HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Advocate, 1896-7-23, Page 3OUR OTTAWA LETTER
SIR CHARLES TUPPER STEPS OUT
AND WILFRID LAURIER
STEPS IN.
Laurier Assumes Command of the Ship of
State---Quoboc and the Bishops—Going
Slow --The Next Session.
Laurier in Command.
A new hand is 'at the helm, strange
faces greet visitors to the various depart-
ments df state, Wilfrid Laurier has sup-
planted Sir Charles Tupper. The men
who, only a week ago, transacted the
business of thecountry, have become
private citizens. Their personal papers
have been removed from the offices that
they held when they were ministers of
the Crown. They have bade farewell to
the clerks .who have been under their di-
rection.
We who live under British institutions
may well congratulate ourselves upon
the speed with which we can negotiate a
change of Government, or may endorse
the Administration in power. For four
months the people of the United States
will be involved in the turmoil of an
election campaign. Business will be at
a stand still; financial interests will
suffer. We in Canada have been through
a campaign that was at Its height for
but .five weeks. For only a fortnight,
and that the fortnight immediately pre-
ceding the day of polling, did the aver-
age citizen lose any great amount of time
or thought because of the contest that
was being waged. And now, three weeks
'after the people pronounced their ver-
dict, we see a new Administration in-
stalled. True, we have not the marching
clubs or the brass bands in our election
contests. Neither do we spend our money
on an issue that should be as little
costly as pussible. .Tuhilant Liberals,
going farther, assure us that we have in
power a most democratic Government.
They point with pride to Mr. Laurier's
journey from Montreal in an ordinary
parlor car, when the railway company
had offered to place a special train at
the disposal of the Premier designate.
Mr. Laurier refused to accept the offer
for, as he said to me on the night of his
arrival in Ottawa, the ordinary train
served his purpose equally well. "If I
bad needed the special I should have
taken it," said lie. This conversation
took place at about half -past nine in the
evening. I asked Mr. Laurier whether,
in response to the Governor -General's in-
vitation he intended to go to Ridean
ball that evening. "'ot at all," an-
swered the new Premier. "The house
isn't on fire. I think things will go on
very well for a few hours." And in the
morning the lately summoned First Min-
ister drove to Ridean hall, there to re-
ceive the formal invitation to assume
the task of forming a Government. What
Lord Aberdeen said to him, and what
he said to Lord Aberdeen no outsider
knows. Down in the Russell House a
score of Liberals, aspirants to positions
in the new Cabinet, awaited his return.
From everywhere but the northwest the
ambitious ones had foregathered. With
his single eye -glass firmly jammed into
place Colonel Doinville, the man whose
boast it is that he compelled Hon. George
E. Foster to leave the riding of Queen's
for the safer one of York, N. B., pur-
sued Mr. Laurier. Once upon a time
Col. Dditnville was a Conservative. He
and Mr. Foster had a family row, which
resulted in the Colonel's becoming a
Liberal. In 1891 he almost defeated the
ex -Minister of Finance. He is a rich man
and a hard fighter. But his pursuit of a
portfolio was unsuccessful. Nearer to his
hand Mr. Laurier had a Liberal lieuten-
ant who for many years had done battle
for the Opposition. Since 1878 Dr Bor
den had been one of the most industri-
ous Liberals in the House. His claim for
the Militia portfolio, the one that Dom -
villa most strongly coveted. The faithful
lieutenant was rewarded; the importu-
nate colonel from the land of the Blue-
noses went home empty handed. From
New Brunswick there was to come an-
other politician of whom the readers of
this correspondence have heard before;
the Hon. A. G. Blair. For years this
gentleman has led a most curiously con-
stituted adimnistration. It is not Lib-
eral, it is not Conservative. As the Hon.
Mr. Pugsley, one of its members once
said to me, "it is a `Blair' Government."
Mr. Blair is a Liberal. Three of his Min-
isters were Conservatives. Two were of
the other shade of politics. With great
success has he resisted every attempt
that the anti -Blair men have made to de-
feat him. Now he abandons Fredericton
for the larger arena at Ottawa. In some
sort, Sir Oliver Mowatt has done the same
thing. No longer may he be termed by
his loving followers '"the Little Pre-
mier." He has given up his post to Ar-
thur Sturgis Hardy, and in a few days
from the time at which I write, he will
be Senator Mowat, Government leader
in the Upper House of the Parliament of
Canada. With great interest has the in-
coming of Sir Oliver' been awaited by
the French politicians at Ottawa. . Most
of them had heard much and had seen
little of the marl who had been the po-
tential ruler of Ontario for more than
two decades. I was in the rotunda of the
Russell house on the morning that Sir
Oliver arrived. With a soft grey felt hat
perched on his head, and a cool suit—
indicating that he had full knowledge
of the sultriness of Ottawa's mid -sum-
mer climate, Sir Oliver trotted up to the
clerk's desk. He was greeted with effu-
sion by a score of politicians. One of
them set himself immediately to talk of
his party's great victory. And it was
then that Sir Oliver, who scarcely knew
his interlocutor, made a joke. "The sub-
ject is most interesting." said he, with
a twinkle in his eye, "but there is an-
other of much more importance just now.
It is my breakfast." At which every
good Liberal laughed consumedly.
Sir Charles Retires.
Running my eyes . over what I have
written I find that I have said nothing
concerning the gentlemen who so lately
were in power. There is not much to be
told. Sir Charles, who ufdeniably is a
sturdy fighter, made no ill face over a
duty that cannot have been esieoially
congenial to him. At the final meetings
of the Cabinet, as you read in this cor-
respondence last week, the outgoing
ministers passed a number of Orders -in -
Council. Many of these orders provided
for the appointment of well-known Con-
servatives to Government positions. To
make these enactments effective, the
signature of the Governor-General was
required in each case. This assent Lord
Aberdeen withheld. He took the ground.
that the Administration bad been de-
feated at the polls and that the making
of appointments as hardly within its
competence. To this view of the salta-
tion Sir Charles and his colleagues lodged
a decide objection. They pointed out that
Mr. Mackenzie, before his resignaiton in
1878, had made appointments, all of
which had been sanctioned by the Gov-
ernor-General. Lord Aberdeen was ob-
durate. He intimated his willingness to
sign some of the orders; he took strong
objection to others. Then it was that Sir
Charles said: "It must be all or none,
Your Excellency." The next day the
Government resigned, By the hands of Sir
Charles the Groat Seal of Canada was
yielded up to the Queen's, representative,
and the Conservative Administration that
had been in power for eighteen years
made way for the men who had fought a
long and what at many times had looked
like a hopeless battle. I met Sir Charles
on that eventful day. The erect old baro-
net gave no sign of regret. "We are
out, and they are in," said he, as he
walked up Sparks street." Mr. Laurier's
troubles are only beginning. He is an
honest and able man. But his associates
will make his life a burden to him. Will
the Conservative party soon be in power
again? you ask. Just as surely as the
sun shines, the Conservative party will be
in power within two years. Mr. Laurier
is Premier now by virtue of Conserva-
tive votes. The cry for a French Premier
brought tens of thousands of votes in the
French province of Quebec. When next
those voters go to' the polls it will be to
cast their ballots for the Conservative
candidates.
Quebec and the Bishops.
Mr. Laurier himself does not deny that
the hope of having one of their own race
at the head of affairs had much to do
with the action of the people of Quebec.
He told me the other night that the
people of his native province were deter-
mined to show the bishops that they
could not dictate in temporal matters.
"You will observe that I say 'the bish-
ops,' " pursued the Premier. "With the
mass of the clergy the people have no
quarrel, but they are convinced that time
bishops were in league with Sir Charles
Tupper. Of the thirteen bishops in Que-
bec only three are known to be Liberals.
The others are stalwart Conservatives.
How could our people any longer consent
to have their rights bartered away?"
Their lordships of Quebec, while deny-
ing that they had any understanding
with Sir Charles, aver that they were
doing their duty by the minority of
Manitoba in promulgating the famous
inandement. Now it is evident that if
any change is to be made in the School
law of Manitoba, Mr. Laurier must ne-
gotiate that change. Thomas Greenway
has told us that he will consent to no al.
teration. What, then, is to be the out-
come? To my mind, it is as clear as pos-
sible that Mr. Greenway will soon retire -
from the leadership of the Manitoba ad•
ministration. His repeated pledges make
it impossible for him to acquiesce in any
modification of the present law. In Clif-
ford Sifton I see the next Premier of
Manitoba, vice Thomas Greenway, ele-
vated to a position in the Federal Gov-
ernment of Canada. Sifton would be
bound by no previous pledges in making
a new school law. Greenway would do
well enough for Minister of the Interior.
As for Joseph Martin, it is certain that
he will not ,at this or any subsequent
time be asked to enter the Laurier Gov-
ernment. 'There is no ill -feeling between
the new Prime Minister and "Fighting
Joe." They are very good friends. But
Martin is a law unto himself. He will
not take advice, neither will ho be bound
by considerations of party exigency. In
the last Parliament he was ungovern-
ble. Neither Laurier nor Sutherland, the
chief Liberal whip, ever knew what
Martin was going to do or say. And it
was then that his exclusion from the
'Cabinet that the Liberals felt then to be
coming was decided upon.
Going slow.
In fifteen constituencies the Liberal
managers aro treating Conservatives with
the utmost deference. In each of these
ridings there may be a bye -election if the
Conservatives so desire. Mr. Laurier is
certain of re election in Quebec East.
Sir Richard Cartwright could not be
beaten in Oxford. Other Ministers there
are who will go in by acclamation. But
in some cases there must he bye -elections.
It is on this account mainly that the as-
sembling of Parliament has been post-
poned for four weeks. The new adminis-
tration has much to do before the House
meets in the torrid days of August. The
estimates have to be prepared; the policy
has to be definitely decided upon. Sir
Richard Cartwright still clamors for an
immediate ' reduction in duties. Mr.
Laurier counsels delay. I am assured by
one who is very close to the Liberal lead-
er that the Government are considering
the advisability of appointing commis-
sioners to interview the leading men of
the various industries of the country,
with a view to ascertaining their views
on the subject' of decreased protection.
Should this course be decided upon,
there can bete revision of the tariff be-
fore the winter session.
From the province of Quebec comes a
strange story of thwarted turpitude. In
half a score of counties agents for one of
the political parties went through the
parishes buying up votes. The unsus-
pecting habitant was paid in cash on the
day of the election. ' With wariness born
of ignorance, all of these estimable citi-
zens waited for some days before at-
tempting to change the five -dollar bill
which was the price of a vote. When they
tried to do so vice was its own reward,
for the five -dollar bills 'had been issued
by the Confederate States of America,
and were valueless. Now that the story
has come out, the Conservatives assure
us that the wicked Grits were the guilty
ones, While the Liberals denounce the
shameless ones whom tried to debauch
the electorate. As for myself, I must de-
cline to take either side of the contro-
versy.
"I know not what the truth may be;
I tell the tale as 'twas told to me."
The Next Session.
I look for stirring scenes at the next
session. Indisputably, the Government is
strong. Equally true is it that time Oppo-
sition will have foeinen tried and
doughty to pursue a relentless warfare
against the administration. Foster in op-
position should be a sight worth seeing.
Untrammeled by considerations of ad-
visability, the ex -Minister of Finance
should make many an effective attack
upon is old public enemy and private
friend, Sir Richard Cartwright. These
two men are the strongest debaters in
the House. They are both masters of
finance, both full dialectic, The first en-
gagement between them should lie a bat-
tle royal. No longer will D'Alton Mc-
Carthy have Foster as a shining mark
for his criticism. Will he make Cart-
wright take the ex -Minister's, place.
When last I saw the chief protogonist of
Equal Rights he would give no indica-
tion of his course in the coming Parlia-
ment. "I still shall occupy a seat in the
cross -benches," said he, "and I do not
doubt that I shall find plenty to do," As,
you know, McCarthy is without his firm,
friend Colonel O'Brien, who was de-
feated by McCormick, the Conservative.
Mr. McCarthy may resign his seat ;for
North Simooe and allow Colonel O'Brien
to contest the constituency. Liberals and
Conservatives to whom I have mentioned
this proposal agree in saying that Colonel
O'Brien wouldbe in imminent danger
of meeting defeat once more. "McCarthy
carries North Simcoe by his personal
strength," said one of these •authorities.
"The fact of O'Brien being one of 1 his
friends would not elect the Colonel over
nominees of the two old parties."
The Cabinet.
It was not until Monday of this week
that Wilfrid Laurier took the journey to
Rideau hall that portended the nomina-
tion of his Cabinet On Tuesday morning
all Canada knew the names of the men
who compose the second Liberal Admin-
istration of Canada Here they are—
Wilfrid Laurier, Premier and President
of the Council
Sir Oliver Mowat Minister of Justice.
Sir Richard Cartwright, Minister of
Trade and Commerce.
L. H. Davies, Minister of Marine and
Fisheries.
W. Paterson, Controller of Customs.
Sir. Henri Joly de Lotbiniere, Con•
troller of Inland Revenue.
W. S. Fielding, Minister of Finance
W. Mulock, Postmaster -General.
Dr. Borden, Minsiter of Militia.
J. I. Tarte, Minister of Public Works.
Sydney Fisher, Minister of Agricul-
ture.
R. W. Scott, Secretary of State.
A. G. Blair, Minister of Railways and
Canals.
Messrs. R. R, Dobell and C. A.
Geoffrion, Ministers without portfolio.
C. Fitzpatirck, Solicitor General.
The portfolio of Interior has not been
allotted, but will, it: is expected,be tilled
later on by a western man, probably At-
torney -General Sifton, of Manitoba.
Mr. J. D. Edgar will be Speaker of
the House of Commons, with Mr. L. P
Brodeur for Deputy Speaker, and Sena-
tor Pelletier will be the presiding officer
of the Senate
Five of the Laurier Cabinet are ex
Premiers of provinces. The representa
tion by provinces is as follows:—
Ontario—Sir Oliver Mowat, Sir Rich-
ard Cartwright, W. Paterson, W, Mu -
lock, R. W. Scott—Five.
Quebec—Wilfrid Laurier, J Israel
Tarte, Sir Henri Joly, C. A. Geoffrion,
R. B. Dobell, Sydney Fisher, and C.
Fitzpatrick—Seven.
Nova Scotia—W. S. Fielding and Dr
Borden—Two
New Brunswick -A G Blair—One
Prince Edward. Island—L H Davies—
One
JAVA REPTILES.
There Are Some Very Unpleasant Speci-
mens on the Island.
Two years ago an English officer
visiting on the Island of Java had a craze
for making a collection of reptiles, and,
with a 10-year•old boy, wandered about
utterly heedless of the warnings of the
natives. One day when he was roaming
these corridors lie saw dimly in one of
the chambers. a yellow glimmer. Quickly
walking up he prodded the yellow mass
. with his cane and suddenly as a flash,
with a leap like a tiger, a big Bari
snake, the most aggressive of all the Java
snakes, had him iu his grasp. The
reptile's fangs were buried in his shoulder
and the deadly coil, as strong as steel,
was about his body. He would have been
killed if his companion had not struck
the snake back of the head, severing the
backbone. As it was the two men both
indulged in a spell of fever and the
officer's arm was useless ever after his
experience. Tho snake was black and yel-
low, fifteen feet long and could have
killed a horse.
A hunter gunning near a river one
day saw seine wild hogs come down to
drink. A python seized a full-grown
one, three feet high at the shoulder, and
threw two coils about its body. The hog
simply flattened out and in a minute was
a strip of meat, nothing more. The snake
was shot and found to be twelve feet
long and seven inches through, yet it
crushed the bones of its victim as though
they were paper. A man who has in his
possession the loin cloth and jumper of a
coolie who was swallowed by a boa con-
strictor says the cloths were knotted so
tightly that they seem to have been done
by ]land. The only part of the coolie's
body found was the lower jaw bone, all
the rest having been digested by the big
snake.
Back to the Farm.
3 all happened on the'ferry boat and
ti,,,,e on that portion of the deck could
not help hearing what occurred. There
vas the jovial looking father with the
suggestions of the clover field and close
communion with nature; and the stately
daughter with ten mistakable marks of
education and asceticism.
"No, papa," she said with both
deference and decision, "I cannot settle
down to the humdrum life of the average
woman even though I could duplicate
the feasts of Autolyous or breathe the
breath of poetryinto every meal I pre-
pared"
"Think it over, Jane, think it over. I
know that you want to occupy a chair
in materia inedike or be admitted to the
bar, or write books. But your mother
was as sweet a woman as ever lived,
and she made a paradise of our little
home. Think what happiness she found
in all you children, Jane; how much
more loving. and lovely she was than
these women that are .tryin' to take
charge of affairs in the world"
"The young lady's right, broke in a
veritable pillar of propriety with a high
hat and stiff collar, who had neither
right nor excuse for the intrusion. "No
cultivated woman of this age has the
right to waste her powers upon the art
of gastronomy. It is in the nature of
human sacrifice.
"Any daughters of your own?" asked
the father, bluntly.
"No, I never married."
"Thought so. It takes old maids to tell
you how to raise children, and bachelors
to define the sphere of women I say
right' here, sir, that if Jane's going to
get the true worth of her life, she will
find it in a good home, with a lovin'
husband If she just do somethin' else,
let her teach the Canadian people to
cook so that men like you will not
be soured by dyspepsia or liver com-
plaint and the whole country may be
rescued front nervous prostration"'
"But I beg your pardon, sir," rasped
the pillar of propriety.
"Never mind, papa, We'll go back to
the form together. The world really does
not need anymore doctors or lawyers"
And as they Walked to the other end
of the deck, the father's arm was about
her waist, while the stiff bachelor had a
feeling in his heart that had not stirred
it fou years
"Follow us and we'll wear diamonds,"
said the front wheels to the rear ones.
FASHION HINTS.
What to Near and How to 'Wear It.
There are women who wear their plain-
est garments with an air of coquetry that ,
transforms then into things', of beauty.
It may be nothing more than a plain
muslin gown, but it has an air given it
by the wearer, distinguishing it nfronca
similar garment on an ungraceful woman.
A simple, but effective, gown is made
up in rose pink percale, with a bodice of
open work in white and pink, made up
over a pink silk foundation. The Felix
skirt has rows of wide tucks about the
foot, and is laid in deep godets at the
back, the side and front breadths flaring
out beautifully. The'smart little bodice
has a fitted body of the silk, with the
open-work drawn smoothly over it, and
brought softly into a cointure of black
satin, laced at the back, and quite wide
at the front.
The full gigot sleeves of plain pink are
wrinkled below the elbow, and finished
at the hand with a deep frill of open-
work embroidery. The neck has a plain,
high stock of the pink, over which may
be worn a while satin ribbon, or one of
pink, with huge knots at the back; or
one of the favorite neck ruches in black
tulle would set it off effectively.
Another effectively simple gown is of -
plain grass linen, with all its- seams
strapped with coarse Honiton braid. The
blouse is belted in with a twist of tur-
quoise blue satin ribbon, while another
twist and big bow finishes the neck. With
this pretty frock is worn a Panama sailor,
made smart by a bunch of green palms
at the side, and a wreath of forget -me -
note tossing all about the brim.
The blue was very becoming to the
brune beauty, who wore it so smartly
that all eyes were attracted to her, not
because of the showiness of the costurihe,
but because she carried herself as all
well-dressed women should.
There are some wonderfully lovely
orepons being made up into fetching
summer frocks; crepous showing stripes
of silk—blue green, or pink on a black
ground, with a blurred floral design at
intervals. They are made up over silk
linings of a contrasting color and
trimmed elaborately with lace and rib -
bone,
I saw a lovely gown of this material
in black, striped broadly with rose, and
flowered over with the daintiest of tiny
roses and delicate green leaves. At the
foot of the skirt each gore was opened to
the depth of the knee, to let in wide
fans of rose crepe, run all along the
edges with a full ruche of fine black
lace. The blouse bodice was quite puffy
at the front, and drawn in snugly at
the waist at the back. There was a yoke
effect of rose crepe, brought into sharp
points reaching to the belt both back
and front, and finished with a narrow
puffing of crepe and lace. •
The tight sleeves were over -run with
perpendicular frills of lace and rose crepe,
SERVICEABLE FOR SUMMER,
brought into a deep point at the hand,
and finished with a deep frill of yellow
lace. A pointed stock of rose velvet was
finished by three points of yellow lace
falling over it.
Another lovely crepon frock was in
narrow stripes of buff and dull blue.
The skirt was cut with the stripes run-
ning round it, and finished at the bot-
tom by a tiny ruching of blue velvet.
The bodice had a bolero jacket of tan
lace applique en a groundwork of blue
velvet, with odd little half sleeves fitting
tight over the shoulders.
The front was filled in softly pleated
vest of tan mousseline de sole, while full
bishop sleeves of the same sheer stuff
completed the smart frock.
One grows, like Mariana, "aweary"
of detailed accounts of conventional cos-
tumes, when they have seen nothing else
for ages. A bit of description of a smart
boating rig will be a positive relief, I
am sure.
The "rig" to which I refer, after all,
was but a part of one, for it comprised
only the jaunty coat and cap. The gown
wes not abbreviated, nor odd in any
sense of the word, save that it was blue
—the deep r.hyal navy blue that as yet is
so beautifully uncommon. When an un-
usually stiff breeze came along, the heavy
folds tilted just enough to give a hasty
glimpse of scarlet linings, and a peep at
slender ankles, shod in high russet boots.
The short, box -coat, with fitted back,
is made up of big -plaided, English chev-
iot in tones of tan, cream and blue,
threaded through with scarlet. There
was a smart coat collar faced with deep
blue velvet and sharp revers, turned back
just enough to reveal the button at the
top, a genuine nautical affair of ivory,
showing an immense anchor carved on it.
The rather big sleeves are not stiffened,
but droop gracefully toward the elbow;
a stiff velvet cuff sets off the wrist. The
open throat shows a glimpse of white
shirt bosom and high linen collar,
stopped off with a smart knot of scarlet
satin. The peaked cap, made of cheviot
to match the coat, sets jauntily on the
back of the brown head, and' completes
a very attractive picture.
Another equally attractive costume for
a "sailor" girl is made up in deep navy
blue broadcloth, with a wide umbrella
skirt and short reefer coat, with a wide
rolling collar of white wool, bordered
with broad rows of gold braid. With it
is worn a tiny cap, perfectly round, of
white patent leather, showing a band of
blue and gold.
Healthy Children.
To keep children well give them an
abundance of outdoor exercise, Make
them regular in their habits; feed then:
on plain and nourishing fond, and times
will seldom complain of lack of appetite
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
THIRD QUARTER --LESSON IV.; ' IN-
TERNATIONAL SERIES, JULY 28.
Golden Text --"In thee, 0 Lord, do I put
my trust."--Rsaim 71 : 1.
We now come to the beginning of an-
other development of the Kingdom of God.
We can look at it first as the unfolding
of the promise of God for the redemption
of the world, in the Messiah Redeemer.
It is linked to the former promises, from
that of Adam down to this time. These
promises become clearer and more
definite. They are the comfort and sup-
port of pod's people all down the ages.
On the other hand, we have for our
comfort and strength an example of how
God satisfies our longings for the coming
of his kingdom and answers our prayers.
The Lesson -2 Samuel 7 ; 4-16.
4 .And it came to pass that night, that
the word of the Lord came unto Nathan,
saying,
5 Go and tell my servant, David, Thus
saith the Lord, shalt thou build me a
house for me to dwell in?
The prophet was right in the assurance
that the object of David's desire was
pleasing to God, but there was need of
light upon the best way of accomplish-
ing it. God had a better answer to
David's prayer than he imagined.
The temple was to be a type of the
Church of God,a kingdom of peace car-
ried on by peaceful measures, and bring-
ing Iieacetvvhile David was a man of war.
The -kingdom was not yet sufficiently
established to allow David to take so
much time and thought from its organ-
ization and conquests as would be re-
quired to build such a temple. It had not
yet reached its proper and promised limit,
6 Whereas I have not dwelt in any
house since the time that I brought up
the children of Israel out of Egypt, even
to this day, but have walked in a tent
and in a tabernacle.
Because there had been no firm, uiien-
dangered permanent, place for it, and
the original tent had sufficed. The tent
refers to the outward covering of skins;
the tabernacle denotes the framework of
boards and bars.
7 In all the places wherein I have
walked with all the children of Israel
spoke I a word with any of the tribes of
Israel, whom I commanded to feed my
people Israel, saying, Why built ye not
me a house of cedar?
God had made no such command, for
the best time had not yet come. If re-
ligion could prosper on many past years,
it could a little longer, till the right
man and the right time should arrive.
8 Now therefore so shalt thou say unto
my servant David, Thus saith the Lord
of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote
from following the sheep, to be ruler
over my people, over Israel,
His life was a plan of God hitherto,
and from the past David was to learn
lessons of trust for the future. All
David's greatness had its source in God.
9 And I was with thee whithersoever
thou wentest, and have cut off all thine
enemies out of thy sight, and have made
thee a great name, like unto the name
of the great men that are in the earth.
All your success was from me. Your
character and fitness to succeed, as well
as the favoring circumstances and guid-
ing wisdom. These wars wore wars of
the Lord waged by him as King of his
people and for the real good and progress
of the world.
10 Moreover, I will appoint a place for
my people Israel, and will plant them,
that they may dwell in a place of their
own, and move no more; neither shall
the children of wickedness afflict them
any more, as before time.
That is, by subduing their enemies he
made room for a safe, unendangered ex-
pansion in the promised land. He estab-
lished a firm, deep-rooted national life.
Their enemies might attack Israel, as
some of them did after this, but they
could not conquer and oppress them. The
near enemies were' thoroughly subdued.
The meaning of this was that David's
faith should be confirmed in the prom-
ise about to be given him, because God
bad proved himself able and willing to
fulfil them.
11 And since the time that I com-
manded judges to be over my people
Israel, and have caused' thee to rest from
all thine enemies. Also the Lord telleth
thee that he will make thee a house.
12 And when thy days be fulfilled,
and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers,
will set up thy seed after thee,
which shall proceed out of thy bowels,
and I will establish his kingdom.
These promises look far beyond David's
time, are the further unfolding of the
Messianie prophecies which began
with Adam in the promise that the seed
of the woman should ultimately triumph
over the serpent.
13 He shall build a house for my
name, and I will establish the throne of
his kingdom forever.
The glorious temple that David desired
to build was built by his son Solomon,
while David himself had the privilege of
making great preparations for this tem-
ple; at least 150 million dollars in gold,
besides vast quantities of other material.
14 I will be his father, and he shall be
my son. If he commit iniquity, 1 will
chasten him with the rod of men, and
with the stripes of the children of men.
This prediction applied to Solomon,
but he is chiefly Only the herald of its
realization, through David's line to its
culmination in David's greater son, the
Messiah. No sweeter, better, more com-
forting, and encouraging promise than
this of the love and care of a heavenly
father can be bestowed upon any one.
15 But my mercy shall not depart
away from him, as I took it from Saul,
whom I put away before me.
16 And thine house and thy kingdom
shall be established forever before thee;
thy throne shall be established for ever.
In Saul's case, not only was the himself
punished, but the kingdom was taken
from his family. In David's case, the
offending persons should be punished,
but however low the kingdom was re-
duced, yet it was never removed from
the family of David, for at the lowest
point Jesus, the son of David, was born.
Jesus Christ suffered, not for his own
sins, but for the sins of Israel and the
world. And through this suffering the
kingdom endureth for ever.
Time Golden Opportunity.
We know that it is quite possible for a
man to be too timid, to allow the golden"op-
portunity to drift by !him; to let the tide
sweep on and leave him stranded. It
happens to many a pian, in our growing
and changing new cities that lee failed to
see the time to spend. He clings to the
original- makeshift of a' manufactory,
warehouse or shop; he fears to venture
on a new investment until it is too late.
His more enterprising and confident
neighbors have left him behind, and the
rest of his life is a discouraging struggle
to catch up.—Bishop Thompson.
USEFUL INFORMATION.
An ordinary brick weighs about 4
pounds.
A quart of ordinary cornmeal weighs
18 ounces.
A cubic foot of distilled water weighs
very nearly 1,000 ounces.
A bushel, of plasterer's hair, when well.
dried, equals 15 pounds.
In most states of the Union a bushel
of wheat equals 60 pounds.
An ounce of avoirdupois ,IF equal to
twenty-eight and one-third grammes.
An ounce, apothecary or troy weight,
is equal to thirty-one grammes.
A pound avoirdupois is equal to a lit-
tle less than half a kilogramme.
The legal bushel of the United States
contains 77.6274 pounds of water.
A hundred feet of three -line barbed
wire fencing requires 18 pounds of wire.
The earliest use of weights is attrib-
uted to Pheidon, King of Argos, 985,
B. C.
, A legal bushel of dried apples is, ac-
cording to locality, from 22 to 28
pounds:
One square acre will require 1.52•
pounds of barbed wire for fencing in
three lines. R'
An ordinary tablespoonful of common
salt, dry, weighs almost exactly 1 ounce.
Sixteen tablespoonfuls of any ordinary
liquid, except molasses, make half a
pint.
Every perch of stone wall requires
three pecks of lime and four bushels of
sand.
One side of a square acre will require
38 pounds of three -line barbed wire for
fencing,
A rod in length requires 3 pounds of
barbed wire fencing, three lines tQ the
fence.
A legal bushel of anthracite coal weighs
from 76 to 80 pounds, according to lo-
cality.
A brick that has been soaked in water ,
absorbs about one -fifteenth of its own
weight.
A kilogramme, or 1,000 grammes of
the French system, is about equivalent
to 24 pounds.
A fluid ounce, of United States meas-
ure, equals twenty-nine and a half cubic
centimeters.
BARON ROTHSCHILD'S MAXIMS.
The following is a copy of the
alphabetical list of maxims framed and
hung in Rothschild'slank. Baron
Rothschild used to recommend these -
rules to young men who wished to "get
on" and achieve success in life:—
Attend carefuly to details of your busi-
ness.
Be prompt in all things.
Consider well and then decide posi- •
tively.
Dare to do right, fear to do wrong.
Endure trials patiently.
Fight life's battles bravely, manfully.
Go not into the society of the vicious.
Hold integrity sacred.
Injure not another's reputation nor
business.
Join -hands only with the virtuous.
Keep your mind from evil thoughts.
Lie not for any consideration.
Make few acquaintances.
Never try to appear what you are not.
Observe good manners.
Pay your debts promptly.
Question not the veracity of a friend.
Respect the counsels of your parents.
Sacrifice money rather than principle.
Touch not, taste not, handle not
intoxicating drinks.
Use your leisure time for improvement.
Venture not upon the threshold of
wrong.
Watch carefully over your passions.
'Xtend to everyone a kindly salutation -
Yield not to discouragement.
CHURCH AND CLERGY.
Asyut training college, Egypt, needs
funds for the erection of larger build-
ings.
The property of the Salvation Army
in the United States is valued at nearly
$5, 000, 000.
The degree of doctor of divinity was
last year conferred on 355 persons in the
United States.
The cause of foreign missions has
lagged the past year because of hard
times. Timis is the report of every
denomination.
English bishops receive from £2,500 to
£10,000 and each is provided with a
palace in which to reside. There are said
to be considerable perquisites attached to
the office.
Traveling churches are to be
established on the trans -Siberian railway,
which passes through many desert tracts,
where neither village nor church can be
met with for miles.
Iowa appears to have churches enough
to meet all demands upon them. With
a seating capacity of 1,303,804, they have
a membership of only 571, 264. Methodists
are most numerous in the state. Next -
come the Roman Catholics, the Lutherans
and the Presbyterians.
On the island of Madagascar there are
32,972 Lutheran Christians and 485
congregations. These are cared for by
twenty-three Norwegian missionaries I
and fifty-six native helpers. Thity four
thousand four hundred and thirty-seven.
children attend the 487 schools.
REFLECTIONS.
Solomon got a wide reputation for
wisdom, but Solomon lived before the
day of the modern college sophomore.
The man who has a small mind
seldom changes it.
The difference between the statesman
and the politician is that the politician
is in it for what ho can, make, and the
statesman for what he an do.
No minister over yet made himself
unpopular by shortening up his sermons. ,
It takes a great deal of philosophy to
get along comfortably in'this life, especi-
ally in dealing with philosophers.
The span of Padereweki's hand takes
In 11 keys, and about $1.500.
One reason why men go fishingow
is' because the fishing g is ood. Another.
reason is because now is the time for
house cleaning.
e