Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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KEY. DR. TALMAGE. wpiic BROOKLYN DIVINE'S SUN* DAY SERMON» Subject: “Religion in Our Dully Idle * T*xt: “Whether, ixxt: rr neuier, inermrort drink, or whatsoever ye do, < glory of God.”—I Corinthians ,. v 4 / ' therefore, ye eat o> do all to th* x~, 3L When the apostle in his text sets forth the idea that so common an action as the taking of food and drink is to be conducted to the glory of God, he proclaim the importance of religion in the ordinary affairs of oar life, jin all ages of the worm there has been a tendency to set apart certain days, places and occasions for worship, and to think : those were the chief realms in which religion was to act. Now, holy days and holy places have their importance. They give oppor- Itonity for especial performance of Christian dnty, and for regaling of the religions appe- tite, but they cannot take the place of con tinuous exercise of faith ana prayer. In other words, a man cannot be so much of a Christian on Suudey that he can afford to be a worldling all the rest of the week. If a steamer puts out for Southampton and goes one day in that direction and the other six days in other directions, how long before the steamer will get to Southampton! It will never get there. And though a man may seem to be voy aging heavenward during the holy Sabbath day, if during the following six days of the ,week he is going toward the world, and to ward the flesh, and toward the devil, he will never ride up into the peaceful harbor of theaven. You cannot eat so much at the jSabbath banquet that you can afford re ligious abstinence the other six days. Hero ism and princely behavior on groat occasions are no apology for lack of right demeanor in circumstances insignificant and inconspicu ous. The genuine Christian life is not spas modic; does not go by lits and starts. It toils on through heat and cold up steep mountains and along dangerous declivities, its eye on the everlasting hills crowned with the castles of the blessed. I propose this morning to plead for a re ligion for to-day. In-the first place, we want to bring the re ligion of Christ into our conversation. When a dam breaks, and two or three villages are overwhelmed, or an earthquake in South America swallows a whole city, then people begin to talk about the uncertainty of life, and they imagine that they are engaged in positively religious conversation. No. You may talk about these things and have no grace of God at all in your heart. We ought every day to be talking religion. If there is anything glad about it, anything beautiful aojut it, we ought to be continuously dis cussing it. I have noticed that men, just in proportion as their Christian experience is shallow, talk about funerals and graveyards and tombstones and deathbeds. The real, genuine Christian man talks chiefly about this life ami the great eternity beyond, and not so much about the insignificant pass be tween these two residences. And yet how few circles there are where the religion of Jesus Christ is welcome. Go into a circle even of Christian people, where they are full of joy and hilarity, and talk about Christ or heaven and everything is immediately silenced. As on a summer day, when the forests are full of life, chat ter and chirrup and carol—a mighty chorus of bird harmony, every tree branch an or chestra—if a hawk appear in the sky every voice stops and the forests are still; just so, I have seen a lively religious circle silenced on the appearance of anything like religious conversation. No one lias anything to say, save, perhaps, some old patriarch in the corner of the room, who really thinks that something ought to be said under the cir cumstances, so he puts one foot over the other ana heaves a long sigh, and says, “Oh, yes; that’s so, that’s so!” liy friends, the religion of Jesus Christ is something to talk about with a glad heart. It is brighter than the waters; it is more cheerful than the sunshine. Do not go around groaning about your religion wheu you ought to be singing it or talking it in cheerful tones of voice. How often it is that we find men whose lives are utterly inconsistent, who attempt to talk religion, and always make a failure of it I My ' jnds, we must live religion, or we cannot : it. If a man is cranky and cross and igenial and hard in his dealings, and but'(Jurist and heaven, I byit. :h men say, in whining frable sinners.” “The I Lord have mercy on .on interlarded with mean nothiag but the worst form of illy felt the religion et us talk it, and talk |tenance, remember- tian people talk God and writes down [ iii., 18, “Then they le often one to an- iened and heard it, ace was written.” lust bring the re* lur employments. Very well if a man ay, or if he have my thread and iming establish- |in life that I am small for the ^enly principles.” not know that on the brook’s joes the path of i that creeps up much impres- waving tops of | cedar; and th< r’s hoof, sounds of a world’s do in life, to be, God is it. If your ►hen God will in when he cork is draw- fou, as when Samaritan the custom led Matthew A religion not worth man who iket as cer- igion as he and could hard dol- te churches i very de- aciples of |ey are the ey are the Ire known every aercbant is and he professed ^ Wreally no ' grace in is completely swindled, ime that he cannot get out of Turing the week. He stays m town Sunday, goes into some church to get E tian consolation, when what is his ement to find the very man who hands he poor box in the church is the one relieved him of bis money 1 Bur. never the deacon has his black coat on now. r acks solemn and goes home talking t “the blessed sermon.” ; the wheat in the churches should lie put hopper, the first turn of the crank [make the chaff fly, I tell you. iSome ese men are great sticklers for Gospel '•bing. They say: “You stand there in i and surplice and gown and preach— ;h like ar. angel, and we stand out and attend to business. Don’t mix Don’t get business and religion in ime bucket! You attend to your mat- I and we will attend to ours.” They do know that God sees every cheat they practiced in the last six years; that He [look tcrough the iron wall of their fire saie; that He has counted every dis- insistent ath night in the house of God singing i close of the service, “Rock of Ages, ft for Me,” and then when the beneiio is pronounoed shut the pew door aud as tney go out, “Goodby, religion. I’ll be next Sunday.” 1 think that the Church of God and the !>bath are only an armory where we are kret weapons. When war cornea if a (i wants to fight for his country he does ;o to Troy or Springfield to do battling, le goes there for swords and muskets. |>ok upon the Church of Christ aud the |>bath day as only the place and time and when we were to get armed for conflict; but the battlefield is ou t kday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, ] Friday and Saturday. “St. Martin’s" ■wd “Lenox" and “Old Hundred" do not amount to anything unless they sing all the week. A sermon is useless unless we cm take it with us behind the plow and the counter. The Sabbath day is worthless if it last only twenty-four hours. There are many Christians who say: “We are willing to serve God, bat we do not want to do it in these spheres about which we are talking; and it seems so insipid and monotonous. If we had some great oc casion, if we bad lived in the time of Luther, if we had been Paul’s traveling companion, if we could serve God ou a great scale, we would do it, but we can’t in this everyday life.” I admit that a great deal of the ro mance and knight errantry of life have dis appeared before the advance of this practi cal age. The ancient temples of Rouen have been changed into storehouses and smithies, '/be residences of poets and princes have been turned into brokers’ shops. The classic mansion of Ashland has been cut up into walking sticks. The groves where the poets said the gods dwelt have been carted out for firewood. The muses that we used to read about have disappeared before the emi grant’s ax and the trapper’s gun, and that man who is waiting for a life bewitched of wonders will never find it. There is, however, a field for endurance and great achievement, but it is in every day life. There are Alps to scale, there are Hellespont^ to swim, there are fires to brave; but they are all around us now. This is the hardest kind of martyrdom to bear. It took grace to lead Latimer and Ridley through the fire triumphantly when their armed enemies and their friends were lacking on; but it requires more grace now to bring when nobody you in this au earthquake aud that ;orra, we prescribe religious men through persecution, looking on. I could show city a woman who has had rheumatism for twenty years, who has endured more suffer ing and exhausted more grace than would have made twenty martyrs pass triumph antly, through the fire. If you are not faith ful in au insignificant position in life, you would not be in a grand mission. If you can not stand the bite of a midge, how could you endure the breath of a basilisk? Do not think that any work God gives you to do in the world is on too small a scale lor you to do. The whole universe is not ashamed to take care of one little flower. Isay: “What are you doing down herein the grass, you poor little flower? Are you not afraid nights? You will be neglected, you will die of thirst, you will not be fed. Poor little flower!” “No.” says a star, ‘Til watch over it to-night.” “No,” says a cloud, *T’ll give it a drink." “No,” savs the sun, “Fll warm it in my bosom.” Then X see tbe pulleys going, and the clouds are drawing water, and I say, “Wuat are you doing there, O clouds?” And they reply, “We are giving drink to that flower.” Then the wind rises and comes bending down the wheat and sounding its psalm through the forest, and I cry. “Whither away on such swift wing, O wind?’ And it replies, “We are going to cool the cheek of that flower.” And then I bow down and say, “Will God take care of the grass of the field?” And a flower at my foot re sponds, “Yes; He clothes the lilies of the field, and never yet has forgotten me, a poor little flower.” Oh, when 1 see the great heavens bending themselves to what seems insignificant ministrations, when I find out that God does not forget any blossom of the spring or any snowflake of the winter, 1 come to the conclusion that we can afford to attend to the minute things in life, and that what we do we ought to do well, since there is as much perfection in the construction ot a spider’s eye as in the conf ormation of flam ing galaxies. Plato had a fable which I have now nearly forgotten, but it ran something like this: He said spirits of the other world came back to this world to find a body and find a sphere of work. One spirit came and took the body of a king and did his work. An other spirit came and took the body of a poet and did his work. After awhile Ulysses came, and he said, “Why, all the fine bodies are taken, and all tbe grand work is taken. There is nothing left forme.” And some one replied, “Ah! the best one has been left for you.” Ulysses said, “What’s that?” And the reply was, “fho body of a common man, doing a com mon work and for a common reward.” A go6d fable for the world and just as good a table for the church. Whether w« eat or drink, or whatsoever we do, let us do it to the glory of God. Again, we need to bring the religion of Christ into our cqp**fionest trials. For se- ver.0^1 that shock blasts like a _ consolation; but, businessman, for the small annoyances of last week, bow much of tbe grace of God did you apply? “Oh,” you say, “these trials are too small for such ap plication!” My brother, they are shaping your character, they are souring your tem per, they are wearing out your patience and they are making you less and less of a man. I* go into a sculptor’s studio and sea him shaping a statue. He has a chisel in one hand and a mallet in tbe other, and be gives a very gentle stroke—click, dick, click! I say, “Why don’t you strike harder?’ “Oh,” he replies, “chat would shatter the statue. 1 can’t do it that way; I must Jo it this way 1” So he works on, and after awhile the feat ures come out, and evervbody that enters the studio is charmed and fascinated. Well. God has your soul under process of develop ment, and it is the little annoyances and vexations of life that are chiseling out your immortal nature. It is click, click, click! I wonder why some great providence does not come, and with one stroke prepare you for heaven. Ah, no. God says that is not the way. And so He keeps on by strokes of little annoyances, ittle sorrows, little vexations, until at last you shall be a glad spectacle for angels and for men. Y ou Know tnat a large fortune may be spent in small change and a vast amount of moral character may go away in small depletion. It is the little troubles of life that are having more effect upon yon than great ones. A swarm of locusts wUl kill a grain field sooner than the incursion of three or four cattle. You say, “Since I lost my child, since I lost my property, I have been a different man.” But you do not recognize the archi tecture of little annoyances that are hewing, digging, cutting, shaping, splitting and in- terloining your moral qualities. Rats may sink a ship. One lucifer match may send destruction through a block of store houses. Catherine de Medicis got her death from smelliug a poisonous rose. Columbus, by stopping and asking for a piece of bread aud a drink of water at a Franciscan con vent, was led to the discovery of the New World. And there is ta intimate connection between trifles and immensities, betweer nothings and everythings. Now, be caret ul to let none of those an noyances go through your soul unarraigned. Compel them to administer to youi spiritual wealth. The scratch of a sixpenny nail sometimes produces lock-jaw, and th« clip of a most infinitesimal annoyance maj damage you forever. Do not let any annoy ance or perplexity come across your son without its making you better. Our national government does not thinl It belittling to put a tax on pins ani a tai on buckles and a tax on shoes. The indi vidual taxes do not amount to much, but ii the aggregate to millions and millions o: dollars. Aud I would have you, O Christiai man, put a high tariff on every annoyance and vexation that comes through your soul. This might not amount to muc'.i in single cases, but in the aggregate it would bs a great revenue of spiritual strength and satis faction. A bee can suck honey even out of a nettle, and if you have the grace of God in vour heart you can get sweetness out of that which would otherwise irritate and annoy. A returned missionary toll me that a com pany of adventurers rowing up the Ganges were stung to death by flies that infest that region at certain seasons. I have seen the earth strewed with the carcassses of men slain by insect annoyances. The only way to get prepared for the great trouble of life is to conquer these small troubles. What would ye say of a soldier who refused to load his gun or to go into tbe conflict because it was only a skirm ish, saying: “I am not going to expend my ammunition on a skirmish. Wait until there comes a genera I engagement and then you will see how courageous I am and wnat bat tling I will do?” The general would say to such a man, “If vou are not faithful in a skirmish, you would be nothing in a general engagement.” And 1 have to tell you, O Christian men, if you cannot apply the principles of Christ’s r<* ligion on a small scales you will never be able to apply them ou a large scale. If you cauuot successfully contend against these small sorrows that comedown single handed, what will you do when the greater disasters of life come down with thundering artillery, rolling over your soul? Again we must bring the religion of Christ into our commonest blessings. When tbe autumn comes and tbe harvests are in, and the governors make proclamation, we assemble in churches and we are very thank ful But every day ought to be a thanks giving day. We ao not recognize the com mon mercies of life. We have to see a blind man led by bis dog before we begin to bethink ourselves of what a grand thing it is to have eyesight. We have to see some one afflicted with St. Vitus’s dance before we are ready to thank God for tbe control of our physical energies. We have to see some wounded man hobbling ou his crutch or with his empty coat-sleeve pinned up before we learn to think what a a grand tiling God did for us when He gave us healthy use ot our limbs. We are so stupid that nothing bat tbe mis fortunes of others can arouse us up to our blessings. As the ox grazes in tbe pasture up to its eyes in clover, yet never thinking who makes the clover, and as the bird picks up the worm from the furrow not knowing that it is God who makes everything, from tbe animalcule in the sod to tbe seraph ou tbe throne, so we go on eating, drinking and enjoying, but never thanking or seldom thanking; or, if thanking at all, with only half a heart. I compare our indifference to the brutv but perhaps I wronged the brute. I do no* know but that, among its other instincts, it may have an instinct by which it recognizes tbe divine hand that feeds it. I do not know but that God is, through it, holding com munication with what we call “irrational creation.” The cow that stands ander the willow by the water course chewing its cud looks very thankful, and who can tell how much a bird means by its song. The aroma of flowers smells like Incense, and the mist arising from the river looks like the smoke of a morning sacrifice. Oh, that we were as responsive! Yet who thanks God for the water that gushes up in the well, and - that foams in the cascade, aud th*t laughs over the rocks, and that patters in the showers, and that clasps its hands in the sea? Who thanks God for the air, the fountain of life, the bridge of sunbeams, the path of sound, the great fan on a hot summer’s day? Who thanks God for this wonderful physical organism—this sweep of the vision, this chime of harmony struck into the ear, this soft tread of a myriad delights over tbe nervous tissue, this rolling of the crimson tide through artery and vein, this drumming of the heart on our march to immortality? We take all these things as a matter of course. But suppose God should withdraw these common blessings 1 Your body would be come au inquisition of torture, the cloud would refuse rain, every green thing would crumple up, and the earth would crack opeu under your feet. The air would cease its healthful circulation. pestilence would swoop, and every house would become a place of skulls. .Streams would first swim with vermin and then dry up, and thirst and hunger and anguish aud despair would lift their scepters. Oh, compare such a life as that with the life you live this morning with your families about you! Is it not time that, with every word of our lips and with every action of our life, we began to acknowledge these everyday mercies? “Whether ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” Do I ad dress a man or a woman this morning who has not rendered to God one single offering of thanks? I was preaching one Thanksgiving day and announced my text, “Oh, give thanks unto the Lord, for He Is good; for His mercy endureth forever.” I do not know whether there was any blessing on the ser mon or not, but the text went straight to a young man’s heart. He said to himself, as I read the text: “ ‘Oh, give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good’— Why, I have never rendered Hin any thanks. Oh, what an ingrate I have been!” Can it be. my brother, that you have been fed by the good hand of God all these days—that you have had clothing and shelter and all beneficent surroundings, and yet have never offered your heart to God? Oh, let a sense of the divine goodness shown you in the everyday blessings melt your heart, ani it you have never before uttered one earnest note of thanksgiving let this be the day which s>hall bear your song. What I say to one I say to all ot this audience. Take this practical religion I have recommended into your everyday life. Make every day a Sabbath and every meals a sacrament and every room you enter a holy of holies. We all have work te do; 1 be willing to do it. We all have son bear; let us cheerfully bear them./ We all have battles to fight; let u* courageously .vement^jCor^Aaoufcla^—Vi 'Hiyr'iijafc live right. Negligence and indolence will win tbe hiss ot everlasting scorn, while faithful ness will gather its garlands and wave its scepter and sit upon its throne long after this earth has put on ashes and eternal ages have begun tneir march. You go home to-day and attend to your little sphere of duties. I will go home and attend to my little sphere of duties. Every one ia his own place. So every step in life shall be a triumphal march, aud t'ae humblest foot stool ou which we are called to sit will bt • conqueror’s throne. TEMPERANCE. NEVER GOOD. A reporter of the New York World re cently asked Dr. George F. Shrady, au emi nent Brooklyn physician, if whisky is a good preventive of the grip. He replied: “Whisky is never good to ward off anything. Good food is the best means with which to ward off disease. To dose with whisky is like add ing shavings to the Are. There is no physical mental or moral excuse for a man’s drinking whisky as a preventive of disease.” HEART DISEASE AND BEER DRINKING. It is said by a foreign publication that di c ' ease of the heart is very prevalent in Munich, where tbe consumption of beer amounts, on tbe average, to 565 litres per head annually; and in the same place the duration of life among the brewing trade is shorter than that of the general population. While the average attained among the latter is 53.5 years, that of ale-house keepers is 51,35 years and of brewers 43.38 years. The same authority adds that for the whole of Germanv the annual consumption of beer per head amounts to eighty-eight litres, but for Bavaria it is 209 litres. A YOUNG FARMER’S FATE. 1 A special despa'xh to the Cleveland Lead er. dated Celfna, Ohio, says: “Herman Henistocken, the seventeen-year-old son of J. H. Henistocken, a wealthy farmer near Willow Dell, Darke County, was sent to Berlin yesterday morning with a load of grain, with instructions to sell it and pur chase some groceries. He met a lad. Wil- liam Sunke, a schoolmate, and they went in to a saloon and treated each other several times. Henistocken became beastly drunk. Sunke got his team, put him m the wagon and started for home. He went a short dis tance and fell to sleep. His team turned on to a wrong road and stoppe l in a fence corner about lliteen miles from his home. His parents were alarmed at his failure to return, and a searening party immediately set out. When he was found he was frozen stiff. They took him to a farm-house near by, and After several hours - hard labor he was revived, but cannot live. He was never known to have touched intoxicating liquoi before. It is feared tuat his father will lose his mind.” if a TEMPERANCE NEWS AND NOTES. Almost any man can be made to talk corkscrew is used to draw him out. In the past year more than 2,000,000 bar rels of beer were brewed in Milwaukee. If you must use liquor to keep warm have it in your boots rather than your brain. One moderate drinker is worth more to the devil than a thousand out-and-out drunk ards. A dissolute linguist, a teacher of seven different languages, has bean jailed at Lar amie, W\o., tor beating his wife, who sup ported him by taking in washinz. One of the best moves the devil can make is to persuade a big-headed man to trust iu his own strength. Every drunkard used to think he could drink or let it alone. Moonshiners’ whisky has a sting to it. It leaves a sensation in the throat as if pow dered glass had just passed down. In the moonshine district nearly everybody, young and old, drinks this stuff. A recent compilatiou of statistics on the subject shows that the average relation of convictions for drunkenness on Sunday to population is in England one conviction to every 97,414 of population; Wales, one con viction to every 62,006 of population. A correspondent of the Boston Traveller says in a recent letter: “There have been but two arrests in Portland, Me., this week out at a population of 40,000 persons. This is the fruit of enforced prohibition, and it comes pretty near to ‘peace on earth.’ " SABBATH INTERNATIONAL FEBRUAfe SCHOOL. LESSON ItY 14. FOR Lesson Text: “The New Covenant,” Jeremiah xxxi., 127-37—Golden Text: Jeren^lah xxxi., 34—Commentary. t come, saith the house of Israel, and the seed of man, beast.” Jeremiah forty years of wo tribes were car- last eighteen years twenty-two years g. He was simply ng God’s message. 27. “Behold, the Lord, that I will sow tl the house of Judah, and with the seed prophesied during tl Judah’s history ere the^ ried captive; during tbi of Josiah’s reign and tl of the four kings follow God’s messenger spea Chapter i., 7. 9. 17, chapters xxx. and xxxi. have been called “a book within a book," like Rom. ix. xl, and an>? kind of a careful reading shows its peculiar reference to Israel’s future. Compare this verse with chapter xxx., 1-3, aud take Israel and Judah to mean only Israel and Judah tbe ten tribes and the two of all Israeli The Spirit’s own commentary upon thisi verse is found in Ezek. xxxvi.. 9-11. L 28. “And it shall folTe to pass, that like as I have watched over Them to pluck up, so will I watch over them to build and to plant, saith the Lord.” No one can question the plucking up and scalfering, and no more should any one question the gathering and rebuilding. Put verse 10 with this and say how anything can be mpre clearly or em phatically stated with a “Thus saith the Lord,” and His “will” and “shall.” 29. “In those days thev shall say no more. The fathers have eaten * sour grape and the children’s teeth are set on edge.” They considered themselves as suffering for their father’s sins and therefore used this proverb. See Lam. v., 7; Ezek. xviii., 2, 3. 30. “But every one sjteii die for his own iniquity; every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall bd set on edge.” Com pare Deut. xxiv., 16; |Gal. vi., 5, 7. Per sonal responsibility is taught everywhere in Scripture. “Every one^of _us shall give ac count of himself to God, 31. “Behold the days that I will make a ne house of Israel and wi dah.” Remember that (Rom. xiv., 12.) me, saith the Lord, ovenant with the the bouse of Ju- He is speaking not of the church, nor of the days iu which we live, but of literal Judah aud Israel iu the days of the restoration, yet future, but now very near. 32. “Not according to-dhe covenant that I made with their fathers, which My covenant they brake.” He refers now to the Horeb covenant of Deut. v., 3. to make them a kingdom of priests and a peculiar people above all people, upon conditions of their obedience (Ex. xix , 5, 6). This was differ ent from the covenant with Abraham, Isaac aud Jacob, which was unconditional and shall yet be fulfilled to tbe letter; a covenant made with an oath, aud therefore eternal and unchangeable (Mic. vii., 20). 33. “After those days, saith the Lord, I will put My law in theiz inward parts, and write it in their hearth and will be their God, and they shall be My people.” “Those days” probably refer to the days of tribula tion which will precede Israel’s national con version (chapter xxx., 7, Dan. xii., 1, Math, xxiv., 21). for it is immediately after the tribulation of those days that He shall come in power and glory for Israel’s deliverance (Math, xxiv., 29-31; Lqkexxi., £5-28). Ob serve how the work is entirely the Lord’s from first to last; I will put, I will write, I will be; and compare Jer. xxiv., 6, 7; Ezek. xxxvi., 24-30. 34. “They shall all least of them unto the the Lord; for I will ft and I will remember This verse is often qu a 1 people on the a result of the Gosp whereas it refers clearl the twelve tribes, whic eons, and the central w Me, from the. test of them, saith their iniquity, sins no more.” as if it referred to earth, and would be preached: ad Judah, all right- earth in 8), who Lord to ,y be filled Isa. xi., 9; earth all tbe even in i only a in). giveth *eat a promj nt unless f It. The Lord of [things and “He is millennial days (Isa. shall make known all the world that so with His glory (Nui L eb.ii., 14). Butun id shall not be milVennial days feigted obedience 35. -“Tfcusr tbe sun for a Hosts is His nam! ise may be, it is of no promiser is able to fulfill I Hosts is the creator of ai able.” . 36. “If those ordinances depart from be fore Me, saith the Lcr-^f then the seed of Israel also shall cease fr.nn being a nation before Me forever.” Ejead the parallel pas sage in chapter xxxiii., il9-26. Israelis not now and has not been fdr over 1800 years a nation in tbe eyes of otl>er nations; but Is rael has never ceased to toe a nation before God, for “The Lord seetfi not as man seetb,” and soon she will be a nation before all na tions, admired, honored) and sought unto, because of Jehovah, her (King. 37. “Thus saith the LoM, if heaven above can be measured, * * ' * I will also cast off all the seed of Israel, .for all that they have done, saith the Lore’)” It is often said when we speak of Israel’s future glory, “But consider all that they have done, they have forfeited everything.” Yes, truly, they have forfeited all that was conditioned upon their obedience, but the unconditional promises of Abraham, Isaac aud Jacob, God will keep and fulfill for His own great name’s sake (Isa. xliii., 25; Ezek. xxxvi., 22J 32). Note care fully the/i when Jerusalem shall be rebuilt in the restoration it shall never be thrown down again (verses 38-40; Ps. cii., 16). II you would see aud enjoy those days of Is rael’s glory you must now ba redeemed by Israel's Yintr. Then being redeemed, re member that you are redeemed not simply to go to heaven when you die, but to live here as long as the Lord sees fit, to do your part in making Christ known in " , all the world, that so the church. His body, may be gathered out of the nations. Being ignorant of the mys tery that “Blindness in part is happened unto Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in,” and that then all Israel shall be saved (Rom. xi., 25, 26), the church has be come conceited and vainly imagines that her mission is to convert the whole world. Let no preacher, pastor or missionary think that he is commissioned to convert all within his reach, but rather to tie a faithful witness in the power of the Spirit, “that he may by all means save some” (1 Cor. ix., 22; Rom. xi., 14). And let every preacher lay to heart what the writer received through Dr. A. T. Pierson, that our parish is not our field, but a portion of the field, which is the world, from which we are to gather and instruct a force with which we may do our part in working the field so as to gather out the church and hasten the day of Israel. —Les son Helper. BEER AND POVERTV. The study of statistics is said to rouse the Chancellor of the Exchequer to enthusiasm, and dull figures properly introduced to one another have told stirring tales. Mr. Chas. Booth’s figures about the poverty of St. George’s-in-the-East and the figures lately published by the rector in his annual report about the public houses in his parish ought to be brought side by side. The inhabitants of St. George's East are among the poorest in London. Indeed, Mr. Chas. Booth reck ons St. George’s to be the poorest distric t in East London, containind 48.8 per cent, of what he calls “the poor,” compared with 39.2 per cent, in Whitechapel, and 44.7 per cent, in Bethnal-green. There are, nevertheless, Slyublic houses to supply with drink the ll,0oo people who oc cupy the rector's district—oat. house, that is, for every 135 persons. On Friday evening, October 30, 1890. many of the public houses were visited, and, taking the average 45 per sons were found in each uouse. On Sunday, Novemher 7, 77 adults were counted enter ing one door of a public house. On one evening, in the short space of 35 minutes, 67 children were counted entering drink shops with cans, jugs or bottles. From such fig ures it would seem a moderate computation that £200 a year must be" annuity paid in over the counter to keep up each of the 81 houses: £16,200 is thus spent every year by 11,000 of the poorest people m Loudon.—Fall Mall Budget. Img ago wrote’, lalamity of bis \uthor wrote: (erpent’s tooth An Inspired writer "A foolish son is the father. ” A modern “How sharper than u it is to have a thankless child.” Both maxims have been emphasized by the criminal acts of the )ons of distin- guished men. RELIGIOUS READING. THE NEW YEAR OF SALVATION. The centuries are rolling on. Our great redemption draweth nearer, And each successive era brings A light diviner, purer, c.earer. The shadows soon shall pass away From distant climes and isles of ocean; "Where pagan altars -tand today Shall rise the songs of pure devotion. The world is waiting in amaze To catch the great inspiring wonder; We hear the sweet, glad son ,r « of praise Above earth’s tumult and It thunder. Soon from the millions of redeemed, Earth's ransomed throng of sons and daughters. A chorus grand shall chant His name the glad sound of many waters. The toiling world at last shall rest. No more to suffer or to languish. And every heart with sin oppressed Shall find a balm for all its anguish. Oh. Sabbath of eternal rest. Hasten to bless each toiling nation; Roll on, ye tardy wheels of time, And usher in the great salvation! — [Mrs. M. A. Cato, in American Messenger. THE MINISTRY OF THB SAINTS. The Apostle Paul, in commanding the family of Stephanas, early converted iu Achia, says that they “addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints.” 1 Cor. 16 : 18. The word is not confined to service as min isters of the gospel, though this is not ex cluded; it rather implies that general minis tering to Christ’s people, which is the duty and privilege of Christians. Reader, what do you know about this “ministry of the saints?” Perhaps you shut yourself up in your own house, among your own conveniences and comforts. Perhaps you seldom think of that ■ large portion of God’s people who are in want. Infirmity, and sorrow. Perhaps you have never known the luxury ’ of conveying blessings to the poor with your own lianas, or giving consolation to the be reaved with your own lips. Then lam bound to tell you. you are living amiss. We are mem bers one of another. No one, unless himself a helpless sufferer, is exempt from tbe service of charity. We are to bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Gal. 6: 2. It is not enough to cherish kind wishes and to say, “Depart in peace.” And if your faith does not produce those fruits, it is “dead, being ijone.” James 2: 16, 17. What a new face would be put upon our common Christianity, if all professing des- ciples were addicting themselves to the min istry ot the Saints.— [Christian Observer. PRESIDENT EDWARDS. “Once,” said .udwards, “as I rode out Into the woods for health, in 1736,having alighted from my horse, in a retired place as my manner commonly has [been to walk for di vine contemplation and prayer, I had a view that to me was extraordinary, of the Son of God, as mediator between God and man, and his wonderful, great, full pure aud sweet grace and love, and meek condescen sion. This grace that appeared so calm and sweet,appealed also great above the heavens. The person of Christ appeared ineffably ex cellent, with an excellency great enough to swallow up all thought and conception, which continued as near as I can judge, about an hour, which kept me the greatest part of tbe time in a flood of tears, and weeping aloud. I felt an ardency of soul to be, what I know not otherwise how to express, emptied aud an nihilated: to lie in tbe dust, and be full of Christ alone; to love him with a pure and holy love; to trust in him. to live upon him. to serve and follow him, and to be perfectly sanctified and made pure, with a divine ana heavenly purity. I have several other times had views very much of the same nature, aud which have had the same effects. God, in the communications of the Holy Spirit, has appeared an infinite fountain of divine glory and sweetness; be ing full, sufficient to filfaud satisfy the soul; pouring forth itself in sweet communica tions. like the sun in its glory, sweetly and pleasantly diffusing light and life.” LOVEST THOU ME? Was Vi ie, the rii Saviour to a’ him, but was 1 tacbed to bis est all things, t was tbe reply heart. “Lovest thou nv often bieathed int<? the closet of secret coi draws nigh and clothei glories, asks, Lovest th the question wakes up t suppliant lies blessed at t ^ and in tears of mingled penitence’ tude answers, Yea, Lord. Lovest tbbl inquires the Saviour, os the disciple lea upon the bosom at the sacramental board. Behold my wounded body, look upon my flowing blood, these speak my love to thee, and lovest thou me? Love I thee? Oh my Saviour, thou art the chief among ten thousand to my soul, is the ready response when God’s Spirit dwells in the heart and a grateful sense of his love and perfections are there cherished. But the heavenly visi tor comes again to that closet. He waits there, but long waits in vain the visit of his friend. At length with tardy, reluctant step, with a worldly stupid heart and brow of care, he comes’, offers a heartless prayer and hastes away. Lovest thou me, asks the Holy One with a voice full of compassion and grieved yet tender love, but the false worshiper hears not the heavenly voice, he has already mingled In the pursuits he ;oves, and the neglected Savioui, saying, I will go and return to my place till he acknowledge bis iniquity and seek me early.—departs. The King comes again to his table, the dis ciples have gathered round the sacred spot. He comes to one and another saying. Eat, oh friend, drink, yea drink, abundantly, oh be loved ; but with cold averted look they- turn away unaffected with his kindness. It is no place of joy to them. Thus wounded in the house of bis frienda, he inquires in accents like those wflich rose frerr.Calvary when he prayed Father forgive them, Lovest thou me? what answer would many be compelled to give, Lord, thou kuowest all things, thou Knowest the sins in which I >have indulged. Thou knowest how earnestly I have pur sued the riches, pleasures and honors of this world, while I have served thee with a cold and divided heart. 1 have sought eagerly the society of earthly friends and prolonged my visits to them while 1 have shortened my visits to thee, and have been little grieved when wholly absent from thee. 1 have been prodigal in my expendi tures for self, niggardly in giving to tin- cause. I have taken little delight in read ing thy word while I have willingly spent much time in reading other works. I have not warned my fellow sinners of danger and pointed them to thee. I have seldom taken sweet counsel with my children, have spent little time in self-examination, have cher ished but feeble affections of love to thy children, have scarcely though of thee for days—have felt no longings for heaven where thy face i> seen. Lord,thou knowest all things,thou knowest that I—love thee? Oh. it cannot be. The Christian, if Chris tian in such state can be. cannot in it say, thou knowest that I love thee. At most he can only say. I hope notwithstanding my vileness, mv base ingratitude, my perfidious dealing, my sinful baekslidings. my griev ing of tbe holy spirit, my dishonoi ing of thee, my best.’ my only friend—I boj>e there is a spark of true love to thee. And better, perhaps, it might be that even this perilous, unfruitful hope should be re linquished and the backsliding professor of religion should fall at tl - feet of Christ, and with the conviction tint his guilt iscrimson colored, cry, God be merciful to me a sinner. — 'Mirror. The dedication of the Drexel Insti tute of Art, Science and Industry at Philadelphia emphasized one of the largest and best gifts to American education that have ever been made. Drexel Institute has every prospect of growing rapidly to an equality with Cooper Institute. Anthony J. Drexel, who not only built and equipped the Philadelphia institution at a cost of $600,000, hut endowed it with 81,000,- 000 on the day of its dedication, has rendered a great service to humanity, and one as practical as it is generous. _ IF 1 . W BAKER & CONFECTIONER, AND DEALER IN DBT HOODS, SHOES, 10T10IS UD GBOCERIES, AT ROCK BOTTOM PRICES. TOBACCO AID CIGABS ti Gnat Tarietj. Tojs, Finiorts, etc., in Stock. Laurens Street and Park Avenue, Aiken. S. G. .. 1 - ■ ■ - *_ 1 ■ -ip The Waverly House, G. T. ALFORD, Proprietor. In tli© Bend of Kmg Street* CHARLESTON, S. C. Large and Comfortable Rooms. SATES, $2.50 FEB DAY. tfy THREE COMPL OZZOIJ1S POINTS POWDER: safe; curative; beautifying. 1.2.3. THREE | Kwll i All Druggists gsqzzoisri’g I y^stor,.. I TINTS WRIGHTS HOTEL S. L. WRIGHT A BOSS, Props. COLUMBIA - • - S, If Table • applied with tke beat. Boeau tare* »■« ’/ell Lira ia bed. Oaa of tbe moat coafortab.e ae i«i* la th« South. NURSERIES, IV. O.. 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