fork. | never saw food eat ten otherwise, except that some des: serts are shoveled with the spoon in stead of the fork, two spoons lying with knife and fork st each plate. All this is etiquetta, Deside tre p'aten hand rest is something placed, for it is necessary that one should balf recline on the tab'e T here is no such thing as changing cov- ers, and be the courses (woor twenty, they are served on the same plate, and the same knife, fork, and spoon are used, (The napkins are kept in service until the washerwoman has to meet a big bill of soap !| The meals are break- fast, lunch (keflij), dinner, and supper, The first meal is at any time from six to nioe, and among the better class of people the guests can take it in bed if 4 sey prefer. Lunch lsat twelve o'clock dinner is from four to ball past five ; supper is at any time—soven, nine, or eleven o'clock in the evening. Break. fast and lunch are exactly alike, excep, that there is tea at the former and cof- It is amusing to see the ex are getting very fond of | They take their plateful as soon | ow fee nt lunch, Buppoer consists of ten parlor quiet as often as in the room, One rapper at which 1 was the guest dining Then she brought outa the set the cafutiere over the lamp, | where it boiled merrily during the mes) | The bread came on in a loaf in the long | basket, and was cut into The [in A little round earthen pot, each per | son CTA] own kKnile and go passed round. butter was ng out with hi much as is wanted for each bread. The cheese « | similar pot, and was | eaten spread on the brea { Le r. Near the bread basket | tray, was a partly cut | bread, and | of cake, including | cake. Preser | | cloth in a shallow Kices Of Ves sed round, ne dairy, was drawn a jug that in ber absence of a sideboard naturally reposed on a mat by nu { side, wae brought out nd the dishes wa le by iy lady's After the mes] a china wash bowl lon a Lea tal the snowiest spilt a drop n : the dish w ly and Se — eveland And The C rominent and announced h ing OF He h Clevelar . Py ung and his absence ing attention, the iA communication to AsXing as for Cleve him if the ramor that he w land and would stump the states in his | behalf was true, Mr. Vessels re plie in letter. He thinks it is time § ored men to think for themsel Maryland they cast more than half republican vote, and yet had no glemember of the legislature reward being three or four small govern I'he { though holding the balance of ment positions, colored race, power and casting it for the republican candi dates, have been recognized or reward ed. The “debt of gratitnde” to the re publican party was fully paid in 1860 “The which was fis Mr. Vessels says party, wt now claims to be master we give as freeman to its sup) claimed as the votes due it from it tla The shackles were stricken from our southern brothers’ limbs almost a gener ation sg y, but «¢ slavery. Ourlady the party's policy, |) | wanted at primary ol counted, It isonls the | cans stand over against each | posited they are not when the democrats and republi other in battle array that a demand is made uj ' on us for made long- ons our Our read help. | 2 i . dlots once deposited er wanted until the , We Are no Beas reiurning bring around another national or state | election. Then again the ery goes out that we must eave the party that saved the union sand gave our freedom to us, Then again we are called on the white office holders’ ticket as an evidence of our gratitude for our fran. chisement. If we elect the ticket we are forgotten, if we fail to elect it we are forgotten, too—until the next election. We may hurrah for the old flag and ao appropriation, After the election we sometimes get the ‘old flag,’ provided it is a very old one. The white office hold. ers, whom our votes put in office, get the ‘appropristion.” It is time that this talk of the debt owed by our race to the republican party should cease. It has been discharged again and again and again, It is time that we should take our deed of quitance, “The democratic party owes us noth- ing and its candidates do not ask us for our votes, It has lived through a quar. tor century of defeat without our help and ean win the victory now without our votes, Looking at the coming eleo- tion from the stand point of one who has just severed connection with the ropuclionn party it is clear to my mind to ratify that that party is nearing deaths door.’ biscuit, and pastry, and is served in the | [shall always remember, At nine o'clock | the hostess left the card board, spread i the table-cloth, and placed the dishes, #pirit lamp, | which she lighted with 8 mateh from the mateh-box on the table, and baving | ground some coffee in a little band mill, | thick slices | —AT THE— omy wer Job Office E mom nd Ha ve YourJobh Work CEAPLY, NEATLY AND WITH DISPATEH. 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