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1 6 THE PRESBYTERIA that over one-third of all the Protestants on the island belong to this one church. Could a better illustration be found of the advantage of prompt and vigorous missionary effort? The insincerity of the liquor dealers in their promise to "regulate" the saloon and the liquor traffic in general is clearly shown by the manner in which they strenuously resist every definite act or law looking in that direction. They are fighting. for instance everv feature of the Gay-Shattuck law passed by the legislature of Louisiana at its last session. The conduct of saloons within a given distance of churches or schools, the serving of women and children, the use of music to attract, the decoration of the walls with obscene pictures, the commingling of blacks and whites, are features of the law which they are doing their utmost to resist or which they are actually defying. The author of the bill, Mr. Shattuck himself, openly declares that the defiance of the law will lead to an inevitable demand for state-wide prohibition. Governor Sanders practically declared the same thing in his message to the legislature at the opening of its session and in connection with his inauguration. The indications are trprtr /?! ^ .v.j tuai indl Louisiana will soon put herself in line with Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Tennessee in enacting statutory prohibition. And the saloons are giving the most pronounced help to this movement. They cannot help themselves, however, for what they do is their nature to do. A reformed saloon is no saloon at all. When it is reformed it is gone, and in the strictest sense, gone "for good." We read the other day of an arrangement of lights and shadows in a darkened room, such as to deceive most completely any one who was nnt nn hie tu. - - &?? ?. ilic illusion was of such a nature as this: The visitor was ushered into a room where he saw in the middle of the floor a pillar of marble about six feet in height, and two feet broad and thick. As he g&zcd upon it, the light in the room became fainter, though on the block of marble the brightness remained. But as it remained it took shape. Soon he saw the outlines of a man, standing erect, full of vigor and strength; then he saw the eyes move. Ere long he perceived motion in the hands and arms. And finally the statue sang "My Country, 'Tis of Thee." Of course the illusion was produced by the arrangement and reflection of ligjits around the living man who was to act his part, and who had stood concealed behind a crrppn \\r? i?< -- ? - " - <> v. tan uiiuciMuiHi now tnis particular impression was produced. There are other illusions in this world, and some of them are produced by the devil. He wants to lure the children of men to destruction. To this end he ever presents that which is evil as full of brightness and arrays sin in attractive glamor.' .To this end he makes wickedness appear sweet, and he shades the rough corners and the destructive features of sin. Too often he succeeds in luring the unwary into embracing that which is their ruin. What shall we do? In the words of Paul, "Prove all things." Test them. Look behind the appearances. Study what is the outcome?the future?of this or that measure. N OF THE SOUTH. April 7, 1909. Missionary A VISIT TO OUR MISSION IN CUBA. By Rev. James O. Reavis. We left St. Augustine, Fla., Friday, February 26, travelling via the Florida East Coast Railroad to Knight's Key, thence by the. steamship "Halifax" to Havana, making the entire journey from St. Augustine in about twenty-four hours. As one approaches Havana from the Gulf of Mexico, the scene is indescribablv - - J beautiful. The rugged Cuban coast and the full view of Havana present an imposing spectacle. Far to the east, abruptly rising from the sea, are the foliage-covered hills, stretching away toward Matanzas. In front of us stands the picturesque light-house of Morro Castle, whose floating pennants announce to the city the approach of vessels. Passing through the narrow entrance of the harbor into the land-locked bay, there are steamers and vessels of all nationalities riding at anchor. Our hearts were saddened as we passed near the wreck of the Maine. The shattered beams are as arms reaching up from the sea, proclaiming Cuba's freedom, and bringing to memory our comrades who gave up their lives here in the cause of justice and liberty. i ne city lying out before us presents" a beautiful picture in the tropical sunlight, as it falls upon the yellow-colored houses with their red tile roofs, and the clean white rocks and surf that stretch along the shore front. Havana is said to be one of the cleanest cities in the Western hemisphere. It has a population of more than three hundred thousand people. It is the metropolis of the island, and the social and commercial center of the Pearl of the Antilles. After resting for a short time, we left Havana to visit our missions. A few hours' travel over the United Railway brought us to Cardenas. Here we spent two days visiting our missionaries. Rev. and Mrs. R. L. Wharton, Miss Craic. Rev. Frank- WarHlaw r>-~f and Mrs. A. E. Sims. Cardenas was founded in 1828. It is one of the few cities in Cuba less than one hundred years old. It ha's a population of about thirty thousand. It is a growing city, and one of the principal places for exporting sugar. Adjacent to the city is a large sugar-growing district, and beautiful uplands of green pastures, dotted profusely with royal palms. As we walked with our friends through the city we found only one Catholic church. If the Protestants had not entered Cardenas the great multitude there would have had no other means of hearing the Word of Life than that which is so inadequately supplied from this one Catholic house of. worship. We were glad to find the Baptists and Methodists, in addition to our own Church, preaching tllP dnsnpl in tliic r?. ... ....o x..v . The Presbyterian church has a membership of about 150. We were impressed with the substantial character of the members, as we met them personally,* and, through the use of Mr. Wharton's tongue, conversed with them. The elders and deacons are choice men. The new church building is substantially built of stone,