CAN A MAN DO AS HE LIKES?
At Eloquent Snodij Discourse lj Ker.
' Herbert B. Hott
fry Mas Exist Vu4t a Stl ( C"ssltls
Tit 014 Dsctrlss. ,
Boston. Mass. The following svr
sion wm contributed to The Christian
Register by the Itev. Herbert H. Mott.
It Is entitled "Cun a Man Do as Ha
Likes?" aud the text Is: "Choose you
this dav who you will serve."--Joshua
rtiv.. in.
Can a innn do as be likes?
Of course not! you say. All sorts of
barriers hedge liiiu round. Ho -would
tUY to fly as the birds fly, but the
weight of 111 flush and bones keeps
plodding along the ground. He Is born
oor or stupid: consequently he ran
ither buy a steam yacht nor set the
frames on Are, thnutrb he would like
learly to do both. The force of public
opinion compels htm to don a tall sill;
bat and a frock coat when he would
much prefer to go about In a golf cai
and a shoot Ins Jacket. The force ot
public law compels lilm to run his auto
It ten tulles mi hour when he very
much wishes to spin along Joyously a I
the rate of thirty. Every man exists
nnder a set of compulsions. He is
bilged to submit to many limitations
aatural and ai'tltlclul. and he Is com
pelled, by pushes unci pulls and press
ores he is nimble to resist, to do many
things he doesn't want to do.
Nevertheless, in spite of a man's ab
ject alii very In certain directions, is
there not some small apace, some little
irea, in wiiich, lnsteud of being a
llave, he la actually and truly free? it
flepartment of life and conduct In
which he can do as he likes?
The old doctrine the doctrine be
lieved by our fathers, and by nearly
the whole of humnulty, civilized and
uncivilized. In every part of the world.
From the beginning of recorded time
eras that there is such a department of
(lfe and conduct; that in all vital mat
ters, In all matters that havo to do
with the moral quality of life, a man
tan do as he likes. Our fathers held
that, whenever we' stand at a point
where two roads diverge, we are able
to choose, select, determine, which
road to pursue. In such a situation
khe casting vote remains with us.
Whenever two or more governments,
leaders, employers, claim our a lleglanee.
We can "choose whom we will serve."
This la true, said our fathers, no mat
ter how severe the pressure. The
temptation, urgency, force of circum
stances, may be so great as to resem
ble compulsion. It appears as If -we
were obliged to take one road rather
than the other. This, said our fathers,
la appearance only. In -reality,- when
ever two or more alternatives pre
sent themselves, whenever two roads
pen before us, the tleclslon remains
With us. It Is with us to say yes or
ho, to lift the latch or not to lift it, to
take the left or the right. No matter
how great the pressure brought to
bear on us. in tho Inst resort wo can
always choose poverty instead of
riches, captivity instead of freedom,
suffering instead of ease, and instead
of 'life, rather than yield, if need be,
we can always choose death.
This is the bid doctrine, and, al
though it has stood both the test of
time and tho test of experience, there
appears to be. In these duys, a widely
spread tendency to Ignore it. No one
Rentes that circumstances exercise n
powerful influence over our lives, but
the tendency nowadays is to ascribe
rverythlng to circumstances,
i It is related that the eminent natur
alist, Professor Iloulton, placed the
eggs of caterpillars In differently col
ored boxes, and left them there to
hatch out, wlih the remarkable result
that the eggs in the blue box hatched
out Into blue caterpillars, those In the
red box Into red, and those in the yel
low box Into yellow caterpillars. They
were, yon see. the product of their
surroundings, they were what the tint
nt their surroundings made them. And
so, it Is declared, are you and I; we
re what our .surroundings and those
atom1 ancestors make us. We are tho
planes of outside conditions, past and
present.
Here is n man who Is an enemy of
society. He preys UKn his kiud. Ills
career Is divided between debauchery
and other crimes. He Is the victim,
the helpless victim, of outward circum
stances, we are told. His mother was
drunkard, his father was a , thief.
He was reared in the slums. What
can you expect? True, he has lieen to
a reform school; true, he has beeu
helped and aided by various philan
thropic people whom he has merciless
ly deceived. But he. poor fellow!
could not' help himself. I.Ike Profes
sor Boulton's caterpillars, he took on
the tint -of his environment. .Born in,
a black box. he turns out black. His
aurrouudings were evil, therefore tie
(a evil.
Or, again, there Is the hero w ho. like
Charles Lamb, gives up all. in order to
support some one dependent on him.
or surrenders life itself in order to
save the lives of others. AVe are told
the same story about the hero as about
the thief. Ue 1 not brave or self-denying
of his own accord. He is heroic
simply because the conditions in which
he was brought up were favorable, to
heroism, and so heroism grew out of
his aoul, Just ns cabbages grow out of
the soil wheu tho soli coiitulu the
seeds of cabbages.
Goodness nud badness, heroism and
criminality, It is declared, do not re
fide in ns, but in our surroundings.
We are mere passive lumps of clay, on
iwhlch our surroundings stamp what
ever is in them. We are the slaves and
victims of tho conditions iu the midst
of which we are. When we fancy we
are doing as we like, going our'own
way, following our own wills, we are,
In reality, merely obeying the pressure
of circumstance. We are under a rigid
law of necessity all tho time. Even
when we stand where two roads di
verge, and think that we ourselves
choose to take the left hand or the
light hand road, it Is not really wo our
elves who choose, but a number of
circumstances and conditions, working
on us and through us.
Thin doctrine, that we are creatures
of circumstance nnd cannot help what
we do, is a misleading one. It tends to
eelf-deccptiou. It makes us imagine
ourselves better thou we are. .When
iwe do wrong, this doctrine offers
the temptation to us to say; "It
iwaa not my fault. It was the
fault of my education and sur
roundings." And thla will lead to
day, as it has always done In the past,
to A general laxity with regard to
wrong uoiug to u tiHUit V .....
lightly ot the exceeding sinfulness of
ttlu.
This evil doctrine is the more diffi
cult to couibut because there Is an ele
ment of truth in It. Wb are moved
aud swayed by circumstunces. Blrtli
ml education do exercise a powerful
luHueiice over ux. These things must
lie taken into consideration. Never
theless, they don't explain everything.
Make wliut allowance you will for cir
cumstances and education, still In
every transaction we have the Inst
word Tim uroof of this .Js li our
nnily conduct. Wc cannot help blam
ing men nml praising them.
Suppose you are on a Huston street,
and are accosted by an individual In
shabby garments. You are touched by
his tale of woe, and with your usual
generosity you give him an ample
alms. Five minutes later (this Inci
dent Is founded upon fact) in the crush
of n crowded corner, you feel an un
wonted band busy at your pocket, and.
turning round, discover in the would
be thief the very man you have Just
helped.
What do you think of tills fellow?
Do you feel toward him as If lip were
an invalid, a sick soul, a deluded vic
tim of circumstance?
On the contrary, you regard and
Justly regard the robust purlolner of
your pocketbook as an ungrateful
scoundrel, and, If you are a good elti
sen, you promptly and indignantly
hand him over to the police. Sorrow
snd pity you no doubt experience, but.
mingled with sorrow and pity there
will be righteous indignation. How
ever many excuses your .klril heurt
makes for him, you will still blame
the man: for you will be convinced,
however bad his surrounding and his
bringing up. being a man. lie could
have kept straight In spile of all, us
ma ay another has done. You know, iu
your soul, that, however great the ob
stacles, being a man, he was still mas
ter of himself. He might have chopn
differently. He might have taken the
right road instead of the w rong one. if
only he had tried bard enough. You
feel, after all Is said and done, lie was,
In this matter, able to do as he liked.
Consequently, he is responsible. There
fore, we blame him.
Take the opposite case, that of the
hero. We have all reod recently how
the Japanese attempted to block the
?ntranee to Tort Arthur by sinking
steamers in the channel. One of these
vessels had reached the appointed spot.
Her anchor hnd been let go. The fuse
attached to the charge which was to
blow a hole lu her had been lighted.
The officer In command ordeied the
crew into the lifeboat, he himself be
ing the last to leave the ship. A mo
ment he stands on the gunwale, ready
to cast loose. He counts hi men. One
Is missing. Shall they leave him?
The officer has but an instant In which
to make up his mind. There is an in
ward struggle between thp rival im
pulses of duty ond self-regard. Then
he climbs again upon the shot-swept
deck to seek his lost comrade. Alas'.
It Is In vain. The next moment he is
killed by a Russian shell, nud his crew
push' off, only Just lu time to save
themselves.
Why do we regard this man as ft
hero? Why was a public funeral held
In his honor by his countrymen? Why
do we praise him? Because we feel
the brave action was due to him. and
to no thing and no one else. Because
we feel that he stood where two ways
dlvergedJ-the way of duty and the way
of safety and that he was master of
tho situation. He determined which
road to take. Out of his own brave
will, out of his own courageous soul,
he chosp the right way. The decision
lay not with circumstances, conditions,
previous training, or ancestry, but
with himself. We feel that lie. and he
alone, was responsible, and that there
fore to him, and to him alone, belongs
the credit and the praise.
We cannot help blaming the crim
inal, we cannot help praising the
hero, but, If criminal and hero weio
simply the victims of circumstance, to
do so would be meaningless. We have
no right to condemn the criminal If he
cannot help ,oIug what he does. There
is no sense in honoring the hero If tho
heroism Is due to education or to sur
rounding conditions; that is. to some
thing other than the hero. Yet we do
Tomlemn the one. and we do give our
homage to the other. We cannot help
Jiirselves. the praise nnd the blame
we bestow are Involuntary acknowl
edgment that, In spite of all the theo
rles closet philosophers may spin,
there is an ineradicable conviction in
the human heart that we are able, in
the last resort, to do as we like, aud
that ns a consequence we nre respon
sible before God and man both for our
deeds and for our thoughts.
He Gives Grace.
"Bounteous Is Jehovah In His .na
ture; to give is His delight. His gifts
are beyond measure precious, und nre
as freely given as the light of the sun.
He gives grace to His elect because lie
wills it, to His redeemed because of
His covenant, to the called because of
His promise, to believers because
they seek It, to sinners because they
need it. He gives gruee abundantly,
leasonably, constantly, readily, sover
eignly; doubly enhancing the value of
the boon by the manner of Ills be
stowal, leader, how blessed it is. as
the years roll round and the leaves
begin again to fall, to enjoy such an
unfading promise us this: 'The Lord
will give grace.' " Spurgeon.
How to Win Souls For Christ.
Andrew teaches Christians still (lit
first lesson in soul-winning: Go for
your own brother. That Is, try to bring
to Christ those whom you love, those
nearest to you. It makes no difference
whether the nearness Is of blood or
sympathy. Xou will succeed where
you love.
Christianity Is to win the world by
this process alone neighbor Influenc
ing neighbor, friend luttueuclug friend.
It Is liko leaven. One part of yeast
will permeate 'two thousand parts of
dough, but only by chuiiglng the parts
next to it, and so working its way
through the mass.
The Worker's llewsnl.
An English drunkard said to a Salvu
tion Army lassie, who spoke to him
ubout his soul: "You must be well
paid for this. I suppose you expect
as much as half a crown for getting
me to sign tiie pledge." She replied:
"I'm better paid than that. I expect
to get a whole crown, and there'll be
stars lu It beside."
Tackled Nine Lions.
Col. Colin Harding, who is In com
mund of the Darotseland native. po
lice, has had a narrow escape from
death.
While traveling by mule cart from
Murnbwa to Kalonio he found nine
lion across tho track. He picked up
his rifle and wounded two, one ot
which he was following for a second
shot when a lioness sprang upon him
and knocked him over.
Luckily he retained bis ride, and
the brute fled as he, fired. He hnd,
however, sustained a broken collar
bone, and his thigh was gatibed. One
of the lions was found dead. London
Express.
Has 'Sword of David Carrlck.
White Whittlesey of Daubury, Conn.,
baa been presented a sword, worn up
on the stage by Pavld Gurrlok. The
handle Is ornamented with Jewels and
the blade bears evidence of many spir
ited fencing enccuuters.
TI1E SUNDAY SCII00L
IN I tRNA TIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR FEBRUARY 12.
Killdectt Tho Second Miracle In C.mnn,
Inlin W., 4.'l-A4-fj4lllen Telt, .Inhn v.,
:tOMentnrr Vers, 40-Btroninin
let? on ttie Hut's Lesson.
I. Jeus received as a prophet (vs 43
.). 4.'l. "Alter two days. The two
days mentioned in vet-e 40. "Galilee."
The centre of lift nnd activity in Palestine
at that time. It contained 3.000.000 of pro
pic. There wan a large foreign population,
and the .lews were more ready to receive
the gowl thnn in the south. 44. "His
own country." It would seem timt at thi
time Jesus regarded .Jerusalem and . fu
ries, in a very important sense, as "Hit
country," not simply Ilia birthplace, but
the place of Ilia hather'a house nnd king
dom, it be in f the metropolis of the Jews.
They had already manifested hostile feel
ing toward Hun, and therefore He turned
Ilia footstep northward (John 3:25). This
proverb which Jesus here uttered He re-
Iieutcd St Nazareth and was there rejected
iy His own kinsmen. Ilia "own country,"
then, meant Nazareth, where He had
grown up. Uend Luke 4:24; Mark (1:2;
Matt. 13:57. 4o. "Into Galilee." The
country of Galilee. He had accomplished
His journey from Judea. J lis atop in Sa
maria vran for two days only. "Received
Him." This does not mean th.it none re
jected Tliin, hut where He went He was
welcomed. His first miracle there, nearly
a year before, was still in their memory,
and it was only a few weeks after thut
when those same countrymen met Him at
the Passover, and there witnesued other
miracles and a display of His authority in
cleansing the temple.
II. The nobleman's request (vs. 4fi, 47).
4(1. "Again into Cans." Where His disci
ples witnessed the first display of His pow
er, and where their faith in Him ns the
Messiah was confirmed. Very likely He
ivaa again entertained in the home of Na
thanael. "A certain nobleman." Literally
"one belonging to the king." Herod Anti
pan was king at this time and this man
was probably some high officer of Herod's
court. -Some think he was (Jliuza, Herod's
steward or chamberlain, whose wife, Joan
na, ministered to Jesus (Luke 8:3). The
miraculous healing of the nobleman's soq
resembles the healing of the centurion's
servant (Matt. 8:5 and Luke 7:1), but
must not be confounded with it. "Son was
sick." Very sick with a fever (v. 32).
Disease and death come alike to high and
jow. There is misery in palaces ss well as
in hovels. "Capernaum. A city on the
northwest coast of the sea of Galilee.
Soon after this Jesus made Capernaum
His home.
47. "When He heard." Probably
through the reports of those who had been
at the Passover, if he had not himself wit
nessed the miracles there. Capernaum
was not more than twenty miles from
C'ana, and the new would uuickly spread
that Jesus was again come to Galilee.
"Went unto besought." Here we see his
tender affection for his son; he spared no
pains to get help for him. We also see his
great respect for our Lord; he came him
self, when he might have sent a servant,
and he besought 1 1 i in . when, as a man in
authority, some would think' he might
have ordered His attendance. The great
est men, when they come to God, must be
come beggars. "Point of death." Times
of sorrow and deepest need lead in to
' Christ. hen no earthly power can aid
I us we turn to the One who has all power
! snd love.
I HI. Jesus demands faith (vs. 4B-50).
j 48. "Kxcept ye see." Not only did they
I demand miracles, but miracles performed
i in a striking manner. How totally unlike
the Samaritans, from whom our Lord had
so lately come, who embraced the divinity
of His teachings without demanding won
ders. This nobleman came purely ab
sorbed 'in his dying son, anxious for the
bodily miracle, but thoughtless of the di
vine claims of the Saviour of sinners. It
is this selfishness of spirit that Jesus now
rebukes. The w ords of this verse are, as it
were, an ejaculation, a thinking aloud of
Jesus. He sees thut to awaken this man
He must more than heal his son; He must
to that sign add an additional wonder.
He must so heal him as to arouse the man
to reflection. 4fl. "Come down," etc.
This discussion of faith was as loss of time
to him. He cannot stop to answer the re
buke, to argue tiie case or to defend his
character. It is his son alone that fills his
thoughts. But his earnestness shows a be
lief in Christ's power which will soon
cause him to acknowledge his child's Sa
viour as divine.
50. "Go thy wny." This would be a
great test to the man's faith, but he was
ready for it. "Thy son liveth." The heal
ing is granted, but without Jesus leaving
("una. Until now the father had believed
on the testimony of others. Now his faith
is to rest on a belter support on the per
sonal contact which he had just had with
the Lord Himself. "The man believed."
This is an instance of the notver of .1hkii
to convince the mind; to soothe doubts; I
10 conurm luitn, and to meet our desires.
Had our Lord gone with him, as he
wished, his unbelief could not have been
fully removed. God always bestows His
gifts in that way iu which His glory is best
promoted and our eternal interest secured.
''The word spoken." Ilefore this he bail
believed in Christ's power to heal, now ha
believes in His word and acts accordingly.
IV. Faith rewarded (vs. 51-54). 01.
Ca
naiim. "Met him. While the father
was descending the hillsides with trust and
peace, they were ascending them with glad
news." "Thy son liveth?' Meaning the
same that Jesus meant when He used the
same words that, he would recover from
this sickness, witn the prospect of length
ened life. 02. "Then enquired he." His
fuith was rewarded. He had believed the
word and received its fullillinent. It was
his delight to consider the works of God,
and to note the beauty and harmony be
tween His word and His work. "At the
seventh hour." Definite time, definite
work. This was either 1 o'clock p. in., ac
cording to the Jewish reckoning, or 7
o'clock p. m., according to one Roman
reckoning. The latter explains best why
the nobleman did not go home the sains
night.
53. "The father knew." Evervthing
was clear to his understanding. It was
while he was beseeching the Saviour that
his prayer was answered, though at the
time he knew it not. Mortals can tell
more of what they have experienced than,
they can claim by faith. The diligent com
paring of the works of Christ with His
words will be of great, use to confirm our
faith. As the word ot God, well studied,
will help us to understand His providences,
so the providence of God, well observed,
will help us to understand His word.
"Himself whole house." llelieved in the
divine claims of Jesus. This is the earliest
mention of "household faith." fi4. "Sec
ond 'miracle." Not the second miracle
Jesus hud wrought (chap. 3:2; r. 45), but
the second iivIalilee.
Saved by Faithful Dog.
Had it not been for 'his faithful lu
tie collie dog, the 6-year-old son of
William Steel of Du Ponts Banks. Del,
would have been drowned.
While playing with his little dog the
little fellow stumbled into a fishpond.
The dog ran to the house and back tr
tho pond, barking all the time.
The hoy's mother and grandmothei
ran after the dog to the pond and ar
rived lust In time to see the boy's
head just above the surface ot the
water. The grandmother jumped In
and, grasping tho drowning boy,
brought nlra ashore. ' '
Conditions a Century Ago.
A copy ot the New Hampshire Oa
tette published at Portsmouth, N. H.,
In September, 1810, Informs us that
there were at that time 29,474 slaves
In the territory of New Orleans on
which a tax ot $22,000 was paid. In
the election returns it Bhows that Lis
bon, then called Concord, had 145 vot
ers and was strongly republican.
FEBRUARY TWELFTH.
"Christ a Servant and We are Ser
vants." Phil. 2:3-11.
Scripture Verses. Esth. 4:13-1(5:
.Tohu 15:13; Rom. 1(1:3. 4; Phil. 2:3-8;
Heb. 13:12, 13; I John 3:lt-lS: 4:11,
20, 21; Mutt. 6:42; 7:12; 26:34 36.
Lesson Thoughts.
He deserves the greatest honor who
nerves best, even though his place of
service may be very humble. Position
does not make the man honorable;
but the faithful servant may dignify
the lowest position.
Much false honor Is bestowed upon
men in the world by men of the
world; but God judges honestly, and
In his service only real merit is hon
ored. With Ood. not the mere Reeker af
ter honor receives it, but he who los
es sight ot the reward in his desire
to serve.
Selections.
Those that fear a disease most are
most likely to catch It, and those thut
fear to be looked down upon are most
likely to be despised.
It is not the figure head on the
bow, but the unseen screw beneath
the water, that makes tho steumshlp
go. For all who desire to see tho
cause of Christ prosper, the ndvlce,
"In honor preferring ono another,"
la the "open sesame" to success;
while one of the greatest dangers In
tho church Is the seeking of honor for
ourselves. This Is the rond on which
many a noblo cause has been wreck
ed. Jesus camo into the world, "not to
be ministered unto, but to minister,
and to give his life a ransom, for
many." He was always helping men,
doing them good, making sacrifices
for them. The central figure of the
world, the greatest man, the King of
kings, achieved his headship by serv
ing men more widely, more self
nucrificlngly than nny other being in
the universe.
Jonathan Edwards describes n
Christian as being like, "such a little
flower as we see in the spring of the
year, low ami humble ou the ground,
opentng its bosom to receive the
jdeasant beams of the sun's glory, re
jolcttig, as it were, in 'a calm rapture;
diffusing round a sweet fragrance;
standing peacefully and lowly in the
midst of other flowers."
It Is the mark of nobleness to vol
unteer the lowest service, the great
eat spirit only attaining to humility.
Nny, God Is God because he is the
Bervant of all.
No good that the frimblest of us
has wrought dies. If you have served
God lu serving another, God remem
bers It, although he does not. There
is one long unerring memory In the
universe out of which nothing ever
fides. ,.. .j
EPWORTIi LEAGUE LESSONS
FEBRUARY TWELFTH.
Christ a Servant And We are Ser
vants. Phil. 2. 3-11.
Our lesson is one of a series of ex
hortations to certain Christian vir
tues. The special one which we
study Is an exhortation to self-forgetful
love. Nothing is to be done
through strife, but everything In hu
mility. And us an Illustration of
the spirit of our service tho humil
ity of Christ is described. His vol
untary humility as a "servant" is a
model for us who ure like "servants"
to the Father. And us the exalta
tlon of Christ grew out of his humllia-'
tion, so ours will come by self-abasement
and humility. The spirit of
humility which Christ illustrated we
must incarnate in ourselves if we
would like him be exulted and honor
ed. Humility is not a fashionable grace.
It will never be popular with the
world. And when it is put on exhi
bition It is frequently a counterfeit
humility. True humility is not self
abnegation so much as a true self
consecration. Humility is Bervlce.
We are to be as Christ was in this
life. As he became a servant and
obedient unto death, so are we to
be servants unto righteousness and
obedient unto duty. We are to be
come humble, willing workers for
Christ and his church. What a need
for such there is. Plenty for the
great places aud the distinguished
services, but too few for the obscure
am' humble spheres ot life. The
humMe man is the useful man. The
ploddtr is often the most helpful. He
as youi Muster v as, a servant. It
Is enough ."or ne ( lsclple that he be
as his master.
The man who has this spirit of
true humility, which is the spirit of
true service, will be a contented man.
He will feel thut any place Is a place
of honor. He will make any place an
honorable place by tilling it honorab
ly. The humble man is the truly
thankful man. Content with what
God gives, he is thankful for what he
receives. He will also be the useful
man. The great need of tho church
and the League to-day is a band of
humble, willing workers, who will do
auythlug they are needed to do, and
do It cheerfully und promptly. Dear
fellow Kp worth Leaguer, "lt this
mind be in you, which was In Christ
Jesus." Possess this humble spirit
of usefulness, und we will glorify
God.
RAM'S HORN BLASTS
1
HE whale of Jonah
is too big a problem
to be mauaged from
so trail a boat.
Hot hauda make
cold feelings.
Growlers do not
grow In grace.
The spiritual is
Bsldom spectacular.
fsyss vcilr3i nt but be graceful.
rikK? Fanaticism Is not
f l the same aa faith.
When the preacher la satisfied with
his sermon the people are often going
'away sad and empty.
Blind obedience always ends In
blessed vision.
The preacher who lives without
prayer preaches without life.
New eyes for the sorrows of others
come from seeing sorrows ot out own.
Nothing spoils the Joy of giving like
speculations as to gettlug.
God has to put many of our treasures
in Heaven to make our hearts stay
there.
-n-'l )
18
Was-
Things In Crmrnilipr.
A little lioM-, a little faith serene.
A little word of strength f ir tbo-o who
fall.
A little smlllnu, tho' tears come between,
A little charity if need should cull
And, O! not paltry is our lile, nor small,
Hut big and line and tilled Kith sweet
delight.
If that we keep, each fur the sake ot all,
These little thingn in eight."
r.-ected tlia ran.lly Altar.
The following incident from the ear'?
manhood of the late General Clinton it
Fisk is but one cae in many: He had
thrown himself into business pursuits af
ter his marriage, and gradually hnd ceased
to think of rcligi.m. One night about tout
years alter his marriage his little three-vear-old
daughter came and knelt at his
knee to say her evening prayer. It was s
trying experience to the voting father, es
pecially when Marv prayed. "God bless
papa and mamma.' It was still wore
when, rising to kiss him good night, the
child asked: "Papa, why don't you prav?'
He made some light answer ami went ntl
lo the bank to balance his account . Hut
he was deenly moved. When he returned
home anil he and his wife were alone he
said: "Did you hear t lie ojicimn Marv
s-ked me?" "Vet. Clinton, 1 heard it.'
answered Mrs. Fisk. "Well, Jenny. I've
been thinking it nil over, nnd I've mailt
up my mind that with God's help we'll
huve the player there ought to he in this
household hereafter, li you'll hand me
the llible we'll liegin now. They did so;
the family altar was reared, and never af
ter, either in sunahine or in storm, v:is it
taken down.
In Ills Own Likeness.
God made man in His own likcnc, I
the statement of .Scripture. Man prang
from the animal kingdom is the statement
of science. The Bible nowhere maintains
he did so. It simply goes back lurthei
than our scientilic observation can pene
trate and seizes upon thnt primal element.
Further still, is not the entire animal crea
tion as dust compared to man? Hut be
sure that mini is man not by nny inherent
force of evolution. The animal cannot
propagate the human. Like begets like
God breathed into the dust and it became
a living soul, after that it was prepared
by being carried up through unnumbered
centuries of animalistic differentiation if
you like. Uev, Dr. Robert, McDonald.
New York.
The Church lleinnrralic.
The distinction in the minds of the com
mon people is not that of terms, but ol
fact. "Consecration" and "ordination." as
well as "order" and "olhce." mean little to
us except as they stand tor the principles
of our beloved Methodism upon which wo
stand. The democratic ronsciouKiu-s of
the church remains unshaken. The people
are the church wc common iieople. Cod
bless us! and no tine woven web of "ex
planations" can substitute any other Kpiie
copsliuni-m than that we both give and
can take away the powers which reside in
us as the body of t lu-ist!- llei . George
H. Hirney,
Take Heart.
Is there one among you who is cast
down and discouraged? lias the way
seemed rough, the burden heavy? Have
you been thwarted, opposed and perhaps
inclined to give 1111? Take heart, my
friend. Per cruccm, ad lucem! Per apera,
ad antra! By the round road to the s-tarx!
1 hear the songs of heaven coming thu
way. I see the light streaming through
the gates. The odors, of the King's xarden
flow toward us. Oh. the hosaiinas and
hallelujahs! The glory dazler-i like a sun
burst. Ljie! Life! eternal life! - i!ev. Dr.
D. J. Bui roll.
Joy of I'rnriuetion.
Kvery one of us has been to some fac
tory or industrial centre where through the
lack of sympathy between the people and
the managers there has been a stolidity
and even sullenness of temper, and w here
the people have gone to their work and r
turned home with a heavy tread and joy
less. They have stnyed there only because
they had to. They have taken no pride
or satisfaction in their labor, because of a
sense of injustice or hopelessness. Those
conditions need changing, to bring into
play hopefulness and the "joy of produc
tion." Bishop William Lawrence, Boston.
Support the- Missionaries.
Robert K. Speer says: "If Christianity U
what the New Testament represents, and
the experience of millions of Christians
proves, it is the business of all who have
received it to support the missionaries
who are trying, not to bear this or that
fruit of Christianity to heathen lands, but
to plant there its roots, that they may
produce among each peoplo the, living
works uf God."
The First Martyr.
James nnd John were both with Christ
on the mount of the trnnstiguratioii, and
James was so passionately friendly with
Christ that ho became the tirst martyr
after the cross, for he saw Jesus only und
believed in what he saw. Passing to these
later conturien we find that men nnd wom
en do not see Jesus onlv, but look at all
things in a far more worldly manner Kev,
Anson Phelps Stokes, Jr., Yale College
Whan Money la Kril.
It is commonly supposed that money is
ihe root of evil, yuch, however, is not
the case. Money in itself is neither good
nur bad. bother money is a curwe or
blessing depends wholly upon the manner
in which it be Used. It is the excessive
love of money that may be termed the root
of evil; it is when money becomes the mas
ter, instead of being our sluvu. llubbi A.
Giitlenavlier, Baltimore
Keep Thy Heart.
Heaven's most impressive r.iiUion i-
"Keep thy heart with all diligence"
guard it, protect it, keep it pure "for out
of it are the issue of life." (Prov. 4:23).
It controls our destiny for weal or woe,
even to eternity. It is a fountain, whose
watei-s may heal and hlcs, or poison nud
blight, wherever they llow forth. Hishoji
Geo. D. Ciifiimins.
Hoi I to the Hllil-.
Ho!d' fast to the Bible. Write its pie
cents 011 your hearts and practice them in
your lives. To the inllueiice of this book
we are indebted for the progress made in
ti-uo civilization and to this we must look
us our guide iu the future. (Irani.
The Attitude of lteierence.
When the soul becomes accustomed to
!he altitude of reverence, love and ohe
iience toward God. it is heaven on earth.
-Bishop O. P. Fitzgerald.
Choose th Hast.
Choose always the way that seems the
best, however rough it may he. Custom
will render it cosy and agreeable. Scottish
Reformer.
Activity Lean's to Good.
Life is but a short day, but it is a work
ing day. Activity may had to evil, but in
activity cauoot ue led to good. Scottish
Reformer,
Give Wild Creatures Liberty.
Because the state of Vermont re
moved the bounty from wildcats and
lynx, Jesse Bontley, a trapper, living
at Suudor'uud, In tbat state, dellber
ately released three lyn which fell
into his trap.
History's wise Provision.
Th honealot flying birds are hol
low and filleii with air. thus combin
ing the greatest strei.gth with the
leaut wfciuht.
IHE GREAT DESTROYER
iOMZ STARTLING FACTS ABOUT
THE VICE OF INTEMPERANCE.
What That Hllrer-Tonul Oritur, the
Apostle nf the New Hituih, Henry W.
Oredy ot Oenrnle, Thought itf the lina
Vernon A Catalna:iie nf Its Horrors,
To-nlght It enters the humble hoins
lo strike tin' roses from u woman's
?heek. and to-morrow It ctiMlleiiKes this
Republic in the hull of Congress.
To-day It strikes a crust from the
lips of a slan lug child, and to-morrow
levies tribute from tin; Government It
seir. '
There Is no cottage humble enough
to escape It, no pluce strong enough tc
shut it out.
It deUes the law when It canno'
coerce suffrage.
It is flexible to cajole, but niercllesf
In victory.
It is the moral enemy of peace nnd
order, the despoller of men and rerrni
of women, the cloud thnt shadows Hit
face of children, the demon thnt has
dug more graves and sent more sonlf
unshrlved to judgment thnn nil the pes
tilenees that have wasted life since
God sent the plague to Egypt, and til',
the wnrs since Joshua stood beyont'
Jericho.
It comes to ruin, and It shall profit
mainly by the ruin of your sons and
mine.
it comes to mislead human souls ant?
to crush human hearts under lis ramb
ling wheels.
It comes to bring grny-hiilred moth
ers down to shame and sorrow to their
graves.
It comes to change the wife's love
nto despair and her pride into shame.
It come to still the laughter on thr
lips of little chlldrctf:
It comes to stifle the music of the
home and fill It with silence and deso
latlon.
It conies to ruin your body and mind,
to wreck your home, and It knows ll
must measure Its prosperity by the
swiftness nud certuinty with which it
wrecks this world. Dial of Pmgre.
The Hrrpent of lrlnk.
Whenever the serpent of strong drink
colls itself around a man he Is sure to
go, if he does not stop short, face about
und let it alone.
About seventeen years ago I bad the
pleasure of heating George W. P.aln, ot
Kentucky, lecture, and It changed the
course of my life. 1 saw If I ever hnd
a home I must cut out the drink. !'o I
lid to save a little money. 1 thank
my lucky star for a warning in time,
to 1 warn you, my brother, stop before
It Is too late. I rend an account of a
young man some years uao who went
from Lnglaud to the jungles of Africa
with an exploring party, nnd whil
there caught a young boa i-ontrlctor.
and for amusement he 'used to spend
bis spare time teaching his suuke to dc
many wonderful tricks. One was tc
coil Itself about his feet and around Ills
body, and ns It grew to full size it
renched above bis head and would
curve over and kiss his face, and at 11
signal would drop to the ground. So
when he returned, be used to give ex
hibitions and became very popular and
made money, and with that formed the
habit of drinking. One night he was
to give nu exhibition In Manchester
The scene was set In nu African Jim
gh?. A traveler enme in view from on
side of the stage and stopped and lis
tened and stood spellbound. Then n
rustle was heard as of the stenithy
moving of some heavy object. Pres.
ently there nppeared the head of a
great snake with eyes like balls of tire,
and it crept softly to the man nml
wound itself about him. up and over,
nnd brought its head In line with bis
face. The man gave the signal, hut
the serpent bad him entirely iu its
power, and with one tightening of Its
body crushed the life out of Its victim.
This illustrates the drink habit as
well as anything I ever heard of. So I
would say to you that have neitr
started, don't begin, and to those chat
have begun, stop before it Is too lute.
Prank C. Cooper, iu Michigan Chris
tian Advocate.
Always m lepreMnt.
The conclusion that all authorities
agree on is that alcohol is always a
depressant and anaesthetic. So far,
these anaesthetic effects ure found to
appear very soon after spirits are used,
und to follow a certain uniformity of
progress depending on the conditions
and dose. Those facts are being rap
idly increased and conlirmed by both
clinical nnd laboratory observations.
Chloroform, sulphuric ether, chloral
and other well-known anaesthetics all
exhibit. In an extreme degree, the
physiological action of alcohol.
From n pathological point of view al
cohol Is Bhown to be one of the most in
sidlous nud destructive of tissue pol.
sons, and Its use Is followed by certain
cell and tissue degenerations that are
uniform In their progress nnd growth.
The theory of a tonic and stimulant
vulue or a force producer or conserver
cannot be sustained by any facts that
are unquestioned. T. 1). CrotherS.M.L.
Xo Pure Beer.
A former brewer, says the Philadel
phia North American, called on Charles
L. Brown, counsel for the Dairy aud
Peed Commission, recetitly, aud ex
plained to him the present methods of
manufacturing beer. He said thai
nearly all beers brewed In this country
nowadays contain sulphites ot lime, as)
a "cleanser;" tartaric acid, sailcjilis
ueid, acrollic acid und kelrum incddti
sulphite, as preservatives; juniper ber
ries, as au antidote for the salicylic
acid; glucose as a sweetener; citric
acid, as a flavor; benzole acid, ns anti
septic, und tannic add 11s a "hleiieher."
"There has been virtually 110 pure lager
beer brewed In the United States for
more than a decade," he said; "not
Hluce the organization of the Chicago
and New York Academies, which ure
organization of brewers."
Temperance Notes.
Germany is paying $750,000,000 it
year for beer and other ulcobollc stim
ulants, "More thnn 000 persons are killed
weekly in this Stnre by drink," said the
Rev. William N. Yates, in au address
econtly delivered before the W. O. T.
V. In Philadelphia.
A visitor to the notorious Subway
Tuvern reports that he suw there four
minors ot iifteen years, or less, served
with liquors. This Is the "sanctlned
saloon" which was dedicated with
prayer and doxology.
"The World's History of the Temper
anco Movement," by Professor Julian
Bergman, Stockholm, baa beeu pub
lished In German,
Justice Greer has said: "If a loss of
revenue would accrue to the United
States from a diminished consumption
of ardent spirits, she will be tho galnet
a thousand fold In tbu health, wealth
nd huppiness of the people."
The Trade Unionist Congress held at
Leeds, Kngluud, after roasing the
driult trattlc, declared thut it should bu
owned by the Slate, and that munici
palities should be given power to "take
over" the tratllu moii a vote ot, the
people,
l
TIIE KEYSTONE STATE
Latest News of Pennsylvania Told i
Short Order.
Laying his gun down lo lok into
ground hog hole, at Pen Argylc, W. J.
Smith's foot accidentally touched the trig
ger and the guu was discharged. Th
load went through Smith's heart and he
was instantly killed.
Attorney Lcnlz has filed his petition
with the Hoard of Pardons, asking that
the death sentence of Mrs. Kate Edward
be committed to life imprisonment. Ms.
lntz continues to receive letters at the
rate of about fifty a day indorsing the
appeal for clemency. More than ao
000 signature have already been receiv
ed for the rftitionj.
In a quarrel over the groundling a
Pottsvitlc H. P. Wilson was tabbed.
W ilson contended that on account of
the deep snow and cold weather the
animal did not conic out of hi burrow.
At the height of the quarrel Harvey
Williams, it is alleged, drew a dirk and
plunged it into Wilson's bosom. WiU
liams is now a fugitive.
Consternation was caused among tint
twelve men yet to lie tried for alleged!
complicity in the operations of the Mafia
in Carbondale by the announcement that
Joseph Cogliandro, otic of those indicted,
had made a complete confession, tellinaj
all about the Mafia and implicating all
of the fourteen men under arrest and
many more. Became of the fact tha
some of the men Cogliandro accuses hava
not been arrested District Attorney Lew-
is declines to make public the confes-
sion. The second of the alleged ring
leaders, Frank Mnncula, on pleading
guilty to robbery by menace, receive!
the full penalty of the law. Judge Ed-4
wards sending him to jail for five years
and nine months. Mnncula admitted
having secured $40 from a young Italian
by threatening the veiigencc of the Mafia
on him.
Prof. Richard Darlington's hands anl
face were severely burned in fighting a
fire in his home in Weit Chester, du
to the upsetting of a lamp.
While a horse belonging to JohnV
Marsh, an Ka.st Goshen farmer, wa
standing hitched along the street stl
West Chester it became restive from thel
cold, and in plunging about fell on the
top of the hitching post, which piercedr
the animal's stomach, death resulting in
a few minutes.
The prosecution against I. New ton I
Henderson, Jasper P. Faucet and Charles
W. Mauley, supervisors of Westtowit
Township, charged with neglecting to.
repair a public road near Westtowts
Friends' Boarding School, has been with
drawn, the matter having been adjusted
satisfactorily to all concerned. ;
The will of Chailcs Lockhart, th4
Standard Oil millionaire, whose estate!
is estimated at a sum between $75,000.-!
000 and $100,000,000, was probated in
Pittsburg. After providing for mem
bers of his family and friends. Mr.
Lockhart bequeaths $.)6o.ooo for public
benefits. Of this sum, the United Pres
byterian Church gets .$150,000, divided
as follows:' Hoard of Foreign Missions
$50,000; Board of Home Missions, $jo.-
000; Board of Freedinen's Mission
$-'000 ; Board ot" Church Extension, $lo,M
000; Board of Ministerial Relief, to.-i
000; uoaru ot Education, $10,000. Tin
loung .iens vunstiau Association, o
Pittsburg, is to get $5000 and the re
tnaiiider of the bequest is to be divided
among local hospitals. Mr. Lockhart
cut off his youngest child, Mrs. Sarabi
Eleanor Flower, with $joo.ooo because)
she married against his wishes.
James Kohn, of Doylestown, is sleep-
ing in the open air with the tempera
ture near zero. He is undergoing treat-,
nient for pulmonary disease at the home)
o Dr. Fred Brister, New Britain. Hist
bed is tinder an open shed, aud whet
he awoke the other morning he found)
the snow all about him even with his
body. He was comfortable all through
the storm. Mr. Kohn is rapidly im
proving under the treatment.
The Governor sent to the Senate tit
names of the following persons to bu
members of Ihe Board of Medical. Ex
aminers for three years : V. D. Ha
maker, of Meadville, and M. P. Dick-,
eson, Glen Riddle, representing th
Medical fSociety of Pennsylvania; J. C
Guernsey, Philadelphia, and EdwarJ
Cranch, Erie, representing the Homeo
pathic Medical Society, and William
Rauch, Johnstown, and J. M. Louther,
Somerset, representing the Eclectic Med
ical Society.
Hydrophobia caused the death of
iamcs Foulk, 9 years old, of Plymouth
'ownship. He had suffered for a week
as the result of a dog's savage attack
six weeks ago. While coasting down: '
Germantown Pike a dog attacked Foullc
and a companion. Foulk pluckily fought
the animal, but, the dog sank its teeth
into the boy and frightfully tore and
lacerated his face.
At the funeral of Amos Shaner, agcit
05 years, in North Covenry Township,
Chester County, the average age of ths
six pall-bearers was 77 years. Theyi
were Jonathan Freigh, 78; Samuel Eck
er, 73; Isaac Ortlip, 83; John Urwin,
72; Fred Freigh. 73, and William Ra
dor, 83. John Shaner, the undertaker,
is 71 years old.
Considerable surprise was occasioned
in Hazleton when officials of the Lehigh
Valley Coal Company posted a noti"
to the effect that until further notice the
cojleries would operate three days V
week. The same condition prevails at
the collieries of the individual operv
ors. No one seems to be. able lo tr'I
just what the curtailment means at thia
time, and the only answer the oflicia!
make is that there is a surplus of coal
at tidewater.
Ralph Crowl, the young man who held
up a trolley car on the Philadelphia
and West Chester line a few weeks ago
and robbed the conductor in wild Wesr
fashion at the point of two. big re
volvers, was convicted ill court at West
Chester and sentenced to serve ten year
in the Penitentiary.
Andrew Houseman, of Flymouthi
Township, was emerging from a cut ia
a huge drift of snow near Hickorytown,
iu his sleigh, when a Chestnut Hill '
trolley car struck the si igb, knocking.
Houseman into the snow.
It was learned in Pottsville that ait
investigation of the? "niethods of sever
al township school boards in Schuylkill
County has been in progress for soma
time, snd it is said that developments
even more sensational than those of th
famous Blytlie Township graft ca9c
will be made public. The investigation
has beeu conducted by representatives
of big coal corporations who are t' t
heaviest taxpayers i; the districts
fectcd. Those in charge if the i
gation say that it will be '
there are school dire" ii .
'County who make a 1 1
other from the ( '"
e- f ' '