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IO THE PRESBYTERIA
way he watered the Garden of Eden the best; and so he
sends the great fog that hangs like a mighty cloud over
earth, and for days submerges us. After the fog?oh,
how sweet the bright glorious sunshine, and how warm
and tender old mother earth grows, as she yields her
bountiful harvests 1
In every picture there must be some shadow, and
especially is this so in rugged mountain scenery. It is
the shadow that brings out the strong points in the
picture, and enables us to see the contrast between light
and shade.
So it is with the dark, foggy days in our lives. The
fog is sent as a beneficence to soften and mellow earth's
landscape, to give us a contrast between the light and
shade in our picture, and cause more abiding trust in
him who sends the lightning's flash, the snow and hail,
sunshine and shadow?all fulfilling his will.
The sweet, homely words of James Whitcomb Riley
come to me as I think of the fog that drapes mother
earth at this moment?and I would make them mine.
"Now, what I'd like and what you'd like is plain enough
to see?
It's jest to have old Providence drop 'rround on you and
me.
And ast us what our views is first, regarding shine or
rain,
And post us when to shet her off, er let her on again!
And vit I'd ruthfir. nftpr nil pnnoUnm ??
? ? v~. M.., wuwiuviu uiuci tuuica,
"I got on hands, a-tendin* both to my affairs and yours?
I'd ruther miss the blame I'd git a rulin' things up there,
And spend my extra time in praise, and gratitude, and
prayer."
Floral Manse, N. C., January 16, 1900.
Wm. LAURIE HILL.
The very worst possible advertisement any city can
make of itself, one that will repel rather than attract,
that will keep desirable people away rather than bring
them in, is for a number of its business men to be
brought together, ostensibly as a "Business Men's
League," but really as a combination to resist laws
governing racing and the liquor traffic or to so modify
them that these two evils may have greater freedom
to curse the community. The gambling class and the
liquor dealers are smart in inventing specious titles and
in so disguising their methods and purposes that their
real end is not suspected. A "Liberty League" was
the medium they used, largely in Ohio and adjacent
states, not long ago, with many who were from pure
motives drawn into it for a time, only to discover that
in reality it was a liquor league. A "Model License
League" is now posing as the advocate of everything
good, just so the saloon is retained and so every one
now sees what it really means. It has even tried most
ninimlv tn oritro ! 4.~ 1 ? ' '
, j ? II1JUUV.IIUII iu me jjiciicncrs on me interpretation
of the word of God! And now come
"Business Men's Leagues," instituted, organized, and
run for the purpose of supporting the race track and
the saloon for the temporary custom these bring and
the class of people they attract to the community. Such
a league devoted to the real commercial interests of a
city can be of untold benefit, but allowing itself to take
up the cause of the horse racers and saloonists it becomes
an absurdity.
lN OF THE SOUTH. February 3, igog.
Selections
ENLARGED PRAYERS.
"Let a man take care that the circle of his petitions
grows wider every week," says Rev. J. H. Jowett. "The
pathos and the tragedy in many Christian lives is this:
their prayers are no bigger today than they were
twenty or thirty years ago. Spiritual hospitality is 110
richer; there are no more guests in their hearts. Prayers
of that kind become very stale, for a man must become
weary of the same company from day to day and from
year to year. Let him give himself a surprise by introducing
an outsider into the liolv circle, some nrrrlertert
vagrant who rarely comes within the petitions of the
saints. Let Christians scour the world for needy people,
and let them bring them under the influence of mighty
intercession."
FAR-SIGHTED.
The Christian, above all others, should be a farsighted
man. His view is not bounded by the limits
of the current week or year. It is not bounded by the
grave. He may be rich or poor, as God determines;
but lie is always rich toward God. In trouble lie has
a stay. In calamity he has goods which can not be
taken away from him. He will do his work in the
world with care and diligence; but always with the
PAii t*i rrn If -xl- 1 ?_f_ ' * *
vwuiagx. ?iiiv.ii i3 uuiu ui xdiiu ana nounsnea oy love.
And out of this faithful and courageous life the flower
of joy will spring. The things that really matter can
not make against his peace. As for the rest, has he
not committed his whole life to the all-powerful, the
peace-giving Father? And in that confidence he comes
to rest of heart.
YOUR FAITH FORMS YOU.
You can not believe little things, and do great things;
you can not believe in half successes and accomplish
whole ones. A man's faith sets the boundaries of his
work. He will do what he believes can be accomplished.
Mountains are not subdued h v men wlir? cton/li
J ....w
discouraged at a molehill.
Back of all free action lies some creed, some conviction.
All great battles have been fought and either
lost or won in the heart. The simple or stubborn confidence
that leads to all-conquering effort?this is faith,,
the vision that vitalizes. The eye of faith sees the
prize at the end long before it is reached; the eye of
fear looks so closely at the difficulties and dangers of
the course that the prize is not seen at all. There is
a good deal of fatalism seeking to pass as faith. People
say we must have faith in God; let things take their
course and they will come out all right. But faith
feels the certitude of a harvest because it hasJirst diligently
plowed and sown, and because of the goodness
which has ever brought the seed-time and the harvest.
Your faith forms you. If you do not believe in things
better, nobler, purer, how can you move toward them?
You can measure a man's weight in this world by the
strength and clearness of his convictions. Poor you
may be, friendless, alone, weak, unlearned; but all this