"CHRIST'S GIFT OF LIFE"
Sundaj Discourse -Bj the Rer. George
L Dunn.
Th Pftsesalaat Aim ol Jcsas Tat Larger
Ufa.
BrookLVX, N. Y. Sunday nilit, in the
Lalayette Avenue Presbyterian Church,
the ilev. George R. Limn, sistant pan
tor, preached on "Christ' Gift of Life."
Ilie text was taken from John x:10: "I
am com that they might have life." Mr.
Lunn aid:
I am M.re that I do not exaggerate when
I say that no word of our Lord are more
protouniiy significant than these word of
Hi? text. We have in a compart form a
It itement of the purpose of Jesus Christ.
All else i auhordmnted to this great and
pi-rdoininate aim. Jesus Christ has come
into the world to give that life in ever in
creasing abundance. This is not a eonclu
liiin o. mine worked out alter special in
vestigation; it is the simple and clear and
Ion-etui statement of our Lord Himself. 1
rest upon His word as a finality. And I
find in this verse a fuller und richer ex
pression oi the purpose of Christ than is
Joiind anywhere else in Scripture.
Whnt, then, is the life which Cliri-t
leeks to give? It is the life of fellowship
with God, the rather; a fellowship begun
on earth and continued throughout the
ages of eternity. Ii is the lite of spiritual
oneness with Ood, united to Him in
thought, in purpose, in all our va.ying ac
tivities. It is the larger hie which com
prehends our present life, enriching it with
all the holy purposes of God, our Saviour,
lifting us by its power into the purified at
mosphere of noble deeds, done tor His
iiike, Jn other words, it is the life of
which our Master ftnok when He s.ii.l thnt
to lose it was a calamity, even though a I
Dim annum gain the whole world.
I think I am right in saying that a great
many people interpret the words ami work
of our Loid as applying chiefly to the oilier
world, not altogether, but chiefly. They I
regard the religion of Christ as an insur
ance of safety for the next world rather
than a definite urogram of activity for the
present. They think more of the saving i
ot tr,e foul ntter dentil than of saving tha
life before death. No stronger illustration
of this thought ran be found than the
large numbers of men who delay their de
cision in reference to Christ to some more
convenient season. They say, not now,
but at some future time, I will settle the
great question of my aoul's relation to
Cod. You cannot find a man who will not
express ime wish to lead a better life;
but in nearly every case they see no need
of an immediate decision. In my pastoral
work 1 have come in contact with this ex
perience time and again. And as I hav
endeavored to understand what is the un
derlying causa of so much indecision re
garding religious things, I find that most
of it can be traced to this fundamental
misinterpretation of the words and work
of Jesus Christ our Lord. You may ex
press this in many ways, but at heart the
point is this the saving of the soul aftet
death, instead of saving the life right here
and now; the gaining of heaven hereafter,
rather than entering into heaven now.
And because of this interpretation men
feel no immediate necessity of getting
right with God. So long as they are rea
sonably sure of life here, they are willing
to delay the great decision of the soul.
Against this view of religion allow me to
firing the message of the Saviour, "I am
come that they might have life and that
they might have it more abundantly." You
cannot read the gospels without coming
into contact with this purpose of Christ at
every turn. Repeatedly do you find the
word life. We are struck with the fact
flow constantly the word life was on the
lips of Jesus. It is a word which gives us
tne very heart of Jesus' teaching. He was
always praising! always promising life. ' If
thou wilt enter into life keep My com
mandments," "He that believeth on Me
' liath life," "Aa the Father hath life in
Himaeif, so bath He given to the Son to
have life in Himself," "Because I live ye
shall live also." "Y'e will not come unto
Me that ye might have life." Everywhere
we find this same eager pleading with men
to enter into life, and we further find that
Jesus identified life with goodness. To
Jesus life consisted in goodness. Wicked
ness is death, "The soul that sinnetii, it
shall die" is not ao much a threat as the
statement of a great truth. For the sin
ning soul diea by reason of the very fact of
its sinning. There is no lite for the hu
man soul but in righteousness. Jesuit,
therefore, uses language which we may
justly cali violent when He referred to the
ossibility of a man's losing his higher
ife. Better to cut off the offending hand
or foot if it hinders the aspiring soul,
lietter to pluck out the eye which causes
stumbling if by that means the real life ot
God may be gained. I have called this
language violent, and such it is. Not that
Jesus anticipated any literal interpreta
tion ami literal following. The forceful
illustration is used to emphasize a terrible
and an eternal truth. The very possibility
of a man's failin to enter into the life of
fellowship with God, was a thought which
brought strong tears to the eyes of the Sa
viour of men. I tell you that in these days
we are harboring in our hearts a senti
mental sympathy which overlooks ain and
rondonri iniquity and aeeka to apologize
for the stern words of the Saviour. There
was no doubt a ringing doom against sin
But it was not the doom of a threat
Jesus never threatened. He revealed
what sin is; its very nature is death. The
open door of life in God ia before men
To pass by that door does not mean that
God will arbitrarily punish, but that the
very parsing it by ia death. The issue ol
sin is doom, exile into the night, till
eclipse of desolation and abandonment.
Docs there move in your hearts the aua
picinn that such a doom ia exaggerated and
overdone:' When that auspicion comes tc
me, and it often comes, 1 remember tin
words of a aainted preacher: "When I air
tempted to think that the doom ia over
done, I must remember that the Son ol
God, my Saviour, with an infinite insight
into ail things, superlatively aensitive
knowing the inmost heart of life. He, oui
iKaviour, pronounced the doom to be just
This Chiist, who gave Himself for ua, whe
loved us, told ua in words I venture tc
say loving words, of appalling terror thai
for the deliberately sinful, and for the de
liberately unjust, there ia no place but the
night, no place but the outer darkness, nc
Iilace but ultimate aeparateness, no place
mt ultimate forsakenness and abandon
ment. These are my Master's words, and
gainst them I will rear no petty imagina
tion of my own; I will rather silence my
own unillumined suspicion and humbly and
quietly take my place with Him. The
wages of sin is the night." It ia the night
now; it ia the night hereafter. The es
sence of ain ia death; it ia exile; it is aban
donment. Jesus' words were violent, but
lie was not seeking to produce fear, but
to reveal fact.
Now to all of ua who feel this fact so
keenly Jesua brings Hia evangel of forgive
ness and peace. The worda spoken ao long
go bave their greatest significance now,
for we ran see, aa those Jews could not see,
their fuller and more profound meaning.
As He spoke of the Father in such inti
mate terms, bitter resentment arose in
their bearts. Aa He told them of His wil
lingness to lay down His life for His sheep,
they retorted: "He hath a demon and is
ansa: why bear ya Him!" Possibly wt
would havt spoken likewise bad we been
living then, but now in the light' of the
centuries past, we look upon that lonely,
forsaken, crucified Christ and recognize in
His fare the glory of the living, suffering
God. For the "sufferings of Christ wer
the truf representative symbol and proc
tarnation of what goes on perpetually la
God. From them God wishes the world to
learn that ain is put away only through
the redemptive auffering of holy love,
which He Himself ia gladly bearing, and
which Christ, Hia representative and ex
iression, endured before the eyea of men.
It is this truth which gives to the word;
of the text their power. He who said. 1
am come that ye might have life is Him
self the life which He seeks to impart. He
and the Father are one. The words Which
, the historic Christ apoke to those Jews
then are being repeated now to us by the
indwelling, immanent Christ. I bks that
word immanent. It ia a theological word,
but it ia a splendid word, pregnant with
meaning. Hia nam ahall be called loima
unci. God. with us. th juaid God. tkt. im
manent nod. it is Me wno y Come
unto Me all ye that labor and are heavy
laden and I will give you rest." It is He
who says. "I am come that ye might have
life and that ye might have it more abun
dantly." It is He who speaks to us in our
sorrow and says. "Come with your sin and
shame, come with your sadness and disap
pointment, come with your heavy trial and
discouragement and I will give you pence."
God with us! now to give ua the victory.
God with us, now, to forgive our sins. Ood
with us! now, to give us heaven in our
consecrated labor for Him.
I would that these words of .Tcsn which
we are considering might live in your
heart, as I tiv to have them live in my
heart, as words spoken now, to-night, by
the ever-living, ever-loving Father! How
common it is for us to think of God our
Father as far removed! It may be because
of our training, but however we may ac
count for it, the fact remains that many of
us fail to realize that God is dealing with
us now just as intimately and just as gra
ciously as He dealt with the great prophet
of old, Hum many of us carry about with
us the sense of God? Do we have the con
viction of God's abiding nearness wherever
we are? If not, the greatest blessing of
life has been missed. There i nothing
more needed today than a truer, larger,
more Scriptural idea of God. We need to
realize His abiding nearness. Itut we need
to forget the old idea of an unapproiK-h-able
God. I recall the words ot Henry
Drummond, that great teacher, who. dur
ing his short life, won so manv men to
Christ. "I remember very well.1' he sys,
"the awful conception ot I tod 1 got when
T was a boy, I was given a book ol
Watts' hyinnsj which was illustrated, and,
among other hymns there was one about
God, and it represented a great black,
scowling thunder cloud, and in the midst
of that cloud there was a piercing eye
That was placed before my young imagina
tion as God, and I got the idea that Gnd
was a great dete"tive, playing the spy
upon rtiy actions and. as the hymn says,
writing now the story of what little chil
dren Jo. That was a had lesson. It has
taken years to obliterate it." And I feat
most of us have had to go through a situ
ilar experience before we have been rid ol
the terrible God of childhood, the far
away God of childhood, and come into the
spiritual conception of the everywhere
present God of the Hib'.e.
Now it is this everywhere-pres.-nt God,
our Father, who seeks our life to save it.
He wants our life noiv, for without God
life is a living death. W ith God, life is
growth, deve,opnieut heaven now anil
heaven hereafter. Without God it is de
terioration, atrophy, death. Here are twe
facta which our own experience conti'-mi
as true. We need to realize, therefore,
that there is never, a time when God the
Father is not near us to lead us into Hia
life. In the hour when you feel the stir of
divinity within you, in the hour when con
science speaks and says, be a nobler man,
a purer man, a truer man, in that hour "it
is God which worketh in you." Possibly
it was but 'yesterday that you spoke the
unkind word that wounded a devoted
heart, or gamed your point in business b)
ruining your fellow man, or committed a
sin that leaves a blot on the scutcheon, but
afterward, utile your heart is alreads
dead, you beard a still small voice plead
ing with yon to repent your evil way ami
live a better, higher life. It was "Got1
which worketh in you."
Multiplied arc the experiences in which
God is speaking to our souls, and many ol
us have never heard the voice. Kars havi
we but we hear not. We have eyes but w
fail to see. There are great crowds wh
trample upon the beautiful violet, nevei
thinking that they have one of God'i
sweetest thoughts under their heel. Then
are myriads of stolid eyes which look up
ward to the stara but see not God's glorj
in the robed beauty of the sky. There arc
multitudes who stand beneath the magniti
cent blue vault of heaven, gazing upon
some gorgeous sunset, never dreaming thai
God lighted the tire. And beyond nuiuhei
are they who fail to feel the presence o!
God in the ordinary experiences of life
My friends, God wants our life. Do some
tiling with your life. Let your energy
your talent, your service be for God youi
Father. Be not so concerned to save youi
soul as to save your life. Give God youi
life and He will sanctify your soul.
tftod' Mervlee.
I thought within those cherished davs a
old-
Oh, days that k.iew the tinge of niornin)
sky
When night's blue star veil vanishes ol
high
And flares the first wild radiance of gold
Along the hazy lengths of field and wold.
That my chief services to Him must lis
In rapt devotion thro' the inner eye
Of meditation, opening toward the fold,
But, lo! the vast is gray, and I hav
learned
Long gone ah, how the truth bw
pierced me through!
That His approval ia the fullest earned
jiv worship in the kindly deeds wc do:
God's service ia as broad as needs that ety
God's service knits man to eternity!
L. W, L. Jennings, in Religious Herald.
The True and ths Artificial.
It is not difficult to distinguish betweoi
the true and the artificial. The moral tes
is the sure one. When conscience is aensi
five and the will submissive, and the lit
consistent, there ia no doubt about otie'i
spirituality. When the soul sings: "I de
light to do Thy will, O, God," and thet
doea delight to do God'a will, or does th
will of God from firm resolve, there can b
no doubt. V hen one loathes sin and tnei
to leave it all ain, all kinds of sin sit
against the body, ain against the soul, sin
against the neighbor, ain again Christ and
the Father there is no difficulty in reach
ing a decision aa to the genuineness ol
Christian, character. It is no mirage. Th(
garden of the Lord is there. Bishop Julia
II. Vincent.
Making Your Temper Over.
If you were not born with a good tem
per, make your temper over. If cheerinesi
and patience and amiability are not nat
ural, cultivate them as a second nature.
No one can be really happy who is- irrit
able and fault-finding, and what is worse,
he renders his nearest and dearest equally
unhappy. Determination can conouei
these faults, e:id a disposition aa full ol
pricks aa a bramble bush ran be rendered
sweet and tranquil and lovable. Don't
imagine you must accept the nature you
inherited without any attempt at change
or alteration. If it ia not what you want,
make it over.
Optimism ot Jean.
You remember the famous line of Robert
Browning, "God's in His heaven, all's
right with the world?" That was tue oils
source of the optimism of Browning, but
the optimism of Jesus went a great dea'
deeper. It waa the fact that God waa ia
His earth, so that the ravens were feu and
the lilies were adorned, and ao that ths
very haira of a man's head are numbered
at was that which gave a radiant quietudj
to Chriat. G. H. Morrison.
No Doubt Ha Would.
The Gorman professor at Smith col
lege tried In vain to explain a diffi
cult construction to one of the girls of
his class. Finally he decided to de
vote no more of the recitation hour
to this one point, but, wishing to cleat
It up for the young woman later, he
aid:
"We'll let tbia go now. Miss IS,
and I would like to hold you for a few
mlnutea after class."
Then be blushed to bis temples at
the torrent of giggles which the glrli
were unable to restrain. New York
Times.
Calf With Two Heads.
A well-developed calf with, twr
heads was boru at the farm ol
Cbarlea 8. AtherUra of Essex June
tlon, Vt., April 88. It lived but a few
hours. The beads were perfect, and
were joined to the body by a short,
thick neck. Mr. Atberton fed the call
and It received aourlahment at both
'U mouths.
THE ; SUNDAY SCHOOL I
r - i
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR JUNE 26
Hsvtew of the ftecnnrt Qnarter Bead
Isaiah till., l-lo Golden Text, Phil.
II., 0 Tnnlei Closing Scenes In Christ's
Karthlj Life.
Introduction. The lessons of the quar
ter begin with the visit of Christ and Hi
apostles to the borders of Phoenicia, in the
early summer of A. D. 211, and close with
the resurrection. They have hcen full of
interest and very profitable. The great
truths in connection with Christ's mission
on earth have been brought out and dis
cussed. Summary. T.eson T. Topic: Christ
healing the afflicted. Place: On the bor
ders of Phoenicia. Sermons on bread of
life and pollution just delivered; the peo
ple plot against Him; Jesus and His disci
ples go to the border of Phoenicia; a
Gentile woman besee-hes Him to cast the
devil out of her daughter; Jesus replica
that it is not proper to give the children'
bread to dogs; sue nsks for the crumbs;
"for this saying" the devil waa east out
lier request granted.
II. Topic: Christ and His true follow
ers. Place: Near Caesarea Philippi. Jesua
asked His disciples who men said He was:
some snid John the Baptist, and others
F.lijah, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.
Whom do you say I am? Peter answer",
The Christ. Jesus blessed Peter; man had
not revealed it. but the Father bad; the
foundation rock; gates of hades shall not
prevail against it; the keys of the kingdom
of heaven given; Christ's death; Peter re
bukes him; get behind me Satan; saving
ami losing the life.
III. Topic: Christ's present glorv and
future sufferings. Place: Probably Mount
Hcrnion. Peter, James and John go with
Jesus into the mount to may. As Jesus
prays He is transfigured: Moses and F.lijah
appear; converse regarding His departure
from the world; the disciples see Jesus
and the two men in their glory; enter into
a cloud; hear a voice; Jesus is commend
ed; alone with Jesus; tell no man; won
dered what the rising of the dead meant;
aled question about Klias.
IV. Topic: Christ directing the aff.iit
of His kingdom. Place: Probably in I'e
rea. The seventy appointed; sent forth;
two and two; whither He Himself would
come; the harvest plenteous; requests dis
ciples to pray for .laborers; Go. as lamb
among wolves; hasten; ask that peace
may rest upon the house; heal and preach;
woe pronounced on Chorazin anil Beth
saida: Capernaum should be thrust down
to hell.
V. Topic: Importunate prayer. Place:
In Perea. Christ prayed otten; His disci
ples asked that they might be taught to
pray; the value ot the Lord's prayer;
meaning of kingdom; God's will should be
done on earth as in heaven; daily bread to
he given; sins to be pardoned; parable of
the importunate borrower, which should
teach us to be persistent in prayer; a glo
rious promise; pa nuts give good gifts to
children: our heavenly Father is more will
ing to give the Holy Spirit to them that
ask Him.
VI. Topic: The importance of being
ready at the time of Christ's coming.
Place: In Perea. Let loins be girded and
lights burning be ready and waiting for
the coining of Christ as servants wait for
the return of their master from the wed
ding. Christ will come as a thief, sudden
ly, when we least expect Him; the faith
ful, wise, just steward was promoted; the
riotous and drunken servant perished; the
one who knew his lord's will and failed to
do should he beaten with many stripes;
the one who knew not and failed to do
ahotild be beaten with few stripes.
VII. Topic: Man's folly ami God'a
compassion. Place: In Perea. A certain
man had two sons. The younger railed for
iiis portion of the inheritance; took all his
floods; went into a far country; wasted
lis substance with harlots; a great fam
ine; in want; feeding awine; decide to
return home; ia seen and met by his fath
er; tne boy is clothed; a feast is made;
there is great rejoicing.
VIII. Topic: True greatness. Place:
Perea. Christ and His disciples journey
ing toward Jerusalem; near the close of
His earthly mission; James and John ask
that they may sit, one on His right hand
and the other on His left, in His glory;
Jesus told them they knew not what they
asked: asked them if they could suffer
with Him; the exalted position they asked
would be given to those for whom it was
prepared; the ten much displeased; they
were not to exercUe authority as the Gen
tiles; principles of Christ's kingdom; son
of Man came to minister.
IX. Topic: Christ our Passover. Place:
Jerusalem. It was Thursday; Jesus sent
Peter and John to Jerusalem to prepare
the Passover supper; they found a large
upper room where they made ready; in the
evening Jesus sat at the table with Hi
disciples; He told them that one of them
should betray Him; they were sorrowful
and every one asked, "Lord, is it I?''
Jesua said J t would have been better for
that man nad he never been burn; Ha
then told Judas that he waa the one; Ju
das left; Jesus eats His last supper with
the remaining eleven.
X. Topic: The demand of the Jew for
Chriat 'a death. Place: Pilate'a judgment
hall. Jesua ia taken to Pilate, the Gov
ernor, who investigate the charges ami
finds them false; Jesua is sent to Herod,
warn find no fault with Chriat; Pilate
rails the people together and desires to re
lease Christ; they demand that He he cru
cified; three time Pilate nrges His re
lease; they demand -the release of Barab
bas, a murderer; Pilate yields; washes hi
hands; orders Jesus to be scourged; deliv
ers Him to be crucified.
XI. Topic: Closing scenes in Christ's
earthly life. Place: Mount Calvary. Christ
on the cross; mocked by the soldiers; vin
egar offered; the superscription; the two
thieves crucified with Christ; one railed on
Jesua; the other confessed hia sin and
asked to be remembered in Christ's king
dom: the prayer answered; darkness from
12 till 3 o clock; Jesus cried with a loud
voice and died; the centurion's testimony.
XII. Topic: The event of the resurrec
tion morning. Place: Garden near Cal
vary. Christ wa crucified on Friday
April 7; rose early Sunday morning, April
9; several women were early at th tomb;
the atone waa rolled away; the women en
tered the aepulchre; Christ waa not there;
two angela appeared; their faces were like
lightning and their garmenta were da
thng; the women were afraid; the angeli
tolu them Christ had risen; He was to itt
before them into Galilee; the womeu rao
to take the disciples word; Jesus nn
thuu; the Roman guard bribed.
Self-Lighting Candles.
Two candle. are brought by tha
wltth to her table. She begs thu
pardon of her audience for bringing
them on unlit, and says she will pro
ceed to corrert the oversight at once.
She searches for a match, wpen,
pretending to bear a remark that
there's nothing remarkable in lighting
candles In that fashion she merely
cries "That's so."
Then she waves her wand and
touches each wick with it; then she
brings the wicks together, when each
candle instantly flames up and con
tinues to burn.
The secret of this trick lies la
previous preparation of the wicks ol
the candles. One Is treated with a
preparation 'of chlorate of potassium
and sugar, and the extreme end of the
other la moistened with sulphuric
acid.
The arid should not be applied to
the latter, until a few moments before
the candles are brought from behind
the screen or from whatever othei
place the witch goes Into retirement
after each trick. ,
Unusual Diet Killed Bruin.
A correspondent at The Forks, He.,
tella about a bear that died from tha
effects of eating a pair of straights
Vent corsets. -
EPWORTH LEAGUE LESSONS
JUNE TWENTY-SIXTH.
Problems In Africa's Redemption,
laa. 19. 19-21.
The term "burdens" mean "some
thing taken up solemnly upon the
lips; In particular, a divine utterance
or oracle." Isaiah's otacles concerned
a large number of the nations, and
among them was Kgypt. Having ut
tered a prediction about Ethiopia, the
prophet naturally come next to
Egypt's next-door neighbor. If you go
up south from Egypt along the rivet
Nile you will come to the country
known to the ancient world as Ethio
pia. Isaiah called It tne "land shad
owing with wings." Find on the map
the town of Assouan, and you will dis
cover the southern outposts of Egypt.
The anrients called that place Syene.
Here Ethiopia began, and reached up
the Nile for a thousand miles or so.
These two countries and powers
represented the Dark Continent to the
olden world. The Phoenicians, and
later, the Romans, skirted the conti
nent where the southern waves of the
Mediterranean Sea trampled "Africa's
golden Band," and established sover
eignties or provinces there, as did
some others later, but the vast stretch
es of Interior Africa were ever loft
under the midnight shades. What
went on through the centuries under
these dense shadows only God knows.
We know there wh savagery of the
lowest type, with all it means of cruel
ty and beastliness. Polygamy,
slavery, and cannibalism spread their
blight everywhere.
Speaking roundly. It Is only a half
century since light besan to break
In upon the gloom of the great conti
nent. David Livingstone, followed by
others, as. Indeed, others had preceded
him, at Infinite cost of treasure and
life, drew back the curtain and let
the world look In upon a scene of sur
passing Interest.
Prophecy, in our chapter (13), alter
nates between threat and promise. It
Is, to be sure, that only for Egypt
Isaiah here speaks, but faith takes as
surance from the divine compassion,
and, as did the choosers of our text,
stretches the message of hope out over
the whole wide continent. The text
gleams with promise. Egypt Is to
have an altar to Jehovah, ami a monu
ment. Josephus will tell you how that
Onlas. In B. C. 149. fled fiom .leriiaa
.lcm, being disappointed In obtaining
the hlgh-prlesthood, nnd In Lennto
polls, Egypt, built a temple for the
Ood of the Hebrews. Under the stimu
lus to Jewish emigration created by
the conquests and onler-restcring ot
Alexander the Great, a large number
of 8ynagoges wore buiit thtoiighout
Egypt, and this may be taken as a
partial' fulfillment of the promise.
PoRs-ihly the translation of the Script
ures by the Seventy, In Alexandria, In
the third century B. C, may b con
ceived of by some as answering the
demands of the prophet's burden.
CUNDAY, JUNE TWENTY-SIX.
"Signs That India Is Becoming
Christ's." Ps. 22: 22-31.
Scripture Verses. Ps. 2:-8; Isa
45:22, 23; Dan. 2:44; 7:13, 14, 27; Matt.
13:31, 32; Luke 1:32, 33; 13:2t), 2"
Phil. 2:9-11.
Lesson Thought.
The very greatest assurance we can
have that India Is becoming Christ's,
and all other lands also, is his own
promise that this shall be so. And
this we may surely beiieve, whatever
the wordly indications may be.
To be sure that there Is no other
God, Is to be sure of the flnul triumph,
ot missions.
Selections.
The lieutenant governor of Bengal
once said, "Christian missionaries
have done more real and lasting good
to the people of India than all other
agencies combined."
Said a traveller, "I have lived for
years in India, and never saw a con
vert." Soon afterwards he spoke of
seeing thirty tigers there. "Why,"
said a missionary, "I never saw thres
tigers there." "Oh," replied the
traveler, "you did not go where they
were." "Neither did you go where
the converts were," J istly retorted thj
missionary.
"My brethren," said a Brahman law
yer, "It wer.i madness to shut our eye
to tpe fact that Christianity has com?
to India. It is not a passing episode;
it Is a mighty conquering and perma
nent spiritual power, come to stay and
repeat its victories."
Suggestions for the Meeting.
Have a map of India, large enough
to be seen distinctly from every part ol
the room.
Select as many of the great mission
aries of India as you have time for,
assigning each to an Endeavorer for a
little report concerning him. As each
Is described, the leader will pin to the
map, at the place where he worked, a
paper streamer bearing his name.
Especially, see that a careful sketch
of your own denominational mission
work in India Is prepared. Mark th
places where the denomination worki
with gilt stars. Have the society re
peat together the names of your mis
sionaries in India, and their mission
stations, until they are thoroughly
mcmorlud
Family Conversation.
Make sure, In partaking of hospital
ity, that you are able to discharge the
obligations It Imposes. Hunt out con
versational coin from the crannies of
your brain, suggests a writer In the
Pittsburg Gazette. Be ready to give
out something when the conductor
glances your way.
I know a family In which, from
the youngest child to the son in col
lege, each member Is required to con
tribute something to general conver
sation at meal time. Tbey have never
been allowed to regard this as a mere
stop for stoking the physical engine,
to be' mude a brief as possible. Each
treasures up some Incident of the
day; no one forgets that he has met
an old friend, or even watched the
trail of the fire patrol and the excite
ment It aroused. They have become
more observant, their sense of humor
Is sharpened In little street comedies
because qf the applause of the fam
ily circle. They are always sure of a
friendly Interest In tbelr Individual
adventures ani' misadventures. They
all keep In touch with each othur'r
pursuits. Meal time are not dull In
.that family. The mind, as well at
the body, U refreshed.
rcsvKfe:tSl
Why Worry?
Wliv do we worry about the nest?
W'e only stay lor a day,
Or a month or a year, at the Lord's be
best.
In this habitat of clay.
Why do we worry about the road,
ic it its nut or aeep ravine .
tn a dismal path or a heavy load,
we are heipea ty lianas unseen.
Why do we worry about the year
That out feet have not yet trod?
Who labors with courage and trusts Dor
fears.
Has fellotv-lilp ttitn God.
The best will come in the great "To be,"
It is ours to serve and wait;
And the wonderlul future we soon ahall
see.
For death but the gate.
Sarah K. Itolton.
I.tisiirfes On Msy Have.
There is much difference between the
uxury of limis and the luxury of life
ays the Baptist L'ninn. One may live a
luxurious lite with verv few luxuries in the
way of things, It is such a wrong notioD
that rich siirrouuilinits indirate a rich lite;
that only money can purchase the real lux
uries of life. The truth is. that quite of
ten the luxuries of "things" indicate the
lack of real luxury. Many a modestly fur
nished home i luxin iouiy furnidied, aftet
ill; for the tut nishitiu is in that which
money cannot liny. There is the luxury ot
ideal love; where hearts are knit together
ill ideal union; where friendships are rich,
where lile is tilled with the luxuries of the
soul, that money cannot buy, which pov-Bi-ty
can noier lake away. These are not
only the permissible luxuries, they are the
possible luxuries to all true hearts. When
one reads the best hooks, mingles with the
best friends, enjoys the truest love, and
gives it in return: when the love of the
Christ is the power pervading all. there is
the luxury ol lite, which is not dependent
upon things, either in possession or ab
sence. Karl Cairns was once addressing a
company of laboring men, among whom
were many unbelievers and agnostics. The
earl was a very rich man, and lived in
what one would call a luxuriously fur
nished home. Referring to his own home
and to his faith in Christ he said: "It is a
pleasure to me to know that the costl
things in my Iioilsc, which you cannot
possibly share with nie, are not the thinly
out of which my happiness is made. II. io
1 to leave tnem all to-morrow ami to take
to the humblest of homes, I should nun
all my joy with me. I rejoice that in my
own life what exceeds in value all othei
thing is what I can share with you. for it
is within your teach as well as nunc. Mv
most earnest desire and prayer tor you is
that Christ inav reveal Himself to you, sal
inlying, as I know He only can. every de
sire of your lummy hearts." That was a
luxurious life, and it is possible to us all
There are many foiks living on common
food, having poor friendships, knowing
nothing of the fuller life possible to them
There are others who live on seantv fare,
who have an abundance of the luxuries of
real life; they are large-hearted, open
visioned, gracious souls, whose lives have
been fully yielded to their fellows in loving
service, to their Christ in sweet surrender
of will and affection, and the riches they
possess are of the sort the world cannot
f;ive nor take awav. Kaith and hope and
ove human and divine are luxuries, but
they cannot ne bought in the markets of
the world. Yet they can he had for the
asking, for the Itvnia,. He luxurious in
your life.
OM Testament r'acf anil Flirures.
Contains iS books. 92! chapters, 2.218
Verses.
The longest verse in Iiible is Esther
viii :.
The shortest verse in 0. T. is I. Clnon.,
i:2.
God. 4.'lfl!1 times in Bible.
Heaven occurs 31S times, hell P,l times.
Sarah. 127. Onl - woman's age recorded,
Gen. xxiii:l.
First nravor in form a father's for son,
Gen. xvii : 10. .
Creation to flood, 10.W years; flood to
exodus, 8o7; exodus to capture of Jerusa
lem, 929 vears.
Israelites i" Ejcpt. probably 21.5 years.
Don. lets li;t worn by men. Kx.
Xxviii:4').
Woman, first to sin and weep; man first
to laugh.
Man of Gath had 12 fingers nnd 12 toes.
Solomon's proverbs, floor); songs, liK).i.
Damascus, oldest city in world.
Esther only hook without name of God.
Cain, Hist son, first murderer. Samson,
atrongest man and first suicide.
Eternity, once only in Bible, Isa. Ivii:13.
New Testament Farts and Figures.
Haa 27 books, 2k) chapters, 7()."7 verses.
Four Gospels. HS chapters. 3779 verses.
Middle book, I. The.; middle verse.
Acts vii:7; shortest verse, John xi:3.1.
Jesus occurs 979 times, Christ 5o4 time.
Heaven i found 252 times; bell, 22 time.
Kingdom nf heaven, 33 time in Mutt.;
kingdom of God. 33 in T.uke.
Galatians and Titus Paul's only Epistle
in which lie gives no thanks.
In 20 of its 27 books hell is not found.
Faith, repent and hell not in John'
Gospel.
Hope, once only in Gospels, Luke vi:34.
Trust, once in each Gospel.
3d miracles and 3H parables in Gospels.
frlOO fed. oiily miracle 4 times recorded.
Anna, 84, only woman's age recorded,
I.nke ii:37.
f.ydia, first convert to Christianity in
Europe.
Last appearance of Virgin Marv, Act
i:M.
Christians, first called, in Antioch, Act
xi:26.
Not III th Hllile.
That Eve ate apple.
Absalom caught bv his hair.
In the d iv ye seek me, etc.
find keeps any in the hollow of Hit hand.
I. ions in way of holiness.
Lord tempers wind to shorn lamb.
A word hegiuning with letter X.
Persons or place beginning with W or Y.
The Golden Kule the wav to heaven.
Christ's milleuial kingdom. Never in
Bible is Christ'a kingdom and reign hort
of endless.
All will be saved.
Gems nf Thought.
The way to displace evil ia to do good.
United 1'resbyteriau.
Seek to cultivate a bouyant, joyous sense
of the crowded kindnesses of God in your
daily life. Alexander Maclaren.
Put Christ's love to the trial, and put
upon it our burdens, and then it will ap
pear love indeed; we employ not His love
and. therefore, we know it not Samu'
Itutherford.
Iu a valiant suffering for others, not ic
a slothful making others suffer for ua, did
nobleness ever he. Every noble crown is.
and on earth ever will be, a crown ol
thorn. Carlyle.
Old Printing Press.
. One of the oldest printing presses
In existence was built at Boston In
1742 by Thomas Draper. It was the
first press ever used 'in New Hamp
shire. At that time it was owned by
Daniel Fowler, but afterwards cama
Into the possession of John Melcher,
tha first state printer. It la now
owned by a firm of press builders Id
New Jersey who keep It aa a curios-
THE GREAT DESTROYEB
SOME STARTLING FACTS ABOUi
THE VICE OF INTEMPERANCE.
Once tl Drink Appetite I Formsit !
Is Only bv a Miracle Almost Ths
Itt Man I Wielflw On Mas
Kerormed.
A great point lo he aimed at is preven
tion to hulld up a barrier between tin
unpolluted lips of hoy and drink. Onc
the drink, appetite formed, it is only by
miracle almost the man is saved.
Mr. fJnugli once told the writer tha'
while th guet of a gentleman in Ne
Hampshire, nnd admiring the perfect an
nnmtmenfs nf the house, his host sa'd
"Mr. Gough, I was one nf the most de
based and deirnnled nf drunkards. I wil
tell voit how I reformed. Some ladies no
t'ced a little irirl nassing bv their hnnsr
Hailv with a tin pail in hr hand. One daj
Ihev accosted her 'Little irl. what havs
com mt in your n.iil?' 'Whiskv. ma'am.'
'Where do von live?' 'Down in th hoi
low.' The ladv aeennmanied her home,
nnd said to the mother- 'Is thi yout
child, madam?' 'Yes.' 'Does sh go tc
school?' o: we have no clothes for her.'
'Send her lo our house and we will furnil.
her with clothes.' 'Yes.' responded thf
noor woman, 'and he will steal them foi
drink ' 'Does your child go to Sundav
school?' inquired the lady. 'N'o.' replied
th" mother, 'f propose a plan.' said th
lady: 'let your little girl come to our hou
in the morning, and we will give lie)
clothes, so that she can go to Sundav
school, nnd she can return and nut the old
ones on before returning home.' That was
airreed upon, nnd the little girl was sc
teachable, nnd learned lo read so soon that
she was presented with a little Testament
which was the first thing she ever owned.
Sh-- loved jt so much that she took it tn
bed with her and held it in her hand till
she went to sleep. One dav the child wa
ill. so sick that the doctor said she must
d'c. The father went into her room end
sat by her side. Ife said to me. 'Oh, hnt
I wanted drink: that quiet little child
knew the hell that w-as in me. T must
have drink, and I felt like stripping the
house of everything I could lav mv hand
upon. I looked at the child: she was doz
ing: the Testament dropped from her
fingers on the coverlid nf the bed. I saw
if nnd looked about me. for I felt 1 waa
guilty: I stretched out my hand, to.ik that
Testament, put it in mv pocket, went out
and got for it a pint of gin. I drank it,
and it started the stagnant blood in the
diseased vessels of my stomach. I felt bet
ter, perspiration came, and there was
warmth in my system. I came hack to the
child, nnd soon she looked nt me and said:
'Pans, you know .Ieu .iid. "Suffer little
children to come unto M." I have tried
to come, papa, just a well as I know how,
and when I die I shall go to .Testis, but oh,
papa, suppose .lesus should ak me what
vou did with mv little Testament, what
will 1 tell Ifim?' He said that was like a
flash of lightning, but before tha' child
died she held his two hands in his nnd
heard him cry: 'find he merciful to me. a
sinner!' From that dav to this. s:iid he
'I have never touched intoxicating drink.
That is Iwentveii'ht vears ago. yet I tell
vo'i an absolute fact that I never smell
the breath of one of the fortv or tit'tv no-n
iti tn v emplovment who has been drinking
but I want it. and nUlioutili twen' v-cight
years have passed since I tasted it. if 1
smell the breath of one who has beer,
drinking I have leaped unon mv ho: se and
ridden ten miles on a full gallop to get
rid of the desire that would creep over me
at such times."
Where Alcohol Falls.
Experience nf recent years ha taught
the big insurance companies that mortal
ity among those connected with the supply
3f liipiors is enormous. Brewers, for ex
imple, die about fill v per cent, faster than
the aver.iie man who works at a reiular
falling. Brewers, eontrarv to the general
impression, die extensively from alcolnl
ism. while gout is an enemy which makes
itself Borely felt in this occitnation. Brew
ers are also more than ordinary snhier-ts
to diabetes, liver diseases and Blight's
rfi-ease. isay Beverages. The general mor
tality among saloon keepers is jut twice
is high as the average, and saloon keepers
Jie from alcoholism just as fast as do the
iverage of men of other occupations, six
nd a half lime as fast from gout and
more than double as fast from diseases of
I Hie urinary system, from rheumatic fever,
from diabetes and from suicide.
Ilnw Alcohol Works.
A patient was arguing with (he doetot
in the necessity of his talcing a stimulant.
He urged that he was weak and needed it.
Said he:
"But. doctor. I must have some kind ol
I stimulant. I am cold and it warms nie."
"Precisely," came the doctor's crustv
inswer. See here. This stick is cold."
taking up a stick of wood from the box be
side the hearth and tossing it into the fire.
'Sow it is warm, but is the stick bene
ited?" The sick man watched the wood first
lend nut little puffs of smoke and then
burst into a flame, and replied:
"Of course not. It is burning itself."
"And so are vou when vou warm your
self with alcohol vou are literally burning
tip the delicate tissues of your stomach
and brain."
Drinkers Pnrchasahl.
Tn view of the suggestion that men
who become drunken be deprived by law
for periods of their right to vote, each
jftense to add another period longer than
the previous, an exchange call attention
to the fact that Professor Cook, of Trin
ity, Hartford, found that of every 1000
iteady drinkers who were voters, Stil were
jown in the ward heelers' bonks ns pur
masuble. One "ward contractor" had an
igreement to deliver so many drunkard
votes for three year in ucceasiou for aa
aiuch money.
Knglaml's Naw Bill.
As a result of the new Knglish Licensing
Bill, which prohibits the serving ot
drunkards, one publican is said to bave
sent a type-written letter round to cer
tain of hia customers informing them
that he must henceforth request the dis
continuance of their custom. The liquor
forces throughout Kugland have taken
cognizance of the fact that the new bill
is being strictly enforced and they are
therefore conducting then business ac
cordingly. Farmers Fight Raloone.
The Farmers' Club of Michigan are tak
ing an active interest in anti-saloon work,
being represented on the Board of Trus
tees. At the annual meeting of jhe Van
Buren County institute, January 19, reso
lutions were adopted expressing admira
tion for the determination of Judge Csn
in making an example of those who defy
'he local optiou law.
Tha Crusail In Brief.
The devil wcepa every lime a saloon is
closed.
The Belgian eitv of Liege, with s popti
lation of IjO.OMO, maintains 19,000 drink
sellers.
Light years ago the students of Sweden
formed a teniieranee association. At pre
ent it baa seventy six branches, with 3000
members.
About 3.1.000,000 gallons of so-called
Scotch whisky are consumed annually is
Great Britain, but only enough barley U
make 12,000,1100 gallons of the genuine slufl
is used. The remaining two-thuds is mad:
of molasses, corn aud potatoes.
Think how great a revolution would be
wrought in Knglish character and in r.ng
lish health if legislation set itself aterult
to the task of preventing drunkenness and
gambling:
The Total Abstinence Societj of Copeo
hagen. Denmark, reporte a membership oi
over 100 000, among whom are tunty-eevec
ministers and 403 teacher. Last year th
society arranged for 39HI temtieraiic lea
turn at a cost of about h.ooo.
According to statistic recently gathered
about 3t),u00,900 are living in piuhib'tior
territory in thia -ountry. This is mors
1 than oue-third of the entire pop Nation
In Mam. Kansas and North Dakota they
1 bave prohibition by Stat -law; u thirty
eight other States they have it by local
uUou.
HOT WATER.
One of th Most Potent ltme1la . gents)
That Can Ha Rmplnyeil.
t'lxlor ninny condition hoi v;tfor M
one of th" most potent leini'diul ncnt
that oiin lie employed, nnil often,, wheat
lnteliiKiitl.v tiM'd, it noconiplislies mora
till) II (ll llKS.
But like ninny other thine powerful
'or itonil. II nbtise mny prove injurious,
ii ml produce results quite opposite to
wbiit was Intended.
The effect of warm or moderately
hot water applied lo the surface of tin
body is to cause the blood vessels n:ul.
tissue of the skin to heroine relaxed,
mid to lose for the time bcius their
natural tone. The lilooit supply of th
reiiion is much itii-reased. n ml the pores
nie opened. If tin- entire body hum
been ininierseil this nctioti produces)
mnrked changes In the distribution of
the blond. iti;i i.oiHiileriilile portion
of this fluid Is taken friini file Interior
of the body nnd liroiiu'lit close to Ilia
surface. If cold air now strikes tlie
body n sudden chill Is cry likely ti
be the result.
Tbia explain the irrent rase wittf
Which one Is liable fo take cold nfter
n warm bath, particularly If this li.i
been prolonged, and It also suggests ilii
natural remedy. This is quickly t
spouuo the entire surface with cuhL
water before tisinii the towel wliicli
should be applied briskly. In Uii.4
way the relaxation is followed by
prompt contraction, the circulation i
iiiaili' active Instead of slitaisli. and il
tli'liciims sense nf viijror and stiimiiatiou
is produced.
Hot water Is necessary properly t'
cleanse the face and neck, and lo stim
ulate the pores to cast nlT the fatty
material which miulit otherwise .stag
nate mill cause pimples or IdarklieaiN,
Vnloss followed by n dash of col. I
water, however, the relaxed tissue ari
not stimulated to reeonlrnct, and pre
mature wrinkles and tlabbiness f th?
skin inevitably follow. Steainitia the
face and tliro.it. n 1 1 h n uli apparently
lionelli-lal at the time, i sure to bo fol
lowed by results disastrous to the com.
plt-xlou unless counteracted in thi
xv ay.
To sponge the face nnd throat with
hot watet Immediately before going out
Into the cold nlr is almost to Inviti?
taking n cold, but by systematically
following the hot water with cold
water anil brisk friction (not too vigor
ous on the facet, the tissues liecmiu
firm nnd the skin grows healthy, nnil
able to throw off all Impurities. The
tiny muscles of the blood vessels lie
come developed through active usi, nmt
lire trMiued to act promptly, so that tlio
tendency to colds ami sore throat i
t'icutl.v decreased. You th's Com panloa.
WORDS OF WIS00M.
Have no thoughts you dare not p:it
In (b eds.
An inspiration Is mightier than an
argument.
There is no science without the su
piruatural. It is love for men that lifts a man
above men.
We do not Judge our friends by
their failures.
Delays are never dangerous wl:ea
wc are angry.
Outward plenty is a mockery with
out inward piety.
A purse is the most common poul'.i.-e
for the conscience.
The more a man knows hinis.-lf tlm
less he says about il.
The power that conies down is tiia
one (hut will lilt up.
Children bring i lit- cheer us we!! ill
the tears of a home.
He who would be friendly to all
must U' foe lo himself.
The rich arc not always godly: but
the godly are always rich.
Kvery man has his price; but God
only knows what it is. Ham's Horn.
Their First Hteamer.
In ISoH ljueen Victoria presented ,i
sniall steam yacht to the Kmpetor ot
Japan, ilt'tailinu some Kritish blue
Jackets to the duty of instructing tint
Japanese In the management of that
class of vessel. The Japanese under
took to handle the craft before they
had thoroughly learned tbelr lesson,
nnd on the Hrst voyage, when they
wanted to stop they discovered that
they bail forgotten how this operation
wus performed. They, therefore,
Kteniiieil round and round until th
tires died down, and then the incut
was lowed home.
A Wor.l Vt anlcil.
The language of love is misleading
when It Is not Inadequate or cutire-lf
missing. We have already pointed out
that Knglish has no current and ae
cepted word whereby a young wotiiaO
may ulliule fo her fiance. And now a
yoiing man has replied thus In a court
of law to the simple question. "Hovf
many young women have you been en
gaged to?" "Let me see. only two(
two engagements and an understand
lug." It would have been a little clears
er had he said "one engagement ami
two iiihMinderstundiugs." Lottdoi)
Daily Chronicle.
furious Legal Custom.
A curious custom is In vogue l
many part of India. If a dispute)
nrlses between two landowners two
holes are dug close together. In eacU
of which defendant's and plaintiff
lawyers have to place a lct. They
have to remain thus until either on
of them Is exhausted or complains of
being bitten by Insects, wueu he u
Judged to 'he defeated aud hi eui
oloyer loses bl case.
Paper Falsa Tsalh.
False teeth made of paper are la ns
lu Germany, and are reputed to ts
highly satisfactory. The paper
teeth have several advantages over
the ordinary one of p'''1',u
mineral composition. They are very
cheap, do not break or chip. art no
aensitive to heat or cold, nor has the:
moisture of the nioutu any lujurluu.
effect upou them.
Latter Carrier's raa.
It Is part of a Spanish postman'a
duty to collect a tai of a cent ap'.eco
on every letter seut from within tha
kingdom vblcb be delivers at tha
bouse. To save expense, large buslnesa
uouses send to the postoUice for their
mall. Letters from abiuttd are uVUr
d fr)k