s SUNDAY SERMON s
S 3
J A Scholarly Dlioourt By J
Dr. M. E. Harlln. J
tasssssssssssss
" Brooklyn, JJ. Y.-The Kov. Dr. M. E.
Harlan, pastor of the First Church of
Christ, Sunday morning gave another
of Ills scrips of sermons on "Problems
of Power For Plain People," tbe spe
cial subject being "Tbe Problem of
Morally Healthful Amusements." In
February he offered prizes for best re
plies to questions covering the several
problems to be discussed. He sent a
printed list of these questions to sev
eral hundred people over the country.
The sermon was based largely on the
replies he received. The text was from
Eccleslastcs 111:4: "There Is a time to
laugh and n time to weep." Among
other things be said:
A few years ago, when a certain sup
posed ornament (V) to French society
iwas aslted what ho did, he replied:
"My business Is to amuse myself."
The history of the church Is but a his
tory of the struggle between men and
women like this Frenchman, on the
one hand, nnd, on the other hand, those
who have had no place for a smile In
their religion. The world has never
lacked the stoic and the sensualist. To
the stoic the church has seemed very
lax. To the sensualist she has seemed
too strict. The church olwnys lias
stood and always will stand against
the purposeless lives of both of these
extremes. If to the mere pleasure
seeker the church has seemed dogmatic
and damnatory, we must re'memher
that pleasure has been tyrannical and
brazen and absurd. To him who wor
ships the god of pleosure, even other
wise harmless pleasures become dissi
pation till the world Is full of the in
sipid in heart and the vile in character
and the purposeless In life. God did
not make the world for mere amuse
ment, neither did He design that it
should be run by the mere rolllckers.
Yet desire for food and clothes is no
more an indication of the physically
robust nnd normal man than are the
demands for Inughter and amusement
Indices of the normal, mental nnd spir
itual man. The question is not, there
fore, one of amusements, but what
kind and how much.
No doubt that the church has often
been too closely allied with the stole
In exercising damnatory power respect
Ing all forms of ninusements. Hut be
fore we censure too severely lei its tako
into account the conditions of her early
history. The church began her mighty
march of conquest in cities where oil
sorts of lewd and obscene amusements
were the rule Home, Corinth, Epbe
stis, etc. In these cities the god of
pleasure held such high carnival that
industry was throttled nnd domestic
life wns weakened. Rome's great am
phlthcatre. seating 385,000 people, could
easily be Idled with the morbid crowd
that measured the worth of the amuse
ments by tlie fury of the entertain
ment and by the number of men and
horses slnln merely for their amuse
ment. The Emperor Trajan gave a
three months' show in which 10,000
men and 11,000 beasts were slain to
amuse the very best people of Itome.
Men would appear on the stage dressed
gorgeously, when suddenly rlnmes
would burst forth all over their bodies
and they would die writhing In agony
of Ha nies to the delight of the god of
pleasure. Often Christians were forced
spectators and often unwilling partici
pants In these brutalities. "Food and
fun" wns the hilarious cry of these
i.musemtnt loving -people Hint haunted
with its awful hiss tho ears of the
dying glndiators. The popularity of
the ruler was measured by his willing
ness and ability to satisfy this cry for
"food and fun." An unwilling wit
ness to these debaucheries In the name
of amusement, can we wonder that
coming froni such a birthplace the
church has at times been extreme?
Gibbon tells r.s that in the days of
Rome's worst fum'nrs she dismissed
her senators and patrons of art, but to
satisfy her god of pleasure she kept
her vile vestal virgins and her 0000
dancers and slngem of tho lewd sort
to amuse her as she staggered down to
death or lay in the last convulsions of
her dying hour. He will not criticise
too harshly the church who has como
with Iter down her historic way and
lias witnessed her death struggle with
Nie professional dispensers of amuse
ment, who, ns vile in purpose ns the
vestal virgins nnd who for financial
gain will pander to the selUsh and
sensunl moods of men till they leave
those who otherwise would be noble
men and women, mere derelicts on
life's se.i to the mcniico of tho Innocent
voyagers.
Even to-day under the spell of this
pleasure good men will pay nn uncom
plaining tribute to her and do not
hesitate to keep an open account with
the dispensers of hilarious nnd sensu
ous amusements about dance halls and
theatres, while at the same time they
will become exceedingly poor and sav
ing if approached for charity or plilhiu
thropy or Justice. The mere vagabond
on the streets with his hand organ and
monkey, or the grewsome and discord
ant "curb stone band" take in the rev
enuo that belongs to laundryman or
grocer, as though these mountebank
dispensers of amusement were more
deserving than they.
Seeing how Rome amused herself to
death and how Spain amused herself
with her bull fights out of one of tho
llrs t rank powers Into the imbecile
skeleton sho now represents, no won
der our Puritan fathers were fearful
of this pleasure god. He is blind who
sees no Inconsistence in tho Puritan
ical bans on nil forms of amusement
till a man must be or at least appear
miserable before he can be huppy. But
he to-day is worse than blind who
does not see, and especially in city life,
that the god of pleasure has become
daringly despotic and that she tyran
iiically Invades every shrine of her
devotees, and that no day Is too sacred
for her ribaldry and coarso Jest. By
pandering to tho ruinous passion that
wou d rather laugh than to think she
would leave our fair land tenantless of
the serious and the wise and fill It
with a race of grinning pigmies. Any
amusement that hinders mo from doing
my duty In my business during the
week or makes me careless ot my du
ties In the house of God or tht would
make serious thoughts a bore Is to be
avoided. Foster nor harbor no amuse
ment that cannot grow consistently on
the same item with the Christian re
ligion. The godless Coney Island craze
creates a morbid desjro for Sunday
amusement that as a vampire feed fat
on the vitals of our holy religion.
I know there Is danger of being mis
understood when I speuk In detail. The
nan with a crabbed religion will think
jne too lax, whilo tho man without
conviction, will think me too strict.
With u seal worthy ot a better causa
the church in tho past has picked out
t few amusements upon which it has
placed the ban and left others with
bo censure. It has decreed that dam
big and card playing and the theatres
were of themselves alutul and devilish
ind were worse than are "Jacob and
Kuth." or "Blind Man's Buff," or the
more widely p'rncttood gnme of miser
liness or covetousnesu or "fibbing." It
Is a hopeful sign Mint the present
leudency of the church seems to be to
give more attention to tho nfllrmntlvo
side of life rather than to net ns Phnrl
inlcal Judges on the negative. "Thou
Shalt not," is like n prop to keep a
flying tree from falling, but it takes
more than n prop to mako a live tree
grow. While the prop may have a
place It is not nearly so Important as
some think.
I am not a theatregoer nor ballroom
frequenter, neither do I know even the
names of the different "plnylng cards."
I feel that I have much better use for
my time nnd money. From my ob
servation I hnve no hesitancy, however,
In agreeing with Hiose who replied to
my question tlint the theatre and dance
and progressive euchre aud cards are
menaces to the development of tb
Christian life. While of themselves
they may not be more harmful than the
other forms of amusement named, their
Influence seems to be ngalnst them.
To the question: "Do you personally
know people who frequent the theatres
and ballroom and euchre pnrtles who
at the same time are also lenders In
prayer meeting and the Sunday-school
as soul winners, with a good, lienlthful
InflucnceY" only two answered In the
nfllrmntive. Why? Does l; not Indi
cate that there Is something out of
harmony with these particular amuse
ments and the healthful Influence of
tho Christian life? Is It right to go
counter to the testimony of peoplo
scattered over BUch a wide territory
nnd from so many different denomina
tions so long as we prize ou.- religious
Influence?
If we say the theatre as a whole Is ot
good Influence and a necessity for the
men who are carrying tho grent bur
dens In the commercial and Industrial
world, then It falls short of its purpose,
for the theatre Is supported not by the
Cargenles and Rockefellers, but mostly
by those who cannot afford it and at
the same time do what they ought to
in phllnntliropy. Most of the support
comes from the younger class, who as
yet have no great burdens to bear. As
to why those who frequent them are
not real forces In. Christian work, read
tho following: President Eliot, of Har
vard, says: "The influence of amuse
ments may be drawn from the quality
of the popular theatre. The taste Is for
the trivial spectacles, burlesques, vul
gar vaudeville, extravaganzas, and tho
stage often presents to unmoved uudl
onces scenes and situations of an un
wholesome sort."
One of the lending dramatic critics
of the English press, Mr. Clement
Scott, says It Is "nearly Impossible for
a womnn to remain pure who adopts
the stage as a profession and that the
stage has a tendency to disorder the
finer sensibilities nnd to substitute bol
lowncss for sincerity," and adds: "I
speak from my intimate experience
with tbe stage running over a period of
over thirty years." Is it right to de
mand amusement ft the enormous
price suggested by these men In tho
ruin of the virtue of womanhood whose
profession is to amuse us and thus
like Rome's vestals let their virtue pay
the awful price for our more entertain
ment? If it is "nearly impossible" to
adopt tho stage and remain pure, then
It is not Christian to demand that form
of amusement on whoso altars woman
hood is sncrlllced. If the sncrlflce was
that of our own sons and daughters
would wo be willing to make It simply
to amuse people?
Tho stage cannot bo kept up without
using somebody's daughters on the al
tar. Now tho question becomes a dou
ble one not only can I hnve Christian
motives by frequenting the theatre,
but Is it right to ask that somebody's
daughter run the risk of such an awful
temptation as that to which the stage
subjects them for my mere amuse
ment, granting that the stago has mnny
of the most noble ns Us adornment and
that mnny of our best people patronize
it? Yet If the flame of the theatre pas
sion demands such fuel, can I offord to
bo a party to the transaction? I would
not appeal to prejudice nor act as Judge
over other men's consciences nor pass
hard ecclesiastical laws of disbarment
against those who might differ with
me. I make my appeal to tho heart's
sense of justice to muko man or woman
who may have enough of the Christly
nmbltlon to make the most of life by
shunning that form of amusement of
any kind which runs such tremendous
risks.
Aro you nsklng mo If a man Is to be
deprived of his rights Just because ho
Is a Christian? This is a goad question
over which to pause and ask for tho
sake of others not what are my
"rights," but what aro my duties and
obligations?
A Robert Louis Stavenson's l'rujrer.
Lord, behold our family here assem
bled. We thank Thee for this place in
which we dwell; for the love that
unites us, for the peace accorded us
this day, for the hope with which we
?xpect the morrow; for the health, the
work, the food and the bright skies,
that make our lives delightful; for our
friends In all parts of the earth, and
our friendly helpers in this foreign isle.
Let peace abound in our small com
pany. Purge out of every heart the
lurking grudge. Give us grace and
strength to forbear nnd to persevere.
Offenders, give us the grace to accept
Bnd to forgive. Forgetful ourselves,
help us to bear cheerfully the forgot
fulness of others. Give us courage and
gaiety and tho quiet mind. Spare to
us our friends, soften us to our ene
mies. Bless us, if it may be, In all our
Innocent endeavors. If it may not,
give us the strength to encounter that
ivhlch is to come, that we be brave in
peril, constant in tribulations, temper
ate in wrath, and in all changes of for
tune, and down to the gates of death,
loyal and loving one to another. As
the clay to the potter, as the windmill
to the wind, as children of their sire,
we beseech of Thee this help and
mercy for Christ's sake. From the
Works of Stevenson,
Standard Oil Humor.
Henry H. Rogers, Standard' Oil mag
nate, copper king and one of the fore
most men In the financial world, is a
newly discovered humorist, and Mark
Twain, Chauncey M. Depew, Simeon
Font and others muBt needs look to
(heir laurels,
Mr. Rogers has a fund of so-called
funny stories on hand, mostly those
that smack of the sea, but all brand
new and all his own, states the Boston
Post. Here Is a sample:
"Nat Osborne," said Mr. Rogers,
"used to blow the organ in the brick
church. He had quite an adea ot his
own Importance and was always prousl
of his job.
"I nuked him once: 'How much sal
ary do you get, Mr. Osborne, for your
work?'
"Nat looked up solemnly and said
with dignity: 'Twelve hundred dol
'.era.' "'What,' said I. "1.200?'
" 'Yes,' said Nat.
'That's big pay,' said I.
'"Pretty fair,' said Nat, 'but that's
for 100 years.'"
T1IE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR JULY 16.
Rnli.lertt Tho ftnflVrln Savior, 111., 1.1
to till., 14 (loldan Trxl, laa. Mil., O
Melrinry, Veraaa 4-0C'oinitienlnry on
Ilia Dny'a Lasaon,
I. The humiliation nnd exaltation of
the Savior (vs. 13-15). The main Idea
of the whole passage is the unexampled
contrast between the present and past
degradation and the future glory of
Jehovah's Servant.
II. The suffering Snvlor (vs. 1-3). 1.
"Ui-lleved our report." The report of
the prophets and the gospel message.
The world Is still full ot unbelief. To
believe this report Is not merely to as
sent to the truth of It, but to so receive
It that the conduct will be influenced by
It. The Jews did not receive the report,
therefore Christ was to them without
"comeliness." "Ann of the Lord." The
arm Is n symbol of power, as It is the
instrument by which we execute our
purposes. It Is put for the power of
God (Isa. 51: 1); o2: 1(1). It hence menus
God's power In defending Ills penplc,
In overcoming His enemies, and in Hav
ing the soul. "Revealed." Made
known, seen, understood. The ques
tions In this verso are strong, but not
total denials, i!. "For." The prophet
now gives the reason why the report Is
not believed. "He." The Savior.
"Grew up" til. V.). The point of vision
Is at the time Christ's sufferings were
finished nnd He was entering into Ills
glory. "As n tender plant." He grew
up small and of no reputation, from a
family nearly extinct, like a tender
plant springing unnoticed from its root
hid In n barren and dry laud, out of
which nothing great wns expected.
"And ns a root," etc. The sprout which
springs up from a root. Such a sprout
would luck strength and beauty. Both
figures depict the lowly and unnttriie
live character of the small though vig
orous beginning. "See Him." The
former part of this verse refers to Ills
birth nnd childhood, the latter to His
tlrst public appearance. "No beauty."
This refers to His state of abasement.
3. "Despised." By the rich and
great. "Rejected." "Forsaken of men."
renounced. "We hid . . . faces."
His appearance was such as to cause
men to turn their barks or hide their
faces with disgust. "Men avoided Him
ns though He had a disease like the
leprosy." "Esteemed Him not." Failed
to recognize His worth.
III. The ntoning Suvior (vs. 4-!. 4.
"Hath borne." The meaning is that
the consequences of sin fell upon Him,
the Innocent, nnd that He bore His un
deserved sufferings as a sacrifice on be
half of His people. "Griefs." "Sick
nesses." R. V., margin. To bear sick
ness is not to take it away but simply
to endure It. Christ endured in Ills
own person the penal consequences ot
the people's guilt. "Sorrows." Our
pains. How did Jesus bear our griefs
and sorrows? 1. In His sympathy. 2.
By His . healing power. "Stricken."
The expression used when God visits
l man with severe and sudden sickness,
especially leprosy, which was regarded
ns the stroke of God's ha nil and the
direct consequence of sin. The leprosy
Is only n strong image for such suffer
ings ns are the evidence of God's wrath
against sin. 5. "Woundel," etc. Bui
He wns pierced because of our rebel
lions, crushed because of our iniquities.
Tile strong verbs pierced and crushed
are probably metaphors expressing the
fateful' ravages of leprosy. "Bruised."
Applied to the body, crushed; applied
to the mind, severe inward agony Is Im
plied. "Of our pence." The 'chastise
ment needful to procure peace for us.
(i. "I.Ike sheep." The figure of the
stray sheep Is common In the Bible.
Sheep without a shepherd, having lost
their way, are the very picture of help
lessness; and this Is the condition of
man. "Hath laid," etc. The sorrows
that would have fallen upon ns be
cause of our sin fell upon Christ. But
Christ was not compelled to suffer for
us; He voluntarily made an atonement
for slu. 7. "Oppressed." This verso
shows the treatment He received and
how He conducted Himself under it.
8. "Taken from prison." "By oppres
sion and Judgment He was taken
away." R. V. There are various opin
ions here. Some think that this means
that He wns deprived of proper judg
ment and' trial; others that He wns
taken away by death and thus finally
released from Ills troubles. 0. "Made
His grave," etc. An enigma whicn
only history could explain. Jesus wns
put to death with the wicked on the
cross, and they thought to bury HI in
In a criminal's grave. They appointed
nis grave with the wicked, but by n
striking providence the same authority
gave permission to a rich man, Joseph
of Arlmnthea, who provided Him with
nn honorable burial in his own rock-
hewn tomb (Matt. 27: 57-00).
IV. The Savior rewnrded and exalt
ed (vs. 10-12). The main thought In
these dlllieult verses Is that the Servant
Is to be the instrument in establishing
tho true religion, by removing the bur
den of guilt nnd bringing many to
righteousness. 10. "Pleased the Lord."
The death of Christ was no after
thought; yet Jehovah did not wish His
Son pain or evil, neither did He in nny
sense approve tho spirit or deeds of His
murderers, but He saw that the salva
tion of n lost race could be reached in
no other way. "His soul." His Mfe.
"An offering." "A guilt-offering." R.
V., margin. "Ills seed." The true
spiritual lsrnel of the future. Thoso
who by His menus are converted to the
knowledge of Jehovnh. "In Ills hnnd."
T'nder His government or direction.
11. "Satisfied." He shall see such
blessed fruits resulting from His suf
ferings ns amply to repay Him for
them. 12. "With the great." Or
among the great. His kingdom shall
rule among the nations. "Divide tiie
spoil." There shall How to Him nnd
His kingdom the wealth, the strength,
tho numbers, that the strongest nations
possess.
RAM'S HORN BLASTS -
HEY who heed Him
He will hear.
Giving Is the se
cret of growing.
WSflrTrVJ7ali Longer the face
r livWrt the less the falth-
aTlaTlXyv rrv.A i,. .. ,1 , n .1 n..
1 110 uuBtiiua
are all be-nt-it-udes.
Little nips make
the devil's grips.
Love lifts the lim
its from the life.
Character must
surmount custom.
The giver is tho gauge ot the gift.
There's a world of difference between
working for Christ and working tbe
church.
The sins of the heart are the heart of
all sin.
The man who docs not fear falluro
seldom has to face It. .
Never Is happluess more clear than
when founded on clean-heartednesa.
You can afford to despise the Bible
when vou have grown bevond Us level.
CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR NOTES
SUNDAY, JULY 10
The Message of the Flowers. Matt. 6;
28-34; Jas. 1: 9-11.
After centuries of study, man Is as
far ns ever from the power to mKO
the humblest weed, and shall he ex
pect to comprehend nnd measure
God?
God does all for the lily that can
be done for a lily, but He can do
as much more for man as man Is
more than the Illy.
Everything grows worn and faded
with age except the soul, and that
grows ever moro lovely. This is one
tol.cn of Immortality.
Why has God made tho beautiful
things of earth so perishable? Be
cause He would turn our thoughts to
the moro beautiful things of heaven.
Suggestions.
It Is a flower-like soul that loves
tho flowers. "Whatsoever things are
lovely, think on these things.'
How much more beautiful in our
eyes are the flowers we hnve tended,
the Christian, graces we have had to
cultivate!
"The heavens declare tho glory of
God," nnd the ground beneath our
feet declares His beauty; and the
Bihlo Is the key to both those revela
tions of God.
The flower Is as lovely to day,
though It must perish to-morrow; but
a soul Is not, for it Is not made to
perish to-morrow.
Illustrations.
How great Is the dliTorence be
tween the garden of a beginner and
tho garden of a skilled gurdener! We
may all have for ourselves the ex
perience of tho great gardener of tho
universe.
Flowers are kept longest In water
If the ends of their stems are clipped
every day. So to freshen our lives
there is nothing like dully, new con
tact with the Water of Life.
If a gardener would have large and
fine blossoms, he prunes the plants.
That is the purpose of whatever dif
ficult pruning God gives His crea
tures. Quotations.
Sweet flowers are slow, but weeds
make haste. Shakespeare.
There is not the least flower but
seems to hold up Its head and to
look pleasantly In the secret sense ot
the goodness of its heuveuly Maker.
South.
The plants look up to heaven, from
whence they have their nourishment.
Shakespeare.
Foster the beautiful, nnd every
hour thou callcst new flowers to
birth. Schiller.
Every member of tho society should
have some share in the work of the
flower committee. Then It would he
easier for the committee and hap
pier for the society.
Every member may be made re
sponsible for at least one Sunday in
the year to adorn the church with
flowers, getting what help he can,
and aided, of course, by the commit
tee. EPWORTH LEAGUE LESSORS
SUNDAY, JULY SIXTEENTH.
The Message of the Flowers. Matt.
C. 2S-34; James 1. 9-11.
Jesus was a lover of nature. He
delighted in the bright sunshine, tho
blooming flowers, the variegated
landscape as do we. it has been a
favorite study In nil ages to Interpret
the language of flowers. The various
species hnve been supposed to con
vey a different message in their of
fering. We are not so much concern-,
ed with the sentimental significance
of flowers as we are In the general
lessons thnt come to use from the
frailty, the beauty, and the fragrance
of the flowers.
They carry a Lesson of Providence
If God so clotho the fading flower and
the transient grass of the field, how
much more will he care for his chil
dren. As we walk the fields and see
tho blooming flowers often In places
where no human eye will likely be
hold them, how suggestive of the pro
fuse and provident resources of God
for the comfort of his people! What
infinite mechanism In the construc
tion of a rose! What skill in the ar
tistic coloring of the wild flower!
What gorgeous displays of beauty
wasted on the desert air! Yet God
does all this for the pleasure and de
light of his children. How much
more will he do for their necessi
ties! They Carry a Lebsou of Helpful
ness. What a cheer and comfort are
In the flowers we send to the sick
room. How they brighten up the
church and schoolroom! With what
ministry of comfort they come to tho
sorrowing and Bad! They have a
ministry as sacred as that of the
Word. Nature joins with revelation
to declare the care and love of the
Father their beauty is indicative of
the love of God, their fragrance typi
cal of the Influence of our lives on
others. They are not useless and
meaningless, but designed to teach
us trust In the God who made them.
They Bring a Message of Immor
tality. There Is more than sadness in
the frailty of the grass and the
flowers. There Is more than death
typified In the passing of the flower.
There is the underlying thought that
if human life be as brief as the flow
er and transient as grass there Is a
place where there are "fields array
ed In living green." Their very life
ot a day teaches us that though we
may not stay long on the earth we
may give out that which will bless
and help while we do five. The mem
ory of their beauty and fragrance re
mains after they are gone. So our
life may bo short but Ifmay abide In
the memory of Borne life and bless It
after we are gone.
Parisians Munching Raw Cabbage.
Who would have supposed that
fashionable Paris, which has snch es
teem for the niceties of tbe cuisine
that it will argue warmly about an
extra pinch, ot salt in a soup, should
come to munching raw cab'
bage? Yet that vegetable is served
now on the tables of the elect, and
the best Paris restaurants recom
mend it as one of the season's deli
cacies. True, this cabbage is im
ported from China, but it is much the
same thing as the common variety.
It was Introduced in England a short
time ago, and folk ot fashion there
say thoy like it.
TIIE GREAT DESTRQYER
SOME STARTLING FACTS ABOUT
THE VICE OF INTEMPERANCE;
Sir Victor fforslcjr, ft. !.. Proilnrra
rtanra From tha Selanllfla Standpoint
to 1'rova That Alrohal ) Not Kaaen.
tint to Lira or Health.
At a recent conference In London on
the subject of temperance, Sir Victor
Horsley. M.D., dealt with the subject
of alcohol from the scientific stand
point, bringing evidence to prove that
alcohol was not essential to life or
health. The medical profession, he
said, held It to be one of the greatest
evils of the nation, but be would sub
mit that soclnlly nnd commercially It
wns a far greater evil. The late Lord
Chancellor had declared that alcohol
was the commonest cause of poverty
and of crime; and certainly It wns the
commonest cause of disease. Had not
the time come, he asked, when this
grent city should view the situation
from the commercial nnd economic
standpoint? The nnnnnl expenditure
In Intoxicants of 100,000,000 to 180.
000,000 (which, by the wny, wns nil
thrown nwny) only represented part of
the country's drink bill. To that must
be added the cost of most of the crime,
the poverty, the premature death of
the breadwinners: and we had also
got to add. from the medical point of
view, the cost to the nation of prevent
able disease: nnd the cost which mennt
commercial Inefficiency wns very large
ly due to alcohol.
Sir Victor proceeded to argue thnt
for all this vast expenditure there was
no profitable return. Neither was there
nny profit to the individual from the
dietetic use of alcohol. It only had a
paralyzing effect upon the nerves. Un
der Its influence a man thought slower,
although he might alk faster; there
was stimulation, but no profit. And
Imagined benefit was absolutely
swamped by the depressing after-effects.
And what was true of its ac
tion on the brain was also true of its
effect upon the hand and the eye.
These statements, he said, were based
upon scientific experiments, measur
ing keenness of perception, the rapidity
with which one could pick out n cipher
from a row of ciphers, accuracy and
clearness of judgment, the power of
adding figures, and other points which
directly bore upon commercial efll
cieney. There could be no doubt, he
said, thnt alcohol, even In small quan
tities, diminished thnt pffleionejr. Bel
fast Witness.
"The Orean rerll."
Some statistics which have been pub
lished of the growth of the absinthe
habit In France seem to Justify the
alarmists who speak of the beverage
ns "the green peril." Fifty years ago
the quantity consumed in a year was
only 7350 quarts; and under the Em
pire the niinunl consumption never
excedeed 20,000 quarts. After the "ter
rible year," however, the aperitif rap
idly advanced in favor. A population
practically stationary drank 130.000
qunrts of it In 18SO, 580,000 quarts
in 1885, 1,120,000 quarts in 1800, and
not less than 1,330,000 qunrts in the
latest year for which the figures ore
available. Nor have other kinds of
alcohol been abandoned because this
lias become popular. Fifty years ago
the country wns satisfied with (S.tXXi.UOO
quarts per annum to quench its thirst.
Now it requires 20,000,000 qunrts. Dur
ing the same half-century the number
of lunatics under treatment hns in
creased from 10,000 to 80,000.
After quietly working for several
months, tho Mlllvlllo (Pa.) Temperance
League has scored n great victory over
the beer clubs, and it is now a settled
fact thnt nil will be closed. Several
of these clubs have a membership of
more than 2000 residents of Philadel
phia. Hnslnasa and Steady Habits.
The Chicago and Alton Railroad in
Its recent rules for employes has for
bidden its men to visit race-tracks,
dance-balls or nny resorts where liquor
is sold or gambling permitted. Good
service. It holds, depends upon steady
habits, and both help Insure public
safety.
By wny of exnmple, officials have
quit carrying intoxicating liquors on
their private cars or entering saloons
along the line of the rond. Such con
sistency is bound to command respect
among employes. If not necessarily
imitation.
The company makes no pretense of
carrying on a moral crusade. It hopes
to live up to business principles which
depend upon tho competency and reli
ability of its men. "All the things
which are prohibited," says General
Passenger Agent Charlton, "either
tend or might tend permanently or
temporarily to Impair a mau's mental
and physical powers."
When temperance and good habits
are made part of a man's earning ca
pacity he will often cultivate them
even if the loftier plens of irnrality
fall to remove them. New York World.
The Heaann Why,
The Hon. Andrew D. White In Ills
autobiography, after expressing disap
proval of certain methods of the recent
temperance movement, adds: "My ad
vlco to till men U to drink nothing but
water. That is certainly the wisest
way for nine men out of teu and prob
ably for all tun. Indeed, one reason
why the greut body of our people ac
complish so much more in n given time
thnu those o" any other country, and
why tho average American working
niun 'catches on and 'gits thar' more
certainly and quickly than a inuu of
the same sort In any other country
(and careful comparison between va
rious other countries aud our own has
shown that this is the case), is that a
much larger proportion ot our people
do not stupefy themselves with stimu
lants" -
Teinneranca notea.
So other poison kills as quick, if
enough Is taken at once. B. W. llich
nrdsou, M. D.
Alcoholic liquors are poisonous, be
cause they contain alcohol. Frank
Woodbury, M. I.
In Denmark one out of every seven
men who die between the ages of thir
ty -tlvo and fifty-live is a victim o,' alco
holism. Piotr Kasrmlercsak died In Detroit
recently at the ago .of 114 yean. Ac
cording to the daily papers he was a
lifelong abstainer from intoxicaut.
Professor Stadelmnn, principal phy
sician of a great hospital In Berlin, es
timates that between one-quurter aud
one-third ot the diseases afflicting
worklnguien in the great aud crowded
districts in tbe Prussian capital aro
caused by the Improper use of alcohol.
The latest secret organization is the
Supreme Autl-Treatlug League of
America, which has been Incorporated
at Princeton, Ind. It is a mutual ben
cllt assoc itlou, having for ouo of its
announce ' objects the uiuklug of au
active campaign against the practice of
'treating, J which takes many into the
saloons wlio would not otherwise an.
SAY SOMETHING COOD.
When over the fair frame of friend or foe
'J'he shadow of disgrace r-liall fall, instend
Of word of blame of proof of thu and to
Let something good be said.
Forjet not that no fellow being yet
May fall to low but love may lift his
head;
Even the cheek of shame with tears ia wet
It something good be aaid. s
No generous heart may vainlv turn aside
In waya of sympathy; no soul so dead
But may awaken strong and glorified
If something goutl be aaid.
And so I charge ye. by the thorny crown.
And bv the cross on which the Saviour
bled,
And by your own soul's hope of fair re
nown. Let soinetliinit coml he said!
James Wliitooinb Rilef.
Tlia Spirit iihI Mfe.
Mr. John C. Hnvenieyer. In his plea
for n more spiritual observance of Sun
day, spenks a good word. Ralph Waldo
L'morson said:
"I have the habitual feeling that the
whole of our social structure Slate,
school, religion, mnrrhigo. trade, sci
ence hns been cut off from its root
in the soul."
Is not this the open secret of alt our
troubles? Our generation has very
largely turned nwny from the search
ing monitions of the soul nml has lis
tened to the cold torpont's hiss of the
things of sense until It lias fairly licked
the dust. It needs to be lifted up.
cleansed. Inspired with n life It has
never yet known, ami one day In the
week will be none too much for that
Joyous work.
The Bible to which Mr. Hnvenieyer
refers, while showing the unspeakable
vileuess possible to the hiiiiinn heart
ami life, a vilcness to which all history
bears witness, hns in It n light shin
ing through darkness, a liyhl which. If
steadily followed, shines inure nnd
more brightly unto the perfect day.
Kniersnn saw clearly that our seeming
life wns death, but he, too, bad gone
astray. In a refined, respectable wny.
nnd knew of no way to make the dead
alive. Christ he patronized nnd re
jected, ns he pntrnnixed and refected
sorrow, losing the vital truth of both.
For what Is Christ but Hint sorrow
wlih-h makes Joyful? that dying to
tnak" life, ami iiinke it more abundant
ly 7 the glory of life for th" corruption
of den Mi?
The writer of this letter wns born
and livil long in what !m been called
the gayest city in America. The large
French element made Sunday n par
ticularly "gay" day. 'i'liere was al
most no limit to amusement. But. when
Hie writer has happened to sneak seri
ously to men from other cities who
had also been In thnt one, they have
Invariably said to her. "That oily! All
our cities are bad enough, but. that
city'." And one of them summed up
the general evidence, given by men
who did not know each other. "That
city tempts you to act like the devil
every breath you draw!" "X" in the
Xew York Kvetiing Post.
A Lesson From the Mirror.
Marcus Pods. In drawing a lesson
from the mirror, says:
"What happens when a pi-rscui Is
looking into a shop window where
'there is a mirror, anil some one comes
tip behind -someone he knows? He
does not look any longer at the lin
age: he turns to look at the person
whose linage is reflected. Or. if he
sees reflected on the. mirror something
very striking, he does not content him
self with looking nt the Image, lie
turns anil looks at the thing itself.
So it is always with the persons that
yon have to do with. If you become a
minor to Christ, your friends will de
tect It In a very lew days; they will
see appearing in you, the mirror, an
image which they know has not been
originated In you, ami they will torn
to look straight at the Person that
you arc reflecting.
"Now we often in the Christian life
deal with ourselves as if we were
painters and sculptors, not as if we
were mirrors; we hummer and chisel
away at ourselves to bring out some
resemblance to Christ in some particu
lars, thinking Hint we can do It piece
meal. We might n m well try to feed up
our body piecemeal: we might as well
try to make our eye bright without
giving our cheek colot and our hands
strength. The body is a whole, and
we must feed the whole .".ml nourish
the whole if any one part of It is to
lie whole, and you can only deal with
your character as a whole."
The Woriil a Kretl.
There never was a time when the
outpouring ot God's power upon the
church meant so much as it means
now. Society Is so vitally organized,
so dynamically charged, that its move
ments ate quick, nervous nnd capable
of explosion nt any moment. Labor
is closely organized, capital is com
bined, and the fabric of society is fair
ly woven together with live wires.
The world needs moral reserve, moral
poise, conservative power, great in
ward strength, that is. Christian char
acter. One may search in vain for
outward or temporal power iu Jesus
Christ. His strength was inward and
personal, tho strength of goodness. It
is old and perhaps trite to say that the
gospel is the power, the Inward power,
of salvation to every one, every com
munity, every nation, unto salvation.
Bishop Westcott has well said: "The
relief to our troubles will come through
the gospel which covers all life, claims
all life und hallows all lifa"
Ills rromlae Never Fails.
Look up and be glad! Our Father
knows all about It. and He has prom
ised help for to-day and nil the days,
nml His promise never fails. He is
leading us in the right wny: and, if
we but hold fast to His dear hand, no
harm can come to us. Soon the dark
ness will be over, and Just beyond we
shall see the beautiful sunshine, nnd
brightness nnd glory fbnll be ours
fcieveruiore. A. A. M.
Export trade is good nnd railway
earning are large; building is active.
"Ghost" Was a Rat.
Ghostly thumps and squeaks of ag
ony awakened the family of J. E. Al
len in their home at Vineland, N. J.,
late one recent night. It sounded as
though the house was full of unhappy
spooks. Mr. Allen found that a hungry
rat, seeking a meal from some clams
in the cellar, had been caught by one
loot by one ot tho clams, aud was try
lug to be rid of the .trap. It was
killml. ' '
COMMRCIAL RtVitW.
Bradstrcct'j says :
"Though reflecting some irregularity,
due to midyear influences, or, in some
sections, to less cheerful crop reports, the
volume of distributive trade is a fu'.l
one for the season and industry and
manufacture show less than ordinarily
the effects of the approach of the vaca
tion period. Optimism as to the fall
trade outlook is the main subject ot
notice, but it is to be noted that (food
reorders for summer fabrics are still ac
tive at some leading markets.
"Relatively the best reports come from
the Central West and Southwest; the
South seems quite generally to hold the
improvement reported last week, confi
dence has increased in the Pacific Coast
reports, and the only important subject
of complaint is that the weather has been
too wet or too cool in portions of th
corn and wheat belts to allow of the best
crop development and harvesting.
"Wheat, including flour, exports for
the week endctf June 30 are 7;6.64i bush
els, against 075,8.?2 bushels last week,
I,Ii7.R85 bushels this week last year, a,
p,fi82 bushels in 1903 and 3.2ii,aiJ
bushels in lqoi. From July t to date the
exports are 62.427,760 bushels, against
13.1.2.0,14 bushels last year, i7j.yM.270
bushels in 1903 and 247,354,472 bushels
in lyoa. Corn exports for the week are
1,266,364 bushels, against 1,110,356 bush
els last week, 536,087 bushels a year ago,
1,420,172 bushels in 1903 and 127,960,
bushels in 1902. From uly I to da'e the
exports of corn arc "8,069,031 bushels,
against 51, 537.901 bushcU in 1004, 67,005,
689 bushels in 1903 and 24,956,043 bush
els in 1902."
WHOLESALE MARKETS.
Baltimore. FLOUR Steady and un
changed; receipts, 3,829 barrels; exports,
551 barrels.
WHEAT Firm; July, 8s',7i8&i ;
August, 841584 'A; September, 84.viC0.85:
receipts, 664 bushels; Southern by sam
ple. 75I-02; Southern on grade, 92
I.02.
CORN Dull ; ;.pot, sfMGifio; July.
595f559j; steamer mixed, 55(f?55!4;
receipts, 24,654 bushels; exports. 88 bush
els; Southern white corn, 58'fi.Oi ; South
ern yellow corn, 58(062',$.
OATS Firmer; No. 2 white, 36!?
3644 i No. 2 mixed, 34!j''! 34)4 ' receipts,
5,160 bushels ; exports, 28 bushels.
RYE Dull (uptown) ; No. 2 West
ern, 83.
HAY Dull and unchanged.
BUTTER Firm ; fancy imitation, 17
S?i8; fancy creamery, 2t ; fancy ladle,
1617; store-packed, 14 15.
EGGS Firm and unchanged; 16.
CHEESE Firm and unchanged; largos
io;4 ; mtdium, io!4 ; small, io)4.
SUGAR Strong; coarse granulated,
5.70; fine, 5.70.
New York. WHEAT Firm; No. 2
red, 1.04, in store elevator; No. a red.
'0554 ; nominal, f. 0. b. afloat ; No. 1
Northern, Duluth, 1.19W, f. o. b. afloat;
No. I hard, Manitoba, l.WA, i. o. b.
afloat. A further scarce of July wheat
shorts today advance the option over a
tent. It was based on poor thrashing re
turns, bullish winter wheat news and
light Chicago stocks. Later the market
weakened under realizing, and closed
only Y&c to Yic net higher. Options:
July, 934(?95 3-16, closed 04?.
CORN Receipts, 99,975 bushels; ex
ports, "6,348 bushels; sales, 60,000 bush
els futures. Spot irregular and 61 J4;
new, 61, elevator, f. o. b. afloat ; No. 2
yellow, 62; No. 2 white, 62. Options
opened- easier on good weather news,
rallied with wheat, but was finally de
pressed again by unloading.
OATS Receipts, 49,000 bushels; ex
port, 32.000 bushels. Spot firm; mixed
oats, 26W32 pounds, 355f?.l6; natural
white, 30f(?32 pounds, 3Vfl38; clipped
white, 3fVff'42 pounds, 374o!4.
POULTRY Alive, quiet; Western
spring chickens, 22; fowls, 13; turkeys,
13. Dressed, firm ; Western broilers, 20
(025; fowls. I2V5: turkeys, 13(17.
COTTONSEED OIL Irregular;
prime crude, 22!i nominal; yellow, 289
28'2.
ROSIN Steady; strained common to
good, 3.6513.70.
TURPE NTINE-Stcady ; 63'4a6-t
asked.
SUGAR Raw, firm. Fair refining,
35$3 II-16; centrifugal, 96 test, 4 5-16;
molassas sugar, 7-16; refined,
steadv.
POTATOES Firm ; Southern rose,
i.oofa t-5o; Southern seconds, 75l.oo;
Jersey sweets, l.oo2.25.
Uvs Stock.
New York Dressed beef slow at 7
gc. Exports, 403 cattle.
CALVES Good veal sold at 6.50;
buttermilks, nominal. Dressed calves,
weak; city dressed veals, iCaio'i coun
try dressed calves lower, except for
strictly good and prime, which are in
light supply; whole range. 4(ooc.
SHEEP AND LAMBS Sheep, full
steady; lambs, 35c to $oz higher. Sheep,
3.254.75; lambs, 7.508.25.
1 IOCS Feeling weak; no sales re
ported. Chicago. CATTLE Market strong.
Good to prime steers, 5.25(6.00; poor
to medium, 4.oo5.oo; stoekers and
feeders, 2.605:4.50; cows, 8.5003)4.60 '
heifers, 2.50500; canners, l.4a'g2.5o;
bulls, 3.2551400; calves, 3.000.6. 5a
HOGS Market $1 higher; mixed and
butchers,' 5-i5'(?5'35; good to choice,
heavy, 5.205-35; rough, heavy, 4.60(3
5.10: light. 5I55-32Vj; bulk of sales,
5.2VJT53J'''
SHEEP Sheep, steady ; lambs
strong; good to choice wethers, shorn.
l-Sofa 5.00; tair to choice mixed, snorn,
.5'a4.4o; native lambs, shorn, 4.505;
'i 50."
MUCH IN LITTLE.
Spain in 1903 produced 2,587.650 ton;
9f coal and coke and imported 3,0850
tons of such fuel.
The Middlesex Hospital, in London,
has a plant producing three tons of ice
in 24 hours, at a cost of $2 a ton, agarose
$5.46 a ton when purchased.
Many animals are enabled closely to
Imitate leaves or shrubs to escape detec
tion by enemies, but plants in turn are
ible to resemble stones for the same
end,
A six-year-old girl, the daughter of a
stage manager, failed to obtain admis
sion to a Munich girls' school because
her father' profession is considered "im
moral." Montagu Holbein will make" another
effort to swim the English Channel this,
year. Burgess, the r'rench champion,
who did so well last year, is also to make
another attempt.
The Wilmington1 (Del.) Board of Po
lice Commissioners is h)iisiilrring the
advisability of furnishing with motor
cycles those officers who are detailed for
duty in the automobiling districts oi ilw
city- , . .
Natives of Dcvumhire, Englumt, m
past centuries, used to suy that Corni.h
mcn all had tails, asserting that it
a sign of divine disapproval of .heir in
fancy n cutting olf the tail of Thomas
a Deckel's hcu;.e.