"IMITATORS OF COD"
A Brilliant Sunday Sermon By Rev. Dr.
John Reld.
Answers Ihs Criticism That Christianity Is
Narrow to 1(4 Spirit and Con
tracting In I s Eflccl.
Brooklyn, N. Y. Dr. John Reid, pin
tor of the Memorial Presbyterian Church,
preached an eloquent sermon Sunday
morning. Hi text was taken from Ephe
sians v:l: "Be ye therefore followers of
God, as dear children."' Dr. Reid said:
The Revised Version gives a better and
stronger translation: "lie ye therefore imi
tators of God, as beloved children." Imi
tators, as children. Being children of God,
be ve imitators of God.
Truth is practically always achievement,
superstructure, the keystone, a last stroke.
There are what the metaphysicians call
"immediate truth," that is, truth in con
nection with which our knowledge ia intui
tive, and where it comes in as the direct
and undeniable testimony of the senses,
but as a general thing, acquired truth ia
the result nf work done, the issue of a bat
tle which has been won. In other words,
truth has to conquer before it can com
mand. But in conflict or warfaro of what
soever kind, disguise is ever a worse foe to
meet than denial. And I suppose that
what is frequently affirmed is probably
true; namely, that the Christian religion
has always suffered more from those who,
sometimes intentionally and sometimes un
intentionally, have perverted and misrep
rensented it, than it has ever suffered from
those who have even formally opposed it.
There, for instance, is the somewhat trite
criticism that Christianity as a scheme ia
narrow in its spirit and contracting in its
effect: under it as a system men do not at
tain the highest possible development, and,
therefore, they cannot display the fairest
and finest fiber of human character: it de
velopes the passive and uninfluential, more
than the puissant and productive, elements
of our nature: it keeiia its hand on life'
brake to check and hold in, rather than
on life's throttle valve to open and let go;
it is in face a lion, but in heart a deer; the
thou shalt nots outnumber the thou shalts;
there is an unmistakable flavor of pusil
lanimity, of cowardliness, of spiritlessness,
which nothing every wholly removes from
many of its principles and professions; re
pentance, humbleness, meekness, forgive
ness of injuries, relinquishment of rights,
submission to what cannot be seen, accept
ance of what cannot bo known these are
not among the heroic virtues. All this has
been felt and expressed, not only by the
superficial and scoffing, but by the respect
ful and thoughtful. And certainly it is all
forceful. If it were true, it might be even
fatal.
Yet from the beginning to end this whole
criticism that Christianity is narrow in its I
pint and contracting in its enects moves
on a misconception. Human life can never
be bound by a lifeless process. It is of ne-
1 ' 1 l , 1 ' ' T, A I
cessuy iinKeu 10 n living icisun. nun ut ,
Christianity, it is the Almighty God who
is the standard. Men are everywhere ex
horted and expected to ascertain His mil,
to keep His word, to lay hold of His
strength, to walk in His light, and so to
adorn His doctrine in all things. It is the
example of God that is published as the
pattern. It is the purity of God that is
Sut forth as the test. It is the will of
od that is prescribed as the law. It is
the love of God that is presented as the
motive power. It ia the glory of God that
is pointed to as the end. It is the appro
bation of God that is urged as the inspira
tion and the sweet reward. Likeness to
Godhood that is Christianity's ideal of
manhood; likeness; not simply a represen
tation, but a reproduction; an image; a
likeness which boa its place, not in a one
ness or identity of attributes, but in a one
ness or community of life. In Him we live
and move and have our being, said Paul,
with all clearness and confidence, "For
me to live is Christ," said the same great 1
apostle to the Gentiles, Literally, for to
me, that is, in my cajc, ia so far as I am
personally concerned, life is Christ. In my
view and understanding of the term, life is
but another name for Christ. Whatever
of life, or of time, or of talent, or of
strength I have, it is all His. "I live, yet
net I, but Christ liveth in me." That
man's great endeavor was, as near as pos
sible, to reproduce in his life the Ufa of
his Master.
So here his exhortation to nil others:
"Be ye therefore imitators of God, as be
loved children." We have all known chil
dren who were so impressed with the char
acteristics of their fathers that we could
never hear their form of expression or see
their modes of action without thinking of
those from whom their opinion and con
duct had received direction and form. We
say, chips of the old block; the father
lives again in the son. Just so the true life
of the Christian is, potentially at least,
simply a reproduction of the life of the
Christ.
"Imitators, as children of God." What
Sver the sentiments we may entertain re
garding the claims of aristocracy or the
rights of democracy, we all make much of
ancestry. The son of a lord may become a
lord. The daughter of a queen is of the
blood royal. Everywhere men believe in
association. Family glory is a good intro
duction and a great help to any man who
can lawfully point to it as his. The valid
ity of that introduction is never ques
tioned, the integrity of that help is never
rejected, except where the man himself
becomes personally deficient or person
ally degenerate. For doubtless everywhere,
when it comes to the purely practical side
of things, "what is he?" is of far greater
importance than "whence did he come?"
A big fruit from a little tree is worth
more than a little fruit from a big tree,
when it is fruit that the market is de
manding. And what this intensely practi
cal age demands is not so much ancestral
trees as palatable fruit.
I confess that sometimes I have found it
hard to preserve the proprieties when I
bave heard people boasting of ancestry. I
have sometimes wondered what the an
cestors would say if they suddenly saw the
progeny. Paternity is not always easily
recognizable in posterity. Neither in
things material nor in things moral does
past possession ever pay for present pov
erty. There must be some water in the
channel to make a river out of it, and it is
always the present water volume of the
Stream that determines the real water
value of the river.
"Oh, East is East, and West is West,
And never the twain shall meet,
Till Earth snd Sky stand presently at
God's great judgment seat;
But there is neither East nor West,
Border, nor Breed, nor Birth,
When two strong men stand face to face,
Though they come from the ends of the
Earth."
These are strong lines of Kipling; brave
words, wise and true. When it comes to
the solemn strife and stress of life, "what"
weighs more than "whence." "Every man
in his own saddle" and "every tub on its
own bottom."
Nevertheless, all people are disposed to
recognize the possibility of high honor ia
honorable descent. But admit this to be
true, and it carries its own serious claim
along with it. It was ths observstion of
one of the ancients that the burden of
government ia increased to princes by ths
virtues of their immediate predecessors.
Commenting on ths saying, Dr. Samuel
Johnson, in one of his essays, remarked it
a elwtya dangerous to be placed in a state
of unavoidable comparison with excellence,
and that ths danger is always greater when
the excellence is consecrated by death.
Privilege of ancestry means responsibility
of heirship. Duly sod morally considered,
it can never be lordship. It ts event's.!?
stewardship. And "to whom much is
given, of him shall much be required," is
the law univcrsnlly here applied. That is
the principle underlying this whole matter.
Children of God. he imitators of God. " No
blesse oblige. Nobilitv imposes ths obli
atiou of noblcne. "Be ye therefor im
llntors of God. as beloved children."
Whence am I? H is the old question be
which every man is confronted as soon as
he begins to draw linrs nf distinction be
tween himself and his surrounding. And
here, as everywhere, no comment on the
iworV nf God like the word ( God. "In
1li li giiiningfiod created the hen vens and
ilia earth." -hat ajateucc. scatters, dill-
M" anil doubt. The world ' not eter
nal; it had an actual snd definite begin
ning. Man is not the child of chnnee: he
has a Father in God. After that God had
spent much time and lnbor in fitting and
furnishing the globe to be nn shade, III ,
said, "Let us make man in our image, nf- i
ter our likeness." It is written. "So God 1
created man in His own image; formed
mnn of the' dust of the crrnund and
breathed into his nostrils the breath (
life, and man became a living soul" the
masterpiece of divine inienuity and pow
er, in whom there is no tiremonition what
soever of anv higher physical life. "Let
them have dominion over the fish of the
s-a, and over the fowl of the air, and over
the cattle, and over nil the enrth, and over
every creeping thing that creepeth upon
the earth." Divinely authenticated on
heart and on brain, a being nf boundless
asnirations, separated in moral and spirit
ual nature, as by an impassable gulf, from
all other animal orders, man is at the head
rational, responsible, immortal.
How often we speak that word '"immor
tal!" Man does not die
"There is no death. What seems so is
transition;
This life of mortal breath
Is hut a suburb of the life elvslnn,
Whose portal we -ill death."
The good which a man does lives for
ever. And the good man lives in it. Au
gustine in his confessions. Calvin in his
vindication. Watts and Wesley in tho
psalms and hymns and spiritual songs by
which Christendom's praises are still at
tuned. Robert Raikes. the publisher, and
Henry Duncan, the divine the one still
gathers the children and the other still
guards the treasures of the poor. Through
out all Germany, amid their resllcss lives
and the many temptations of their career,
hundreds of young journeymen mechanics,
who know not the name, still bless ths
hand of Clemens Perthes, the learned pro
fessor of Bonn, because he laid the foun
dations of the homes which open to them
their hospitable doors. Yonder at Wei
mar, that "Necropolis of the poets of
Germany," and hard by the grave of
Uoethe, who was the pnnce ot them all,
ia the resting place of one whose fame was
different indeed from theirs, but on whosa
tomb the epitanh runs: "Under this lin
den tree, freed from sin through Jesus
Christ, lies John Falk. Let every strange
child who visits this peaceful place dili
gently pray for him. And because he
cared for little children, receive him,. O
Lord, Thy child, unto Thyself."
"Gone forever! ever? No for since our
dying race began,
Ever, ever, and for-ever was the leading
light of man."
How are we to explain this? What is
the philosophy of such power over the rav
ages of time? My dear friends, we ought
to take some things out of the region of
speculative or ecclesiastical doctrine, where
they seem sometimes to have been con
signed. We cannot contemplate immor
tality simply as a doctrine of the Bible, ot
a teaching of the church. It is more. It
is a vital power in the life. Given the
Fatherhood of God and the immortality of
man is the demonstration of human life.
Do you seek the strongest and clearest
evidence of the existence of God? You
take it with you wherever you go. You
yourself are that evidence. "The argu
ment from design?" You have it in your
own body, the most wonderfully complete
of all known organisms. "The argument
from being?" In the consciousness ot
your own dependence, you have a convic
tion not to be gainsayed of Him on whom
you depend. Created as be is in God's im
age, man is an epitome of all God's crea
tion. He is a duodecimo universe. The
human soul is a mirror which reflects God.
It is true the image is marred and ob
scured; there is but little of the intuitive
knowing; the traces of the inherent right
eousness are very feeble; the flow of the
essential holiness is torpid and inert the
image is a broken one; the picture ia a
moving picture; the lines in it are not
straight; they are vibratory but the like
ness is there. To he a man ia to have
some perceptible trace in God.
My dear friends, however broken and
marred the image may be in any, Christ is
able to restore it in all. And that verily ia
the whole aim of Christianity: to bring us
back to what God first intended us to be.
Believers in Christ are in Him created
anew unto good works and have renewed
in themselves the whole man after the im
age of God in knowledge and righteousness
and true holiness.
Cod Dominates All,
As the mountain of Fujiyama dominates
the landscape in Japan, as the temple hills
of Jerusalem commanded the scene far all
around, so we believe God is to be exalted
in this vast community, so as to dominate
it all. The sense of God is not fading; it
is increasing. To Him we lift up our eye
a unto the mountains. The church is to
nourish this consciousness of God, and to
express it in lives of spiritual power. Oh,
then, bow one comes to love the church
when once her real mission is seen. W
are set to invite the world to come to its
only true home. Wandering hearts, un
easy consciences, troubled souls, come to
the home of homes, in God's great lov
and blessed service. Let the gate open
wide, that the multitudes may press into,
the home of their hearts. Ob, church of
God, let your faith be large and bright,
that the world may come home. Erect no
false barriers that God would disown and
more and more become a home to the chil
dren of men, through Jesus Christ, the Sa
viour. Ths Christian's Answer.
This is the reply we Christians make to
those who say that religion is mythical and
that it retreats into some secret place
where no mere intellectuality can wholly
follow it. It surely is mystical in these in
timate experiences of the soul, but does it
not come forth again and move through
the activities of human life, out ia ths
open world a chastened, beautified ana
Christ-like spirit? This is our answer.
Conscious of sin and imperfections, this is
still our answer. God is our home. Slowly
we yield our stubborn natures to His con
stant pressure. His presence is our best
education. He is the great beautiiier of
human life. Differ as we may in our creeds
and philosophies, this is the issue of relig
ion, this is the' product of fellowship witjl
Him, our Father, our God, our eternal ref
uge and home. ....
An Implvs Spaetael.
When you stop to consider what ths
church of God ia, the spectacle of hun
dreds of thousands, even millions, of souls
wending their way to the places of worship
throughout ths land becomes impressive.
Why do they come? What is the perma
nent element in life that maintains this
vast interest? Changes occur among na
tions, institutions rise and fall, traditions
wax and vane, creeds ar made and un
made, and yet men continue to worship.
Lead tnnpl Lit;
Bs content to lesd a simple life where
God has placed you. Bs obedient; bear
your little daily crosses you need them,
and God gives them to you out of pur
mere. Fenelon.
Mummy YVheav Would Not Grow.
In view ot the oft-repeatod and coin
monly believed statement that miimmj
wheat that Is, wheat found In trie
cases of anqlent Egyptian mummies
baa been known to germinate when
planted after thousands of years. It la
of Interest to- note that cxperlment
with specimens of wheat, of the anti
quity of which there is no doubt, have
Just been carried but at Kow Gardons,
England, with the view of ascertaining
whether ancient Egyptian wheat, say
3,000 years old, would germinate oi
not. In every case the experiment
made by the officials at Kcw was un
luccessful. .
Novel Milking Prooess.
In the new Umschau electric milk,
Ing process a rubber cap la placed over
the cow'i udder, and the milk Is drawn
br the auction ot an electrically driv
en pump. The method la claimed to
b both cleaner and quicker than
hand-mUklnf.
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR NOVEMBER 13.
(tnli.feett Joash Itepnlt the Temple, TT
Kings XII., 4-10 Golden Text, Nell
X., 80 Memory Verses, 0-13 Com
mentnrjr on the Pay's Lesson.
The reformation under Joash began at
the time of his coronation. 1. A solemr
covenant was made "between the Lord
and the king and the people," and "be
tween the king also and the people," that
they would be the Lord' people (2 Kingl
11:17), 2. Baal worship was immediately
overthrown, from the inner court of the
temple, which was the scene of tho coro
nation, the multitudes, beyond all doubt
encouraged by delioiada, streamed forth
to the neighboring seat of idol worship,
bent upon its comnlete demolition. "The
people of the land went into the house
of Baal and brake it down" (2 Kings 11:18;
2 Chron. 23:17). The altars and imagei
which adorned it were broken to pieces,
and Mutton the high priest slain as he
officiated. Haul worship was thus for s
time completely rooted out of Judith, and
the old religion resumed its place. 3. The
priests and Levites were appointed to
serve in the temple "as it was ordained bj
David" (2 Chron. 23:18).
I. liaising funds to repair the temple
(vs. 4-9). 4 "Jehoash." The same as
Joash. It must Y ve been some time after
his coronation before he began this work.
"Said to the priests." It is remarkable
that the first movement toward restoring
the temple should come, not from Jeho
i.'ula, but from Joash, not from the priest,
but from the king. Jchoiada had allowed
the mischief done in Athaliah's time to re
main unrepaired during his whole term of
ftovernment. Remembering that he owed
is preservation and restoration to the
temple, and that God had made him iii
guardian, and that he had covenanted so
to be, Joash uicides to repair it. "All the
money," etc. There are three kinds of
offerings mentioned in this verse: 1. The
"atonement" money, the same amount
half a shekel, about hirty-three cents for
rich and poor alike; illustrating the truth
that the souls of of men are equally prec
ious in God's sight. This was probably a
poll tax (Exod. 20:11-10). 2. Money from
special vows, which was regulated by law
and circumstan.-es (Lev. 27:1-8). 3. Free
w;ll offerings (Exod. 35:5).
5. "Let the priests," etc. The meaning
is made clear in 2 Chron. 24:5. The
priests and Levites were asked to go into
the cities of Judah and gather of all
Israel" money for the repairs. They would
naturally go to those with whom they
were acquainted. "Breaches." Years of
neglect had allowed the walls to crack
nnd crumble, and the sons of Athaliah
had broken it to pieces (2 Chron. 24:7).
6. "Had not repaired." This plan proved
a failure. 1. Probably because the priests
took but little interest. 2. Perhaps the
5eople were afraid to trust the priests,
here are those in our churches to-day
who imbibe too much of the spirit of these
priests. They would see the sanctuary
almost tumble about their heads in ruins
before they would initiate any movement
to rcnair and renovate it. Piety is ot a
low ebb in that soul which is so indifferent
to the outer, fabric of God's house.
7. "Culled" for Jehoiada." It is strange
that the high priest should be negligent;
but he was a very old man (2 Chron. 24:
15), even if, with most critics, we read one
hundred and three instead of one hundred
and thirty years. He had become accus
tomed to the dilapidated state of the tem
ple and perhaps sympathized with the
priests in their reasons for delay. "Receive
no more," etc. The plan was now entirely
changed, and the collection which at first
had been ordered was now to cease. 8.
"The priests consented." They had found
the work too great for them and were no
doubt glad to tie relieved.
9. "Took a chest." This was done by
direction of the king (2 Chron. 24:8), and
was "a much more popular measure than
the one tried before." Joash did not be
come discouraged, but when he failed on
one line he tried another. "Bored a hole."
"The chest was locked and had a hole
bored in its lid iust large enough to ad
mit pieces of silver." It was placed be
side the great brazen altar which stood in
the priest's court. It was therefore out
side of the temple proper, "The priests
put therein' In 2 Chron. 24:10
it appears that the people cast the money
into the chest, but it probably passed
through the hands of the priests. There
is not the slightest evidence that the
priests and Levites had been guilty of any
dishonesty."
II. The temple repaired (vs. 10-15). 10.
"Much money.'' The new plan had put
life into the work. The givers saw that
others were giving and that success was
likely to attend their efforts, and accord
ingly there was money in abundance.
From verse 6 we see that the money for
the support of the priests was not given
with the other, so that every person knew
exactly for what purpose his gifts were
used. Joy and delight in the object made
liberal givers. "The king's scribe," etc.
It appears by comparing 2 Chron. 24:11
that the chest was carried unopened into
the king's office and that the money was
placed in charge of two responsible per
sons, who put it in bags, counted and
marked, ready to be paid out to the work
men. 11. "Being told." See R. V. We would
say, "They counted the money:" but its
value was found by weighing. "They paid
it out" (R. V.j. J. he money was placed
in the hands of tue overseers and they
faid it out to the workmen.' From versa
3 we see that thev were trusted perfect
ly, "for they dealt faithfully." 13. In
this verse mention is made of certain ves
sels and implements which were not made
at this time, while in 2 Chron. 24:4 men
tion is made of those which were made;
the passages are not contradictory. 14.
"They repaired the house of
the Lord." The labors of all, from the
king to the humblest carpenter, were es
sential to the success of the great under
taking. It is not for any worker in the
Lord's cause to say he has of himself done
any good thing. At the best he is only
one of the many aeents in the perfecting
of God's plans. The restoration of the
house of ths Lord was accomplished only
by a resolute and united effort. 1. There
was a willingness among the people to give
liberally. 2. 'there was a strict and im
partial administration of the funds. 3. All
unnecessary expenses was avoided. 15.
"They dealt faithfully." Those who
handled the money as well as the work
men were conscientious and faithful. In
this reorganization we observe all the cle
ment of success prompt and decided ac
tion, generous giving, careful expenditure,
turnest and faithful toil. If you wish suc
cess in life, make perseverance your bosom
friend, experience your wise counselor,
cautieh your elder brother and hops ycur
guardian genius.
His Source of Inspiration.
On Ibsen's tablo beside the Inkstand
was a small tray. Its contents were
extraordinary dome little wooden
carved Swiss bears, a diminutive black
devil, small cats, dogs and rabbits
made ot copper, one of which was
playing a violin. "What are thoze
funny little things?" I ventured to as'.t.
"I never write a (tingle line of any of
my drama' unless that tray and Itr
occupiuits ere before me on the table,
r could not write without them. II
may aeora strange perhaps it ia but
1 cannot wrltex. without them," he re
pented. "Why 1 use then Ls my own
seer' "
Would Name the Dog Care. '
The family bad added a bull terrier
to Ita stock, of pets. The first day
after bis arrival the new member
ended the career of a pet cat. He was
forgiven, however, and 1,hat night
there was a discussion ovtir a name
for dog. Six-year-old Paulino listened
to several suggestions, and tbeo said,
gravely, "I'd call him Care, lthluk.
You know grandma aaye, 'Care killed
a cat."
CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR NOTES
NOVEMBER THIRTEENTH.
"Our Partnership and Fellowship."
1 Cor. 12:23-31; 13:1-13.
Scripture Verses. Mai. 3: 1G; John
13:31; Acts 1, 14; 2:1, 42; Gal. 6:
10; Eph. 2:19; Phil. 1:3-0; 1 Thesa.
6:11-13; 2 Thesa. 1:3; 2 Peter 1:1,2.
Lesson Thoughts.
"Let us not permit any human
brotherhood to be closer than the
brotherhood of Christian believers."
"When the denominations work to
gether as effectively as the mem
bers In the body they will reach the
Christian Ideal and the Christian
power, and not until then."
"As the right band does not desire
to be larger than the left hand, or
one eye than the other, so compari
sons among Christians to the disad
vantage of one another are un
worthy." Selections.
A mass of quicksilver dropped on
the floor, will split Into many glo
bules; but gather them up and they
will coalesce as before. God's elect
below are found divided Into many
denominations, but when gathered
together In heaven they Will unite as
one undivided church.
You are In the wood, but cannot
find it for the trees; but you ask
which of these sorts of trees Is the
wood. Is it the oak, or the ash, or
the elm, or the poplar? Or Is it the
hawthorn or the bramble? Why, it
Is all together. Thus they Rre In the
midst of the church of Christ Inqu'!r
lng after the church, and asking
whether it be this party of Christians,
or whether It be the other.
A thousand men united are worth
more than ten thousand working In
dependently. For this reason armies
are formed, manufacturing Industries
are established, and populations cen
tralize Into cities. For the same rea
son Christian fellowship adds
strength to the church.
One great value of Christian fel
lowship results from the fact that
"there ore diversities of gifts."
While one builds up the other guards;
Christian fellowship affords oppor
tunity for the useful exercise of all
our various talents.
EPMTII LEAGUE LESSONS
NOVEMBER THIRTEENTH.
Our Partnership and Fellowship.
1 Cor. 12. 23-31. 13. 1-13.
In Berlin there lived a shoemaker
who habitually spoke with rigid se
verity of all who did not bel.leve ex
actly as he did upon religious mat
ters. His pastor felt that he must
give him an object lesson In the bopo
of correcting this fault. To this end
he sent for the shoemaker to take
his measure for a pair of boots.
"With pleasure, your reverence.
Please take off your boot." The
minister did so. Having finished his
task, he was preparing to leave the
room when the clergyman called out,
"Stay! My son requires a pair also."
"I will make them with pleasure.
Can I take the lad's measure now?"
"O, that is not necessary," said tho
pastor. "The boy Is only fourteen,
but you can make his boots and mine
from the same last." Thereupon the
shoemaker expressed surprise, hesi
tated, even became indignant. The
minister Insisted. "They must be
made on the same last." The shoe
maker suggested that the minister
must be losing his wits. "Ah, then,"
said he, "every pair of shoes must
be made upon their own lasts, If they
are to fit; and yet you seem to think
that every Christian must be formed
exactly according to your own last
of the same measure and form as
yourself. That will not do, either."
There are many, many forms of
Christian character, but only one
srJrlt and that Is the spirit of Christ.
This ls the one distinguishing char
acteristic. This Is beautifully set
forth in our Scripture lesson!
The purest snd sweetest Joys known
to mortals are those which spring
from fellowship In unselfish work
with and for Christ.
This thirteenth chapter of First
Corinthians creates an atmosphere of
beaming brightness and genial fresh
ness. It is where we all ought to
live. How grand that life which is in
conscious partnership with God, and
In cheerful fellowship with his most
obedient children! Normal, sane,
wholesome ls such a character. The
Sun of Righteousness Alls the air of
Buch a life with its golden beams of
spiritual health and buoyant vitality.
O, that we, as young people, might
realize the glory of living 4n a love
planned, love-governed, love-lighted
universe!
RAM'S HORN BLASTS.
HERE Is no com
munion with Christ
where there is no
sympathy with Him.
If happiness were
a sin gome people
would make the
world brighter.
It takes bread
from Heaven to
give strength for
the business on
earth.
When a man loves
God he will think once in a while about
the feelings of men.
The church that quarrels over the
tricks takes a long time to build the
bouse.
If you cannot see Christ In people,
will you be able to find Him In Para
dise? If a man bis any selfishness In him
It will come out when be aits next the
window.
It Is easier to test the Bible by your
logic than it is to test your loving by
its laws.
It ia very comforting exercise to rip
up the devil while you are riding ou bli
road.
A man must be blind to the wrongs
of society to talk about the rights of
the aaloon.
It ls a good deal easier to trust God
when you are poor than it ia to prove
your trust when you get rich.
Tortoise 300 Years Old.
' One of the oldest known living ani
mals on earth ls a tortoise In Now
Zeak-nd that weighs 970 pounds. It
Is knowo to be over 800 years old.
THE GREAT DESTROYER
SOWS STARTLING FACTS AS0UT
THE VICE OF INTEMPERANCE.
Tlii. Mfo Slnry ot n Young Man Wlins
Cnreor r.nl.vt In tlm ri-nlli-ntinr;
Owing; tn Vldnu. tlnlilt Formed
Through Hntilhml tnilul 3cnce.
, "Drink brought me here. Nothing makes
it sii easy for u fellow to get into trouble
as drink. I face a life in the penitentiary
became of drink and bad companion.
"Tell every voting man to steer clear of
both of these nnd he'll steer clear of such
a nisition as I now tind myself in."
Ifnrrv Mapleson. twenty-three vears old.
wait in a cell at the county jail to be
t-ikeu to Columbus to begin a lire term in
the penitentiary for complicity in the mur
der of an unknown man on llcssemcr
street, on the night of Sentembpr 2", 1903.
Ho wis sentenced Thursday. The words
minted he spoke to a Press man in his cell
rriday morning. There was despair in his
voice, hopelessness in his eyes:
"Ill-ink did it," he kept on repenting.
'Drink and bad companions. God! how I
wish I lind never touched the one and
avoided the other. And the sad part of it
is, they wrecked not only my life, but
brought sorrow and woe to my poor old
parents.''
J here were tears in his ryes, and his
voice shook. He turned his face nwnv and
looked toward the wall of his cell, his
frame slinking with emotion. It was sev
eral minutes before he spoke again, and
then he inld the whole story.
"I think," he said, "the first drink I
ever took was 'bought for me by a rela
tive. When I was twelve years old and
made my first communion I took a pledge
not to toifh liquor till I was twentv-one.
During all that time I followed the pledge
faithfully and while other boys met nnd
'rushed the growler.' I stayed away and
when I wanted company I sought those I
met at church. When I became twentv
one 1 made up my mind to keep on ab
staining from intoxicants. But just a
month afterward I came down one day
with this relative and he took me into a
saloon. We met some friends and they all
wanted to buy drinks. I drank several
bottles of pop. and hen, because this rela
tive said pop wasn't good for me I took a
glass of beer. The next thing I took was a
irlass of whisky. In a few minutes I was
drunk.
"It was months afterward before I tasted
it again, but when I did the rest was easy.
"I begran meeting with boys nnd men
nnd took part in their 'growler rushing.' I
drank as much as any nf them. The night
we are supposed to have killed the man I
was drunk and so was Neuman.
"I had been in the saloon next door to
where I lived on Atlantic street nnd had
a few drinks. When I went out Neuman
followed me, keeping abaut lot) feet behind
me and calling for me to wait.
"We met the fellow that was killed neat
the railroad track. He was an inoffensive
looking fellow nnd passed me without say
ing a word, though he looked as if he
wanted to ask something.
"When he got back to Neuman ho asked
him where some one lived.
"Neuman was in n ipiarrelsome mood
and struck him and the fellow struck back.
I ran to heln Neuman, and that's all there
ivas to it. We put the body alongside the
track to mnl;e it. appear he had fallen from
train. If I hadn't been drinking 1
would never have mixed in. And if Neu
man hadn't been drunk, the quarrel
wouldn't have started.
"We didn't wnnt to rob the man, be
cause we didn't need to. I had money und
s good job.' Why, ever since I was sixteei?
T have never earned less than S?2 50 a day.
Onee I was earning 3.i a month.
"I was just twenty-three the-day before
I was arrested, so you see it was onlv dur
ing two years that I drank at all. How 1
wish those two years were blotted out. 1
ee. now the only way for anybody to avoid
the possibility of mv present position is
not to touch it nt all. I! lit I have found
'.t out too late, as many nnother man has.'
East Liverpool (Ohio) Tribune.
Tenernble Lawyer's Opinion of TO lilsk
One of the oldrst lawyers in the State of
Pennsylvania. Mr. M. E. Sayera, lately
icot a pointed reply to a distiller's circular.
dilrcssing the sender he said:
"Your letter at hand recommending your
good old whisky. I have known the good
jld copper-distilled rye whisky to send
seven sons and three grandsons of the dis
tiller to drunkards' graves. If I wanted to
direct a man straight to hell I would advise
him to engine in the manufacture or sale
.if whisky. I have been sixtv-nine years a
lawyer and have seen no good, but evil con
tinually from whisky."
Mr. Savers, like some other total ab
turners, had grown tired of opening letters
bearinc no business card, to be r.reeled
with a big liauor advertisement. Mr. Bay
ers is the father of Miss Mary E. Savers, a
most active Y secretary, and wo are told
that it is largely due to him, his daughter
and his wife, an abio white ribbouer. that
Greene County, Pa., has been dry for
twenty-five years. Christian Companion.
How 1 Tills T
tady Henry Somerset, in a recent inter
view, 'published in "Great Thoughts,"
speaks nf a visit made by her to Mr. Edi
son, whose vast laboratories she inspected
with much interest. On being asked who
were his best workmen Mr. Edison replied
that the Germans ami Italians were good
routine workmen, but that he could de
pend on them for little else. The English
and Scotch were remarkable, but he could
not count nn their return punctually after
holidays; .their hand was not steady, nor
was their eye accurate, for the simple rea
son that they used alcohol often to excess.
A Connecticut American-born workman
was the only reliable man he had, for he
was not only a total abstainer himself, hut
had a total abstaining ancestry behind
him. Edison could count on his accuracy
tnd steadiness, the time he would put into
his work and the hour at which he would
return. Irish Tempcrunca League Journal,
Belfast.
A Vile Decoction.
A Tlodge City (Iowa) bootlegger admit
that he made most of the stulf he sold as
whisky. His formula was: One gallon of
alcohol, two gallons of water, one pound
oi prunes, Halt a pound ot tooacco aim an
ounce of glycerine. Ituil the prunes and
siucer.e the juice out and the same with
the tobacco and thoroughly mix. "This,"
he s ;vs proudly, "makes a fine drink, and
is warranted to do the work." He used to
keep it in kerosene cans to avoid suspicion.
KngUml's l usolTsble I'rolilciu.
"For full 300 years." says the Indian
Witness, "the license system has prevailed
in England, and with what result? It is
said that no fewer than 470 acts of Parlia
ment, all swking to regulate the houor
tinlie, havo been framed, but bow miser
ably thev have failed to accomplish 'the ar
rest of this gigantic evil of modern times.
Tlie Table That Mqnor f pr-.l.
The story is told by the Montreal Wit
ness of a poor woman who went recently
to a sn'.oon in search of her husband.
She found him there, and. setting a cov
ered dish, which she had brought with hr,
upon the table, she said. "'J linikiiig thai
you ure too busy to come home to diniif r I
have brought yon yours," and di-partcd.
With laugh the nisn invited Ins friend
to dine wjtli him, but un lemoviug the
cover from the dish he found only a slip
of paper, on which was written: "I hope
you will enjoy your meal. It is the name
as your family bas at home."
Xeuiperanoe Towns More Prosperous,
The Sterling (Col.) News call attention
to the difference between saloons and mi
saloon in comparison between the towiu
of Greeley and Evans, and Colorado Springs
and Colorado City. Starting with e-pil
chances, the prohibition towns have been
moje prosperous and are better provided
for at lower taxes than the saloon town.
A Laaau of Lawbreaker.
The saloon system is itself a league of
lawbreakers, whose example affords u munt
uuwoi'ful stimulus to disorder of all kinds.
It openly proclaims its purpose to duobuy
all law which iiitvit'rru with its supreme
purpose to inske money in it own way
nnd at whatever sacrifice. lion. William
WmJuni. bvwvury ul the Treasury, U. S.
rGtMuiX5I
rtie Atheist.
BY ALICE r. TILDE.
Courage of heart and of so-.il, of mir.d and
of sense;
Courage to work in the dark and claim
no reward ;
Courage to strain in the toil, eacn nerve
still tense,
Facing the final silence, knowing no God.
Courage to livo out a life on the terrible
road,
Knowing that at the road's end all things
must cease;
Other with self nt strife, not fcelinz the
;;oad
Of punishment following wrong, nor re
ward of peace;
Courage to givo of his best, when put to
the touch;
Courane not once over-ridden by sloth
leaden-shod:
Courage to bear and to die. All, but liow
much
More might his courage avail, harnessed
with Godl
For the Christian Register.
The Sacrament of Love.
Lovingness is not so easy an acquirement
as we sometimes suppose. It comes not al
together by nature like breathing, or. as
the old adage says, like reading and writ
ing. It is easier to noiuirc the habit ol
hating than that of loving, as it is eas:cr
to acquire a scpiiiit-eyed, nerverted view
of life than a sane nnd healthy one. Lov
ing enters into the religions con ioune?
of believers in varying degrees, but it i
cafe to say that God prciVrs in His chil
dren one ounce of love to a pound of
uogma.
The soul is like a garden that cannot
safely be left unteiniul ; for weed-, grow
much faster than whole-one plants, unci
there is no beauty of holmes-- that can be
expected to come up oi itsclt and keep
self free from contamination and evil con
tact. The sacrament of love is that tlowet
on tho holy life. It irradiates the soul
with beauty, it fills it with fragrance und
sheds peace and rest upon the nature. It
is the secret of the highest, devoutist na
tures. We look up to them with avvo ar.o
longing, feeling that their gills cannot l;c
attained by us, but the puwer of love is
open to us all. It is especially the uttri
bute of the humble heart.
To be sure it requires discipline, subju
gation of the grosser parts of the being be
fore it yields mellowness and ripeness, an
atmosphere more than act or word. The
nature becomes, as it were, solvent in th?
religious element, so pervasive that noth
ing, however small, escapes its touch
Ceasing to be nn occasional thing of cus
tom and world, love so vivifies it, makes it
so beautiful nnd radiant, it is like n white
winged angel shaking fragrance and li'lil
from its wings. It is love alone that can
save a fniih from fossilizing. Habit indur
ate our feelings, lays them out, corpsei ke,
where often there is no Jesus to raise,
this Lazarus. Love alone can do it. It
was the sentiment with which Dante con
templated the divine in Ueatrice, thus
knitting earth to heaven. The exaltation
of beauty passed insensibly into the mys
tical passion of love, which perhaps he
alone of all men was capable of feeling.
Hut his revelation of the highest oHicc oi
this nassion has been of areat value, not
only in purifying the earthly sentiment,
but in connecting the religious nature in a
permanent union with God.
The sacrament of love is a recognition of
heaven v gifts, the sralitmlc this recount
tion awakens, the peace it brings in the
contemplation of the universe, and those
broader views that show us the all-containing
power of the divine thought and the
reconciliation of seeming opposite. It is
the sentiment that makes ot life worship.
Oftentimes life is cold, the sentiments nn
moribund, praver spring from the lips, the
sense nf dutv has un illumination, liut to
partake of the sacrament of love is to send
a glow through all parts of the nature, and
to change the habitually dull into the con
secrated, to hallow nil relations, and to lilt
them to a higher level.
It is the inner meaning and power of re
ligion, nnd renders it easy, nay, natural,
to know God as friend, companion and
communion with Him like the breath we
draw. It is the ideal for which we should
aim, the rest of the soul in the sunshine ot
His presence; for haviiw partaken of the
sacrament of love, everything is easy. Not
always can we tind that enchanted garden
of the heart where human love blends with
the divine nnd is part of the tender over
brooding of the spirit. It we wander
away, let us be careful that wc do not lot
get the path of return.
Having this inestimable treasure of love,
it matter not much what we are denied.
Soul rest nnd quit-tilde will come nf them
selves. We cannot hide away from utliic
tion. but the strength to bear will come ns
a holy visitation, as if Go. I Himself should
stoop and overshadow our littleness, our
incompleteness, with the sense of the all
sufreriiigmss oi Ills presence. For love is
like a dove that iias made its nest un let
our roof, and soothes us with its tender
cooing. We may not see it, but we know
it is there. The greal heart oi things heats
responsive to our own. We are nevt'i
alone, for God is the constant, the un
changliir; fra ud.
Such love breathed in the soul of M. iy,
sister of Lazaru, as she iwit at the P.'i-t ot
the Master. It was well thai she put away
the tritles cf life for a time, to be with
linn who could visit her only on a favored
daw and was soon to demit, leaving the
holy gift of His spirit. Such a visitation
chances the i urrent of life. iiat was ouec
all absorbing ia'.1.! into sc-onii.uy ivla-nms
After partaking of the ho'y Liead and
wine of a Jovimi spirit a great experience
revealing infinite tiuntrs takts us u hence
we may never return to our frivolities. To
partake of this sacm-m-nt we must 1c
made worthy. Gaiuhad could only behold,
after many trials and long wanderings, the
Holy Grail. There is a llo'y Grail for
each of us if we are worthy to possess it, a
cup filled with divine love that God presses
to the lips of His children when they como
to commune in the right spirit. The
Christian Hcgister.
MlnUtt-rln:; Angels.
It is In the path where God has bade us
walk that we shall find the nnveis around
us. We mny meet them, indeed, on paths
of our own choosing, but it will be tho
sart of angel that ll.ilaain met. willi a
sword in his hand: mighty and beautiful,
but wrathful, too, and we hail better not
front him! Hut the friendly helpers, the
emissaries of God's love, the apcwtles of
His grace, do not haunt the roads that "
make for ourselves. Alex. Maclaren.
No Christ or No Home,
In the city of Kuang-ucn, Ki-chuen,
which is eaid to be a specially idolatrous
.tity, a woman recently burned all her idol
and her ancestral tablet at the grave of
her deceased hushaud, who during his life
time forbade her destroying the idol.
When "hi became released from hi voke
he embraced her earliest opportunity of
piving eOeet to her lung cherishtd denire,
1'he position of women in China being
what it is, it ia not often eaay for them to
follow their conviction when they aro out
of harmony with those of their husband.
When the question of believing th sjosttel
is involved it is frequently a choice b
twsen bom and religion - loins' Millions.
Too Heavy for Cab Floor.
While alx burly Yorkshlremen were
driving through the streots of Paris
In a cab tho floor gave way beneath
their weight, and two cf them were
dragged along and severely cut abc
Oe bands and face.
Aged Men Cast Votes
At MldUlebury, Vt., tlxteou men
whoso rungfd from 80 to 05 tp
poared at the polls within a few mli,
tites of e.tci other at IU last election.
THE HABIT OF QUOTATION; N
Has Spread With Ih Growth af a Certalst'
Unity Pplrlt.
Since most of us find It easy to copj)
nnd difficult to Invent, the linblt o(
prolific quotation bns grown wltU the)
growth of n certain bnsty end Idle)
epirit cnsily to be discerned In mod
ern literature nnd the London Sab
urtlny ltevievr hns recently etood foa
nn honest nnd wholesome) reaction In
fnvor of writliiff nently woven from
the author's imltrldun' thought, and
unbedecked with nin.Tims from fa
mllinr sources. It offered some
months ngo n prize for the worst
throe "tngs" In use at the present day,
n tns bi-lntt understood to menn a
quotation th.it hns grown afnle wltl
repetition. Hundred flowed Into thsj
columns of the Hevlew, nnd not nntll
the? were there did mnny a reader
recognize lion- oi'ten their nged faces
hnd seen upon the races of yonnaj
books nnd ningnzlnes. Here are a few
of them: "It Is the nnexpected thai
happens," "more honored In the breach!
tlinn In the observance." "Homerlo
laughter." "the tbln end of the wedge
"the right man In the right place
"there Is much virtue In an If."
If the time has come, nnd apparently
It ls here, for those nnd similar
phrases borrowed from the lilg grab
bag of the classics, .frequently without
nny distinct knowledge of their origin
to be discarded from the product of the
average writer, the naked dtilness of
tho average style will bo more than
ever conspicuous, nnd Inevitably there)
will be more or less striving to create
verbal ornaments of a reasonable
orlginnlity. Already the popular
parodist has found way out of tba
tlilicultj that Is not without Its ap
propriateness to a flippant oge. In
stead of illuminating bis text with the
wise sayings of his predecessors, be
ndopts them only after fortifying then
with his mother wit, as the prudent
physician fortifies his anaesthetic rem
edies. For "A word to the wise is suf
ficient"' bo gives "A word to the wise)
ls superfluous." or for "Procrastination
Is the thief of time' ho sagaciously
substitutes " Punctuality Is the thief
of time," altering, with consummate
Impudence, dignitlod gray sentiments!
that have walked with Shakespeare
and Milton. From "The Point ot
View," In Scribner's.
Largest Cut Glass Vase.
The largest piece of cut glass In the
world, a vase as tall as a man and
as brilliant in every part as the finest
small piece, has just been completed la
this city, and will be shipped in a fevn
days to the St. Louis Exposition,
where It will be placed in the indus
trial ni t display.
The vase is live feet six and tbree
quarter inches in height, and every,
inch of It Is perfectly worked in sun
bursts, chrysanthemums and beaded
n ml notched effects that shed prismnt.
lc rays of brilliance ami luster. The
sunbursts o:i the star are too largo
to be designated by that usual cut
glass term, so they bave been given a
new name, the Louisiana purchase
6tar.
In all there are 10O,0fX) cuts or deep
incisions on the vase, which required
turning It io,0(i'l liiv.es. The vase
weighs 200 pounds. It was produced
by nine men, who spent L'ooo working
hours upon it. The man who made
the blank Is six feet seven inches lull.
A shorter man could not have handled
the great piece of glass. Twenty
blanks were turned out before a per
fect one was produced.
The remurkiilile brilliancy of the
vase Is caused by the fusng in the
glass of tcu per cent, more lead thua
Is ordinarily used. The vase is several
limes larger than the previous great
est piece of cut glass, completely
ihvaruiig it. Philadelphia Press.
lllnl Mimicry.
"The roar of the ostrich resembles
the ronr of the lion because the os
trich stole from the llou this sound,
even as one playwright steals from
another a plot." An ornithologist
made that odd assertion In a taxider
mist's shop. He went on to elaborate
it. "liirds from the ostrich down are
Imitative. The ostrich, where be livee
nlone, Is silent, but in a country where
lions abound he roars. Why? Be
cause for centuries, ndmirliig the maj
esty and grandeur of the lion's roar,
lie gradually learned to roar himself,
lii'lieve me, It Is flue to see an ostrlclt
throw back bis little head and emit at
roar like thunder.
"Itiintinrs imitate pipits, and green
finchc.s Imitate yellow hammers. They
sick their food In the winter together,
and tbey gradually steal each other's
calls.
"The Jay Is nn Insatiable Imitator.
Pome jays will Include in their reper
tory not only the whoo-oo of the kite,
the scream of the buzzard and the limit
of the owl, but also the bleat of the
lamb nnd the neigh of a borse.
"Kven the nightingale Imitates. Ia
a nightingale's perfect song I bave
often beard the tip-slp-slslsls of the
woodwurbler and the bub-ub-ubble oX
the nuthatch." Washington Post
VlmllrBtlon of Hoston Ivy.
When the Advertiser called tbe at
tention of Landscape Architect Olm
stead to the wall at Trinity Church,
where tome people had thought a de
composition of tbe stone Itself had set
In, uwliig to the presence of Boston
ivy, be fomid the alarm false. lie baa
yet to see n single building built ot
brick or atone that bus been affected
by the Boston Ivy, tbe popular theory
to tbe contrary notwithstanding
further proof of l'rof. oiuistead'a Idea
that tbe Ivy Is perfectly safe, cornea
from Professor Vatt, one ot the lead
ing landscape architects of Canada.
After careful Investigations be learna
that while brick and atone walla
absorb moisture, the try actually ab
sorbs it from them, thereby protect
ing tbe walls, not dauiagtaf thenu
Boston Advertiser.
rrmwrvatlon of flower.
Professor Coustantlne tiregory, oi
Naples, bns discovered a now chemi
cal process for tbe preservation of
flowers and leaves which bas won a
silver initial from tbe Neapolitan In
stitute for the Advancement of He!- ,
ence. Plant leave difficult )f
preservation ,s those of the rcbl
and bvgoui bave been Uept wonder
fully well' by thU method, aud Irt
fessor Gregory i hopeful of pre re.
lug even fungi lu a ruiurkubly a.
urai condition.