"IRAtiEDY OF A QiiEEN"
I Brilliant Sunday Sermon By Rev.
F. F. Shannon.
, ,
ptm Timely Lesson From the Story l
Vufcll-Few Finer Exhibitions (
Stcriflce.
Brooki.ts, N. Y.-For his Sunday
triorning wrrnon, in Urace At. K. Churcli.
, the pastor, the Rev. Frederick F. Shan
1 non, had for his theme "The Trngedv of
J ff"""'" Ihe text wa from Esther i:'ll-l2:
'BringVaahti the queen before the king
I with the crown royal, to show the people
I jnd th princes her beauty: for the was
V fair to look on. But the Queen Vashti
t refused to come at the king's commnnd-
Unent by hia chamberlain." Mr. Shannon
faaid:
' 'l'h Aki...... f 11.. 1. 1. .( ivn..
the Xerxes of profane hiatnry. By com
mon conaent of historians he was one of
the moat powerful nionurrhs that ever
lived. The pages of Herodotus are filled
with hia exploits, and (.rote nnd Rollin,
also, dwell upon hia power and achieve
ments in an interesting manner. But hia
tawdry greatness ia worth while only aa it
serves to apt forth the heroism of Vashti.
Already the centuries have tarnished tho
brilliance of his mint, but not the beauty
of his queen. Shiishnn, the palai-e, exists
only in name. The hundred and four
wore days during which be showed the
riches of hia glorious kingdom and the
honor of hi excellent majesty are less
t hrt it a shadow on the dial. The white.
given and blue hnngings, tied with cords
of purple nnd line '.men In n
ilvcr rinus in
pillars of marble perished long ago. The
gold and anver be!., which mt upon a
pavement of red nnd blue nnd white und
pluck marble, have had no occupants for
mure than 2400 years. The golden vessel,
from which nrinces nuafVed the roval wine.
are all one with the golden sand grains of
the desert. Time is no respecter of per-
son?. It it buries tne common things m
'oblivion, that shadow ot darkness." it
dors not forget to pluck the spangles from
the robes of kings, tossing them into the
night also. But time cannqt dull the beau
tv of a great soul. Time cannot quench
tlie flame of n while life. Time cannot
itain the snow of a pure heart. And that
is why IJucen Vashti and the tragedy of
her life forever ho d our ndmiralion and
our tears.
Perhaps we shall be niore capable of
measuring the unfortunate queen by glanc
ing at the monarch she opposed. Ahasuv
rua possessed the almost unlimited power
of nn Oriental despot. His will was su
preme ill everything. We find him here
giving a feast to hi lords and princes.
Having conceived the idea of ifiaking war
on Greece, this feast to his subjects is A
step looking to that end. Whatever he
undertook usually came lo pass. He could
dig ii canal through tin- Isthmus of Mount
Atlios. He could build n bridge of ship.s
arruss the Hellespont. He could scourge
lite sea for its tempesi uousness. He could
be leek the branches of a free with jewelry
as a reSvard for its fruitfuine.sK. He could
raise an army of more than 2,'2."iyi0i) men.
He could even shed tears when he re
flected that in less than a century not one
i (iic-oc uirii iiuuiii nuiti,,;. jiiil c- iiii.vt
in our text one thing this monarch could
pot do. He could not coi mel a helpless,
woman to permit him n.id his drunken
courtiers to make a toy of her beauty. He
could not drag a highsoulcd queen down
from the pedestal of her stainless punlv!
Consider, in the first place, that the life
story of Vashti recalls the fact that palaces
have furnished the actors in some of the
i;u lient, deepest tragedies in history.
When Shakspenre wanted material from
which to create his immortal dramas, with
unerring vision the 1 ;shty master began
. to probe the life history of l:in s and
queens. From their laughter and tears,
-fsnn their splendor and shame, from their
.....I frtif i.a ......... . i;i..., i..i,u
which is the growing wonder of men. in
deed, as we watch Shnkspeare move his
loyal players over bis mental dress-board,
we have to exclaim, with Acscliy.us.'AVhat
a shadow of a shade is human royalty!"
Rising in brilliance, these royal stars set
in darkness; and, usually, their darkness
is made more terrible by the ominous
rlashingu of red lightnings of remorse.
After a. palace ami its occupants have
passed under Sluikspeure's pen, this U
the conclusion of the "whole matter;
Thrones are painted bubbles, nnd kings
and queens are bubble chasers! This is
not saying there are no goo- kings and
queens, because there are. It is, rather,
emphasizing the fact that the .happiest
people arc those who are fortunate enough
not. to have been born under Hie star of
royalty, '
We all know how the historian loves 13
dwell upon the character of Cleopatra. Be
yond question, she. was one of the most
captivating wonicn'of paganism. Descend
ed from a long line of kings, royal blood
flowed in her veins, beauty adorned her
nerson and brilliance sparkled in her
brain. . When Nature called for an Kgyp
tian queer., this fascinating Greek princess
was tne answer. At fourteen she was 1111
accomplished linguist, a student of history
ml a skilled musician. At nineteen she i
- ,1 i... t.i . i .
i-Mmj.n-i cn limb ..ivsiii iiu iiuu conquered
the world. Forty-six years before the
Christian, era sVe accompanied him to
R,om, where fine- lived in pomp and lux
ury until Caesar's assassination, vhen she,
returned to Egypt, She met Mark Antony
at twenty-eight n period of life," accord-'
ing to Plutarch, "when woman's beauty is
most s
mahii !1
mlcndid and her intellect is in full i
ly." Antony summoned her to d- !
pear before him in Ciliciu, charged with 1
I,.,,.:. ,, n.-f.fni r ,.ii i.,.f, tl. ii.ni.
nf Philippi. Upon this Imperious sum-' I
ntons Jiunit the destiny of that aifted Ro
man, nnd he knew it not. You know
how she answered the summons not as a
Ciavtn culprit, but as the peerless queen
nf the south. As she went up the Cvdnus
in her royal harge, the like of which was
never beheld before, or since, the scene
enthralled the fancy of both Plutarch and,
Hhakspeare. He who could make words
say what no other man could, had to con-'
fesc. J'or her own person, it beggared all
description." Like u burnished throne,
tier barge burned on the water: the poop
was beaten gold; the purple sails were so 1
fierf timed Uv't the winds were love-sick, '
with them'; the silver oars kept stroke to I
the tune of Mutes; she wus couched in a
gold pavilion like Venus, "where we see
the fancy outwork nature;" dimpled boys,'
tike smiling Cupids, were standing on!
each side fanning her; gentlewomen, like;
Nereides, tended her. When she arrived
at the city the people rushed out to see
her. leaving Antony alone in the market
place. I.iko the incomparable Julius, she came.'
she now, she conquered! Antony was
dazzled, bewitched, enslaved by this siren
queen. Ever afterward, with the possible1
exception of three years, he was her slave.
fot satisfied with lavishing silver and,
guld and precious stones and silks and
works of art upon her, he threw whole'
kingdoms at her feet, as if thev were so
many Roman forget-ine-nots. -Ho was as
helpless in her power its a bird under the
hypnotic spell of u snake. All the world
knows how, at a critical moment in the .
battle ot Actiiini, Uieopatra, tor some
. Ceonatra. for some
unknown reason, was seen leaving with
her vessels for Egypt. This was u signal
for -Antony to abandon the battle and
follow his sorceress. For strength, she I
' gave him weakness. For Infatuation, she 1
gave nimarceu. r or me sweets ot love, sn
yuve him the eggs of scorpions. For idol
atry, she gave him deuth. The Egyptian
, Delilah had clipped tuo locks of this Ho
' man Samson and he wist not that his
strength was departed from hiin.-
0 far this bewildering woman has only
toved with strong men. This child of the
pu'lac has held the, goldeu bit of destiny
between her teeth of pearl and her gods
'have -not reined tier in. Iiu L her em! is
coming. After betraying Antony, she re
Hired within a cuslle, which had been built
for just such an emergency. She then sent
'her paramour word, that she had killed
.'herself and his grief wus such thai he fell
upon his own anurd. But he lived lung
.enough lo discover, that she hud deceived
him ugnin. Dying, und soaked ill his ow n
blood, ho ordered his servants o carry
him to her mauKo'.eum. A the only eu
trance to her retreat left unbarred wos s
iWiiufnw, no was drawn up py rope into
her presence and died. And what became
of hcr4h:s actor from the palace? You
l.no the story. How she tried her claims
1
prospect of being carried it prisoner to
Rome stared her in Hie bice and how,
rather than be "led a captive prineeng up
the Capitohne Hill," she died by her own
hand. Larking moral sense, she wore a
.face of brass to the end of the tragedy,
t'nlike the aweet souled Vashti, Cleopatra
Itad no veil of modesty for her face, and
she asked none for her soul. Darker than
Kgyptian night, she haa left a dark atain
upon the brow of universal womanhood!
Whiter than the whiteness of the dawn,
Vashti, like Shelley 'a heroine, "clothed in
virtue's adamantine eloquence, paves her
path with human hearts!"
Consider, also, that in studying the trag
edy of Vaahti, we have to reckon with
her beauty, "for she was fair to look on."
When some genius equal to the taak of
writing a history of beauty appears, men
and women will find a perpetual charm in
its glowing pages. It will contain a page
of joy, a page of Borrow, a page of peace,
a page of war. a page of love, a page of
bate, a page of poetry and a page of art.
Tint it will contain many pages developing
this thought the tragedy of beauty.
But along with her beauty, Vashti pos
sessed that other quality which lends
beauty an enduring freshness and charm
modesty. Vashti owes her place in history
nor-so much to her beauty as to her mod
esty. If beauty made her a queen, modes
ty made her a woman, which is far better.
As queen, Xerxes could banish her; a)
woman, he was defied by her. As queen,
he could and did dethrone; as woman,
she sits upon a throne that has hearts for
its cushion and centuries for its pillars.
The Dubarrye, the Pompadours, the Mon
tespans have their day and cease to be;
but the Vashtis go on forever. The Cly
temnestres, the Aspnaius. the Cleopatra
are meteors flashing through the darkness
of eternal nighi j the Vashtia are golden
suns burning through womanhood's end'
j less day
Indeed, modesty is so inherent nn ele
ment in Hie great essentials making genu
ine beauty that without modesty beauty
is impossible. Wc arc indebted to no liii
man law for this truth liod has woven
it into the fabric of our natures. Art
I critics tell ns that the eighteenth century
' Then, we are told: "Her grace possessed
I the most prestige, her coquetry the most
disquieting elegance and her beauty the
most triumphant authority." It wiui the
age in which Mine, de Poinpndour reigned
in the court of Louis XV. The brushes of
i.atour nnd Boucher have pleaded with all
the eloquence of their genius and art to
deii'v this during womr.i. She appointed
ministers, she exiled those who incurred
her ill will, she sentenced to the Bastile
those who ran counter to her imperious
wish. She wos the patroness of philoso
phy, art and song. Throinrli her magic
wand Versailles was touched into a dream
if splendor, which has not yet vanished.
Her collection of pictures, crystals, cam
"os. antinues and gems was unparalleled in
the kingdom. She snunndered fortunes on
her palaces, fetes and ball: and then
other fortunes nn he' t ilel. For twenty I
yens this butcher's daughter held her im-
peiial sway, which was broken only by
death. But when the historian tells us
that it was the dream of ner girlhood to
seduce the king; that her shameless prodi- i
gality makes the cheek of decency burn; I
that modesty found no hospitalitv among i
her sensual charms, we may well repeat
the question of another, "Was La Pom- I
padour beautiful, or merely pretty?" In
stinctively drawing back as we would in
the presence of a snake, we answer, "She
was neither. - She was .1 royal harlot, pa
raded in gilded shame, lacking most of all
that jewel of modesty which sparkles in
the crown of true beauty." Alas for that
land whose women forsake their veils of 1
modesty to show the people and prince
their beauty!
Consider, finally, the price Vashti paid
for her modesty. For her refusal to coma 1
at the king's command was the immediate t
cause of her d throiieinent. Surely there ;
are few finer exhibitions of sacrifice in the
history of womeiihood. We love to read
of Telesilla, who united courage with the
gift of sung, and saved Argns; of Octavia,
shielding the children of Cleopatra, her
shameless rival: of Sulpiciu, renouncing
the pleasures of Rome to go into exile
with her husband; of l.ucretia. who killed
herself rather than live in dishonor; of
Cornelin, the mother of the Gracchi, urg
ing them to deeds of patriotism; of Paula, ,
leaving her palace on Mount Avenline, to
walk as an angel of charity through the
slums of Rome, but unt one of the 111 out
shines Vashti. I
Xor has history given this lovely queen ,
her dues. We read much of Lais, who I
lived in the ennie century as Vashti, ond '
who was a notorious courtesan; of the
unmoral Aspasia, who counted Socrates
and Pericles uinc-igi her .ong list of ad
mirers; of the treacherous Lucilla, who
ruled the court of Marcus Aurelius; of
Agrippina, the infamous mother of still
more infamous son Nero. All of these
names have been emblazoned high up 111
the hull of fame. But, sadly enough, the
events of Vushti's life, like Sappho's songs,
have been lost. And yet these few
glimpses we have of her in the first and
second chapters of the Book of Esther
will cause people to look at her forever.
She Has beautiful in Shushun the palace,
nnd she will be beautiful for nil time.
She was fair to look on tivc centuries be
fore Christ, and she will be fair to look
on to the lust day of the world. It was
Vashti's beuuty of soul that piocluiined
her the forerunner of thai, renaissance for
which the world is suffering to day, viz.:
A genuine revival of the ojd-fashioned,
homespun, immortal virtue ot modesty!
Mliiie the Hibie says notlujp; qj the sap
Itice she made, be assured that it was big
'Ml I'" J"1 night of sorrow; shut
.'"-Tin. She knew the bitterness ot triend-
"' J1"- J'ike Panto, she experienced
how hard it was to eat other a bival. But
e took no counsel of her expediency.
Jt the ki"g' anger burn within him, let
the godless court make her a laughing
stock, still Vashti never faltered. She I
knew that beyond her (lethiseinanr, Ascen
sion Mount was robed in glory. She
knew, with all queenly women of like spir
it, that gates of pearl would swing buck to
let her in. and thut she would mulch to
uuother coronation on high.
Tin Mmir Mansions. '
One thing I have desired, that will I
seek after; that 1, in my study; I, in my
shop; I, in my parlor, kitchen or nur
sery; I, in my studio; 1, in my lecture
hall, "may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life." Id our ''Father's
house arc many mansions." Tho room
that we spend most of our lives in, each
of us at our taks or our work tables, may
be in our Father's house, too, nnd it is
only we that can secure that it shall be
Alexander Maclaren.
He Humble,
I charge my thoughts be humble still,
And all my -ondiict mild;
Content, my Futher.-with Thy will.
And quiet as a child.
Unite, my roving thoughts, unite
In silciice sift and sweet;
And thou, my soul, sit gently down
At thy great Sovereign's feet.
j Doddridge.
Handcuffed Priaoner to Lamppost.
li.. t l ... .. cjlla.l,l.-a nf iha T ns An.
, , ,
' " -
sources, as he proved one evening not
ong ago. He belongs to the bicycle
squad and wag walking along a hand
some residence street when be ob
served a BtiHplclousj stranger who was
unable to give a good account ot him
self. The oillcer found on the man
i porcb-clluiber'a outfit. Including n
lark lantern und a coil ot rope, Pll
schke did not think ho could bandle
tils prisoner and at the sane time
lake care of his wheel, which be fear
sd to leave behind. So lie made tho
man put bis hands ou either side of a
,amp-pot and handcuffed hliu there,
I'uea be went for help.
Apple Tree's Strange Freak,
An apple tree In the garden of Van
N. Buss In Plymouth, N. 1L, beurs on
one side buldyin tipples and on the
other russets, while lu the center ale
apples grown of a mixture tf liotli ha-'
rlotle, equal parts. , Tills free Acagi
nuver grafted with any kind nf ruit
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENT!
FOR JANUARY 8.
object! Th. Witness of John the Baptist
to Jesus, John I., 1 .34 tlolrimi Text,
John 1., HO Memory Vers, 90, 87
Commentary on th Day's Lesson.
I. The testimony of John the Baptist
(vs. 19 28). 19. "This is the witness'' (R.
V.) The sentence means, this is the testi
mony that John bore. "The Jews." This
term in John's gospel commonly meant
the opponents of Christ. "The Jews" are
to him not his fellow countrymen, hut thi
persecutors and murderers of the Messiah.
The name of a race has become the name
of a sect. He ues the term about seventy
times, almost always with this shade of
meaning. "Priests and Levites." The
combination "priests and Levites" occurs
nowhere else in the New Testament. To
gether they represent the hierarchy. This
was a delegation from the Sanhediin.
"Who art thou?" What do you profess to
be? Do you assume to be the Messiah, or
are you a prophet: Two things are plain
ly taught in this verse: One is the great
sensation caused by John the .baptist's
ministry. The other is the state of expec
tation in which the people were at liiis
time.
21). "Not the Christ." The form ol
speech in this verso implies a very positive
and unmistakable assertion. We nave in
this and the following verses an instructive
example of true humility. John the Bap
tist was an eminent saint of God. Few
names in the Bible stand higher than his.
21. "Elias." Creek form for Elijah. "1
am not." That is, not in the sense you
have in mind. They were speaking liter
ally, and John was not Elijah returned to
earth again. When Jesus said that John
was Elijah (Matt. 11:14) He was speaking
figuratively (comp. Luke 1:17). "The pro
phet" (R. V.) The well-known prophet
cf Dent. 13.1.1, who some thought would
be a second Moses, others a second Elijah,
others the Messiah. "No." John knew
that "the prophet" to whom they referred
was the Messiah. His answer is abrupt.
22. After exhausting all special names
they press John to a full description ol
himself, that they may be able to give a
proper answer to the fciunhedrin.
23. "The voice." He was not the
"Word," but merely a "voice." He was
called a voice becuuse, 1. He was uttering
God's thoughts. 2. Tle importance lay
chiefly in the message, not in the messen
ger. 3. Although weak in himself, yet he
Iiroduccd a great commotion. "Crying."
Ierulding, proclaiming. "In the wilder
ness." "The world was, indeed, a moral
wilderness when the time drew near for
the coming of the King." "Make straight,"
etc. . See Isa. 40:3-5. The idea is taken
from the practice of Eastern monarchs,
who, whenever they took a journey, sent
harbingers before them to prepare the way.
24. "Pharisees." The Pharisees held
moat strenuously that no prophet, after
Moses, had a right to introduce any new
sacred usoge, rite or ceremony among tho
Mosaic institutions, except the Messiah
Himself. The question then in the follow
ing verse, Why baptiseth thou then? was
a very peremptory one. 20. "I baptise
with water." John's answer is very per
tinent. My baptism is the symbol and pre
cursor of a real baptism by the exeat Bap
tiser. "Here standeth one." lt is not
necessary, to suppose that Jesus was stand
ing in the crowd at that time, but He was
living and abiding among the people, ond
He was unknown to them,
27. See R. V. "After me." John wat
the forerunner to announce Ilia coining.
"Not worthy." A proverbial expression.
The work of inducing and removing the
sandals belonged to the humblest servant,
and in comparison to Christ John savs he
was too inferior to do even that. The de
sire to exalt Christ and abase himself is
ever upjiermost in John's mind. 28.
"Bethabara." The R. V. has Bethany.
(This was not the Bethany on the Mount
of Olives). Both names have nearly the
same meaning, Bethany sometimes signify
ing "bout house," and Bethubara "'ford
house," or "ferry house."
II. John points out Jesus (vs. 29-31).
29. "The next day." After the testimony
of John to the deputation from Jerusalem.
"Seeth Jesiw." The fact that John knew
Jesus show that the baptism and tempta
tion (Matt. 3:13 to 4:11) preceded the
events of this lesson. "Lamb of liod."
There is no rasonai!e doubt that John
gave this name to our Lord because He
was the true sacrifice for sin, the true anti
type of the Passover lamb, and the lamb
prophesied of by Isaiah (Isa. 53:7). "Tak
eth away." Or "beareth away," as in the
margin. On the great day of atonement
the priest confessed the sins of the people
and laid thein upon the scapegoat, and the
goat was sent to the depths of the desert.
Christ's taking away the sina of the world
is borrowed from this act. .We have hero
one of the many expressions which declare
the great scriptural truth that Christ's
death was a vicarious sacrifice for sin.
"The sin." All the sins of all the children
of Adam. The atonement was complete,
110 one was left out, but all may be saved
if they will accept the provisions made.
30. "After me," etc. Jesus came after
John in point of time, but He was pre
ferred before him in dignity and honor.
"Was before me." This refers to Christ's
eternal pre-cxistenee with tho Father. 31.
"Knew Him not," 1 wus not previously
acquainted with Him, and there has been
no private collusion or arrangement be
tween us. But others think that as John
was a cousin of our Lord, be must have
been acquainted with Him, and that the
expression here means that he did not
know Him ns to His nature, office and
mission until the time of hia baptism.
"Therefore nm I come." John here de
clares that the great end of his ministry
was not to form u sect in his own name,
but to make Christ known to the Jews.
III. How John knew Jesus (vs. 32-34.
82. "Bare record." John now proceeds to
tell how, forty-two days before this, at
the time of Christ's baptism, he learned
that Ho was the Messiah. "I saw." "I
have beheld." R. V. John hod been an
eye witness nnd was not now reporting
from hearsay. "Like a dove." That the
spirit of Ood should descend as a dove is
in accordance with the emblematic charac
ter of the whole transaction. The dove
represented an uudetiled (S. of 8. 6:9),
harmless (Matt. 10; lo), gentle, meek char
acter IS. of S. 2:14). It was the emblem ot
peace (Oen. 8:11) nnd of beauty (Psa.
t8:13). It was the only bird allowed to be
offered in sacrifice by the Levitical law.
It was, like the vine, a popular symbol of
the chuseu nation, and, so far as this man
ifestation was made known abroad, it
would doubtlesj mark Jesus in public opin
ion as the ideal, typical, representative
Israelite, and, therefore, by implication
the Messiah. John understood il,e marvel
to indicate this.
S3.- "Ho that sent me." John was con
scious of his divine mission. He was sent
of God. 34. "The Hon of lod.;' The Mes
siah the Christ. John here declare that
Jesus was divine
Led to Jail by His Dog.
Old and blind., z am 11 was sentenced
to a week's Imprisonment at Water
turd for being clruuk and disorderly,
and bis dog was allowed te spend the
night In the lock-up with him.
Next morning the "prisoner, led b
his dng and escorted by the police,
was taken to the Jail, and at the gate
ho at IniHl whlnned so pfteously on
being parted from Its mantei- that the
nittu was ordered to go to the public
pound with bis canine companion.
Once more was a procession formed,
the dog leading the way, and a motley
crowd bringing up the rear. At the
pound the companions wre parted,
trie dog howling , dismally. London
Daily Mall.
World's Largest Hairpin Factory.
The largest hairpin factory In tho
world is at Faiuswlck, a village in
tho Stroud valley, England. Strangely
enough, this factory employs only 300
persons, the machinery used being au
tomatic and requiring but little-attention
as It grinds miles of wire Into
tuns cf hairpins.
II 11
JANUARY EIGHTH.
"The Making of a Christian; Hit
Birth." John 3. 1-8.
Scripture Verses. Mutt. 18, 3;
7, 10-18; Heb. 11, 6; Eph. 4, 22-24; Out.
6, 19-21; Rom. 7. 21-25; 8, 1U; Jer.
24, 7; John 1, 12.
Lesson Thoughts.
There Is need of a new birth, be
cause by nature we ure born In in
iquity. The Scriptures thus describe
the natural state of man. "The Imagi
nation of the thoughts of the heart Is
evil from his youth up." The carnal
mind Is sold to be at enmity against
Uod, and "dead In trespasses and
sins," "conceived in sin and brought
forth In Iniquity."
The new birth is the only way of
salvation. By no process of evolution
or education can the natural man de
velop Into the spiritual man. Flesh
cannot be justified. (Rom. 3, 20.)
Selections.
But one life can live In the kingdom
of God, and that is God's life. Take a
bird from the nlr und put it in water,
and ileuth by drowning ensues.
Take a fish from the water
Into the nlr nnd It dies by suffocation.
These ure not more opposite than the
natural nnd tho ' spiritual. The nut
ural man cannot live In a heavenly at
mosphere, nor the spiritual man
breathe n worldly ntniosphere. Tho
natural man recclveth not the things
of the Spirit.
The Spirit's methods we cannot
know, but the facts of the new life
are as plain and certain as that
the strong wind bends the forest trees.
We may not know the day nor the
hour when we are born again, but. we
may know the fuct by the fruits. The
tmptivtutiun of life to man, to animal,
nnd to plain is, even in the brightest
light of science, still as great a mys
tery us ever. But the fact of life la
a certainty.
Come, come to him who made thy
heart;
Come, weary and oppressed;
To come to Jesus is thy pnrt;
His part, to give thee rest.
"No man can come to Christ except
the Father draw him." If be eotnes
asking, that proves he comes drawn.
The new birth is from God. Hut
though man is incapable of urodticing
his own regeneration and conversion,
yet he has the power of hindering ami
preventing it. A sick man can do
nothing in restoring his own health,
but he cau do much in hindering his
restoration by rejecting the physician,
disobeying his prescriptions, and re
fusing bis medicine, and on the con
trary doing that which promotes and
strengthens the disease. '
JANUARY EIGHTH.
The Making of a Christian: Hia Birth.
John 3. 18.
This lesson 1b founded on the pass
age which records the conversation of
Jesus and Nlcodeiiius. A ruler of the
Jews, he conies lo Jesus by night.
Whatever other conversation lniiy'
have occurred we know not, but It all
revolves around this declaration of
the necessity of a new birth. The
first thing In the making of a Chris
tian Is that he be "well born." There
may be and will be great differences
In the details of a religious experi
ence but certain eleur and well de.
fined epochs will be found in the
conscious experience of every Chris
tian. There will be first the sense
of sin; then the conscious and sincere
turning away from sin; then the look
ing to Christ for salvation; nnd then
sooner or later the consciousness of
peace and pardon. To this conscious
experience every real Christian comes.
And this is the foundation of the
whole religious life. To us, us to
NicodeintiH. It moy be strange and in
explicable, but It may bu recognized
by Its results. Notice bow Josms
pours out IiIh richest truths to nn
audience of only one person.
A change which will lit ns for com
panionship with Christ. Is u necessity
of our nature. Socially, politically,
and intelleclually we are constantly
changing. There is no greater mys
tery In a spiritual new birth than in
a hundred other experiences of life.
The conscious guilt of a human soul
demands that It bo changed before
It can come Into the presence of God.
It is not a patching up of the old
man, It Is the creating of the ne-v. It
Is not only repentance, reformation,
and church membership. It Is regen
eration. It Is more Hum 11 "ceasing j
to do evil," It Is u "learning lo do
well." It Is a new life. It affecls the
whole man. his intellect, sensibilities,
nnd his will. It changes hln opinions.
Ills affections, bis choice In life. It
Is a new life which produces ,iew t
creature. It Is h radical and per
manent change of tile whole mun. It
Is the beginning of the life of the
Christian.
The newborn soul begins to live.
He "hath everlasting life." His sins
are pardoned; his nature is changed;
his loves are revolutionized, his soul
lias peace und joy. lie Is adopted in
to the divine family, and the Spirit
witnesses with him of his adoption.
RAM'S HORN BLASTS '
HERE is no bless
ing in the gtrt based
on baiter.
Learning docs lit
tle for one- without
love.
Gcod will will j
reign wlwn Gou
will Is done.
God never foigrts
iXjf1 l A the man who 101
nrw Wl,en ",e Bal,e
i enteied the. gieat
burden begun to flee. 1
Even the Prince of Peace had to pay
the price of peace.
Every day will be a Christmas wheu
evety man is ChnstV (
Christmas without giving Is Christ
mas without gladness.
God In Ihe child gives promise ot
every child being in God.
Those who bend at a cradle often get
the really royal blessing.
When the manger becomes the
throne all men will become his doot
kings.
He who turns his face ftom the poor
shuts bis door on Jesus.
He began on our lowest level that we
might rise to His grcalftit height.
THE GREAT DESTROYER
SOME STARTLINC FACT3 ABOUT
THE VICE OF INTEMPERANCE.
I'obiiii No Fines For Hoys Drlnklnf
Among Women Has Corns to Ss One
of th Hoelnl Problems of t!rooklyn
Look Out ror the Olrls.
What can a boy do and where can a boy
stay,
. If he is always told to get out of the way
He cannot sit here ami he must not stand
there;
The cushions that cover that fine rocking
chair Were put there, of course, to be seen and
adrhired.
A boy haa no business to ever be tired.
The beautiful rows and (lowers that bloom
On the floor of the darkened and delicate
room
Are not made to walk on at least, not by
boys;
The houxe is no place, anyway, for their
noise.
Yet bovs must walk somewhere; and what
if their feet,
Sent out of our houses, sent into the
street,
Should step around the corner and pause
at the door
Where other boys' feet have paused often
before.
Should pass through the gateway of glitter
ing light,
Where jokes that are merry and song
that are bright
Ring out a warm welcome with flattering
voice,
And temptinglv Bay, "Here's a place fot
the boys!"
Ah, what if they should? Whot if yom
boy or mine
Should cross o'er the threshold which
marks out the line
'Twixt virtue and vice, 'twixt pureness ond
sin,
And leave all his innocent boyhood within?
(Hi, what if they should, becauie you and I,
While the days and the months and the
years hurry by,
Are too busy with cares nnd with life's
fleeting joys
To make our round hearthstone n place lor '
the boys?
There's a place for the boys. They will
find it somewhere: I
And if our own homes are loo daintily fair
For the touch of their fingeys, the tread of
their feet,
They'll find it, and find it, alas! in the
street,
'Mid the gildings of sin and the glitter of
vice;
And with heartachej and longings we pay
a deor price
For the getting of gain that our lifetime
employs,
Ii we fail to provide a place for the boys.
A ploce for the boys dear mother, I pray.
As cares settle down round our short
earthly way.
Don't let us forget, by our kind, loving
deeds.
To show we remember their pleasures and
needs.
Though our souls may be vexed with prob
lems of life.
And worn with besetinents and toilings
and strife.
Our hearts will keep younger your tired
heart and mine
If we give them a place in their iunermofJ
shrine:
And to our life's greatest houa, 'twill be
one of our joys
That we kept a small corner a place for
the boys.
Boston Transcript.
Drinking Ammis; Brooklyn Woinsn.
' The above is the title of n recent, nrtie'e
in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, and the fol
lowing extract is undoubtedly applicable
to almost all our great cities:
"Drinking among women has come to lis
one of the problems of Hrooklyn. One
prominent physician of the Upper Hill
says that within the past three or four
years his practice has doubled solely be
cause of this, and it has grown to be an
important part of his daily work to repair
shattered constitutions nnd build up
wrecked nervous systems brought to thi
pass bv the fashionable glass.
"Neither this doctor nor any other of
the niedicol fraternity of Brooklyn will
consent to be formally nuotcd or to have
their names used in this connection, but
investigation aiming the leading practition
ers finds a candid acknowledgment of the
situation. The case is confirmed liy a num
ber of the prominent club and society men
of the borough who are constant frcmient
era of the theatres and restaurants here
and in Manhattan.
"These two clause. of authorities com
bined tell a very curious and interesting
story, and are uniform. y in accord as to
the details. It is not the women of as- j
Hiired fashionable position and station,
they say. who are drinking excessively and '
raining their health thereby, but women j
of means, toste in dresinn. good nppear- I
once and the right of admission into a',-
inot the - best circles upon occasions. .
These men say the cases they have most ;
frtiiuentlv met with are near to the inner :
circles, though not quite of tln-m. They 1
are women that have the ambition nnd a '
partial entree, nnd might with judgment
and patience win their way within.
"It is in this class, doctors and clubmen
ajrree, that the recent increase in drinking
is appearing, and its spread is marked both
iinioug young girlt and young matrons."
Fnlnnns Must He Sliut.
Put a new coat on the drunkard, priv 1
vide shoes for his children, put a stove in
his home and see what happens. Straight
to the pawnshop go the gifts. The family I
is just as destitute, the drinker is a lit 'Jo ,
lower down for the new debauch. Charity .
finds itself pouring benevolence into a bot
tomless pit. Shut up the saloon and we '
could help the poor, llenevolencc would
gain new cheer, hope and expansion.
Keally bi'ter destitution would soon be un
known. The health that comes of suitable '
living would be our people's general herit- I
age I
Many, many live the good reasons why ,
the saloon should be wiped olT the face of j
the eartn, i;ut one ot tne greatest ot these
is its destructive powers over the health
of tile people.
' W Slsllll Fifteenth.
The ravages of rum and its e.-'ect on the
youth of the nation were graphically de
scribed by the Rev. Dr. W. F. Wilson, of
Hamilton. Ont.. in nn address ,ti.liverpl
before the twenty-first international I
l hristian r.nilcavor convention, at Den
ver. , Dr. Wilson said that the relative
amount of liquor consumed yearly bv t. t
greut nations of the world was, France,
first; Italy, next, then Cerinanv and Aus
tria. The I'nited States stood fifteenth
011 the list, yet the drink bill of hc I'nit
ed Slates during llKXt was 81,500,000,000.
Th Crusail In Uriel.
More than twenty tier cent, of divorces
Are caused by strong drink.
No church and State for Americans. So
say we all. iiut how about saloon and
State?
Barents, give the boys a chance by being
total abstainers yourselves and setting
thorn an example in practice und a start
without tiie hereditary peril.
New Jersey has 3810 saloonkeepers, 'Kiln
barkeepers, 7420 in all, busy day and night
making drunkards and criminals, with -HHi
clergymen trying to counteract this evil
influence.
We well believe what the 1'iiitcd States
Commissioner of Labor has asserted ibat
for every dollar of revenue recei-.ed from
the liquor trade -D go out to rare for its
results. Mrs. Kimna Hourne. State Presi
dent W. C. T. V., in the Union Signal.
Jersey City, N, J., Ut year had 101 sa
loons, 2,'i0 policemen, 7:;tl ai let's. The tax
payers maintain for these jails, prsous.
pe:
tin
iviiiicimai-ieg, leiormaun es, police s;-
inns, ludvto. juries, lawvers all rennii m.s
salunesit;urg fees, costs ol irosecuiioiis,
etc'- I A
W lii J .tinis the brain. That is why
men ata,CI und lull into the guttiv wheu
drunk, ii! sVy beautiful city I hav sn a
hum, ilrunll lying literally' in the giit'm-.
if the bnnAfc of Daniel Webster and K..I1-
ert Hums slMild not stand whisky othc.s
belter let i' 'oiie. '
a 'Ik
O HEIGHT AND DEPTH OF LOVE.
Jit SSSIB K, WOOtX'OCK,
Bright angels still are near,
As in the days of old;
Their joyful tidings banish fear,
And grace unfold.
To lowly and to high
Their message peace imparts,
And starlit Bethlehem seems nig!i
To humble hearts.
0 faithful souls and wise
(Jo worship and adore!
The Day star risen to cheer your eyc
ShaHl set no more.
The IVjnre of Peace is horn.
Your Saviour and your Friend:
And shadows flee before the (Jinn,
And sorrows end.
O hcigl'f and depth of love!
In deep humility
The eternal Kinit left heaven above
For you and me.
What ottering can we bring?
What anthem can we raise?
I-ord! give. us hearts Thy praise to sing
Thro' all 0111 'days'
r.ond'in Christian.
A I'orlrsit nf Christ.
St. John, the beloved ilin'inle. on Tat
nios, lonely for the word of Uod. and for
the testimony of Jesus Christ, gaitig over
the waters of the .Aegean .Sen, saw the
form of his glorified Saviour and heard
His voice like the sound of many waters.
The wonderful panoiaina of future things
was unfolded unto him from I he opened
heavens in visions of (ioil. In the book of
Revolution, chap. i. is sketched a full
length portrait of Jesus Christ as the glo
rified Son iif Man by the hand of an in
spired artist, whose snul was enraptured
by 'he vision of the Man in the heavens
In spirit on the Lord's day, John hears a
greut voice, as of a trumpet, like the sound
of many waters. The voice is one in an
Ihorily and power, the voice of the Lord
is full of majeslv. it breaketh the cedars ol
Lebanon, it diiiileth the flames of fire and
shakcth Ihe wilderness. It awoke Laiaru
from the sleep of death, ond will yet call
nil believers of every nation from their
graves into the bee ify of the millennial
morning. For the Lord Himself will de
scend Irom heaven, with the voice of an
nrchangel and the trumpet of (iod, and th
dead in Chribt shall rise first.
When the veil is withdrawn the Son ol
Man is revealed clothed with light as with
n garmenl. the symbol of royalty ond om
nipotence, having the keys of death and
the grave, girt about the paps with a gold
en girdle, signifving rank and dignity; His
head and hair were white as snow, setting
forth the reverence and honor due to Him
ns the "anrient nf days." which His eyes
were as flames of fire, so keen and piercing
was His vision, discerning our very
thoughts from afar; His feet like unto fine
brns, molten-white as in a furnace, show
ing holiness and judgment as tliu founda
tion of His throne. In His hand were
seven stars, which are the seven messen
gers to the churches, from the apostolic
days until the Son of Man returns in the
glory of His Father. Out' nf His mouth
goeth a sharp two-edged sword, which is
the world 01 fiod. keener than anv Damas
cus blade, dividing asunder soul and spirit
nnd disrernintf the thought and intents
of the hearr. The word comforts His own,
but. He smites and "days His enemies with
the sword nf His mouth. His counten
ance was as the "iim shineth in its strength.
On traiisH.uratinii's brow the glorv of the
Son of Man shone forth from His gar
ments; they became oxeeedinn while, as
the light, and His face did shine as the
meridian sun -it was a manifestation of
the aunernai glorv of Dim who is the
faithful witness, the first begotten from
th dead and prince of the kings of earth.
He is here portraved as a juduing high
priest, walking amid the golden lamp
stands, which are the churches, and pass
ing judgment 011 their walk and works.
This portrait should beget in us a spirit
'of love, reverence ami worship. For (Jod
who commanded the light to shine out of
ilnrkness hath sh'iTd in our herts to give
I he light of the knowledge of the rrlon- of
fiod in the face of Jesus Christ. The Rev.
S. V. Robinson, nt I'nion Course Baptist
Churcli, in the Rronklyn Kagle.
rrolllnlilv rilvlnc.
The Bible Society's Record tells nf a
collector who culled upon a man for his
contribution to the Tbble cause. He was
not a wealthy man, but did hi own work
on the form. He looked over his books
and said his contribution would be $70.
"Why. this is remarkable benevolence!"
said the collector. He replied: "Six years
ago T felt I was not giving enough to the
Lord, so I resolved to give in proportion
to His blessings, and I hit upon this plan:
I will give five cents for every bushel of
wheat I rai.se: three cents for every bushel
of oats, bailey, etc.: ten per cent, for the
wool, butler, etc., that I sell."
"The first vein- I gave '2l. the second
M., the third 17, the fourth 4!. the fifth
-'ifi, and this year my Bible contribution is
70. For twenty years previous my doc
tor's bills had not been less than $20 a
year, but for the last six years they have
not exceeded ti2 a year. I tell you. 'there
is that scatt.eret.li and yet increaseth,' and
'the liberal soul sh all be made fat.' " Her
ald of the Coming One.
Tenilernftss or Christ's Sympathy.
T)n not keep this sacred thought of
Christ's companionship in sorrow for Hu:
larger trials of life. If the mote in tin:
eye be large enough to annoy you, it is
largo enough to bring out His synipithy,
ami if the grief he too small for Him to
compassionate und share, it is too imidli
for you to be troubled by it.
If you are ashamed to apply that d.vinc
thought, "Christ bears this grief witii
me," to those petty molehills that you
magnify into mountains sometimes, think
to yourself thut then it is a shame for you
to be stumbling over thein.
But, on the other hand, never fear to be
irreverent or too fumiliur 111 tho thought
that Christ is willing to bear, und help you
to bear, the pettiest, the minutest, and
most insignificant of the daily nnnoyances
that may come to rutlle you. Ho will do
more, He will bear it with you, for if so be
that we mat- suffer Willi lliiu. He Hitlers
with us. Alexander Maclaren.
Take th l'art of III IVcuk.
Bear injury when inflicted on yourself,
resent injury to others. Jesus took the
part of the weak against the strong and
of the humble against the proud. Arkan
sas Methodist.
The Sign of th CliriatUn,
.The fishing vessels on our own coasts
are bound by law to curry lights at night.
Not only must the light be on board, but
it is required to be hung at least at a cer
tain height, so as to be readily seen at a
distance. So Christians must not only
have the light, but have it where it will
"ahiue before men."
A (Jur For Melancholy.
When you had yourself, as I dare say
you sometimes do, overpowered, as it
were, by melancholy, the best way is to
go out and do something kind to aai
body or other. -John Keble.
Killed Two Foxes With One Shot.
Newell Hodgklns ot Lamotne, Me.,
recently killed two toxeg at one BhMt
while cruising the woods In the vicin
ity of his home. Jhat - two young
prowlers were Btandll g erect on their
hind legs lu a wrestling attitude when
discovered and the crafty young hunt
tr lost no time In taking advantage ot
such a rare opportunity.
Carved Too Vigorously!
: WUVrtm Jackson, a church organist
of Norfolk, Conn., dislocated his f.houl
der while dancing.
A tONO TOLO TALE,
the Troilblraouto Ktperlvnr of a FJ,
Husband In Story Tolllnc
There was n friend rtinlnir with Mr
mil Mrs. (iiiertiKpy a few evening
)go. He was 11 few minutes Into to
Iluner, for the train on which lie hnuV
;oine out from the city bud been dW
'.oyed hy a "hot box."
,"Tlint reminds me of nn experienc
I had a year ago," snhl Mr. (itiern
sey, when his friend hail explnlnetl,
his tardiness.
"Why, no, Frank, If you mean th
time that the limited wus late, It w
eighteen months ago," said Mrs.
Guernsey.
"Well, maybe it wis, my dear. Ae
nny rate, It was a very chilly evening;
and "
"Chilly!" Interrupted Mrs. Guern
sey. "Why, Frank, it was frigid. I
remember distinctly that It wus eight
een below 7.PI0 that night. I looked at
the thermometer while I was waltini;
for you." ' "
"Yes, It was very cold. Well, as I
wns about to say, Bronsoii. one of our
neighbors, nml I were coming out
from town and "
"Oh, no. It wasn't Mr. Bronson that
ennie out with you; it was Wilfred
Chirk. You met Mr. Itrnnson In h
smoking cur after the nccident oc
curred. You told me mi that nluht."
"I dare say, but that doesn't affect
the story. Let me see, oh. yes, just n
our train was pulling in at May wood,
the "
"No, no, Frank, your train was Just
leaving Alderson. Don't you remem
ber It stopped right there by the bi
water tank? I always think what a.
time you had every time I pass that
water tank on the cars, and last sum
mer, when I was driving by once with,
the Ileitis, I told (hem all about it."
"The train enme to a standstill wlthv
a fearful .loll," continued Mr. Gtu-.'D-sey.
"anil I said to Bronson "
"No, you said to Wilfred. I remind
ed you a few minutes ng that yoa
didn't meet Mr. Bronson until after
wards." "So you did. Well, I said that I
thought we were In a collision, for the
Jolt was something fearful. The few
people thut were standing in the car
were thrown violently to the floor."
"Why, some fell on seats. Frit tit. I
know thnt, because Wilfred told mo
afterwards that one woman hail her
ribs broken on the arm of a seat."
"Yes, a few did fait In that way. But
9s I was saying. I told WLfred I sup
pose It was Wilfred that I was sure
It was a collision, nnd then we both
ran to the tear end r.f tuo car."
"It was the forward end of the car.
Yon know that the renr end wast
blocked by a timber that had fallen
across the platform."
"Ob, here eomes the dessert," re
marked Mr. Guernsey, Irrelevantly
"Will yott have whipped cream or,
your pudding'?"'
The guest said "Yes," and as lie bad
an engagement In the suburb, be left
shortly afterward.
"Well, 1 declare." he said to him
self as he walked away from that
Guernseys, "poor, old Frank gives ur
trying to tetl his story; l'lf meet bins,
at lunch some day In town and get
hhn to finish It. t wonder that be at
tempts to talk under the circum
stances." The Little Chronicle.
CoHuii Bl Patrsrs
The house- that Count Ilnni ile Ca
tellane built lu the Avenue iiu Bo s 1
Boulogne is ouce more tbe sensation
of the hour. Since Its outer wal's.
forming un almost exact copy of tbe
Grand Trianon I'aluce at Versailles,
were first displayed to uit admiring;
public, a few years ago, i6bg'd eeHMfd.
to be- much talked about. , " Count
Kont de Custellane and the Countess,
nee Gould, ure astonishing 1'nris agnlu
by tbe splendor of Us fitting up. Aftee
a lull of some y:ars work Las been re
sumed in the palace, and again Ver
sailles 1 being copied. The grand
drawing room Is blua decorated it
exact imitation of tbe Salon d'Hercule
in the Palace of Louis XIV. The wall
nre to be almost entirely of white,
pink, and saffron yellow marble, with
"dashes of eim-rald, niby, and opal,"
whatever those may be. The painted:
ceiling of the Hercules room is being
exactly copied. The salon Is thirty
seven ffi'-t by forty feet. There will b
no curtains to tbe immense windows.
In the evening gigantic mirrors, bidden
in the woodwork, will be slid out In
front of the panes, and will conpletely
conceal them. Tbe flooring ;s also to
be an accurate copy of t'nt of tbe Sa
lon d'Hercule. In this respect, bow
ever, dltlliT.lties are met with. Louis
XIV. bad each piece of oHk, after sliiip
;nsc and polishing, put nwny in th
lofts of Versailles for five years be
lore It was laid down. The result it
that not a board has warped by a
fraction of nn Inch to this fiay. Suc-lt
elaborate thnroughhc Is, It appears.
Impossible now. London Telegraph.
" Dolus; Hi Mmt.
"Yes. we're going to ir.ove," she said
to the agent. "We siumly can't staoiL
It."
"Have patience, madam. " be argued.
"I'atlence has ceased to be a virtue."
she retorted. "We eomplatned twli-s
of that woman lu the tint above i
who pounds the piano and sings both
day and night, and you said you would
get her out. Instead of doing thut yoe
have calmly let the flat next to her
to a man who plays the cornet."
"But thut's part of the scheme," tie
protested. "We put; biro there on pui
pose. Ills Instructions are to make 14
much noise she can't bear herself sli.g.
She has a lease, you know, and th
only way to get her out is to discour
age her." Birmingham (Kng.) 1'd'sL
Babble's Plu.
Although Babbie had doue bis sbar
toward demolishing the dinner, lint
dessert did not leave him too full fot
utterance.
"Mr. Fnmbier." Ira broke tbe lee ol
silence, "you haven't Mone your trb.-s
yet. Will you do it after dinner?"
"I don't believe I know any par lot
tricks. Babbie," replied th victim,
casting sheep's eyes as Sister Jennie.
"Sis says every oilier time you opes
your mouth you put your toot In it
nsd jsou't you please do it. 'tuuae I
just love contortion stunts."
For the rest of the evehlnjr M
Fumbler's nioutu was not open v':j
enough for the Insertion tf 1' '
say nothing of a No. II. t
Coumieiyiiil Iriuiiue.
(A