CHRIST'S SYMPATHY.
The brigands of
Jerusalem had
done their work.
It was almost tun
down, and Jesus
was dying. Per
sons in crucifixion
often lingered from
day today crying,
berging. cursing;
bnt Christ had
been exhausted by years o mal
treatment. Pillowless. poorly fed,
flogged ns licnt over and tied to a low
post Ills bare back was inflamed
with the scourges, interstlced with
pieces of leud and bone aud now for
whole hours the weight or ins uouy
hunt; on delicate tendons, and, accord
ing to custom, a violent stroke under
the nriiiits had been given by the ex
ecutioner. Dizzy, swootilug, nause
ated, feverish a world of agony is
compressed in two words.
"1 thirst:"
O skies ol Judea, let a drop of rain
strike ills burning tongue! O world, 1
with rolling rivers and placid lakes
aud spurkliug fountains, give Jesus
something to drluk! If there Is
any pity In earth or heaven or
hell, let it now be demonstrated In
behalf of this royal suneror. iue
wealthy women of Jerusalem used as soon ns the crape hung on the door
to have a fund of money with which bell. The one upon whom you most de
they provided wine for those people : pended was taken away from you. A
who died lu crucifixion a powerful opt-1 cold marble slab lies on your heart to
ate to deaden the palu; but Christ day. Once, as the children romped
would not take It He wanted to die :
soler, and so He refused the wine. But
afterward they soak a sponge lu a cup
ef vinegar and put It on a stick of hys
sop, and then press It against the hot
hps of Christ. You say the wine was
an anaesthetic, aud intended to relieve
r deaden the pain. But the vinegar
was nu Insult.
I am disposed to adopt the theory of
the old Kugllsh commentator. ho be-
Beved that, Instead of Its being an opi
ate to soothe, It was vinegar to Insult.
Malaga nnd Burgundy for grand
dukes nnd duchesses, and costly wines
from royal vats tot bloated Imperial
ists; but stinging acids for a dying
Christ!
In some lives the saccharine seems
to predominate. Life la sunshine on a
tank of How-era. A thousand bands to
lap approval! In December or In Jan
aary, looking across their table, they
see all their family present Health
rubicund. Skies flamboyant Days res
Bent But in a great many casea there
are not so many sugars as acids. The
annoyances, and the vexations, and the
disappointments of life overpower the
access. There la a gravel In almost
every shoe. An Arabian legend says
that there was a worm In Solomon's
uff, gnawing Its strength away; and
there is a weak spot la every earthly
support that a man leans on. King
4jorge of England forgot all the gran
deurs of his throne, because one day,
In an Interview, Beau Brummel called
aim by his first name, and addressed
aim as a servant, crying: '
-Ceorge, ring the bell!"
Miss I.uii(lon, honored all the world
ver for her poetical genius, was so
worried over the evil reports set afloat
regarding her that she was found dead,
with uu empty bottle of prusslc acid
in her ha ml. Goldsmith said that his
nfe was a wretched being, and all that
want nnd contempt could bring to It
kad lieeu brought, and cries out:
"What, i lieu, is there formidable in
a Jail:
t'orregslo's fine painting was hung '
P fur a tavern sign. Hogarth could
t sell his best palntlug, except
Uirun-'li a rallle. Andrew Delsart made
Uie great fresco In the Church of the
Annunciation, at Florence, and got for
pay t sack of corn. There are annoy-
ibmm Hi'il vexations In liltrli filnfea sa
:.s in low places, showing that in !
a if'M many lives the sours are
giruter than the sweets.
It N nl'surd to suppose that a man
vho has always Ix-en well, can syni
furl i.c with those who are sick; or
thi:t uiic who lias always been honored
rail tiiireclate the sorrows of those
wIih are despised; or that one who has
lvii Imitii to a great fortune can un
inpri;il the distress and the straits of
tJii.ii.' who are destitute. The fact that
Christ Himself took the vinegar makes
ILci able to sympathize to-day and for
rvtr with all those whose cup is filled
with sharp acids of this ife.
W the first puce there is the sour--.-
of betrayal. The treachery of
Jo'las hurt Christ's feelings more than
tU the friendship of His disciples did
li cr ytiod.
tou have had many friends, but
I here was one friend upon whom you
pot especial stress. You feasted him.
Yuo loaned him money. You befriend
ed him in the dark passes of life, when
t. especially needed a friend. After
ward, he turned upon you, and he took
.arfviiilnge of your former intimacies.
Iff wrote against you. He talked
sninst you. He mlscroscoplzed your
fsulis. He flung contempt at you when
you ought to have received nothing but
t.--liUn!e. At first you could not sleep
it ulL'UK Then you went about wlth!fowb of the air; they whirred their
w vue ui uunug ueen siung. mat
"jt'uiwfry will never be healed, for
r-rr.gh mutual friends may arbitrate
in the matter until you shall shake
lm'.. the old cordiality will never
t .!.- e Lack.
;..'.y, 1 commend to all such the sy ra
il.... of a letrayed Christ. Why, they
wVI Him for less than our twenty dol
lam! They all forsook Him and fled.
IT y cut 111m to the quick. He drank
ttar cup of betrayal to the dregs.
There is also the sourness of poverty.
Tear Income does not meet your out
pvings, and that always gives an hou
rs man anxiety. There is no sign of
ttt4ftution about you pleasant ap
aneraace and a cheerful home for you:
mt Cod only knows what a time yuii
kave bad to manage your prir.ite
nces. Just aa tne Dins n n t p. 1 1
i seem to ma dewn. Bui '
for hard work. Ta great Wflkie told
hi celebrated piece, "Tbe Blind Fid-
dler," for fifty gnlneaa, although after- omnipotent sympathy of Jeans Christ,
wards It brought Its thousands. The The sister of HeraoheL the estrone
world hanics In admiration over the mer, used to help him In his work. He
sketch of Gainsborough, yet that Yery an th.e credit; ahe got none. She
aNetoh hung for years In the shop win- nBed to spend much or her time pot
do w because there was not any pur- j8hlhg tUp telescopes through which he
chaser. Oliver Uoldsmlth sold his "Vic- brought the distant worlds nigh, and It
ar of Waketleld" for a few pounds. In 8 mj ambition now, this hour, to clear
order to keep the bailiff out of bis tne long of your spiritual vision, so
door; and the vast majority of men in
all occupations and professions are not
fully paid for their work.
You may sny uothing, but life to yon
Is a hard push; and when you sit down
with your wife and talk over the ex-
penses, you both rise up discouraged,
You abridge here, and you abridge
there, and you get things snug for
smooth sailing, and lo! suddenly there
is a large doctor s bill to pa', or you
have lost your pocketbook, or some
creditor has failed, and you are thrown suy about it; and you try this prescrlp
nlcniii end. I tlou. and that prescription, and the
There also Is the sourness of bereave-
ment. There were years that passed
! along U-fore your family circle was in-
vnded by death; but the moment the
charmed circle was broken everything i
seemed to dissolve. Hardly have you!
put the black apparel in the wardrobe
before you have again to take It out.
Oreat and rapid changes in your fam-
lly record. You got the house and re-
joiceu in n, nut tne cnarm wns gone
tnrongn tne House, you put your hand
! over your aching head and said:
Oh, If I could only have It still:
Oh, Is it too still now! You lost your
patience when the tops and the strings
and the shells were left around the
floor, but oh! you would be willing to
have the trinkets scattered all over the
floor again, If they were scattered by
the same hands. With what a ruthless
plowshare lereavement rips up the
heart! But Jesus knows all about that
You cannot tell Him anything In re
gard to bereavement He had only a
few friends, and, when He lost one it
brought tears to His eyes. Lazarus
bad often entertained Hlni at bis
house. Now Laxarus Is dead and bur
led, and Christ breaks down with emo
tionthe convulsion of grief shudder
ing through all the ages of bereave
ment Christ knows what It is to go
through the house missing a familiar
Inmate. Christ knows what It is to see
an unoccupied place at the table. Were
there not four of them Mary, and
Martha, and Christ, and Lazarus?
Four of them. Bnt where Is Lazarus?
Lonely and afflicted Christ, His great
loving eyes filled with tears, which
drop from eye to cheek, and from
cheek to beard, and from beard to
robe, and from robe to floor. Ob, yes,
yes, He knows all about the loneliness
and the heartbreak!
Then there Is the sourness of the
death hour. Whatever else we may
escape, that acid sponge will be
pressed to our lips. I sometimes have
a curiosity to know how I shall behave
when I come to die whether I shall be
calm or excited, whether I shall be
filled with reminiscences or with antic
ipation. I cannot say. But come to
the point I must and you must. In the
six thousand years that have passed,
only two persons have got Into the
eternal world without death, and I do
not suppose that God is going to send
A carriage for us with horses of flame,
to draw us up the steps of heaven; but
1 suppose we shall have to go like the
preceding generations. An officer of
the future world will knock at the door
of our heart and serve on us the writ
of ejectment, and we will have to sur
render. Aul we shall wake up after
these Autumnal,! and Wintry, nnd ver
nal, and Summery glories have van
ished from our vision we shall wake
u ,n, a "?a,Ilu n,CB Ba8 ou'y m
season, and that the season of ever
.lasting lore.
I But you say: "I don't want to break
! out from my present associations. It
Is so chilly and so damp to go down
the stairs of that vault. I don't want
anything drawn so tightly over my
(eyes. If there were only some way
of breaking through the partition le
! tween worlds without tearing this
body all to shreds. I wonder If the
1 surgeons and the doctors cannot com
pound a mixture by which this body
and soul can nil the time be kept to
gether? Is there no escape from the
I separation?"
A great many men tumble through
I the gates of the future, as It were, and
I we do not know where they have gone,
and tbey only add gloom and mystery
to the passage; but Jesus Christ so
mightily stormed the gates of that
future world that they have never
since been closely shut Christ knows
what it is to leave this world, of the
: beauty of which He was more apprecl
, atlve than we ever could be. He knows
the exquisiteness of the phosphores
cence of the sea; He trod It He knows
the glories of the midnight heavens;
for they were the spangled canopy of
Ills wilderness pillow. He knows
about the lilies; He twisted tbem Into
His sermon. He knows about the
way through Ills discourse. He knows
about the sorrows of leaving this beau
tiful world; not a taper was kindled In
the darkness. He died physlciunless.
He died In cold sweat and dizziness,
and hemorrhage, and agony that have
put Him In sympathy with all the dy
ing. He goes through Christendom,
and He gathers up the stings out of
all the death pillows, and He puts
tbem under His own neck and head.
He gathers on His own tongue the
burning thirsts of many generations.
The sponge Is soaked la the sorrow of
all those who nave died In their beds
as well as soaked In the sorrows of all
those who perished In Icy or fiery mar
tyrdom. While heaven was pitying,
and earth was mocking, and bell was
uleridlug, ne took the vinegar.
To all those to whom life has been
a scerblty-e dote tbey could not
wallow, a drancM taat wt tbdr teata'
on edge and a rasping I beapeak the!
that, looking through the dark night of
your earthly troubles, you may behold
the glorious constellation of a Savior's
mercy and a Savior's love! O reader!
do not try to carry all your Ills alone.'
Do not put our poor shoulder under
the Apennines when the Almighty
Christ Is ready to lift up all your bur-
dens. When you have a trouble of any
kind, you rush this way, and that way;
and you wonder what this man would
say about It, nnd what that man would
other prescription. Oh, why do you
not go straight to the heart of Christ,
knowing that for our own sinning and
suffering race, lie took the vinegar!
W hosoever will, let him come ana
take of the water of life freely."
Yet, while I write I am pained at
the thought that there are people who
will refuse this divine sympathy, and
they will try to flght their own battles.
ana arinK incir own vinegar, ana carry
their own burdens: and their life, in
stead of being a triumphal march from
victory to victory, will be a hobbling
on from defeat to defeat until they
make final surrender to retributive dis
aster. Oh! I wish I could gather up
In mine arms all the woes or men and
women nil their heartaches all their
disappointments all their chngrlns
nnd just take tbem right to the feet
of a sympathizing Jesus.
Nana Sahib, after he had lost bis last
battle In India, fell back Into the juu-
gles of Iherl Jungles so full of malaria
that no mortal can lire there. He car
ried with him also a ruby of great lus
tre and of great value. He died In
those jungles; his body was never
found, and the ruby has never yet been
recovered. I fear that there are some
who will fall back from this subject
Into the sickening, killing jungles. of
their sin, carrying a gem of
Infinite value a priceless soul
to be lost forever. Ob, that that
ruby might flash In the eternal
coronation! Bnt no. There are
many, I fear, who win torn away from
this offered mercy and comfort and
divine sympathy, notwithstanding that
Christ, for all who would accept His
grace, trudged the long way and suf
fered the lacerating throngs and re
ceived In. Ills face the expectorations
of the filthy mob, and for the gellty
and the discouraged, and the diseom
forted of the race, took the vinegar.
May God Almighty break the Infatn
atlon and lead yon ont Into the strong
hope and the good cheer and the glo
rious sunshine of this triumphant gos
pel!
IDOLS MADE IN ENGLAND.'
The Froprletors Bvldaatly prm ef
Tbelr BuImh.
Although tt may not 'be generally
known, the people over half the earth's
surface still worship Idols, but,; unlike
the olden times, the Idols are. now
rarely made with crude appliances and
Infinite toll. Our English cousins
across the water have come to the res
cue of the heathen, and make Idols
for tbem, after approved modern meth
ods. '
Incredible as it may seem, there Is
actually a factory in Birmingham, In
Christian England, where any kind of
idol Is made to order, and a mlscella
neous assortment kept in stock. The
proprietors are evidently somewhat
ashamed of their trade, as tbey refuse
admittance to strangers, and will not
consent to be interviewed, but some
facta have been gleaned of this extra
ordinary Industry.
Idols of all kinds are turned out, rep
resenting the gods of all heathen na
tions, from Toklo to Tlmbuctoo. The
export trade to heathen countries Is
a fairly large one, although more gods
are sent out to roreign aeaiers in curi
os In the bazaars of Cairo, Damascus
and Colombo, for sale to unsuspecting
travelers anxious to take home some
mementos of their stay abroad.
The trade in idols is kept such a
close secret that it is difficult to esti
mate the output, for in the board of
trade returns the gods would doubtless
be classed under the humiliating title
of "works of art or curios." But there
Is no doubt that the trade Is a fairly
large one, and that some cute Birming
ham men do very well in the business.
OuUof-FahloB ladastrlai.
In these days, when matches arc
practically the cheapest things ono
can buy, it is difficult to realize that In
some parts of the world old-fashioned
llnder-boxes and flintlock guns are still
in use, and that there Is quite a trade
in supplying the demand for these ar
ticles. In the village of Brandon, England,
there Is a flourishing manufactory of
gun and tinder-flints. - The trade In
tinder-boxes is mainly confined to the
rural districts of Spain and Italy, al
though even travelers In uncivilised
countries prefer flint and steel to
matches, because of their being more
trustworthy. The gun-flints go to the
inner parts of Africa, where quite a
number or the old-style guns are in
use. Golden Days.
A aekaaser.
Little Freddie Mamma, I met the
minister, a little while ago, and I told
blm you wanted him to come and take
dinner with us this evening.
Mamma Why child, what do yon
mean? I haven't said anything about
wanting the minister to take dinner
here this evening.
Little Freddie I know, but I seen
rou bakln' pies to-day, and I never was
to darn pie hungry In my life. Cleve
land Leader.
Teddy Thoughtless My em ploy ah la
to doosld unreasonable, doncherknowt
Dickie Doneup How ao, ol' fel?
Teddy Thougktleas He says ."Vote
the way yon thlnkl" New York Jour
BROSIOUS BRO.'S,
The Clearing Sale Has Just Begun
And we will make it The Greatest Bargain Occasslon in the short history
of tbis store. Prices Will Be Slaughtered or you might say
CUT JUST ABOUT IN HALF.
Men's Suits, considered a
bargain at $8.50 have been
marked
$5.25
The (9. and $10 Men's Suits
we mark
$6.38
Men's Overcoats that sold at
$18 we close them out at
J512.37
KRKAHEU.
' There baa, been no. school at
Wetzel's school lipuse Inst week on
account of the jlliiess of the teacher,
D. F. Row. . ,'!The editor vi the
Post was in. , town last Friday
afternoon.... .N. 0. Gutelius was in
Paxinos last week, holping VV. W.
Koush in his shop There was a
party at A. C. Smith's last Thurs
day evening in honor of Mr. Keeler
of Johnstown, who hud been visit
ing friends in this place .... A. R
Kerk, of Selinsgrove, had auction
at the Hotel last Saturday afternoon
Mini evening Mrn. Henry Wetz
el returned home from a few weeks'
sojourn in Clinton county. . . .Reu
ben Hummel and P. L. Row were
in Middleburgh last Saturday, at
tending the meeting of the Republi
can Standing Committee.
DlKD
Jan. 10, at Kantz, Pa., Mrs. Wm.
Hughes, aged 57 vrs., 11 mos. and
1 day.
Jan. 11. near RiehfieM. Jacob F.
(jei)rgc, aged 65 years, 7 months
aud 9 days. Funeral was held on
the 14th inst. at Neimond's Re
formed church. Revs. O. G. Romig,
H. H. Spohn and John Landis of
ficiated. Jan. 12. at Knoiisetown, Charlot-
t, wife of the late Peter Glotfelter,
god 66 years, 10 months and l
.ays, Funeral was held on the
5th inst., at the Arbogast church.
!cvs.H. II. Spohn andO. G. Romig
officiated.
MARRIED.
Jan. 13th. bv Rev. W. M. Iiandis,
Frederick Holsapple to Mary E.
Snook, both of Adamsburg.
Jan. 9th, by Rev. L. Dice, Wil
liam J. Yost of Winfield to Mazie
M. Arbogast of Middlecreek, Pa.
.Tun. 2. at the residence of Wm. D.
Zink, by Clias. E. Deckard, J. P.,
W. Thomas Zank. ol Liverpool, ana
Miss Mary A. Hiukle, of Pullas,
Snyder Co.
An Empty Jail.
I LThe Snvdcr county jail at Mid
dleburjrh is empty. Whether they
nmrlmt tn noon bad lolKS down
thera or don't have 'em. is not men
tioned. However, as the record
stands, little Snyder has a better
record than adioinintr counties and
is not to be sneezed at any longer.
Centre Reporttr.
AT
U'S OVERCOATS
Considered a Bargain at $2.50
have been marked
$1 48
Children's Reefers, the $2.50
kind, we have them priced
51.29
The $5,00 kind will go at
0398
Children', Suits, the price
was $1.50,
80Cts
OLD CCPIIS WAUTU).
. In order to complete our files we
want the following named issues of
the Post:
July 8, ept. io, looyjuct. u,
13, 1870; Jan. 26, 1871 Apr. 17,
1873; Nov. 4, Deo. 23, 1875 ; June
15, 1876: Mar. 7 and July 25,
1878; May 15, 1879; Dec. 23,
1880; Feb. 17, Mar. 10, 1881;
Nov. .30, 1882; Apr. 23, 1883;
Mar. 27, June 12, Aug. 7 and Oct.
30. 1884: Sept. 17, 1885; Jan. 28,
May 6, Oct. 28, Dec. 9, 16, 23,
188G : June 2 and Dec. 29, 18S7 ;
May 10, 18S8.
Any of our readers having copies
of the above issues will confer a
favor by letting us know. Such
copies in good condition will com
mand a lair price. tf.
MT. PLEASANT MILLS.
Candidates are busy. . . .The Re
publican primary for Perry town
ship will be held next Saturday
Jan. 22nd Mrs. E. E. Gilbert,
of Port Treverton, is visiting her
parents, Joseph Lemch and wife, at
this place Daniel Reichenbach,
who has been an invalid for nine
years, is very low at present. . . . J.
F. Boycr, chairman of the Snyder
County Agricultural Institutes is
busily engaged in the work apper
taining to his omee. lie held in
stitutes at Reavorlown last week
and at Frecbure this week Rev.
O. G. Romig is conducting a series
of protracted meetings on luscircuit
with great success .... H. C. Haas
and H. J. Heiser were in Philadel
phia last week. . . .Clias. Lewis and
the Lcmg Bros, gave an interesting
musical entertainment in the school
house on Thursday evening last.
Sale Register.
n I . V-a. lOM mabimI AMavkalf mllM
north-went of Middleburgh, Gorr Bickbart
Win Mil s oortet, a vows uhwiiuj "r1
mento.
oA W.k let t..tfMll. A4k At Mid.
dUburwb, Urrr Bowmoi will Mil 1 max mud
4 eowi ana .Arming impniMuwi
Monday, Feb. 2H, John UllMri win mi,
hirddnMlmUnorth-MMof MlddleburgU,
live mock ina wriuniB impiniNHm
Friday. Mar. 4, J. . Smith, ot Globe Villa.
will aall (arm ttock and farming Implement.
Saturday. Var. Mh, In Middleburgh, Mre.
Harriet W. Smith will sell at public aale lot ol
hoaaebold goods.
u tana Aloha Villa ilia fl
B. Toder aetata will sell farming Implements
and household goods.
Tuesday, Mar. tin. near Knrtawrvme, rercmu
V. B rouse will sell I boms and terming Im
plements. Tuesday, Var. XM. James Brdlsy will ssll, 1
miles wast ol Middleburgh, lira stock and farm
ing implements.
Tuesday , Mar. St, 'two and one-half miles
Boulhof Vew Berlin. Isaac Bilger will ssll 4
bosses, lOo" end terming Implements,
Men's Fancy Uosoni Shirts
that we sold at $lto $1.50
we have now marked
79Cts
Men's Dark Outing Flannel
Shirts a wonderful value at
19 Cts
Men's all wool Shirts the $1
and $1.25 kind
79 Cts
r.tac:ncH Market.
Corrected wmkly by our lurrohante. -
Butter SO
E(tr 18
Onion 4
Lard A
Tallow 4
Chioken ppr lb 0
Turkeys..... u o
8id 7
Shoulder.. 10
RAUI 12
Wheat go
Rye 48
Potatoes 80
OldCoru 38
Oats S3
Bran per 100 lbn 60
Middlings " 70
Chop " 85
Flour per bbl ... 4.75
Caution Notice.
At the ooiMtelile'a ul recently I purohued
the following named article, una left tbem in
the podieulon of John U. Moyer. All pereone
re hereby cautioned not to meddle with the
Mine.
8 horiei, lot heriieei. S hoeto, 1 fat hog,
wagon, prlD.K barrow, lot oorn. buggy, mower,
plow. H Interest of twelve eons, grain in
ground, lot potatoes, cook glove, lot carpet, S
boll and bedding.
J. K. BouaB, HcKeee Ualf FalU, Pa.
U. 8- Civil Service Examination.
The Commission has ordered that
the usual dates for the regular semi
annual Examinations tor 1898 for
the Internal Revenue Department
for the 9th District of Penna. be
changed, the exact dates for exam
ination cannot be fixed at this time,
but it is sate to say that the Internal
Revenue Examinations for Spring
will be held at Lancaster, Pa., be
tween March 15, aud April 25th.
That Forms 117 aud 101 can now
be had by addressing the under
signed. All applications for this
examination must be filed in proper
form by March 1st, 1898.
L. S. Eisenhower,
Sec'y Board of Int. Rev. Examiners,
March 17, '98. IHiiusler, Pa.
I Sale Bills
Tha Post printing oftioo is pre
pared to keep up its reputation for
handsome Sale. Posters. We are
adding new features this season and
would. advise those who want attrac
tive Sale Posters to visit this office
before placing an order.
NOTICE
We have discovered that it is a
violation of the law to issue pre
mium tickets, and we have been ad
vised to discontinue it. We havi
acoordintrlr stormed eivinir them.
we win, nowever,reuoemauouHi
standing tickets. Respectfully, j
o. wkis, oeunsgrorr
art tat ealy era) baa not becu rv. Id
..... .-.w .. . . . ..j , t .
, .. .;
T