"DIVINE COMPANIONSHIP"
' Aa Eloquent Discourse By Bct. Charles
E. Benedict. ,
Jtatrti a Beiitllul Ceanaeatiry th Brief
til Yet Meet Ceoiprefceaaire
Blf uphjr Crtr Wrlttea.
TnooKt.v, N Y.-TI.e Rev. Char) E.
Benedict, pastor of St. James' M. E.
Church, Eighty-fourth street nnd Twen
tieth, avenue, jtensonhurst, prcachai 8un
Isy morning on "Divine Companionship."
he texts wore from Genesis v:24: "Enoch
ft-alked with God. and he was not, for God
look him," and Hebrew xi:: "Before hil
translation lie had this testimony, that he
ld God." Mr. Benedict said:
This is one of the briefest yet most com
prehensive biographies ever written. Thee
, passages, containing twenty-tlirce words,
toll ii about all we know concerning this
ian Etioi'h. Imagine the Lforv of your
ffe told in three sentences! l'fe walked
nth God, he pleased Ood an' he was
translated. This is the record of Enoch's
, bf Jt reads more like an epitaph than
biography, yet I would rather have those
5rt two statements true of my life than
to have the most eloquent tributes or eulo
istie praises ever written or spoken by
men. To walk with Cod and to please
Iim! Do you know of anything more dc
linble? It in said that a man's walk is indicative
if his career. Manner and gesture are an
Index to character. It is possible to make
ii estimate approximately correct of the
ype of men you meet on the street by not
!ig the poise and bearing of the average
pedestrian. One walks with a firm, quick
ten, head erect, shoulders back, and you
feel instinctively that he is an energetic,
.resolute, sell-respecting mini, bound to sue
Seed. Another shambles by with shiftless
gait, dragging his feet rather than lifting
them, unci you put him down for a loafer.
A third glides along noiselessly, threading
Ins way in and out among the' crowd, and
foil know intuitively that- Jie is a sly,
Icheming trickster. Another walks with
Unsteady gait, stepping carefully, as if the
(lavement were rolling and bumping against
tiis feet, and as with pitying glunce you
watch him stagger along you say, "The
floor fellow is drunk." So a man's gait be-
trava him. His walls signifies the mannoi
of his life.
One is likewise known bv the company
.ie keeps. We are largely what our friends
nd companions are. Tell me the sort ol
persona with whom you associate, in whom
you confide, to whom you go with all your
troubles and with whom you share your
very joy, and I will have no difficulty in
tatimating your character. To retain pur
ity of character if one's associates are base
iid ignoble is an impossibility. And it
would seem equally impossible to live an
Impure, vicious, wicked life if all our asso
Siates are noble and virtuous. .We are in
fluenced unconsciously by the words and
actions of our friends. Like the chame
leon, we take on the hue of our surround
ings and reflect the likeness of our com
panions. The human heart under normal condi
tions craves companionship. From the
ginning it was so. Cod saw that it was not
good for man to be alone, so He gave him
t companion and helpmeet. We ore so
ionstituted that we must have some one
with whom to share our happy hours,
lome good, true friend who enters into
iir experiences with sympathetic appre
siation, whose heart aches in our sorrow
nd rejoices in our jov.
The strangest truth contained in all
God wonderful volume of truth is that
He who created the universes, the Lord
tou Omnipotent, whose wisdom is omnis
tiencc, whose goodness is perfection, whose
name is love, that He should condescend
to become the companion mid associate of
man, His creature. I said that this is the
strangest truth. Let me take it back.
There is one truth more astounding yet.
Tis this that man should refuse the
friendship and disdain the companionship
of Jehovah, his God.
Of all the divine humiliations what eoula
lie geatcr than this, that He should seek
the friendship of mortal man and find it
not? That He should offer Himself for thf
closest and most intimate relationship, as a
companion for life's pilgrimage, a comrade
for life' struggles, un ussociate and confi
dant amid all life's changing scenes, and
yet be rejected!
The trouble is and has ever been when
men have rejected Cod that thev love the
darkness lather than I he light, because
their deeds are evil, from the opening
chapters of human history until now it
has been true that man, the creature, has
been out of harmony with Cod, the Crea
tor. . It is refreshing, therefore, to find in the
inspired record, amid the genealogies of
ancient nobodies who lived long, bore chil
dren, and eventually died, the storv of one
holy lite, a man who walked with God and
who Pleased God. From this fragmenting
sketch of Enoch's life, reading between
the lines and penetrating beneath the sur
face of the words which contaiu his bio
graphy, we may discover some helpful
truths concerning divine companionship.
To walk with God implies, first of all
reconciliation with God. Man bv nature it
not on good terms with his Maker. Time
was when the most loving intimacy and
harmonious relationship existed between
them. "Adam walked with God in the
garden in the cool of the dav." N'ot be
fore Him as a herald, nor behind Him as a
slave, but beside Him, as His companion
ana I had almost said His equal. But
something came between them. They had
foiling out. As one has expressed it.
Sin came and opened the mightv chasm ol
separation, and since then the carnal mind
has been enmity against God."
The Father's heart has yearned for rec
onciliation, but how could reconciliation
be made? The heart of man was who"v
estranged. An impassable g.ilf vawned J
tween him and his Creatir. Ho had
inned against Divine Majesty and for
feited the Divine favor. Hut
The love of God is broader
1 ban the measure of man's mind;
And the heart of the Eternal
Is most wonderfully kind."
Therefore, "God, who is rich in merev,
for His great love wherewith He loved us.
even when we were dead in ,is." deter
(mined to bridge the chasm, to heal the
breach and win back the affections alien
ated by sin. He sent Christ into the world
as Mediator. And He, who is our peace,
Hath made both one. and hath broken
down the middle w,,l of partition between
lis, having abolished in His flesh the enmi
ty and reconciled u nnto God by His
death on the cros.
Acceptance of Jesus Christ is the basis
of reconciliation with Ood. On no other
term, can our estrangement be healed.
; Ihe trouble began when men insisted itixm
turning every one to his own wav The
difficulties are perfectly and satisfactorily
adjusted when man is willing to turn back
into God's way. And whenever one reaches
tho point of willingness to accept Jesus
Christ, then he begins to walk in newness
of hie, and walking thus he makes a dis
covery. He discovers that "Old things are
passed away, and all things are become
new."
. Patrick Daley, of Boston, had the right
idea ,t the new birth. He wn. a Catholic
by profession, but a drunkard by practice.
He attended an evangelistic service und
,u. ...n iime m Ins lite tieard the gos-
ital II .....!.. , . . B
..... ... iiiuue a comn fIM biirrnni i ti
.'hrist. and was riiliv.nt r,. .1.. 1 1
age of drink A few weeks afterward ha
approached Dr. A. J. Gordou with a prob
tain which had perplexed him greatly,
buid he: iou see, your reverence, 1 know
J ood "" hei I get it, nnd when I
found salvation I couldn't keep it to nrv-
slf,
1 Peter Murphy lived up stain in tho
tame tenement with me. lie was s worse
He
drunkard than I, if that could be, and wej
liad gone 011 many a spree together. Wl,
ivlieu 1 got saved and washed cleun in the
blood of Jesus Christ, 1 was so happy I
didn't know, what to do with myself. So I
went up to Murphy aud told him what I
had gut. He was just getting over a spies
nd felt pretty sick and sore, and was
ready to do anything I told him. ho I got
liim to sign the pledge and told him Jesus'
ilone could help him keep it. Then I got
him oil his knees and made him pray and
surrender to the Lord as I had duut. You
never see such a change in a man an there
Ivus in him for the next week. X kept)
natch him and. or U"d for liiiu and
tteipen mm on tne nei 1 coma, and sure,
he was a different man. Well, come Sun
day morning, Joe Healer called around to
pay his usual visit. He used to come
every .Sunday and bring a bottle of whisky
with him, and them two would spree It all
Jay until thev turned the whole house into
a bedlam. Well, I saw Healey coining last
Sunday morning, and I was afriid it would
be all up with poor Murphy if he got with
him. I went down to tne door, una wnn
he asked if Murphy was in I said, 'No,
Murphy is out. He don't live here any
longer. Po I sent Healey off and saved
Murphy from temptation. But what I
want to know, your reverence, is this, did
I tell a lie? 1 meant that the old Murphy
did nut live there any more. You know
Mr. Moodv told us that when a man it
converted he is new creature; old thing
have passed away. I believe Murphy is a
new creature, and that the old Murphy
does not live any more in that attic."
"If any man be in Christ he is a new
creation. Old things are passed away: be
hold all things are become new." After a
man makes this discovery he begins to
learn important truths, He learns that he
must now walk, not after the flesh, but af
ter the spirit. This is by no means an
easy thing to do. I wonder how many
have mastered this art? 'Tis one that can
not he acquired in a single lesson. I
sometimes think we shall never know per
fectly how to walk after the Spirit so long
as we bear this body of flesh. There is
much misnpprchenmon on this point. Not
H few have been sorely perplexed, and
some have been quite disheartened in their
attempts to make the plain facts of their
experience fit certain doctrines taught
from the Scriptures. Here is a typical ex
ample. A young man entered upon the
Christian life. There was no doubt as to
the genuineness of his conversion. He ac
cepted Christ intelligently, and with an
earnest purpose to give Itim a loyal serv
ice. He had run the whole gamut of sin
ful indulgence, but the change in his life
was a radical one. Ho ceased to do evil
nnd tried to learn to do good. But he was
hindered by old habits and tendencies
which still lurked in his flesh. The strug
gle w.-s fierce and he faced it heroically,
until one day more severely tempted than
usual he vent to his pastor and said: "It's
no use, I n'ight as well give up trying. 1
have been guilty of some of the same old
sins that X lined to indulge in, and I won't
be a hypocrite, so you can take my name
off the record. The pastor made use of
his Master's method, and answered the
young man with a parable. It was the old
story of a farmer who was plowing in a
meadow lot. He kept his eyes fixed on a
tree at the farther end of the field, and de
termined to make his first furrow as
straight, as possible. That was to be his
guiding line, and it was his intention to
make each furrow as straight as the first.
He succeeded fairly well for awhile, until
a bird flew close to hia face and startled
him so that he jerked on the rein with the
result a crook in his furrow. .Several times
in the course of his plowing he got off the
line, but just as soon as he discovered hie
deflection he pulled back and got on the
straight line again.
How aptly this illustrates the initial ex
perience of n child of God. He starU out
with the determination to walk in the
footsteps of his Master. That is the cen
tral purpose of his heart. His new nature
throbs with a single motive of loyalty to
Christ. But in his immature condition he
blunders, he flies into a passion perhaps,
or indulges some old sinful habit, forget
ting his new relationship with God, and
he makes a crook in his furrow. But in
the instant when he comes to himself he
repents of his deflection and, fixing his
eyes upon Jesus, he gets back on the line
and tries again. Such deviations from the
line of rectitude often dishearten young
Christians. Their blunders of immaturity
are mistaken for tokens of insincerity.
Walking with Chri.t in the school of expe
rience they will learn that the evidence of
their loyalty to Him in whose footstens
they seek to follow, is not found in the ab
solute perfection of their walk. The real
test lies in their immediate repentance
nod turning back to the line when a de
viation or deflection has been discovered.
A soul-inspiring truth that one ought to
grasp at the beginning of the Christian life
is that walking with God leads ultimately
to God's house. A beautiful commentary
on this point was that made bv a little
girl, as related by Dr. Morgan, of London.
Ifer mother questioned her ubout the les
son learned at Sunday-school. She had
been studying Enoch, and told her mother
that he was n man who used to take long
walks with God. And one day thev went
for an extra long walk, and God said to
Enoch. "You are a long way from home.
Enoch, and you had better come in and
stay with Me."
It has been truly said that: "Heaven is
sometimes spoken of as a place, admission
to which is gained by some lenient act ot
divine amnesty. People speak of going to
heaven as though it were a conceit room,
to enter which a ticket only is required.
Nothing could be more nnscriplural.
Heaven is not a place into which we are
admitted, but a place into which we grow.
It is little short of foolish the way sotno
talk of going to heaven when they die.
They exclude God from their life on earth.
They find no love in His presence here.
Heaven would be a place of painful im
prisonment." The felicities of the heavenly country
will be conditioned largely upon our capac
ity to receive. And our capacity to re
ceive will be determined by out- ability to
serve. Tho service of heaven wi'l be a ir
vice of love. I think we should stifle in
the atmosphere of heaven's love unless we
had learned to breathe in its p-rity aud
live in its beauty here below. One must
learn to keep step with Jehovuli here and
now if he would enter upon the joy of the
divine presence hereafter. Leiitn to love
what God loves, and hate what Grid hate.
Get in step with Him today and let Him
be your companion for life.
"They 8hH.ll dee Coil."
A mighty twofold fact runs to and fro
through all the earth and under the earth
and over it high and far. Many do not
see it or hear it and therefore do not feel
it, but nevertheless there is no other
thought so real, so vital and overwhelming
known to science or history or revelation.
This mighty fact is the immanence and the
providence of Almighty God, 111 all things,
through all things and for all things. He
has created man and put Himself under
universal und ceaseless obligations and re
sponsibilities to His creatures.
To know this is an indescribable privil
ege, but to ignore it or treat it as a invth
is the acme of idiocy or perversity. To
see the divine presence ami power in nil
things that we see, and to discern Itim
.vlierever we go and wherever wo ore, is to
liscern the revealed secret that "in Ilim
ye live and move and have our continued
!Xit.tenco."
And so it shall come to pass that the
King's children shall all see
"Books in the running brooks
Sermons in stones
And good (God) in everything."
-Christian Ceniiirr.
Gema Found In Maine.
The minerals of Maine are becon.
Ing of world-wide reputation. The
great aqua-marine, found In Stonebam,
and probably the most valuable gem
ever found on the American continent,
baa recently been purchased as a val
uable acquisition to the crown Jewels
ot Germany. The German prince,
while In this country, saw the gem
at Chicago, and admired it so uiucb
that the government baa been nego
tiating for It ever since, and recently
sent a man over to this country, who
1 finally succeeded In closing the trade,
taking the gem back to Germany
with hlra. At the world's fair at Chi
cago the gem was vi.lued at $30,000.
It wolfjhed 183 carats. One crystal
taken at Paris, Me., this summer has
been sold tor $500. '
Paid Freak Election Bet
One of the Danbury, Conn., letter
carriers paid an election bet by which
,ho was compelled to travel ovor hja
I route with ono leg ot his truusera
turned half-way up to tho kaee.
THE SUNDAY SCIIOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR JANUARY 29.
Snhjeeti Jems ami Nlcoriemns, John III,,
1-IS Ooldeu Text, John III., IS
Memory Verses, 14, 15 Cnmmentart
on tli Day's Lesson.
I. Nicodemus eomej to Christ (vs. 1,
2). I- "Of the Pharisees." A verv strict
and religious sect of the Jews. Thev were
orthodox and believed in the immortality
of the soul and a future state. They hid
great stress upon their traditions, esteem
ing them as highly ns they did the Scrip
tures. They expected the Messiah would
be a temporal deliverer and king, and were
generally looking for Him. " Nicodemus.
A rich ruler of the Jews, a Pharisee and s
member of the Sanhedrin, the supreme
council of the Jewish nation. All we know
of him with certainty is recorded hi re
and in John 7:00 and 10:119. 2. "Caine
by night." The act of cleansing the tem
pie had brought Christ into prominence
I he plain inference is, also, that He had
performed miracles that are not mentioned
by the Bible writers. He came privately,
by night, "ns an art of prudence and dis
cretion." lie had strength of character
and was an unprejudiced, earnest seeker
after light. "Rabbi." This was slum inn
great respect to one who had not been nl
ueated in the rabhinical schools. "A teach
er come from God." This was a complete
indorsement of Jesus and His work, and
now, having thus indorsed Him he was
under gronter obligations to accept the
truths that Jesus was about to proclaim.
II. The new birth (vs. :i-B). 3. "Jesus
answered." Not to a spoken question, but
to the deep unspoken question of his unul
"erily, verily." These words were used
to express the truthfulness of what was
about to be spoken and were considered
of equal import with the most solemn oath.
"I say unto thee." Jesus here entered
into the very heart of gospel truth. He
did not undertake to preach a pleasinz ser
mon in order to make a new disciple of
this "master in Israel." but gave 11 per
sonal, thorough, heart-searching talk, in
which Nicodemus was made to iimjerxtiinil
that he was not in the kingdom of God
imply because he was a pious .lew. "Kx
rept.' "Jesus meets the 'except' of Nicode
inus with another 'except.' Nicodemus avi
'do; Jesus says 'be.' We must be before
we can do." "Born again." "Final above."
anew,' converted, regenerated. The one
born again has a new life, with a new na
ture, new principles, new affections, new
aims. "Cannot see." Knioy. share in. en
ter (v. B). "Kingdom of God." The king
dom of grace here and of glorv hereafter.
4. "How born," etc. To be born again
w;as a familiar figure with the Jews, but
Nicodemus evidently thought Christ's de
scription of this being born again to be sn
radical and absolute as to suggest and jus
tify the query whether it did not include a
re-birth of body. 5. "Of water and of the
Spirit." We present three different views
as to the meanint of the term "water:"'
1. Water, washing and cleansing are fiyiir
ative expressions used in Scripture to de.
note a spiritual operation on man's heart.
It is not necesary that, we should under
stand two different things, and this is
probably only an elliptical form of speech
for the Holy Spirit under the similitude of
water. . A number of expositors think
the "water" lus reference to Christian
baptism. 3. The expression refers 10
Johns baptism, which was unto repent
ance, and was alone known to Nicoilenius.
0. "Of the flesh is flesh." Like produces
like with regard to both flev,h and spirit.
We are thoroughly fallen, und a clean
thing cannot come tiom nn unclean.
III. An illustration (vs. T. 8K 7
"Marvel not." Do not wonder nt this
there are many things you do not under
stand. Thou canst not even understand
the blowing of the wind. "Must be."
This law is unchangeable. Tin-re is no
other wuy of entering the kingdom of
heaven .
H" i'1"' blowcth." This illustration
was likeiy suggested by the sound of the
night wind about the house. .Icmh speci
fies three points in which the Holv Spirit's
work in regeneration is like the Win J: 1.
Independence of movement, "where it list
eth.' 2. Distinctness, of effect, "thou
heurest the sound." .1. Its surpassing out
comprehension as to its origin and its des
tiny, thou "canst not tell," etc. A fourth
anulogy is certainly worthy of mention,
though not in point with Nicodemus,
namely, the varieties in the power, some
times gentle as a zephyr, oguin raging ns
a tornado. In Hebrew the term for "wind"
nnd "spirit" is the same. This would
make tho illustration all the more forcible
"So is every one." The laws of the spirit
ual life are unknown. We can understand
the new birth only as we receive il.
IV. Christ's words the foundation of
faith (vs. 9-13). ft. "How," etc. inverse
4 his question was really an objection, hue
now he is not unbelieving hut bewildered.
He could not npprehend spiritual truth.
111. "Art thou the teacher" (I!. V.) The
question is a reproof. Have vou studied
the Scriptures o you are capable of leach
ing them without learning these all impoi
taut truths? II. "We." Kderslieim
thinks that in nil probability St. John
was present during this entire interview.
"Do know." lie s.ioke with the greatest
possible assurance. Not upon hearsay, but
from personal knowledge. "Ve receive
not our witness." They received His mir
acles us genuine, yet reused to accept the
spiritual truths lie taught. "Ye" is al
ways plural, and is spoken with reference
to the class to which Nicodemus belongs,
12. "How shall ye believe." If you do
not believe the first principles the begin
nings of gospel truth how shall ye believe
if 1 continue the subject further and tell
you of the deeper things, the hcavcnlv
things, such as. "My divinity (v. 13); the
atonement (v. 14); salvation bv faith (v.
1"): the great love of God (v, 10) "
13. "And no man." etc. There ivas a
false notion among the Jews that Moses
had ascended up to heaven to get the law.
Jesus in effect ays, No one, not evrn
Moses, hath ascended up to heaven to
search out heavenly things; but the Son
of man has dwelt "from all eternity in the
bosom of the Father," and has come di
rect from heaven. "In heaven." He is
o 11 nip resent, filling heaven and earth with
H's presence, and even now is in heaven.
V. The way of salvation (vs. 14, V).
14. "The serpent." Num. 21:4-1). The
history of tho brazen sernout is a parable
of the gospel. "Son of Man be lifted up."
1. In His crucifixion. 2. In Ilia exalta
tion. 3. In tho publishing and preaching
of His everlasting gospel. Jo. "Whoso
ever," etc. GeDtiles as well as Jews.
"Whosoever" is better for each one than
though he were called by name, for the
same name might belong to another, Those
who accept Christ as their personal Sa
viour will be saved from the effects of sin.
which naturally end in the destruction of
the soul, and will be given spiritual lifa
here and in the world to come life ever
lasting. "Kterual life." Eternal life w
fulness of life, joy, peace and love.
Class Workmanship.
One ot the greatest artistic marvels
ot the world is to be seen In the m se
ll m at Harvard university. This curi
osity consists of hundreds of speci
mens of flowers aud plants formod ot
glass, but with such exquisite fidelity
to nature that they appear to be real,
every tint and marking, every tiniest
detail, being faithfully reproduced.
They are made by a secret process,
the artists being a father and soq
In Germany, who. It Is said, may lei
their secret die with them. As an In
stance of tho wonderful workmanship,
It may be mentioned that the very
hairs which appear on the stems on
certain plants are reproduced un the
glass Imitations.
Small Farms In Denmark.
In .Denmark there are S24.0U0 rural
land owners. More than half have not
more than ono acre, 06,000 have less
than Tour acres, nud only 2,000 have
more. The small land owners mainly
occupy themselves with the egg aad
fowl l4u6try.
JANUARY TWENTY-NINTH.
"Heroes of Foreign Missions; What
They Teach Us." 2 Cor, 11:
21-28.
Scripture Verses. Luke 10, 1, 17;
Acts 13. 49 62; 16, 23-25; 20, 22-24; 23,
11; 2 Kings , 1517; Ps. 31, 19, 20;
34, 7; John 15, 4, 5.
Lesson Thoughts.
The work of a foreign missionary
not only leads him Into greut danger
for his life but into great labors.
Christian work In our own land,
where the prevailing sentiment favors,
la often discouraging and laborious,
what must It be in a lnnd where the
sentiment Is strongly antagonistic?
It is not always tha daring, thrill
ing deed that calls for heroism; per
hups oftener It Is the patient fidelity
to humdrum duty. "Tho care of all
the churches" Paul added as the cli
max of his list of missionary hard
ships. Selections.
it matters not what (lidlcullles and
dinco;inipementn we may meet. If we
are confident that we are doing God's
will, we shall have songs Instead ol
sighs and be ever overflowing with
the pence of God.
When we want to describe over
whelming odds, wo say, "It was one
against a thousand." But often tho
missionary is one against ten thous
and or a hundred thousund. Wo would
not think ot sending a single soldier
to hold a fort In nn enemy's country,
but often a single missionary holds
the fort in the midst of millions of
heathen, all bitter enemies of the gos
pel he is trying to teuch, and keefi iu
every way to thwart hlni.
George L. Mackay toiled for twenty
three long years In the great island ot
Formosa. He visited village aftr;r vil
lage where not a soul would listen to
him. Still he kept on, because he be
lieved that one with God is a majori
ty. He declared thut in all this work
he never saw anything to discourage
bim.
Whoever comes to in-each the un
searchable riches of Christ among the
heathen, comes on a wurfare which re
quires all prayer and supplication to
keep his armor bright. Moffat.
I was never left without hearing
that promise, in nil its consoling and
supporting power, coming up through
the darkness and the anguish, "Lo,
I am with you alway!" Pattor..
Asleep or awake, I am happy be
yond the poor compass of language to
tell! Richard Wlllinms, starved to
death in Pategoniu.
Men who live near to God, and are
willing to suffer uny thing for Christ's
sake without being proud of it, those)
re the men we want. Judsou.
EPWOfiTHlfflETESSONS
JANUARY TWENTY-NINTH.
City Evangelization. Isa. 62. C; Jon
all 5. 10, 11.
The last ten years have witnessed
a great advance in the recognition of
the need of the salvation of our great
cities. About that time our National
City Evangelization Union was organi
zed. Local societies are now main
tained In about sixty cities. The so
ciety publishes leaflets and a monthly
organ. The Christian City, edited by
Dr. North. The last General Confer
ence gave special attention to this
work, and appointed a special com
mittee on this phuse of work. They
reported some changes in the powers
ot local organizations, and planned for
an Increase in this arm of the church's
work. The imperative need of this
work Is seen In
The Size of Our Cities. A great
proportion of our population Is mass
ed In comparatively a few cities. The
cities are growing faster than? the
country. They are rapidly becoming
the greut renters of population and in
fluence. The Dangers of the City. These
grow out of several factors. The cos
mopolitan character of their popula
tion, embracing all nationalities, com
plicates the problem. The size of the
city makes vice and crime easy and
secure. The misrule of cities Is a con
stunt menace to the nation. Wealth,
boodle, and rum unite to endanger
the social and moral life of the city.
The Influence of the City. The In
fluence of the great city Is almost ab
solute In politics, In social life, and In
a commercial way. To conserve this
influence for right we must evange
lize it. While the rural districts
must not be neglected and they have
their own problems, we must multi
ply our work in the city. There is need
of a greut awakeplng In our land and
church as to this work. May this les
son help iu doing It!
Dr. Jefferson, whose-church In the
heart of New York Is doing such a
noble work says that "If Christianity
fulls In Ihe city, it falls everywhere.
The world has no use for a religion
that falls at the most Important point,
and that Is the city. The city Is like
a heart pumping poison through the
entire system. It must be cleansed,
or the whole body will perish."
Dr. Purkhui'st says that it Is a very
Important point in illumination to put
the light where it is dark. "It cor
porations did not understand the phil
osophy ot lighting cities by gas better
than some of us seem to understand
tho philosophy ot lighting cities by
gospel, the nights in some ot our
wards would bo as black us the mor
als are."
RAM'S HORN BUSTS
1MK servers ate
eternity losers.
Originality If, sim
ply personality.
Heaven is the In
terpreter of earth.
A live meetlug
need j little leading.
The best criticism
of the Uible would
be to give us a bet
ter one.
It Is never hard to
l hold the people if
you are really helping them.
Some men will nt believe they ate
suved from drowning until they feel
dry.
You cannot warm your heart on the
Lible and refuse its light on your
way.
It's no use a man's praying for a
clean hoart If ho will not waah his
face. ,
They who love God for His gifts
never know huw murti His love i-ati
give.
The Home of the Blast.
Around about me Is a world,
A world I cannot see:
Its boundaries are infinite,
Its breadths encompass me.
The wonders of this blessed land,
Where joys eternal dwell,
Are too exalted for the words
Of mortal man to tell.
Mansions that glisten in the sun,
Which lights that country fair.
Are homes of our beloved ones
Who now are sheltered there.
No hate. nor fear, nor anger lucre,
No selfishness, nor greed.
The only law they know is love;
Suflicient for their need.
The air so pure is nndctilcd
lly erring mortal,.' breath:
An angel guards the city's gates
And mortals call him. Death.
1 do not fear the sentinel.
I know my Lord is King,
Oh. grave, where is thy victory?
Oh, death, where is thv sting?
Prank IJeard, iu the ltam's Horn.
Tlia Victories of the Meek.
F.lessed are the meek for Ihey shall In
herit the earth. Matt, v., 5.
When these words were spoken by the
Son of Man who had not where to lay
His bend Imperial Caesar had but to nod
to be obeyed by a hundred millions ol peo
ple. Itehiud Caesar were the nroud legions,
slid nil the "boast of heraldry and pomp
jf power" (hat went along with them,
while behind the Son of Man there was
nothing but the simple truth which He
hoped might, some time or other, make us
ill "free."
Caesar and his legions nnd pandects and
palaces are a faded memory, a part of the
archaeology of things, hut the Galilean is
stronger to-day than He was when. L'fOO
years ago lie uttered that word about the
meek.
Steadily since that date the Man of love
and gentleness and truth has been grow
ing, while the man of uower. the max with
the legions back of him, has been dwind
ling. The empire of arms, the dominion ol
brute force, is slowly but surely retrograd
ing, while the kingdom of reason, of love
and of quiet truth has been pushing to the
front .
When Jesus announced His truth about
meekness it sounded very strange. Il was
n time of storm and stress, of blood and
iron. of organized violence and robbery,
and in the midst of such condition of af
fairs what show was there for such as were
"meek," for such as were modes', gentle,
unassuming?
Hut Jesus knew what He was about, lie
was talking, not wildly, but rationally and
well, and the twenty centuries that have,
elapsed since He threw His beatitude into
the world only seem to show how well He
knew what He was saying.
Unite force and violence are lint prelim
inary. When the man comes in to take
the place of the beast for brute force we
have reason and for violence love.
The history of the process wc call civili
zation is the history of the slow, but
steady advance of the spiritual upon the
animal, the elimination of the animal, the
enthronement oi the spiritual.
p.ven when the most noise is being made,
when the armies are tSiunilerinx and the
trumpets are clanging, it will be found that
it is the quiet genius of the few thinkers
behind it all that is doing the business.
Power, when all is said, is subjection,
not objection; a thing of Ih? brain and
heart and soul, rather than of the mighty
enginery panoplied with its ii'jignii of
material might.
This is the greatest nnd ;;i-ainlest gene.-a-tiou
simply because it is the fullest of lovt.
of gentleness and of "sweet reasonable
ness." The old idea of the ronqucrer "wading
through slaughter la a throne" and found
ing his "dynasty" on the wreck and ruins
of millions of human live is fast making
way for another idea- that of the one who
eonouers bv good will, by the force of
truth, by the silent omnipotence of princi
ple. And so it lias steadily gone on from the
beginning right down to the present, that
the "meek" the kind, the rational, the
just have been getting more srid more of
a footing on the earth, and a largn' share
in its true possessions.
The old-time "struggle for life" still goes
nn, it is true, and in the struggle it is still
the fittest that survives, but the tittest ot
to-day is a liner thing than was the tittest
of the long ago.
There has necn a great moral advance,
and the cockles of men's hearts to-day are
warmed by the great spiritual ideals
which Caesar never dreamt of and of
which the Alexanders and l).i rinses never
once heard.
The "giants of tha Prince that tare each
oilier in their shrine" are long since dead,
and the physical force that once lorded it
over the world is beginning to be subordi
nated to the force of mind and character
which wins its battles not by blows and
blood, but by the silent influence of its
own superior excellence. Thomas H. Greg
ory, in the Now York American.
. Cod's Pence.
Fe, then, how faithfully the Lord is
leading thee to true peace, who surround
eth thee with so many crosses. It is
called "the peace of God which passeth all
understanding;" that is, which is not
known by feeling or perception or think
ing. All our thinking eanr.ot attain nor
understand it; none but those who of free
will take up the croas laid on them these,
tried and troubled in all they feel and
think and understand, afterward exper
ience this peace. Luther.
The Music or tlie Heart.
Piety is a much abused word, but that
th-re iu a true piety as distinguished from
false piety is clearly shown by the Kev.
J)r. ( uyler iu the words that follow:
"True piety iu the harmony of the soul
with God. His will becomes the will of
His loving and obedient child, and such a
Christian finds his happiness in the chime
of his own desires with what God bids him
to do. This is the fountain of all genuine
music of the heart."
The Itlght Kind of Prayer.
Do not pray for results. Pray for power
to achieve them; not for ease, but for tho
healthy spirit thac rejoices in activity; loi
energy that makes mountain climbing an
exhilaration rather than that the path ba
made smooth. Hev. Jesse K. Hronnnn.
i Way of the Cross.
Go where thou wilt, seek whatsover thou
wilt, thou shalt not find a higher way
above, nor a safer way below than the nay
of the holy cross. Thomas a Kempi.
A Poor Huecess.
There it n success in all this world
which ia so to be dreaded as the success
of getting away from God's purpose for u.
--llobert E. Spear.
Nssd Not Hop.
The man who is afraid of burning up his
wick need not hope to brighten Ihe world.
Scottish Iteformer.
Rejected Insinuation.
A young luwyer was sent from Edin
burgh to a country north ot the Forth
to act as Junior counsel In a licensing
club case. He had to cross-examine
the certifying Justice, who was very
diffuse aud rather evasive in hi an
awei's. "Speak a little more simply aid to
Ote point, please," said the counsel,
mildly, "you are a little ambiguous,
youliuow."
"I am not, sir" replied the wltuesa,
indignantly. "I have been strictly tee
totalfor a year." Ram's Horn.
fHE GREAT DESTROYER
SOME STARTLING FACTS A30UT
..THE VICE OF INTEMPERANCE.
Hie T.ntost Ifews In T.ll Tnnrnre rlrcles
Is Astonlshlnc His Tipplers Ielll
Kt Among Moderate Drinkers Much
X-rs;er Than Among; Abstainers.
The Hoslon Herald, under the editorial
head "Favoring Total Abstainers." says:
"If t lie insurance companies decide to
favor the total abstainer, it will lie pretty
strong proof that their investigations have
led them to the conclusion that even the
moderate use of alcohol is not conducive
to long life. If this step is taken by the
insurance companies it will unquestionably
jirove a very strong temperance, or rather
total abstinence, argument. In many lines
of industry the total abstainer is now
given special advantages. There
will be few temperance arguments more
eloquent to the average man than the as
surance that he may receive s better rat
ing from the insurance companies if he is
a total abstainer than if he is an occasional
user of alcohol.
"The New York Tribune "lutes that s
number of actuaries and -medical directors
have been working on the statistics for
some vears. and have rnnie to the conclu
sion that those who refrain entirely from
the use of alcohol live longer by from
twenty to fifty ner cent, than do moderate
drinkers as a class. Even if the
minimum named was the maximum in real
ity it would justify the companies in talc
ing the temperance factor into ronsideru
lion. If total abstainers lis V
twenty per cent, longer on the average
than do those who indulge in a moderalf
use of alcohol. Unit fait, should be taken
into consideration in figuring the risk o!
insurance on either class."
The Kansas Citv Journal, under the cap
tion "Alcohol as pood." says:
"Medical science has reached the conclil
sion that it is useless if not injurious tf
take alcohol even for its possible food ele
ments. And this scienlilic view has beer
received with approval in the biisinesi
world. The big life insurance roinpanief
are about to give special low' rates for lit
insurance to those who are total abstain
ers in the matter of spirituous nnd mill'
liotiors. The companies have approachec
this matter without prejudice, as it il
merely a matter of dollars and cents wit!
them."
The New York American, in comment
ing on these latest bulletins of the life in
surance societies notes the following testi
mony of Dr. Shrady, the famous praeti
tioncr who was General Grant's physiciai
throughout his last illness:
"Dr. George P. Shrady voiced the senli
ment of a score of prominent physician
when he said in speaking of the now insur
ance policy:
" 'I think it is a good and just plan, an
the liberality of insurance companies ti
non-drinkers will be a profitable arrange
ment. That reduced rates should be givel
on the lives of total abstainers can be am
ply shown. No figures are necessary t
tell of the higher percentage of deatlu
among peonle addicted to the use n
liquors. It is simply a matter of daily ot
serration.
" 'The extent to which drink shorten1
life will be a matter for deiicatc adjust
ment. It must, of course, depend upon th
amount of liquor taken into the system
The moderate drinker of to-day may be
come the immoderate drinker of to-mor
row. There are all sorts of things whicl
must enter into the calculations of the in
surance companies and to arrive at n pro
per reduction will require some very def
figuring.'
''The proposed new'policy. it is said, wil
contain many safeguards to protect tli
company against fraud on the part of tie
policy holder and against any fall fron
grace ofter the policy is issued. These
-ils are still under consideration."
Alarming fleruinn Comparison.
The commission appointed by Kaise
Wilhelm to look into the drinking habit
of his subjects reports that the Germai
people consume alcoholic liouids to th.
value of 75O.UO0.0OO in the course of on.
year; that the portion of income spen
by the Germans for drink on the averag.
is one-eight! of all they earn. The aver
age income of a grown up German is sail
to be IIK) per annum. 'The commission
bv comparing, found that the German peo
pie's drink bill is four times as high as th
State's total income from duties and fool
and drink taxes, it is eleven times as higl
as the entire budget of the post and tele
graph, twenty-one times as high as tin
cost of old age insurance, thirty times a;
high as the amount of fire insurance z
the Empire. 1000 times as hih as the cn
of caring for the poor, und considerabi;
more than ia spent by the Government t
'tain its immense army and navy.-
Increae of Women Drnnkards.
The figures relating to deaths reanllini
from alcoholic excess in the decade ending
with the last century are appalling. Tin
number of such deaths among women ii
1000 was more than double the number il
18H1. and the increase is far greater that
in the case of deaths of males. Tha figurei
given in the annual report of the ltegistrar
General show conclusively that drunken
ness, especially among women, has mark
edly increased during the past twenti
years. Thev are as follows:
Female Englund and Wales.
1801. 19U0. 1002
Alcoholism, delirium
tremens "to 1,573 1,11!
Males:
Alcoholism, delirium
tremens 1,327 2.003 1,67.'
Compared with the number of deathi
from these causes among women in 1H83
which was M7, the rigure lor 1900 is al
the more striking.
Women Victims.
Cirrhosis of the liver, which is induced
by alcoholic excess, accounted for th
deaths of 1357 women in Knglund in 1883,
2112 iu 1900 und 1770 in 1902. In Ireland
a similar state of affairs prevails. The re
port of the registrar-general just issued
shows That in 1891 nineteen women died
from delirium tremens and chronic alcohol
ism, and in 1900 this number had increased
to torty-one. an increase, as in this coun
try, of over 100 per cent. The deaths ol
males, on the other hand, from the sum
cause had increased only from 112 to If'
Demanding Total Abstinence.
Railways, manufacturers and others ar
demanding total abstinence from ull whe
enter their service. The day may come
when the voice of public sentiment will call
for the same requirement in those who arc
entrusted with the responsibility of con
trolling the National forces. Il such self
denial is reasonable and salutary in great
private enterprises, why should not the
same rule hold good when the lives of vast
numbers and the safety and honor of tiny
country are at stake? The Kev. D. Stuart
Dodge.
The Crusade la Brlol'
The drunken chauffeur is a class apart
for whom there should be speed I and dras
tic legislation.
The drunken chauffeur adds a new ter
ror to life. The automobile in the hands
of a sober chauffeur is bad enough.
Repretentative Baker, of New York, is a
total abstainer, and does not hesitate to
say a word lor temperance whenever occa
sion offers.
1,1 Camden. N. J., three citirens counted
1205 men going into a corner saloon one
Sabbath between 7 a. m. and 5 p. m. It is
needless to ask why the men are not in the
churches.
The temperance cause is making gieat
headway in Germany, so much so that the
consumption of lieer has recently lallen be
low that of the United States.
About $37,500 has been subscribed by
friends of the United Kingdom Hand ot
Hope Union toward s new fund of $50,000
required to renew for the next five years
the union's scientific temperance lecture
system among the elementary chuol of
the country.
If an automobile in drunken charge were
dangerous only to those who entrust, them
nelvcs to such keeping, the evil 11111.U'. be
left with some justice to cure itselt. Hut
the great peril to others in an automobile
managed i r mismanaged by a mun criued
with liquor is so obvious .uj uiUui ju '.u
einnU special regulation. ..
JBE KEYSTONE STATE
Latest News of Pennsylvania Told ia
bhort Order.
Charters were issued at the Stat
Department to the following corpora
lions: Pittsburg and New , York .Coal Com
pany, sl'ittburg; capital $15,000.
Poyntclc-Orson Ice Company, Carbon
dale j capital ?l.5,ooo.
S. R. Moss Cigar Company, L'.ilca
tcr; capital $X),otx).
O. W. Miller Cigar ompany, Shir
Icysbttrg; capital $51,000.
Oakmont Land & Improvement Com
pany, Oakmont ; capital $50,000.
Willianisport Planing Mill Company,
Williamsport ; capital $100,000.
Willamsport Hardwood Lumber Com
pany, Willianisport; capital $50,000.
Columbia Llectric Light, Heat and
I'ower Company, Columbia; capital $10,
000. Johnson Motor Company, Chester;
capital jjio.uoo.
Roberts lirotliers Company. Pcckvillf. ;
capital $5000.
Pcnn 1-ruit and Produce Company,
Pittsburg; capital $15,01x1.
The Hells Mill Coal Company, P.lairs
ville; capital $,io,ooo.
Abbott Packing Company, Carnegie;
capital $50,000.
William C. ISurtt Company, Tittsburg;
capital $10,000.
Ferroman Land Company, Philadel
phia; capital $15,000.
Harmony Light, Heat and Power
Company, Harmony; capital $5000.
Zclicnople Light, Heat and Power
Company, Zclicnople; capital $5000.
Jackson Light, Heat and Power Com
pany, Jackson Township, Blair County;
capital $5000.
Charters were issued to a Pittsburg
syndicate for ten water companies, with
a capital of $5,000 each to do business in
Allegheny County. The titles of the
companies are as follows: The Ridge,
Ingrain; The Rosslyn, Carnegie; The
Pan Handle, Esplen; The Idlcwood,
Chartiers; The Kcrnwood, Sheridan;
The Chestnut Ridge. Green Tree; Tho
Westwood. Union; The Lebanon
Heights. Scott Township; The Beach
wood, West Liberty, and the Oakwood,
Craft on.
Motonnan Walter Scott and Conduc
tor Elvin Sterner were bringing a trol
ley car from Tumbling Run to Pott,
ville, when a man jumped upon the
front platform anil threw Scott off too
car. When Sterner came to his motor
man's assistance, the intruder drew
revolver and forced Sterner to jump
off the car. All the while the car waj
running at a high rate of speed. Sterqr
ert after leaving the car, went to tlo
nearest telephone and sent this mes
sage into headquarters : "A masked roh
bcr has stolen our car." At Sterner!
suggestion, the power was cut oil from
the division and that stopped the car.
The robber lied, leaving bis hat behind.
A hero hunter was engaged by trie
Carnegie Hero l-'mul Commission. Not
that there is any hesitancy 011 the part
of persons to proclaim themselves he
rocs, thousands of appi lea lions being
on hie, but the commissioner., are not
convinced they are the real thing. In
order to be absolutely sure on this point,
George A. Campsey, a Pittsburg news
paper man, was engaged to investigate
the claims of heroes, lie will travel
all over the L'tiiled Stales and Canada
and will meet the heroes face to face,
hear their stories, examine their proofs
and talk to witnesses ot the heroic deeds.
Then he will report to the commission.
It is proluble, in view of the great army
of claimants, that the commission will
add other hero hunters to the corps. The
commission held its annual election, but
made no changes in its officers, re-electing
Charles J. Taylor, president ; W. J,
Holland, vice-president; J. II. Reed,
treasurer; F. M. Wilmot, secretary and
manager of futuL
Unknown to each oilier, two couple!
left Coushohockeu 011 the same train
011 Saturday night to be married. Jamei
Campbell, a basket ball player, and Miss
Emma Hartmaii went to Wilmington,
shere they were married. The bride is
'.he sister of William Hartman, guard
of the Consholiockcn basket ball team,
and she was often an interested specta
tor at the games.
Action brought twenty years ago to
abolish the old Mintzer burying ground,
in Poltstown, reached final stages in
Orphans' Court at Norristowu in tho
audit of the account of John A. Weber,
.trustee to sell the half acre of land used
for burial purposes since Revolutionary
days, under the will of Mary Joes. An
interesting phase of the case was tha
discovery of over 170 heirs entitled to
a share of the proceeds, amounting to
$930. Judge Solly traced the genealogy
of each of the 170 heirs in order to de
cree equitable distribution of the $")jo.
Cashier Pearce, of the State Treas
iry, received a communication from
James W. M. Newlin, of Philadelphia,
cautioning him not to pay the increased
salaries to Judges, and saying that tho
State Treasurer's bondsmen will be held
responsible and the matter will be takers
to the highest courts.
Pardons were recommended by
Board of Pardons to John Lydick' and
William A. Moore, Indiana, burglary
and larceny, and James F. Miller. York,
felony. Rehearings were granted in tha
cases of James Goodfellow, Allegheny,
voluntary manslaughter, and William
J. Byers, Allegheny, first degree murder.
In the cases of Eugene liloch, Lehigh,
and Charles Yarnell, Philadelphia, first
degree murder, a commutation of death
sentence to life imprisonment was res
fused. The cases of J. H. Dingman,
Venango, larceny, and William Rear
don, Allegheny, felony, were held und-r
advisement.
Predicting the fast approaching end
in a poem published three weeks ago in
an Altoona paper, W. Scott Wilson, aged
51, ex-minister, poet, orator and edi
tor, whose life had been wrecked by
excesses, died in the city prison. He ia
said to hi.ve been found in a state of
intoxication, and, as an act of charily,
arrested. Death, it is claimed, resulted
from heart failure due to alcoholism.
Wilson was a regularly ordained Meth
odest minister and held charges at
Houtzville and other places in this con
ference. He edited the Altoona Blade
and other papers published in that city,
Willie Victor Maffa and Pietto Abn
so, aged 4 years, were coasting tha
yard of their home at Wycombe, their
sled plunged into an open well. Both
of the boys were drowned.
"Some day after I get out of jail I
will oome back to Chester and blow ut
the Pennsylvania Railroad Station,"
shouted J6H11 Brown, who, after loiter
ing about the depot and acting in a mys
terious manner, was arrested. M 1
trate Smith' committed Brown to 1
Jail for 30 days, ami the prisoner r
his startling threat as be was t
from the city lockup to tha c
prison. Drown a' bis hr 1
1
1