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December 22, 1909. THE PRESBYTERI would take away the breath of the average newspaper or magazine reader who gets his 'facts' as to American male Christendom from the secular press instead of investigating for himself on the right side of the Church door." . FRANKLIN'S MOTION FOR PRAYERS. I have lived for a long time (eighty-one years), and the longer I live the more convincing proofs I see in tllic frnfll fViof 1 ~ f * * kiui.ii, kuav uuu guvti lis in me aiidirs oi man. /\tlQ if a sparrow can not fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured in the sacred writings, that "Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it." I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without his concurring aid we-shall proceed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel; we shall be divided by our little, partial, local interests; our prospects will be confonnrlprl anrl uro mircol.rao -I"-" 1 1 ? , .... v. .. v. siicui uciuuic a reproacn and a by-word to future ages. And what is worse, mankind may hereafter, from this unfortunate instance despair of establishing government by human wisdom, and leave it to chance, war, or conquest. I therefore beg leave to move that henceforth prayers, imploring the assistance of heaven and its blessing on our deliberations, be held in this assembly every morning before we proceed to business.?Ben Franklin, in Convention, 1789. THE TESTS OF EVERY DAY RELIGION. Addressing a big Methodist camp meeting, Bishop Quayle a few days ago informed his audience how to discern a Christian by street-car manners. This is the odd, but forceful, way ifi which the bishop made his points: "If you are hanging on a strap in a crowded street car," he said, "and the conductor calls out 'Step forward, please,' and there is no place in front where you can step forward, the way you act will be a test of your religion. If you are a woman, and a man gives you his seat, and you act as if you thought it was your right and not his kindness that gave you the seat, the way you act will test you more than answering questions in theology. It is not how you treat some bie body, but how you treat a little urchin, dirty in tears, that tests your religion. What you do when you are off duty?that's what counts. What if the people who see us at church and at weddings should see us in the betweens? What we Christians do ofttimes kills faith in the Church. Anybody can see a rose garden in the ? ? - - - - vcLyume, uui we can aiso smell it in the dark. What we do when nobody sees us ought to be as beautiful as what we do in the open." Bishop Quayle spoke the truth. A religion which is only paraded on Sunday like a Sunday suit is not of much practical use. The need of the world is for every-day religion of the sweet, helpful sort. True religion will reflect itself without any effort or consciousness on the oart of the nn?pc. sor. It is a religion of love, kindness, justice, truth and respect for the rights of others. It will shine in the rush of business and travel even more brightly than it does in church. And it will go far toward bringing others under its influence, leading them to the same sort of life. * 4 * # 4 4 \ AN OF THE SOUTH. 9 Quiet Hour immnnuumtmmummmuummtnu; manmmmttu PRAY without rcAcino .. . . ..WW I vunoniu. Margaret E. Sangstsr. Pray, not alone for gift and grace To crown mine earthly dwelling place, Nor yet for wealth and worldly store, And bounties clustered at thy door; Pray for thy brother's soul and thine, A?J aiiu ue uie cross tny strength and shrine. Pray for the heathen folk that grope In midnight mirk, with little hope; Pray for the heedless near thy side, Who r?orn * V* ?-* *. ci ?-1 ** * ? v, ?.v?i mttL me ortviour aiea; Pray for the poor whose meager crust And houses gray with mould and rust Are ever round thee in the land; Pray, and then open wide thy hand. Pray with a deepful thankfulness To him who lives thy lot to bless; Pray, rounding every prayer with praise Tn that aroot T ?'J ? ? ?D.v.? uvic iuai guiucs iuy ways; Pray, telling all the little things Just as the bird at morning sings; Pray to thy Lord who hears thy cry, And sends thee answers from on high. PRAYER. Unto Thee, O Christ, who for our sins hast suffered and risen again for our felicity, unto Thee be honor and glory, now and evermore. As Thou hast vanquished death, make us partakers of Thy risen and ptprnal 1!f? * ? '1 ij.v.1^ us iu overcome, tnat we may be joined with Thee in love and patience and that our lives also may be for world's help. From the death of sin, from selfish hopes and vain endeavors, bring us forth, O Thou who canst, into the clear sunlight of Thy eternal day! Give us obedient hearts to follow Thy commandments with a perfect love. Lead us from faith to service, from fear of death to full assurance of our heavenlv Father's carp Show nc ti,v. ?- * "J self in all experience, Thou Hope and Expectation of the world, till our hearts overflow with song. So let Thy kingdom come, in us and all men, to the honor of Thy name. Amen. THE GREAT SECRET. Loving God is the secret which reconciles all. This is the secret of beine- occnnipd with intnr?t k o 1- ? V..V.OI, ... HIV. things of earth, without ceasing to love the things of heaven. But ye divided hearts, who have dreamed of a compromise between heaven and earth, and have appeared tormented with fears and scruples, now know the cause of your condition: Ye fear God, but ye do not love him. Love had speedily cut the difficulty; everything for God, nothing for self, is its motto. Everything for God, provided God is mine. Then let him enrich or impoverish my life, let him extend or limit my activity, let him gratify or oppose my tastes; if I have my God, I have all things at once.?Alexandre R. Vinet. If VOU do not raw for m*n mA "??-? ?? - ? ? ?*. v-oic LU tdic, you cannot speak the word with power.