"KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST" An Eloquent Snnday Sermon By Rer. Wiofictd Scott Baer. Those Wh Would Rscslve Light Mail Eier cIm Selt-Contrel sod Sicrilct Pleasure ! Ibt Work. bRooil.Ti, N. Y. The Rev. Winfield Scott Baer. rector of St. George's Church, preached Sunday morning on ''Knowledge of Christ." He took hia text from Philip flans iii, 8: "I count all thing! but loss for ha excellency of the knowledge of Chriat Jeeua my Lord." Mr. Bar Mid among other thinga: A quarter of a century had pawed aince Paul on the way to Damascus aaw a great light, aince he who waa the persecutor of the church became Apostle to the Gentiles. They were yeara of mental and apiritual growth, of missionary teal and activity, of suffering and privation, and beyond that of Jotr and gladness which no man could tell. Now, looking back over hia life from prison in Borne, he nassed judgment upon hia gain and loss. There waa no tinge of despondency which might have come from age or weakness, no touch of bitterness ahowing that the iron might have entered Into hia soul, but with the calmness of a tudge and the fervor of a seeker after ruth, he cried: "I count all things but loss for the excellency of tho knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord." There are many , kinds of knowledge, rained in different methods and ways. Some comes through e.irrcise of mcmorv; some through careful observation of the facts of nature; some by experiment in the laboratory; some hv careful reading of the fiaat and wise Judgment upon it; much rom the careful study of ourselves. In varying decrees, these nil are precious, and they are given only for a price. The school system of which wo are proud ia costly. The vast expenditure of money ia but an item in the cost. Energy, time, thought of myriads interested in the work of knowl edge and in training t'loae committed to their care harder far than hearing lessons from a bnok. The years of school, the hours of study and practice, the physical confinement when children would rather be on tho street or in the field, all these must be counted in. We are almost disap pointed when we do not read among the 'honors of college commencement some men tion of gifts of Money to enable the col lege to pursue truth, and give it out to those who seek it; and here also are time and labor and research. Po those who would receive the full benefit of the prof fered knowledge must exercise self-control, sacrifice play and pleasure to the work. This is but the beginning of knowledge. In every realm of life men seek if haply they may find. T!ie borders of the un known are being pushed back day bv day, and the light of truth ia seen and known over ever wider tracts. In scientific re search, invention, exploration of the earth, knowledge of society, knowledge of mind, men are thinking, working, training knowledge. They psy the cost. The Ice of the north, could it speak, would tell of those who sought the pole, merely, that they might know; the jungles of Asia and the forests of Africa are known to ua from the traveler; missionary, scientist, soldier, seeker after gold, with their different mo tives impelling them, they bring forth knowledge for the world. Human trials, privations and death have been paid for that knowledge. Few as they take it, think of the price at which it is purchased. There are degrees of worth in knowl edge. That which has. most of the human In it contains most interest for us. Per sons are the highest facts; the knowledge of persons is the highest knowledge. It is a wonderful story which science tells us of the development of the world. It is a more living story for us to know of the develop ment of mankind; hence, history, biopra- fihy and social matters have a deeper in erest for us. Nor is it an easy matter to read the past or the present. From the same chemical ingredients we expect the aame results. Personality may conceal or may reveal itself by its words and deeds. None of us needs to be Jekyll and Hvde to appreciate that he is not always clear as crystal, to be read by all the world. Deeds may belie the heart. None of us knows another perfectly, perhaps we do not know ourselves. The mathematical tao:e we know, but the knowledge of man kind is higher, and more secret and diffi cult to gain. If study of man be our true study, then the study of the heat is our wise part. How foolish for the student in art to study the chromo when the masterpiece is before hia eye! Why strive to read by light of lamp when the glorious sun in the heaven floods the earth with light? Seek the noblest, and learn of him. It was this which Paul was doing. The desire of his heart, the end of his thought, the goal of his purpose was that he might know Christ, and for that he would count all things but loss. There has been loss in Paul's lifo as he Rained this knowledge. Loss of money, position, friendship; bitterly hated by his peonle, and now loss of liberty as captive at Rome. But these he counted loss for the knowledge of Christi This was more than a knowledge of the facts of Christ's life; more than an ac knowledgment of his past and present high dignity in the spiritual world; more than a recognition of the place of Christ in Cod's work for man. One-might know all this, yet not know Christ, as Paul longed to know, in the communion of friendship, in the inspiration of Christ within, in the power of Christ raising him from sin to righteousness, making him a partaker of Hia own life, an that he could say: "I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." ' We may not follow Paul's intellectual flights, nor gaze with his vision at the mys teries which are unveiled. But we may know the purpose of God for us. which is that we shall seek the truth of.life. This ia found in Christ. To know ffftji ia the privilege of all. There ia noexclusive riass of rich or poor, but the knowledge if open to all who are willing to take it aa it van be taught, and are willing to pay the price. This knowledge of Christ can be known but partially through reading of the skies above or the Scriptures beneath. Many through these cone to a knowledge of God. But such, study is too easy a school for character, aa we strive to know the living, loving God. One has told of the search for the snow white bird of truth. How, after weary journeyings, toils, temptations, struggles, at last in the hour of death a glimpse of the paasing creature ia given, and a feather dropped from its wing is grasped by tht dying man. No such cola truth as that do we seek. It is the knowledge of the liv ing person, Christ Jesus, our Lord. He can be known truly only through sympa thy, kindness of mind and heart and life; through personal experience. For success in any pursuit of truth there must be desire, concentration, work and patience. There must be the desire impel ling tba searcher; the concentration of en ergies on the pursuit; study of the laws of the subject; willingness to serve in tha hall of patience era passing into tha palaes of wisdom. It is unreasonable to expect that the highest knowledge of man, the knowl edge of life, can be secured without paying the pries. For it there Is needed a desire which shall overcome all other .desires. There must be a purpose of the will, the lifelong eudcavor to attain. Paul counted not him self to have attained, but ha pressed on for the prise. There must be a puriAea Uon of life, for God is known through the spiritual rather than the intellcotual part p man. Those who love sin do not know Ljib, in this sense; they bavu no sympathy with Eim, they know not Hi salad. tW fers not His things, snd without this sym pathy there cannot be the knowledge of Serson to person. Because of this neees ity of knowing God through the earnest ness of desire, the bending oi our will, the (Obedience of our life, there romee the Wtruggle in men's life with trial, tempts-k-on, suffering. For if it be the life of Jlbrist we are to know, then it is a life of Hmth, of holiness, of love, of self-sacrifice, il consecration to the Father's will. No n .an ran know that life in its fulness eavj a h experiences it. He may discuss it, l compare it with other, but only he 01 lives it knows What it is. Two of the Vies asked the Lord for the chif t iq Jus kingdom. He told them that tney anew not wnnt thev asked. Can ve drink the cun that I drink, be baptised with the baptism that I am! They thought they could. Later, in a measure, thev Hid. But the places nre reserved for "those to whom it is appointed, for those who are fitted for it. It is the inner prize of character, of holiness, of love, of truth, after the likeness of Jesus Christ which entitles one to stand near Him in spiritual power and dominion. This is not always easy. Christ had His struggles. Hia acro-iv, His cross. The disciple is not above the Master. It may not mean the giving up of life. It does at times in mission land. But to gain that knowledge of Chrit will cost. Is righteousness gained without ef fort? Is forgiveness of one who has In jured us a mere bagatelle? Do all the re w, " go to the honest and high princi pled in politics? Is truth in business al ways st a premium? In the presence of the pleasure and the business of the dav ia it a simple matter to keen one's head erect, and work as a son of Ood, and thus acting, know Christ in truth and love? Does it demand much of us that we shall give ourselves up for those who mav scorn or hate us, so following the example of Christ, who gave Himself for lis? Ah. we know in our daily life how great the sk is set for us in the school of character, f-st we may know Christ; that we mav lie like Him; that we may arrow in the knowledge of human truth and love ns we not only sec it in Him, but know it in ourselves. It costs much because it is life; and be cause it is life, it pays. For chief in the joys and glories of truth, there stands this excellency of the knowledge of Christ ns apprehended by man; it is the truth of life, the life of Ood, the life of man, who is the child of God. Read through the history of the past of those noble ones who have aided the moral uplift of the world through this personal llVinff knOwleHffA nf Phriaf Thou brn.u 1 truth and love, beeaiwe thev have lived irutn ana love. They paid the pric. It might be poverty, persecution, mart vrdom; struggles within snd trials, without. In the power of Christ's strengthening- them to do the things which were right, in the suffering for others that they might be drawn unto God, thev came into possession the knowledge of Christ, through exper ience. With one accord that noble multi tude which no man can number, of apos tles, prophets, martvrs, known and un known, giving thanks unto Cod for His goodness, ascribes to this knowledge pre eminence and surpassing glorv above all others, crying out with Paul, We count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Ixird. Liberty, There Is no sweeter word in human speech than liberty, no finer thought in human mind, no richer gift in human life. What is freedom? Independence of law? So many think. But they are mis taken. He who imagines freedom con sists in getting rid of law is totally and fa tally wrong. We offer the Ten Commandments to a man for his moral code. He rejects the code, saying, "I will be bound by no ta ble of laws. I am free." He is not free. He may as well reject the multiplication table or the law of gravitation. "I will be enslaved by no creed." En slaved by a . creed? Creeds do not en slave; they are declarations of religious independence, proclamations of emanci pation, affirmations of freedom. A creed is much like a political platform a state ment of opinions. No one platform ever contained all the political opinions of the men who adopted it. No one creed ever contained all the religious opinions of its adherents. It is at best only an attempt to state the essential doctrines in which its makers agree. A bird is free in the air. The air is its element. A fish is free in the water. Wa ter is its element. Man is free in obedi ence to the laws of his being. The Bible contains these laws. Moral judgment con firms them. Conscience approves when we observe them, accuses us when we violate them. A man who persists in sin is as truly out of his element aa a trout in the air or a aparrow in water. And the end is the same when any living creature gets out of its element, out of harmony with law the penalty is death. But an intervening hand may restore the fish and the bird to their elements? Yes. And is there no hand to restore a lost man to his element? Christ is God's answer to that question. "Whom the Son makes free, he is free indeed." Philadel phia Ledger. Fray Mot Alona For Self. A gentleman who was traveling ia Ire land sat down one day in a cottage to talk with an old woman. As they were having their "dish of discourse" there came a clap of thunder, aud the old woman at once spread out her hands in supplication, cry ing: r'God bless and save us I And save his honor, and save the people and all of us!" For the space of half an hour the thun der was frequent, and. each time she prayed. Then ahe told the visitor this story, which has a good moral in its defin ing of the proper spirit which should be long to Draver: ' a "There was a man, and he was working : in a field like, and it came on to thunder, and he put his head in a bole in the wall and he said: " 'God save what's out o' me!' I "But he ought to have prayed for the ! whole of him, for he no sooner said that than the wall fell and took his head off. "It was telled to me that this was a judgment on the crathur, because it ia not right to pray small, just for yoursilf. But you should pray large to save us all pray big and 'open hearted. But that may be (ouly a story, sir." Sensitive to Kvarjr Impression. In the quaint little house where Shakes peare once lived, writes Peter Ainslee, for many years no register was kept, snd vis itors wrote their names upon tils walls and ceilings, until every bit of space had been ;' occupied with some handwriting, and it must not be forgotten that fully 40,000 peo ple visited there every year. Sir Walter Scott had written with hia diamond ring his name upon the window pane, and there we$e the names of Washington Irving, John Kuskin, and a host of distinguished and non-distinguished visitors. Standing (there, I felt as though that little room ' wss like the human heart, sensible to every j influence, and inviting every comer to I write hia name upou its walls, for the j heart ia tha most impressionable of all God'a works. It gets a part of every piss ing thought, word, look, picture every thing, and here lies its salvation, if it i catches the good, or its damnation if it holds the bad. Luther wisely said, "I am mora afraid of my own heart than of the Pope and all hia cardinils." And hence that imperative demand, "Love the Lord I with all thy heart." A for Home. j On recent Sunujy Chicago, informed iiii rVt. W. 8. Leach, of lis Methodist hearers I that a pure home is worth a thousand 'women's clubs for the reform and elevation , of the. masses."' Catching Fish With Telephones. A Norwegian bag Invented a queer way of finding out where the Ash are. A microphone, which ia an Instrument that will catch and transmit the least little bit of aound, la lowered Into the water from a fishing smack, and 'a wire from It leada to a telephone board the boat. Now, as the herring, codfish and mackerel school! number thousands and tena of thousands of flsh, their passage through the water Lsturslly causes a - rushing aound, which can be beard by the fishermen at the telephone, and thus they are enabled to lower their nets- at tha right time and in the right place. Small Rental for Church. When Goodyear Bios, of Buffalo bought the sawmill aud bouses nt Me illx Run, Mass, there came Into their ownership a union church, which had belonged to the Dodge company. The Ocodyeart have . now reuted this church to the MwtbodUts fur 10 yoars for It) cents, or ou cant per var. THE SUNDAY SCHOOL INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS FOR OECEMBER II. Subject) Captivity of the Ten Tribes, tl Kings sll., 0-18 Golden Text, I Petel III,, la Memory Verses, 14, 13 Coin, menlary on the Day's Lesson. I. Israel carried away captive (v. 6). 8. "Ninth year of Hoshea." Hoshea was merely a vassal of Assyria and paid tribute to Shalmaneser (v. 3), but seeing what ap peared to be a favorable opportunity he made a bold dash for liberty. He formed J alliance against the Assyrians with bo, the Pharaoh of Kgypt, and refused longei to pay the tribute. Thia brought Shal maiieser and the Assyrian army upon them and for three years they besieged Samaria (v. 6). The length of the aiege ahowa the strength of Samaria. Its horrora may b inferred from Isa. 28:1-4; Hosea ll:14; 13:16; Amoa 0:9-14. "Took Samaria." The end at last came, and the city was obliged to capitulate. From the Assyrian inscrip tiona it appears that during the aiege Shal maneser was succeeded by, Sargon, one ol hia generals, and that it was Sargon whe finally took Samaria. "Carried Israel away." What became ol the Israelites 1 Many thousands were carried awav intc the northern districts of Assyria, while the poorer ones who remained were mingled with foreigners deported there by the As syrians and became the Samaritans. Those carried away to Assyria never returned as tribes. Doubtless many would lose theii nationality by intermarriage with tht heathen; while tho more sturdy and relig ious ones probably joined with those who returned with the Jews to Jerusalem un der Ezra and Nehcmiah. "Halah," etc. See dictionary. II. The cause of Israel's downfall (vs 712). 7. "Sinned." Here was the secret ol thcil downfall. They forgot God and His mercy toward them and walked in the ways of the heathen and worshiped heath en deities. 9. "Did secretly " They were hypoctitical. Literal!), they concealed Je hovah so that He could not be recognized, They worshiped God in the ways of their own invention and made Him like idols. "The tower." Erected on lonely spots to guard vineyards and flocks. The meaning is that idolatry was general. 10. "Images and groves." "Pillars and Asherim." 11. V. The pillar or obelisk was placed by the altar as a symbol oi the god worshiped at the altar. Asherim or AsTicroth is the plural form of the proper name of the heathen goddess of the Zido nians. The singular torm is Asherah or Ashtoreti. Asherah was the female and Baal waa the male divinity. "High hill," etc. On every eminence there were im ages of heathen gods, and under the trees booths were built for the purpose of en gaging in abominable practices in honor of tnese deities. 11. "As did tho heathen, etc. They were doing the very things that caused the Lord to destroy heathen nations before them. "Anger." God's anger is Hia indignation against sin. 12. "idols." Literally, "filths, a term of contempt. "Shall not." - The prohibition is in the commandments and elsewhere (Exod. 2(k4). III. God's efforts to save Israel (v. 13). 13. "Testified against Israel." Israel had been warned with tremendous emphasis by Amos and Hosea. Repentance, on the one hand, and destruction by Assyria, on the other, had been set before them in the name of Jehovah as the only possible courses. "Prophets seers." Though both of these names are used for prophet they have a distinct designation; perhaps some thing like ordained and lay preachers' in modern days. Seer was the o.der and ap parently less dignified name. "Turn ye." Compare Jer. 7:3; 18:11. But all the pro phets from Samuel to Malachi delivered the same message. IV; .Israel rebellious and wicked (vs. 14-18). 14. "Hardened their necks." Deliber ately chose their way of wickedness in the face of all light, warning and entreaty. "This is a metaphor derived from those oxen who, in spite of all efforts to guido them, hold their necks set in tho way they determine to go. It expresses unbending obstinacy and self-will." Sec F.xod. 32:4, 9; 2 Chron. 36:13; Isa. 48:4. "Did not be lieve." This laid the foundation of all their sins. They did not believe God's prophets, but barkened to deceivers, lo reject God through unbelief is one of the worst sins of which mention is made in the Bible. The unbeliever will be destroyed (Kev. 21:8). 15. "Covenant." The whole body of the Mosaic law (Exod. li:4; 24:4-8). They agreed to keep this law, and God promised to bless them on that condition (Deut. 29: 1, 9, 13). "Testimonials." His law is the testimony for truth and against iniquity. "Followed vanity." "Literall), 'breath' or vapor' a familiar image for nonentity." See Jer. 2:5; 8:19; 14:22 "Became vain." As idols are "vanity" and "nothingness," so idolaters are "vain" and impotent. Their energies wasted, their time mis spent; they have missed the real object of existence, and the result is utter power lessness. 10. "They left." "Forsook." R. V. The sin of the calves is connected 'with the casting sway of all the divine law. As soon as any other obect is set up instead of God all He values has perished from man's wor ship (Rom. 0.-1U). "Worshiped host of heaven." The- Assyrian astral worship. Prohibited (Deut. 4:19; 17:3). That God's people did fall into this sin we know (Jer, 8:2; 19:13; Zeph. 1:5). 17. "Through the fire." Desperately cruel and wicked they stood before tho great man-headed ox, and amidst the cries and shrieks of their babes, cast them into hia outstretched arms, to be carried thence into the flames raging inside. Moses warned against this abomination (Lev. 18: 21; Deut. 18:10). "Sold themselves to do evil." Surrendered themselves into com plete slavery to idolatrous practices. 18. "Removed them." That is, the Lord removed Israel out of the Holy Land where Jehovah had His dwelling place. "None left but Judah." "All of Benjamin and Ivi and all the Israelites who abandoned their idolatries joined with Judah. The ten tribes were carried away by the Assy rians. This ended the kingdom of Israel, after it had lasted 245 years, from the death of Solomon and the schism of Jero boam." "The disaster was overwhelming. Israel lost her country, her national exist ence, her identity as a people, and was cast off from the gracious care and loving favor of God." They that forgot God were, forgotten; that studied to be like the na tions, were buried among them; that would not serve God in their own land, served their enemies in a strange land. Yet we find a number sealed of each of the twelve tribes except Dan (Rev. 7:5-8)., James writes to the twelve tribes scattered abroad (Jaa. 1:1). Paul apeaka of tht twelve tribes which instantly served Gad day and night (Acts 28:7). Silent Jspanese Women. Japan has Its communities of silent female recluses. There la a convent at a place called Yunakawa, about seven miles from Hakodate. A matron of some fifty years presides, and her Instructions are Implicitly obeyed. The women are all young, ranging from sixteen to twenty-seven, and some of them are described as very beautiful. The building stands In a farm of gome 250 acres, but the women do not engage In any agricultural work. They spend most of their time ludoors, and tbey observe a strict rule of silence. 8nap Shots, 2,000 a 8econd. 'An Italian named Luciano Buttl hat perfected a photographic apparatus capable of registering the Incredible number of 2.000 photographic Impres sions per secopd.t says the London Globe. The most' minute and least ,-apld and casual movements of birds and Insect! on the wing, which have hitherto riffled science, can. it is claimed, be registered with accuracy, thus openlug a new world of natural observation to ornithologist. The films used cert 2 per second for the i.(0O lnipresslyrs- EPWORTH LEAGUE LESSONS DECEMBER ELEVENTH. Good and Bad Habits. Kom. 8. Mr,. Habit Is-a flecti-Rdated law ,f hn. man life. It is n dlvlnp arrangement a principle which we may pro to increase the efficiency of our work. It may become our .strength or our weakness according as the habit formed are good or bad. If sobriety be made a hnblt temperance will readily and easily characterize the life. If prudence sets the stitch a discrent demeanor will follow. If economy be tho gauge, get an Accu mulation of necessities will blossom forth automatically. "As the twig lg bmit the free Is In clined," hag long been a household warning for many u mother us she has tried to guard her children from physical, mental, and moral defects. Early In life Isaac Watts formed the habit of rhyming. His father became very tired of hearing the boy gr on In that way and threatened lo punish him for it. Thereupon little Inane In tears cried out: "Pray, father, on me mercy take, And I will no more Verne make." After the death of .John Wesley there was published a tract giving an account of it. This wbb placed fn the hands of a learned philosopher who was very, respectful toward religion. Alter reading the tract he said to the mun who gave It to him: "Well, this Is the most astonishing Instance of the power of habit! Hero 1s a man who had been threescore years pray ing, preaching, and Ringing psalms and. heboid, he thinks of nothing elso when he Is dying!" Punctuality. Is a habit of rare value. Without. It much of one's own time Is lost as well as the valuable time of others. Much inconvenience and ruining of dispositions nre caused by the want or this virtue. Painstaking care, that, carefulness which makes one accurate In all things that does not disregard tri fles, but sees their 'importance In re lation "to all success. Jinny people are suddenly moved by some unexpected wave of enthus iasm or excitement. All nt once they may find themselves far from where they would like to be simply because they were not guarded. They did not possess that balance which comes from persistent effort to hold one self in hand. Self-control is one of the grandest of the good habits. Being well poised, having oneself at command, then the ability to see one's opportunity and to seize it prompt ly, Is of the utmost Importance. To be slow to detect, to halt, to dream how unfortunate that would be when golden chances are passing and we may lay hold on one if we will. All good nabitg are our. strength, our wealth, our character. DECEMBER ELEVENTH. "How to Break Bad Habits and Culti vate Good Ones." Rom. 8:1-15. Scripture Verses. Prov. 24:3:1, 34; 10:4; 13:4; 20:15, 10; 22:2!); Acts 17: 2; 1ii:l3; 20:4, 5; X Cor. 13::::!; lieu. 10:25; 2 Peter 3:11, 12. Lesson Thoughts. Habits are us seeds sown, und grow a harvest according to their kind. If tares will not grow good griUii, neither can we expect a harvest of good from a sowing of evil. Habits are either good or they are bad; either after tho flesh or ufter the spirit. It will pay to stop und consid er our habits; hold them up to the light of Scripture teaching; compare them with the rules there Ijild down vr spiritual Christian living; If they "'e not straight with this standard, they must be crooked. Selections. Little by Httlo, sure and slow, We fashion our futures of bliss or vvos As the present passes away. Our feet are climbing the stairway bright. Or gliding downward Into the night, Little by little, day by day. Sow un net, and you reap a habit; sow a habit, and you reap a charac ter sow a character and you reap a destiny. Hublt is a cable; we weave it thread of it every day and at lust we cannot break it. Resist beginning; whatsoe'er it is. Though It appear light and of Httlo moment. Think of it thus that, what it Is, augmented, Would run to strong and shurp extre mities. Life's evening will take Its chnracter from the day which hus preceded it, and If we would close our career In religious hope, we must prepare for It by continuous religious habit. Thou shalt always have Joy In the evening If thou hast spent tho day well. As tho stream gradually wenrs the channel deeper In which It runs, and tlniB becomes more surely bound to Its nccustomed course; so the current of the mind and heart grows more nnd more restricted to the course In which habit has taught them to flow. Bad habits, even if corrected, leave the person weuker. It Is as in the case of a mound of a reservoir; if this mound has in one place been broken, whatever core hus been taken to make the repaired part as strong as possi ble, the probability Is, that, If It give way again it will be In that place. RAM'S HORN BLASTS HE sermon need not be silly to be suited to the child. A silk hat on some heads la like a new root upon an empty ham. Future possibili ties determine pre sent facta. He who follows in faith need fear no fuilure. Vour character an be strong without being aour. It takes mora than an accent to make lloquence. Only a frown piety ran be bound down to a form. The sense of smartness Is sure to make a man shallow. A waspish disposition gets no honey from the rock. Nothing cools off a meeting quicker than a hut scolding. ... . ft no Quietness. WTT,T VSTIIOTOX MILUtlt, "He giveth quietness." Sweet word of blessing. When the storm gathers and the skies are dark, Out of the tempest to His sheltering bosom Fly, O my soul, and find a welcome ark. "He giveth quietness." O elder Brother, Whose homeless feet have pressed out path of pain; Whose hands have borne the burden of our aorrow, That in our losses we might find our gain. Of all Thy gifts and infinite consoling. I ask but this; in every troubled hour To hear Thy voice through all the tumult! stealing, And rest beneath its tranquil power. Cares cannot fret me, if my soul be dwell ing In the still air of faith's untroubled dnv; Grief cannot shake me, if I walk beside Thee. My hand in Thine along the darkening way. Content to know there comes a radiant morning When from all shadows I shall find re lease; Serene to wait the rapture of its dawning Who can make trouble when Thou send- est peace? Beacon Honor Thy Father anil Thy Mother, BT THEODORE L. CUTLER, There is a touching story told of the famous Dr. Samuel Johnson, which has had influence on manv a bov who has heard it. Samuel's father, Michael John son, was a poor bookseller in Litchfield, England. On market days he used to car ry a package of books to the village of Ot toxetcr, and sell them from a stall in the market place. One day the bookseller was sick, and asked his son to go and sell the books in his place. Samuel, from a silly pride, refused to obey. Fifty years afterward Johnson became the eelebrnted author, the compiler of the "English Dictionary," and one of the most distinguished scholars in Knglnnd: but he never forgot his act of unkindness to his poor hard toiling father: so when he visited Ottoxeter he determined to Bhnw his sorrow and repentance. He went into the market place at the time of business, uncovered his head, and stood there for an hour in the pouring rain, on the very spot where the boo!; stall used to stand. "This," he savs. "wns an act of contri tion for lny disobedience to mv kind father." The spectacle of the great Dr. .'.ilinson standing bareheaded in the storm to alone for the wrong done by him fifty or sixty years before js a grand and touc.nng one. There is a representation of it in marble on the Doctor's monument. Many a man in after life has felt some thing harder nnd heavier than a f torm of lain beating upon his heart when he re membered his acts of unkindneas to a good father or mother now in their graves. Dr. John Todd, of Pittsfield, the emi nent writer, never forirot how. -hen his old father was very sick, and sent him away for medicine, he,, a little lad. had been unwilling to go, and made tr- i. lie. that "the druggist had not got any such medicine." The old man was jut dying ivlien litt' Johnny came in. and he said to him: "My bov, vour futher suuers p'eat pr n for want of that medicine." Johnny started in great distress for the medicine, but it was too late. The father on his return i.-as almost, gone. Tie could onlv say to the wceT.i..g hnv: "Love Ood and always speak tin truth, for the eve of God is alw.'n-s upon von, Xow kiss me once more, and fare ell." Through all his af'cr life Dr. Todd had a heartache over that act of falsehood and disobedience to his dying father. It takes more t.ian a shnver to wash awav the mcmon- nf such sins. Dr. Todd re pented of t'.at sin a thousand times. Tho wnrib, "Honor thv fat' -r and thy mother." niean four things: Always do what thev hid vol. alwa 1 tell them the truth, alwavs treat them lovinglv. and take care of them when they are sick and grown old. I never vet knew a boy who trampled "n the wishes of his parents that turned ut well. (!od never blesses a vilful hor. When Washington was sixtc n vears old he determined to le e home ard be come a midshipman . the Colnni.il X'.iw. After he had sent off his trunk, he went to bid his mother good-by. She went so bitter!" because he was r lg aw.v that ho said to his negro servant: "Bring back mv trunk. I am not gnin to make inv mother suffer so by having her." He remained afc home to nlease his mother, j Ins decision led to his becom ing a surveyor, and afterwards a soldier. His whole glorious career in life turned on that simple act of trying to moke his mother hopny. And happy, too, will be he child who never has occasion to shed bitter tears for any art of unkindness to bis parents. Let us not forget that Ood has said: "Honor thv father and thy mother." Pittsburg Christian Advocate. Sweet Out of Hitter. Consider that the bees, when they make their honey, do live upon a bitter provis ion, ond that we, in like manner, can never perforin actions of greater meekness and patience, nor better compose the honey of true virtues, man wnue we eat the bread nf bitterness and live among afllictions. And as the honey which is gathered from thyme fa little bitter herb) is the best of nil. so the virtue which ia exercised in the bitterness of base and most abject tribu lations is the most excellent of all. Do Sales. Is It Wise T Is it wise, my friend? Vou have not yet become a Christian, and yet you frankly say that you fully believe it to be your duty and that you do not want to die aa you are.. Is it wise, then. I ask, to defer thia mat ter? Your feelings are not excited, it may be, but you are convicted, for you know your duty. Commence right now to aeek the Lord. It ia a very commooseuse matter. Is it wise! Is it wise not to? Live True to the Highest. Th.i precepts of Jesus are the essential element of His religion, ltegard these as our rule of life, and we build our house upon a rock. Live them out, indeed, aud we have entered the kingdom of heaven we even now enter it. Chanuing. West We Are Counts. It ia not so much what we do in this world as what we are that telle in anirit- ua I results and impressions. A good life . is like a flower which, though if neither ! toils nor spins, yet ever pours out a rich perfume aud thus performs holy minis-try.-J, K. Miller, 1). D. Convenient PoatotTlce Arrangement The English newspapers report a new application In Australia of tha principle of th coln-in the-slot ma chine, statin that if a stamp can not be purchased conveniently It will be possible In the future to drop a let ter Into one orifice of a postal bog and a penny Into a second orifice, aud tha words "ona penny paid" will be found impressed on tha envelope) when tha box Is. opened by the postofflca author ities, thereby securing, the transmis sion of tl:e letter. HIE GREAT DESTROYER SOME STARTLING FASTS A30UT THE VICE OF INTEMPERANCE. Poem! The Poison Howl What Happens to Those Who Take Stimulants to Maks the Wheels ot 1. 1 re Itun Easily Sintns llrlnk Spoils the Machine. Ha! dash to earth the poison bowi And seek it not again It hath a madness for the sou'-" A scorching for the brain. The curses and the plagues of lie!! Are Hashing on its brim W'ne to the victim of its spell; There is no hope for him. John G. Whittief. The Wrong Oil. It wss s warm, sunshiny morning, and I did not wonder that the old man who was pushing s barrow with a load hip the steep ascent tn a village f sometimes visit was tired, lie sat down on a heap o( whinstone to rest. I knew him as one clever with his tools when other failed He was a watchmaker by trade, but he could turn his hand to manv tilings. "You have a sewing machine there?" i said. "Aye." He was getting his breath. "Broken. I suppose?" "The wheels won't work, thev fell me I've a notion to know why. This machine is like many a man. It's had the wrong oil. and that just snoilt it." There was a twmkU- in the gray eves. "The wrong oil!" I said. "What do vou mean?" "Whv, it did harm instead nf good. Ani that's how it is with those who take stim lllants to make the wheels of life run eai ly. Strong drink spoils the machine. It's a mistake to try it. Some day folk will be wiser." I agreed with my friend, and I went on my -ay. thinking about his v.-nrdn. Hon true thev are! How many times men ami women have had to call in a doctor, or g to a hospital, because, when power scmed to fail them, they used the wrong oil! li has even happened that the wheels hive stopped altogether, and death has come through this sad mistake. The old watch maker, during his many years of hocc-i toil, had often known what it was to tVcl weary, but he had long ago learned tho lesson that he was now so willing to teach. He did not use the wrong oil! All strong drink contains the poison a cohol, and it is for the sake of this that men drink it. Yet this alcohol bring about many cruel diseases. It used to hp thought that brandy must be given to people laid low with fever, but some brave and shrewd doctor who did not believe that this irritating poison could soothe or heln the sick, put the matter to the proof; and more patients were cured out nf every hundred who did not take brandy, than out of every hundred that did. To-day in all our great hospitals thev arc using more milk and less strong drinl . We want our boys and girls to 1 now that beer, wine, or spirits can easilv make men ill, but cannot make them well. Dr. Norman Kerr tells us that in Great Tint ain alcohol kills at least 200r people every week. In our country it is the greatest foe that those who love the health anil happiness of their fellow countrymen have to fight. War is a very cruel curse; so i pestilence strong men, and sweet chil dren. and tender women cut down by som deadly plague; and so is famine people dyingfor lack of food. Yet Mr. Gladstone once said that the evil doings of alcohol are worse than the effects of "war. pesti lence and famine combined." Foolish peo ple sometimes call their favorite form ol strong drink a "pick-me-up." It is rathet a "knock-me-down." When the wheels of life and labor run nnly by an effort, give them rest; but if you would have them by and by work as well as ever, be very care ful, no matter who tempts vou, to avoid giving them "the wrong oil." Do You See It? A laboring man leaving a larse saloon saw a costly carriage and pair of horses standing in front, occupied by two ladies, elegantly attired, conversing with the pro prietor. As it rolled away, he said to the dealer: ' Whose carriage is that?" "It is mine," replied the d"i!er. compla cently. "It cost 1(MH. My wifo and daughter cannot do without it." The mechanic bowed his head a momcnC in deep thought, and looked sad. Then, with the energy of a man suddenly aroused, he said: "I see it! I see it!" ' See what?" said the dealer. "See where for years my wnjes have gone. I helped to pav for that carriage ami horses and that gold mounted harness, for the silk and laces anil jewelry of your family. The money I earned, that should have given my wife and family a home o( their own and good clothing. I socnt at your bar. Mv wages, and others like in", have supported you and vour family in luxury. Hereafter mv wife . nd family will have the benefit of my wages, and by the help of Ood I will never spend an other coin for drink. I sec the mistake em! a euro for it." Alrnlio! Found fiulltv. Dr. Salculiy's chapter in "The Verdict of Science L'pon Alcohol." is not the hast interesting one in his virile and entertain ing book, "The Cycle of Lite," which the Harpers have just published. Dr. Seleeby refers to the monster petition circulated among registered physicians early tins year in ireat lliilain. wm li urgeo mat school children be taught the true nature nnd effects of alcohol; and adds that foul days after Ins petaion wa posttJ. H. tSKJ signatures had been suliscnhnl. show ing the attitude of physicians in tins vital matter. Dr. Saleeby lays .- ic door of his own profession indite pat the respon sibility for mm h diiuUiiv of raw units in preference to wine, whii-h physieians have prohibit,' I ill many ca-ci beci-usp ol its relation to colli. "Ai t.iiuiic before the bar of science ." writes Dr. Saleeby, at the dose, of th s vigorous rhapte-, "w Inch nowadays can trv whatever rase it pleases, alcohol has been found guiiiv; the judge arc physiology, pathology, pharmucology. cliuicul medicine, psychiatry and cimiin ologv. Hut though they concur in their verdirt, society alone can pass sentence. ' This is only one ct uiuny important sub jects treated. An Knnriiinas lilffi-renre Note the sixty years' expeiicuoe with to tal abstainers of the . emperauce and Gen eral Provident Institution of Great llrit ain, whose tabulated statistics prove that "during the active, strenuous year of manhood, train ihe age of twenty-live to sixty, the mortality among abstainer is forty per cent, less than among moderate drinkers." As Mr. W hit taker, the sta tistician, well observed, "This is an enor mous difference." Cans anil Knet The Midland Methodist says: "The beautiful little city of McMinnvilie,, Texas, is alive with prosperity. A stock company has been formed for the erec tion of a wagon factory; work has com menced on a furniture factory; the foun dry and machine shops are to be enlarged ; and everything, except cabbage, com mands a good price." It will be re ne in hered that McMinnvilie voted saloons out a year or two ago. Put thia fact along aide of it present prosperity. That they are cause and effect i shown bv the fur ther fact that every town in the Stat which has recently abolished aalooue lis had similar prosierity. Stop the Irala. . There t a movement in some cities to pauvide breakfasts for poor children who come to school too hungry to atsuly a well meant expedient, but involving Ihe dsn gers of pauperising thousands. Stop the drain of wages into the saloon, aud fathers could get breakfasts for their children and be strong and keep them strong in a nobler iudrjwudeoee. Th Imi, Our criminal cost us over UO,000,0(, snd seventy hv per cut. nf crime can be traced lo sttong drink. It cost over 113, (WU.OuU to csre for the insane and a large percentage of the intaiyty can be trace J directly or mdimlly tj strong drink. COMMERCIAL REVIEW. R, G. Dun & Co.'i "Weekly Reyisnr of Trade" says: Retail and jobbing trade was re tarded 'by unseasonably mild weathst and the interruption of another holU day, but manufacturers extend oper ations, as confidence is' strengthens by the receipts of larger contracts fof future delivery, and many inquirlaa that promise to mature in something more tangible. Postponed orders ail all kinds are being placed, reports from every prominent industry indi cating that idle mill) are reopening and the number of operatives gradu ally increasing. Cotton spinning makes the slowest progress, but the statistical position steadily improves as stocks of goods diminish and the raw material de clines nearer the point at which tha mills can operate profitably. Improvement in the iron and steel industry continues, orders coming for ward with increasing freedom, de spite the upward trend of prices. Prices of wool are fully msintained at recent advances, the Eastern mar kets ruling quiet because of limited offerings rather than any slackening of demand. Failures this week numberd 305 in the United States against 258 last year, and in Canada 39 compared with 14, a year ago. I Bradstreet's says: Wheat, includ ing flour, exports for the week ag gregate 1,332,366 bushels against 1. 289,043 last week, 3,851,767 this week last year, 4,179.085 in 190a and 5117,478 in 1901. Corn ex ports for the week aggregate tfl.-f 692 bushels against 139,978 last week. 1,520,941 a year ago, 255,174 in 190a and 630,978 in 1901. WHOLESALE MARKETS. Baltimore. llour Quiet and un changed; receipts, 4,402 barrels; ex ports, 6977 barrels. Wheat Firmer. Spot contract, 1. 10 l.lo;4; No. 2 red Western. Novem ber, i.io'Sl.loJij December, I.loVi(a) i.to$; January, I.i21i't,i.i3; steamer No. 2 red, 1.02)4 'fi.1.03; receipts, 4,048 bushels; Southern, by sample, 90 1. 10; Southern, on grade, goi.ii. Corn Firmer. Spot, new. 53i 541 November, new, year, 53534; January, Si'2Zi2V; February. siU I 51 March. SiJSiJi; steamer mixed, 514(3.52; receipts, 27,586 bush- I els; new Southern white corn, 48M1 j 53?i; new Southern yellow corn, 48 0i53W-, Oats 1-irm. No. 2 white. J5H sales; No. 2 mixed, 34! 1(0 33; receipt 6,261 bushels. Rye Dull. No. 2 Western, up town, 90; receipts, 7.735 busheli. Hay Steady and unchanged. Butter Firm and unchanged. Fan cy imitation, iU'riio; fancy creamery, 2627; fancy lablc, i6'j.I7; store pack en, I3'ai5- Eggs Firm and unchanged, at 28. Cheese Firm and unchanged. Large iij.iijj; medium, it's'git; small I2(fi.l2ji. Sugar Strong and unchanged. Coarse granulated, 5.55; fine, 3.35. New York. Flour Receipts, 20,834 barrels; exports, 537 barrels; sales, 4,300 packages; market was quiet and nominally higher. Potatoes Steady; Long Island, 17J (f2.00; State and Western, 1. 401.60; Jersey sweets, 2 oo'i 3.50. Peanuts Steady; fancy hand-picked, S'-i: cither d"niest:c. 3'i''i.5'j., I Cabbages Firm; per barrel. 5'373- Lard Mc.kIv; Western steamed, 7.50; November closed 750 nominal; refined firm; c mtim-nt, 7.70. Cottonseed (.'. Eas-y; prime crude nominal; do. yellow,, 25 14-.11 jO'v Turpentine Steady; 52' 1'n 53. Coffee Spot Rio steady; No. 7 In voice, 8)s; mild steady. Sugar Raw firm; fair refining, 4$4j centrifugal, 2'i test, 4I4; molasses su gar, 4; refined nominal. Live Suck. Chicago. Cattle Market steady to 10. lower; good to prime steers, 6.00 fri 715; poor to medium, 3505.80; ttockcrs and feeders. 2.oo'?4.io; cows, 35'" 4-20; heifers, I75'i5 0o, canners, 1-35'" 2.35; bulls, 2.00,11.4.20; calves, 3.001,6.50; Western steer?, 300(0:515. Hogs Mixed and butchers. 4-55(1 4 75; good to choice heavy, 4.654.75; rough heavy, 4.40?i4.Go; light, 4-53aJ 4.67; bulk of sales, 4 55T1 4 65. Sheep Sheep steady; lambs closed weak; good to choice wethers, 430 500; fair to choice mixed, 3.504.301 native lambs, 4.305f6.IJ. New York llceves Good to choice steers firm to 15c. higher; medium and common slow to 10c. lower; bulls firm to loc. higher; thin cows ickTi)I5C. higher; others full steady; about all sold; steers, 3 50-V15 7S; bulls, a.25(Jfl 390; cows, 1.25330; cables quoted live cattle higher at 8' ,i tViC pef pound; tops t2c. dressed weight; sheep higher at !2iTi;ljc.; lambs, 14c. dressed weight; refrigerator beef lower at 8j4 per pound. Calves Market firm; veals, 450 8.75; culls, 4.00; good grassers, 3.251 dressed calves firm; city dressed veals, 7(13 Pcr pound; country dress ed, 7(g.i I'.i. WORLD OP LABOR. A strike is in progress among th Honesdale (Pa.) g!a; scutters. In 1903 Chicago, 111., had 250 strikea involving 135,000 men. Native laborers in India receive 4 cents a day for 16 hours' work. Agitation has begun for a central labor body at San Francis-co, Cal. The supply of union tailors in Co lumbus, Ohio, is not equal to the de mand. Efforts are being made to organize a union of leatherworkers at Lancas ter, Pa. There is a movement on foot ia Liverpool, Eng., to cope with tha existing want of employment and dis tress. , The Erie Railroad Company is mak ing a fight for the open-shop idea in all of its shops between New York and Chicago. Andrew Carnegie says that biggei fortunes will be made in the rubbet industry than in any other during tha next half-century. It is said that just now it may roughly be estimated that 50 per cent, of the workmen of Dublin, Ireland, are out of employment. Mr. Chamberlain says that there are 1,000.000 fewer farm laborers is) England now than in 1851 and ij, 000,000 laborers are underfed. The decrease of capital value of ag ricultural land in Great Britain be tween 187s and 1805 reached the enor mous sum of $4,000,000,00. International Brotherhood of Book binders will hereafter publish an offi cial organ direct., and the office oi publication may be ia Chicago, I1L
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers