.'
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL,
it
1
INTKHNATIONAI, LESSON COM.
M I0TS FOK DliCKMBKR 2.
DECEMBER 8EC0ND.
fi.Tte PmPT
Subject: . Loyalty to tlio Truth.
I
Brooklyn. N. Y. Preaching at the
Irving Square Presbyterian Church
on the theme. "Loyalty to the Truth,"
I he Rev. I. V. Henderson, pastor,
took as his text I. Kiugs 32:14:
"And Micalah said, as th Lord liv
eth. what the Lord salth unto me.
(hat mill I Bpeak." He said:
The four hundred false prophets
were mere flatterers. They Inter
preted and delivered tin oracles to
niit the king's whim. They paid
small attention to the measure of
truth that their Judgment contained.
If they discovered wrong, they kept
quiet about it. It they foresaw evil,
Ihey were equally silent. To be op
timistic was to be popular. Self-interest
dictated that they should re
turn to the king good omens or none,
ps-imlsllc prophesies landed a man
In prison: and since Ahab wanted to
be coddled and cajoled and Mattered,
they humored him to the best of their
ability and to his full capacity. They
were optimistic ptitriots. Therefore
thev were favorites at court.
Aliah hated Micalah because he
spoke the truth as It came to him
direct from God. The monarch dis
liked premonitions of future evil and
demonstrations of existing sin. Ho
preferred a fancied security to defi
nite knowledge of conditions as they
were. As Ahnb complained to Je
hoshuphat, Micaiah prophesied not
good, but evil; and for that, reason he
was heartily happy to jail hltn.
Mlcaiah might easily have taken
I he advice of the king's officer and
become one of the lying multitude.
He might, with profit to himself In
the eyes of Ahab, have reiterated In
earnest, lather than in sarcasm as
he did, the prophecy of the falsifiers.
Self-preservation and the hope of
self-advancement might, imaginably,
have led him to have given the king
just the answer for which his heart
yearned. The profit from the king's
pleasure was at hand ami within
sight, the Lord would for..;iv him
quicker than the monarch. Many a
man has argued that. way. But to
Micalah the truth was morj precious
than the benedictions of his ruler,
the favor of Jehovah was more satis
fying than were th? prates of any
man. "As the Lord liveth. what the
Lord saith u r. t c that will 1
speak," he Eays; and his words are
an inspiration 10 the m.m of America
as they mark out the strict line of
duty we should follow in our time.
Too many of us lack the fidelity
of Micaiah becausa we fear unpopu
' larity. Cowardice supplants courage
Jn no few hearts that are aglow with
a vision of the truth because men
dare not defy the disfavor of the
Ahabs of to-day. Smug self-satisfaction
cries down the leader w ho would
point the wrong; and above all. right
it. Optimistic patriots in the church
and out of it, with no eye save for
the glowing, lustrous surface which
hides a central life bitten d with
sin, decry a3 pessimistic th? man who
paints the evil as it is.
Self-glorification is easier than
self-examination. There is more
pleasure for the crowd in recounting
their achievements than in clarifying
the central springs of life, and in
analyzing the depth and the conse
quences of their iniquity. It takes
less brains to state the achievements
already accomplished than it. does to
Investigate and determine the stire
ness and stability of the foundations
upon which success is built. It Is
easier upon the head to relate blithe
ly the unexampled progress of your
country or your church or your fam
ily or yourself in the attainment of
material advantages, than it is to de
cide whether or no the gain was made
righteously and In the fear of Cod.
and whether or no it will result in
future happiness and helpfulness for
all concerned. It Is far more satis
factory, from the point of view of
the opportunist, to take things as
they are and to make the best of
them No man really likes to unearth
sin; it isn't nice work and it Is
dirty.. But to bury the victims doesn't
stop the epidemic. To congratulate
oneself upon the amount of water in
the reservoir, and upon the power
and efficiency of the pumps at the
water works, in no way diminishes
the beat of the fever. In these days
we want and hail men of mind and
of action who will look for the hid
den germs of disease. Then, in our
desire to acclaim them we forget the
days when, in spite of the SPlf-satis-lied.
the Ignorant, the careless, the
wicked, they proclaimed the certainty
of our distress and disease; then we
forget that those men .whom we re
viled as pessimists are our saviors;
then we forget the years of research
and of patient study into conditions
83 they were, we forget the premon
ishments of our fools grow wise, in
our anguish at the situation as it is.
I say we forget. I may be wrong.
Pet haps wh only then remember.
We must have Micaiahs. men of
loyalty to the truth at all hazards
and at any cost, no less to-day than
in the year that Ahab and Jehosha
phat went against tha Arameans at
RamoUi-Gilead. Our age, our coun
try, the church has need, and a great
need, for men who will speak forth
what, the Lord salth unto them. To'
Le sure those "who are folding their
arms in selfish ease" will declare
thein, B.3 they did the Garrisons, the
Phillipses of the sixties, anarchists
and fit subjects for the gallows. The
wan who would battle with the social
evil to the death and declare the
wisdom and the truth of God unto a
white life tor two sexes will find
detractors auJ enemies on every
hand. He who will annihilate the
monster of lntemperanceand of legal
ized iniquity will, I am much per
suaded, find adherents of the devil
even within the sacred precincts of
tun church of Jesus Christ. Thnt
'economic Isaiah who shall try the
truth of God against the entrenched
forces of gold-greedy materialists, in
the interest, of the men who toil, will
End a fearful and unrelenting array
against him. He who will protect
labor against, itself will be forced to
combat with evil men among those
whom he wishes to uplift. But while
a man may with less timidity advance
new thought in the scientific world,
in no place will he find, many times,
a mors uncompromising resistance
than In the church. Be it for good
or ill the simple fact is this, that no
where has new light a harder fight
than among many who are the fol
lowers of Him who was the ossein
of all truth and who prayed the gift,
if the Spirit for them that tbey r.il'.i c
have a sure guld? Into th fullnon
of eternal wisdom. The fight ut the
rhurcli of UjJ against cru-'.i is the
. ...... - ji.
IRA W. HENDERSON,
THE: PAMOOS DMNE
amazing spectacle of the ages.
The odds against truth to-day are
tremendous; but even as Ahnb never
returned to the city of his rule, so
mrely shall eternal and refining truth
.'(.nquer In the age long struggle with
the adversary.
Two things are ii"cssnry thnt
truth may win and be accredited.
First, we must be sure that our in
sight Is correct, our truth born of
God. And then we must be loyal to
the voice of Jehovah as He speaks to
us.
There Is nothing more detrimental
to the dignity ami standing of the
truth than Irrational and 111-bnlunred
thought. Every bit of truth is the
word of God. but some Rta1"nients
which are caricatures of truth are not.
God-given, no matter how loudly and
how long they may claim the distinc
tion of divine inspiration. All truth
may well be labeled, "thus saith the
Lord." but all statements that, bear
the motto, "thus salth the Lord." are
not truth. There ure false prophets
to-day no less than in the reign of
Ahab. He who will declare a mes
sage to men must first be sure of hi
ground.
Not less important is it that a man
be loyal to the truth revealed to him
through the workings of God's Holy
Spirit. Truth may negative most of
his own ideas and cherished pre
conceptions. It may even subordi
nate his noblest ideals. Hut by It he
must stand. Micaiah went to prison
for the truth and Jesus of Nazareth
to the cross. Stephen was stoned by
his enemies, as was Zechaiiah, the
son of Jehniada, the priest, because
he was faithful to the truth. John
tha Paptist lost his head for declar
ing that Herod had lost his. Luther
withstood a church and the Smitii
ilsld martyrs suffered agony that
truth might bo supreme. The lotr
list of heretics and excommunicated,
the host of those who have lost llfj
and friends, the nrmy of those cru
saders who. under I, -id. have bnltlvl
hard with sin ajl tesUfy to the need,
the glory of loyalty to divine truth.
It is no easy thing to lend in the
inaVch of progress or to ilht the
forces of evil. Conservatism would
clutch progres by the throat an.l
throttle it to the rattle. Sin hates
the light and would overcome it.
But. whether or no th? opposition
bo fierce we neod and must have men
who will be firm for 1 he truth and
not flinch In the hot light. "Theiv
is," we are told, "no more hazardous
enterprise than that of bearing tho
torch of truth into those dark and
infested recesses in which no light
has ever shone." Tut to that man
who. filled with power by the Spirit
of the Lord, will speak what the
Lord saith unto him there will be
not only the hard warfare on the
first line of the skirmish here, hut the
the crown of victory in the life eter
nal. More and more the need is for
men of the mold of Micaiah; men to
whom the truth Is more precious than
much lino gold; men whose integrity
Is indivisible: men whose opinions
n-e the judgments of minds that
have been moved upon by the blessed
Spirit of the living God. who cannot
be bought, and who, filled with a
high and a holy devotion to their
divine commission as the revenlers,
;nterpretersand torch-hearers of God's
Illuminating truth will balk at no
sacrifice; and be overawpd by no op
position; and be diverted by no power
from the declaration and the promul
gation of that truth.
Oh, thac there might avis'! through
nut this laud men of the vision nml
the fidelity of the prophets of ancient
Israel.. Would that there might arise
among the ministers of the Lord to
lay ti prophet of Jaliwe, Jehovah the
Lord of hosts and of truth; a prophet
with a message and with the power
1.0 e cpress it tersely, intelligently,
forcefully, fearlessly. May God give
ns a Micaiah who shall tell America
.ho truth concerning the conditions
)f to-day. The people, In the church
and out of if, are weary and undesir
ins of platitudes and of itnainied ver
biage. Mankind awaits a prophet of
God. And when he conies in the
'I'enitudo of wisdom and of power;
furnished with a divine commission;
?adi: stl with a mission and a mes
sage for a world In sin. may the
'hurch have the Insight and the grace
to see the marks of God's calling in
him and in his message i.nd not. per
secute him as did the falheis the
prophets of God aforetime.
"As the Ijiid liveth, wbat the ord
saith unto me. that will I speak."
May this be the motto of every man
who loves the truth. M-iy It be also
our inspiration to lid-Hiy and to a
glorius ministry unto men in the
name and to the honor of the living
God. And may we live so near to
(iod that we may be able to bear Ills
message and to speak with Immedi
ate authority to men.
The Power Will lie Given.
When Cyrus captured Sardis, the
only son of Croesus, who was dumb,
saw a soldier ready to give thn kihg,
whom he did noi know, u stroke upon
the head with his scimitar. Tho sou
made such a violent effort to savo hie
father by a word that he broke the
string of his tongue, and cried out,
"Soldier, spare the life of Croesus!"
And so, if we love Christ and His
cause earnestly, our tongues will bt
loosened.
Make More Iron.
It Is a fact worth recording in
proof of the progress made by the
German Iron Industry that the num
ber of the workmen has not risen in
proportion tu the Increase of pro
duction. In 1895 the production
amounted to 5,500,000 tons, and the
workmen numbered 24,059; In 1904
the production had risen to 10,000,
000 tons, and the number or work
men only to 35,284; while In 1895
the quantity produced per head of
workmen employed amounted to 22 7
tons, the quantity hud risen in 1904
to 285 tons. That is to say, the to
tal number of workmen Increasad
duriug the decade 1895 to 1904 by
forty-seven per cent., but the quan
tity ini'eased by eighty-four per
cant. London Engineer.
DEFINING 1113 POSITION.
"Do you believe in ftet-'.-Ich-nuick
schemes?"
' If you refer to robbing a ban'.:,
no. If you m-jan marrying an heir
ess, yes." Milwaukee Sentinel.
Courage or Cowardice Which? Luks
12:4. 5; Gal. 1:9-12; Jer.
1:0-10, 17.
Much fighting -among men and na
;Ions Is simply because men are too
owardly to stand by the principles of
jeuee (Luke 12:4).
"He's not ahald of anything," we
Jay In admiration: but a well-bestow-fd
fear Is one of the most valuable
auman qualities (Luke 12:5).
Pleasing men Is well enough If It la
t by-product of our lives, and not the
main product ((Jul. 1:10).
Consciousness of God's presence Is
;he bad inun's prison and the good
man's fortress (Jer. 1:8).
Suggestions.
The word "courage" conies from the
Latin word cor. heart. Whatever the
Ippearanee, a man Is courageous If
Is heart Is brave.
The most vullunt exercise of cour
age Is manfully to grapple with one's
ilea rest sins and tear tliein out of
ane's life.
No one Is likely to have the true
courage if he udiuires the false cour
tge. Spiritual courage Is helped by phy
sical courage, but physical courage
cannot endure at all without spiritual
confuse.
Illustrations.
"Your face Is pale." sneered one
soldier to another. "Yes," lie ans
wered; "If you were as much afraid
as I urn, you would have run long
ago."
A Quaker often shows mere courage
by refusing to go to war than a sol
dier In Hie hottest battle.
Peter, who whipped out his sword
In Gelhseninue, shrank from a wo
man's tongue In the high priest's
courtyard.
Perhaps Paul's most courageous act
was In continuing his journey to
Jerusalem In spite of his friends'
prayers, well knowing whut fate
HWult"d him there.
Am 1 ul raid of the right things?
Am 1 bold wlier? Christ wants me
bold?
Is my courage firmly based upon
Christian faith'.'
Courage consists not in blindly
overlooking danger, but in seeing It
uud conquering it. Rlcbter.
Courage without discipline is near
er beastliness than manhiod.--Sir
Philip Sidney.
Courage Is always greatest when
blended with meekness. Cliapin.
God Is tho brave man's hope and
not the cowurd's excuse. Plutarch.
MM LEAGUE LESSONS
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 2.
! Temptations and How to Meet Them.
Matt. 4. 3-11.
' Daily Readings.
1 The sphere of tcnip'atiou. 1 John
" 15, Id.
How they will;. James 1. IMS.
! A i hcei ing pnnii .e to the tempted,
i --! Co- 10. 13.
I How to ciniuri' to the end Heb.
j 12. 3.
1 Tho snare of pVntv. Dent. S. Il
ls. Po not ohouro had cir.ipanlons.
' Prow 1. 10-14.
Topic TeiiintitliotiR and How to
; Meet. Them.- -Matt. 4 3-11.
It must be that temptations come.
, It Is In the case, t-?soiit hilly. Temp
tation ;;:-ows out of our moral free
dom, which is the suVrenie attribute
j :if human nature. Without this en
: dowmcnt. as says Pr. Austin Phelps,
"a man would have no rljjlit to say 1.
Without it a humming bird Is his
eqtml: with it he Is kindred of the
angels." Further, he says: "Few men
can stand on the summit of a lofty
tower without a momentary sense of
peril in (he consciousness of power to
plunge himself headlong. A special
police guard the Column Vendome, In
i Paris, t ) prevent that form of suicide.
So fascinating, often, is the power to
do it n evil deed." Temptation Is
: solicitation to exercise this godlike
i power of choice In ways forbidden by
i highest wisdom, by God himself,
j There are two main sources of evil
prompting and solicitation. "A man
Is tempted when he is drawn away'
i of his own lusts." James said. That.
; of course, is true. "I fear most of all,"
, said Luther (was it?), "the great
pope inside. Myself." There Is, uc
' cording to Scripture, from Genesis to
i Revelation, another source of temn
! tation; namely, the evil personality
we call the devil, or Satan. "He goetii
about like a roaring lion seeking whom
; he may devour." "Ho has many
; wiles, even appearing ns an angel of
; light, hometimes, perhups oftenest ro
at least when he tempts people who
moan t do right. Besides this evil,
, invisible personality there uro multl-
tudlous sources of temptation In the
j world. Evil persons tempt us to do'
wrong. The pressure of life's neces-
Kit lee. or its fancied needs, Is heavy
I upon us. Men lie, steal, forge for
: tills cstitie.
I Tree Growing in Window.
Upon the window sill of a doctor'!
i offico on the second Door of a build
ing at Independence and Forest ave
nues is a wooden box tied and nailed
firmly to the woodwork. The box is
only about eight inches wide and tea
inches deep, but out of the earth with
which it is filled there is growing a
sycamore tree nearly ten feet tall and
its trunk three inches thick near tba
roots. The tree trunk is tied and
strapped to the sides of the window.
Its foliage covers the whole upper
half of the window and a part of the
adjoining wall. The tree absorb
from tbe box a great deal of water la
a day. -Kansas City Stur.
Tho first section of the railway
across the Andes between Chile and
Argentina has been officially Inaugu
rated, and work has been begun on
the highest part of the line, where,
at an altitude exceeding 10,000 feet,
great tunnels are to be constructed.
Tho largest of these tunnels will have
a lengtb of 3405 yards, not fur from
equally divided between tbe Chilean
aud Argentinian sections. With tbe
use of that portion of the line already
completed, tho Journey between Val
paraiso and Buenos Ayres will be
shortened several hours.
Klit'i'ti ltimflf l.unil.
j Sheep are the only animals which
I do not really exhaust the, land on
I which they feed. They distribute
manure evenly on the field and
! trample it Into the soil, feeding upon
plants that other animals will not
ionsume.
Bulky Horses.
There is no denying that balky
horse is a ercat nulHsnce. but it. is a
! shame the way some people treat
. them. They beat and kick them and
wear at them. This only makes them
worse. Many a horse balks because
' lie has been bndly'cured for.
Potatoes ou Tilled Land.
It Is claimed that, with potatoes
grown on land that has been tilled
io as to permit of perfect drainage,
there Is less liability of the tubers
rotting than on other soils. The
most Important mattor, however, is
'.o use seed potatoes from localities
where no disease has existed.
Wealth From Ton Acre.
Ten acres of small fruits will often
make a man more truly prosperous
than ten times as much land In wheat
ar corn. He may not be worth as
much in actual capital invested, but
he will be getting a larger net In
come, und doing it with less severe
toll. The small farm well tilled.
whether It be in fruits, dairy, vege
tables, etc., is almost always the
most satisfactory. The principal cap
ital needed to start such a farm is a
level head und knowledge of the
business.
Stock Notes.
Yearling Calves and Colts Should
be sheltered at night. A month's
growth Is easily "used up" by expos
ure to one cold storm. Make an ef
fort to keep them in the best of con
dition, also keep an eye on the look
out for vermin.
Varlution of Food Promotes Ap
petite All animals become disgusted
with a sameness of food. When food
Is refused tempt the animal with
something elite. In this manner sick
lies and loss of flesh may be avoided.
Feeding Calves The proper feed
ing of calves has been a fruitful
source of discussion. One point not
; to be overlooked Is that all vessels
used must be scalded and kept clean
as germs of disease ulways exist in
'hy vessels. The Epltomlst.
Protect Trees Fiom Borers.
To protect trees from borers mix
cement with skim milk and apply
with a stiff brush. Mix only a small
quantity at a time, as it may "Bet."
Apply it In a somewhat thin condi
tion, nnd then make a second appli
cation. First, remove the earl h from
the trunk of the tree and apply the
mixture six Inches below the ground
and a foot above.
Chicken Coop.
It has been proven by ctatlstic3
that the raising of chickens is the
greatest industry in the United
States. Of course, this Includes those
who are In the business on u largo
scale for profit, and also those who
probably keep a half dozen fowl in
the buck yard. ' Nevertheless, wheth
er for business or pleasure, chicken
raising Is an Interesting pastime
that appeals to everybody. It Is
claimed that chickens should have
as much care as a human being to
Insure the best results, and modern
methods certainly tend In that di
rection. Tha chicken coop shown
For the Chicken Hulsar
here is u good example. It Is simple,
efficient and durable. As shown here
it is rectangular in form, being made
of sheet metal. The top aud sides' are
bent to shape, with flanges at the
bottom which connect with the floor
ing. At each side ure supports which
hold the coop slightly ubove the
ground, tending to keep the coop
moisture-proof und preventing rain
or other water from entering. At
ouch end are perforated doors, which
ure very easily held In position. At
the bottom of each door Is u'n exten
sion, through which pusses a rod, the
latter extending through the top of
the coop and ulso into the ground,
preventing tho coop from being dis
placed, in this way the fowl are
safe against tho uttuckB of animals.
Philadelphia Record.
Winter Homos For Turkeys,
While the Idea of the turkey Is to
roost high, tho privilege tan uot ul
ways be uerordod If a structure Is to
be provided for the birds In which
to rooct. If they ure to roost In the
trceii, then thoy may choose their
own limb. It is a good p'au to muke
tho turkey house low, but placing
tho roosts as high as possiblo with
out humping the birds up against the
roof. The ventilation In such, a house
must lamely bo provided from tbe
bottom, uud tbiu lu lKjiiu by having a
row of windows not over eighteen
Inches blgh the bottom, bo ar
ranged that y may be lifted up to
permit a current of air to enter.
These windows will also light the
floor ot the bouse, and a larger win
dow may b placed on the opposite
side, but higher up. In order properly
to light the house. The turkeys will
be anxious to get out of the house
early in the morning to roam, sc
arier they have gone to roost sprinkle
a little grain In the chaff on the floot
to keep them busy in the morning
jintll they are let out. Turkeys on
The range must be well fed during
the period they are under covor, par
ticularly ut this time of year when
the feeding ou the range Is poor, and
when It Is essential to keep them lc
good shape and able to fatten read
ily a little later. Indianapolis News
( aiing For Brood Mares.
The brood mares, In fact, all the
horses and colts that are not at work
in the winter, should be turned In a
good sized yard every day, unless il
is stormy. This yard should not be
Icy, as there Is danger of their fall
ing and getting hurt. We stable all
our horses and colts nights nnd feed
them twice a day oats and clover hay
with some bran.
When sprliif, comes be careful
with the brood mares und any othei
horses that nuy have beeti Idle dur
ing the winter. Work them lightly
at first, taking some time to get
them used to work. In this way you
can do more work und have yout
horses In better condition when you
are through with the spring work.
1 prefer to have the colts come
about the first of June, as by that
time we have our spring work dons
and can give the mares a better
chance. Have a clean, roomy box
stall; it is well to whitewash It every
yeur nnd disinfect it with zenoleum
or some other good disinfectant. Bo
on hand when the little fellow ap
pears. Feed the mare lightly for a
few days, increasing her feed grad
ually. If you have to work the mare
never let the colt follow her. Keep
It In the stable'und bring the mother
In in the middle of the forenoon to
let the colt suck. The colt will soon
lonrn to eat oats with his mother.
Give hltn all he will eat twice a day,
or leave the ltd of the oat box open
and let him help himself. If the
marc and colt are on pasture feed
her night and morning so the colt
will learn to eat oats. Duvid Inirte.
l'urin Notes.
The utmost care must be given the
early pullets If you wish to have
them lay this winter.
Do not fool too long with sick
fowls. Tho hatchet is sometimes the
only practical remedy to give.
A good bone mill Is quite valuable
on every poultry farm. They are
cheap and quite profitable.
A horse may be perfectly propor
tioned, with .couch style and uctlon,
but without good sizo ho Is no
cortcher.
Heaves, frequent coughing and
difficulty In breathing tu horses cun
nearly always be traced to feeding
dry, dusty hay. Dampen all hay now
before feeding.
While it is good taste to have a
team of the same color and making,
it is good Judgment and common-
sense to have a team of equal
strength aud power of endurance.
As a rule, that sheep breeder is
most successful who breeds as nearly
In a straight Hue as tho requirements
of bis flock for now blood will per
mit and who Is best able to judge the
points of nn expected choice animal
before they ure fully developed.
Nothing should bo more gradual
than the development of the power
of a draft horse or the speed of a
trotting horse, and in a few other
way ure horses more permanently
Impressed than In pushing their de
velopment too rapidly.
It Is probably too much work for
Homo farmers to cut the fodder, bay
and straw with a feed cutter, as the
animals will consume such foods with
out preparation, but the saving of
food and the smaller loss from wasto
will more than pay for preparing the
food.
One difficulty with wheat Is the
llubillty of being thrown out by
frost lu the spring, but when such
Is the cuse the cause may be due to
luck of proper drainage. When a
field has been properly tilled there
will he but little liability of wheat
being Injured by alternate freezing
und thawing.
Tho cow will pay the rent or pay
off the mortgage, and the farm will
be lu better shape when she Is done,
than when she began. As she goes
along, the farm Is getting better and
richer. Other stock and other crops
have helped men to prosperity, but
the farm is nearly always the worse
for tho wear.
There Is no question but that the
great scarcity of reliable farm help
Is uctlng as a stimulus to sheop rais
ing in many sections. The fact that
one man Is able to take cure of a
lurge flock of sheep makes the in
dustry desirable to those farmers
who do uot like to hire extra help
on tbe farm throughout tbe year.
Country Itoad Building.
It Is a pleasure to ride over our
town since we changed the money
system of road maintenance and
building. We are on the third year,
and the changed condition ot road:?
and small bridges is marvelous. The
town owns a stone crusher, bins,
traction engine, dump wagons, etc.
The first work of the season Is giv
en over to smoothing the dirt roads,
picking up louse stone and repairing
small bridges. After this the com
missioner unites what was formerly
two gangs anil begins stone crushing
and permanent work.
Small bridges of eight to sixteen
feet span have been built of Iron I
beams and cement. When necessary
new foundation walls are put up, and
the concrete filling Is put on between
the beams, making a permanent
bridge. Later, no doubt, small
sluices will be made In the same
manner. We have plenty of stone In
walls and heaps for perhaps two or
three years. Farmers, as a rule, as
sist the commissioner In making an
easy road for these field Btones. Oc
casionally pay is demanded, which Is
refused.-
An effort was put forth one year
ago to defeat a painstaking, hard
working, conscientious commissioner
for reasons patented for the occasion,
but those most deeply Interested in
our road improvement were able to
Bustaln the commissioner, and he
was re-elected by over 100 majority.
If we can succeed in divorcing the
office from politics a point will have
scored.
I hope tbe time is not far distant
when officials who act in any techni
cal or special capacity will be elected
without regard to party emblem.
Would we not make headway faster
If all road officers were under Civil
Service? Has any one suggested this
before? Why not make it competi
tive and permit merit to win? The
fact of the matter is that our system
and policy In the past have not de
veloped many very valuable road ex
perts. A bill was introduced into our
State Legislature at the 1904-'05 ses
sion to permit the State University
to give a short course in road science
and practice, but the Governor vetoed
it. Road Interests aud that means
every one should Bee to it that a
similar bill is again brought forward.
I firmly believe in State road building
and the educative force of a strong
arm. At the same time, localities
that remain idle, awaiting the State
rqad, will haul through the mud for
a long time.
Former Mayor Blodget, of Worces
ter, Mass. who, by the way, Is a na
tive of our town, and is now stopping
here is the president ot a company
holding patents on methods of con
structing concrete roadbeds. The
scheme, which Is being worked in cit
ies only, has, according to his state
ments, great possibilities for country
road construction. A fifteen-foot
width can be put down for about
$8000 a mile. This compares favor
ably With macadam, and would, of
course, be durable.
Macadam roads are suffering fear
fully under automobile travel, undei
all kinds of gear. Interurban traffic
is made heavier when these roads ar
put down, and so they break tindet
it. We must, have something bettoi
than macadam for hard wear.
Recently, I passed over a twenty
mile roud running out of Cleveland.
Ohio, whlcn was being laid with
brick. Maybe we are near the era ol
concrete roads, as wo are in the era
of concrete buildings. Considera
tions of permanency are fust, belnu
engrafted upon our activities und In
stitutions. H. E. Cook, Denmark, N
Y., in the New York Tribune Farmer.
A Tour of inspection.
An inspection tour of some of tne
Improved roads of Massachusetts was
recently made by several members of
the Rhode Island Highway Commis
sion, including Colonel J. H. Ed
wards, chairman; R. T. Rodman, en
gineer; W. C. Peckham, J. V. Rich
mond and P. J. Lainson. They wvero
accompanied by Chairman William
E. McCUntock, Harold Parker, J. A
Johnston, Division Engineer and Sec
retary A. B. Fletcher, of the Massa
chusetts Highway Commission, aud
made the Journey in three White
Steamers, driven by R. O. Glover, A.
K. Miller and O. !i. Lufkln. The
party started from Worcester and
went to Springfield, rode over Mount
Tom and went through Chlcopee,
Northampton and other Intervening
towns to Greenfield, where they
spent the night. The next day they
rode through Turners Falls, Orange,
Gardner, Westminster to Fitchburg,
where they stopped for luncheon.
They then drove to Boston through
Groton, Concord and Arlington. They
covered more than 230 miles during
the two days, and all of the Journey
except about twenty miles was made
over roads built by the Massachu
setts Highway Commission.
Bud Roads, No Mull.
"Bad roads, no mall." is the rule
the Government has adopted for the
rural free delivery service. Local
authorities must keep the ways in
passable condition if they are to ben
efit by the rural delivery-, and so II
comes about thut this brunch of the
postal service is not ouly an ageut of
communication which brings farm
lands nearer the centre, but a direct
incentive to road-building, and hence
to general Improvement aud prosper
ity. Male Teachers DerreuNjng,
The male teachers in tbe United
States are steadily decreasing,' as
shown by statistics. In 1370 the pro
portion was forty-one per cent.; In
1872 It bad Increased to 42.8; in
1889-90 It fell to 84.5; in 1900 It
dropped to 29.9, and In 1903 It had
reached twenty-flvo per cent. There
were la the States 455,242 teachers,
and of these 113,744 wore men and
341,498 women. St. Louis Globe-Democrat.
Siihicrl.: .fesu Before Pilate, t.nke
xxlH.. 1.1-2,1 Golden Text, Luke
kkiil., 4 Memory Versos. 20. 21
Commentary.
I. Pilule endeavors to release Jesus
(vs. 13-17). 13. "Pilule." Pontius
Pilate belonged to un r.nclent and
knightly Roman family. "Called to
gether." Pilate summons tbe rulers
und the people. 14. "As one that
pervertoih." As one that has taught
doc'rlnes Injurious to your religion.
"Having examined." At the first
trial he had heard all that could be
brought against Him. "No fault."
They had fulled to prove a single
charge.
15. "Nor yet Herod." Christ had
traveled extensively in Galilee and
yet Herod brings no charge. ''He
Bent Him back tin'i us" (R. V.) This
I volved a distinct rcquittal. "Is
done unto Him." "Nothing worthy
of denth hath been dono by Him."
R. V.
16. "Cha- iza Him." John sayB
that Pilate took Jesus and scourged
Mini; but this was not ("one until a
little later. "And release Him."
Pilate hop id that w.ien they saw
Je.-.ns scourged they would be satis
fied, but not bo; they were clnmorlng
for His bood, and nothing Ehort ot
i th on a cross would satisfy them.
17. "Must release one." This
verse Is omitted in the Revised Ver
sion. But see tho parallel accounts.
II. The clamo-i of the Jews (vs.
18-23). 18. "They cried out." The
chief priests moved the people (Mark
15:11). "3arabbas." An Insurrec
tionist a robber and a murderer.
19. "Sedition." Insurrection,
i.'latthew says he was a celebrated
prisoner. In some manuscripts he i3
cailed Jesus Barabbas.
20. "Willing to release jjsus." It
vas probable at this time that the
me n;,er came from Pilate's wife
(Matt. 2f:19) urging the rel'ease ot
Jesus. Pilate repeated the proposal
of verse 16.
21. "Cfuclfy Him." Let Hlir. ul
the most ignominious death possible.
Had the Jews executed Him according
tc their lnw against faiso prophets
and blasphemers they would .v
stoned Him, as they repeatedly at
tempted to do, and as they did vltb
Stephen. ' His prophecy of crucifixion
was practically a prophecy that He
Bhould be put to death, ns He actual
ly was, on a charge of high treason
against the Roman government. It
can hardly bo supposed that these
people who were crying, "Crucify
Him," were the same people who had
brought Jesus Into the city the Sun
day before with shouts of hosanna.
This was a Jewish mob urged on by
the authorities; thnt was no doubt
largely a Galilean crowd.
22.4 "What evil hath He done."
How many and what various persons
bear testimony to the Innocence of
the Holy One Pilate, Herod, Pi
late's wife, the thief on the cross, and
the centurion nt the crucifixion. "And
let Him go." Pilate is laboring hard
to release Him; he could have ended
this whole matter with one word. It
was at this juncture that Pilate
asked, What shall I do then with
Jesus, which is called Christ? This
Is a question every person must an
swer. 1. Every person must accept
or reject Him. 2. Rejecting Christ
Is the great sin of the world. 3. If
we veject Him here we shall be re
jected by Him herenfter.
23. "Instant." Insistent,' urgent.
"Prevailed." The reason why he fin
ally yielded seems to have been the
one given in John 19.12, "If thou let
this man go, thou art not Caesar's
friend." But Pilato gained- nothing
even with Caesar, for he was soon
recalled, degraded and banished to
Gaul, where he committed suicide.
III. Pilate pronounces the death
sentence (vs. 24, 25). 24. "Pilate
gave sentence." Before Pilate pro
nounced the sentence he took water
and washed his hands publicly, thus
expressing in acts what he uttered In
words, "I am innocent of the blood of
this Just person; see ye to it" (Matt.
27:24). The people accept the re
sponsibility and cry, "His blood be on
us, und on our children." That blood
was upon them, not as vengeance,
but as a natural consequence ot their
conduct, Within forty years the city
was destroyed amid scenes of cruelty
which defy description. No history
can furnish us with a parallel to the
calamities and miseries of the' Jews
at that time. There was rapine, mur
der, famine, pestilence and all the
horrors of war. The account given
by Josephus Is heart-rending. Pilate
again ascends tbe judgment seat,
which was set up in a raised place in
the open square, and delivers his final
decree. 25. "He delivered Jesus to
their will." Jesus is now mocked the
third time, about 8 o'clock, Friday
morning, in the court of Pilate's pal-!
ace. See Matt. 27:26-30; Mark 15:
15-19; John 19:1-3. When Jesus is
brought out before them, Pilato
makes one last effort to release Him
(John 19:4-15). Now It is thnt he
permits Jesus to be scourged, hoplngf
that will satisfy them; but the cry is
still. "Crucify Him," and He is taken
back into the court and His own
clothes are put upon Him. It was
at this time that Pilate said, "Behold
the man!" And .well may we Btori
-and behold Htm. He was "a man of
sorrows, and acquainted with grief"
.(Isa. 63:3). In Him we see a per-'
feet exhibition ot meekness and love
and a perfect example for us to fol-
low. He was the God-man and as
such made the great atonement toi
the redemption of mankind.
There's a deal of difference be-
twee'n using the Bible as a text-boo"
of life and as a book ot texts.
Country Editor's Power.
The power of the weekly press la
not to be underestimated. Tho coun
try editor Is close to the people. He
knows what every man in the com
munity is talking about and thinking
ubout, knows wbere be stands. He
can reach him directly and al
most as personally as through
a personal conversation. As a molder
ot the opinion of the public which ft
reaches tbe weekly paper has few
equals. Tbe country editor can get
bis fingor on the pulse of bis com
munity. The Independent editor of
a weekly paper is not usually rich In
money orMn this world's goods. It
he were' he would not be a country
editor. But be Is rich lu something
else It he Is truly untrammeled, and
thut something else is character.
Atlanta Journal,
' Taking all' crimes, more are com
mitted In the autumn than during
any other of tbe four seasons ol the
'year.