HP
il liMissL nil
-I Want Your Prisoner 8lgnor Pet roil n ni You Will Release Him at Oncel"
1
ism
JACQUES fUTRELLE
ILLUSTRATIONS hjy M.G.KsrttivKir
COPYRIGHT 1908 fy THE ASSOCIATED WDAY MAGAZINE J
COPYRIGHT !90g by THE J3UJ3 Do - MERRILL COMPAJsy
1
8YNOPSI3.
Count dl Itoslnl. the Italian amhaa
sa.lor, Is at dinner with diplomat whi'n
a nua-nKr aummuna lilm to tha em
naaay, whvra a beautiful young woman
itUa for a ticket to the embassy bull.
Tim tlrlcHt la muda out In tha name of
Mlna Ianbi-1 Tliurnu. Chief Campbell of
(ho aeiTHt aervk-a, and Mr. Orlmm, his
hi-ad detectlva, are warned that a plot la
lirewlnir In Washington, ,) Orltnm ft-oea
to tha atata bajl for Information. Hla at
leinloii la called to Mlaa Isabel Thorne.
who with her companion, disappears. A
"hot Is heard and Snor Alvarea of th
Mxlran li-n'.lon. la found wounded,
l.rlmm la aa.urtd Mlaa Thorn did It; ha
visits her, deuiandina; knowledge of tha
afralr. and arreata Motro Petrozlnnl. MUs
riiorna vlalta an old bonih-mak.tr. and they
rtli:uss a wonderful experiment. Hfty
thousand ilollara la atnlen from the ofnVa
of Snor Rodrticuei, tha minister from
Veneiuela, and while dete. tiv.s uro 111
V'tlutln the robbery Mlaa Thorne up
pears aa a rieat of the legation, (irlmm
uses her of the theft: the money Is
restored, hut a new mvsterv oeciirs In
1 ie disaiiiivaranee of Monsieur Hoiaseirur
"w Fren.h ambassador. Elusive Miss
.V'',ri, ."-I'lK'ara. bearing a letter whlih
states that the ambassador haa been kld
npe, and demanding ransom. The am
nassador returns and again strangely dis
appears. I.al.T he la reaeued from an oll
ih"'.""r..n ,h "'h'-rba. It Is discovered
ii .1 "l? ''"'""nnl shot Senor Alvarea
v. ..mi na ia j-nni e d Abruszl.
CHAPTER XVII (Continued.)
"He was bribed.' was the ready re
Honse. "Now, Warden." the masked
intruder continued pacifically, "It
would be much more pleasant all
round and there would be less per
ioral danger In It for both of us If
ini would release Slgnor Petrozlnnl
-uuOIU quplltloni J m . . tnat
bribe
Int.
cut," the
'as offered to you because your
.r'-y was beyond Question "
Thank you." sold the warden grim
d It shall remain bo as long as
i.KVVhl8'" ,Ie tapped on the desk
"'i-J the revolver.
"Oh. that Isn't loaded." said the
""-"ted man quietly,
O'w quick glance at the weapon
l, ?l tU warden that e cartridges
been drawn! His teeth closed
, 1 '""H t the treachery of It.
T. r hl left hand h t"ed ack
or the levers that which should
12? l,he lallur8' turakey
K,,r .nBtcBd of tne Innlstent clan
fence ' exPected. there was si-
"T.,a .
Mr. " w,re hM been
"trangor volunteers
luIU.hft.Clenched taetn Ue warden
Pued the police alarm.
tMmV1 'hat Wlre was cut- t00'" the
stranger explained.
whit- fWWden CUme t0 hl with
Wn s orCh. V ntt"8 bltlng lnt tb
lr ha"'1S' "e still held the
2 r" h '"danced upon the
,sh,d n'n threateningly.
trutW lKC'USe' now'" arned the In
Zte V 8UdUen hardening of his
or vou me' U would be l,est
It mZ i T1"88 thls n,an. bcause
must be done, pleasantly or otter-
lse- I havn nr. .
still 1 . " 10 injure you,
luil me I Dtend that yu "hallln!
either oe;;.n? " W.uld be needl
- w uiu B personal mattnr
I Want Vrli. n.l.. r,.
H you will n.
- - iviuam u I III m
the warden's hand; at no time had
the stranger's voice been raised. His
tone was a perfectly normal one.
"Hosldes yourself there are only five
other men employed here who are
now awake," the masked man con
tinued. "These are four iuner guards
and the outer guard. They have all
been bought the turnkeys at five
thousand dollars each, and the outer
guard at Beven thousand. The receipt
of all of this money Is conditional
upon the release of Signer Petrozlnnl.
therefore It Is to their Interest to aid
me as against you. I am telling you
all this, frankly and fully, to make you
see how futile any resistance would
be."
"Hut who who Is this Slgnor Petro
ilnnl. that such powerful Influences
should be brought to bear In his be
half?" demanded the bewildered war
den. "He Is a man who can command a
vast fortune and Senor Alvarei Is at
the point of death. That. I think,
makes It clear. Now, If you'll sit down,
please!"
"Sit down?" bellowed the warden.
Suddenly he was seUed by a vio
lent, muddenlng raga. He took one
step forward and raised the empty
revolver to stilke. The masked man
moved slightly to one side and hla
clenched (1st caught the warden on
the point of the chin. The official went
down without a sound and lay still,
Inert. A moment later the door lead
ing Into the corridor of the prison
opened, and Slgnor Petrozlnnl. ac
companied by one of the guards, en
tered the warden's office. The masked
man glanced around at them, and ith
a motion of his head Indicated the
door leading to the street. They
passed through, closing the door be
hind them.
For a little time the Intruder stood
staring down at the still body, then
be went to the telephone and called
police headuuarters.
"There nns been a Jail delivery at
the prison," he said In answer to the
"hello" of the dt'sk-sergeaut at the
other end of the wire, "ltetter Bend
some of your men up to Investigate."
"Who Is that?" came tho antiwerlug
question.
The Btrnnger replaced tho receiver
on the hook, stripped off his black
mnsk, dropped It on the floor beside
the motionless warden, and went out
It was Mr. Grimm!
CHAPTER XVIII.
Notice to Leave.
At fifteen minutes of midnight when
Miss Thome, followed by Slgnor
Petrozlnnl. entered tho sitting-room of
her apartments In the hotel and turned
up the light they found Mr. Grimm al
ready there. He rose courteously. At
Bight or blm Mlas Thome's face went
deuthly white, and the escaped pris
oner turned toward the door again.
"I would advise that you stay, your
Highness." said Mr. .Grimm coldly.
Slgnor Petrozlnnl paused, amazed.
"You will merely subject yourself to
the humiliation of arrest If you at
tempt to leave. The house Is guarded
by a dozen men."
"Your Highness?" Miss Thorne re
peated blankly "You are assuming
a great deal, aren't you, Mr. Grimm?"
"I don't believe," and Mr. Grimm's
listless eyes were fixed on those of the
escaped prisoner, "I don't believe that
Prince Henedetto d'AbruzzI will deny
his Identity?"
There was one of those long tense
silences when eyes challenges eye,
when wit Is pitted against wit, and
mind Is hauled around to a new, and
sometimes unattractive, view of a sit
uation. Miss Thorne stood sllont with
rigid features, colorless as marble;
but slowly a sneer settled about the
lips of Slgnor Petrozlnnl that was,
and he Bat down.
"You seem to know everything, Mr.
Grimm," he taunted.
"I try to know everything, your
Highness," was the reply. Mr. Grimm
wait still standing. "I know, for In
stance, that one week ago the plot
which hud your freedom for Its pur
pose was born; I know the contents of
every letter that passed between you
and MIhb Thorne here, notwithstand
ing the Invisible Ink; I know that four
days ago several thousand dollars was
smuggled in to you conceuled In a
hnsket of fruit; I know, with that
money, you bribed your way out, while
Miss Thorne or one of her agents
bribed tho guard In front; I know that
the escape was planned for to-night,
and that the man who was delegated
to take charge of It Is now locked la
my office under guard. It may Inter
est you to know that It was I who
took his place and made the escape
possible. 1 know that much!"
"You you !" the prince burst out
suddenly. "You aided me to escape 7"
Miss Thorne wua staring, staring at
them with her eyes widely distended,
and her red Hps slightly parted.
"Why did you assist blm?" she de
manded. "Details are tiresome, Miss Thorne,"
replied Mr. Grimm with the utmost
courtesy. "There is one other thing
I kaow that the Ijttln compact will
not he signed In the United States."
The prince's eyes met MIbs Thome's
Inquiringly, and she shook her head.
The sneer was still playing about his
mouth.
"Anything else of special Interest
that you know?" he queried.
"Yes, of Interest to both you and
Miss Thorne. That Is merely if the
Lutln compact Is signed anywhere, the
English-speaking countries of the
world might construe It as a casus
belli and strike soon enough, and bard
enough, to put an end to It once for
all."
Again there was silence for a little
while. Slowly the prince's eyes were
darkening, and a shadow flitted across
Miss Thome's face. The prince rose
Impatiently.
"Well, what Is the meaning of all
this? Are you going to take me back
to prison?"
"No," said Mr. Grimm. He glanced
at his watch. "I will give each of you
one-half hour to pack your belongings.
We must catch a train at one o'clock."
"Leave the city?" gasped MIbs
Thorne.
"Impossible!" exclaimed the prince.
"One half hour," said Mr. Grimm
coldly.
"Hut but It's out of tho question,"
expostulated Miss Thorne.
"One-balf hour," repeated Mr.
Grimm. He didn't dare to meet those
wonderful blue-gray eyes now. "A
special car with private compartments
will be attached to the regular train,
and the only Inconvenience to you
will be the fact that the three of us
will be compelled to sit up all night.
Half a dozen other SecrPt Service
men will he on the train with us."
And then the prince's entire manner
underwent a change.
"Mr. Grimm," he nald earnestly. "It
Is absolutely necessary that I remain
In Washington for another week re
main here even If I am locked up
again lock me up again If you like.
I can't sign compacts In prison."
"Twenty-five minutes," replied Mr,
Grimm quietly.
"Hut here," exclaimed the prince ex
plosively, "I have credentials which
will Insure my protection In spite of
your luws."
"1 know that," said Mr. Grlmra
placidly. "Credentials of that nature
cannot be presented at midnight, and
you will not ba here to-morrow to
present them. The fact that you have
those credentials, your Highness. Is
one reason why you must leave Wash
Ington now, to-night."
(TO BK CONTINUED.)
For the Hostess
u$0
A Japanese Tea.
Affairs Japanesque are always ef
fective and pleasing to one's guests.
To make the rooms as really Japanese
as possible much of the furniture
should be removed, partitioning off
spaces where necessary with Japanese
paper screens. Use flowering shrubs,
almond blossoms (artificial), chrys
anthemums and butterflies suspended
by Invisible black threads. The hoBt
ess must bow very low three times,
saying "Konlchlwa" when the guests
arrive and "Snyonara" when, they
leave. Tea should be served with no
cream; use cups without handles.
Sponge cakes may be served If rice
ones are not obtainable, also pre
served g"nger. If something cold Is
I wished have cherry Ice. Those who
I issist should wear kimonos.
I Have some young girls In Japanese
I :ostumes play "bag ball" (dama). Have
I 1 number of bright-colored bags filled
! with dried beans. Mich girl tries to
keep as many bags going as possible
without dropping them. Another
amusing game Is played by means of
i long silk scarf, In the renter of
which Is a loose knot or loop, held
midway between the two players who
hold the scarf and the floor. On one
side of the loop a player sits. On the
other side Is a small object, a flower,
a bean bag, even a thimble. The
player who sits by the loop tries to
slip her hand through, grab the small
snicle and take her hand back again
before those holding the loop can
draw It tight and make her band
prisoner.
Games for Outdoor Parties.
All this summer outdoor affairs
have been very popular and In conse
quence we have all been on the look
out for pastimes suitable for the
lawn, the shore and the porch. One
called "stagarino" Is played by hav
ing two bases opposite each other, say
at either end of the grounds; the
players are on either side with "It"
In the middle (the latter being cho
sen by drawing lots or the old-time
method of "counting out"). The game
is to run from one goal to the other
without being caught. When once
touched he or she Joins In trying to
catch the others.
"Fire buckets" Is another Jolly
same, so called from the old way of
passing buckets of water from hand
to hand In the volunteer fire compa
nies. The players are formed In two
long lines opposite each other with
captains at the head who have a bas
ket or box filled with all sorts of has
tily collected articles handkerchiefs,
bulls, huts, balr ribbons, pocket knives
etc., which are to be passed on one
at a time until the end of the line
is reached, the last player, depositing
the objects on the ground beside him,
begins at once to pass them back. Ths
line nrst accomplishing the task wins.
Here Is a new version of "blind
man's buff:" Divide the players Into
sides; all on one side are blindfolded
and the other side are given little
bells. No running is allowed and only
a certain space allowed to play In.
When caught the bell Is Burrendered
and the captive Is blindfolded. A most
laughable stunt Is to seat two persons
opposite each other on the ground,
niiimrom tliem and see who can feed
the other a small saucer of rolled
cracker crumbs first. This Is a nouu
lar game with the birds, for they are
assured a most luxurious meal after
the merry picnickers are gone. Kor
grown up young people the game of
Mystic Thoughts" Is a good one, and
If cleverly done is really quite exclt
Ing. Two persons work together and
arrange their method beforehand.
They tell the company that much of
their success depends upon-their con
centratlon. One of the two then din
appears out of sight and hearing, the
one remaining asks the circle to defi
nitely settle on a trade and think of
that ono thing so steadily that the
right thought may be transmitted to
the absent one, who la then asked to
come back. The co-worker asks a
number of questions such as "It Is a
painter?" "No." "Is It a minister?"
"No." "Is It a blacksmith?" "Yes."
The trick Is to mention a profession
Just before the trade agreed upon Is
mentioned.
Another mystic stunt Is called
"Black Art" An object Is decided
upon and the questioner asks his co
worker all sorts of articles, mention
ing a black object Just before the
right one. It often takes some time
to discover these tricks and some
times the company remain mystified,
which Is so much the better, as they
are good for another party.
Charity Entertainment.
This novel supper was given by a
club of young women In the parlors
of a city church. At each place the
menu (not filled out. the riddle at top
unguessed) given below was laid with
a pencil. The guest marked what he
wished and the card was returned
with the order.
MADAME MERRI.
ALCOHOLIC PERIL OF FRANCE
Drink Evil's Deadly Work In Provinces
Absinth Taking Firmer Hold of
People Every Year.
The Importance
of Knowing God'
By Rev. Alexander S. Taylor
Rector of St. Mark's Reformed
tpurupal Caurcb. Uuctfo.
330
Cotton Dresses
Young Woman Made Court Referee.
Miss Frieda Thomas started life as
a poor girl and had to work hard to
becomo a lawyer.
"I'm Just the happiest girl In the
world," she said the other day. "Jus'
tice iierara nas nonoreu me oy ap
pointing me referee In a foreclosure
procedure. I shall always be grate
ful to him. for I am the first woman
referee In New York county."
The parchment had Just been hand
ed to her. New York World.
f It.
Petrozlnnl
IhnC. .111,,
- ..... a ail ;
dt? audaclty of whlle
lrrt lw? calm which
him through the slits of the
reply ...f hhal! tak "Ira." was the
fr you tn been made Possible
ent on ? J! RD aJarm'" 016 "danger
even .d,Tnded have been D0UKht,
ur vnio ey were wlthln of
0l" of voD"W thejr wouldn't respond.
her for v B88l8tant who has been
,n the d t"" unloa,led the revolver
oour n.. ",lu le88 lna-n an
U0l'f oiro ... .r ' ""u luan an
Ier,mfUt the Prlsol a'arm wire,
the Tl fut the pollce uIarn outr
As . " 00 you see!"
"ave jje unloaded revolver ln
Where Art Was at Fault
House Maid Has Trouble With Pic
ture of Leaning Tower of
Plia.
Among the engravings that adorned
the walls of a Toledo woman's home
was one big one of the leaning tower
of Pisa. One morning, shortly after
the advent of a new maid, the mis
tress of the house noticed that the
Picture of the tower hung crooked
8be straightened It and said nothing
of the matter to the new servant,
who had evidently shifted It while
ousting. The next day the picture
was again crooked; the same thing
happened the next day and the next
Finally, one morning, chancing to be
In the room where the picture was,
the mUtress said to the maid as she
dusted:
"Mary, you've hung that picture of
the tower crooked. Just look at It!"
"That's what I say, mum," returned
the domestic, "look at it! The only
way I can git that blamed tower to
hang straight Is to hang the picture
crooked." Llpplncotfi.
Sleep eight hours only, and on
moderately hard bed.
to!1 11 I J
T
HE first Is In olive green case
ment cloth. The skirt la quite
plain, with Just a deep hem. The
Magyar bodice has a prettily
shaped front arranged over a yoke of
broderle Anglalse. Buttons and
straps of braid trim the fronts, also
over-Bleeves, which are split up at the
outside; the under-sleeves are of the
broderle to match yoke A little col
lar of material finishes the neck. Ma
terials required; 4 Mi yards casement
cloth 40 Inches wide, Vi yanj broderle
in pquc
High feather decoration Is a fall
millinery keynote.
Never were so many sheer, plain
striped silk waists.
Long top coats are carried ln near
ly all vacation trunks.
Eyelet embroidery has a strong
vogue In new millinery.
With the promise of wider skirts
comes the return of ruffles.
White pumps were probably never
before In so great demand.
More and more Insistent becomes
tho prophecy of wider skirts.
The dainty fichu Introduced this
summer has become more than popular
White linen Is apparently the sea
son's favorite mnteriul for tub dresses.
Ecru moussellne de sole has super
seded white for separate collars and
Buffs.
Hosiery ln every case matches the
Anglalse, 1 dozen buttons.
The other would look well ln sal
mon pink linen. The skirt has a
wrapped seam down the left side of
front, which Is partly trimmed with
buttons covered In the material. The
bodice has the sleeves cut In with It,
and set to lawn cuffs edged with lace.
The collar matches these; the front
is arranged to match Skirt and Is
trimmed with buttons. Hat of black
chip, edged with salmon pink and
trimmed with roses and foliage,
shade of the gown with which It Is
worn.
One of M. Uouvier's measures for
making up the budgetary deficit with
which lie was faced Is a proposal to
suppress the privilege accorded to pri
vate distillers, who in provincial
France still provide a good deal of the
alcohol which under various names
the rural population consumes In large
quantities. M. Kouvler's proposals
will In all probability become a law.
and the private distillers will be sup
pressed. Hut the Temps points out
that, though the French treasury may
expect Its revenue to Increase by such
a measure, since the private distillery
had no duty to pay, yet there are oil)
er reasons which militate against the
adoption of this proposal ami which
the Temps unites under the head of
"The Alcoholic 1'erll." It says that
the French countryman will certainly
not modify bis drinking habits any
more than he can alter his Inevitable
parsimonious character. I'nder the
old regime he at all events drank
good spirits, whereas under the new
regime, though the spirits niny have
come from the licensed distiller. It is
of such a character that Its erfurt
upon the health of the Inhabitants is
most disastrous.
In Normandy, says the Temps, every
one who Is not absolutely a beggar at
noon takes a cup of coffee freely dl
luted with elder brandy. This elder
brandy costs the private distiller from
a franc and a half to two francs per
liter, and yet In towns spirit which
has paid duty both to the government
and to the local authorities ran be
purobased for a franc a liter. The
Temps ndmlts that this concoction
mny be a marvel of chemical science,
but Its moral and physical effect upon
the consumers Is disastrous. Taking
the town of Caen, In Normandy, as an
Instance, this Journal says that before
the law making the drink trade free
was passed there were 200 cabarets,
or about one for every 250 Inhabitants,
whereas today there are nearly 800
such establishments, or one for every
"0 Inhabitants. The trade, however.
s prosperous, for whereas In 1SS9 the
town dues paid on alcohol amounted
to 113.000 francs they have now In
creased to 187,000 francs, or 68 per
cent per annum. Tne population of
the country, however. Is on the de
crease. Last year In the Calvados de
partment there were 1.223 more
deaths than births. Crime and theft
are on the Increase, as In 1890 the cor
rectional tribunals registered 3.55.1
convictions, whereas last year they
noted 4,149.
The drink question, this Journal
thinks, Is not only a fiscal one, but one
of national Interest, and Instead of en
deavoring to realize the greatest pos
sible financial profit from It the Temps
tninks that the production and con
sumption of natural and hygienic
drinks should be favored, while the
manufacture of spirits, the basis of
which Is badly rectified alcohol, should
be watched over and hindered In order
to combat that which constitutes a
social and national danger.
The drink beloved of the modern
Frenchman has had the misfortune to
attract attention Itself, and the eye
of tho political economist has fallen
upon It unfavorably. The French
budget has need of several millions of
francs If It Is to approximate to a
balance, and tho amateur tax collect
ors, who presumably do not drink ab
sinthe, have suggested to the finance
minister that he cannot do bettor than
put a tax upon the liquid. It is point
ed out that nbslnthe pays no special
duty and Is only taxed on the amount
of alcohol In it. The strongest absinthe
Is five times as deleterious as ordi
nary brandy; the weakest, that which
Is sold In the drinking shops, Is twice
or two and a half times as poisonous
as tho brandy sold In the same places.
The argument therefore Is that taking
three times as the average the duty
on absinthe ought to bo three timet
na high as It Is, and so the hectoliter
ought to pay a duty of CtiO francs In
stead of only 220 francs. The advo
cates of this Increased tax point out
that ahsintho Is only very rarely of
use medicinally, but that Its dally con
sumption destroys the nervous system
and brings on epilepsy, paralysis and
madness. Every year more of tho
stuff Is drunk In France, and It Is
stated that to Its use Is duo the great
mortality from consumption In the
French army. It Is agreed that ab
sinthe Is poisonous and that the
finances of France want a new and
productive tax, but it Is doubtful
whether any minister will have the
courage to propose such a fur-reaching
Innovation.
TKXT. That thpy mlKhl know The,
tti only truo Clod ami Jtia Christ,
whom Thuu hiiat an.-John 1M
In these d.ivs whet' knowledge la
spread through the '.hole earth, while
the making of many hooks goes mer
rily on and much study Is a weariness
to tho flesh, it may be timely to call
attention to the Importance of know
Ing (I'M.
While man Is In this mundane life
there are many things which owing to
the limitations of this lire he shall
never know, it is not for him to
know the time nnd the seasoi.s. but,
if he be wise, lie may understand the
signs -: the times Yet we are ex
pressly told that far away above even
the Imaginations of the human mind
In Its gnostic flight in the one grent
Indestructible truth that a man may
nay. that a man must know Ood.
If man would cease his molellke fer
reting after the niysMiou earth
worms of philosophy, and come out
of his pessimistic darkness, and try
to know God and to serve him now,
many of his doubts would resolve
themselves. If a man does not know
God. he has missed the one great, Im
portant thing; he has not yet found
the key by which he may enter the
Bizarre Color Effects. ('
Some of the latest models In tub
frocks show bizarre and even weird
combinations of color. For Instance,
a violet linen has collar, , cuffs and
strappings of turquoise linen and
revers of some black and white
striped wash goods. A chocolate-toned
linen ugly as possible Is piped with
tomato red and finished with wide
revers of white pique. And a black
and white striped lawn Is made con
spicuous by a belt, waist and sleeve
band trimming combining red, blue,
green, black and purple ln a geometrlo
pattern.
A pleasing change from the ubiquit
ous, overpopular band of plain ma
terial as a finish to the hlgh-walsted
frock of striped summer goods was a
group of three scant ruffles seen on a
black and white striped voile. The
peusant waist was redeemed from
plainness by colnture and tlchu of
black satin. The wearer was a slen
der girl of perhaps seventeen.
Moderate Drinking.
Moderate drinking prepares the soil
for drunkenness. It works mischief
Becretly and Imperceptibly and by
paralyzing the power of self-control
and obscuring the senses brings Its
victims In myriads of cases to tho
vergo of Inebriety, while all uncon
scious that the bounds of moderation
have been passed. Men nre weak and
alcohol Is Btrong Btrong to make pau
pers of the weal'hy, sluggards of the
Industrious, Invalids of the healthy,
desperadoes of the gentle, imbeciles
of tho shrewd and tho clever, degrad
ed outcasts of those ln every class of
society who were once upright and re
spected. It Is the plain teaching of a
world-wide experience that In total ab
Btlnence exists the only real safe
guard. The Temperance Witness.
Drink snd Scholarship.
A school teacher In Vienna made
an Investigation among over 500 chil
dren. He divided them Into Ave
classes: the children who never had
any alcoholic drink, those who had It
occasionally and those who hnd It
onco, twice and three times dally.
Then he turned to the scholarship rec
ords. He found the proportion of
highest marks decreased and of the
lowest marks Increased with the fre
quency of drink using.
holy place of his own life.
How he came here, why he came
here. why. ho goes from here and
whither he goes those things ho
knows not.
The work of God speaks In no un
certain tones on this subject. It tells
us that knowledge of God Is de
pendent upon a spiritual awakening
nnd a revelation from God himself.
We are told that there was a time
when Samuel "did not know the Lord,
for the word of the Ixird was not yet
revealed to him." We are further
told that there came a time when
Samuel did know the Lord, and all Is
rael knew that Samuel knew the
Lord. And the knowledge of God so
Impressed Itself on the, lay mind that
the servant of Saul testified of hlra:
"Now. there Is a man of God In this
city." A man who knew Ood: who
walked with Ood; who made himself
felt In the national and Individual life
of Israel.
The key which David handed to
young Solomon was the key of Di
vine knowledge. "And thou, Solo
mon, my son, know thou the God of
thy father, and serve him with a
perfect heart and a willing mind."
Jeremiah told the men of his day
that worldly wisdom, might and rich
es never would bring a man to glory:
that if any man would glory. "Iet him
glory ln that he knoweth the Lord."
God's controversy with Israel
through his prophets was concern
ing their lack of knowledge. Isaiah
goes so far In his rebuke as to ac
cuse them of the densest stupidity
and calls upon the heavens to hear
and the earth to give ear. He Is
astonished that the ox knows bis
owner, and tho ass the place for his
fodder, but God's people do not know.
The depravity of that day was not
on account of the lack of religious
observance. Tho smoke from the
morning and evening sacrifice went
up as regularly as tha days came and
went.
It was a time of decent, decorous,
esthetic, eye pleasing, ear tickling
service; but It had no core; there
was no heart In It. It was all exter
nalIt was something which the Ixird
could not get away with; It was
abomination to him, ami we have no
reason to think that God has charged
his mind In this year of grace. They
offered Incense; Ood wanted clean
henrta and pure lives, and these come
from knowing Uid. The apostle
Paul denounced the church at Cor
inth for this very thing, and a strange
denunciation It Is to come in his
matchless argument for the resurrection.
Awake to righteousness nnd sin
not, for some have not the knowledge
of Ood. I speak this to your shame "
Is It any less disgraceful In any Chris
tian community, in any Christian
land, not to know God? We trow not I
Tut the great reason given by the
matchless Son of God ought to Bet all
men seeking for God. It Is given not
to the disciples, though heard by
them. It Is spoken In the holy place
of prnyer. Any man. be he a sin-
cere man, Is most sincere, la at bis
best. Is approaching nls zenith, when
In his closet, after shutting the door,
he prnys to his Father. This Is no
fitting place for cant, dilettantism or
sham. It Is the one real moment of
his life, and the Son of God tells his
Father that: "It Is life eternal to
know the true Ood. and Jesus Christ,
whom he bad Lent"
Friends, what an opportunity! To
?row In the knowledge of the Father
and the Son; this is worth while. To
know Ood experimentally his pur
poses in creation and lu redeeming
grace this Is life eterral "Ar.i
Jesus Christ." The knowledge u
vet one, for there Is no saving knowl
edge apart from him, just as there
wrj without him nothing made that
was made. All men know him hut
all men do not know blm. What dues
this knowledge mean?
Salvation alone to him. He alone
paid the price of sin. His blood alone
clennseth from sin. He rose for our
justification and he will demand a
reckoning for our knowledge, our
faith and the use to which we put
them now. There Is no promise of life
for Ignorance and the Bolemn duty de
volved upon every Christian. And
emphatically comes the obligation to
know, obey, love, serve and deny our
selves for the llvtug Ood. It Is life
6ternal so to do.
If we set before ourselves the high
resolve that. Ood helping us, we shall
know him better, the old hymn, 'Near
er, My Ood, to Thee," will have a full
er, grander meaning, and when the
King himself returns to reign la
righteousness and execute Judgment
on the earth, we shall see hlra face
to face and know s we are known.