The Abbeville press and banner. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, August 29, 1894, Image 7
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KEY. DR. TALMAGR
.THE BROOKLYN DIVINE'S SUNDAY
SERMON.
ir*. _____
; Subject: "Suicide."
t<t
Tbtt : "He drew out bis sword and would
have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners
had been fled. But Paul cried with a
loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm."
Acts xyJ., 27, 28.
Here is a would be suicide arrested In his
deadly attempt. He was a sheriff, and acoordinpr
to the Roman law a bailiff himself
must suffer the punishment due an escaped
prisoner, and if the prisoner breaking jail
TO sentenced to be endungeoned for three
or four years then the sheriff must be endungeoned
for three or four years, and if
the prisoner breaking jail was to have suffered
capital punishment then the sheriff
inust suffer capital punishment.
i The sheriff had received especial charge
to keep a sharp lookout for Paul and Silr
The government had not had confidence ?u
bolts and bars to keep safe these two clergymen,
about whom there seemed to be something
strancre and supernatural.
Sure enough, by miraculous power they
are free, and the sheriff, waking out of a
Bound sleep and supposing these ministers
have run awny, and knowing they were to
die for preaching Christ, and realizing that
he must therefore die, rather than go under
the executioner's ax on the morrow and
Buffer public disgrace resolves to preoipitate
his own dccease. But before the sharp,
keen, glittering dagger of the sheriff could
strike his heart one of the unloosened
prisoners arrests the blade by the command,
"Do thysell no harm."
In olden time, and where Christianity
had not interfered with it, suioide was considered
honorable and a sign of courage.
Demosthenes poisoned himself when told
that Alexander's embassador had demanded
the surrender of the Athenian orators.
Isocrates killed himself rather than surrender
to Philip of Macedsn. Cato, rather
man suomit 10 jtinus usBsar, iook ms uwu
life, and alter three times nis wonnds had
been dressed tore them open and perished.
Mithridates killed himself rather than submit
to Pompey, the conqueror. Hannibal
destroyed his life by poison irom his ring,
considering life unbearable. Lycnrgus a
Buloiiie, Brutus a suicide. After the disaster
'of Moscow Napoleon always carried with
him a preparation of opium, and one night
his servant heard the ex-emperor arise, put
fomethlng in a glass and drink it, and soon
after the groans arouse all the attendants,
and it was only through utmost medical
Bkill be was resuscitated from the stupor of
the opiate.
! Times have changed, and yet the American
conscience needs to be toned upon the
pubject of sutolde. Have you seen a paper
In the last month that did not announce the
passage out of life by one's own behest?
Defaulters, alarmed at the idea of exposure,
quit life precipitately. Hen losing large
fortunes go out of the world because they
Seannot endure earthly existence. Frustrated
affection, domestic Infelicity, dyspectlo
' Impatience, anger, remorse, envy, Jealousy,
? destitution, misanthropy, are 'considered
ufficlent causes for absconding from this
life by Paris green, by laudanum, by belladonna,
by Othello's dagger, by halter, by
leap from the abutment of a bridge, by firearms.
More cases of "felo de se" in the last
two years of the world's existence. The evil
Is more and more spreading.
A pulpit not long ago expressed some
COUDC as 10 wneiner mere was reauy naything
wrong about quitting this life when it
became disagreeable, and there are found in
respeotable circles people apologetio for the
crime which Paul in the text arrested. I
shall show you before I get through that
uicide is the worst of all crimes, aiid I shall
lift a warning unmistakable. But v'n the
?arly part of this sermon I wish to admit
that some of the best Christians that have
ever lived have committed self destruction,
but always in dementia and not responsible.
I have no more doubt about their eternal
felloity than I have of the Christian who
dies in his bed in the delirium of typhoid
lever. While the shock of the catastrophe is
vnry great, I charge all those who have had
Ctiristian friends under cerebral aberration
step off the boundaries of this life to have
do doubt their happiness. The dear Lord
took them right out of their dazed and frenzied
state into perfect safety. How Christ
feels toward the insane you may know from
tile kind way he treated the demoniac of
Oardara and the child lunatic, and the po
tency with which he hashed the tempests
either of sea or brain.
Scotland, the land prolific cf intellectual
giants, had none grander than Hugh Miller,
groat for science and great for God. He
eame of the best Highland blood, and he was
? descendant of Donald Boy, a man eminent
for hia piety and the rare gift of second
-fight. His attainments, olimbing up as he
did from the quarry and the wall of the
stonemason, drew forth the astonished admiration
of Buckland and Murohison, the
. scientists, and Dr. Chalmers, the theologian,
and held universities spellbound while he
told them the story of what he had seen of
God In the old red sandstone.
That man did more than any being that
ever lived to show that the God of the hills
Is the God of the Bible, and he struck his
tuning fork on the rocks of Cromarty until
he brought geology and theology accordant
, in divine worship. His two books, entitled
"Footprints of the Creator" and the "Testimony
of the Rocks," proclaimed the banns
of an everlasting marriage between genuine
science and revelation. On this latter book
he toiled day and night, through love of
nature and love of God, until he could not
aleeo. and his brain eave wav. and he was
found dead with a revolver by his side, the
cruel Instrument having had two ballets?
one tor him and the other for the gunsmith
who, at the coroner's inquest, was examining
It and fell dead. Have you any doubt of
the beatification of Hugh Miller after his hot
brain hod ceased throbbing t&at winter night
in his study at Portobello-r Among the
mightiest of ear:h, among the mightiest of
heaven.
No one ever doubted the piety of William
Cowper, the author of those three great
hymns, "Oh. For a Closer Walk With God!"
'What Various Hindrances We Meet!"
"There Is a Fountain Filled With Blood"?
William Cowper, who shares with Isaac
Watts and Charles Wesley the chief honors
of Christian hymnology. In hypochondria
he resolved to take his own life and rode to
the river Thames, but found a man seated on
flcmo goods at the very point from which he
expected to spring and rode back to his
homo and that night threw himself upon his
own knife, but the blade broke, and then he
banged himself to the ceiling, but the rope
iparted. No wonder that when God merciiulJy
delivered him from that awlul dementia
ho sat down and wrote that other hymn
iuat as memorable
God moves In a mysterious way
His wonders to perform.
Be plunts His footsteps in the sea
Auu rides upon tne storm.
Bltud unbelief is sure to err
And m ud His work In vain.
0(W Is His own Interpreter.
And He will mate it plain.
While wo make this merciful and righteous
allowance in regard to tfiose who were
-plunged into mehtal incoherence. I declare
that tb? man who in the use of his reason,
by hia own act, snaps the bond between his
body and his soul goes straight into perdition.
Snail I prove it? Revelation xxi.. 8,
"Murderere shall have their part In the lake
which burnefh witb fire and brimstone,"
Revelation xxii.. 15, "Without are dosjs and
*orcerer? and whoremongers and murderare."
You do not believe tbe New Testament?
Then perhaps you believe tbe Tod
Commandments. "'Thou sdiait not kill."
Do yon say all these passages refer to the
taking of the life of others? Then I ask you
if you are not as responsible for your own
life as for the life of others? God save you
a special trust in your life. He made you
the custodian of your life as he madeyou the
custodian of no other life. Ho gave you a9
weapons with which to d?fen 1 it two arms
to strike back assailants, two eys<5 to watch
for invasion and a natural love of life which
ought ever to be on the alert. Assnssination
of others is a mild crime compared with the
assassination of yourself, because in tho
latter case it is treachery to an especial
I 4 -* i* in 4U? rtf fl nattflu I'All Wf?rrt
I irUOl | II 10 UK3 3UUCUUV4 Vi M vuwuu J v?
especially appointed to keep, it is treason to
n natural law. and it is treason to God added
to ordinary murder.
To show how God In the Bible looked
upon this orime I point you to the rogues'
picture gallery in some part3 of the Bible,
the pictures of the people who have committed
this unnatural crime. Here is the
hdadlees trunk of Saul on the walls of Bathshan.
Hero Is the man who chased little
David?ten foet in statue ohasing four. Here
is the man who consulted a clairvoyan*,
r. .
witch of Endor. Here Is a man who,
whipped in battle, instead of surrendering
hia sword with dignity, asks his servant to
slay him, and when the servant declines then
the giant plants the hilt of the sword in the
earth, the sharp point sticking upward, and
he throws bis body on it and expires, the
coward, the suicide! H?re is Ahithophel,
the Machiavolli of olden times, betraying his
best friend, David, in order that he may become
prime minister of Absalom and joining
that fellow in his attempt at parricide. Not
getting what he wanted by change of politics
be take3 a short cut out of a disgraced life
into the suicide's eternity. There he is, the
insrrato!
Hero is Abiraelech practically a suicide.
He is with an army bombarding a tower,
whr.n a woman in the tower takes a grindstone
from its place and drops it upon his
head, and with what life he ha3 left in a
cracked skull he commands his armor bearer,
"Draw thy sword and slay me, lest men say
a woman slew me." There is his post mortem
photograph in the book of Samuel. But the
hero of this group is Judas Iscariot. Dr.
Donne says he was a martyr, and we have in
nnr iiav anoIo!?ists for him. And what won
der in this day when we have a book revealing
Aaron Burr as a pattern of virtue, and
in this day when we uncover a statue to
George Sand as the benefactress of literature,
and in this day when there are betrayals
of Christ on the part $f some of His
pretended apostles?a betrayal so black it
makes the intamy of Judas Iscariot white!
Yet this man by his own hand hunsr up for
the execration of all the ages, Jadas Iscariot.
All the good men and women of the Bible
left to God the decision of their earthly terminus,
and they could have said with Job
who had a right to commit suicide if any
man ever had?what with his destroyed
property, and his body all aflame with insufferable
carbuncles, and everything gone
from his home except the chief curse of it?
a pestiferous wife?and four garrulous people
pelting him with comfortless talk while
he sits on a heap of ashes scratching his
scabs with a piece of broken pottery, yet
crying out in triumph, "All the days of my
appointed time will I wait till my change
come."
' Notwithstanding the Bible is asralnst this
evil and the aversion which it creates by tho
loathsoma and ghastly spectacle of those
who have hurled themseives out
of life, and notwithstanding Christianity
is apainst it and the arguments
and the useful lives and the illustrious
rinnthR of its disciDles. it Is a fact alarmins
ly patent that suicide is on the increase.
What is the cause? I charge upon infidelity
and agnostioism this w'uole thing. If there
be no hereafter, or if that hereafter be blissful
without reference to how we live and how
we die, why not move back the folding doors
between this world and the next? And when
our existence here becomes troublesome why
not pass right over into Elysiutn? Put this
down among your most solemn reflections
and consider it after you go to your homes
?there has never been a case of suicide
where the operator was not either domented,
and therefore irresponsible, or an infidel. I
challenge all the ages, and I challenge the
whole universe. There never has been a
case of self destruction while in full appreciation
of his immortality and of the fact
that that immortality would be glorious or
wretched according as he accepted Jesus
Christ or rejected Him.
You say it is business trouble, or you say
it is electrical currents, or it is this, or it is
that, or it is the other thing. Why not go
clear back, my friend, and acknowledge that
in every case it is the abdication of reason or
the teaching of infidelity which practically
says, "If you don't like this life, get out of
it, and you will land either in annihilation,
where there are no notes to pay, no persecutions
to suffer, no gout to torment, or you
will land where there will be everything
glorious and nothing to pay for it." Infldeli
ty always nas ueen apoiogeuc ior sen immulatioa.
After TomPaine's "Age of Reason"
was published and widely read there was a
marked increase of self-slaughter.
Rousseau, Voltaire, Gibbon, Montaigne,
tinder certain circumstances, were apologetic
for self immolation. Infidelity puts up
no bar to people's rushing out Irom this
world into the next. They teach us it does
not make any difference how you live here
or go out of this world, you will land either
in an oblivious nowhere or a glorious somewhere.
And infidelity holds the upper end
of the r?"e for the suicide, and aims the
pistol witti which a man blows his brains
out, and mixes the strychnine for the last
swallow. If infidelity could carry the day
and persuade the majority of people that it
does not made any difference how you go
out of the world you will land safely, the
rivers would be so full of corpses the terryboats
would be impeded in their progress,
and the crack ot a suicide's pistol would be
no more alarming than the rumble of a street
car.
Ah, infidelity, stand up and take thy sentence
! In the presence of God and angels
and men, stand up, thou monster, thy iip
blasted with blasphemy, thy cheek scarred
with lust, thy breath foul with the corruption
of the ages! Stand up, sat3T, flltby
goat, buzzard of the nations, leper of the
centuries! Stand up, thou monster infidelity,
part man, part panther, part reptile, part
dragon, stand up and take thy sentence!
Thy hand is red with the blood in which
thou hast washed, thy feet crimson with the
human gore through which thou hast waded.
Stand up and take thy sentence! Down with
the** to the pit and sup on the sobs and
groans of famtlies thou hast blasted, and roll
on the bed of knives whloh thou hast sharpened
for others, and let thy music be ttie
everlasting miserera of those whom thou
hast damned! I brand the forehead o( Infidelity
with all the crimes of self Immolation
for the last century on the part of those who
had their reason.
My friends, If ever your life through its
abrasions and Its molestations should seem
to be Tsnbeayaote, and you are tempted to
quit it by your own behest, do not consider
yourselves ns worse than other?. Christ
Himself was tempted to oast Himself from
the roof of the temple, but as He resisted so
resist ye. Christ came to medicine all our
wounds. In your trouble I prescribe life instead
of death. People who have had it
worse than you will ever have it have gone
songful on their way. Remember that God
keeps the chronology of your life with as
much precision as He keeps the chronology
of nations.
Why was It at midnight, just at midnight,
the destroying angel struck the blow that
set the Israelites free from bondage? The
430 years were up at 12 o'clock that night.
The 430 years were not up at 11, and 1 o'clock
would have been tardy and too late. The
430 years were up at 12 o'clock, and the destroying
annel struck the blow, and Israel
was free. Aud God knows just the hour
when it is time to lead you up from earthly
bondage. By his grace make not the worst
of things, but the best of them. If you must
take the pills, do not chow them. Your everlasting
rewards will accord witn your earthly
perturbations, just as Caius gave to Agrippa
a chain of gold as heavy as had been his
chain of iron. For your asking you may
have the same grace that was eivfn to the
Italian martyr, Algerlus, who, down in the
darkest of dungeons, dated bis letter from
' the delectable orchard of the Leonine prison."
There is a sorrowless world, and it is so
radiant that the noonday sun is o nly the
lowat doorstep, and the aurora tha t lights
up our northern heavens, confounding astronomers
as to what It can be, is the waving
of the banners of the procession come
to take the conquerors home from church
militant to church triumphant, and you and
I have 10,000 reasons for wanting to go
there, but we will never get there either by
self immolation or lmpenitency. All our
sins slain by the Christ'who came to do that
4h<nrv rtra nrnnf- tn irrt In lit iuSt the time
divinely arranged,and from a couch divine*
]y spread, and then the clang of the sepulchral
gates behind us will be overpowered
by the clang of the opening of the solid
pearl before us. 0 God, whatever others
may choose, give me a Christian's life, a
Christian's death, a Christian's burial, a
Christian's immortality!
Coyotes Quench Their Thirst.
A remarkable story of tho sagacity <> animals
comas from Cheyenne County. Oklahoma.
There has been very little rain tnero
his season and all tho streams aud spnnss
have gone dry. so that there Is no place for
the many wild animals abounding in that
section to quench their thirst. The soil there
is well adapted to watermelons and hundreds
of acres have been planted by the scattered
settlers. Since it has become so dry
the farmers find that. Tor the ilrst time, the
coyotes are after their melons. When an animal
becomes thirsty he goo3 into a watermelon
patch, jumps on a melon until he
cracks it. then inserts his sharp noso into the
melon and quenches his thirst" with tbe contents.
As soon as one discovered this he communicated
the faat to tho others, and tho entire
melon crop of the county bids fair to bo
destroyed in this way.
I
j RELIGIOUS READING,
INDIVIDUAL BESPONSIBIUTY.
A correspondet of the Puritan, in stating
the impressions made upon his mind at the
late anniversaries, among others, says:
I was impressed with the necessity of a
new and individual consecration to Christ
If the events working, which constitute the
glorious progress of the church, are the result
of individual and obscure efforts in limited
spheres,then I cannot roll off the responsibility
of doing this work on others. It is
not thespeakersof anniversaries; it is not the
secretaries of societies and the ministers and
churches in the cities. It is I that must do
the work, and the aggregate of results wilr be
greater or less according to the fidelity of
every individual Christian in his humble
sphere. Let us. then, understand what God
through his church is actually doing.and consecrate
ourselves anew to itsaccomplishment.
I have thought much, while listening to the
recital of faithful efforts of God's children
all over the world, of the preciousness of
those words to him that is permitted to hear
them. 'Well done, good-"and faithful servant.'
After all our anxiety whether we are
in the path of duty, all our fears lest we accomplish
nothing good, all our difficulties,
discouragements, temptations to have the
great master scrutinize our uves. aim uiuu 10
say, 'Well done, pood and faithful servant'?
Oh, there is a bliss in the very anticipation of
it makes the heart overflow. What, in view
of this, are the toils i nd pains of self-denial
to be regarded? And if, by our selfish toils,
we heap up wealth and gain all the honors
of the world, what is it all compared with
the crown which God will give to him
that has lived to do good? No. He that in
a day like this dares to take the name and
vows of a Christian, must trample on selfish
gains and consecrate himself with apostolic
fervor to doing good. He must be a laborer,
and a laborer with God in carrying on the
great work in which the hearts of the really
godly are now throbbing and their hands
toiling.
"Why should I regard
Earth's little store of borrowed sweots? I sure
i lave had enough of bitter in my cup,
To show that never was it His design
Who placed me here, that I should live at
ease.
Or drink at pleasure's fountain. Henceforth
then
It matters not if storm or sunshine be
My future lot, bitter or sweet my cup;
I only pray, 'God fit me for the work,
God make me holy, and my spirit nerve
For the stern hour of strife.'
COMMIT THY WAYS TO GOD.
Reflection will teach a man that lie 3hould
trust himself to the guidance of some supe
rior being; and reason unites with revelation
to tell us to commit thy ways to the Lord.
Human life is such a journey that man needs
a guide and provider. It is not in man that
walketh to direct his steps.
Men are entirely ignorant of the future;
hence, 6ince we know not what our circumstances
will be, ourselves cannot form theplans
which shall be best to be adopted.
Every man may say in verity, "Thus far in
life hath the Lord helped me." Our own
present condition and that of all others, is
utterly and entirely a way that was unknown
to ourselves. The great and blessed God has
been our conductor, though unseen, and it
may be acknowledged. Ought we not, then,
to acknowledge him and commit our ways to
him?
Time is an ocean, and each person's life a
voyage. Its tossings and heavings, its tempests
and innumerable perils, should plainly
tell to each voyager that himself cannot steer
his frail tempest-tost bark. He needs a pilot,
if he would make the port of safety; he needs
a helmsman other than himself. Let him
commit his ways to God.
The world is a wilderness?a dark and
thorny desert. Shall the traveler attempt to
tread its wilds alone? Let him remember, it
is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.
He has not been that way before, and does he
- - ?- -> iJ-'l
LlUl Dteu U ^uiucr I'CiiUWuoYcioij 4.UW Uiiij
proper guide is God; to him let us commit
our ways, it is rational and safe.
Voyager, traveler, by prayer commit thy
ways to God. Venture not alone upon such
an o^ean, through such a wilderness. Thou
canst not guide thine own bark?thou canst
not guide thine own steps; every morning
and ask wisdom of God.
HE IS OCT.
'See there, he is out!' 'But how did he get
out,' said the other? While they were thus
discussing the matter, the creature out was
rapidly running off, and it was soon seen that
such a discussion would not bring him back
a?ain. It was therefore suspended, and the
whole attention was directed for the time to
the recovery of the gone one. When he was
secured and placed once more within the enclosure,
the "question came up again, 'How
did he get out?' There was a difference in
opinion entertained on this subject. One said
he must have gotten out underneath. 'No
said the other, he could not have gotten out
there. Ho must have jumped over.' They
ended the discussion, however, by resolving
to stop up below, to put on more above and
to cuard all around, and thus make it sure
that he should get out no where Hguin.
Tiiis oecurr? nee is brought to rememtierance
sometimes, when I hear brethren discussing
the question relative to the causes which have <
produced iho low state of religion in the
church. Ardent piely has evidently gotten
out of our hearts and is running off. The inquiry
is often raised how happened it? One
says one thing, another, another. But all this 1
does not bring it back again. Let us get it
back. Let our who e attention and efforts be
dirtcted to that, and when back let us stop up
beneath and elevate above, and guard cjyery
part and keep it back. Yes. keep it back, by
lcfr?ning our hearts with all diligence.?Watchman.
(
In illustration of the possibilities of mother's
prayers, Mr. Mills related a story about
a sister aud two brothers in Now Jersey, who,
about to start out one nignt for a party, were
spoken to by their mother, who suld: "I
think, children, thut there must be something
wrong with me that you are not more anxious
about the things of God. I ask you to forgive
me. I do not want to rob you of your
joy, but when you are at the party to-night,
remember that I will be praying to God for
you.'' They went to the revelry but they
could not banish the figure or the words of
the mother. And sure enourh when they re
turned uiev saw me hklii iu iu? inmuera
room, and heard the mother's prayer in their
behalf. Next morning when tho mother
went up to the daughter's room, she heard a
sob. Opening the door she found the girl
crying bitterly. What was the matter'{ The
girl was deeply convinced of sid. Putting
her arms around her, the mother preached
Christ to her. and she was converted.
'Ana where is your brotherV" asked the
mother.
"Out in the woodshed. I think," was the
reply.
And that was where the mother found the
boy. on his knees behind a pile of wood, crying
for mercy. He, too, was savingly converted.
The third boy was found in the hay mow,
convinced of sin, and imploring pardon. And
ho found the Saviour.
Now, one of these young men was engaged
to b?married,and when he told his betrothed,
.4>e said she would give her heart to God,
too. and did. In course of time they ware
married, and had three children, of whom
one was Dr. Talmage, who has prea-.'hed the
Gospel by tongue and pen to more people
than any other man in the world."
"There was a most affecting word about
Mr. Mill's own mother nnd her influence over
him. JCe was away from home. He seemed
to be away from God. In a room where ho
was stopping in a big city, he felt one nighi
tho influence of a mother's prayers to God
on his behalf.in a sudden glory which seemed
to fill the room. Ho felt that he had to go
back risht at once to mother and to his
mother's God. His mother had been on her
knees that very nijrht pleading for him at the
throno of grace. Ho had to come back tow
Got'.
* ,1^ rrni? ? it..
lieniuuitnv niiu it nviiv} ivcigui, i
Ward Eberley, weighing almost 50(
pounds, died suddenly, a few days ago, at
Dayton, Ohio. He vi as only seventean years
old, and weighed only ten pouuds when
born, but was conceded to bo the heaviest
youngster in the world. A few weeks agu
thousands ot people saw him at ono of the
side-show attractions at the Charity Circus,
in Dayton. The doctors consider his illness,
which had gradually developed since that
time, due to tho excessive drinking of lemonade.
^ _
Fascinating Woman in Politic*.
Miss Emma P. Bates. Republican candidate
for Superintendent of Schools in North
Dakota, has turned a formidable rival iuto
an advocate by promising to marry him if
sbe is elected."
. " /c: '
l ;
SABBATH SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
SEPTEMBER il.
Lesson Text: "Jesus Cleansing the
Temple," .John ii., 13-25?
Golden Text: John il.,
16?Commentary.
13. ' And the Jews' nasaover wns it hand,
rtnd Jesus went ur> to Jerusalem." After thH
miracle at Cuna He, with His mother aud
brethron and discinW. spent somn days at
rnnnrnnim I'wofcn 1ON Knf hnv? fnrf hur
record of that visit. This is, as far ns w?
know, His second visit to Jerusalem, asd the
first since, at the age of twelve. He went up
with Joseph and Mary to the passover (Luke
ii.. 41, 42). In view of' the fact that Hi*
brethren did not believe in Him (John vii.
5) we wonder that they went to Capernaum
with Him. It is not likely that they went tc
Jerusalem. The proper name of this feast
was "The Lord's Passover" (Ex. xii., 11)
but like other feasts had degenerated intc
mere feasts of the Jews (John v., 1).
14.-"And found in the temple those thai
sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the*
changers of money sitting." So Hf found il
again at the close of His ministry (Math xxi.
12). According to the law the people were
to bring to the Lord to Jerusalem the tithe
of corn, wine, oil and the firstlings of herds
and flocks, but if they were living too fai
from Jerusalem to do this they were per
mitted to turn the tithe into money and pur
chase at Jerusalem what they wanted (Pant,
xiv., 22-26). This arrangement, however,
did not necessitate making a market of the
temple.
15. ''And when He had made a scourge oi
small cords He drove them all out of thf
temple, and the sheep, and the oxen, and
poured out the changers' money and over
throw the tables." It' Ho were .to-day to
drive thus out of an ordinary place of worship
on His holy day all in whoso hearts He |
sees business or pleasure instead of thoughts !
of Himself, what a thinning out of many a !
congregation there would be!
16. "And said unto them that sold doves. I
Take these things hence; make not M> [
Father's house an house of merchandise.'
When He again cleansed the temple at the
close of His ministry. He told them that instead
of its being a house of prayer, as God
intended, they had made it a den of thieves
(Math, xxi., 13). At the age of twelve Jesus
had said in this very temple that He mast be
abont His Father's business (Luke ii.. 49) or
(R. V.) in His Father's house, and now one
of the first acts of His public ministry is to
cleanse that house.
17. '"And His disciples remembered that it
was written, the zeal of Thine house hath
oaten me up." This is written in that psalm
(Ixix.) so full of His sufferings, which, if we
laid to heart more, we would be more full of
zeal for His house, His church, instead of
possessing so much misguided and wasted
zeal for oar own houses or churches or societies.
18. "Then answered the Jews and said
unto Him, What sign showest Thou unto us,
seeing that Thou doest th?se things?" A
similar question is asked in John vi.. 30, and
Math, xli., 38, and in the latter place Jesus
toid them that the sign would be the typical
death and resurrection of Jonah illustrated
in His own case, and now He will tell them
the same thine under another fluure. Death !
and resurrection is the great secret of I
power on earth for God.
19. ''Jesus answered and 9aid unto them.
Destroy this temple, and in three days I will ;
raiseitup." This is the earliest intimation
from His own lips of His death and resurrection.
He wus the anti-type of tabernacle and
temple, buildings ereoted that God mlorht
dwell on earth among men, and in Him God
was manifest in the flesh. It is interesting
to notice that the temple of Solomon was
plundered by Shishak in the thirty-fourth
year of its existence. See I Kings vi., 38, and
II Cliron. xiiM 2, 9.
20. "Then said the Jews, Forty and six
years was this temple in building, and wilt
Thou rear it up in three days?" Being only
natural men. they understood nothing of
spiritual things (I Cor. H.. 14).
21. "But He spake of the temple ot His
bo.ly." See how they perverted His words
and tiungthem at Him in His agony on the
cross (Mark xiv., 58. and xv., 291. If wo have
become temples of the Holy Spirit, in whom
Father, Son and Spirit have come to dwell
(I Cor. vl., 19, 20; John xiv.. 17, 23), we
must not think it strange to have our word3
perverted anil thrown at us in our trials.
This is a fellowship with Christ which should
make us greatly rejoic?.
22. "When, therefore. He was risen from
the dead, His disciples remembered that He
bad said this unto them, and they believed
the Scripture, and the word which Jesus had
said." The whole of this gospel was written
with the special object of proving that Jesus
is the 8on of God (chapter xx., 31). and as it
was by the resurrection that He was with
power ueciarea to oe me sun ui uua ^i?ulu.
I., 4), this may account for its onrly mention
and emphasis in this gospeL It is only wiieu
we nre risen from the dead or translated to
meet our Lord that it shall fully appear that
we are sons of God (I John iii., 2).
23. ''Now when He was in Jerusalem at
the passover, in the feast day. m-iuy believed
in His name when they saw the miracles
which He did." This is the great gospel of
believing. It is found more times in this
Kospol than in the other three and in the
Acts all put together. The true moaning of
believing is seen in chapter i., 12. to be the
receiving of Him as our own Saviour. To
believe about Him is of no avail ualess we
become fully i iutiilod with Him in His
death and resurrection--one? with Him at
God's right hand and ono witii Him in present
service here.
24. "But Jesus did not commit Himself
unto them, because He knew all men." The
word ''commit" is the same word which is
translated "believe" iu the tjrrfeoding verse.
The R. V. has it ' irust." Jesus, knowing
all men. knew whom He could trust or believe
and was never deceived in any. Ho
treated them upon their profession as If they
ineunt all thoysaid and gave them every
possible opportunity and help to prove themselves
s'neere, but He thoroughly knew them
all the titn*.\
25. "And needed not that any snould tes- |
tily of man. for He knew what was in man.''
He, being <ioa. i?ould read people's thoughts.
He is the Lord who searches heart and reins
(.Ter. svil.. 10: Rev. ii.. 23). For investing
instuiieea oiHim mind rmliner sen Luke v.,
22 : v).. 8 : ix.. 47 : xl.. 17 : xxiv.. 38. and remember
Ef.:ak. xi.. 5. "Kor i know toothings
that conn: into your mind, every one of
thorn.*' 1 have <.>iten been glad that He
knew all that was in mo before He ever let
me know that He loved me, lor it He ha-'n't
known all my possibilities for evil before He
started with me lie might have been tempted
i o give me up many a tim". Bat who in Ho
loves Ho lovtS to tue end (.John xiii., 1?-Lesson
Helper.
Greeu Corn Dance.
The Pottawatomie Indians, on their reservation
near Topeka, Kan., have been enjoying
one of their annual holidays, the green
corn dance. The festivity is a sort of worship
offered to the deity on the arrival of the
green corn season. Tne dance lasts about
eight days, and Is kept up without intermission,
day and night, the bfraves, who do all
the dancing, taking turns at tho exercise.
The dancing takes place in a ring, something
like a circus ring, the participants being
togged out in all their savage llnery?feathers,
beads, paint and all. The music is furnisaed
with a drum oT one head, which is
beaten by turns by a party of braves in the
middle of the ring. Tue dance goes on foi
about bulfan hour, and then the music stops,
while one of the braves makes a speech. Tht
dancing is thon resumed for awhile, ami
then comes another speoch and so it goes
on. In the meantime tho squaws are busj
brewing a sort of broth from green corn,
which is brought to the ring in buckets, pip
lug hot, lor the rotreshmout of tho dancers.
A litlinillilivi:i o guvowoot
Two iMtiwrtia of Yankton, South Dakota,
visited Rainmaker Jewell rocontly and got
his formula lor producing, which he seems
to make no secrot of. Ha guaranteed them
a rain inside of tun days, if his directions
were followed. They used a ton of chemicals,
and within a woek got one of the
heaviest rains ever seen there. Two tind n
linlf incbos of water fell and tho people are
delighted.
A $4,200,000 Fire by Appointment.
Chicago had, tho other morning, by appointment,
a $4,200,000 lire. It took place
under the auspices of the drainage trustees
in the boiler room of the ltialto Building.
The combustibles wore 3000 bonds of the
boar.l of the denomination of $1000 cach
bearing four per cent, interest.
WOMAN'S WORLD.
PLEASANT LITERATURE FOB
FEMININE READERS.
8HOHT k K y1 K H?R?i
A novel idea of the moment is the
wearing of very short sleeves in the
day time. They are occasionally to be
seen not more than five or six inches
long, thongh this is extreme. An ordinary
length for afternoon dress is
half way or more down the upper arm
or else jnst covering the elbow. Extremely
short sleeves can be worn only
with gloves, since if they stop above
the elbow the arm must be covered.?
New York Advertiser.
widows' weeds.
Widows' weeds can be worn as long
As a woman pleases, but a year and a
day is the stated time fixed for the
deepest mourning; but many women
who have passed the heyday of youth
wear it some three or four years, and
then only moderate the severity of
mourning attire, and always wear
black. Many women have linen collars
and cuffs, not stiffened like shirt
collars, but made at home of the same
shape as the muslin ones, simply a
double piece of linen, not stitched.?
Washington Star.
THE "BEAUTY NAP."
A luxurious housewife in New York
who appreciates, the comfort and
realizes the benefit of the "beauty
nap" prepares her dishes for the coming
breakfast the night before and
placing them in their appropriate compartments
in the electric range, simply
presses the button at her bedside
in the morning, takes her "breakfast
nap," goes down to breakfast, finds
her rolls light and delicate, her steak
done to a turn, her coffee a delight to
her husband, and the bouquet of flowers
on top of her electric range as fresh
as when first cut.?Atlanta Constitution.
A CBY FOB "WOMAN CLEANLINESS."
In the splendid bath honse at Hot
Springs, Va., is a woman superintend
- A OL . 1 1 1_ -T. T
eat. one uus a complexion which, x
believe, does much to tempt people to
bathe. It is the expression of health
and cleanliness. The vast building,
with its marble floors and porcelain
baths and white paint, is kept, under
her supervision, in a most immaculate
manner, and she is proud of her housekeeping.
She makes such a success of
it that I wonder why more women are
not put in charge of the publio buildings.
They are usually very dirty.
The custom houses, capitolfi, and even
the public libraries of large cities have
not the "woman cleanliness" about
them that they should have. A woman's
eye can instantly detect the difference
between the two sorts of housekeeping.
?W omankincL
A WOMAN LANDSCAPE GARDENER.
The interest in Miss Wilkinson's
fiuocess as a landscape gardener is
spreading. She was born in Manchester,
England, and, determining to devote
herself to landscape gardening as
a profession, applied for admittance
to the "class" which was one of the
Crystal Palace studies. At first sfie
was told the olass of studies was only
intended for men, but they finally admitted
her. The celebrated landscape
gardener, Edward Milner, was her instructor.
Surveying, leveling, drawing
plans, making estimates and staking
out from plans was mastered under
him. She had been six years professionally
engaged, and, besides a large
general practice, does all the work of
the London Public Gardens Association,
which has secured 380 small
parks for that great city in twelve
years. Vauxhall Park, her work, has
recently been opened by the Prince
of Wales, who is regarded as a good
critic in landscape gardening. He
characterized it as one of the best
pieces of landscape gardening he had
seen.?Meehan's Monthly.
VEILS THAT ARE BECOMING.
There are really very few women
who know how to wear the becoming
veil. Veils are queer things. They
make lines on a pretty face, and to
the nervous woman they are a horror.
To tell the truth half of the womankind
fail to know how to buy a veil,
an/1 what Rnif.R the stvle of the face.
which, for fashion's sake, they cover
up. A brunette invariably selects a
net full of large round dots. Sometimes
the mesh is coarse or square in
figure, sometimes fine, but in any case
it casts a gloom ovsr a face that should
be free from blemish or dull effects.
The Brussels net does always excellent
duty if it is the real Brussels net.
It is delicate in appearance and if the
best is purchased you will have for
some months a covering for the face
which shelters it from the wind and
yet does not deprive the passerby of
that sweetest of all things, "the face
of a fair woman." White Brussels net
veils are an addition to every woman's
toilet. They enhance the rosy tints of
the complexion, soften the hues and
give a charm to a feature however
homely.
If a young girl looks well in brown,
by all means adopt the brown veil. It
is a becoming color, enriches the complexion
and shows off the eyes to a
great advantage. But the square
mesh should be abolished forever. It
- - - 1?1? rwifV* ATi a Ar/?onfinn
IS a JUUijr UU1IU1 >1 11U l/tti;
it does not impair the sight. Tissue
veils, light gray, delicate brown or
even white, look well for a traveling
rig, and keep the dust from the eyes,
and preserve the cleanliness which is
so necessary if a tour is contemplated,
A veil should be chosen as carefully as
a glove.?New York Herald.
MADAME CARNOT'S DEPARTURE.
Madam Carnot, widow of the mur- |
dered Frcnch President, has entered a :
new phase of life. Soon after the de- j
parture of Lord and Lady-Dufferin !
and of the Dutch minister, who called
upon her in tho morning, she left for
ever tho Executive Palace. The man-1
ner of her departure was in the good
taste that has marked all her actions
since she went to reside at the Elysee.
Instead of all the clerks of tho Minis- .
try of the Interior?which is on the
opposite side of the Faubourg St. j
Honore?and the functionaries of the
palace being ranged round tne court
to salute her as she left, she gave orders
that nobody should be in the
court. The four officers of the late
J Z'",r' ^
\
t
r
President's military household and his
two civil secretaries were admited to
the hall of the Elysee to see her leave.
She was dressed in deep mourning,
and a thick veil fell over her face.
When it was announced that the car*
riage awaited her, she appeared on the
steps of the courtyard entrance to the
palace, leaning on the arm of Lieutenant
Carnot, her eldest son, and was
followed by her other two sons, the
civil and military secretaries, and
Madame Chamoin and some other
ladies. The carriage was the landau
which M. Carnot bought when he was
elected President, and was drawn by
two of the team of four Irish bays.
As soon as Madame Carnot and her
sons were seated, all the other persons
present bowed almost to the ground.
? J trrn a a oil at. 4- arra?4* n r*
JL11C UCpnibUic nao a ouvuv urtuij uv |
one saying a ;word. There were a I
good many persons in the Faubourg '
St. Honore trying to see "what was go- j
ing on in the court-yard. When the |
gateB were swung back, and the carriage
rolled out, they all bowed low,
for they recognized in the veiled lady
the most deservedly respected woman
in France. In a moment the carriage
turned the corner to enter the short
Avenue Gabriel, and was soon lost
sight of. The venerable mother of the
late President is still with her eon, M.
Adolphe Carnot, at the Ecole des
Mines.?London News.
FASHION NOTES.
Pearl color, lilao or gray are thft
favorites in notepaper.
The "lamp-shade" skirt can be cut
out of very wide materiaL
The organ pipe skirt is used principally
for silk and woolen fabrics.
Bolero jackets of heavy guipure accompany
an accordion plaited bodice.
Bridesmaids should be all dressed
in one color. Pink is the favorite
just now.
New shell-back Spanish combs have
tops in silver and rolled gold filigree
in Spanish arabesque patterns.
One of the newest caprices of fashion
is an enormous tulle cravat, forming
a fan-like bow directly under the
chin.
Miniature breastpins are the fad.
Miniatures are also worn in bracelets
and watches in this fin de siecle period.
The puffed sleeve has attained a high
pitch of development, and therefore
counts great variety among its attractions.
The "Jane Hading" veil is worn by
the four-in-hand patrons. The veil is
densely spotted and has a velvet band
under the chin.
The hollyhock collarette during the
warm weather has been such a favorite
that there is little doubt of its continued
popularity.
Lace is never out of place in a summer
gown; ib is the lightest trimming
we can find, and its freshness stands
the bright sunshine.
Bridal veils are fastened to a coronet
of orange flowers and float down
the back. The veil should not be allowed
to cover the ears.
The most correct parasol is pure
white. For morning use it may be of
duck, though white gros grain or silk
moire is to be preferred.
Few jewels are worn just now, but
instead a boutonniere of flowers. Blue
bachelor buttons are the most seen,
and their peculiar blue has found its
way into millinery and dress fabrics.
A great deal of lace is used, of
course, lace plain, or beaded or jeweled.
Silk muslin is less to the fore.
Silk crepons, gauzes or every Kina
and lovely silks for silk and woolen
fabrics.
A stylish waist is of India silk. The
front and back are shirred full at the
waist line, a shirred collar and enormous
bow finish the neck, and the
sleeves are made of black and white
striped satin.
Lace insertion set in the middle of
the silk curtain is one of the new
things in vestibule curtains. This four
or five inch strip of handsome, heavy
lace admits additional light and adds
to the beauty as welL
The bow knot is the latest thing in
hair dressing. It is set up high on
the top of the head and stuck through
with a tortoise-shell dagger. The front
hair is parted in somewhat demure
fashion and brought rather low on the
forehead.
A much admired waist is of velvet
^ ai/^Dc onrl V>onlr
UUU CJJiUIUlUCi T. xu? v?.v
are very nearly close-fitting; the front
is slightly loose, the sleeves are in full
bishop style, and shoulder ruffles and
a suggestion of a Figaro jacket are of
the embroidery.
The sash is an institution by itself,
and the young woman of mean9 invests
in one almost every time she
goes shopping. Sashes are in all
styles, from stiff moire ribbon to soft
silk, depending largely on the dresses
with which they are worn.
Overskirts have struggled hard to
gain a foothold in the world of fashion.
But women have intuitively opposed
them. The plain, full skirt has
proved itself too satisfactory to be cast
aside. Still, the new overskirt of the
summer gown is not so bad as it might
be, It is graceful, and, more than
that, it is novel.
Panels are becoming every day
more numerous. For day dresues,
panels of moire are fashionable, two
of them or one alone?in front or at
the side. For evening or elaborate
afternoon dresses lovely panels are
being made of silk muslin?a sort of
double coquillo pinked or delicately
V .3 _ A Xt - _ <3
nemmeu at tue cugc.
A novel French corset is made of
silk net wit)i elastic gores. It is lowcut
and rather short, and is laced in
front, the lacings passing around
small but very strong hooks instead of
through metal-rimmed eyelets. It is
claimed that this corset can be lacsd
to lit very snugly and with less discomfort
than with the old style of lac*
A Spectacled .2>0?.
A curious thing to be seen occasion
ally on a frequented Philadelphia
street is a dog wearing spectacles. Itis
not done as a joke, but the owner of
the dog, an optician, claims that the
animal's eyesight is affected and that
the glasses enable him to see all right,
but it is barely possible that there may
be something of an advertisement iu
the fro^k. ?Philadelphia Times.
T :' yf.r -4..
'r . ' :?fr ^y^3r-r,-;y
HOUSEHOLD MATTERS,
BEHOVING SCOBOHED SPOTS. , ,
When an article becomes scorchd&l
fa ironing, lay it where bright sun*
shine will fall directly on it. Peel'
| and slice two onions, extract the juice;
by pounding and squeezing; cut up
half an ounce of white soap, and add
j to the juice two ounces of fuller's
! earth and half a pint of vinegar. Boil
all together. When cool, spread over
the scorched linen, and let it dry on ;
then wash and boil the linen, and the
spots will disappear unless burned so
badly as to break the threads.?Neir
York Dispatch.
QENEBAIi RULE3 FOB CANNING FBUIT5.
Suggestions for tho cooking of
fruits and vegetables are always acceptable.
The American Vegetarian
gives the following general rule for
canning fruits:
Time for Quantity
i Per quart. boiling. of sugar.
Cherries 5 minutes S ounce*
Ituspb::rries 6 4 "
Blackberries 6 " 6 '*
Strawberries 8 " 8 "
Plums 10 " 10 "
Whortleberries 5 " 4 "
Rhubarb 10 " 10 "
| Bartlett pears, halved..20 " C " '
Peaches 8 " 4 *'
Peaches, whole 15 " 4 **
Pineapple, sliced 15 *' 6 "
Crab apples 25 ,s 8 "
Ripe currants 6 " .8 "
Wild grapes 10 " 8 u
Tomatoes 20 " / none
Gooseberries 8 " 8 "
Quinces, sliced 15 ' 10 "
Take one-lialf pound of loaf sugar
to each pint of water aud boil rapidly
for ten minutes before the frait ig
put in.
TO POLISH THE SILVER.
The pretty filigree silver ornaments
which are coming into fashion again
in the form of neckties, bracelets, hair
combs and b'nckles require not a little
care and attention to keep them from
blackening and losing their polish.
There are several ways of cleaning silver
ornaments, any one of which is
little trouble and is satisfactory. One
nlan in +,n rnh thA oiltrAP inwfilrv with
the slice of a lemon, then rinsing with,
cold water; next comes a wash of soap
suds, a rinse in hot water, drying with
a soft towel, and a final rub with
chamois.
A simple cleaning process is to wash
the silver in hot water with a brueh
dipped in ammonia and soap. Rinsa
in boiling water and dry in sawdust.
Jewelry which is very much blackened
should be first washed in a weak
solution of potash. After rinsing, dip
the articles in water composed of one
part of salt, one of alum, two of saltpetre,
foui; of water. ' Do not soak
longer than five minutes. Then rinse
in cold water and dry on a piece of
chamois,?New York World,
BECIFKS.
Croutes with Tongue?Grate some
cold tongue finely, add some cream,
:i.i_ j ix
ccaoon wim pepper spa Ban, mix m
the yolk of an egg, stir over the fire,
then pour a little of the mixture osl
I each square of fried bread or toast.
Rice Curry?In hot climates curry
is much used, and a curry of somo
kind is often a pleasant and appetizing
change in eummer, when appetites so
often fail. Steam some rice; fry ?
minced onion in a little butter until it
turns red; add a teaspoonful of curry
(for a quarter of a pound of rice) dissolved
in half a cup of stock or gravy ;
boil up once and pour oyer the rice.
This is a delightful accompaniment to
roast veal.
Kidney Toast?Chop fine four veal
kidneys with half a pound ot calf's
liver; season with pepper and salt.
Make a little butter hot in a fryingpan
and toss them about until cooked,
but not overdone. Remove from the
fire and stir in the beaten yolk of one
egg aud half a teaspoonful of lemon
juice. Spread on toast and serve at
once. Stewed or broiled tomatoes and
hot iDdian meal muffins go nicely with
this excellent dish.
Fried Apples?Wipe, core and cut
into eighths four tart apples. Put a
tablespoonful of butter into a frying1
1 !_ _ J. 1 1
pan, ana wnen very noi >ay me appieain
it so that they will just touch each
other. Brown and turn. Sprirfkle
with sugar and brown on the other
side. If not perfectly tender, put on.
a cover and steam a moment or two.
Remove to a warm dish, and fry the
others the eame way, and sprinkle all
with sugar. Serve very hot.
Tomato Toas t?Ran a quart of stewed
tomatoes through a colander; place in
S stew pan; season with butter, salt
and pepper, and sugar if liked (many
do not like tomatoes sweetened); cut
slices of bread thin, brown on both
aides; butter and lay on a piaster, ana
just as the bell rings for tea or breakfast,
add a pint of good, rich, sweet
cream to the tomatoes and pour them
over the toast. Vegetables of all kinds
are better if butter is added last, and
not allowed to boil any more.
Potato Chowder?Cut half a pound
of salt pork into thin slices, and fry
lightly. Lay them in a kettle, whila
you fry five sliced onions a light yellow
color in the fat." Now have a quart
dishful of pared and sliced potatoes,
aad put them in the kettle with alternate
layers of pork and onion, seasoning
each layer with pepper, and dredging
with floor. Cover with two quarts
of water, and simmer forty minutes or
until the potatoes are done. Just before
taking from the fire throw in a
tablespoonful of minced parsley, or
velery tops, or both. Pour over toaat.
Dogs and Insomnia.
On the occasion of the dog show in
Paris a French statistician published
an Aa+.imn>.e of the number of docs at
present to be found in that city.
Evidently it is with no good feelings
toward the poor animals, foi^ after informing
the world that there are no
fewer than 80,000 of them in the
French capital alone, the calculator
proceeds to speculate upon the number
of persons who arc kept awake by
their barkings. On an average, he
thinks, one dog in ten would be restless
and inclined to bark during the
night, ami in each ease the barking
would cause at least one persontolo.se
his night's rest. On this basis he arrives
at the dreadful conclusion that
there art- iu Paris at all times 8000
persons who cannot sleep from this
cause alone. And yet, he complains,
the barking of dogs is not even mentioned
in medical works as one of tha
causes of insomnia.?London News.