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HomeMy WebLinkAboutExeter Times, 1896-8-27, Page 3ri MAKE BEST OF IT. THIS LIFF A PR OBATIONARYOROUND FOR, HIGHER TRAINING-. SR..* Therefore, saline ancr Gram the Tree for the Frame or the spirit Rad Become Immortal against tete Day the Dotty oittninVieere It Must Lk. Washington, Aug. 16.—De. Talmage to -day discusseuestion that every- body some time cliscusses. .It is OM of teetnendous import, Shall we have another chance? .The text is Ecclesias- tes ii, $, "If the tree fall toward. the south or toward the north, in the place where the tree foileth there it shall bee. There is a hovering hope in the minds of -a, vast multitude of people that there will be an opportunity in the next world for correcting the mistakes of this, that however complete a ship- wreck eratttay make of our earthly life it eviA be on a beach upon which we may walk to a palace; that as the defendant may lose his ease in a cir- Mit court an appeal it and have it go up to the supreme court of cliancery ancl all the coets thrown over on the other party, so a man may lose his case in thia world, but in the highest jurisdiction of eternity have the de- cision of the eartbly caae set aside, all the ocats remitted and the defendant be triumpbant forever. The object of rny sermon is to show you that common sense declares with the text that such au expectation is obiraerical. "If the tree fall toward the south or toward the north, in the pla.ce where the tree falleth there it atoll be." There are those who say that if the imp -latent and =forgiven man enters the next world and sees tbe disaster, as a result a that dis- aster be will turn, the distress the cause of his reforraation, but we have 10.000 instances all around about us of people alto have done wrong and die - aster suddenly came upon them. Dial the diaaster heal tbem? No; they went on. There is a, men flung a diseipatione. The doctor says to him, "Now, my friend, it you don't stop drinking and don't stop this fast life you are liv- ing you will die." The patient thanks the physician for his warning and gets better. Ile begins to sit up, begins to walk around the room, begins logo to bu.einess, and takes the same round. at exogshops where he got his mornmg dram, and his evening dram, and the drams between. Down again. Same doctor. Same physical anguish. Same medical warning. But now the sick- ness is more protracted, the liver more obstinat e, the tett °mach more irritable, the digestive organs more rebellious. But still, under medieal skill, he gets better. goes forth, commits the same sacrilege against his physical health. -alometimes he wakes up to see what he is doing, and he realizes he is de- stroying hie family, and that his life is a perpetual prejury against bismar- nage vowand that that- broken hearted woman is so different from the roseate wife be married. that her old schoolmates do not recognize her on the streea ant that his sons are going out in life under the taunt of a father's drunkenness, anct that his daughters are going out in life under the scarification of a disreputable an- cestry. His nerves are all a -jangle. From crown of head to sole of foot, be is one aching, rasping, crucifying, damning torture. Where 'is he? He le in hell on earth. Does it stop him? Ah, nol After awhile delirium tre- xnens pours out upon his pillow a wbole ;tingle of hissing reptiles. His screams horrify the neighbors as he dashes out of bed crying. "Take these things off a me!" He is drinking down the comfort of his family, the education of his cauldron, their prospects for this life and perhaps tbeir prospects for life to corae. Pale and convalescent he sits up. Phyteicians says to him: "Now, my good. fellow, I am going to have a plain talk with you. If you ever have an attack of this kind again, you will die. I can't save you, and all the doc- tors in creation can't save you." The patient gets up, starts out, goes the same road of dissipation and is down again; but this time medicines do not touch bis case. Consultations of physicians say there is no hope. . Death ends the scene. That process of inebriation and physical suffering and medical warning and dissolution is taking place within a stone's throw of where you sit and in every neighbor- hood of Christendom.. Pain does not reform. Suffering does not cure. What is true in regard to one sin is true in regard to all sin,s, and yet men are expecting in the next life there will be opportunity for purgatorial regen- i eration. Take up the printed reports u.0 the prisons of the United. States and fifid that the vast majority of the crimi- nals were there before, some for two times, three times, four times, six times; penished again and again, but they :go right on. Millions of incidents and instances working the other way, and 3rgt men think that in the next worldaleponishenent will work out for them salvable effects. Why, you and I cannot imagine any worse tortuxe from another world than we have seen men in this world, and without any salutary consequence. Furthermore, the prospeet of refor- mation in another world is more im- probable than here, Do you not re- alize the fact that a man starts in this world with the innocence of infancy ? In the other case, starting be the other world, he starts with the accumulated bad habits of a lifetime. It is not to be expected that you could build a bet- ter ship out of new timber than out of an old hulk that has beet ground -up in the breakers? If starting with comparative innocenc,e the man does not become godly., is it possible that starting with sin a seraph can be evoLuted? Is there not more prospect, that a sculpter will make a finale statue out of a block of pure white Paria,n marble, t han out of a black rook that has been cracked and twist- ed and split and scarred with the storras of a half century? Could you not write a testa:Will and testament, or wenn, a deed, or write an un,portant doodenont on a pure white sheet of pa- per easier than you could write it upon a sheet scribbled all over with infamy and blotted and torn from, top to bot- tom? And yet there are those who are so unconamon sensicai as to believe that though e man starts in this world with infertoy and its innocence and turns oat badly, in th'e next. world he oan start with a dead failure and turn ottt well. But," says some people, "we ought to have another chance in the net world because our life here is so very brief. We scarcely have room to turn around between the cradle and tne grave,' tbe. wood of •theone alinose striking against tile marble of the oth- er. We ought to ,have anether cbance beoauae of the brevity of this life." My friends, do yon know What made the ancient diituge a neeessity t•It was the longevity of the antediltivians. They were worse in the second century than ha the first; and. worse when they got 300 years old, and worse. at 400e and worse ot 500, and worse at 600, and worse at 800,, until the world bed to be washed and, scoured end scrubbed and soaked and sunk and anchored a whole month under water before it was fit for decent people to live in, I have seen many motures of old Time witb his scythe to cut,' but I never saw any picture of Time with a chest of medi- cine to heal. Seneca said, that in the first few yeaxs of his publio life Nero eves set up as an example of clemency and kindness, but he got worse and worse, the path descending, tmtil. at 68 Years of age he was the suicide— If 800 years of lifetime could not cure the antediluvians of their iniquity, I undertake to sae, that an the Ades of eternity would be only prolougation of depravity. "- Again, I wish you further to notice that another chance in another world means the ruin of this. Now, suppose a wicked man is assured that after a lifetime a wickedness he can fix it all right up in the future. Tbat would be the demoralization of society that would be demolition of the human race. There are men who are now kept on the limits of sin by their fear. The fear tbat if we are bad and em - forgiven here it wiU not be well witn as in the next existence is the chief influence that keeps civilization from rushing haek into semi -barbarism, and keeps senti-ba,rbarisin from rusbing back into midnight savagery, and keeps midnight savagery trona rushing back into extinction. eTow, the man is kept on the limits of sin. But this idea coming into bis soul, this idea Of another eleance, he says, "Go, to, now. I'll get out of this all there is in it. Come, gluttony and revenge and uncleanliness and all sensualities, and wait upon me, It may abbreviate my earthly life by dissoluteness, but that will only give me heavenly indulgoece on a larger scale in a shorter length of time, 1. will overtake the rieehteoas before long,' I will only come in heavena, little late, and I will be a little more fortunate than those who have believ- ed tbemselves on earth and then went straight to the bosom of God, because I will see more and bave wider ex- cursion and I evil' come into heaven via gehenna, via shoot!" Hearers! Readers! Another chance in the next world means free license and the de- molition of ibis, Suppose you had a case in court, and, all the judges and all the attorneys agreed in telleng you tbe first trial of it—it would be tried twice—the first trial would not be of very much importance, but the second trial would decide everything-. On which trial, would you put the most expenditure? On width trial would. you employ the ablest counsel 1, which trial would you be most anxiops to have the atte,ndance of all the wit- nesses? "Oh," you, would say, "if there are to be two trials, and the first trial does not amount to =mit, the secoud trial being everything; everything de- pending upon that, I must have the most eloquent attorney, and. I must have al/. my witnesses present, and I will expend my rrioney on that!" If ethese men who are irapenitent and. Who am wicked. felt there were two trials, and the first was of no very great importance, and the second trial was the one of vast and infinite im- portance, all the preparations. for eter- nity would be post mortem, post fun- eral, post sepulchral, and this world would. be jerked. off into impenitenoy. and godlessness. Another chance in another world means the demolition of this world. Furthermore, my friends—for I am preaching to myself aa well as to you; we are on the same level, and though the platform. be a little higher than the pew; it is only for convenience, and that we may the better speak to the people; we are all on the same platform, and I ani talking to my soul while I talk to yours—my friends, why another chance ht another world when we have declined so many chances in this? Suppose you spread. a banquet and you. ineatea vast number of friends and arming others you send an invita- tion to a man who disregards it or treats it in an obnoxious way. During 20 years you give 20 banquets, a ban- quet a year, and. you invite your friends, and every time yoix invite this man who disregards your invitation or sends book some Indignity. After awhile you move into a larger house and amid. more luxuriant sarroundings, and you invite your friends, but you do not invite that man to whom 20 times you sent an invitation to the smaller house. Are you to blame? You would, only make yourself ab- surd before God and man to send that man another invitation. For 20 years he has been declining your offers and sending insult for your kindness and courtesy, and can he blame you? Can he came up to your house on the night of the banquet? Looking up and seeing it is a finer house, will he have, any right to say: "Let me in, I de- clined all those. other offers, but this is a larger house, a brighter house,a mi I ore luxuriant abode. let me in. Give me another chance?" God has spread. a banquet of His grace before us. For 365 days of each year since we knew the difference between our right and our left He has invited us by His ' providence and by His spirit. Suppose we decline all these offers and all this kindness. Now the banquet is spread' in a Largay place in the heavenly palace. Invitations are sent out, but' no invitagon is sent to us. Why? Be- cause we declined all those other ban- I quets. Will God be to blame? Will we have any right to rap on the door of heaven and say, "I ought not to be ' slut out of this place; give me an- , other chance?" Twelve gates of salva- tion standing wide for free admistsion1 all our life, and. then when theta gates, close we rush on the bosses of Jehovah's I buckler, saying, "Give me another chance! You see common sense agrees with my text in saying that "if the tree fall toward the south or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth there it shall be." :You see this idea lifts this world from an unun.portant way station to a platforra of stupendous is- suee and makes all eternity whirl around this hour. Oh, my soul, my soul! Only one trial, and. all the prep- arations for that trial to be made in this world or never made at all. Oh, my soul, my soul! You see this piles Up all the emphasis and all the ch- taaxes and all the destinies into this life._ No other chance. Oh, how that intensifies the value and the import- ance of this ohence. Alexander anelhis army used to come around a city, and they would kindle a great light, with the understanding that as long as that light was burning the city ronebt sur- renaer and all would be well, but if they let that light go out then the battering Tams wouhl swing against the walls and there would oome disas- ter and demolition. Oh, my friends, all you .aad I need to do to prepare for eternal safety 18 just to surrender 10 THE the King and Conqueror, Christ. Sur- render hearts, surrender life, surrender everything. Tho great light keeps burning, light kindled by the wood of the cross, light flaming up against the dark night of our sin and sorrow. 011, let ussurrender before the light goes out and. with it our last opportunii of making our peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:, 011, my broth- er, talk about another chance this is the supernal chaneer In the time of Edward II., at the battle of Mussel - burg, a Private soldier saw that the Bari of Huntley had lost his helmet. The private soldier took off his helmet and went up to the Earl of Huntley and put the helmet on his head. Now, the head of the private soldier 'uncov- ered, he was soon slain while his com- mander rode in safety. through and out of the battle., But it is different in our case. Instead of a privats offering a helmet to an earl, it is the King of heaven and earth, offering a crown to an unworthy subject, the King dying that we might live! 011, tell it to the points of the compass, tell it to -day and night, tell it to earth and beaven, tell it to all -the centuries and all tbe millenniuins that God has given us such a magnificent chance in this world that we need no other chance in another! A ['team, I am in the burnished judgment hall on the last day. The great white throne is lifted, but the Judge has not yet, taken it. While we are waiting. for His arrival I hear the immortals in conversation. "What are YOU waiting for ?" says a soul that went up from Madagascar to a soul that went up from America: The lat- ter responda: "I was in America forty years ago, and I heard the gospel preached, and I bad plenty of Bibles in the house, and from the tims that. knelt at my mother's knee in prayer until my last hour I bad great oppor- tunities, but 1 did not =Prove them, and 1 ani here to -day waiting for an- other chance." "Strange, strange," says the soul just come up from Mada- gascar. "Strange. WWI never heard the gospel call but once in all my life, and I accepted it, and I don't want, an- other chance." "What are, you wait- ing fore" says one who on earth had very feeble intelleet to one who had great brain, and whose voice was sil- very, and who had srepters of power. The latter replies: "1 had great power on earth, I must admit, ant 1 master- ed languages and I mastered libraries and college., conferred, upon ate learned titles, and my name was a syloineem for eloquence and, power, but somehow I neglected the matters of my soul, and I must confess to you I am here to -day waiting for another chance." Now the ground trembles with the advancing chariot. The great folding doom of the 'burnished hall of judg- ment are thrown open. "Stand back," cry the ushers, `and let the Judge of quick and dead pass through." He takes the throne. He looks off upon the throngs of nations come to the last judgment, come to the only judgment, and. one flash from tbe throne reveals it to all the. others. And then the judge says. "Divide!" and the burnished walls echo it, "Divide!" and the guides. angelic answer "Di- videl" and. the Immortals are rushing this way and. that, until there is an aisle between them, a great aisle,and then a vacuum, widening and. widen- ing and widening until the Judge looles to one side of that vacuum, and ad- dresses the throng and says, "Let him that is righteous be righteous still, and let hirn that is holy be holy still." And then turning to the throng ea ViSe other side of the vo.cu.um, he says: "Let. him that is unjust be unjust still, and him that 'is filthy be filthy still," and then He stretches out both hands, one toward. the throng on each side the •vacuutn, and says, "If the tree fall toward the south or toward the north, in the place where the tree falletle there it shall be!" And then I hear something. jar with a great sound. It is the closing of the book of judgment. The Judge ascends tbe stairs behind the throne. The hall of the last assize is cleared and shute The high court of eternity adjourned forever. TO PREVENT HYDROPHOBIA What to Do in. ease VOIR Are Bitten by a BOg or other Altmann A feta words on the immediate treat- ment in cases of dog bite will perhaps be aceeptable at this season. First of all, for the consolation of ner- vous or timid people, the bite of a dog --even if it proved to be mad—need not neeesserily-result in hydrophobianhough it is certainly advisable to treat every bite at once and to take every care to prevent evil consequences. When you arenattacked by a furious dog it is worth remembering that his instinct frompts him to always fly at any uncovered portion of our body; so, if you have presence of mind, you can do soinething toward saving yourself by covering up your hands and protect- ing your face. The reason is that the dog's saliva contains the poison and if his teeth have to pass through cloth- ing, the probability is that the ma- terial will wipe the teeth clean before they enter the flesh, and. thus render the wound very much less dangerous. Nevertheless, attend at once to a bite given in anger by either dog or cat, for a very minate quantity of the poi- son introduced into the wound is suf- ficient to set up the disease if allowed to get into the system. This it will do if the blood carrying the poisonous germs is permitted to flow back to the heart in the ordinary oourse. The object, therefore, in these cases, is to stop the. circulation near the wound by making it bleed freely. If possible to do so, tie a string or ligature tightly on the side of the wound near- est to the heart and set to work at once to bathe the bitten place. Warm water is best, but if there is none handy use cold. If fax away from water, the bite may be suoked, providecl there are no cracks on lips or mouth. This meth- od of inducing bleeding is, however, only to be used when no other is practica- ble. Should it be irapossible to obtain medical assistance within a reasonable time some people recommend that the wound be oauterized. wiele a red-hot wire, a poker or some such thing. But if a doctor can be bad, you need only continue to bathe the spot until he ar- rives. CONSCIENCE AND HEALTH, He that loses his conscience has noth- ing left that is worth keeping. There- fore, be sure you look to that. .Madbe the next place look to your health, and if you have in praise God, and vaLue it next to a good. conscience-, fax healtb is the second blessings that we mor- tals are capable of—a blessing that money cannot buy.' 1 therefore value it, and be thankful. for it.—Izaalc Wal- ton. Miss Singer—I wonder if that rich un- cle of mine remembered me when he Made hiS I used to sing for him. sure le must have. He hasn't left you anything. EXETER TIMES ^ ME SUNDAY SCHOOL. wwww- INTERNATIONAL LESSON, AUG. SO. ••••••••••• niensitiones Death." 2 8aner 18, 2113. Golden Text. initial 1, 6. GENERAL STATEMENT. When the news of Absalom's con- spiracy reached Jerusalem David im- mediately sought safety in flight. Whe- ther from the weakness of age or be- cause be had calm confidence in God, whether cast down by the memory of his sin or dispirited because of the in- gratitude of his much loved. Absalom, he left the crown to the usurper./ A wail of sadness rent the air as the old king, bowed down with grief and walk - leg barefoot left the city he had rebuilt, and. parted with true and valued friends. With him went the bodyguard of Phil- istines, the regular soldiers, officers of the court, and his faithful band of six hundred warriors, with their wives and children. The priests offered to bring the ark—their pledge of safety. This David declined, as God had said of Jer- usalem, "This is my rest." In their flight David, was met by Ziba, who brought bread, fruits, and a skin of wine, ?Abe, (probably falsely) accused niephibosheth of treaeleery, and secured for himself the property of the poor cripple: Passing on, the king was curs- ed and stoned by Shinaei, an old adher- ent of the house of Sault News of the defection of Abithophal, Ins shrewdest cou.nselor, now reached him.In the midst of these trials he Stopped to -wor- ship God. When Hushal offered to ac- company the king he was advised to go and pretend to be an adherent of Ab- salom. After Alsalom's arrival in jer- usalem a council was b.eld at which Abithoebel proposed to pursue David at once with twelve thousand men, and pledged himself to slay the king onlv. Hushai reveal/mended delay till Absal- om should be etrengthenell in the cap- ital. This would give David all he wanted—time. The advice, was' taken and the council separated, Hushai to com- municate witb. David, and Ahithophel to commit suicide. Devil made his headquarters at Mahienaim, a sturdy fortified town near the Jabbok. Three months after Absalom was made long the biittle was fought in he wood of Ephraim. eimasi eommandel for Absal- om, while the three divielons of David's army had for generals ;Lomb. Abishai, ana Ittai. David wished to aseume coalman(' himself, not ro gratify re- venge, but to protect his son front the fury of tbe soldiers. He was persuaded, however, to take charge of the reserves. The first shock deckled- the fortunes of the day, and Absalom's army fled in confuelon. They cast 1118 body into a great pit, piled stones upon R. thug giving bine burial whieh aecorded with the punishment prescribed by law 'Dent. 21. 18-21), and every passerby hurling a stone as Arabs do now at detested • graves. David sat between the gates angiouely awaiting for news. 'When the truth was learnea he gave pat het le expre.sston to bis grief. The eternal. interests over which he must have thought caueed an agony time might soften, but could never efface. PRACTICAL NOTES. Verse 24. David sat. Awaiting the result of the battle of Mahanium, city north of the Jahbok, on the east of the Jordan. The plats is not ver - fainly identified. hut at ,Terash, wliiela has thenliest claim, there still stends an ancient gateway. a hich may oecu- py the spot where David oas waiting. Between the two mdse. There were two gates, an outer and an inner, with the thickness of the wall between them. This formed a. room, shaded and secure, w/aere the king sat dining the. day., while the battle was raging in the wood of Ephraim. The watehman. "The, captain of the gate." Went up to tbe roof. Over the gate was a room, such as in oriental cities is often used as a guard -room, for police purposes, and above this was a roof surrounded by a, parapet. Here stood the watchman. A. /nen running alone. After the victory was assured, ;loan the commander of David's army, sent as a messenger with the news Cusbi, or "tbe Cushite," that is the Ethiephin, and probably a slave. Rut when Ahimaaz besought the privilege of also bearing tidings, e altowe.do follnw the Vthiopin. Ahimaaz took another and easier route, hotierh a lierie longer; ourran bis pre- decessor, and was the one whom the rafter now saw. 25. The watelamaxi cried. Calling from fhe tower to the groutnd, whcre. David was waiting., Such a cry would cause intense excitement. If he be alone, there is tidings. If he had been flying from a, defeat, there would leave been other fugitives with him. David showed his usual quickness of appre- hension by even so sligbt a remark. He came apace. In the East trained run- ners accompany every army, and often are able in a day's journey to outrun a horse. 26. Another man running. This was the Cushite, or the Ethiopian, who had started in advance of Ahiratiaa, but h1314 been distanced in the racer Called to the porter. This porter was probab- ly an assistant of the "captain of the gate," and was so stationed that he cculd hear the watchman from above, and transmit the word to the king.. He also brings the tidings. We imagmet he beating heart of the old king, eager for, yet dreading the. news. 27. Ahimaaz. He le -as a young priest the son of Zadok, who hacl already shown trustworthiness, skill and cour- age in bringing to David 'news of Ab- salom's plans (2 Saan. 15. 27; 17. 17-21). joa.b had at first declined to permit bit to bear news of the battle, know - nag that the message of Absalombe death would bring sorrow, and he pre- ferred to let the "Ethiopian slave. carry the evil tiding.; but: after Cushi bad gone a distance, as Ahimaa,z was still eager to run, he allowed • him, thinking that he would arrive after Cuishi. Za- dok. He was the chief priest in the line of Eleazar, the elder sou of Aaron, aS Abiathar was in the, line of 'themes, the younger son. The two were asso- ciated. in the duties of the priesthood, and. both were for David in *ha war, though at his suggestion they remained in Jerusalem with the terk, when the king fled from Absalom. He is a good man. David knew him well, and re- membered how boldly and faithfully he had brought to him the word from Ab- salom's council. Cometh with good tid- ings. David rightly judged that one of such high position would. not be sent, with news of defeat. (1) It is worth while to try, to win fax ourselves a goad name, (2) 'The good tidings of the Gospel should. always be borne by good men; and how welcome should they be to us fax their message's sake."—M. Henry. (3) The wandering child is still embre,ced in his father's love, 28. All is well. In the original, the one, word shalom! ("peace") Feli down to the. earth. Prostrating himself be- fore the king, after th'e. manner shown on the Egyptian and Assyrian rnonit merits, Blessed be the Lord. The young priest did, not forget in ths hour of tritimplj from whoui the vietery came, (1) It is well for us ever to keep in mind the giver of all SUCCPSS., :Deliv- ered up the men.: Literally, "shut up the men," by thwarting and putting down, their projects:. Lifted up their hand. There was something unnaturaj and revolting, in Absalom's rebellion against and seeking to destroy a "kind father, while David refused to sltuy his bitter enemy. Sault (5) Evil Isstill re- etrieted by <loins power, working With directly and indirectly. 29. The king said. Better fax Dav- id had it been if he had asked this ques- (ion earlier; and of himself, rather than of anotber., He had failed to keep his Wayward son safe from evil compani- ons and from tempest uous passions; and his anxiety in that moment showed that he felt that not all the wrong hadbeen on Absalom's side, (6) There are times when care conies too late,azul must give Plane to remove. Is the young. man Absalom safe? Literally, ""Is it peace to the youth Alealorn?" The questiott shows the tenderness of the father ov- ermastering the duty of a king; but its excuse lay in David's Own guilty conectiou.sness that bis own sins had led to „Absalom's crimes. (7) If children. knew how deep and unselfish is the love of their parents, they might line often neglect, it, When Joel) sent. The text should probably read, "When joreb tbe king's servant sent inc thy servant." I saw a great tumult, but knew not. This was false, fax Abi- x-naaz knew that Absalom was dead ccer-eiarn,ses202v,ebbutring. preferred to let the Ethi- the unweloeme news. Nd( V8Le)s at rkie ips 114Se. ( lig 3 tr ht 0. pfraerseterceuthof tb.PO rOkbianillys 30. Turn aside, and stand here. Ha. takes his place among the courtiers Silirci. nding t he king, st andixier, for none might sit in thc royal presence, 9121 awaits a reward fax his service. 37. Cush came. 'The Ethineten, whn had started in advance but -had been martin IT Ahimaas Tidings, my lord. Th, slave speaks latently and without consideration for David's feelings. The Lard bath avenged thee. "Judged thee out of the hand of thine enemies:" lutal'ing that God had given DaVid justice *in his cause. (9} Tie. events of dailv life do not happen by thence. 32. Is the peeing man Absalom safe? As before, the uppermoet tholurht in David's inind is for Alistilom's life and safety. The enemies of ray lord.... Is'. as that young man. Perirms the slave did not know the tenderness of David's feelings, and spoke as one who looked at Al salorn's rebellion in its true light. A crime it was. and join was potent in disregarding Devi'l's struetions and putting Absalom to deatb, for net otherwise could the throne be ever again seeure. (10) neat wroug be punished is for the best in- terests of soelety. 33. The king was much moved. It add- ed to his agany that his son was cut off in the midst of his crimes, with no opportunity for repentance, and esne- many that Ins guilt was the frnit of David's own sins. (11) See in David's eerrow bow surely sin brings to pass as bitter results. 'Went up. ny the tdairs beside the gate to the room above It, occupyina the space between the tWO walls, This WaS the nearest plaee where he oeuld be alone. Thus he said. Eight tirem he repeated his wail over his lost sari. "There is an old Jew- ish legend that with each er,y one of the seven gates of hell rolleil bark, and en the eighth the lienspirit of Absa- lom was admitted to paradise."—Dean Stanley. Would God T had died for thee. Too late now the. vain wish to die for Absalom. when once he might have lived for Absalom. Yet he mourn- ed, until recalled to his kingly duties by the sharp rebuke of join Then nt lest: he took his place before the people, and. went back in triumph to his throne. Alsrelem left one daugh- ter, wile became the ancestress of kinos aratpetrol' of idolatry. Hie Taller in the King's Dale has long sines perish- fnr the monument, whieh now bears bis name is of later date, and Absalom Sett no memorial save the reeord wostea opportunities and a ruined life. (12) When young people got into trou- ble it is not they who suffer most. UNDER FEMININE CONTROL. At present the two towns in evhiclu women seen to be supreme are Decatur and Maroellus, both in the State of Michigan. In tbe former town, which has a population of 1,500. all the town offices except thatof dog-cateher are filled by woneen. and we expect that if any woman had wanted to be the official dogeatcher she would have got the office. The leading physivian of the tow -n is a woman; one of its most popular pastors is a woman. Two woman conduct the principal restaur- ant. The proprietor of the largest 1 dry goods .store is a woman; one of the best shoemakers is a woman; and there are women painters, harness - makers, florists, and brokers. The postmaster of the town is also a wo- man. It is almost needless to say that the women have shut up the ; saloons of the town, and the only , things to drink are ginger beer and water. In Marcellus the ascendaney of women is even greater, and it is seriously proposed to change the nama of the ta-on to Marcella, in re- cognition of the fact. Out of a popula- tion of 1,200 two-thirde of the church members are women. Five of the six . school teachers are. women. Two mem- bers of the Public; Sehool Board are women. The undertaker of the town is a wome,n, and a handsome blonde at that, the local chronicler adds with pardonable pride. P13 favorite bar- ber of the town is a woman, and a wo- man is the proprietor of the leading hotel. But it es needless to go on with the record. About forty women altogether are represented in profes-1 sional or business life, and they are 1 doing. their work so well that ever:Y-1 body es satisfied. They have organiz- ed a Twentieth Century Club; in which they dismiss still further advances for the sex and. the probabilities are that they will soon hold all the munivipal ofnee,e in the town, with the possible exception of dogcatcher, which will be given to some worthy man. In the meanwhile, however, they are the pow- , ex betind the throne, and very little is done In the town of -which they do not approve. MR, GRA.TEBAR TO PHILLIP. "Cheerfulness, Phillip," said Mr. Gratelear, "18 a duty which you owe to yourself and your fellow man. Al- ways take a cheerful view, Cheerful- ness is a lamp which dispels the gloom of life. Keep your lamp burning al- ways, Phillip, and. others will light their lamps by yours and go on more joyfully." GROWING A BEV" yBRAIN REMARKABLE EXPERIMENTS WITH THE BRAINS OF MONKEYS. Proves That Pares of the Grain !flay be 'Removed WWI That the Lost TIOtte Wilt tti,re.itestored—Possibilities of tite Fu. Recent experiments by M. Vitzou,,a French physiologist lead to a soinewb.at sensational 'conclusion, and rue), possibly explain some wonderful and inexplicable recoveries from brain injury that. have been reported. in the past. That con- clusion, briefly stated, is that a part of the brain, when entirely destroyed or removed, may be replaced by the growth of new brain cells. If this be true, then the brain—the dominating organ of the animal economy—possesses 6, preperty that is shared by none of the lower or- gans over which it presides—namelg, that of nature' replacement after in- jury. If a man's Eager is cut off ny a circular saw, no one expects to see a ne wfinger grow out in its place ,if lie loses an eye we do not. look fax another to replace it, yet if M. Vitzote is right, ceived through the optio nerve, as be- rtohree.destruction of an important lobe of the cells will gradually terra again and — respond to the visual impressions re - the brain, fax bastauce that which pre- sides over sight, need not be hopeleesThis property of re -growth is com- mon among the lower ereatares. If a !astern claw is taken off, a new one will grow in its placee With still low- er organisms the removal of almost any amount of tiesue is scarcely a serious affair, and its replacement is largely A MATTER OF TIME. ittaruait Now it appears tleat the higher animals 13- she this power, at least with respect 0on organ, and that the most rt This is not altogether a new idea, It has been advanced before, and has even been made the subject of somewhat heated controversy, but M. Vitzou's ex- periments are so apparently decisive that they may settle the matter, al- though in seience all questions are open and no one may consider that he has said a. immanent "last word." How- ever this may be, these are the experi- ments that seem, to settle the matter. They were tried not on nom, it is un- necessary to say—for it is not yet leg- al to scoop out even part of a human brain while its owner lives—but on some of his nearest relatives among the low- er animals, namely monkeys! The op- ponents of vivisection would doubtless raise their voices in energetic' protest at th.e eruelty clowa to these ereatures. That experimentation of this kina must, neeessarily be cruel, few will deny, but to the enthusiastic physiologist eruelly is quite justifiable when it leads to the acquisit ion of scientifie knowledge. In this case, that part, of the brain was removed from eateli of the monkeys that presides over the sense of sight, ths part without which any one of us would be quite as blitid as if his eyes were put out. It was quite evident after the operation, that the animals were in fact, totally blind. They were kept, and cared for, and as the months went on they seemed to be en the way to recovery. iFnally in about a year's time it was evident that they saw, if not as perfetetly as before, at least par- tially; that is, something was perform- ing the functions of the removed brain - tissue. So fax the experimeat can hardly be said to be conclusive, for cases have been known where one part of the brain has been able to perform the duty of another part, It may have been, then, that the task of responding to visual impressions had. been learned by some other part of the brain. The monkeys were, therefore operated upon again—part of the skull was removed, andget he BRAIN WAS EXAMINED. The part that had been taken out was found to be partly replaced by a growth of ne weelIs, so that it seems practice - ally certain that it was this new brain growth that had been the cause of the partial restoratton of sight. What will all this lead to? If it will be of any benefit to the human race, then the poor monkeys suffered and died in a good cause: If a monkey's brain cells can grow again, so, undoubt- edly, can a man's; and this fact gives us reason to hope for recovery 13 cases of serious hrain lnjury that before seem- ed hopeless. Again, if such growth is possilde means of fostering and stimu- lating it are probable, and will doubt- less be the objects of further research. Some method, may even be discovered by which the new growth may be made more vigorous and healthy than the old. En -which eass startling and sensational results may follow—though this may seem to be looking a little too far into the realms of mere possibilityr But why should not a eveek part of the brian be cut out and replaced. with a new and healthy growth of brain cells?. hy should not the idiot be given in this way a new thinking machine, and the imbecile, the paranoiac, the crank, be fitted out with new mental apparat- us? In the days to come the statement that John Smith has just been growing: a new cerebellum be the hospital may be heard, with no more surprise than is now caused by the news of an opera- tion for appendicitis.. The question would then arise: Who is the recon- structed John Smith?. Has his person- ality altered?:s he 113 same or an- other? But this must be left to the psychologists and the courts of law fax e year —or thereahouts. CHEERY Milli& They Cost Little and are a Good In. yestment. Cheery words cost little, but how much good they do; bow they drive away Melancholy, banish gloom and al- leviate pain! The man who goes about saying them is the world's benefactor. Society is the better for his living. He does more for his generation by the simple fact of his cheery disposition,and his habit of stirring up the moody and imparting courage to the forlorn, than can be done by a hundred liberal men who have not a genial way of dispen- sing tbeir liberanty. Many a time life hardly seems worth living to the hard bestead, who have found trouble and sorrow, to whom the winds of fate have brought loss and wreck, or who have parted with their faith in humanity, At the period when they can scarcely lift their eyes from the ground, along comes, with hisesraile, and his cordial hand, and his look of genuine interest, one of the blessed souls whose errand se,ems to -be to uplift his fellows. He does nor may very mutt, nothing per- haps which can be remembered or re. corded, but he leaves an impression of good comradeship. of sympathy. The man he meets is encouraged, and passes on with rexiewed strength to meet what- ever there may be to encounter. In the ittunOrtal Pilgrim's Progress there are certain characters who always enlist our pity, among them Mr. De- spondency and Miss Muchae.fraide They have no outlook beyond the present disaster or the impending calamity. It is sorrowful to watch their stumbling and delayed progress, and to realize that they are typical of a throng of men nd omen handicapped by d,11fidence or encumbered by hardships, so that a joyous confidence is lacking to them. Ti these persons the speaker of the cheery word is a true missionaey,bright- ening the dark day, and giving them a moral and sometimes what is equi- valent to a physical support. e A BURMESE WIFE. Asiatic-, 'women are commonly suppos- ed, assuredly altb ample reason, to be so ninola less happy and less esteemed than their European sisters that it is extremely surprising to learn that in one Asiatic country at least—Burmah —tiaey enjoy, except in matters poli- tical, ent ire equality with men. Burmese women are from very early age their own mistresses, free to select their own career, to make their own choice of a husband to hold property and to MO. Gillet a business. Nor do they lose their liberty after marriage. Although the Burmese wo- men are eminently womanly, and are exeellent housekeepers, with a marvel- lous gift for sionomy, they often pre- fer to pureus as girls and retain as wivera some mans. by whieh they may add to the household revenues, as well as enjay the use of an income absolute- ly their own; for a wouiaun right to her property and her earrunge Is not impaired by marriage. This they do often, even if their families are wealthy. "If you inquire wno is the owner of a garden," says a recent writer, "you may be told it helmet -es to Maung Han Ma Ni, the former being the. man's name and the second that of his wife, and both names are used frequently in bus- iness and legal proceedings. But it is not alwaes that a man and his wife are in the same business. "They may have totally different pur- suits. One may be a cultivator, the other a sil-dealer ; the man may be a pleader in court; the wife may own brick kilns butside the tnwn. Of course there are cases where marriage neceseitatee Inc abandoument by the woman at her trade, whatever it may be.; but she can do as she thinks best." Thus trusted and respected, the wo- men of Burmah are naturally of a high- er type than other Asiatic women, and i are, ndeed, often gifted with au intelli- gence, energy, and spirit such as we ex- pect to find in modern a:Innen:1 of our own hemisphere rather than daugh- ters of the Orient. The same writer, H. Fielding, relates a tittle ineulent that came uuder his observation while acting as magistrate in tioublous times on the Burmese fron- tier. He received one day a written report, excellently and briefly drawn, from a certain village headman, Saw Ka, narrating that his village had re- cently been attacked by a band of arm- ed robbers who had tried to carry off cattle; but that the thieves had been repulsed, then pursued, and after a sharp fight a number of them captur- ed, and were now =der arrest, await- ing the judge'sdisposal. The report arrived during a session of coeut and Mr. Fielding., after read- ing it, chanced to notice Saw Ka him- self in the audience, and promptly 'call- ed him up and congratulatedhim on - so useful an exploit, which the gov- ernment would certainly reward. Bat Saw Ka appeared to be very much be- wilderal and said he really did not understand. He had been away from his village a week, and knew nothing of any fight. "Tnen who wrote the letter 1" de- manded Mr. Fielding. "Ah," Saw Ka answered, his black eyes sparkling delightedly, "I think I know, but I will go and make sure." He went away to investigate. and. presently returned with his brother, just from the village, and explained that the mysterious usurper of Ins name was his wife, who by virtue of his cam - mission of headmaa, which was in her hanas. had assumed commaad of the confused and leaderless villagers in his absence, issued arms, organized the suc- cessful pursuit. written the report and had the prisoners sent up to court with an escort. M1 this, however, she had done in her busband's name, and but. for tha accident of his appearance in court just as the report. was being lead, her part in the affatr would never have become known; indeed, she would not have been pleased to have leer name put "A good wife!" said Mr. Fielding, NEW WOlelAN USURER. enthusiastically. . Saw Ka was proud of her, but he was proud of bis countrywomen also, and he only answered laconically: "Like many." Mrs. Elizabeth Darlow, of Southport, England, is a new woman whose ad- vance' thought has diverted itself to money -lending, She is likely to achieve success, for In a recent bankruptcy suit it was showed that her rates et m- terest fax S40 lent to a cotiohnian were 625 per cent. per annum. REASON FOR GRATITUDE. So you're friendly. with Cranker, are you? Why, he tells me that he won't have a thing to do with you. That's just why I feel kindly towards the old crab. DOESN'T LIKE THE WHEEL. The Empress of Germany is violently opposed to the use ot the bicycle, and has appead consternation pa court cireles in Berlin by making a list of the ladies who have dared. to disregard her strint prohibition of . the flying wheel. A PROFITABLE MONOPOLY. Por almost; two hundred years the paper for the notes of the Bank of Eng- land has been made in one establish- ment in ilampshire. The , mill was started by a French refugee, and his descendents have conducted it aver since. The paper is carefully counted and a record is kept of each sheet. AU must be accounted fax before the em- ployees °an leave the works at night. • HOW LONG TO PASS A SALOON? If the armies of Europe ehouldmareh at an eight mile gait, five abreast, fin teen Indies apart, it would require nine and one -hall days fax them to pass a given point.