Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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J I n 0 / REV. DR. TALMAGt BROOKLYN DHTlffCB SUN. DAY SERMON. Subject: “The Glorious Palm.* Text: "Th#u took b ranches of palm tret* and went forth to meet Him."—John xii., 13. How was that possible’ How coaid palm branches be cast in the war of Onrist as He approached Jerusalem? There are scarcely - any palm trees in Central Palestine.' Even the one that was carefully guarded for many years at Jericho has gone. I went over the very road by which Christ approached Jer usalem, and there are plenty of olive trees and fir trees, but no palm trees that I could see. You must remember that the climate has changed. The palm tree likes water, but by the cutting down of the forest*, which are leafy prayers for rain, the land has be come unfriendly to the palm tree. Jericho once stood in seven miles of palm grove. Olivet was crowned with palms. The Dead Bea has on its banks the trunks of palm trees that floated down irom some oldtime palm grove and are preserved from decay by the salt which they received from the ileal Sea. Let woodmen spare the trees of America, if they would not ruinoudy change toe cli mate and bring to the soil barr Junes* instead of fertility. Thanks to God and the legisla tures for Arbor Day, which plants trees, try ing to atone for the ruthlessness which has destroyed them. Yes, my text is in har mony with the condition of that country on the morning of Palm Sunday. About three million people have come to Jerusalem to attend the religious festivities. Great news! Jesus will enter Jerusalem to-day. The sky is red with the morning, and the people are flocking out to the foot of Olivet, and up and on over the southern shoulder of the mountain, and the procession coming out from the cl'y meets the procession escorting Christ, as it comes toward the city. There is a turn in tt j road where Jerusalem sud denly bursts upon the virion. We had ridden that day all the way from Jericho, and had visited the ruins of the house of Mary and Martha and Lazarus, and were somewhat weary of sight seeing, when there suddenly arose before our vision Jerusalem, the religious capital of all Christian ages. That was the point of observation where my text comes in. Alexander rode Bucephalus, Duke Elie rode his famous Merchegay, Sir Henry Lawrence rode the high mettled Con rad, Wellington rode his proud Copenhagen, but the conqueror of earth and heaven rides a colt, one tnat had been tied at the roadside. It was unbroken, and I have no doubt frac tious at the vociferation of the populace. An extemporized saddle made ont of the gar ments of the people was put on the beast. W bile some people griped the bridle of the colt, others reverently waited upon Christ at the mountain. The two processions of people now become one—those who came out of the city and those who came over the hill. The orientals are more demonstrative than we of the western world, their voices louder, their gesticulations more violent and the symbols by which they express their emotions more •igniflcant. The people who left Pbocea, in the far east, wishing to make impressive that they would never return, took a red hot ball of iron and threw it into the sea, and said they would never return to Pbocea until that ball rose and floated on the surface. Be not surprised, therefore, at the demonstra tion in tne text. As the colt with its rider descjnds the ■lope of Olivet, the palm trees lining the road are called upon to render their contri bution to the scene of welcome and rejoic ing. The branches of these trees are high up, and some must needs climb the trees and tear off the leaves and throw them down, and others make of these leaves an emerald pave ment for the colt to trod on. Long before that morning the palm tree bad been typical of triumph. Herodotus and Strabo had thus described it. Layard finds the palm leaf cut in the walls of Nineveh, with the same significance. In the Greek athletic games the victors carried palms. I am very glad that our Lord, who five days after had thorns upon His brow, for a little while at least had palms strewn under His feet. Oh, the glorious palm! Amarasinga, the Hindoo scholar, calls it “the king among the grasses.’’ Linnaeus calls it “the prince ot vatS&iSiap-” ~YAr)vSng aflTlfee o* shadow or vielded . . «... .je trees that ever cast a tP shadow or yielded fruit or lifted their arms toward heaven, it has no equal for multi tudinous uses. Do you want nowers? One palm tree will put forth a hanging garden of them, one cluster counted by a scientist containing 207,000 blooms. Do you want food? It is tbe chief diet of the whole nations. One palm in Chile will yield ninety gallons of honey. In Polynesia It is the chief food of the inhabitants. In India there are mill- titu .es of people dependent upon it for sus tenance. Do you want cable to hold ships or cords to hold wild beasts’ It is wound into ropes unbreakable. Do you want articles of bouse furniture? It is twisted into mats and woven into baskets and shaped into drinking cups and swung into hammocks. Do you want medicine? Its nut is the chief preventive of disease and the chief cure for vast popula tions. Do you want houses? Its wood furn ishes the wall ^ t the homes, and its leaves thatch them. Do you need a supply for the pantry? It yields sugar and starch and oil and sago and milk and salt and wax and vinegar and candles. Oh, the palm! It has a variety of endow ments, such as no other growth that ever rooted the earth or kissed the heavens. To the willow, God says, “Stand by the water courses ana weep." To the cedar He says, “Gather the hurricanes into your bosom.” To the fig tree He says, “Bear fruit and put it within reach of ail the people.” But to the palm tree He says, “Be garden and storehouse and wardrobe and ropewalk and chandlery and bread and banquet and man ufactory, and then be type of what I meant when I inspired David, My servant, to say, The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree.” Oh, Lord God, give us more palm trees— men and women made for nothing bat to be useful; dispositions all abloom; branches of influence laden with fruit; people good for everything, as the palm tree. If kind words are wanted they are ready to utter them. If helpful deeds are needed tuey are ready to perform them. If plans of usefulness are to be laid out they are ready to project them. If enterprises are to be forwarded they are ready to lift them. People who say “Yes! Yes!” when they are asked for assistance by word or deed, instead of “No! NoT’ Most of the mysteries that bother others do not bother me, because I adjourn them; but the mystery that really bothers me is why God made so many people who amount to nothing so far as the world’s betterment is concerned. They stand in tbe way. Ttaef object. They discuss bin iran^es. They suggest possibilities of failure. Over the roan of life, instead of pulling in the traces, they are lying back in the breechings. They are the everlasting No. They are bramble trees, they are willows, always mourning; or wild cherry trees, yielding only the bit ter; or crab apple trees, producing only the sour, while God would have us all flourish like tbe palm tree. Planted in the Bible that tree always means usefulness. But how little any of us or all of us ac complish in that direction. We take twenty or thirty years to get fully ready for Chris tian work, and in the after part of life we take ten or twenty years for the gradual closing of active work, and that leaves only so little time between opening and stopping work that all we accomplish is so little an angel of God needs to exert himself to see it all. Nearly everything I see around, beneath and above in the natural world suggests useful service. If there is nothing in the Bible that inspires you to usefulness, go out and study the world around you this spring time, and learn the great lesson of useful ness. “What art thou doing up there, little star? Why not shut thine eyes and sleep, tor who cares for for thy shining?” “No,’ •aith the star, “I will not sleep. I guid« the sailor on the sea. I cheer the traveler among the mountains. I help tip the dew with light. Through the window of the poor man’s cabin I cast a beam of hope, and the child on her mother's lap asks in glee whither I come and what I do and whence I * ». To gleam and glitter, God set me here, way I I have no time to sleep.” The snowflake oomes straggling dmm. •*Prai], fickle wanderer, why oomeet thou here?” “1 am no idle wanderer,” responds the snowflake. “High up in the air I was born, the child of the rain and the cold, and •t the divine behest I come, and I am no straggler, for God tells me where to pat ray Crystal heaL To help cover the roots, the train and grass, to cleanse the air, to make ■fortsmen more happy and the ingle Are more bright, I come. Though so light I am that you toes me from your muffler crush me under your foot, I am doing my best to fulfill what I was made for. Clothed in white 1 come on a heavenly mission, and, when my work is done and God shall call,in morning vapor I shall go back, drawn by the fiery courses of the sun.” “What doest thou, insignificant grass blade under my feet?” “I am doing a work,” <*ys the grass blade, “ms best I can. I help to make np the soft beauty of field and lawn. I am satisfied, if, with millions of others no bigger than L we can give pasture to flocks and nerds. I am wonderfully made. He who feeds tbe ravens gives me substance from the soil and breath from the air, and He who clothes the lilies of the field rewards me with this coat of green.” “For what, lonely doud, goest thou across the heavens?” Through the bright air a voice drops from afar, saying: “Up and down this sapphire floor I pace to teach men that like me they are passing away. I gather up the waters from lake and sea, and tnen, when the thuuders toll, I refresh the earth, making the dry ground to laugh with har vests of wheat and fields of com. I catch the frown of the storm and the hues of the rainbow. At evening tide on the western slopes I will pitch my tent, and over me ihdl dash tne saffron, and the purple, and the fire of the sunset. A pillar ot cloud like me led the chosen across the desert, and sur rounded by such as I the Judge of Heaven and Earth will at last descend, for “Behold He cometh with clouds!” Oh, my friends, if anything in the inan imate world be useful, let us immortal men and women be useful, and in that respect be like the palm tree. Bat I must not be temp* by what David .says of that green shaft Palestine, that living and glorious pillar of the eastern gardens, as seen in olden times—the palm tree; I must not be tempted by what the Old Testament says of it, to lessen my emphasis of what John, the evan gelist, says of it in my text. Notice that it was a beautiful and lawful robbery of tbe palm tree that helped make up Christ’s triumph on the road to Jerusalem that Palm Sunday. The long, broad, green leaves that were strewn under the feet of the colt and in the way of Christ were torn off from the trees. What a pity, some one might say, that those stately and grace ul trees should be despoiled. The sap oozed out at the places where the branches broke. The glory of the palm tree was appropriately sacrificed for the Saviour’s triumphal pro cession. So it always was, so it always will be in this world—no worthy triumph of any sort witnout the tearing down of something else. Brooklyn Bridge, the glory of our conti nent, must have two architects prostrated, the one slain bv his toils and the other for a lifetime invalided. The greatest pictures of the world had, in their richest coloring, the blood of the artists who made them. The mightiest oratories that ever rolled through the churches bad in their pathos, the sighs and groans of the composers, who wore their lives out in writing tbe harmony. American independence was triumphant, but it moved on over the lifeless forms of tens of thou sands of men who fell at Bunker Hill and Yorktown and the battles between which were the hemorrhages of the nation. Tbe kingdom of God advances in all the earth, but it must be over the lives of mis sionaries who die of malaria in the jungles or Christian workers who preach and pray and toil and die in the service. The Saviour triumphs in all directions—but beauty and strength must be torn down from the palm trees of Christian heroism and consecration and thrown in His pathway. To what better use could those palm trees on the southern shoulder of Mount Olivet and clear down into the Valley of Geth- semane put their branches than to surrender them for the making of Christ’s journey toward Jerusalem the more picturesque, the more memorable and the more thuuphantf And to what better use could we put out lives than into the sacrifice for Christ and His cause and tbe happiness ot- our fellow creatures? Shall we not be willing to be torn down that right eousness shall have triumphant way? Christ was torn down for us. Can we not afford to be torn down for Him? If Christ could suffer so much for us, can we not suffer a little for Christ? If He can afford on Palm Sunday to travel to Jerusalem to carry a cross, can we not afford a few leaves from our branches to make emerald His way? The process is going on every moment in all directions. What makes that father have such hard work tq find, the hymn to day? He puts on his spectacles and holds tbe book close up, and then holds it far off. and is not quite sure whether the number of the hymn is 150 or 130, and the fingers with which he turns the leaves are very clumsy. He stoops a good deal, although once he was straight as an arrow, and his eyes were keen as hawk’s, and the hand he offered to his bride on the marriage day was of goodly shape and as God made it. I will tell you what is the matter. Forty years ago he resolved his family should have no need and his children should be well edu cated and suffer none of the disadvantages of lack of schooling from which he had suffered for a lifetime, and that the wolf of hunger should never put its paw on his door- sill, and for forty or fifty years he has been tearing off from the palm tree of his physi cal strength and manly form branches to throw in the pathway of his household. It has cost him muscle and brain and health and eyesight, and there have been twisted off more years from bis life than any man in the crowd on the famous Palm Sunday twisted off branches from the palm trees on the road from Bethpage to Jerusalem. What makes that mother look so much older than she really is? You say she ought not yet to have one gray line in her hair. The truth is the family was not always as well off as now. Tbe married pair had a hard struggle at the start. Examine the tips of the forefinger and thumb of her right hand, and they will tell you the story of the needle that was plied day in and day out. Yea, look at both her hands, and they will tell the story of the time when she did her own work, her own mending and scrubbing and washing. Yea, look into the face and read the story of scarlet fevers and croups and midnight watchings, tben none but God and herself in that house were awake, and then the burials and the loneliness afterward, which was more exhausting than the preceding watch ing had been, and no one now to put to bed. How fair she onee was, and as fair as the palm tree, but all the branches of her strength and beauty ware long ago torn off and thrown into the pathway of her house hold, Alas! that sons and daughters, themselves so straight and graceful and educated, should ever forget that they are walking to day over the fallen strength of an indus trious and honored parentage. A little ashamed, are you, at their ungrammatical utterances? It was through their sacriflc?s that you learned accuracy of speech. Do yom lose patience with them because they are a little querulous and complaining. I guess you have forgotten how querulous and complaining you were when you were getting over that whooping cough or that intermittent fever. A little annoyed, are you, because her hearing is poor and you have to tell her something twice? She was not always hard of hearing. When you were two years old your first call for a drink at midnight woke her from a sound sleep as quick as any one will waken at th€ trumpet of the resurrection. Oh, my young lady, what Is that under the sole of your fine shoes? It is a palm leaf which was torn off the tree of maternal fidelity. Young merchant, young lawyer, young journalist, young mechanic, with good salary and fine clothes and refined sur roundings, have you forgotten what a time your father had that winter, after the sum mer’s crops had failed through droughts or floods or locust, and how he wore his old coat too long and made his old hat do, that he might keep you at school or college? What is that, my young man, under your fine boot to-day, the boot that so well fits your foot, such a boot as your father could never afford to wear? It must be a leaf from the palm tree of your father’s salf-sacrifiees. Do not be ashamed of him when he comes to town, and because hi* manners are a little old fashioned try to smuggle him in and smuggle him out, but call in your best friends and take him to the house of God and introduce him to your pastor, and say; “This is mv father.'* If he had kept for himself the advantages which 1 he gave you he would be as well educated and as well gotten np as yon. When in the English Parliament a member was making a great speech that was unanswerable a Lord derisively cried out, “I remember you when you blackened my father’s boots!” “Yes.” replied the man, “and I did not do it well?” Never be ashamed of your early surrou odings. Yes, yes, all the green leaves we walk over were tom off some palm tree. I have cultivated the habit of forgetting tbe unpleasant things of life, and I chiefly remember the smooth things, and as far as I remember now my Ufa has for the most part moved over a road soft with green leaves. They were torn off two palm trees that stood at the start of the road. The prayers, tbe Christian example, the good advice, the hard work of my father and mother. How they toiled 1 Their fingers were knotted with hard work. Their fore heads were wrinkled with many cares. Their backs stooped from carrying our burdens. They long ago went into slumber among their kindred and friends on the banks of the Raritan, bat tbe influences they threw in the way of their children are yet green as leaves tbe moment they are plnckea from a palm tree, and we feel them on our brow and under oar feet, and they will strew all tbe way until we lie down in the same slum ber. Self sacrifice! What a thrilling word. Glad am I that our world has so many specimens of it. The sailor boy on ship board was derided because he would not fight or gamble, and they called him a cow ard. But when a child fell overboard and no one else was ready to help, the derided sailor leaped into the sea, and, though the waves were rough, the sailor, swimming with one arm, carried the child on the other arm till rescued and rescuer were lifted into safety, and the cry of coward ceased and all huzzaed at the scene of daring and self sacrifice. When recently Captain Barton, the great author, died, he left a scientific book in manuscript which he expected would be his wife’s fortune. He often told her so. He said, “This will make yon independent and affluent after I am gone. 1 suddenly >iy died, and it was expected that the wife would K blish the book. One publisher told her could himself make out of it $100,000. But it was a book which, though written wun pure scientific deslgnssebe Celt would do immeasurable damage to public morals. With the two large volumes, which had cost her husband the work of years, she sat down on tbe floor before the fire and said to herself, “There is a fortune for me in this book, and although my husband wrote it with the right motive and scientific people might be helped by it, to the vast majority of people it would be harmful, and I know it would damage the world.” Tben she took apart tbe manuscript sheet after sheet and put it into the fire, until the last line was consumed. Bravo! She flung her livelihood, her home, her chief worldly resources under tbe best moral and religious interests of the world. Howytnuch are we willing to sacrifice for others? Christ is again on tbe march, not from Bethpage to Jerusalem, but for tbe conquest of tbe world. He will surely take it, but who will furuish the palm branches for the triumphant way? Self sacrifice is the word. There is more money paid to de stroy the world than to save it. There are more buildings put up to ruin the race than churches to evangelize it. There is more de- E raved literature to blast men than good terature to elevate them. Ob, tor a power to descend upon us all like that which whelmed Charles G. Finney with mercy, when, kneeling in his law office, and before he entered upon his apostolic career of evangelisation, he said: “The Holy Ghost descended on me in a manner that seemed to go through me, body and soul. I could feel the impression like a wave of electricity going through and through me. Indeed it seemed to come in waves and waves of liquid love. It seemed like ttn breath of God. I can recollect distinctly that it seemed to fan me like immense wings. I wept aloud with joy and love. These waves came over me and over me one after another, and until, I recollect, 1 cried out, *1 shall die if these waves continue to pass over me.’ I said, ‘Lord, I cannot bear any more.’” And when a gentleman came into tbe office and said, “Mr. Finney, you are in pain?” he re plied, “No, but so happy that 1 cannot live.” My hearers, the time will come when upon the whole church of God will descend such an avalanche of blessing, and tben the bringing of tbe world to God will be a mat ter of a few years, perhaps a few days or a few hours. Ride on, O Christ! for the evangelization of all nations. Thou Christ who didst ride on the unbroken colt down the sides of Olivet, on the white horse of eternal victory ride through all nations, and may we, by our prayers, and our self sac rifices, and our contributions, and our con secrations, throw palm branches in the way. 1 clap my hands at the coming vic tory. I feel this morning as did the Israelites when on their march to Canaan, they came not under the shadow of one palm tree, bat of seventy palm trees standing in an oasis among a dozen gushing fountains, or as ithe ~Bbok'Wtfrit>J^Ty»^a weils of~~wa£eran three score andten palm trees.” Surely there are more than seventy such great and glorious souls present to-day. Indeed, it is a mighty grove of palm trees, and I feel something of tbe raptures which I shall feel when our last battle fought, and our last burden carried, and our last tear wept, we ■hall become one of the multitudes St. John describes “clothed in white robes and palms in their hands.” Hail thou bright, thou swift advancing, thou everlasting Palm Sunday of the skies! Victors over sin and sorrow and death and woe, from the hills and valleys of tne heav enly Palestine they have plucked the long, broad, green leaves and all the ransomed— some in gates of pearl and some on battle ments of amethyst, and some on streets of gold, and some on seas of sapphire, they shall stand in numbers like the stars, in splendor like the morn, waving their palms I TEMPERANCE. ADMIRABLE WORK Admirable work among inebriate v’Omen Is being done at the Brownsland Temperance Home for Women. Peebleshire, under the auspices of the Scottish Christian Union. Women who have fallen into habits of in temperance and who desire to reform ami are willing to enter such a home are received at Brownsland for $1.75 a week. In a country where a poor creature has to work like a slave to earn $1.50 salvation should be cheaper. EXHIBIT BV TEMPERAXCE CHILDREN. Ac the great Columbian Exposition of ’93 a-j»uilding will be set apart for the use of vhe Vv. C. T. U., and in connection with it there will be a most unique exhibit by the temperance children of the whole world. The juvenile department is under the charge of Miss Anna A. Gordon, of Evanston, 111. Cards 2x3 inches in size will be furnished to all juvenile temperance societies tnroughout the world. Each child will write his or her autograph on one, each country adopting its national color, or using white if pre ferred. The United States will be repre sented by red, white and blue. Canada has chosen crimson and yellow, the colors of the maple leaf. These cards will oe fastened into a chain, miles long, and will festoon the headquarters of the W G. T. U. depart ment, besides being draped round the world’s petition, which is fast assuming co lossal proportions. TEMPERANCE NEWS AND NOTES. ‘•The only foe England has to fear is drink,” said the late Prince Ljopold. A royal commission has been appointed in Canada to inquire into the drink question. The decrease of revenue from spirits in Canada last year amounted to $1,030,000. Surgical operations are very successful in Japan, and the healing process is rapid, owing probably to the abscinsnce of the peo ple from alcohol an 1 their not being flesh eaters. There is a batallion of eighty boys in the Church of the Redeemer (congregational;, at Lakewood, 111., every one of whom nas taken the triple pledge against liquor, tobacco and profanity. Lady Somerset assiste 1 recently in spilling some liquor which had been seize! at Port- land. Me. “Here goes!” she said, as her neatly-gloved hands upset a brown jug that the sheriff assigned to her. A successful competitor for ths prizj in a foot race made this graceful temperance speech in accepting it: “Gent.emeu, I have won this cup by the use of my legs. 1 trust that I may never lose tae use of my legs by the use of this cup.” In connection with the British Woman’s Temperance association there are four homes for inebriate women, through which upward of 35<» patients have passed, many of whom are thoroughly reclaimed and most grateful for the help received The London temperance hospdai at its recent annual meeting heard reports which testify to its good management and beneficial work. Fifty pier cent, of the patients were cured, and the death rate was about 6^4 per cent. Of the total number treated more than fifty per cent, were abstainers. A Loyal Temperance Legion has _ been formed at the Woman's Christian Temper ance Union coffee hoase, Minneapolis. It consists of the children who come to the back door for the left-over food. These are given tickets which entitle them to some thing each day and invite them into the hall to join the legion RELIGIOUS READING. XASTER CAROL. Break, O glad morning, break thou in splen dor ; Night, with thy sceptre and darkness be gone ! ’Tis morning, glad morning, that early should render The ^homage now due to the conquering Go tell his disciples the Master is risen. He has burst from the tomb with its thrall and its chain: He has freed him from death, he has broke from its prison: He’s risen, he’s living, and ever shall reign! They in their sorrow the news scarce be lieving. Haste to the sepulchre empty and lone. And there a sweet vision of angels receiving. They knew that the night of their weeping was done. Oh great was the power, the strength oh so mighty, That broke from the grave and conquered its sting, That opened death’s gate so massive and weighty. Oh praise ye his power as our Saviour and King! Down from high heaven an angel came flying And from the dark sepulchre rolled the great stone, And he who so lately hung bleeding and dying Arose inliis might as the conquering One. Oh spread the glad tidings, go tell every nation; Oh spread the glad tidings, go spread them abroad, Our Jesus has risen in robes of salvation; Yes, Jesus has risen, our Saviour and God! _ — [Anua D. Walker, in American Messenger. LOOKING UNTO JESUS. A lady had a dream, in which she fancied herself at the bottom of a deep pir. She looked around to see if there were any way of getting out; but in vain. Presently," look ing upward, she saw in that pirt of the heavens immediately above the mouth of the pit a beautiful, bright star. Steadily gazing at it, she felt herself to be gradually lifted upward. She looked down to ascertain how it was, and immediately found herself at tne bottom of the pit. Again her eye caught sight of the star, and again she felt herself ascending. She had reached a considerable height. Still desirous of an explanation of so strange a phenomenon, she turned her eye downward, and fell to the bottom with fearful violence.On recovering from the effect of the shock, she bethought herself as to the meaning of it all, and once again turned her eye to the star, still shining so brightlv above, and yet once again she felt herself borne upward. Steadily did she keep her eye upon its light, until at length she found herself out of the horrible pit, and her feet safely planted on the solid ground above. It taught her the lesson that, in the hour of danger aad trouble, deliverance is to be found, and found only in looking to Jesus.- [Dr. Guthrie. TRANSLATED INTO LIFE. In an address before the British and For eign Bible Society, Rev. Dr. R. W. Dale spoke eloquently on this topic as follown; You translate" the Scriptures into a new tongue. You print and distribute them. Then is your work done? No; it is only just beginning. That which you have translated begins to be translated again into the life and conduct of men whom you will never see. The power of it is revealed in a new faith in God, in a new reverence for God's authority, in a new joy in his love. It is revealed in habits of purity and habits of truthfulness and acts of compassion. It is revealed in the peace of families.in new tenderness and affection between husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, parents and children. It is revealed in all the virtues which constitute the strength of earthly states, and which reveal in this mortal order the august dignity of God’s eternal kingdom. These are the translations we want the most. We want them in England as well as every other part of thfe world. We want to see the contents of Holy Scripture trans- latgd inlnt hiy^ives and eharayjftrs of mer chants aiufht ;"ra3|jjrfrftfen. of masters andMf 1 working people, of politicians and of journal ists ; and God grant that every member of this society who has contributed to the trans lation of Holy Scripture into the tongues of people of foreign race may remember that his first duty is to get the Holy Scrip tures translated into his own life in such a form that its contents may become intelli gible to those who are nearest to him. The real meaning of Holy Scripture is never dis covered until that translation has been effected. You never know the meaning of the acorn until the acorn has appropriated to itself the mysterious powers of the sun and the rain and the dew and the light and the air. If anybody asks you the meaning of the acorn, point to the oak with its massive trunk and its mighty branch es and its pomp of leaves. That is what the acorn means. If anybody asks me for a final proof that there is life and the very life ofGodinthe book that we are assembled this morning to circulate all the world over, I give tbe same answer. The best proof that the acorn is not dead, and that God made it, is that the oak comes from it; and tbe best proof that the very life of God is in the Bible is to be found in tbe Bible’s power. No, sir, you do not know wnat von are really doing. You send oft’ bales of Bibles from" Queen Victoria street to India or to China. 3 ou are like a seed merchant send ing bales of seed to the farmer. If he wants to know what it is doing he must go in autumn and see the country covered with the brown corn ripening in the autumn sun. If you want to know what your Bibles are doing, follow them in thought to the people to whom they are sent. Measure the moral and ' spiritual results which the Bible has producea in you. What has been done for you by the story of the descent of the Eternal Son from the heights of God to effect our redemption by his death for tbe sin of the world, by his resurrection and ascension into heaven and his eternal glory—what has been done for you by these great contents of Holy Scripture will be done fox the people of every land and under every sky to which your Bibles are sent. Ah. sir! but if you could follow your Bibles and discover their results in human life and character in this world, still you would not know tbe magn tude of the work you are doing. The Word of the Lord liveth and abideth forever. It is a Divine force. Eternal life is in it. It cannot reveal all its powers and all its grace under the limitations of these mortal years. The Word of God in human life in this present world is like a troph-al tree planted on a York shire moor. The life in it cannot be revealed under these grey skies. Our winds are too cold, the soil is too poor for the tree to man ifest all its perfection. You must carry it back to the land from which it came, a land nearer the sun, before all the stateliness and beauty of it can be achieved; and not until the life which is rooted in the Divine Word is carried back to the world from which that Divine Word came, that it may grow in the very light and glory of the Eternal, can we know the power, the beauty, the perfection that come to human nature from receiving the living Eternal Word of God. Prejudice D the conjurer of imaginary wrongs—overpowering reason, strangling truth, making strong men weak anil weak men weaker. Godgiveusthe large-hearted charity which '•beareth all things, believeth all tbin/s, hopeth all things, endureth all things”—which tbinketh no evil.—[J. R. Macduff, P. I>. , Every temptation to evil temper which can assail us tqday will be an epportunity to decide tbe question whether we shall gain the calmness and rest of Christ, or whether tosped by tbe restlessness and world.— 'F. W. Robertson. we shall be agitation of tin DRUNKK NESS AND DISEASE. Drunkenness s indeed the cause of many fatal diseases—; -rebral meningitis, conges tion and softei ing of the brain, epilepsy, gastritis, disea ss of the liver, heart and kidneys, and ii creased liability to all dis eases. In itself, however, drunkenness is not a disease known as “inebriety” or by any other nam* intended to make it leas odious; but it is now, as it ever has been, the most de basil g of ail sin* against both Divine and hui: *n laws, and deserving the ion. It should, therefore, 'tionately the most odious severest reprobe be made prop*' and the most lu >le to punisnmeat, as being for its pre- the most effect* 1 venti on.—The of all means mitanan. SABBATH SCHOOL INTERNATIONAL LESSON MAY 1. FOR Lesson Text: “The Prayer ot the Penitent,” Psalm II., 1-13—Gold en Text: Psalm II., IO— Commentary. 1. “Have mercy upon me, O God. accord ing to Thy loving kindness; according unto the multitude of Thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions ” This is the third of the seven penitential psalms, the others being the vi., xxxii.. cii., exxx., cxliii., xxxviii. The title gives the circumstances which led David to write this psalm, and the whole story is found in II Sam. xi. and xii. Let all consider the true significance of the seventh commandment as taught by our Lord Jesus, and let only those who are not guilty throw stones. 2. “Wash me thoroughly from mine in iquity, and cleanse me from my sin.” Like the leper who said, “Lord, if Thou wilt Thou const make me clean” (Math, viii., 2), he be lieves that the Lord can cleanse him, and he wants it done thoroughly. How such a word ••s I John i., 9, would have comforted him ‘If we confess our sins He is taithlul and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” But he had vir tually the same teaching in Lev. vi., 1-7. 3. “For I acknowledge my transgressor- and my sin is ever before me.” “Only ac’- knowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God,” was God’s plea with Israel by Jeremiah (Jer. hi., 13). David does this, not making light of it nor seeking to hide either his iniquity, the root of all the trouble, or his transgresl sion in which he overstepped the line, or hia sin in which he came short of the mark (Ex xxxiv., 7). 4. “Against thee, thee only, haveT sinned, and done this evil in thy sight; that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest.and be clear when thou judgest.” When Nathan reproved him he said, “I have sinned against the Lord” (II Sam. xii., 13). When Joseph was sore tempted, instead of yialding as David did, he said, “How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” (Gen. xxxix., 9.) 5. “Hehold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.” David recognizes sin in his nature, he did not be lieve that we are by nature holy, but as Paul testifies by the Spirit, “By nature the children of wrath, even as others” (Epb. ii., 3). “By one man sin entered the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men. ’ “The carnal mind is enmity against God” (Rom. v., 12; viii., 7). 6. “Behold, thou desirest truth in the in ward parts; and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. ” There is something in us known in Scripture as “The imaginaiion of the thoughts of tne heart” (I Chron. xxviii., 9; xxix., 18). And it is writ ten, “I, the Lord, search the heart, I try the rems.” 7. “Lurge me with hyssop and I shall be clean, wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.” God made provision for the cleans- ing of the people whom He redeemed from the bondage of E^ypt, and to understand this verse one should be familiar with the story of the leper and the two little birds of Lev xiii. and xiv., and also the red heifer story of Num. xix. In the cleansing of each case, the leper and the defilement contracted by the way, the unclean one could do noth ing for himself until pionounced clean by the priest. The hyssop was used to sprinkle the blood, or the ashes and water, which symbolized and typified the blood of Jesus Christ. (See Lev. xiv., 4, 7; Num. xix., 18, and compare Isa. i., 18.) 8. “Make me to hear joy and gladness, that the bones which thou bast broken mav re joice.” One’s very bones are figuratively said to suffer because of sin. “My bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.” Neither is there any rest in my hones, because of my sin” (Ps. xxxii., 3; xxxviii., 3). And of Christ, our substitute, bearing our sins, it is written: “I am poured out like water and all my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of ray bowels” (Ps. xxii., 14) v ,’gj5^. fearful is sin thus to affect the Holy One of God. 9. “Hide Thy face from my siij a and blofc out all mine iniquities.” God sr ld concern- ^ “Mine eyes art all their ways; the^rK£^ ot ^Jy face, neither is their iniquitie&xi*“ “22^ jxine eyes” (Jer. 17). But Hez?ihiKi could say after his sinful one, all is well; improved (Rom. viii., from above (John iii., a nature repentance, “Thou hast cast all my sins be hind Thy back” (Isa. xxxviii., 17), and con cerning Israel when she shall return to God it is written, “I hav\f blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions, and as a cloud thy sins.” “Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea” ilsa. xlii., 25; xlvi., 22; Mic. vii., 19). 10. “Create in me a clean heart. Oh Godj and renew a right spirit within me.” This is going to the root of the difficulty. We sometimes hear of a change of heart; if by that is meant a new one instead of the old for the old cannot be 7). We must be born 3, margin) and receive we never had before, even the divine nature (II Pet. i, 4), before we can enter the kingdom of God. This God is ready to do for us, but He wants us to ask Him (Ezek. xxxvi., 26, 27, 37). What is worth having is surely worth asking for. 11. “Cast me not away from Thy pres ence. and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.” Moses prayed, “If Thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.” And the Lord said, “My presence shall -' thee, and I will give thee rest (Ex. aZL. 14, 15) The strength and comfort of Moses, Joshua, Gideon, Jeremiah and all the ser vants of God was His presence with them (Ex. iii., 12; Josh, i., 3; Judg. vi., 16; Jer. i.. 8, 19). And to us our Lora has said, “Lo, 1 am with you alway” (Math, xxviii., 20). He has promi sed never to leave us, and has told us tnat the Spirit will abide in us (John xiv. , 17), so that if we will we may rejoice in the abiding of the Father, Son and Spirit in us (John xiv., 17, 23). 12. “Restore unto me the joy of Thy sal vation, and uphold me with Thy free spirit." Salvation and the joy of salvation are two different things; the last we may lose, but not the first. Many have the first who have not the last. Receiving Jesus, we have life and are children of God (John i., 12; iii., 16), but assurance and joy comes by resting on tbe infallible word ol God irre spective of our feelings concerning the result of such acceptance of Christ (Rom. xv., 13; 1 Pet. i., 8). The Spirit works through His word and thus gives us fullness of joy (John xv. . 11; I John i., 4). 13. “Fnen will I teach transgressors Thy ways, and sinners shall be converted unto Thee.” This istheenl of our salvation or restoration, that others may hear of Jesus. Jesus instructed Peter that after he was restored he should strengthen his brethren (Luke xxii., 32). Being saved, we should for get entirely our own welfare, and give our selves as living sacrifices to make known His righteousness, show forth His praise, and thus hasten tue time when He shall appear in His glory to build up Zion. See verses 14, 15, 18, and compare Ps. cii., 16.—Lesson Helper. A REBUKE. Bishop Asbury was once the guest of a family who were very anxious to make his visit pleasant. They did everything in their power to show their hospitality, and make him feel at home. At dinner a bottle of brandy was placed on the table, and he was invited to partake, but hedeclinel. The lady blushed and said, “Bishop, I believe that brandy is goo i in its place.” “So do 1,” replied the bishop, “and if you have no objection, I will put it in its place.” So he arose and put it in the old-fashioned cupboard in the corner of the room, saying with emphasis, “That is the place, and there lot it stay.” And there it did stay, never to be brought on that table again. The dinner-tab eis no place for the. wine bottle or brandy bottle,for strong drink is hurtlul for digestion. A well person does not need strong drink of any kind, and it is too dangerous to be used in sickness.—Youth’s Temperance Banner. Singular Ignorance. “Do you know that Mrs. Coldwater actually asked me to-day what a jag was?” “She did?” “Fact. The idea of a woman hav ing a husband and not knowing what a ]ag is!”—Texas Siftings. It is an indignity placed upon the American hog that it is now sold in competition with mule beef at Pa risian meat markets. The hog should »<iueal. BAKER dt CONFECTIONER. AND DEALER OT DBT GOODS. SHOES, I0TI0IS UD GHOCEHIES, AT ROCK BOTTOM PRICES. T0B1CC0 BID CIGARS Ii Gnit Yuletj. Ton Firtiorts, etc., Ii Stock. Laurens Street and Park ATtnue, Aiken, S. C. - '■ 1 ■ ■ *1 L’J.. It The Waverly House, G. T. ALFORD, Proprietor. Xn the Send of XXftig- Street, CHARLESTON, S. C. Large and Comfortable Rooms. BATES, $2.50 FEB DAT. OZZOI7IS COMPLEXION POWDER: S4FE;CDRATIYE;BEiOTIFYIM. |,2.3. p k “' 111 Brunette-) 3 | All Drugriitt Fancy"Store«. | TINTS WRIGHTS HOTEL S. L WRIGHT ft SMS, Props. COLUMBIA - - S-tf , T»JI® (applies Witt tte tost 'Adi t.inii(h(d. Om§ of tto wtotl In tto South. - Oem* l»rf( . of tto mast oemfmtahia to mi> PPP ’// CURES \\ ^scf^ofUla y ! PPP > CURES BLOOD POISON C u R s R HEU MAT I S M P P P C U R E. S MALARIA. k PPP L CUR EL S \ D YSPEPS I A. i ppp / V\\ c U R ES //* \\\ SYPH,L| s//i For Sale by ■W. J. PLATT, Aiken, S. C. fOMUM nunni, F»OaXOTV-A, IV. o.. Are knoum by their fruit*, a* than, are testifying for them*eU>e* mMA through the Southern and border- state* and giving flattering report** Every fruit that is known to euoJt .coed in the South i* being added from all part* of the globe. Ovwst 300 acres in actual nursery stadst Some of the specialties are the Keb* seys, Japan, Baton and Satsumm Plums. The Lucy Duke Pear and all the new fruits, as well as the old* ^ Evergreens, Shade Trees, Boses **4 everything usually kept in a flrsb* class nursery. Pour large Greeta ^houses. Chrysanthemums, Cam*** Hons and many Oreenhovde Plants* Rose growing a specUy^^^ Plant* from Greenhouse otll Catalogxn ( Ac., and dt^^Kouse Catalogue No* 2 will be smt free to applicants* Special rates to large planters. Cor respondence solicited. Address Pomona Hill Nurseries _ POMONA. N. C. NEW ARRANGEMENT. AUGUSTA HOTEL RATES. $1.50, $2.00 ami $2.50 Per Da* The Best Tattle Board Can be Had at Par Weak, in Clubs of 8 or 10. $3000i A. YEAR f I undertake to briefly I teach any tairlj intelligent person of eith'et ■ •ex, who can read and write, and who, I after instruction, will work industriously, _ _ _ ? how to earn Three Thousand Dollani a Yearin theirown loualities. wherever they live.I w ill also furnish the situation or employment,at which you can earn that amount. No money for me unless successful as above. Easily and quickly learned. I desire but one w orker from each district or county. 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Reasonable in* dusrry only nec essary for sorCfc. large snceeade We start yoO* famishing ev erything. Thre in one of the great strides forward la useful, inventive progress, that enriches alt workers. It in probably the greatest opportunity laboring peapie have ever known. Nowit the time. Delay means lost. Pull particulars free. Better writs at once. Address, AvKOROK aTlXSOXdb Co., Box 4*8, fort*— Scientific American Agency for Patents TRADE MARKS, OESION PATENTS COPYRIGHTS, etc. ^ w. , . n jC!?r m * tion ftn ' 1 free Handbook write to MINN A CO- 3m Broadway, New York. Oldest bureau for securing patents in America, r-very patent taken out by us is brought before tae public by a notice given free of charge m the Scientific ^mcricau JaHxna, 361 Broadway. New York. •y®_(ix,jponUia. Addreaa For sale bv W. J. PLATT. Aiken. 8. C. DM AN DICTMART9 .11 IVIn II «24. PA.OS# FOR ONE DOLLAR. A flvat-cUaa Dictionary g •tten out at —— — price to eaooorag. toe atu y of tto On ai— Language. It give# KngUah words with (to aaquiTaXanta, and Oernaaa words with hastoR toSnlflnas, a very cheap hook, head Sl.#S to