if
StATAOEM.
JOSHUA
Vr. T,ice Preaches to the Tlilr-
Xew York Itoginicnt,
I TltxT'. Thrn y shall ri.it up from th$
Om&nsn id upon th city." Joshua,
Tiii., 7.)
Men tho Thirteenth Regiment, unit their
fripiiilre gathered, of all occupations, and
profesr'ns. men of the city ami men of the
fields,'' i" a theme lit fur all of us.
OnSabbath evening with my family
Arouf mo, we were talking over the scene
of tbtext. In the wide-open eye and tlie
quia' Interrogations ami the blanched
chef. I realized what a thrilling drama It
was There 1 the old city, shorter by name
tba "nT other city in the ago, spelled with
tw letter A, I Al. Joehua and bin men
wt to take it. How to do it I the
qriition. In a former occasion, In
a, straightforward, fa. to face fight
ty had been defeated; hut now they are
fing to take it by ambuscade. Oeneral
Joshua has two divisions In hi army the
ne division the battle-worn commundnr will
.ead himself, tho i.ther diviiion he semis off
to em amp in an ambush on the west side of
the city of Al. No torcbe, no lanterns, no
- aound of heavy battalion, but 80,(HM
: awarthy warriors moving in silence,
,' tweaking oniy In a whisper: no
' clicking of twords against shields,
lost the watchmen nf Al discover it, and the
stratagem be a failure. If a roystering
aoldier in the Isrmlitish army forgets him
self, all along the line the word is "Hush!"
Joshua takes the other division, the one with
which he is to march, and put it on the north
aide of the city nf Ai, ami then ieiils the
flight in reconnoitering in the valley. There
he is, thinking over the fortune of the
coming diiy, with something of the feelings
of Wellington the night before Waterloo, or
of Mnda ami l,ee the night before Hetty
burg. There hn stands in the night and says
to himself: "Yonder Is the division in am
lui'h on tho nest side of Ai. Here is the
' CAPTUIIK Of At.
division I have under my especial command
on the north side of Ai. There is the old city
sliimliering in its sin. To-morrow will be the
battle. I.xk!tlie morning already begins
to tip the hills. The military olliccrs of Ai
look out in the morning very early, and
while they do not see the division in ambush,
they behold the other division of Joshua,
and the crv: "To arms! To arms!"
j rings through all tbe streets of the
' old town, and every sword, whether
f hacked ami bent or newly welded, is
I brought out, mid all the inhabitants of
., the city of Ai pour through the gtites. nn in
furiated torrent, and their cry is: "Come,
,-J we'll make quick work with Joshua and his
trooiia," No sooner had these ieople of Ai
comonut ngninst the troos of Joshua than
Joshua gave such a command as be seldom
f:ave: "Kail back!"' Why, they could not
lelieve their own cars. It Joshua's courago
I failing him!
The retreat Is beuten, and the Israelites are
flying, throwing blankets and canteens on
' every side under this worse than Hull Bun tie-
fat. And you ought to hear tlie soldiers of
Ai cheer ami cheerand cheer. But they huzza
' too soon. The men lying in ambush are strain-
Ing tlieir vision to got some signal from
Joshua that they may know what
time to drop upon the city. Joshua taki-s his
i burnished siear, glistening in the snn like a
5 ahuft of doom, and M)ints it tovard the city;
and when tho men up yonder in the ambush
ee it, with hnwk like swoop they drop upon
Al, and without stroke of sword or stab of
' apear take the city and put it to tbe torch.
Ho much for the division that was in am
bush. How aliout tbe division under Joshua's
! command I No sootier does Joshua stop in
i the flight than all bis men stop with him, and
j a ho wheels they wheel, for in a voice of
. thunder he cried: "Halt!" One strong arm
driving back a torrent of flying troops. And,
then, as he points his spear through the
golden light toward that fatal city, his
I troops know thnt they are to start for it.
k .What a scene it was when the division in am-
t tiush, which ha I taken the city marched down
against the men of Ai on the one side, and
the troops under Joshua doubled uin their
t nemie from the other side, and the men of
Ai were caught between these two hurricanes
ft Israelitisli courago, thrust before and
j liehind, stabbed in breast and back, ground
J between the upcr and the nether millstones
Of Hod's indignation. Woe to the city of
Ai! Cheer for the triumphs of Israel !
lesson the llrst: There is such a thing as
, victorious retrofit. Joshuas fulling back
was the llrst chapter in his sucrcssf ul Isisiege
inent. And there are times in your life whim
H the Uwt thing you can do is to run. You
were once the victim of strong drink. The
demijohn and tho decanter were your fierca
foes. They came down iqion you with greater
' fury than the men of Ai upon tho men of
j Joshua. Your only safely is to getaway
t from them. Your dissipating companion's
will ciiiim around you for your overthrow,
i Hun for your life! Kali buck! Fullback
i. from tho ill inking saloon. Fall bnek from
t the wine party. Your Might is your udvnm-o.
f- lour retreat is your victory. There is a
1 saloon down on the next street that
lias almost U-en tho ruin of vour
soul. Then why do you go along 'that
J street! Why do you not puss through
I onie other street rather than by th place of
ji miauni.Yi a snooniui oi urunily taken
! for medicinal purpose lv a limn who twenty
yearn before bad been reformed from drunk-
i tnuoKs, hurled into inebriety uml the grave
ne of the best friends I ever bud. Your re-
I treat is your victory. Here U a converted
J inlidol. Ho is so strong now in his
sunn in mo oosp.il be says he
can read anything. What are you
reading! Iiolingbroke? Andrew Jackson
Davis's tracts! Tyndull's Ulusgow Univers
ity address! Drop them an I run. Y ou will
be an ijitldol before you die unlets you quit
that 1 hesu men of Ai will be too much for
you. Turn your buck on the rank and tile
of unbelief. Fly before they cut you with
their swords and transflx you with thoir
javelins.
i There are people who have been well-nigh
ruined because they risked a fool-hardy expe
dition In tbe presence of mighty and over
whelming temptations, and tbe men of Al
made a morning meal of thorn. Ho also there
is such a thing as victorious retreat in the
religious world. Thousands of times the
kingdom of Christ has teemed
to fall back. When the blood of
the Hcotch Covenanters gave a deeper
dye to tho heather of the Highland-, when
the Vaudois of France chose extermination
rather than make an unchristian surrender,
when on St. Bartholomew's Hay mounted as
sassins rode the streets of 1'aris, crying;
Kill! Blood-letting is good in August!
Kill I lieath to the Huguenot ! Kill!'
when Iidy Jane Urey's head rolled from the
executioner's block, wheu Calvin was im
prisoned in the castle, when John Knox died
tor the truth ; when John liunyun lay rotting
4n Bedford Jail, saying: "If Uod will help
lue and my physical life continues I will stuy
here until the moss grows on my eyebrows
rather than give up my faith," the days of
retreat for the church were days of victory,
Tbe i'ilgrim Father fell back from the
other tide of the sea to l'lymouth Hock, but
now are marshaling a continent for the
C'brintianizution of tbe world. The Church
ft Christ falling back from Piedmont,
falling back from Hue 8t. Jaouues. falling
back from frit. Denis, falling back from
Wurtembiirg castles, falling back from
the Brussels market til ace, yet all the
time triumphing. Notwithstanding all
the shocking reverse which tbe Church of
Christ sutrers. what do we see to-day I Three
thousand missionariestfif the cross on heathen
ground; sixty thousand ministers of Jesus
Christ in this land; at least two hundred
millions of Christians on the earth. All
at ons to-day kindling in a blaze of revival,
railing back, yet advancing until tba old
Wesleyan hymn will prove true;
"The lion of JqiUti shall break the chain.
And glr us ib victor tgsin sod sgsin!"
But there It a more marked Illustration of
Victorious retreat in the life of our Joshua,
tha Jean of th ages. First falling bn -k '
from an appalling height to an appalling
depth, falling from celestial hills to terres- I
trial vallevs, from throne to manger: yet
that, did not seem to suffice Him a a retreat
FalllnT bark still further from lUthlaham A
Nazareth, from Nazareth to Jerusalem, hark
from Jerusalem to Golgotha, back from o.
rotha to the mausoleum in the ro-k, back
down over the precipices of perdition until
he walked amid tha caverns of theeternnl
captive and drank of the win of tbe wrath
of Almighty Ood amid th Ahahs and the
Jezebels and th Blshazzars. O men of the
Fiulplt and men of the pew, Christ's descent
rom heaven to earth don not measure half
th distance, It was from glorv to perdition.
He dewended Into hell. All the records of
earthly retreat are as nothing compared with
this falling. Santa Anna with the frag
ments) of his armv flying over tha p1at"nux
of Mexico, and Nanoleow and his army re
treating from Mocow in the awful
snow of Russia are not worthy to
lm mentioned with this retreat, when
all the powers of darkness seemed to be pur
suing Christ as ho fell back, until the bod
of him who cam to do such wonderful
things lay pu'seless ami atrlpiwd. M-thinks
that the city of Al was not so emptied of its
inhabitants when they went to pursue Joshun
as perdition was emptied of d 'Vlls when ther
started for the pursuit of Christ, and he fell
lack and back, down lower, down lower,
chasm Mow chasm, pit lielow pit. nntd hi
seemed to strike the liottnm of objurgation
and scorn and torture, (lb! the long, loud.
Jubilant shout of hell at tbe defeat of the
Jrd Ood Almighty!
But let riot the powers of dnrkna reolce
quite to soon. Do you hear that disturbance
In the tomb of Arlmathea I hear the sheet
rending! What mans thnt stone hurled
down thesido of the hill! Who is this com
ing out! I'ush him back! the !a I must not
stalk in this open sunlight. Oh, it is nor
Joshua. I t him come out. He comes forth
and starts for the city. Ho takes the spear
of the ltotnan guard and points that wav.
Church militant marches up on one side ami
the church triumphant marches down
on tho other side. An I the iowers of
darkness lsing caught between these ranks
of celestial and terrestrial valor, nothing
is left of them save just enough to illus
trate the direful overthrow of hell and our
Joshua's eternal vitory. On his head bo all
the crowns. In bis hand be all the scepters.
At his feet ls all the human hearts; and
here, l-onl. is cne of tbem.
l4sson the set-oml: The triumph of the
wicked is short. Did you ever see an army
In a panic! There is nothing so uncontrol
lable. If you had stood at l.ong Bridge,
Washington, during the opening of our sad
civil war, you would know what it is to see
an army run. And w hen those men of Ai
looked out and saw those men of Joshua in a
stampdB. they expected easy work. They
would scatter them as the enuinot tlm
leaves. O, tho gleeful and jubilant di
scent of the men of Ai upon the men
of Joshua! But their exhilaration was
brief, for the tide of battle turned,
and these quondam couticrcr left their
miserable carcasses in the wilderness of
Bethnven. Ho it alwavs is. The triumph of
the wicked is short. You make ','i,(l 0 at the
gaming table. Io you exH t to kis-p it! You
will die in tho KVrhouse. You minlen fortune
by iniquitous traflle. Do you exiect to keep it!
our money will scatter, or it will stay long
enough to curse your children after you nie
dead. Call over the roll of bad men who
pros(i red and see how short was tlieir pres.
prity. For a while like the men of Ai
they went from conquest to conquest,
hut after a whole disaster rolled bick upon
them and they wore divide! into three
parts; misfortune took their property, tlm
grave took their liodv, and the lost
world took their soul, f nm always inter
ested in ''e building of theatres "anil the
building f disci; ating saloons. I like to
have them built of tho best granite ami have
the rooms time I a lance, and to have the pillars
made Very lirm. Ood is going to conquer
them, and they will lie turned into nsvliims,
and art galleries and churches. The stores
in wl Ich fraudulent men do business, the
splendid tanking institutions, wherrf the
president and cashier put all tlieir rnterty
in their wives' name and Uen fail for
r.tK,0KJ-all these institutions m to be
como t places where houust Christian men
do business.
How long will it take your bov to got
through your ill-gotten guins! The wicked
do not live out half thoir duys. For a while
they swagger and strut and make a great
splash in the newspners, but after a while
it all dwindles down into a brief paragraph:
"Died, suddenly, July a.'. lv. at ;." years of
age. Relatives ami friends of the family arc
invited to attend the funeral, on Wednelnv,
at '1 o'jlock. from bis late resilience on Madi
son square. Interment at Oreen wood." Some
of tboui jumped oir the docks. Some of them
took prussic acid. Some of them foil under
the snap of a Derringer pistol Some of
them spent their Inst day s in n lun itic asy
lum. Whore are William Tweed uml his
associates! Where are Ketchum and Swurt
wout, absconding swindlers! Whore is
.1 nines Kisk, the libert no! Where is John
Wilkes Booth, the nssassin, an I all the other
misdemeanants; Tlic wicked do not live out
half their days. Disembogue, O world of
darkness! Como up HiMohrun 1 uml Henry
1 1. and Hobespierre, and with blistering and
blaspheming and ushen lips hiss out: "Tho
triumph of the wicked is short:" A Ins for
tho men of Ai when Joshua stretches out his
bHar toward tho citv.
Lesson the third: How much may Is) ac
complished lv lying in anibu-h tr oppor
tunities. Are Voii hypercritical of Joshua's
maneuver! Do you say that it was cheating
for him to take that city by nuihuscuihi!
Was it wrong for Washington to kindle
camp llivs on New Jersey Heights, giving
the impression to the opposing force that a
great urmy whs en -amiied there when there
was none at all! 1 answer, if the war wus
right, then Joshuu was right in his strnt igoin.
Ho violated no flag of truce, lie broke no
treaty, but by a lawful umbufadu captured
the city of Ai. Oh, that we all knew bow to
lie in umbiisb for opportunities to serve Ood.
The best of our opportunities do not lie on tho
surface, but are secreted; by tact, by strata
gem, by CliriHtian ambuscade, you may take
almost any castle of sm for Christ Coin up
toward men with a regular liesiegement of
argument, and you will be defeated; but just
wait until the door of their hearts issetajur,
or they are off their guard, or their severe
caution is away from home, and then drop in
on ti'em from a Christian umbusca ie. There
ho bdn many a man up to bis chin in scien
tific portfolios which proved there was no
Christ and no divine revelation, hit pen a
scimotur Hung into the heart of theological
opponents, who, nevertheless, has been dis
coin II Ul and captured for Ood by some littlo
three-year-old child, who has got up and put
her snowy arms around bit sinewy neck and
asked some simple question about Ood and
heaven.
Oh, make a flank movement; steal a march
on tha devil; cheat that man into heaven.
A five dollar treatise tliut will stand all tbe
laws of houiilutict may fail to do that which
a penny tract of Christian entreaty may ac
complish. ( h, for more Christians in am
buscade, not lying in idleness, but waiting
for a quick spring, waiting until just th
right time comes. Do not talk to a man
aliout the vanity of this world on the day
when he has bought something at "twelve"
and is going to still it at "tilt en." But talk
to him about the vanity of the world
I on the day when be has bought something
at "fifteen" and Is coinpolleil to sell at
"twelve." Do not rub a man's disposition
the wrong way. Do not take tbe imperative
mood when the subjunctive mood will do
juktaswelL Do not talk in perforvid style
to a phlegmatic, nor try to tickle a torrid
temerauient with an icicle. You can take
any mau for Christ if you know how to got
at him. Do not send word to him that to
morrow at 10 o'clock you propose to oen
your batteries upon him, but come on him
by a skillful, persevering, Oodslirected am
buscade. liesson th fourth: The importance of tak
ing good aim. There is Joshua, but how ar
these people in ambush up yonder to know
when they ar to drop ujou the city, and
how are these men around Joshua to know
when they are to stop their flight and ad
vance! Tber must lie some signal a signal
to stop the on division and to start th
other. Joshua, with a spear on which were
ordinarily bung tbe colors of battle, points
toward the city, II stands in mub a con
spicuous position, and ther It so much of th
morning light drippi
pint from that spear tip,
that all around the horizon thv see it It was
as much as to say: "There is lbs citv. Tke
it Take It now. Rill down from th wrst.
Burg up from the north. It Is ours.thecity of
AL1 Ood knows and w know that a great
deat nf Christian attack amounts to nothing
simply because we do not take goo I aim..
Nobody know and w do not know our
selves which point we want to take, when
we ought to make tip our minds what Ood
will have us to do, and point our spear In
that direction and then burl our body, mind,
mil, time, eternity at that one target. In
our pulpits and pews and Sunday-schools and
firayer meetings we want to get a reputation
or saving pretty things, and to w point
our spear toward the flowers: or we want
a reputation for saving sublime things,
and we point onr spear toward the stars: or
we want to get a reputation for historical
knowledge, and we point our spear toward
the past: or wo want to get a reputation for
great lilieralitv, so we swing onr spear all
around; and it strikes all points of the
horizon, and you can make out of It what
ever you please: while there Is the old world,
proud, rebellious and armed against all
righteousness; and instead of running any
further away from its pursuit, we ought to
turn around, plant onrf.mt in the strength
of the eternal Ood. and lift the old cross and
point It in tho direction of th world's con
quest till the redeemed of earth march
ing up from one sld, and the glorified of
heaven marching down from the other side,
the last battlement of sin is cnnqw'lod to
swing out the streamers of F.munuol. Oh,
church of Ood, take aim and conquer.
I have heanl It said: "hook out for a man
who has only one Id.-a; he is Irresistible ' I
ay : Ixok out for the man who hns one Idea,
anil that a determination for soul saving. I
bellov Ood would strike me deid If I dared
to point the spear In any other direction,
t h, for some of the courage and enthusiasm
of Joshua! He flung two armies from the
tip of thnt spear. It is sinful for us to
rest, unless it Is to got stronger
musrlo and f resher brain and purer
heart for Ood's work. I feel on my
head the hands of Christ In a new ordina
tion. Do you not fil the same otntiipot'-ut
pressure! There is a work for all of us. Oh,
that we might stand un side hv side and
isdtit thesear toward the citvt It ought to
le taken. It will be taken. 'Our cities are
drifting olT toward loose religion or what Is
called 'liberal Christianity." which is so
lils-ral that it gives up all the cardinal doc
trines of tho Bible, so liloral thot it sur
renders the rectitude of the throne of tho
Almighty. That is lils.rality with a ven
geance. t,et us decide uimiii the work which
we, as Christian men. have to do, ami in the
strength of Oo I, bo to work and do it.
It is comparatively easy to keep on a
parade amid a shower of bouquets and hand
clapping, nnd the wholn street full of en
thusiastic huzzas; but It Is not so easy to
stand up in the dav of buttle, the face black
ened with smoke, the uniform covered with
tbe earth plowed up by whizzing bullets
and bursting shells, half the regiment cut to
:ece and yet th" cninmnn lor crying: "For
ward, march:'' Then it re. pi ires old fash
ioned valor. My friends, the grunt trouble nf
the kingdom of Ood in this day is the cow
ards. They do splendiilly on n purad
day, and at the communion, when they
have on their lest clothes of Christian
profession; but put them out in the
great battle of life, at the llrst sharp
shooting of skepticism they dodge, they
fall Imck, they break ranks. We con
front the enemy, we op . n tlio battle against
fraud, and lo! we find on our side n great
many jHHiple thnt do not try to wiy their
debts. And we open the battle against lu
teiiisirance, nnd we Hud on our siilo a
great many jM-opln who drink tOf much.
And we open tho battle against profanity,
and we Hnd on our own side a groat many
men who make Imrrl speeches. And we oh-u
the battle against infidelity, and lo! we Hud
on our own side a great many men who are
not quite sure nlsnit the Bwk of Jonah. And
while we ought to bo massing our troops and
bringing forth more than the united courage
of Aiist-rlitx nnd Waterloo and Oettyshurg,
we heve to bo 3i.-cn.lmg our time in bunting
up ambuscades. There are a great many in
the Lord's army who would like to go out on
a campaign with satin slinper and holding
umbrellas over their heads to kisqi olf the
heavy dew, and having rations of canvas
back ducks and lemon custards. If they can
not have them they want to go home. They
think it is unhealthy among so many bulletst
I believe that tho next twelve months will
lie the most stupendous year that heaven ever
saw. The nations are quaking now with tbe
coming of Ood. It will lie a year of successes
for the men of Joshua, but of doom for the
men of Ai. You put your ear to tho rail
track and you can hear the train coming
miles away. Ho I put my eur to the ground
and I hear the thundering on of tho light
ning train of Oods mercies ami ju Igmcuts.
The mercy of OimI is first to l tried iimmi
this nation. It will be pnviche I in the pul-
Iiits. in theatres, on the stnsM.s, everywhere,
'eople will be invited to nccept the mercy of
the UosH'l, ami tho story and tho song uu l
tho prayer will Im "mercy." But sup
h)so they do not accept theoirVr of mercv
what then! Then Ood will come with His
judgments, an I tho grus,hopMrs wil! eat th
croiw, mid the freshet will devastate tho
valleys., uml tho def , lent ions w ill swallow tha
money markets, and tho fires will bum tlm
cities, and tho earth will quake from hIo to
jsile. Year of mercies and of judgment. Yenr
of invitation nnd of warning. N i urof julnleo
and of woo. Which side lire you going to 1st
on! With the men of Ai or th-'nien of Joshua!
Fuss over this Sal. bath into tho ranks of Is
rael. I would clap in V him Is at the jov of
your coming. You will hnvo n poor cliiiiico
fortius world nud the world tocomo without
Jesus. You cuuiiot i-taml what is to como
UMin you mid upon the world unless you
have the pardon and tho comfort and the
help of Christ. Come over. On this side is
your happiness and safety, on tho other sido
is disquietude and despair. F.torual defeat
to the men of Ai! Ktenml victory to tbe
uieu of Joshua!
NEWSY NOTES.
Clrvei.amd, Ohio, bos a plague of fish flies.
Some Florida coast people are talking of a
turtle cannery.
Thehk are 127 dividend paying gold and
silver mines in this country.
A MiNINd claim on Douglass Island, Alaska,
has just been sold for I V0 V.mj.
Dh. A. Y. V. Oahnktt, ex-Surgeon General
of the Confederate army, is dead.
Catehi'IU.aks are doing great harm in
Maine towns on the upper I'snolwcot
TwkntY-FI vk bushels to the acre is aliout
the average of Kansas wheat this year.
Sin I'kovo Wai.uk, Senior Admiral of
Croat Britian, has just completed his lootii
year.
Oknkkai. Shkridan's cottage, at Nonqult,
is one of tbe prettiest on tbe Massachusetts
coust.
An vicrs from Havana, Cuba, state that
murder and pi Huge ar running riot through
out the island.
Thomah 1'chkkct while eating dinner at
Springfield, Ohio, choked to death on a
mouthful of potatoes.
A Fhkni'H weather prophet has been sent
to jail for six mouths for predicting a cold
July and loss of crops.
Thi annual copper production of the world
is 'jr.'i.OOi) tons, and the French tyiidicate is
said to control U'l.'i.iXW tons of it
NiAll fiOU.OOO parcels of vegetablei were
thipied from Charleston, H. (.'., to New York
City between April 1 and June I.
Thk Metropolitan Cattle Market, London,
is tba largest of its kind, covering three and
one-half acres and costing l,UOO,uoo.
David Ashi.kv, of Flattsvllle, Neb., has
just died of hydrophobia from the bite of a
rapid dog received twelv year ago.
Analinb, placed in some lemonade by
Joung Hobert Cbenault, caused th death of
ame Oeorge, aged seven, at Leilugton,
Ky.
Olasoow, Scotland, having taken In vari
ous outlying suburb, it now th second city
in Oreat Britain, with a population of
lao.tm
SUNDAY SC1100I
is
lesson run sAnn vtH, ji ly so.
"Tlio Tabernacle," Exodn xl, 1-10
Golden Text, xxl U.
"And the Iird spake unto Moses. How
often we read this sentence and how little we
are apt to think nf tho meaning of it or of
the "Thus saith the Lord" of the prophets,
or the "I say unto you'' of Jesus Himself,
who was tho Lord Ood of the prophets. We
cannot give too much hoed to the word of
Owl, nor heed it too reverently ; and utiles
we really hear Ood speaking to us in His
word it will not prollt us.
!t. "On the llrst day of the first month."
It was the second year (verse IT) ami Just a
year since tho great passover night on which
they left the laud of iiomlngo ixii., xiil., 4).
That month was ever to le n niemnrnbl
month to them lacause of the great deliver
ance. Although it was tho seventh month of
their civil year, they were henceforth to
count it the llrst month, for it was the first
month of tho first year of their history as a
redeemed eople. Kvery Christian has tw.
birthdavs, the day of his birth as a child of
Ood, when his life really lsgan, for up to
that time he hail no real life. His first or
natural birthday he ran 1 1. John v., l'.'l surely
tell, but the exact time of his new birth,
although h may not know, Ood knows.
"The tnlsriiacl of the tent of meeting.'1
Ood has delivered the nation from the bond
age of F.gypt and brought them unto Him
self thut they might Im unto Him a pecuhnr
treasure alnivo all pisiple, a kingdom of
priests, a holy nation ixix., .", tit, to make him
a name ill. Sam. vii., ' nnd now He will
dwell among them by a visible presence in this
talsrnnclo ss-cially preared for Him ixxv.,
M. The taU'rnncle after some ." years gave
place to the Temple of Solomon, which, w ith
tome rebuilding, continued until Christ
came, the true tabernacle (lleb. vui.,'.'i; but
He, lsing rejocted by th" nation, rejected
them a so for a time, ami their temple nnd
city nud bind Ik came n ruin nud lcsilnto
because of tlieir rejection of their King.
Whether we study tlio tulsriiurlo or tlm tem
ple, the ast or future history of Israel, or
the history of the present gathering out from
the nations of n s'oiiit for His name, or the
personal dealings of Ood with an individual,
we Hnd Hint Jesus, the Christ, the Son of
Man, the Son of Uod, is nlwavs in the midst,
the llrst and tho lust, the foundation nnd the
bead corner stone, the renter nnd rircninfer
pure of all tho work of redemption from bo
ginning to end.
:i. "1'lie ark of the testimony. "Thnark.tahlo
ami altar of Incense wereeucli made of acacia
wood, covered w ith gold, reminding us of the
incorruptible humanity and divinity of
Christ. The nrk was the only vessel in the
Holy of Holies, a room ten cubits long and
w ide and high, tluce sides of w hich were
hoards covered witli gold; the fourth wus tho
veil, a tvpe of the body of ( 'hrist illeh. x 'J0:
the ceiling wus the Is-nutiful curtains, and
the floor was the earth. Tlio cover of tho
ark, called the mercy sent or propitiatory
flleb. ix., .', K.Y., margin), was of pure gold,
and out of it was U-utcn at each end
a cherub overshadowing it. Over the
mercy eat, between the cherubim, in this
Holy of Holies, was tho place of the manifest
presence of Ood. iF.x. xxv, 17 ;.".'.) The nrk
w as made to contain the tables of tostimon v,
and there they were kept. The Mople could
not keep that holy law, but Christ, the true
ark, kept it perfectly, ami of Him it is writ
ten: "A body has l hou prepare. I for me."
lileb. x, .V) "I delight to iloThv will, O my
Ood; yea.Thy law is within my heart" it',
xl, is.) For us He kept the low, nud then
diod to atone for our sins: by His precious
blood propitiating or effectually covering all
our transgressions; becoming "the end of tho
law for righteousness to every one that lie
lie vet h" (Horn, x, 4), in order that as His re
demed ose w may delight to keep His
euiiiinandmenis,
4. "The table," on which was placed every
week every Sabbath day twelve cakes of
bread in two rows, with frankincense unhi
each row, (lv. xxiv., S-Ui. The tnblo and
the bread ami the incense all sieuk of Him.
He is the bread of life, the true bread
which enmo down from Heaven; there was
no leaven in Him, and all His thoughts,
words and deeds were as sweet Incenso to
Ood. Ho is the living word, and the Scrip
tures which are the written word Intromit a
living word to nil who by the spirit see Him
and eat Him as their bread of life. He him
self sn id: "Ho that eatetli Mo, even ho shall
live by Mo." iJohn vi., .'i7i.
"The candlestick ' was mudo of a talent of
pure gold (xxv., ll'.'i, nnd wou'd therefore bn
worth ulsmt (.'o.ishi. H was more bko u
Inmpstuml than what wo understand by a
candlestick. F.nch of its seven iinui. lies held
n lamp which every day had tube trimnesl
mid tilled with oil ito as to burn continually
Is-fore the lird. t "hrist is the light of the
world, tho true liht, and Ho is pleasisl to
sny to us;" Youre the light of the world." As
bread corn was crushed, ami gold lieutrii,
nnd inevnse hurtled, so Christ was made it
js-rfect Saviour, our bread and light iy His
sulferin'S for us. and only as we uro willing
to 1st bruisixl and sutler w ith Him can wo ho
a light to others. There could Is. no light
without oil. nud that too was obtained by
beating, il-cv. xxiv., 1 I.) Kvery word and
work of Christ was hv the Sprint ami only
by the same Spirit can we do anything ac
ceptable. .i. "'The altar of incense." On this the
pritst was to burn income every morning
and evening while he triiniiusl tho lamps
Ixxx., 7, Hi, ttnehing us that although noth
ing thnt we do can Isi iicceptablo in itself
because of our sinfulness, yet whatever is
heartily done in His iiuuin with a sincere do
sire for His glory Is made acceptable by tho
incense of His merits, which is ever a sweet
perfume to Ood. This should greatly encour
age us in nil our work for 0sl not to look at
our imiicrfcct service, nut nt mm w no is an
our righteousness and s-rfection.
ThtikO three vessels, the table, tho candle
stick nnd tho altar of incense, were in tha
holy place or llrst room into w Inch tho high
iiriost went every day, but into tho holy of
holies ho wont only once u year.
11,7. "The altar of burnt ollVring ami tha
lover." Thisie were the only two vessels In
the outer court of the tabernacle; the llrst
was made of wood covered with brass, and
was just inside tho gate of the court; it saks
to us of the (iod iii.iii, our sacrillce for sin,
and tells us thnt if we are unwilling to ac
cept tho blood of tho l.nmb as our ransom,
there is no xsisibility of our coming to Ood.
The luver was in idu out of the bruen mir
rors of the women ixxxviii., Hi, and contained
water with which the 1'riestH washed thoir
hands and feet, reminding us that he that is
washed (in tlio bhssli lust. let h not, save to
wash hisfoot (with tho water of the world i,
but is clean every wiiit (John xiil., Id); and
that it is better to look into the isrfect law
of lilierty nud continue therein tliun to look
Bt one's self in the gloss (James I., u'T-'Jo.)
8. "Tho court and gute." Curtains of fine
linen bunging Umui sixty wooden pillars
standing in bnt-s sockets, and kept upright
by cords fustonod to bras tent inns, formed
a fence live cubits high around the court,
which was lis) cubits long by M broad
(xxvii., ltl-18 . Tho linen fence, the court
gate, the pillars with thoir brass sockets,
silver chapiters and books, tho cords ami
plus, all soak to us of tbe righteousness,
atonement and power of our Lord Jesus, and
how we may Iwcomo artakers thereof.
tMl. "Tbe taberua. lo and all it vessels
anointed." A full description of the holy
anointment oil is found in xxx., &i-Xt, ami
speaks to us of the varied grace of the Holy
Spirit found in divine fullness in CbrUt,
fullv continuing that every vessel and every
whit of tbe talatrnacle utteretb Hi glory.
VJ- "Aaron ami bis sons anointed."
First washed, tbeu clothed and then anointed ;
our sins forgiven, thou clothed with the gar
ment of salvation, and then anointed with
power to minister unto Him. If we realized
our need of this power and waited upon Him
more earnestly for this anointing we would
be holier and happier people and more uaei
by Him.
Id. Notice the seven fold or perfect ote
dleace recorded of Moses in the real ot this
chanter, and then notice how In verse 81 it it
aid "the glory of the I-rd filled the taber
nacle." Only let u Is) willing and obedient
and II will Hll us with His glory evtn now.
Lfjsoa Jltljitr.
TEMPERANCE READING.
!''ounl Dead.
Found dead by the roadside. Augustus Halt,
V 1th a buttle clssistd to his frozen breast;
U died from drink, whore he chanced to
tail"
linn the coroner's verdict -and this was all;
Ood only knows the nst.
Where was the soul, once brave and strong.
As ho st iggered along the broad highway!
Where was the Mentor of right nnd wrong,
As he hnbhlcd a stave of the drinking sung
Heard in a den that day I
M Vie fo i-." ns the maudlin twoll
Went trembling out on the startled air,
An echo marked, from the froen dull,
"..i rirln lie." ho risdod nnd fell,
Where to, be did not rare.
The wind. In the leadess tree'tn. !:
The onward Inarch of a wintry siorm.
But the snow ( nine down with silent feet
And tenderly spread a w inding shout
Over the human form.
They found him there, when tho morning
light
Shone over the woodland far and free,
frill nml stark, in tha shimmering light
With h:slis npnrt as. yesternight,
Ho sung, "I tie fa vis.'"
This buninn wreck in his rags anil grime,
Tho lowest and h ast of his fellow men,
Hnd never committed u Miul crime
Was followed and Muttered, iu manhood'
prime.
For eloquent tongue nml pen.
He bnl hs I the van for truth and right,
But, alas! he fell, where thousands yield;
Fell, w ith the goal of his hop in sight,
Fell, in the strength of his mind uud might
Ami sleep in 1 'Liter s I iold.
The terrible sin, may Ood forefend.
)f the man w ho never stops to think
He in IV dig a pit. nnd shape the end
Of n rum life, wlc u he asks a friend
To lake a social ilrmk.
.V.iui Halloa, in lotifi'j Coiiii.tafoil.
.fob II It. Ooligli mi Two Cups.
John B. (Sough, the great temperance lec
turer, did more erhaps than any other one
to tsliieet.' the public sentiment ngauist the
rum trntllc. Iu one of Ins lecture he usisl
the fo.lowiug bin -ii iite. referring to a ciii of
cold water us the cup of blessing, nil. I to the I
wino cup ns the cup of h rrors; ,
Till-: fi r or hi.kssimi.
"Tin re is no poison in thut cup, no fiendish
spirit dwells Ismoiitli these crystal drops to !
lure xoii and me and all of us to rum; no
sisvtrul shadows lav upon its wnveless sur
face; no wulow s groan nor orphan's tears
rise to Ood from those placid fountains:
misery, crime, w retchislness, woo, want, and
ruts come not within the hallowed precincts
where cold water reigns supreme pure now
us win n it b it its native lie i veil, giving
vigor to our youth, strength to our inanlioo 1,
nnd solace to'oiir old ago. Cold water is
Is nut ic ill. and bright, uml pure every where.
In the niiMinbt louiitaius and the miiiiiv
rills; hi tho warbling l rsik and the giant
river; ill the dorp, tuiiglisl wil.luood nil.) the
cataracts spray; in the Inn I of Is-nuty or on
tlie liis of inanlioo I cold wuter is bountiful
oer wht-ie.
tiif. err or hohiior.
"Rum! There is a poison in thnt cup.
There is a serpent in that cup whos" sting is
mildness and whos euil.ru" e is death. There
dwulls leiicnth that smilling surface a fiend
ish spirit which for centuries has been wan
dering over tho earth, enrrymg on a war of
desolation and destruction against mankind,
blighting nud mildewing the noblest affec
tions of the heart, nml corrupting with its
foul breath (he tide of hiiniiin bf", n'ld
chunking the glad, green earth into a Inar
housx. Oum ou ill But shudder as you
giie! Those sparkling lro are murder in
uisgui e; so quiet now. yet widows' groans
nud orphans' tears nnd maniacs' yells are in
thut ci(. Tho worm thut dieth not, and the
lire that is not quenched, are in that cup.
"l'e i.vand hoist, and love and truth, dwell
not withi i thut tlerv circle where dwells that
desolating minister w hich men call rum, cor
rupt now as when it left its native hell, giv
ing lire to the eye, madness to tint bruin and
ruin lo the soul, i ; ii in is vile and deadly nnd
llcclil'-e I I'V. rj hei e. The poet Would liken
it, in its tlerv "glow, lo the ilaini'S that dicker
around the iib nle of the dumnei!, 1 ho theo
logian wool I isniit you to the drunkard's
In.-, and thumhT iu our ears tin- drunkard's
doom, w bile the historian would unfold tho
dark r cord of the i.itst, and i n t y.ni to tho
lute of empires and kingdom, lunsl to ruin
by the siren song of the tempter, and h is p.
ing now in co. i.I.m iii iI v - the w recks of
w hut was ..ne. great, grand nml 'glorious.
Vi s, rum is corrupt nud vile, and ihudly and
accursed i-ery win re. Fit. tvpe uud sem
blance of nil nirlhly corrupt ion'
"l'.ise art He ll yet, ns when the wise mull
warned us of thy jower and lade u- ll.e
thy ciichiiiitmi lit. lie art I li oi Vet. ns
when I In ! first wi nt loith on thy unholy
mission--tilling cm th with de-olit on and
undue s. wo" and anguish, lieudlv art thou
yi t. us wln-n t by envenomed tooth first took
hold on human he iris, mi l thy s. rpe.it
ton-tie Hist .hank up the warm lite hlo.1 of
iiiiiiiort.il souls. . . ur-e l art thou yet, us
when tin-boil 's of thv llrst victim rotted iu
ail. nun grate, mil its sliucks crli I uioug
ll.e i'iim'iiis of hell. Yes. thou infernal
spirit of rum, through ul! past timo hast
thou Iscn, us tliruugh ull coming timo tliuii
hhalt be,
AI TI'KSKII KVKHYWIIMIK.
"In the llery foundations of the still; in
the seething bubbles of the cauldron; in the
knurlv lialuco uml the drunkard s hovel; iu
tho rich minis collar nnd the ssr man's
clo-ot; in tlio pestilential vnMirs of foul dens,
mid iu tlio hlue of gilded sulisms; in tlio
bund of Is-nuty, nnd on tho lip of iiiiinhood;
rum is vile uu 1 dtatdly and accursed every
w here,
"Bum, wo yield not to thy unhallowed in'
Hiienco, und together wo lmve met to plan
thy destruction. Ami by what now name
tdnill wo cull thee, and to what shall wo liken
tlnsi when we s iik of thy attributes! Oth
ers may cull thee the child of perdition, the
huso Ixirn progeny of sin uml Satan, the mur
derer of mankind, nnd th destroyer of im
mortal souls; but 1 this night will give thee
a new inline among men and. Town thee with
n new horror, uml thut new name shall bo
tlio Kiicriiiiientul cup of tho rum power; and 1
will say to ull the sons ami daughters of
earth: 1 lush it down! And thou, rum, shall
bo my text iu my pilgrimage among men;
ami not alone shall mv tongue utter it, but
tho groans of orphans in their agony and tho
cries of widows hi thoir desolation shall pro
claim it the enemy of home, the tradueer of
childhood, ami tho destroyer of manhood,
whose only untidoto is the acrunieutal cup
of toniperuiico, cold wuter!"
All Can I'lidcrstanil.
Hero is a temperance lo dure all run under
Ktund. It is a copy of a placard bung up in a
Kirkvillo, Mo., grocery store, and reads:
"Any man who drinks two drams of
whisky H-r day for a year, and pays ten
cents a drink for it, can have at our fctore
thirty sucks of Hour, "( jiounils of granu
lated sugar uml seventy -three isjundsof good
green colloo for the same money, ami get
'.'..M premium for making tbe cbnuge la bin
expenditures."
Key. Joei Swart, 1. of Oettyshurg,
Pa., proves by the testimony of the biogra
phers of l.u ther thut he was not the author ot
;be familiar couplet: "Who loves not wino,
rife and soug, remains a fool his whole life
bug," but thnt it originated in 17T", two
iiimlred and ninety-two years after Luther's
ftr fiono convicted criminals exam ned by
i French medical man, M. Marambet, more
than half wore drunkards that it, seventy
nine per cent, of the vagabonds aud mendi
cant, tlfty sir cent of th assassins, fifty
levan per (ssnt. of tbe in -endiaries, and
atvwuty-sju per ceut. ot th robbers.
rkil.tlasi t'aioa.
fTh following hymn was sung at the rri
crptlon of the New F.nglsnd Baptist at
Bichmnr.d, V., May 1W. It was written fo
th occasion by Hov. 8. F. Smith, D.D.J
Blest be tho holy bands.
Uniting hearts end bands,
ne chain of love;
On life, one hoie, one aim,
One fniih in one blest Name,
Our rM-k, our Ood the same,
Below above.
Cleansed by atoning blood,
Washed in'rno healing lhodf
Ine O.sl we own;
Ours to accept bis word,
Ours to iih. our lrd.
Making, with glad accord,
Our hearts bis throne.
The whisin.riiig pine nml paint
Shall blend iu one sweet psalm
Ilear Lord, to thee;
Wo seek the world to save
We form one nrmv brave
As thousand drops one wavi
All stioiiins oi.e so i.
Olory to O.sl, our King;
Saviour, tny kingdom oring,
Tliv w ill be i lone;
F.xert thv glorious might,
I nt nil thy f.ss to flight,
Triumphant, c mm thy right
And wear thy crowr
The of hrist.
liot the or. s of c,rist teach us to look
calmly on th's suUcring world. I.lfo is full
of trials, nml it is a 'rp!cxing thing to look
around us ami ihs the race of men groaning
tindertheir burdens. We know but one sat
isfactory explanation of tills strange mys
tery, thoroughly satisfactory, w hich calms
all doubt. 'I he cross of 'hrist Is the explan
ation. Tlio cr..s is the distinct annoiin.sv.
luent tous, of that wonderful law whu-ri lllu
all life, that "through much tribulation we
must out t into the kingdom of heaven."
I'erfection through suffering, that is the
doctrine of the cross. There is love IU that
law. IF. W. KoleitH.ni.
Moil, of VI others.
It Is tho mothers of tisbiy who have In
band, as no others can have, the making of
the rising generation. Heuc.i thev, mom
than any or all others put together, hold in
their linn Is tho hoi I, I s immi di .te future.
Thev really nuiko that future what it must
be through what they luako their children.
It Is they who mold society, clns.se rulers,
set up or pull down thrones nml dominions,
rule tho world. There is no siwer on earth
bko that of the mother iu the home. She it
nlwavs Ho-rcui tho power behind the throne.
She uncrown nt d dethrones herselt when
he goes oiitsido this really vast realm,
though so'iniiigly so mud, to seek a larger
sphere, to griu-p, if she may, tlio reins of
visible power uud authority to
assert nnd iii'tintuin her 'rights
ami prerogatives among men
nseqiinls, to whom, in her own place and
sphere, she is already the siq erlor for w ith
her rests tho making of men in a largo
degree. Oh, that the mothers of our day
would onlv strive to be like tho mother of
our IdesMsl Kurd, who sought, simply to l
her own sweet Mid lovable soif bv liollig that
which was well pleasing in tho 'sight of tho
l.rd; who uslosl for no higher place or
wider sphere Hum her liiiinl.lt- homo in Naz
areth gave her, uoreveii dreamed that there
was a greater i.r grander work possible to
her than that nil .tte.l her in the motherly
care and nurture of tho holy child Jesus,
tioldcii Kule.
Vulllft of Irtlllplo,
The example of a godly man is a living,
standing memento to nil around him of
Christ, denth nnd eternity. 1'iety of a high
grado not only remove objections, but wins
esteem. Tbe irreligious sometime talk as if
they considered Christians over-scrupulous
when they stand upon their principles and
rufUM tc yL'Ji! S ftiuul cninlr.. with th
spirit and practice ot tb hen
really they think no such tb " ,,-u ther
seea Christian truly innsis.' ', ju on con
duct, their hearts ere oi.nstruined todobini
homage; yet to do homage to the religion bo
professes. Ill consistent, srsounl religion
there is homethiiig so intrinsically loving and
winning that the most wicked profoundly
respect and venerate it. However far men
may, in heart nml life, depart
from Ood, their reason nud
considenie will always condemn
their course, and with nwe ami mlmirutiou
approve the conduct of those who follow
Christ fully. Would you then iii-pire tho
unconverted, with the hi -diet appreciation
of your leligiou! Would you win hearts for
the .Master! Then nwny'fioin the dust of
self-seeking, lunl put on the shilling gar
ments of salvation. Inthls wny vour piety
will Is'como converting, hocuuso it is nt
tractive. I'crsomil religion n .t only re
moves objections, but is the mo. t powerful
appeal to th llsclellces of the UllU lleVllig.
Too consistent Iv religious mini says to tha
ungodly, mole eloqu. nt Iv (ill I urgently than
nil ot hers; "Wo are journeying unto the
place i f which the Lord said, 1 will give it
to yoii. I ouie thoti w ith us. and wo will do
thee good." Chicago Wiitchm ill.
oleilor tlm.
The useless man is worthless mentally, nnd
the worthless man is morally n-s l. -s. ' hfe
iiddictcl to worthless pursuits Isgcts re-mor-oand
self upl.i 'Hidings, which, however
iingry mid stinging they may I e.sel loin lend to
inncn. Imi'iit. A bio i.d li. -ted to a useless pur
suit so woiikeiis tho mind ns to nuiko it In
cnimblo of vigorous, much loss of sustained,
effort.
Bishop Heber, tho author of the famous
missionary hymn, "From Oreenlaml's Icy
Mountains," had u brother w ho-m learning
and talents would have secured him fame
nnd influence but for his srsiKtctieo in mis
using them. Ho was a bibliomaniac, uud
Hismt one-half his life thirty years in trav
eling over F.uropo to collect rare tiooks.
His learning and fortune enabled him t.)
mako such nn immense collection of rare
and valuable works that when ho died he
,svnis four lirge libraries in Knglun 1 an I
seven or eight on tho continent
Ho cared littlo to rend bis Usiks, and sel
dom visited his libraries, except to plmu
newly acquired volumes on their shelves. At
hisihath tie re were found in warehouses
scores of Im.x.-s tilled with hooks, which he
hud not found timo to unpack. His life was
useless, except III saving oil or bibliomaniac
labor ami expense. After his death, at the
sale of his libraries in lin.l.m. which oecu-
Iucs I several weeks, rival Isjok collector
ought what they wnnted without the
trouble of traveling over F.urope to Hnd
them.
Charles Oreville tells of a Mr. Oregory,
who early in life determine.) to make a for
tune, iu order that ho might build a mugni
thvnt bouse. Ho lived. Hoiked and traveled
for no other object. Wherever bo went he
sought out useful and ornamental objects
for bis projected palace. When he hu I ac
cumulated the fortune which gave him am
income of jLTJ.lMsj i.'sl,(S (ii a year, be Istguu
to build. Ho built so slowly and with w
much mngnilhvuce that his friends suggested
that the completion of the palace ami Ids ow n
death might lie nliout tho same timo. His an
swer was: "It is my amusement, as bunting
or shooting or feasting is the amusement of
other Moplo. Iu pursuing it, 1 um led into
all parts of Furope aud mix with all sorts nf
s-ople that I may obtain urticlos to adorn
my house or to make it more comfortable. If
1 never live in it, 1 don't care, lain carry
ing out th object of my life." A
man living solely to build a palace for tbe
punxwo of bis own gratification.
These incidents represent Interior aims In
life. It is every inuu's duty to do tbe best
work of which b is csimblo, and to exert hi
Istst intlueuis?. His spiritual influence aro
hi highest interest and the only ones that
will last; if be cares for his soul, his eon
science will cure for his intellect snd body.
Seek llrst and alove all "tbe kingdom of
Ood and His righteousness." A tru life
live in tbe happiness it creates, and derive
its joy from th service of Uod aud of other.'
I Youth's Companion. '
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