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The Exeter Times, 1894-10-25, Page 6ATED OARS IL Tag MX RODE HARD TO RRINO IT TO THE LAND." —44 Dr Vallnotrehi 1abest eeemen-aieuale, tine noketmen, in the eterin-The WHO Wayseattug orounel les To -tiny rend How 'We nirte liseape the eiceen'e Depths, Bewsonnelle (Molter 14, 1894. -Rev. Drs Talmage, who ia still alma on his round. the -world tour, has seleeted, as the subjeet to -Clay's Sern1011, through the preas, "The Oarsmen Defeated," the text eleasen. being Jonah 1 t 13, 14 r "The men rowed lord to bring it to the laud; but they could not; wherefore they cried unto the Lurd." Navigation in the IVIediteeraneau Sea al. Ways was perilous, especially so in early times. Vessels were prepelled partly by sail and partly by oar. When, by reason of great atress of weather, it was ntheigiary to reef the canvas or haul it in, then the vessel was entirely dependentupor, the oars, sometimes twenty or thirty of them on either side of the vessel. You would not Venture outside your harbor with such a craft as my text; fled Jonah sailing in ; but he had not much eboiee of vessels. He was running away from the Lord, and when a ;men is running away from the Lord, he has to run very fast God had told Jouah to go to Nineveh to preach about the destruction of that city. Jonah disobeyed. That eawaye makes reugh water, whether in the Mediterranean, or the Atlantic, or the Pacific, or the aaspian Sea. It is a very hard thing to soaresailors. I have seen them, when the prow of the vessel was almost uuder water, and they were winking the deck knee-deep In the surf, and the small boats by the side of the vessel had been crushed as small as kindling -wood, whistling as though nothing had happened; but the Bible says that these mariners of whom I speak were frightened. That which sailors call "a lump of a sea" had become a blinding,dean ening, swamping fury. How mad the wind can get at the water, and the water can get at the wind, you do not know unless you have been spectators. I Iss.ve in my house a piece of the sail of a ship, no larger than the palm of my hand; that piece of canvas was all that, was left of the largest sail of the ship Greece, that went into the storm two hundred miles off Newfoundland. Oh, what a night that was 1 I suppose it was in some such storm as this that Jonah was caught. He knew that the tempest was on his aocoutet, and he asked the sailors to throw him over board. Sailors are a generous. hearted race, and they resolved to make their escape, if possible, without resorting to sach extreme measures. The sails are of no use, and so they lay hold on their Oar& 1 see the long bank of shining blades on either side of the vessel. Oh 1 how they did pull, the bronzed seamen, as they laid back onto the oars. But rowing on the sea is very different from rowing upon a river ; and as the vessel hoists, the oars skip the wave and miss the stroke, and the tempest laughs to soorn the flying paddies. It is of no use, no use. There comes a wave that crashes the last mast, and sweeps the oarsmen from their places, and tumbles everything in the confusion of impending thipwreols, or,as my text has it, "The men rowed hard to bring it to the land ; but they could not; wherefore they cried unto the Lord." This scene is very suggestive to me, and 1 pray God I may have grace and. strength enough to represent it intelligently to you. 'Years ago I preached a sermon on another phase of this very subject, and I got a letter from Houston, Texas, the writer saying that the reading of that sermon in London 'had led him to God. And I receivedanother letter from South Australia, saying that the reading of that sermon in Australia had brought several souls to Chrisb. And then, I thought, why not now take another phase of the same subject, for perhaps that God who clan raise in power that which is sown in weakness may now, through another phase of the same subject, bring salvation to the people who shall hear, and salvation to the people he shall read. Men and women who know how to pray, lay hold of the Lord God Almighty, and wrestle for the blessing. Biahop Latimer would stop sometimes in his sermon, in the midst of his argu- ment and say, "Now, I will tell you a tale ;" and to -day I would like to bring the scene of the text as an illustration of a most important religious truth. As those Mediterranean oarsmen trying to bring Jonah ashore were discomfited, I have to tell you that they were not the only men who have broken down on their paddles, and hews been obliged to call on the Lord for help. I want to say that the unavail- ing- efforts of those Mediterranean oarsmen have a counterpart in the efforts we are making to bring souls to the shore of safety and set their feet on the Rock of Ages. You have a father, or mother, or husband, or wife, or child, or near friend, who is not a Christian. There have been times when you have been in agony about their is/sly-adorn A minister of Christ, whose wife wag dying without any hope in Jesus, Walked the floor, wrung his hands, oried bitterlY'and said, "I believe I skall go insane, for I know she is not prepared to meet God." Ann there may have been days of sickness in your household, when you feared it would be a fatal sickness ; end how °leerily you exarnined the face of the dootot as he thane in and scrutinized the patient, and felt the pulse, and yell followed him into the next room, and said, "There isn't any danger, is thee, doctor?" elkird the hesitatiMi and the uncertainty of the reply in5de two eternities flash before your vielitifia And thee you wenb and talked to the siek one abeat the great Saute. Oh, there are those who have tried to bring their Mende to God! They loses been unable to bring them to the iitiore of Safety. They are no nearer that point than they were years ago. You ta ink yen bane got there Aimee te the ober% When wee/ Are evvept briek again. What alien you do? Pub &WA the oar? Olo ne) 1 I do uot ativioe thet e leee I die envie% theti you eppeel to thtee Gott to Whole. the Mediternseeare aeration eppeeled-s-the Glad 1410 entthi, eilereee the Ns pese and bring the thin in sefety to. the porn I tell aou, my friends, that there hes get to be e gotta deei of preyieg before our &roiliest ae brou,glit to Christ&1 i is me awfut thing toe lipase half a, household on oue side the line, and ehe other peat of the house. hold oo the other side ot the line 1 TWQ veseele part ou the ocean of eternity, one going lei the right entl the other to the left-efarther %pert, arid fs•rtiter apart-- tut - til the sionals ceeee to be recognized, and the'a enly twe speoke ore the horizon, And theo they are lost to sight forever 1 I have to tell you that ehe unavailing ef- forts of these Mediterranean oarsmen have b. counterpart in 'the efforts some of as are Making to bring our children to the shore of safety. There were never so many temp- tations for youna people as there are now. The literary and: the socks' influences seem t. be against their spiritual interests. Christ eeerus to be driven almost entirely from the school and the pleasurable con- course; yet God knows how anxious we are for our children. We cannot think of going into heaven without them. We do not want to Leave this life while they are tossing on the wave of temptation and away from God, From which of them could we consent to be eternally separation? Would it be the son? Would it be the daughter ? Would it be the eldest? Would it be the youngest? Would it be the one that is well and stout, or the one that is sick? Oh, I beaosome parent say- ing to -night, "I have tried my best to bring my children to Christ. I laid hold of the oars until they bent in my gra p, and I have braaed myself against the ribs of the boat, and I have pulled for their eternal rescue; but I can't get them to Christ." Then I ask you to imitate the men of the text and cry mightily unto God. We want more importunate praying for children, such as the father had indulged in when he had tried to bring his six sons to Christ, and they had wandered. off into dissipation. Then he got down in his prayers and said, ."00, God 1 take away my life, if through that means mysons may repent and be brought to Christ ;, ' and the Lord startlingly answered the prayer, and in a few weeks the father was taken away and through the solemnity the six eons fled unto God. Oh, that father could milord to die for the eternal welfare of his children ! He rowed hard to bring them to the land, but could not, and then he cried unto the Lord. There are parents who are almost dis. couraged about their children. Where is your son to -night? He has wandered off, perhaps, to the ends of the earth. It seems as if he cannot get far enough away from your Christian counsel. What does he care aboua the furrows that come to your brow about the quick whitening of the hair ; about the fact that your back begins to stoop with the burdens? Why, he would not care much if he heard. you were dead The black -edged letter that brought the tidings he would put in the same package with other letters telling the story of his shame. What are you going to do? Both paddles broken at the middle of the blade, how can you pull him ashore? I throw you one oar now with which I believe you . can bring him into the harbor. It is the glorious promise, "I will be a God to thee, Ihearted mother and father, you have tried and to thy seed after thee." Oh, broken- .'everything °lee; now make an sppealfor the help and omnipotence of the covenant - keeping God! and perhaps at your next family gathering --perhaps on Thanksgiving Day, perhaps next Christmas Day -the prodigal may be home; and if you crowd on his plate more luxuries than on any other plate at the table, I am sure the brothers will not be jealous, but they. will wake up all the music in the house, " because the dead is alive again, e.nd because the lost is found." Perhaps your prayers have been answered already. The vessel may be coming homeward, and by the light of this night's stars that absent son may be pacing the deck of the ship, anxious for the time to come when he can throw his arms around your neck and ask for forgiveness for that he has been wringing your old heart so long. Glorious reimion 1 that will be too sacred for outsider's to look upon; but I would just like to look through the window when you have all got together again, and are seated at the banquet Though parents may in covenant ba And have their heaven in view; They are not happy t111 they see Their children happy too. . Again, I remark that the unavailing effort of the Mediterranean oarsmen has a counterpart in the effort which we are making to bring this world back to God, His pardon, and safety. If Wnie world could have been saved by human effort, ite: woald have been done long ago. John Howard took hold of one oar, and Carey took hold of another oar, and Adonirara Judson took hold of another oar,and Luth- er took hold of another oar, and they pulled until they fell back dead from the exhaustion. Some dropped in the ashes of martyrdom, some on the scalping -knives of savages, and some into the plague -struck room of the lazaretto ; and still the chains are not broken, and still the despotisms are not demolished, and still the world is un- saved. What then? Put down the oars and make no effort? I do not advise that. But I want you, Christian brethren, to understand that the church, and the school, and the eollege, and the missionary society are only the instrumentalities; and if this work is ever done at all, God must do it, and He will do it, in answer to our prayer. "They rowed hard to bring it t� the land, but they could not; wherefore they cried unto the Lord." Again, the unavailing effort of those Mediterranean oarsmen has a counterpart in every naan who is trying to row his own soul into safety. When the Eternal Spirit flashes upon to our condition, eve try to Save ourselves. We say, "Give me a stout oar for my right hand, give me a Stout oar for my left hand, and I will pull neyself into safety." No. A wave of sin comes and dashed you one way, and a wave of temptation comes and dashes you in an- other way, and there are plenty of rocks on vehieh to founder, but seemingly no harbor into which to eta Sin must be thrown overboard, or we must perish. There are men who have tried for yearis to become Christians. 'They believe all 1 say in regard to a future world. They believe that religion is the first, the lest, the in- finite necessity. They do everything but trust in Christ. - They make sixty strokes in a minute. They bend forward with all' earneetness, end they, lie baek until the miesolo are clieteridedeattd yet they have not made one inch in ten years tovvard heaven. What ie the reason ? laelst is not the way to go to work. You might as well take a frail skiff, and petit Iowa at the foot of the Niagara, and then head it up toward the churning thunderbolt ofwaters and expect to work your way up through the lightning of the foam into calm lake Erie, as for you to try and pull. youtself through the and of your sin. into the hope, Perdelli, and pleaidity of elle emepele ou ean nee die tt in thee way. Site la it rthigh sea., and the loognmat, yieWl,pintteale. and„ gondola go down unieee tne leird Whiner, betj nou will cry to Obrilit ant ley laold of divine lather non ate aa aaftl from ()tarot' oondeumetiort aa tholegli you had beet twenty yeers ire heaven. aut while I lustre hown yon helplessness, 4. Want to put by the side ef ib the ponor and willingthes of Chriet to Raye you. 1 think it was in 1606 metal was bound for Portugal, out it wee driveu to piethe on an itefriendly comet. The captain had his son with him, and with the crew they Wanders ed op the beaoh anti eettrted em the long journey to find relief. After a while the son fainted by reason of hunger and the length of the way. The <Iolanda eaid o the orew, "Carry in boy for me on your shoulders," They carried hini on, but the joarney was so long that atter awhile the erew fainted from hanger and from weari- ness and eould cerry him no.longer. Then tbe father rallied nisalmost warded energy, and took up his own boy and put him on his shoulder, Arid carried him, on mile after mile, mile after mile, until overcome Min. self by huger and weariness, he too, fainted by the way. The boy lay down and died, and the father, just at the time rescue mune to him, also perished, living only long enough to tell the story -sad story, indeed 1 But glory be to God that Jesus Christ is able to take us up out of our shipwrecked and dying condition, and put us on the thoelder of His strength, and by the omnipotenne of His Gospel bear us on through ell the journey of this life, and at last th-ough the opening gates of heaven. He is mighty to save, Though your sin be long and black, and inexcusable, and out- rageous, the very moment you believe I will proclaim pardon -quick, full, grand, unconditional, uncompromising,illimitable, infinite. Oh, the grime of God. I am overwhelmed when I come to think of it.. Give me a thousand lacldets, lashed fastbo eaoh other, that I may scale the height. Let the line run out with the Anchor until all the cables of earth are exhausted, that we may touch the depth. Let the archangel fly in circuit of eternal ages in trying to sweep around this theme. 0, the grace of God I It is so high. It is so broad. It is so deep. Glory be to my God, that where. man's oar gives oat, God's arm begins 1 Why will ye carry your sins and your sor- rows any longer when Christ offers to take them? 'Why will you wrestle down your fears when this moment you might give up and be saved? Do you not know that everything is ready? Plenty of rocim at the feast. Jesus has the ring of his love all ready to put upon your hand Come now and sit down, ye hungry ones, at the banquet. Ye who are in rage of sin, take the robe of Christ. Ye who are swamped by the breakers around you, cry to Christ to pilot you into smooth, still waters. On account of the peculiar phase of the subjeot,I have drawn my present il- lustrations chiefly from the water. I re- member that a vessel went to pieces on the Bermudas a great many years ago. It had a vast treasure on board, but the vessel, be- ing Bunk, no effort was made to raise it. Afrer many years had passed, a company of adventurers went out from England, and atter a long voyage they reached the place where the vessel was said to have sunk. They got into a small boat and hovered over the place. Then the divers went down, and they broke through what looked like a limestone covering, and the treasure rolled out -what was found after- wards to be, in American money, worth one million five hundred thousand dollars, and the foundation of a great business house. At that time the whole world re- joiced over what was called the luck of these adventurers. Oh, ye who have been rowing towards the shore, and have not been able to reach it, 1 want to tell you to- night that your boat hovers over infinite treasure 1 All the riches of God are at your feet. Treasures that never fail, and crowns that never grow dim. Who will go down now and seek them? Who , will dive for the pearl of great price? Who will be prepared for life, for death, for judgment, for the long eternity? See two hands of blood stretched our towards thy soul, as Jesus says, "Come unto the all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." I wish I could put before my unpardoned readers their own helplessness. No human arm was ever strong enough to unlock the door of heaven. No foot was ever mighty enough to break the shackles of sin. No oarsman swarthy enough to row himself into God's harbor. The wind is against you The tide is against you. The law iranainst you. Teo thousand corrupting iiiffeences are against you. Helpless and inedone. Not so helpless as a gainer on a plank in mid Atlantic. Not so helpless a tenveller girded by twenty miles of prairie on fire. Prove it, you say. I will prove it. John 6: 44. -"No man can come to Me, except the Father which loth sent Me draw him." STATE AID FOR WORKING MEN. Josepn Chamberlain Explains the Lib- eral-Uniontst Polley. A despatch froni London says :-Joseph Chamberlain, M. P., the Liberal-Unioniet leader, addressed the Unionist conference in Durham to.day. He held that the Unionist party was growing in strength at the expense of bhe Gladstonians, and he insisted upon the importance of having a definite policy of the social reforms. He defended in detail the bill which he has prepared foe introduction at the next ses- sion of Parliament, providing for the furnishing of State aid to artisans in tee purchase of homes of their own, for the granting of old age pensions, for the limitation of the hours of labor in shops and factories, for the restriction of pauper Deice immigration and for a new Employers' Liability Act, embodying a contracting out clanse. Referring to the adverse opinione of certeen Tjnionist papers on this bill he said that if he thought the criticisms were approved by any cqnsiderable Election of the Unionist party he would resign the responsible position which he now holds in the party'councils. The party would never sutheed, he declared, 'With a barren policy of negative criticism or cynical indifs fererice. Sir Watkyn 'Williams Wynn °Was 137,- 025 acres of land in Wales, and heti manor - la' rights over 180e" 00 sores more. Of the land he owns 11.2,000 acres are ogettpied by Welshospeakings, and 25,600 by English. speaking tenants. The teneete are 941 in all. Among them twerity4our timilies have held the same land from 203 tg 250 years each ; terse ib ens, parish an average of 033 years apiece one for 400 years), "while the Foulkes family ore supposed to have oecuttled Ga. I :Je ry r 1,000. years." THE SUNDAY SCHOOL, INTERNATIONAL LEssoN,00% 28,94., "A. P41110110 He tiled," Mark u, tioxioNN WIIXT.-104trU ORTEI4A11, surita syr. 1.Phe hula fof the new Teacher has now boOrl blazoned throughout the land, and from all quarters people gather to hear his Words. The house in Cepernaum where ;ramie dwells is surrounded day and, night by an eager throng, and within its walls are met leading ecribes from all the citine of Galilee And Judea, listening with oritiott Writ, but not yet fixed in their attitude towards him. There is a, commotion with- out as a group of four men endeavor to crowd their way through ,a mass of people, carrying a couch oo 'which rests a palsied, helpless man. Finding their attempt vain, they mount the roof of the lowly dwelling, remove a portion, of the covering, and lower heir burden into the very presence of the Master. Faith speaks in their act, and though mindful of the unfriendly eyes upon him, Jethe says, "Thy sins be forgiven," and goes on with his discourse. There are curling lips and looks of scorn from the Pharieees at the thought of a man taking' God's place as the forgiver of sin. But Jesus, calmly looks around and reminds them that it is as easy to forgive sin as to restore the palsied, since both are miracles. of divine grace; and then, to convince them that he oould do either, he bade the man rise up and take his couch. In an instant power thrilled through the shaking limb, the man arose, gathered up the bed on which he layteed walked forth to hie home, while Pharisees were confounded and dia. ciples rejoiced in their Master's triumph. EKPLANATORY 'NOTES. Verse 1. Capernaum. A little village unnamed in the Old Testament, and men- tioned but once by Josephns. It was hon- ored above all other cities on earth,and more than the conduct of its inhabitants deserved (see Matt. 11. 12). It stood on the west- ern shore of the 'Sea of Galilee, but its exaot location has never been fully decided, tbough the weight of evidence favors the ruins now kuown as Khan Minyeh. After some days. During the tours through Galilee for preaching Jesus made Caper- naum his home, aud returned thither irom time to time. In the house. Perhaps the house of Peter, ar of some other disciple. 2. Gathered. Showing the interest already excited by his miracles and teach- ing. (1) Where the king is there is the court and the gathering Of the people. He preached. Not in the form of a set sermon, but declaring the kingdom of God and its requirements, repentance and faith. (2) Jesus gives his preachers the example of work in season and out of sea- son, in public and in private. 3. They come. From Luke 5. 17 we learn that other miracles were wroughtbnt this only is related in detail. Palsy. Paralysis, or loss of Towel to move the limbs,either partial or entire, a disease very common in the East. Borne of four. An item given only by Mark's graphic pen,and showing the utter helplessness of the suffer- er. 4. Uncovered the roof. Oriental roofs are often made of clay spread upon brush- wood, which is laid on the rafters, so that a portion may be easily removed and readily repaired. Let down the bed. A light mattress, spreail generally on the floor, as bedsteads are unknown to orientals. (3) Those who are conscious of their need will let nothing keep them back hom corning to Jesus, and those who will come can always find a way to come. 5. Saw their faith. Saw it by tlee omnis- cience of his divine eye, or saw it as evi- denced by their act. Their faith consisted in their absolute confidence in his power to heal and their trust that he would heal. (4) Faith and prayer may be shown in deeds as well as words. Son. He who was but thirty years old spoke with the compassion of the everlasting Father Thy sins be forgiven. These words were spoken perhaps because Jesus saw the needs of the man's soul were deeper than those csf his body, perhaps be- cause he wished to ;sort to the critioiaing scribes +wound her ewn authority to speak as God's represenuative. (5) Let us realize as we draw nigh to Christ Mist he knows our needs before we tell them. • 6. Gercam of the scribes. From Luke 5. 17 we leare• ;hat there were many of the scribes present from all parts of the land, not as learners, but as critics; already un- friendly to Jesus, but not yet ready to take an open stand against him. By a few words of flattery Christ might have won the favor of this party, the ruling element in the nation; but he chose rather to be loyal to the truth and meet with bitter opposition. Reasoning. Not con- versing, but watching and considering in silence. • 7. This man. The word in the original ex- presses a shade of contempt, "this fellow." Same word is used in John 9. 29. Already the Son of God is rejected by the sone of men. Speak blasphemies. In claiming as his right that which is the prerogative of God alone. Who can . . . but God only? "But one, even God." Upon their view, that Jesus was a mere men,they were justified in th sir eharge,for not even the great. est prophet ever claimed the right to pardon sin. (6) Those who do not regard Jesu as God fnust regard him as a blasphemer. 8, 9: When Jesus perceived. " Strolgh- way . . . perceiving." By hits own in- dwelling divinity reading the thought in the minds of his enemies. Whether is it easier, etc. To say that the man's sins were forgiven was easy, hemmers no visible' effect was produced; but to say, "Take up thy Ueda" would cover with confusion the one who spoke without supernatural power be enforce his utterance. Hence that which was really the lesser miracle seemed to be the greater. 10. But that ye may know. By working a visible Miracle, Jesus would show his power to work one greater, but invisible. The Son of Man. An expression which re- veals not only the humanity of our Lord, but indirectly his divine nature also, since it is riot i used n the New Testament of any other person, and thus marks him out from men in general as the Son of Man. Hath power on earth. A claim that he came not from earth, but was of higher than human origin, and while among men still held the kingly prerogative of pardon which he pos- sessed upon the heavenly throne. (7) Thus in Jesus Christ God and man are mysteri. ously blended and interwoven, 11. I, Joy unto thee. Prophets and apostles wrought their miracles in the name of another; Jesus invokes no higher name than his own. Arlie, And take op. Thee far the palsied man Jay' helpless, though his sins were forgiven, and he joy of pardon was in his beat -ti t and bet for this wetd he wenid have still remained a paralytic. 12.a04:4714,, oivgn Se:tiillitlti :iarxene4. 2 teap(io t‘8..0ta4.), Seeking (3) r4ith ; (4) Pardon (5) Power; Glorified God, Even the thanes could not reeisb the tine of popular feeling, and prole* ed God for riepding be men the mighty wonder.worker. (e) Bodily restoration makes a deeper impression on men them the greater miracle of ealvation, SYNTHETIC CHEMISTRY'. The 'Wonderful Things it ie Going to Do Have readers ever heard of synthetic obomistry ?" Well, it is going to do won- derful things. The food and drinkpro- ducing animals and, vegetables will not be milled upon for the usual human supply, but food and drink will be nomefactured to order by the consumer himself and served in highly concentrated tablets that can be oarried in the vest pocket As the ladies now wear vest, there need be no apprehen- sion on their account. A person may then arry about him two co three table cl'hotel dinners thrnplete, from oysters•or clams, to crackers, cheese, coffee and tobacco, with all his liquors included, This change will be brought about, it is said, by the re- markable progress being made in compound- ing food and drink, from their constituent elements, carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen. It has advanced so far, already, that the preparation of beefsteak and lamb chops from its elements is assured, and nicotine, the essential eleinent of tobaceo, has been produced from coal tar. But it is likely to be urged against this commodious theory that while synthetic chemistryis progressing so fast in supply- ing artificial food and drink to the body, analytic chemistry may be progressing just as fast in preventing the waste of the body on account of which food and drink are needed. It will be urged by a vast majority of mankind that no one, in any generation, will be likely to submit to much of any change of the familiar forms of food and drink, It will be contended that ab- solutely no one will submit to any change that will oblige him to lose any of the grat- ification to sight or hearing, thought or feeling, on account of the table service, cornpanionshipand environment with which the happiest meals of life have been in. seepaarrably associated by good and loving hts. Of course it would be convenient at lunch time to have ready made tablets in one's pocket, and by consuming one be able to eat green turtle soup, broiled live lobsters, chicken salad, or drink coffee or beer withoat stopping work, save waiters' fees and gain an hour or so every day, for pious meditation. But at dinner time it would be different. There would be no cherished trysting place where; far from the vanity and frivolty of simple living and laboring, ono would ever find congenial spirits to warm him with good cheer and agreeable companionship. There would be no oyster on the half -shell, or roast canvas back duck, or venison and red cur- rent jelly served on a chafing dish. And last, but not least, there would,be no Peiper Hydsick or Veuve Cliquot, bubbling and sparkling and laughing in the face of the drinkers ; there would be no Roman Punch to produce a beautifully s welled head for the morning, and no brandy and soda to reduce it to its normal conditions. Life, indeed, would be hardly worth living if such a theory should prevail. The ready made tablets would become horribly taste- less in time, eating and drinking would be purely mechanical, and we would become, in a brief period, mere unimaginative figureheads of humanity. Foreign Invasions of Britain. In all, counting hostile expeditions into British waters, Britain has been invaded about forty-eight times by foreign foes- i.e. by Julius Ca3Sar, 55 and 54 B. C.; by the Romans, under Aulus Plautus, A. D. 43; Saxons, under ./Ella, 442; Jutes,under Hengist and Horse, 449, Saxons,under eElla 479; Engles (or Angles), 480; Gewissaa (West Saxons), 514 ; Da.nes,who commenced their thirteen invasions in 7S3; and began their "polibicai conquests," 980; by Swegen -first invasion -988; by the Norwegian and Swedes combined, 991; by Swegen and Olaf, 994; by the Danes; in companYawith Pelig, 1001; by Swegen, 1003 and 1005; Turkills (Danish) fleet, 1009; Swegens-last invasion -1013 ; Cnut, 1015 ; the Normans, under Edward, 1036; Lothen and Yrling, Scandinavians, 1048; William the Conquer- or, 1()66; the Danes again, 1074; Robert of Normandy, 1103 Henry of Anjou (after- wards Henry 1153; Prince Louis of France, 1215; Isabel and Mortimer, with foreign aid,1326 ; Edward IV., aided by the Duke of Burgundy, 1471; Margaret, with help from France, 1471; Richmond, with French forces, 1485 Simnel, aided by Ger- mans, 1487; the Dutch defeated off Lowe- stoft, 1665; ditto,defeated in the Medway, 1657; William of Orange, 1668 ; the French victorious off Beaohy Head, 1680; and re. pulsed from Wales, 1795. In addition to the above the Danes also invaded Scotland and Ireland, 795-6,took Dublin and Fingall, etc., 798, and again invaded that country, which was also invaded by Spaniards and Italians, 1580; by James II. with French aid, 1689; by Thurot, with French aid, 1760, and by the French, 1793; whilst the Island of Jersey was invaded by them in 1781. The British Army. The general annual return of the Britieh army for the year 1893 shows that the eff- ective strength of all ranks in the regular army on the 1st of December last yeas 219,- 994, of which number 106,074 were employ ed at home -76,170 in England and Wales 3,573 in Scotland, and 26,331 in Ireland - and 111,205 abroad, namely, 36,511 in the colonies and Egypt, and 74,694 in India. The total slumber of recruits who joined the regular army in 1893 was 35,202 of whom 1,128 were under seventeeie years, 230 under eighteen years, and 14,410 under nineteen yeare. the proportion per 1,000 of desereions from all armies was 23,as com pared with 24 in 1892, Men were tried for offencein 17,4'75 carses--14168 at home and 6,307 abroad -sand sentences were passed in 10,769 cases . The army reserve i shows a net nereme of 3,764. PettyBad. eraelt.e.ouThat cigar you gave me was the worst I ever taokled," Tom—"Thatis tlacause you never tackled v of your own" Poets Corner. . , ThOclA Yel tit) lirtigotlw,%4J1.4118odSIAV4,:i 401;1114hk:eillIvinad. Aron, NOW swirling in idle cutting blast, New sodden ;lacier feet -they teaoll T4huatotnieoonfdoey olll)U:t the. Titistuin Comes sadly -home to my poor Mort, TheWdahroksoeYnion;tillafyilal laitOopeueracia•er fled, a'A°811),V1Itvnee9rneil°101naVileiSe aLn$44°s1dord rtie But is ib all decay Al) present loss -no gain remote/ monotony of paint Ah The robin sings -how sweet the note A pure unearthly strain. And or all dowers the first Beneath these loaves 10 spring shall blow Sweet; violets blue and white, So all lost love shall burst 10 springlike beauty, summer glfev, In heaven upon eur sight, Lassie, Weel I Lo'e. Acloon yen wild wood'e leafy shade ' At gloamin's gentle fa', 'Xlltryeb and meet thee, fairest maid, Wha's dearest o' them a'. Love's tale ance mair 111 whisper thee 'Mang gems o' hanglie dew, And a' life's cares are hid 'loath bliss - S weet lassie. wool I The blackbird's e'enite sang we hear Ring through the gloamue grey, But sweeter, richer to the ear. , As slowly hame we stray, Is thy sin tender marmur'd "Yes,' 'Mang gath'rin` sliver dowt And a' life's cares are hid 'neath Sin' thou art mine to Inc. We'll rove nae mair yon fairy don Beneath nicht's sky 1u' plear ; Within a cosy but and ben Blythe love oor hearts wilt cheer; Sae rich love nee in thy brieht e'e, As pure as e'enin' dew, And deep and strong life's sang shall be - Sweet lassie, thee 1 lo'e. • Vanity or Vanities. He wrote his name On the sands of fame And dreamed 'twould perish never; But time's graywave Those shoreff did lave, And the name Was gone forever. With tender guile She bound a while Young love in a fetter of flowers; But e'en as she dreamed He was true as he seemed, He had flown to rosier bowers. Now youth and meld, In the churchyard laid, Know neither of love nor glory But 01807 11 youth And maid, in sooth, Tell over and over the story. • Better Times Better times by an by, Wait an' see, Dont grumble all th' time But try an' be Cheerful as Oa' birds that sing C3ntinually. Better times by an' by, Th' clouds will pass, For if It were not so Alexi; alas! No lowering gloom could e'er Our gloom surpass. Better times by an' by, When crops are good, Money be more plentiful An' then th' mood 0' men will change an' be More as it should. Better times by an' by, Hold up your head, Step out an' Walk th' streets With firmer tread, Hope th' dearest friend life has, Is not yet dead. Better times by an' by, Wait an' see, Don't worry all bit' time - 'Twist you an me I think th' times are better noW If we'd but see. 'For My Sake." Threelittle words, but folloC tendthest mean- ineegl Thrittle words, the heart ean scarcely hold; Three little words, but on their import dwell- ing, What wealth of love their syllables unfold 1 "For My sake" cheer the suffering, help the needy; On earth this was my work; I give it thee. If thou wouldst follow in thy Master's foot- steps, Take up My cross and come and learn of Me. 'For My sake' let the harsh word die un uttered, That trembles on the swift, impetuous tongue; "For My sake" check the quick rebellious feeling, That rises when tby brother does thee wrong. " For My sake" press with steadfast patience onward, Although the race be hard, thetattle long. Within My Father's house are many man- sions; There thou shalt rest and join the victor's song. And if in coming days the world revile thee, If "for My sake" thou suffer pain and loss, Bear on, faint heart; thy Master went before thee; . They only wear His crown who share His cross. Champion Derelict. The champion derelict of the world has been again sighted, and if she keeps afloat. for less than another three months elle, will have been "tramping" the north At- lantic for three whole years. The _Fannie E. Wolston was abandoned on December 15, 1891, off Cape Hattereo, whence she drifted eastward until the following June when a current setting northward caught her. She got oat of this current, and a year after her abandonment was sighted in latitude 35 degrees north, longitude 38 de- grees west. At the end of her second year this Wandering Jew of the sea was not far south of Bermuda. Since then etre has fro. (mealy been seen travelling very slowly down the neighborhood of the Bahamas, and up again in the Gulf stream. On June 6 lase she was paused only 180 miles east of the spot where she was abandoned by her crew 980 days before. Just now she is right in the path of Canted States and Brazilian vessels, and, as her decks are awash, she is an objet to be evoided. main deck and cabin sire completely washed out, but it is remarkable thutt despite her long crewleas voyage, arid the washieg and teating oi the many storms in the region where he has been drifting, ehe still has her quarters above the plank shear shov- ing remarkably white, and the paint 15 in good order. On the ieland of Tatihon, off 86. Vaast la Ilougue, near Cherbourg, a Marine laboratory has just been established, With e.coonriniodations for eighteen naturalists, besides the direotor and his staff. WHAT WILL. BE: 1U EF,nct lt the Cene Sheltie). Ole Whet aahnollit Be the Results lo. lineope. Froin the moment the,t the Oar of Rua. 00044 ri so flat doimitNti,edwith tooth: las eurei tui solny, 111 w, oil ne 18 4t 15 likelyto be the effect of hie death upon tha European situation1 It iteems to bet the impression of well informed onlookerthat the -accession of the preseat Czarewitch to the throue of the Romanoffe would be fol' lowed by a renewal of cerdial friendship between the Governments of Berlin and St. Peterilthurg, by the substitution of a revived league of the three Emperors for the preao ent Triple Alliance, and by the oonseglieut isolation of France on the one side, aod of Italy upon this other, I Lis'ti : is thavtaoi nf Rt (Udenye tthhea tp eirne oari)lal apurt:dirlaecloY. tions of the sovereign are weighty, if not decisive, involving at they do the ultimate ascendancy at his court of those Who are in real or professed sympathy with his views. During the iifetifne of the old Gentian Ern. peror, William L, the feeling of werneetier. somal Affection with which he was regarded by his Russian kinsmen, Alexander II, and Alexander 111., was too strongto be shak- en even by the resentment expressed by many Russian ,Generals and diplomatists at what they deemed the betrayal of the Czar's interests in the Congress of Berlin. With the reign of William IIeerie a change, for the Emperor evinced indiffers encs to the Czar's good will, and the dis- missal of Bismarck was regretted at 5. Petersburg as the apparent repudiation of a policy which, in spite of three deflections,' had been based on the declaration that a, quarrel with Russia must be avoided at all hazards. Under such circumstances there was really nothing for the Czar to do but to enter into some surt of an understanding with France, although the extreme instabi- lity of the French Exeoutive, and the grow. ing influence exhibited by Jacobins and Socialists in the French Legislature, must have made such a conibination distasteful. The distaste must now be emphasizecloince the complete fiasco of the attempt to en. force the new laws against the Socialists has led to a reaction in their favor, of which,. signal proof was given the other day, when a Socialist captured the seat left vacant by M. Casimir-perier, the new President of the republic. Nevertheless, having accept- ed certain overtures from France, and made certain responsive demonstrations, the present Czar, so long as he lives, will doubtless refrain from any sndden ancl violent alteration of Russia's foreign. policy. It is said,however, that the Czarewitchhil strongly philo-German in his sympathies, and that his impulse will be to choose his advisers from representatives of the German party at his court. No doubt this personal proclivity would, for a time at all events, meet with a good deal of obstruction, had the attitude of the Berlin Government con- tinued to be what it was for some time after the accession of William lIesButersuch is not the case. The German Emperor's reconciliation with Bismarck is understood to have been prompted mainly by a desire to signify approval of the latter's foreign policy,especially in its relation to the Czar, and this has been followed by a strenuous exercise of imperial influence on behalf. of the commercial .treaty between Germapy and Russe, which embodies large conces- sions to the latter country. It is obvious, bherefore, that the personal sentiments ascribed to the Czarewitoh will not be thwarted, but favored, by the material change which has come over international relations, and by the present disposition o he German Emperor to meet him more than half way. We are told that William 11. expressed recently an intention of visiting the Paris Exposition of 1960, and intimated that he knew how to assure himself a. welcome from the Parisians. This he might con- ceivably do without surrendering Alsace- Lorraine, provided he would give France a free hand against either Italy or England. He could afford to offer such a vent to the French passion for rehabilitation, if a re- construction of the , league of the three Emperors had made the position of Ger- many inpremeable. THE FATAL LIVE WIRE. Fearful Death of a Young Dan in Don: treal. ' Gideon Deguire, a young French-dttna-' diem, met a fearful death from a live elec- tric wire on St. James' street, Montreal, the other morning. A large crowd of people woe passing on the street at the time. An electric light eviee had crossed another, and burning itself in two, one end fell to the ground. Hissing and crackling it jumped -.about, and the crowd of people ran for their lives. The wire sprang about inall direction% and the shrieks of the fright% ed people attracted many others. The scene was one of the greatest excitement. In the midst of ib young Deguire arrived, and as the wire made a, move towards the roadway he grasped it with the right hand. With a shriek of pain he sprang into the air, and fell to the ground a corpse, The live wire burned itself through flesh and bone, and as the smoke' of the burning flesh rose the crowd grew more excited than ever. One spectator after the other tried to pull' the corpse from the death -dealing wire,and it was oniy after many had been shocked that the body was released, and carried to the eidewalk. The patrol waa"gen was called, and the corpse was lifttcl in and taken to the stations Soon afterward's the deceesede.father arrived, and the scene as he threw himself upon the body of his boy was pitiful in the extreme. Deguire was married last spring, and the yourtg widow is so prostrated tbet her friends fewthat her reason may he impaired. The dec tsed was only 21 years of age. ' Rather Discouraging". Country 130-t-'' (lisp ted," School Mats.-" Wcat, at? " " saw a city feller with a guti this morning, an' you irnotv votirst the Jaw to kill poem till next llotolwi." 1' Well, fenerOd hire tut feetT mistm to.day, an he missed everYthing he shot Iklot Intetie#,Ied, Professor Lotiglutir--" It, h (10 monstrated beyond question to t ihi c tinont is sinking," Nrlas toe V . ,