Loading...
The Brussels Post, 1903-4-16, Page 3FAULTS OF A NEC Many People Consider Themselves Messengers of Evil. ;Metered according to Act of tue ear- Hameat at eetiadi., 30 Ow soar ono aluminum Nine Hundred and Three, by Wei, naliy, ot Parente, at the Department ot Agriculture. Ottawa.) A e...spateli from Chleago says :— Rev. Frank De Witt Talmage preach- ed Bonn the following text :-41. Samuel 1, 20, "Tell it not in Guth; publish it not In the streets of Askelon." Thei4 Is vent excitement in the Davidle encampment, sentinel sees a comics al. full speed running down the valley. Coming nearer, he calls out with panting voice, "Tid- ings, my lord—tidings for the new king 1" From the diffeeent tents the swarthy limbed soldiers, who were resting from the conquests over the Amalekites, swarm forth. 'limy lead the nen, arrival to the young 00110 mender. There he prostrates him- self upon the ground. He announces that Saul has bean defeated and has committed suicide ; Jonathan has been slain. The empty throne is now ready for Its new occupant, the cooqueror of tho mighty Philistine, Goliath. What was the result ? Did David tell his followers to exult over the fallen :king ? Did he say to his companions 111 arm : "Good for Saul 1 His defeat servtd him right. Divine Justice has avenged my wrongs. Ile had no business to try to kill nie to satisfy his jeal- ousy. He had no right to drive me into exile. He should not have be- come an apostate and defied the divine power which had anointed 11 ilia king of Israel 3" No ! David had the silver tongue of speech. No psalmist over sang sweeter than this sweet singer of Israel, But David had the golden lips of gospel silence. He lifted his hand in warning, lie pructically said this : "Do not exult over your fallen king. Do not ad- vertise his faults to tho world lest the miciecumeised Philistines re- joice. Do not sneer at God's an- ointed. Let his faults be buried in his tomb. Only remember and talk about his good qualities. Tell it not' in Oath ; publish it not in the streets of Askolou," Would that we, ono and all, might be as charitable in our comments upon those who have sinned and wronged us as 3/avid was with Saul. Would that we might talk only about the good qualities of those with whom we come in contact and not examine a man's faults with the. magnifying power of a. microscope and stedy his virtues with the minifying power of the inverted end of a telescope. COLDE'N LIPS OF SILENCE. The golden lips of gospel silence never banquet upon carrion. We know that a healthful physical body has to draw its strength from clean Provender, If a piece of meat is de- composed and microscopically die - eased, it will make unclean any body into whicli it is absorbed. What is true in reference to the physical body is also true in reference to the mind and the spirit. II we al- low our thoughts to toed upon what is depraved in other men's charac- ters, then our thoughts will them- selves become depraved. If we al- low our lips to revel in uttering the scandals and describing the weakaesses and the sins of our eeighbors or friends or enemies, then our own tongues will become de- filed. This law—that what we let our minds feed upon decides what our minds are to be --is irrevocable and all powerful. It is so rarreathiug in its results, that Jesus, in the gospel of Matthew, declares that he will condemn, us not only for our evil • actions,' but also for our evil thoughts. "Ye have heard that it was gaid by them of old, Thou shalt not conimit adaltery. But A say un- to you that whosoever 1001(0 0 00 a woman to lust after her hath com- mitted adultery with her already in his heart," We aro to be condemned not only for what we say and do, but also for what we think, "Oh, no," says some hearer. "That is not square, A mall should not bo condemned for what he thinks. The thought action of the brain Is absolutely involuntary. We think in spite of ourselves. We sin only W111111 we carry out our evil clesireS of our souls. We do not sin neces- sarily when we think aVillv."' A11, my brothel., you are mistaken, A man can indirectly govern his thoughts, as he can directly govern his actions. If a man allows his eye only to see pure pictures ,and to read good books, his ear to hear only what is good and true ii1 re- feeence to Ms follow men ; if a man allows his tollgate to repeat only that which is generous and loving and gentle—that man's mind and spirit will became true and good. If hie mind becomes pure, then his thoughts and his desires will beeteme pure, as well as his actione. more music In it than alrY short space of time before or after its The most eloquent passegos fif our spirituel devc4opinent may often br found when we press the golden lips of gospel silence against our neigh- bor's faults, when we are dumb and say nothing, absolutely nothing, SCANDALS runrasu TIIA:1311- SELVES. REACHING 11`011. LOFTY IDEALS. The golden lips of gospel silence aro often Met as important for our spiritual development as the silver tongoo of speech. Joseph Addison, the great English author and critic, once gave a clescriptioil of his foot- ings when listening to a master- piece rendered by a noted, orchestra, Et eaid that ho Was not so much impressed with the groat tidal wavee of sound 38111811 daShed themselves egainst hie eardrums as the waves of the mighty deep in midwinter boat against the ITollaral dikes or with tho volume of Mingled souncle, as when the voic.es of the celestials seemed to blend with the voivai of the terrestrials. ELS he WAS impressed With the deep silence Which Maiden- ly ensued When the orchestra leader lifted his baton itt the midst Of tin piece find commanded MS 11111Siclans to hall, "Itiethotight," he Wrote, VthiS ehort team ted of Whined had The golden lips of gospel silence should remain closed because, as a rule, it is not neceseary to em- phasize scandals. Scaedals are al- ways loud voiced. They publish themselves. As I speak some Ono sitting in a pew has been saying to himself : "Is it not right to de- nounce other people's faults ? Shall we not warn our friends egainst these sins ? Shall we not point out me:11's errors as well as their virtues? Did not Paul write to young Timothy enjoining him to rebuke us well as to exhort, to reprove as well as preach the word?". Yes, that is true; but,as a rule, when a 1110.0 sins ho does not find a very groat lack of reprovers and rebutters, while there is general- ly a great scarcity of exhorters and encouragers when ho does right. A. clean heart instinctively finds some good in every man's nature, A honey -bee always scents the flower. It is the fleetly of the night who loves to light his little lantern and to hunt for the creeping vermin in the quagmire and in tho dlsease breeding recesses of the miasmatic swamp. An old and yet a very suggestive story goes thus : One day a wagon was driven up a coun- try road io front of a Pennsylvania farm-bouse. The driver had all his children and goods and chattels in his vehicle. He was moving and wanted to find a new home. He called out to a Quaker farmer sitting upon the porch: "Stranger, what kind of people live in the next town —I moan in that town which is just over the hill? 3 want to settle there.' "Well, friend," answered the Quaker farmer, "what kind of people did thee leave in the place from whence thee came?" "011," replied the far - 0101' ',limy were the meanest peeple on earth, livery one of them would stab you in the back if be could. They would cheat, you and cut your throat. I never could get to like them. That ,,Is the reason I am leaving and trying to Ilnit a new home." "Friend," answered the old Quaker farmer, "thee will find the same kind of people living in. the next town." Next day another emi- grant drove up to the sumo house. He asked the same question. "Friend," asked the Quaker farmer, "what kind of people did thee leave in the place from whence thee came?" "011," answered this now arrival, "they were the Ifladest the dearest people on earth. I woual never have left them, but my clear wife died. Then tho old homestead became intolerable. Every room re- minded me of her. Homy friend would open the bleeding wound of Iny henrt. I coula not believe that ally people mild ever be so kind as my old neighbors were during lily Into trouble." "Friend," answered the Quaker farmer, "thee will find the same kind of neighbors in the next town as in the place from whence thee came." sPEAN. ONLY OF 'retie 001). Like the old Quaker farmer, I would declare that each hearer can find good in all Men or bad in all men just in proportion as his own beset is good or bad. And if we have any good in our own malceop it iS very important that Nye have the "silver tongue of speech" in order to talk about other people's virtues, Lot others, if they will, advertise the errors; we wilkonly speak about. the good. The golden lips of gospel silence rover foolishly whisper sinful tales into the ears of wrongdoers by which they shall try to justify their own sins. A good example is infec- ti°Nitrin lt is true in reference to the in- fection of a good example is also teem of the infection of a bad exam- ple. Some, of the toll keepers in New Zeeland have trained sheep, which, for a small consideration, they let out to the sheep drovers to lead their flocks cif sheep across the bridges which span the levers or the r avi nes, When the sheep, which are being * driven to market, come up to these bridges, they mo frightened and will not go over. Then these trained sheep come to the ber,d of the flock and lead the way. When the un- trained sheep see that some of their number can cross the bridge, with a steady rush they follow after their leaders, There mo scores and huu- deeds of thousands of Men and wo- men Nvho want to elo wrong. But when they hear of the shortcomings of their follow Olen, they say to themselves: "Well, if So-and-so Can SOW MS wild oats, I guess wo ca11. 34 uSo-and-so can safely cross ' the rickety bridge spanning the river of death, T guess we can also trust our- selves upon the Swinging span, Hero goesi" "Tinder is »ot more apt to take fire," once wrote PhillipS Brooks, "1101' WELX tO take tho im- pression of the seal nor paper the ink than youth ie to follow ill ex- amples." "When the abbot throws the dice," goes an old locoed, "the whole convent will gamble also." Everywhere wo find that when a great Man dime wrong his evil con- duct: is taken 00 an example, or rather Ei8 An 01101100, for hundreds and themsands of similar sins. TUE ARTIST'S ArAsTmlymun. Never givo any man 0 chance by the reelial ef mono wroeg or sin to turn his Mee for Ono instant from porRy and right. 311003) Loollordo da Vinci Detailed hie great paint - the "Last Supper," he made a cup which was a initeterpieco, In form and character and in the lus- tor of the preelowe metal this cen- tral ('Up WEIS clearly and beautifully wrought out. The common praise whieh wee first heard front every lip Ives this: "How marvelous is the art ilieplayed In the wine cup.:' Ohle eulop,ltim so Incensed the greet Ital- ian artist that he toolc a great brush and blotteil out the splendid elip as lie veld: "f meant the face, of Jeelle Oluist to be the only mull the 01)11(1 01 and the most important part of that pletere. Whatever draNs away the eyes of the beholder from that must be blotted out." And 80 WileteVer draws away the thoogins and the cleldreS of 0111. hearers and companions front truth and purity and love must bo blotted I mit. And mark you this, my bro- thee, in ninety-nine cEnies Mit of a le:mired no man is as good a 111101 after hearing the rehearsal of a scandal or a. sin ELS he WaS hefore, There may be exceptions. There may be times when people, by illus- tration, ought to have the red light of warning flashed before their oyes. But in, ninety-nine cases out of a hundred a man's spirithal life is de- veloped better by hearing of the vir- tues and self sacrifices and Christian purities of Ids fellow men than by wallowing in the mud of scandal and of sin. This harsh criticism which wo may utter against, our neigbbors always has a had reactionary effect upon those who notko it. Therefore if we want to have a great influence for goad it is vevy essential for us, for tho most part, to talk only about the virtues and the good qualities of those with 181)001 we come in con- tact. THE FOLLY OF SAMSON, 131ind Samson tumbled down the Dagon temple upon the heads of the 3,000 Philistines. Ilut when. Sam. son destroyed the enemies of his peo- ple he also destroyed himself. So when We attempt by harsh criticism to destroy others we contribute to our own destruction. The golde11 lips of gospel silence/ never intentionally speak a 1100511 word against a sinful neighbor. Ithy? Their owner icnows that in the sight of Coil lie Is a sinner an(1 that as a iost sheep he has erred and strayed far from the divine pasturage. The bettee a Christian is the more ho realizes the enormity of his own sins, the more inclined he is to he less harsh upon the sins of others, \Then Paul first had his blied eyes opened by the good Ananias, he was able, to some extent, to see his OWil faultslie wrote, "I am the leas1 of the apostles." Then 1?a.ul went on in his spiritual growth. He satv his past blacker an11 blacker in the eyes of God, irhen he wrote, "Unto me, who ant less than the least of all the saiets." Paul went on growing higher and higher ill spirit- ual life until at last, just before his martyrdom, he could cry out in rap- ture, "This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation — that Clulst Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom. I am chief." 011, my brother, by prayer and con- secration and by grace cannot and will not you come so near to Clod that you will cease to coraleMn your follow men? Cease beeatISO, like Paul, you Cell feel that you are the chief of sinners? When 180 hear People harshly cri- ticized, niny we, in the name of Christ, say nothing or only, if ne- cesseey, speak up in their behalf as Christ would have us speak. May we learn this lesson riot by stand- ing before the picture of an earthly hero, but by the tornb of a mar- tyred Lord. HIE S. S. LESSON, ;donee, cannot injure, seelo not Its own welfare first, but rather the welfitee of others, therefore cannot, migaste in any pureult or Imehress 100101 would impoverieli others while enriching itself. 1 1. And that, knowing the tinte, tha3 noNv it is high time 10 314011130 out of 81ee10 for lime is our salve. - thin nearer than when We believed. The epistles aro written to believ- ers, thoSe who by faith la fihrist are saved, have passed from death to life and yet seem to be ueleep and talk in thciir sleep (Ism xxix, 13); lvi, 1(1 margin). The tendency of believers to sleep, both under the moot, glorloils and the most awful circtunetances, Is seen in l'eter, '111111)9 and J olin on 1)3' 31101013. of Transfiguratioo and in Gethsemane (1,uko l)c, 32; xcii, 15, 43), showing how utterly emeign, oven 40 redeemed pemile, hefty- euly things are and how unable am are to grasp them. Scunson asheei in the lap of Delliith sliews how the strongest are apt to be overcome by the things of this world, end Jonah asleep in the storm while the heath- en captain and sailore called upon their gods is a wonderful picture of the church, asleep to such (0111.' 111000315 EIS Mark xvi, 15, while the blind ?cal of the heathen should put us to ahem:, 12. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness Eilld let us put on the armor of light. It seems strange to those who boast of the progress of the century to speak of this being still the world's night, but It is even so, and the clay will not (lawn 1111 tho morn- ing star appears and then the sun (Rev, xxii, 1(1; Mal, iv, 2). When Ho said, "Ye are th'm. light of the world" (Matt. v, 14), lie certainly meant that the world needed sight and was therefore in darkness. The progress is like that of Cain and is not progresS ill Or toward righteous- ness for the whole world still lieth in the wicked. one (I John v, 1(1), 'Believers are children of the light and of the day (1 Thess, v, fi) and waiting for the day to dawn, for only then will olir full salvation come, to which we are drawing nearer every day, ELS stated In the last verse. 13, 14, Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ and snake not provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof. The believer is said to receive Christ (john i, 12) and also to put on Christ (Gal. iii, 27) and to be in Christ (I Cor. 1, 80), but in whatever way our relation to Christ is spoken of tbe fact is recognized that the old man. the self life, in still ill us and is to be persistently rec,koned dead or put 011 (Rom. vi, 11; Eph. iv, 22, 24; Col. iii, 9, 10; II Car. iv, 10, 11). We are to have no confidence in the flesh, to wor- ship Clod in the Spirit and rejoice. in Christ Jesus (Phil, iii, 13). We are to have Gib 'mind of Christ .Tesus, and, as ITe neer pleased I-Iimself, so We, if filled with IIis Spirit, will not live unto ourselves in any Sel- fish way (Fltil. ii, 5; Rom, xv, 3). There is no salvation for any shatter or any kind of a 8101100 except by the blood of Christ apart from any works of ours (Rom. iv, 5; Tit. iii, 5), so the life that is exposited froin us cannot bo lived by us, but Must be lived by Christ, in us without our help, We yield ourselves to Hint, and 130 lives the life and weeks the works (Gal. ii., 20; Phu. ii, 13). Whatever is done, it is His working in us good pleasure (Col, i, 20; I Cor. etv, 10; 33 Thess. i, 11), that Cod in all things may be glorified through .lestis Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for over and ever. Amen 3 (I Pet. iv, 11). —t, INTERNATIONAL LESSON, APRIL 19. Text of the Lesson, Rom. xiii., 7-14. (1 -olden Text, Rom. xiii., 10. 7. Render therefore to all their 'dues; tribute to whom tribute' is due, custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, honor to whom hon- er. After assuring us of our high aisll holy place in the love of God through the gift of His dear Son and that nothing can possibly separ- ate us therefrom and telling us in chapters is to xi of God's unchang- ing purpose concerning 'fermi', he then entreats us from chapter xi i on- ward to let God have our whole be- ing that by a righteous life which Ile will live 113 those who aro yielded to Him He may mako Himself known to others, Subjection to the pow- ers that be, cheerfully paying tribute and taxes, rendering respect as for- eigners WOUld ill Et countey whore they are tensporarily abating—these things Christians should gladly do bemuse they are citizens of heave11 ancl thus command the country to which they belong, 8. Owe no man anything, but to love 000 another, for be that loveth another hath fulfilled the law, Some one has said that lovo is the law itself in manifold action, an ob- ligation rover fully discharged. Leve im seen perfectly only in Christ, nev- er insinful mortals. If any think that they have seen it perfectly in some redeemed one, let them consid- er such in tho light of 3 Cm xiii, 4- 7, and also coneider one of Mr, Spurgeoe's definitions of sin as any- thing that the Loed Josus wola not think or say or do or bless. lf ono should ask, Whore, them is the per- fect love wbich casteth crut fear? (I John iv, 18) cote 011818e1' WOlIrd Them can bo no fear while abiding in Ills perfect love. 0, 10. Thou shalt lotio thy neigh- bor as iliyacIf. Love worketh no ill to his neigbbov; therefore love is the Minims of the law. 'These commands doe" witAi 001 treatment 01 our neighbor, for wo yea prove .otir love to cod (the seen of the first foul' commancimente, Matt. xii, 336, (3/) only by our loVo to 0111. neighbor. "Ile that loveth not las neighbor, whom he hail seen, how mut he love God, whont Ile hath not men?" (3 John iv, 20). Lever is always kind, sthilitiS to with hope and tbe promise of life told joy, John had heard it in the eiear, sweet, piercing notes of the meadowlark, and later in the soft "phoebe" and throaty little swag of a titmouse setting up housekeep- ing, Thle day the euperaliandance of life end hope but inteneified his own hopelessness, He had plunged into the woods to do battle with himself, for alone in the great temple of nasi tore a man may leurn somewhat of himself. t WaS Pisl a your ago, 00 Piaster Sunday, that he had asked Beth Somers to be his wife, and she had refused. Ile could See now the paM in tin clear hazel eyes as she 1113510 - lis pansiolia 1 0 pleadings., "Don't, John, don't:" she had begged. "Don't you See 110W hard it in for nie? Wo have been such good friondS for so long, John, it mustn't all end now. John, 1 hold you as the first and hest of ell lay feleurls, There is no one to whom I would tern So cpliChly fur aid or advice, to whom I would appeal so promptly in the hour of trouble as to you. And I would be as true a friend to you, John. More than that cannot pr0111150. Joliii, you would not have nie marry you unieste 1 love 500 as a woman should. It would be unjust 10 yom it would be unjust to myself. So lel us be Just the good chums we have alweys been, the better for the new understanding we have of each other.". So they had Lunde their figreement, he promising not to build fal:-e hopes on any little lcindnesses sl,e might claim LIS 1.110 privilege of INeartship. Ile had lived up to his pledges faith- fully. But when was hope over bound by pledges? He had hoped. Hew much Ito had hoped he had never con- fessed to himself until this anniver- sary day. Now he realized how ab- solutely impoesible it Wan to go on so, indefinitely. In the long tramp lie had fought it all over again and again, till his mind was marle 11p. He had an invitation to join a government ocientific expedition, which would take hint away for a year, perhaps inore. Thinking back through the years, John could not remember when lie had not loved, Beth. Even in the days of valentines anil May baskets Beth had always been the sole re- cipient of his youthful admiration. Vividly there came back to him the ere ly April days when together they had searched the woodlands and old pastures for the first bit of arbutus. With what boyish ardor and bashful- ness he had pressed opon her that first frail blossom when fortune had favored him! For those were the clays of much learning in the Mean- ing of flowers, and (he arbutus moans "I love you." The thought of that flower hrolight him back to the present, for in all his long tramp he had searched carefully, but in vain, for the first arbutus of the year. The last long slanting rays of the setting sun still lingered in the little opening on the brow of the hill. A breeze with the chill of eventide stir- red the white pine. A blue -jay screamed harshly and followed al- most immediately with its flutelike love note, John awoke with a start. As he did so, a tiny. fragile blossom with the soft pink of tbe wave -kissed sea shells fell close by his cheek. Ire Calight. EL whirr of its fragrant breath. It was the first arbu tu 5! Bewildered, bo rose quickly and turned to meet the clear eyes and flushed face of Both. "I tholight I should find YOU here, irohn," she 011 Ii•Tde. stooperl to pick up the little flower at his feet. "And this—" he stammered. "Is the lint arbutus of the yearl" sb'e'Aenricel'dit, means?" he questiotlecl. "I love you," she said softly., E2 John Ainsworth's Easter Eger. 0 • giretTedriaX106AtiOdefe")(SOGSSYSSOYee(Sedeelisriefie joint Ainsworth flung himself down and confessed being tired. Ho had tramped all of 18 miles over sharply pitched hills, through the close clutching tangle of crub oak thick- ets, under whispering pines, across brush-geown old pastures and around the boggy shores of secluded peace- ful Ilttle woodland ponds. Now he MIS back: to his favorite retreat on Telegraph 11111. ft was a little ope(0 spot on the very brow of the 11(31, Back and on two sides an oak forest stood guard, and below WaS 11 (10)151: thieltet or .sapiings, too young to cut off his view. Away across the now greening pastitmes and lower Ineaflows ho could see the spires of the village thrust through the groat overhanging elms which hid the hoeses. Beyond the level brown marshes stretched away to the irregular line of sand dunes, the outer line of defence against the be- sieging waters of the bay. Beyond those in turn the horizon beraine a quiet, haey blon'ding of the deep, almost purple bleo of 1110 NVEL- ter with the soft light blue of the April sky. The SUll glinted front the white, foaming curl of a WELVO and the distance made 'dazzling white the dingy snit of a mackerel fisher. To john Ainsworth, the seetie NVELS SO familiar 'that 110 Was Want tO call it his "own." Yet to -'clay, as he looked upon it, it was with the same catch of the breath and thrill of plensure that hart beee his when years before he had flest penetrated to that spot. 3?11e8e1/11y ho stretched himself ab full 10100 on the luxuriant cotielr of sun -warmed moss. 'rite gentle sigh of a White pine, the warmth of the AH0110011 sun afkl the weedy odor So peenliar to the spring soeth- ed the treubled spirit which had been driving bine over the hills sin& ear- ly morning. It was Easter, a rerely perfect Easter fit the Very opening of April. It had given to the v11111.011 bells that morning an imwoutell joyousliesie, The Whole World had scented athrill 4 - PAT WAS A SIDEBOARD. An Irishman went to a foundry af- ter Welt:. When he arrived he found another ma11 there on tho same errata]. Tho foreman came, and pat, being unaccustomed to asking for work, stood back, with tho intention of hearing how tho other fekow went about it. After the 111301I had asked, the fore- men Beni: "What trade are you?" "I'm a dresser," replied the man. "Come to -morrow," said the fore- man; "111 start you." Turning to the Irishman, tho fore- man asked hint what he was. "130 Inhere, soils" replied rat, "Oi'm a sideboard!" SKY4111111 POST OFFICE. The post race in Switzerland with the higheet altitude is situated at the terminus of the Zermatt Gorner- grat Railroad Company, about 10,- 000 feet 03080 Sea loVel, The spkn- did panorama 19)11(11 the tourists ad- mire at the Gornergrat usually in- duces them to vend quantities of pic- ture postcards to their friends, so that the postmaster there, who is also stationmaster, is a busy Men during the season, It is estimated that thousands of those postcards are despatched from tho Gornergrat every day Charing the season to all Parts of the world. • . WOULD BE 'USEFUL. "Hive's an astouishing state- ment," she said, looking up from the noWspapor. "Wbat is it?" ho asked. "Why, seientiets have discovered that different expressions can be pro- duce:a o(1 the hunum face by the 133)" 3)11001100 of ty." "All kinds of expreesions?" he in- quired. "All kinds," silo ansevereel, genial expressions of lutppi- ness and pleasUre?" "I suppose so," "Cheery expvessions of forgiveness and good lurtnor?" "Presumably; but what makes you So interested?" "Oh, 'nothing men," he answered; "but I'm going to bring 801110 010C- trodes home the imet thee I'm late for dinner or the cook leaveS Withoet netice." 4.4•000e'Keo.e.),•00,01.101)",;#0.00.811 • Uot Cross DilAs. 1.• • •:••,; 41+40 it 0:4 0:6 •:•.:11•:. 1,14 4.• •:0 I:4 y There are various stories told re- garding the origin of the familiar hot cross bun. The simplest anion - akin is that when the religious ob- servances of Holy Week were far more strict 1113011 11038 only a certain amount of bread was allowed to be eatea on Holy Friday, and that was marYed 013 1(1 the dough to show its length and breadth. But the bakers continued to CroSS their dough long after the occasion for measuring broad had paSSed. Whether this was dins to force of habit or from re- ligious sentiment is a matter of con- jecture. It is possible that bread was mark- ed with the sign of the eross because that symbol was so prominently in all minds during the celebration of Holy Weeic. It is more probable that the sign of the cross originated with the idea of consecrating bread to be eaten on so holy a day as Good Friday. And the small loaves of bamd which, in early times, were sold to pilgrims in the churches are very likely responsible for the small Imead or buns of to -day. The traditions connected with the hot Cr080 bun do not seem to influ- ence the present baking, selling, SerV- Ing and eating of tiny cross -bedecked loaves of bread, tastefully sweetened and generously fruited with currants or raisins. It is the sentiment of custom only which controls the pop- ularity of the hot cross bun. It may be that our hot cross bun is the natural outcome of a concen- tration of the reverence bread com- mands in all countries as one of God's most cherished gifts, the only essential foo'd, the conueonly accept- ed staff of life from time 11110)011101' - id. That which has been a. source of wealth and prosperity to nations and individuals, that which has en- tered into the literature of the world from its earliest history, that which bas been a, factor in tho technicalities of the law, and which, more than eighteen hundred years ago was chosen to be blessed indeed is to -day in every known civilized and savage country of the world considered sae. red. On bolded knee, with hearts uplifted to God, millions of people, in every language, petition for daily bread in the words of the universal prayer, "Clive us this day our daily bread." The significance of the cross on bread is generally unheed- ed. The cross is the only sign sig- nificant of concentration. In the generality of CEOS% all bread is blessed, either by makiug a cross on the dough or by making the sac- red sign over it. The original idea of this was to stamp all bread with the symbol of God, as a tacit ae- kuowleclgmeut of His goOdzieSS in be- stowing upon humanity this staff of mortal life. To many the crossing of the cicrugh is 111 remembrance of the miracle of the feeding of the multitude, as Christ signed the cross upon the bread hefore be broke it. In one part of Spain the cross is symbolic of charity bread. All loaves in- tended for distribution among tho poor are so raarked. Superstition is the mother of many qUaint 0.1111 curious customs. In. some of the rural localities of Eng- land small loaves of bread are bak- ed, even yet, on Good Friday, and preserved for medicinal purposes. In these districts it is believed that a small portion of such bread grated in water anti given to persons suf- fering with various ailments will cause a speedy cure, Another curi- ous idea is that to refrain from eat- ing 1101 cross bres.d on Good Fri- day is to invite destruction of pro- perty and danger to life by fire. In. many Catholic communities it is commonly believed that slued bread baked on Good Friday will never grow mouldy. A. piece of broad baked on this day will be rev- erently preserved throughout the year as a protection against many evils. Such bread Is supposed to avert the 'danger of fire, to control the fatality of sickness in children, to guard against hunger and cold and to protect religious beliefs from corruption. In Normandy a bit of bread baked on Christmas Eve is crushecl and mixed with the dough on Good Fri- day, The simple peasants think that they so combine the protective qualities of the two holy days' bak- ing, The Christmas Evo bread acts as a talisman to preserve from 'dan- ger from stories; the Good Friday loaf is believed to ward off tempta- tion from those who eat it. In One part of Switzerland it is customary on Holy Friday to feed the live stock with a, species of bread made front rye, bran and salt, mixed with water. The mess is con - shim ed balcod when thoroughly heat- ed and crusted, When the head of the family hes prayed that it ina,y carry 1310 blessing of God to his poor dumb boasts, it is dealt out to the cow, the 'donkey, the goats, the (loge matt even the chickens. This ceremony is supposed to motect the animals from die:ease 'during the year. 311 ,Asi*3. Minor no ono makes bread on Good Friday, for it is the belief that the water used in mixing dough Would change on that day into the blood of Christ and a deadly sin would be committed by all who ate midi broad. DANGER IN TIO1 PIPE. Death, and a most lerrible forni of it, is declared to lurk in tho tO- been pipe if it is made of clay. Such is 1110 startling statement made by the Irish Rogistrar-Goneral in a special report on cancer in Ireland just laid on the table of the Houee of Commolls. The clay "dlincleee." is tetry common amongst, the entry 10 Ireland, It is often Melt- ed until the shank is (1mite short,' nod then it so irritatee the lips of the Sertoker that cancer Warmth/lee SlIpervereeS. COHRT-ROOM HOMOR, When the Lawyer Sometimes Gets the Worst of It. The contest between fel,Insel and witnese must neceesarily be an un- equal one, and it is little surprise that the sympathies of the public are more often with the latter than the former, or Viet, whenever a wit- ness ecoree a point over a bullying cross-exanduer 11. is hvoi1e0 with 110 - light, "liave you ever been bankrupt ?" a pc/woman counsel once asked, 130 the writer's hearing, of a provincial tradesman. "No, never," came the decisive answer, "Now, be careful, sir,. how you answee this question. Rave you el'er stopped payment 3" "AIi3said the barrister, With eatisfaction, "I thought we should get at it. Now, sir, tell his lordship when that happened." "After I had paid all I owed." the witness answered, amid a roar af laughter, in which the judge himself felt compelled to join. On another occasion a conceited C0011501 had been cross-ecaminieg a young woman at coneiderable length upon the nge of a person with whom she professed to be well acquainted. Finally he asked her, "How old, now, do you take me to be 7". The witness scrutinized her persecutor closely for a 2110111011t Or tWO, and then ansvecred, "From your appear- ance I should take you to be sixty; from your questions sixteen," This story reminds one of an actually crushing answer given to an- other counsel, whose physical dimen- sions were incommensurate with his sense of importance. "Did you see this tree that was inentiooed by the roadside 3" the barrister inquired. "Yes, sir, .0 saw it very pIainly.'t "It was conspicuous, then ?" "No ; 3 shouldn't say it was exactly conspicuous," the witness an1010111(1, sir," counsel "You 1180 continued. "If, as you say, you saw tho tree plaiely, how CaO you say it was not conspicuous ?" "Well, it's just lilce this," the un- abashed witness replied ; "I can see you plainly among the rest of the lawyers, though you're not a bit eouspicuous." "You really mean to say," once asked a well-known lawyer, now a. judge, "that as the result of this accident your son will never be able to follow your business ? If he's not fit to be a butcher, what do you propose to make of him 3" was the answer, tthich convulsed the court, "if he's no good for owt else, I'll make a law- yer of him." "You say this Mrs. Robinson was a friend of yours 3" a learned Q.C. once asked a witness. "Is she here 3" "Do you know where she is 3" "Now, sir," counsel retorted, in a. fury, "I warn you to lie careful, and to remember that yoti are on your oath. You say that, although this woman is a: neighbor and friend of yours, you do not know where she is to be found. Tell the court at once, sir, where she is." "That's more than anybody knows, sir," came the startling an- swer. "She's dead." But perhaps the smartost retort ever administered to LEL bullying law- yer was the following. A counsel, after vainly trying to break down the evidence of a witness in 0 mur- der trial. so far forgot himself in his exasperation as to say, "I do faro" a word you say. Call see scoundrelistu reflected in your "Sorry for that, Sir," mine the crushing answer ; "I didn't think my face was such a good mirror" GETTING NEW PEOPLE. The old firm naturally.wants to hold all the Did friends and' would be perfectly satisfied if only old cus- tomers should stuy with them. The now firm wants and must get Ilele people. The old firm has a record and tries to IteeP it. The neW firm must make a record and must do things which will stir an interest among tho people. If the old busi- ness man is WiSo he will keep abreast or the times. 11 ho is not able to do it himself he will get some young man to do it for him. It will pay him to keep a rustler who can think of things which will interest people. If all the stores wore run with the 0116 point, in view of making the trading interesting it would be much Meier 10 gain in volume of business and would be far more ,satisfactoey as a result to the establishment. Keeping the people informed will sooner or later gain their confidence and good will, and then will come the understanding of the good to be obtained from dealing there. When tho people kaow they can be bone - fitted by dealing at a. given store they will naturally take pleasure ill going there for their goods and be satisfied only when they aro able to patronize that establishment. The Way to got neW customers therefore is to spread an ever -widening circle of Information about your goods, TRIPLE VACcTNATTox. The 3)'renC11 Government 11110 Pist promolgated ft new code of sanital7 regulations. This code among oth- es reguletions eMita 1 115 the remark- able proviso that, for the future three vaccinations instead of one as hitherto shall be obligatory upon all French citizens, The first is to be made during the ilvst year of fitneY, Hu: .011 ,11th,e eleventh year, and the 1311311 In the tleenty- fir8:110 O110Went Sky -Scraper is the Etna building, in New York, It beats all ' records With its 80 810131)78 (113(1 4.56 feet or height fsom the paveniellik