209 FAINTING MEN.
Sunday Discourse ty Dr. Chapman, the
Noted Pastor-Evangelist.
Every Persoo It Called Into the kTofdom of
Ood for Pursose ws snail u
Mad to Account tor Work Uodone.
New Yon City. The following tckoV
srly and readable sermon has been pre
pared for the press by the P?P,'ar P"""01--evangelist,
the Rev. Dr. J. Wilbur Chap
man. The subject of the discourse is Iwo
hundred fainting men," and it was
preached from the text, "Two hundred
abode behind, which were so faint that
they could not go over the Brook Besor.
I. Samuel 30: 10. ....
In some respects we are reminded in
thin story of the celebrated charge of the
Light Brigade, possibly because there were,
000 of David's soldiers, and perhaps be
cause they fought valiantly and won a
great victory. While the rank and file
would not comjiete with the men who
fought at Sebastapol or Inkerman, for
they had been n discontented lot in thdn
homes and in their service, yet there werH
aorne really great soldiers among them, and
they were aa ready to die as were those 600'
illustrious men who made the gallant'
charge not many years ago.
At the time of the text David was liv-I
ing at Ziklag. and he and his men bad
been away in battle. The battle has been
waged, the victory haa been won and they
are homeward bound. They have camped
for the last night, and to-morrow morning
they will be with their loved ones. The or-;
der is given to break camp and forward
march, Hnd when they came to the hill,
where before them they could naturally
ace Ziklng the first man shades his eyes
with his hand and looks. His face grows
pale and he begins to shudder, for Ziklag
is in ashes, and as they come nearer their
wives and children and all their property
have been carried away. They are about
to turn upon David and atone him, but
when he agrees to go after the enemy they
turn away from the ruins of their homes
and start' in hot pursuit. They reach the
Brook Besor, and then find that they havcj
in their company men who are not able to,
go on, some because they are old,, others!
because they were crippled, and atill oth-
erg because they were ill. The number)
comprised 200. In order that they mighti
move more rapidly and battle more hum
cessfullv all the heavy trappings were left
with the 200 at the Brook Besor, and 400,
men pursued the enemy. They overtiUej
an Egyptian, who is left by the wayside,
as good as Head, and when tney give nun
some refreshments and promise him that
they will not let him fall into the hands
of the enemy, neither will they put him to
death themselves, he tells them the direc
tion that the enemy lias gone, and pursu
ing after them they come suddenly upon
them. They have been intoxicated with
their great success, ami although the bat
tle was fierce for a little while victory bo
longs to David and hia men. Their wives
and children are theirs once more; most
valuable treasure also is taken, and they
nave turned their faces back to the Brook
Besor. Suddenly some one in the company
begins to talk of the distribution of the
plunder, and they have about decided that
the 200 faintinn men shall have nothing
when David, with r.ll the. kinglineas that it
was possible for him to assume, declares
"as his part is that goes out to the battle
an shall bis part be that tarries by the
stuffs. They shall share and share alike,"
and then he turned to the Brook Besor
and saluted his men. Every old soldier
and every weak man received as much of
a reward ns if he had been in the front ot
the fight.
There is an impression abroad that the
rewards, for the Christian are given to
those who have rendered conspicuous ser
vice; great preachers, great philanthro
pists, great martyrs. This is not so ac
cording to the text; neither is it true ac
cording to the teaching of the Bible. Re
wards are not given for the amount of noise
made in the world, nor for the amount of
good which we are supposed to have done,
but whether we have worked up to our
full capacity.
You doubtless remember Plato's fable
. of the spirits that returned to this world
each to choose a body for its sphere of
work. One took the hody of a king, an
other a poet, still another of a philosopher,
and Ulysses came with great disappoint
ment because all that was worth having
was taken, when some one said the best
is left. You may choose the body of o
common man and do a common work anri
receive a common reward, and this he did.
I.
Every man is called into the kingdom of
God for a purpose. There is no question
about this, dust as in the making of a
great locomotive every piece must be con
structed by an expert and every bit of
work must be marked with the name of
the workman, so that if the cngino should
break in Jerusalem or China the failure
could be traced to the proper source, tiod
expects every man to do his duty, and for
every one iu ull the kingdom Mo has a plan
of course. We are not ull expected to
perform the same mission, l'aul has nn
illustration of this in First Corinthians,
the 12th chapter, where lie is describing
the body where he says, "Yo cannot say
to the hand, I have no need of thee, und
if the body were an eye where were the
hearing, eU," but each performs its own
mission, the uncomely parts receiving the.
greatest attention from the head. Ko every
one of us has a work to do. If we leave it
undone we ahull be called to a strict ac
count. There are two kinds of work illustrated
in the story of these soldiers and the 200
fainting men. One kind is marching forth
under the gaze und admiration of the mu!
titude, the other is just tarrying by thi
Brook Besor taking care of the stuff, and
yet it has its reward.
If.
How often the field to which Cod calls
us seems to us to be exceedingly small
The business man who has gone to hit
otlice all this while, and goes through the,
round of common tasks from morning tq
night, from one week's end to another)
year in anii yeafbut, charting oft times be
cause he is doing so little and yet forget
ting that he can be "not slothful in buaij
neas, fervent in spirit serving the Lord,
and because he dues complain so much ii
missing his opportunity to do what the
preacher never could do. The invalid upon
her cocch -acked with pain aud tilled with
complaint because her voice is never heard
in the congregations of the- people, won.
dering why she ever I-vel, and crying out
against Uod because the has suffered so in
tensely, thereby mi-ung her opportunity
to give a testimony which no one el
could give but the invalid.
One of our honored old ministers n week
ago was plunged into great serro v by the
news of the death of his son. He had died
by his own hand. When the news win
broken to the father it seemed as if he
would fall, when suddenly remembering
the comfort which he had ever given to"
others he cried aloud, "Though lfe slay me
yet will I trust Him," and he never1
through all his ministry preached a better)
sermon, 'i'ho mother in her home bouudi
to her children, for while the chain muv bel
silken it is still a chain, charting because!
he can make her influence felt so little in
the world, and yet forgets that she is!
doing what every angel in the shies would',
line to do, having uu opportunity placed;
in her hand, to mold a soul for eternity in
the direction of the lives of her boys, ll'
2 .! p y.U in a discouraged position!
do as Haul did, make the best of it for we
the lhihppians, "Uut I would ye should
understanJ, brethren, that the things'
Which happened uuto me have fallen out
rutuer limn uu luik.uminca oi lau aopet
so that my bonds in Christ are manifest il
all the palace, and in all other places.'
Phihppians 1: 12-13. There ara those whi
aay if I were only in a more enlarge)
sphere I would be brave and true, but tliii
is not at all certain if you are not brav
ond true where you stand to-day.
"Just where thou art lift up thy voice,
. ed sing the song that stirs thy heart;
' .v""'1 forth thy strong aud eager hand
To lift, to save, just where thou art.
,ut where thou standest light thy lamp,
lis dark to others as to then;
' Al!lr ?"' re hedged by ""seen thorns,
their burdens fret as thine fret thee..
"Out yonder, in the broad, full glare '
- Of Uiany JauiM thiue owu tumbt fiaU 4
Ana tny sweet song smtd the gear
Of manv voices slowly fail;
While these thv kindred wandered 03
' Uncheered, unfighled, to the end.
Near to thy band thy mission lies.
Wherever sad hearts need a friend."
First Perhaps you are where you ari
because you have not filled full that poji
tion. and God will never call you to I
higher place until you have overflowec
where you are. Mourning and fretting be
cause you are not where you want to b
does not make things better. The bnndi
are only tightened by the fretfulness. Twt
birds in two cages in a room give nn illns
tratiou. One dashing itself against the ban
because it is imprisoned, injuring itsell
and stopping its song; the other singim
as if it would outsing the lark in the mend
ows, and moving thereby its mistress tc
open the cage and set it free. He who doei
the best ho can where God has placed him
has put his foot on the round of the laddei
that leads up to higher things.
Second Usefulness is not the primarj
object for the Christian. We sy, "Oh
that we might be more useful," but first
rather let us desire to be more holy, foi
that is God's will. There is nothing bet
ter for the most of us than sorrow or dis
appointment or trial because these thingi
shape character. There is little merit in
being good when everything nbout hi
makes us good, and usefulness is the result
of character, is to character what the fra
grance is to the rose. The gardener does
not aim first lor the iragrance, mil
in make the rose nerfecf. and the fra
grance takes care of itself. If you study
the sermons of Whitfield. Wesley. ftpnr
iteon and Moodv you mnv wonder whs
these sermons produced such mighty ef
fects. It was because the power was in
the messenger rather than in the message,
. To be riiiht with God, to be holy, to be
like Christ; is our first duty, and through
the door of holiness we pass to usefulness.
In the early painting days of West.
Morse, the philosopher, entered his studio
He was painting his masterpiece of "Christ
Rejected," when ho said to his friend.
"Let me tie your hands and paint them in
the picture, and if you have ever ccen
this picture you have seen the hands ol
Morse painted in the stead of Christ. H
nri in bnnna for Christ's sake this VCrV
thought will take from you the sting of
living possibly out of sight and domg only
common thintra as vou have done in other
tlavs. vet the time will como when you
will be free.
Perhaps there are those here who are in
bondage because thev have never yet be
come Christians. In the old Water street
mission there came one day a man bowed
down with sin until he stood little more
than four feet high, like a veritable dwarf,
but when he bowed ot the altar and
yielded himself to Christ he stood up as
straight as nn athlete. Perhaps this is
what von need. Kurhinz for peace, yon
have not found it, searching for pleasure it
lias eluded its grasp. Oh, come to Christ
In-dav. for He innv set vou free.
Then discipline may lice us. Rawlins
White, the old murtyr, was decrepit and
bowed with age. but when he stepped into
the fire suddenly these bonds were snapped
and his body was ns straight as it had ever
been in the clays of his youth, und it may
not be when sorrow came to you and
vour heart was almost breaking, when the
tlame3 of affliction took hold upon you that
(iod was but seeking to tree you from
bondage and lead you out into a larger
field of service. The thing from which you
shrank away tit meant tor your edinca
tion. A dear friend of mine with whom I trav
eled recently said. 1 wns but an average
Christian until one day tiod came unto lny
home und took inv daughter, and then
the midst of my sorrow 1 yielded
myself to Him, gave Him my time and
inv monev and everything that 1 had. and
I stepped out into a life o.' blessing such as
I had never known, and 1 would not give
the last twelve years for all my life before
put together." And then, too, we shall be
free when we see ilini. For the man
whose sphere has been most circumscribed
here will doubtless find when he stands in
the presence of the Kinn that he was but
in a preparation for a mission among the
saints at wlncli uie very angels migat wen
stand amazed.
nr.
If all these seem like hardships to us and
we have been without comion, then let us
wait until the day of reward shall come.
The mother who has had a hard time with
her children, fust wait and do vour best,
When Charles Wesley comes to judgment,
and nil the hosts tnat have been won tr
Christ by His power of inuale cuine, it will
be a great day, and when Jolm Wesley
conies to judgment with all tlie souls of
Methodism with him it will bo a marvelous
sisht, but higher than the throne of either
Charles Wesley or John will be throne of
rmsana Wesley, tlieir mother.
The oltl preacher who baa ic;-n d-scour-
aged oft times because his church was so
small and his work so apparontlv lnsizuiti-
rant, needs only to wait until that great
day, and when that old minister who
preached in Falkirk stands in His presence
to sav possibly to Him. "Master, I hail but
a little field.' he will hear 11 im ay. "But
you led Robert Moft.it to me. und
Joseph Parker said the man who added
Kobert Moffat to the church ndded a conti
nent to the kinjdom. And when the old
Lnglish minister whoso field was verv cir
cuinscribed. whose name is not generally
Known, stand in l-us present to say
Muster, J did the lies, I could, but my
church was small," He will say to him,
"But you led Charles Spurgcon to Christ,
and Spurgeon led n multitude."
When Henry VIII. and Anne Boleyn
came up the River Thames they had a
great entrance into the eitv of London.
Fifty barges followed the Lord Mavor.
Olncials were dressed in scarlet. Musicians
chanted upon the bjnka of the river, and
she who w,.s to lie tno queen clad in gar
ments of beauty, walking uoon velvet, en
tered Westminster Ab'jey, and tlie service
was a great one, but it . is ns nothing com
pared to the end when the rewards are
given to thoso who have simply been
laiuuui.
I was sick, Ho will say, "and yc visited
Me, and the young Christian Kndeavovei-
will say, "But, Master, when?" und He
will answer, "it was when you walked
through the wards of the hospital and gave
a flower to this one and a cup of cold
water to that one. "1 was weak and ye
helped Me," and this business man will
say. Hut. Master.whunl and Ho w ill an
swer, "It was the coin you gave to the man
in the crowded streets of the city yester
day, and who but for that coin would have
Halved." And to the mother who has
.-rared for her children, and the business
l:ian who has faithfully performed the tasl;
it his business, and the father who has
been true in his home lie will sav. Inas
much as ye did it unto the least of these
;e did it uuto Me. '
ho you see it is not at all a question
ts to where we have labored or how small
jur experience has been, but have wo done
ur best. It so, we shall receive a reward.
Soldier's Curious Letter.
From the Philippines some curlout
letters have been recolved by thi
friends of our soldiers fighting lr
those Islands. One of the most In
genlous was a piece of native bam
boo, about a foot long, on which ar
address had been carved with a pen
knife. Tho letter was Inside this hoi
low tube, and hold there by wooder
pins at each end. The writer ex
plained that he had found It lmpos
slble to get an envelope or to find an)
gum to make one, so had recourse to
this expedient.
8cene of Romantlo Happening.
Elmlngtou, the beautiful Virginia
estate of Rer. Thomas Dixon, Jr., ta at
Its best Just now. King Powhataa
lived near there, and, according to
tradition, it wa there that Pocahon
tas Baved the life ot Capt. John
Smith.
- Sing to Their Oxen.
In France the oxen that work In th
fields are regularly sung to aa an en
courageinent to exertion, and no peas
ant haa the slightest doubt that the
animal listen to bim with pleasure.
THE SABBATH SCHOOL
International
Lesson Comments
July 27.
for
Subject: Worshiping the doldta Calf, Ex.
xixIL, I.3J Ootdra Text, Ex. xx., I
Memory Veroee, 30-22 Commentary
oa Ibe Day's Lesson.
1. "Moses delayed." lie was in the
mount forty days. "Gathered them
selves." "They came In a tumultuous and
seditious manner, insisting on having an
object of religious worship made for them,
as they intended under its direction to re
tourn to Kgypt. See Acts 7; 39, 40."
"Unto Aaron. The brother of Moses and
the principal one in chargo during Moscs'e
absence. "Make us gods. They required,
like children, to have something to strike
their senses, and as the Shcchinah, "the
glory of God," of which they had hitherto
enjoyed the sight, was now veiled, they
wished for some visible, material objects
as the symbol of the divine presence
which should go before them as the pillar
of HreOiad done. "We wot not." "We
know not.' Horn contemptuously they
spnkt of Moses. Thus ungrateful are they.
1iile God delights to honor him, they de
lijht to condemn him, nnd this to the face
et Aaron, his brother and substitute. "It
is likely tney migut nave supposed tnar
Moses had perished in the fire, which they
saw had invested the top of the mountain
into which he went."
"Rrenk off. Immvini that the act
involved an effort and sacrifice on their
part. The prevailing view has been that
Aaron, anxious to dissuade the people from
their purpose, proposed this great sacrifice
hoping they would withdraw their demand.
This is not nn improbable view, but the
facts show that he was morally weak, and
lacked the sterling qualities of a great spir
itual leader.
"Brought them." The Liyptian rings,
as seen on the monuments, were round,
massy plates of metals, and as it was rings
ot this sort that uie Israelites wore, men-
ize and number must, m the general col
lection, have nroduced a large store of the
precious material.
4. "Ana mane it a mouen ca r. aiiii
idol seems to have been the god Apis, the
chief diety of the Egyptians, worshiped at
Memphis under the form of a live ox, three
ve.ua old. "These be thv (tods." Possibly
Aaron oniy intended to mane tnem Borne
symbolical representation of the divine
power and energy, that might be as evident
to them as the lunar ot cloud nnd tire nan
been, and to which God miitht attach an
always present energy and inlluencc.
5. "i-cast to the Lord. Aaron noes
not appear to have designed a worship that
should supersede the worship of the M ist
High. It is evident he intended that the
true God should be the oliicct of their wor
ship though he permitted and even encour
aged them to oiler this worship through
an idolatrous medium, the molten calf."
0. I.aiiv. It was to be a day ot fes
tivity and piv and they were anxious to be
gin it." "Offerings." The burnt olferings
were wholly consumed on the altar, but
the neacc offerings were only partly con
sunied und the remainder eaten by the
nricnts and the worshincrs.
7. corrupted tiiemseives. -noses
must break off his communion with God to
go and do his duty as a magistrate among
the neoole. Ihcy had not o?uy taken on a
spirit of idolatry, but they had become
abominable in their conduct. They were
no loneer entitled to hn nrotection and
love. Thev had broken their covenant with
God. and had sinned nuainst meat hzht
8. turned nside. J lie actions ot tlie
people were all open Deioro Uoa, and lie
tells .Moses what thev have done.
9. "StitTneckcd. unmanageable. Hard
to control.
10. "Let mo alone. Moses had not vet
opened his mouth, but God foresaw the
holy violence with which his importunity
would besiege His throne. Mv wrath.
1 he wrath of bod is His nehtcotts indigna
tion against sin. It will consume the un
repentant, but He also keepth ' mercy for
thusands." 34: 7. "Oi thee." God
seemed ready to destroy the nntion, and
raise up a vTCat nation through Moses.
H-13. .MoseB besought. the nobleness
of Moses shone forth in complete self-for-getfulness
in his love of Gou and of the
people, while he pleaded tor tueir forgive
ness.
14. The Lord renented. This is spo
ken merely after the manner of men who,
hiving formed a purpose, permit them
selves to be diverted from it by strong and
forcib.e reasons. Moses prayer influenced
Jehovah.
15. lhe tables. They were evident, v
not very large or heavy, as Moses appears
to have easily carried them both.
18. Work of God. -Such a law could
proceed from nono but God.
17-fa. Aoise of war. ,jos!iua at nrst
thought that the people must be waning
with some of the neighboring tribes.
19. Moses anger waxed not. Moses
now feels the kindling of a wrath akin to
that which moved Jehovah. Fiery indig
nation against sin is a passion as pure and
worthy of God or man as lovo for truth
and righteousness. Moses' anger was not
the stirring of an unholy passion. "Hreak
them." A visible sign, showin that Israel
had broken the law written thereon.
20. "Took the calf. etc. The act was a
symbolical one; the idol was brought to
nothing and tlie pcpie were made to swal
low their own sin. '
21. "That thou hast brought." This
was a severe rebuke. Moses charged the
sin direci.y upon Aaron, because he had
permitted it.
22-21. "Aaron said." His reply is very
weak, and is really a confession of his own
shortcomings.
25. "Naked. j his means that they
were broken loose from all restraint, un
ruly, l'?entious.
28-28. "Sav everv man. The Lcvites
came at Moses' call, nnd then the work of
retributin began. I he :iuu slain were
probably the leaders in the transgression.
'Those who were guilty of this breach of
the covenant were liable to the penalty of
a capital crime (compare v. 33), and hence
the order for this fearful slaughter."
20. "Consecrate yourselves. Literally,
fill your hands to the Lord. "Tlieir hands
were to be filled with the duties and obli
gations of their sacred calling."
30. "On the morrow." After Moses had
executed justice nn the principal offenders.
Ye have sinned. though they bad es
caped death they were not to suppose they
were innocent, or to look upon the sin as
a trilling thing. "An atonement. lie
tliouulit that he miuht be made au instru
ment of reconciliation.
31. "Heturned. He auain went up on
Mount Sinai. "A great sin." lie makes a
bumble confession.
Audible Railway Signals.
Tho Northern of France Railway
makes use of a system of audible sig
nals to indicate when the distant sig
nal is at caution. Between the rails
is placed an insulated brass plank
about 0 foot 6 Inches long. This 13 so
arranged that when the distant is at
caution a wire brush fitted to the en
gine passes In contact with the plank
and operates a whistle in the cab.
This requires the fitting of each dis
tant signal with the necessary batter
ies and their tip-keep, as woll as the
engines themselves; but they do not
seem to find this very much, and are.
quite satisfied with tho system.
Mrs. Lease Will Not Remarry.
The statement baa been published
that Mrs. Mary Loase, who recently
secured a divorce from her husband,
was about to marry a Philadelphia
professor of an Asiatic cult. Mrs.
Lease writes from her home In Wichi
ta, Kan., denying this report. She de
clares that she will never marry again
and adds that In five years, when her
vounttast child, Ben Hur, shall be ot
age, Bhe will "retire from publlo life."
Mr. Lease says he wishes his rormor
wife good luck, but Is not sorry she
got a divorce. Ambition, be says, was
the cause ot their separation, ana he
Is not ambitions.
CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR TOPICS.
July 27 Minions: A Meeting la the Inter
est ol Medical Mltiont 'Preach,
Heat'" Matt. x. 7, 8.
Scripture Vet-sen. Luke xv.
8-G;
xvil.
Phil
John ill. 16; vl. 38: x. 11, 17, 18;
20; 2 Cor. vlll. 9; Eph. v. 25-27;
ii. 611.
Lesson Thoughts.
Spiritual salvation la the groat worlc
and purpose of Christianity, but dons
not mean the nfiglect ot our temporal
happiness and welfare. Seeking first
the kingdom ot God. ha supplies all
needed temporal care.
"Medical missions need no other au
thority than Christ's example, for he
was the greatest medical missionary
that ever lived."
Medical mission work Is not an end
In Itself, but rather a means to an end,
our topic ts Preach and heal.
Selections.
What was It that Impelled tho Lord
of glory to comi) to earth and savo
men? It was his divine compassion.
We need the same spirit, v.hich gives
us sympathy with human woe. Only
tho ono who feols for men will work
to save men. Sympathy will send
the heart to God In prayer; and ho
who prays that God will seud out la
borers will soon be ready to say, "Send
me."
Only by vlaiMo help for tho body
that costs us Eomethlng Is It possible
to provo that our efforts for men's
souls are shirere. Sickness and
demon possession were fruit3 of sin.
Jf.stta camo to undo the works of the
devil. By healing sick bodies through
his disciples, he probed hia power and
willingness to heal sick souls, cleanse
leprous hearts, raise the dead In sin,
cast, out all the devils of iniquity.
Tho preaching of Christ-sent men
brought wayside blnS3lngs. It is so
wherever tho gospel Is preached to.
day. Free schools, hospitals, asy
lums of almost every kind, spring up.
These are tho direct product of Chris,
tlanity, and they never have grown
where Christianity was not. Men
who look at tho occasional meanness
of professed Christians, and are blind
to the unnueKtionablo drift of the whole
influence of Christianity, do discredit
to tholr own rcaaoninK.
Suggested Hymns.
Tho Rreat Physician now Is near.
Hide me, O my Savior, bido me.
Preach tho cospol, sound it forth.
We have felt the love of Jesus.
Pnao along tho Invitation.
Have you soustht tor the sheep that
!-avo wandered?
EPW0RTH LEAGUE MEETING TOPICS.
July 27 The Program of Christianity Matt.
4, 23; 10, 7. 8.
This program Is rendered on earth
It embiace3 the spirit of Christ anu
the practical application of his teach
ings to daily living right here in this
world of sin, struggle, defeat, victory.
1. Music Song of the angels In the
starlit skies of Bethlehem. It an
r ounces the arrival of Him who Is to
take the principal part In the long
tirama. Upon complete subordination
to him will depend the success of this
Blandest program ever presented to a
deeply interested and enraptured au
dience. 2. Wonderful words and un
rivaled deeds of Christ and planting
the germs of his new kingdom in many
hearts. 3. Tragic events gathering
about the cross and the rock-hewn
sepulcher. Heavens draped in sable
garments, earth quaking, people trem
bling with dread. This dreadful
apoch Is rollowod oy tne resurrection
splendor, the joyous Easter morning,
and new hopes kindled in the heart
oi humanity. 4. A spectacle of Bur
passing splendor and of transcendent
Import Is the descent of the promised
Holy Spirit. With bounding gladness
he comes to continue in person the
part begun by our Savior. He, him
self, is Christ's continued spiritual,
personal presence.
Part II. Begins without any Inter
mission. The Holy Spirit has found
ertrance Into a hundred and twenty
submissive personalities, and each one
has become the center of tremendous
spiritual power. With tongues of fire
and hearts of flame they perform the
part assigned them most effectively.
Thousands more join them. They are
i most heroic company of God-inspired,
Christ-mastered, Splrlt-fllled men and
women. Marvelous success attends
ti'eir efforts.
Ten terrible persecutions rage. Mul
titudes of Christians' die painful
deaths, but the blood ot martyrs be
come the seed of the church. The
early church sprang anew into more
earnest life. Marching on over all op
position, it overthrows civil heatenlsm
and exalts a professed Christian em
peror to great Caesar's throne.
The Dark Ages follow, during which
period Christianity is less conspicu
ous, but In quiet places it is nourish
ing the truths and principles which
are destined to push forward Chris
tian civilization with new power.
The Lutheran Reformation ushers
in a brighter morning for all Chris
tendom. In due time it is followed by
the majestic Wesleyan revival, whoso
enlightening and elevating Influence is
likely to abide until the program shall
close In the complete conquest of the
whole race for Christ. In an address
to Yale students recently Dr. Lyman
Abbott said: "What are wo here for? '
He answered:. "First, to get control
of the world. That is civilization.
Second, to overcome moral evil. That
Is Christianity." Whatever we may
think of the accuracy ot this classifi
cation, no one can doubt that the su
preme aim of Christianity Is to gecure
the doing ot God'a will on earth as it
is done lu heaven.
RAM'S HORN BLASTS.
O bury a truth Is to
raise a lie.
A liberal soul is
he best Bcrmon on
liberality.
God's Word wins
lis own way.
The first effect ot
cnowledga Is the
consciousness ot lg
norance.
The edifice of
character cannot be
built without au ar
chitect.
We can easily bear .afflictions when
borne up by His affection.
It is better to be saved In a storm
thsu drowned In a calm.
Religious teachers count tor more
than religious teachings.
Sponges gather easily, but. they are
quickly wrung dry.
God ran alve tis natience. but Ha
cannot give us practice.
Qrowlng and giving are the best evi
dences of living.
GOD'S MESSAGE TO MAN
READING FOR THE QUIET HOUR
WHEN THE SOUL INVITES ITSELF.
Poem: rower of the Cross He Who Will
Kot Own Ood's Authority Cannot Re
ceive His Guidance Frayers For Vm
Mercies Are Prayers For Future Needs,
Lord, let me know the power of Thy cross,
So that I count all other things but loss;
So riches, pomp, and all tho world holds
dear
Fade into naught whey Thy dear cross is
near.
Lotd, when I wander, foolish, far from
Thee.
When doubt and fear molest and trouble
me,
Then may Thy cross its radiance o'er me
shed.
And I to Thy aweet rest once more be led.
Through all the haste and worry of the
day
Grant that Thy cross may ever guide my
way;
Sin's subtle skill to foil and fears to quell
As thinks my soul of Him who loves so
well.
When dawns the day that I His face shall
see, i
Sign of my faith His precious cross shall be;
All, all of heaven mine, because He died,
Mine joy and life in .lesus crucified.
Ernest G. Wcllesley-Wesley.
A Conditional Promise.
"In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and
He shall direct tiiy paths." I'rov. 3: 6.
The promises are all conditional. But
the conditions are not strings tied to the
promises, drawing them back and making
them worthless; they are logical and not
merely arbitrary, the promise cannot be
fulhlled without the faithlul performance
of the conditions any more than you can
grow-without eating or see without looking.
Runmission is the essential condition ot
direction. He who will not own God's au
thority cannot receive His guidance. God
cannot direct our paths unless we accept
His precepts. But the man who acknowl
edges his Lord by taking one step in loyal
obedience will be led the next one in lov
ing power and wisdom. God can lead Hia
obedient ones to Canaan: but Egypt He
can only lead to the Red Sea and the diso
bedient ones to the desert. He cannot
lead rebels into His kingdom simply be
cause they will not be led. So, perhaps,
the first thing to do, if we are in doubt as
to whether we arc being divinely led in
our lives is to discover whether we are
perfectly acknowle lg!ng the right and au
thority of God over our lives.
If you acknowledge the tlag the flag will
protect you and God can only care for
those who commit themselves to Him.
There are man who earnestly pray on their
knees to be led to heaven, and then as soon
as they arc on their feet they run away
from it. They pray to be piloted into the
safe haven while they pull the wheel over
for the isles of pleasure and sin. If you
want God to pilot your life you must give
Him the bridge. You must leave Him
there in all kinds of weather. We are al
ways ready to pray for guidance in our per
plexity, when no path can be seen
through the storm and too ready to take
the helm ourselves when the gale has gone
down. Kvery Christian life ought to bear
plainly written on It, where all may easily
see and read, "Jesus Christ, Master."
He cannot confer His blessings unless we
acknowledge the benefits received, but if
you openly avow His goodness He will
freely vouchsafe His guidance and every
other blessing. Our praises for past mer
cies make our best prayers for future
needs. Gratitude is a Christian virtue;
guidance seems to be conditioned on it.
The trouble is a good many of us have for
gotten how to say, "Thank you" to God.
Life's multitude of mercies pass unnoticed.
We only stop to give thanks when we have
been delivered from some manifest danger
or have had some very narrow escape, as
though it was more wonderful that we
should be snatched alive from a wreck with
the loss of all our belongings than that we
ahould be brought safely along our way
without any discomfort.
Awake, my heart, and sing His praises;
number up the known mercies, and, still
more, bless Him for the unknown, and let
men everywhere know that in Him we ac
knowledge the secret of any goodness, the
source of all power and the sovereignty of
any service we may have. Then we can
trust Him to keep His promise with us.
uy F. Cope, in Ram's Horn
A Wise KxauiiiIc
It is related that a cavalry officer, with
a small number of followers, was pursued
by ijn enemy who were in large force. Ha
discovered that his saddle girth was be
coming loose; his comrades were urging
him on to greater speed, but he dismount
ed, tightened the loose buckle, and then
rode on, amid the shouts of his compan
ions. The broken buckle would have cost
him his safety perhaps his life. His wise
delay insured his safety, and sent him out
of the reach of his pursuing enemies.
"This incident," says the Kev. Theodore
L. C'uyler, "suggests several spiritual les
sons. A very obvious one is that the
Christian who is in such haste to rush oft
to his business in the morning that he does
not spare any time for his Bible or for
prayer, is quite likely to 'ride for a fall'
before sundown. One of the most eminent
Christian merchants of New York told
me that he never met his family at the
breakfast table until he had had a refresh
ing interview with his God over his liible
and 011 his knees. His family worship af
terward was not only a tightening ot the
buckle fov himself, but was a gracious
means 01 gaiety to nis nouscuo.u.
The Uulillng Star.
Laughter, amusement, pleasure have a
conspicuous place in the religious life. Ee
sad when you must, but be glad whenever
you can. The sadness will come of itself,
unbidden, but the gladness must be sought,
and it is a duty to search for it until it is
found. But behind the smiles, the frivol-
ties, the aayeties. everv reasoning soul
hnds food for grave questioning.
10 tne yoiitn come moments when the
vision ot great possibilities visits him.
Life is stern, crave, laborious Il ili-anmi
of success and stirs his inner depths with
the determination to make it his. Cut
what shall the success be? Wealth, fame,
position? These are well enough, and quite
worthy our utmost effort. Still, if we
nave oniy wealth, or tarns or position, yea,
if we have all three in our grasp, they are
not enough. Without manliness, honesty,
self-respect, the ability to look back on the
patu we have traveled without a sigh,
they count as nothing when the snnl eiiti.
cises and measures itself. A life of moral
principle, ot honor, of even-handed jus
tice is the only life worth living. There
fore, with all your striving, let nobilitv of
heart, an unblemished career, be your
guiding stur.
Orow Old Gracefully.
.One may grow old gracefully bv sitting
always at the Master's feet, learning of
Hil l, by benefiting others with the knowl
edge gained, by keeping closer to the infi
nite Father the nearer life's eventide,
comes, and never ceasing t have a deti
nue someiuing good o live lor.
Creeds.
Creeds are followed by consequences.
The inner life and tho outer life cannot be
divorced. What is in the fountain will find
its way into the stream. Thoughts are
seeds, and they bring forth after their
kind. The Eev. R. f. Co vie. Denver. Col.
The world doos not need to make
crosses tor cowardice.
Blessings come in service as well as
after it
All great work consists of small
deeds.
Boys have eyes like bawks tor hypo
crites. Hard living doos not make easy dy
ing.
Mon are either moulders or are
moulded.
Moral exercise makes moral athletes.
COMMERCIAL REVIEW.
General Trade toadltlona,
Eradstrcet's says: "Warmer and more
tctrlcd weather in many sections hal
helped seasonable trade and made it
possible to ascertain that the earlier re
porti of grain crop damage from ralni
were rather exaggerated. Among the
industries iron and steel still rank first in
activity, and the chief source of com
plaint is the scarcity of fuel, both coat
ar.d coke, limiting pig iron production
at a critical period. The labor situa
tion lias a rathei improved tendency.
Railway earnings thus far reported for
June (the anthracite roads excepted)
show an aggregate gain of 8 per cent on
last year, and alt reports as to probable
crops and trade point to the mainte
nance of a heavy tonnage. The strength
of food prices, particularly of cereals
and meats, are based on small, Immedi
itcly available supplies, rather than fears
nf possible future shortage. Except for
wheat, highest prices paid for ten to
twenty years past at this time are being
paid. Textiles and other manufactured
Roods tend lower, and thus affect the
Ijencral level of values.
"Cotton goods are quiet at the East
after the recent price revisions. Sonic
business for export to India is reported
but Chinese trade is quiet. Raw cot
ton has fluctuated with weather reports,
while spot cotton has been unchanged.
The Eastern woolen goods trade is in
quite good shape. Wool is firm and
ivorking higher and spring woolens will,
it is expected, open 5 to 10 per cent
higher. Lumber is rather less active
ihan of late, white particularly so, but
ttocks are smalt and no great decline is
predicted."
LATEST QUOTATIONS.
Flour Spring clear, $3 15a3.35; best
I'atont. 4 ti.i; choice 1iimily, $,'J.!H.
Wheat New York No. 2. bO.Vo;
Philadelphia No 2, 78u7dJ c; Baltimore
No 2, 780.
Corn - New York Xo. 2, TiUa) Plillti
loli lil 1 No. 2. 72;a'u73; Baltimore Xo. 2,
74n75c.
Uats New York No. 2. f6c; l'liilii
Jclphiu No. 2, Wc; Baltimore No 2.
liny No. 1 timothv, fl6.00alG.5O;
No. 2 timothy, 15.00ui5.f)0; Xo. 3 tim
othy $14.O0al4.5O
Green fruits und egptnhlcs. Beets.
Norfolk, per bunch )nlc. Blnckberrii s,
North Carolina, per quurt, 4u0c. Cuii
bage North Carolina, per crute fl.OO
al.00; do Norfolk, per brl, fl.00al2..
Cantaloupes Florida, per crate f)0cu
H.50. Cucumbers Chnrloston, per bus
kot20a2.')c; do North Carolina," 20u25e
Eggplnnts, Florida, per crate $ l.50ul.7o
lluckolherrios, per quart 5i7o. Let
tuce, Native, per bushel box lOaloc.
Miiious, New, per busket SOeiifl.OO
.Pouches, Florida, per carrier $1.00ul.25
Pineapples, Florida, per crate, $2. 25a
2.50. String beans, per bushel, green,
25u50c; wax, 35u50o Tomatoes, Flori
da, per six-biiskut carrier, fancy, $ 1.00
ul.25 do, fuir to good 75cof 100.
l'otntoes, Norfolk, per brl, X'o 1,
$1 40a 1 G5; do, seconds, f 1 00a 1 25; do,
culls. 50a75c; do, Xorth Carolina, per
brl. Xo 1, tl 25ul 50.
Butter, Separator, 23a24c; Gutlmrod
crenni, 22u23c; prints, l-lb'.'5u2Gc; Holla,
Mb. 25a2li; Dairy pts.Md., l'u., Vu.,
23u24c.
Kgirs, Fresh-luid eggs, per dozen,
17nl7Ho.
Cheese, Iargo, CO-lb, lOalOjc; me
dium, 30-lb, 104'al0; picnics, 22-lb
lOttfnlO'iO.
Live roultry, lions, 12ul2to; old
roosters, euoh 25u30c; spring chickens,
13al4o, young stags, 12al3o. Ducks
'JulOo.
Hides, Heavy steers, association and
suitors, late kill, 60-lbs nnd up, olose se
lection, llal2c; cows and light steers,
8Ku!)o.
Live Stock.
Chicago, Cattle, Mostly 10al5o lower,
good to prime stocrs $7 90a8 GO; poor to
medium 4u7; Blockers aud feeders $3 50
u5 00; cons, $1 40u5 50; heifers $1 50u
G 50; Texas-ted steers $ 4 (K)uG 75. Hogs,
Mixed und butohers $7 50u8 05; good to
choice, heavy $7 80ub 20; Sheep, sheep
aud lumbs slow to lower; good to choice
whether 3 26a4 00; Western sheep
(3 25a400.
East Liberty, Cattle steudy; choice
91 15a7 50; prime VU 70u7 to. nogs,
prime heavy H 10u8 20, mediums $8 00;
heavy Yorkers $7 95u8 00, Sheep steady,
Best wethers (4 10u4 20 oulls and com
mon $1 50u2 00; choice lambs u 50a7 00.
LABOR AND INDUSTRY
Rutland, Vt., machinists are on strike,
Only union labor will hereafter be
employed on brick and sewer work at
Omaha, Neb.
The carpenters' strike at Barre, Vt.,
lias been settled. The strikers gained
their demands for $2.50 a day.
A new branch of the British Steel
Smelters' Amalgamated Association
has been formed at Port Talbot, Wales,
Miners at Fernie, B. C, have again
cone on strike. They have been work
ing barely a month since the last strike.
Labor unions at Syracuse, N. Y.,
representing about 0000 men, intend
placing a labor candidate in the field lor
mayor,
Boston, Mass., bookbinders have
struck for the purpose of accomplish
ing a uniform scale of wages and ap
prentice system.
Fifty per cent of the strikes in the
United States are succes.-ful, l.t per
cent successful in part, while 36 per
cent fail completely.
T he Master. Bakers' Association at
Fall River. Mass., has signed an agree
ment with the Bayers' Union which
averts a threatened strike.
Iron (minders still report trade as bad
in the Wolverhampton, England, dis
trict, but there are fewer members ot
the union on donation bcnc.it.
Union iron molders at Council
BlulTs, Iowa, have returned to work.
Their demands for an increase of pay
from $J75 $3-23 a day were met.
Hostilities have become manifest in
connection with the engineers' strike
at Dublin, Ireland, between the men in
troduced by the employers from Scot
land and those who are out.
In Germany the working day in mos:
trades is still much longer than in F-ng-land
and the United States. Never
theless, progress in this line is noticea
ble. At the great majority of trade union
gatherings in England of late the cliiei
topic ot discussion has been "Labor
Representation." I-are fluids are be
ing voted and collected (or this purpose.
THE GREAT DESTROYER
60ME STARTLING FACTS ABOUT
THE VICE OF INTEMPERANCE.
The HsIms Is Not the WsiHssisss's
rrlead. Far It Kill Mare or TS
Than Docs Anr Other Killer 1
Belling Llqnlct Dainsmtloa.
The saloon is the workingman'e
enemy. It is a trsp to catch bim on asar
way to work and on his way home.
While Mr. Ht. John was Governor e
the State of Kansas a woman mad fcsr
appearance in his office. With tears sme
lling down her cheeks Bhe besought bios tat
pardon her husband who had Dees, ea
victed and imprisoned for homicide.
stated that the State (before prohibition
was adopted) had given a man the ngk
to start a saloon between her bonus ajadt
her husband's workshop. The once sobor
mechanic became a frequent visitor ta Uisst
resort, and in a quarrel he killed a maj
The woman claimed that it waa the faulfc
of the State as well as of her husband that
she and her children were deprived of b
htisband's wages that she so much, needed.
After thinking the matter carefully over
and finding out that the man had sincerely
repented and was desirous of leading a, so
ber and industrious life, Mr. St. John par
doned him.
The toilers of this land have all
can do to live in moderate comfort. Thee
should let the saloons alone for the sake
of their families, if tor no other reason.
Why swallow the clothes and food of thosai
at home that they love? Why make even
more bare the cupboards at home? w Re
create more tears than laughter? Why
make still more desolate the barren room
that shelter those who are not so well shel
tered as some horses are?
lhe workinzman works too hard for M
pennies to hand them over to s bartender
for that which makes him less worthy tta
be loved by bis wife and children.
The saloon says, "Stay here untd early
in the morning home is no place haa
this. Wife says, "Come home; little Sw
rah is sick and wants her papa." Which
voice is best to listen to and obey? Yo
know.
The saloon kills more workmen than mnv
other killer known. It takes from thro
their manhood. If there is any brutality
in their make-up it makes them more bnst-
tal.
Men do things when they are drunk that
they never would think of doing in their
sober senses. To strike a woman even
if she deserves it is cowardly. Yet men
do that thing when drunk and sob bitter
tears of repentance after having done i.
fut the tears so shed do not wipe svay
the wife's recollection of the sot. even it
she forgives him.
Jiow many mechanics, just about chinn
ing the ladder that leads to easy stnret,
drink that which makes the ladder tottex
and fall. It b so hard to climb up and sa
easy to fall down.
When you fall down how it hurts wife,
children and all.
The men who would successfully so5ve
the labor problem must not leave out ot
the question how to exterminate the a
loons of tlie land. If all the trouble coor
neeted with the struggle between capital
and labor could be properly arrange! to
night it would get wrong to-morrow it t re
present saloon system is permitted ta still
go on.
It is not well that this country ahoulit
go on half drunk and half sober. Such a,
state of affairs- means quarrels withoat
number. Capital on a drunk stands far
oppression, and is thoughtless aa regards
the rights of labor. When labor is on at
drunk the bosses are practically told that
they have no rights that workmen arc
bound to respect.
Factories. workshops, schools andf
churches are a blessing. Saloons are hell
breeders and muke more devils in a day
than all the churches can make saints In a
week.
What keeps factory district in poverty
is the presence of saloons which get pos
session of the wages of the employes. All
flesh is fodder with the saloons, and what
belongs to the workers is appropriated by
the saloon keepers.
1 have not the power to describe what
the saloons of America take yearly from
the workingmen. If I could you wonki bat
startled!
The average American toiler is too good
a man to be wounded and even killed bj
the saloons. He deserves a better fate.
Liquid elimination is sold by those au
thorized to do so "for the public good.
But it would be "for the public good" if
every saloon in this country waa closed sua
tight that dynamite could not open then..
Readers, I am going to keep on aakins;
the toilers of this country to keep away
from the saloons until I cannot ei tries
write or speak. Suppose I ask in vain?
Will that fact hurt me when I have to
give an account of the deeds done in the
body?
The saloon is here, but that does not.
make it right. The saloons ought to go t
where they belong, and that place ia not
heaven. George R. Scott, in the Witness.
One Minuts For Brandy.
In (he frightful tunnel disaster which
recently occurred in New York City, coa
the New York Central Railroad, when
nineteen people were killed and forty-one
were injured, the police and firemen ot
the city engaged in rescuing bodies ran
the debris found a woman pinned under a.
car seat. Apparently her injuries were
not great, but aa they started to release)
her she cried out: "Brandy, give at
brandy!"
The gallant fellows ceased their effort
just long enough to produce a bottle frasa
one man's pocket and give ber a swallow
from it. But, oh. the fatal few second!
Before another hand's turn could be mads
a steam pipe burst beside the woman, t ba
llot, blinding, scalding steam, forcing the
men from the snot. Afterward the woman
was found dead, the flesh literally cooknt
from her face. It was the one minute fast
brandy which caused her horrible deatk.
Bow They Make Then.
Barrels and Bottles, an influential liquor
organ, says:
"The blender who understands his busi
ness can very easily put a compound wniela
will not cost the retailer more than sev
enty cents to 91 per wine gallon, and will
realize 150 per gallon at five cents
drink. Of course, it's nothing but spirit
of about seventy proof, smoothed with ai
little prune juice, flavored with vanilla,
cinnamon or bergamot, colored with cant
bel and given the abarp and burning taste
some drinkers like by the addition o
grains of paradise.
"The old soak will swallow anything
that's cheap and burns as it goes downv
and the keeper of a barrel house tuiuiDy
takes the easiest way to meet the old soak'
views."
Barrels and Bottles ought to be goad au
thority on what goes on behind the bar
or down in the cellar.
The Crusade In Brief.
The Kokomo woman who spanked her
son because be had been found in a saloon
ought to have lots of imitators.
Mr. de Terra, a railway director in Gn
beu, Germany, is now forming a society est
teetotal railway men in (ierinany.
Pennsylvania haa passed a law prohibit
ing the sale of beer or other liquors t
women to be carried home from the aakxin
in a bottle or other receptacle.
It is stated that thirty -eight of the 1
enty-seven parishes in the Island of An
glesey, off the west coast of Wales, with a
populatiou of 414, do not contain a aiegkt
saloon or public house.
William D. Morris, Mayor of Ottawa
Canada, has been removed from othos far
buying s drink of liquor during houra pne
hihited by law.
A class in prohibition haa been estaV
lislted by Professor Woadhridge at Tufts,
College in response to-a petition of son
of the studenu.
At a recent temperance meeting in Bren
lau, Germany, the Chairman stated, tttas
the military authoritiea had for a. ktaa;
time been endeavoring to put a stop ta,
excessive drinking of intoxicating hqiura.
Dr. Laurent, in his work on "Inmates of
Prisons in Paris," says: "1 tut prisons t
France are inhabited in a great port tiy i -cendante
of inebriato and d. ,
A lutsl abstxinet among ctuw a m a a
exception to the rule."
vors