Newspaper Page Text
January 29, 1913 ] Til !
might have known you thought yourself too
good to join."
Roger said nothing, as he knew it was no use
to talk to his cousin when he was in a passion.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Stafford tried to persuade
Frank not to join the club, but in vain. They
were afraid to oppose him too much lest they
alienate his affections entirely from them and
thus loose all their influence over him.
The club seemed to thrive well during the
fall and winter, although Frank said little
about it at home. Yet. all the time he seemed
to be drifting farther and farther away.
The annual oratorical contest between the village
high school and two others in that part
of the State, was to be held at the close of
, the winter term in a town some distance from
the Stafford's home. Roger was one of the
contestants. His parents, decided to go with
him and remain for a few days with friends
Frank was to stay with friends in the village
nut r red easly persuaded him to spend the
time with him.
On the first night of his stay in the Pennington
home Frank was taken suddenly ill. The
physicians who were speedily summoned agreed
that in order to save his life an operation must
be performed at once. While suffering at
times the most acute bodily pain, Frank's
agony of mind was even greater. He began to
realize how far he had drifted from the faith
of his father and mother. He recalled how
peaceful had been their last days, and how
ready they had been to go, even though it
meant the severing of the dearest earthly ties.
During the last few months he had often declared
that there was nothing in their religion,
but in the face of sickness and perhaps death,
thincs nnnpnrorl in a vorr diffpMnt liraVit TT??
Q_ -r, . u.u.wuub Uglll. VJ Uder
the influence of Mr. Pennington's teaching,
he had come to think of Christ as a mere man
whose helpful life it might be well enough for
him to pattern after some time, but not until
he had sown his share of "wild oats." At
a time like this he realized that more than human
aid was needed. It seemed to him as he
lay in a semi-conscious condition, that he was
at the bottom of a great pit. Many strong men
came with different theories lof bow to lift
him out, but all failed. Finally one came with
pierced hands and feet and whispered, "Only
trust Me. I shed My blood for your ransom,"
and with this comforting thought he went under
the influence of the anaesthetic.
The operation was performed successfully
but for a time it seemed as though Prank would
not have strength to rally. However, he was
to be given another chance to make his life
? Al.i
wum mr sumeming.
It was a happy day when he was able to be
taken to his uncle's home, but a still happier
one when, on his first Sabbath at church, he
publicly took his stand on the Lord's side. On
this same Sabbath evening as they all gathered
around the fireside for family worship, as was
their custom, each told of some portion of
Scripture which had especially impressed him
during the past week. Heretofore Prank had
always remained silent, but tonight his heart
was full, and turning to the fortieth Psalm,
he said, "During the past weeks, sometimes I
was so weak that I felt I never would be strong
again; and then doubts would come and I
would be in despair. Then these words of the
Psalmist came to comfort me:
"He took me from a fearful pit
And from the miry clay,
, Upon a rock He set my feet
Establishing my way."
?TJnitcd Presbyterian.
PRESBYTERIAN OF THE 80
BURBANK ON ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO.
Doubtless most of our readers have heard of
Luther Burbauk, the "Plant Wizard," who
has wrought such marvels in producing new
varieties in fruit and llowerB. He is not a
preacher nor a temperance lecturer, but a brilliant
scientist and a level-headed man of affairs.
Here is his opinion published in a recent
issue of the S. S. Times about alcohol and tobacco
:
"If I answered your question by saying that
1 never use tobacco and alcohol in any form,
and rarely coffee or tea, you might say that was
a personal preference and proved nothing. But
1 can prove to you most conclusively that even
the mild use of stimulants is incompatible with
work requiring accurate attention and definite
concentration.
"To assist in my work of budding?work that
is as accurate and exacting as watchmaking?
I have a force of tweDty men. I have to discharge
men from this force if incompetent.
Some time ago my foreman asked me if I took
pains to inquire into the personal habits of
my men. On being answered in the negative,
he surprised me by saying that the men I found
unable to do the delicate work of budding invariably
turned out to be smokers or drinkers.
These men, while able to do the rough work of
farming, call budding and other delicate work
' niltt.princr ' an/i liovn r\ oiva i* " ? ~
J- ~ UUU *4U V V I vs 11/ upi UWlilg iu
inability to concentrate their nerve force.
"Even men who smoke one cigar a day cannot
be trusted with some of the most delicate
work.
"Cigarettes are even more damaging than cigars,
and their use by young boys is little
short of criminal and will produce in them
the same results that sand placed in a watch
will produce?destruction.
"I do not think that anybody can possibly
bring UD a favorable nrmiment tVio vioo nf
cigarettes by boys. Several of my young acquaintances
are in their graves who gave promise
of making happy and useful citizens, and
there is no question whatever that cigarettes
alone were the cause of their destruction. No
boy living would commence the use of cigarettes
if he knew what a useless, soulless, worthless
thing they would make of him."?The Children's
Visitor.
HEARING AND DOING.
* * irii AP * 1
uv uu&io ut mc v?uiu uuu not nearers
only," is an admonition to them. Hearing is
good, emotional interest is good, but these are
good only as they result in the actual doing
of the work of the church and the living of the
Christian life. Sabbath-school teachers and officers
may fiock to a convention and leave numberless
children uncared for in their own fields.
To go out and find these children and bring
them under Bible instruction is better than atA
1 * ? - *
lending an entnusiastic convention.
There is still a deeper danger at this point.
Organizations and meetings in themselves arc
not work, but only the means of work or
preparation for work, and it is possible to have
the one without the other, or to confuse the
one with the other. Meetings are apt to run
to talk and to end in talk. Under the contagion
of a fluent and fervid speaker the emotional
temperature of the audience rises to
1-1 J 1 x 3 ' * *
oiouu neat, ana people reel good and imagine
that great things are being done or about to
be done; but with the close of the meeting and
the return to the old conditions of hard work
the emotions cool down, the superficial en-,
thusiasrm evaporates.?Presbyterian Banner.
The man who has no grip on the unseen is
like a ship without an anchor, driven by the
winds and waves.
DTK (77) 5
HOME HOLDS SACRED CLAIMS
One who is a college girl should keep in close
relationship with her home, says an exchange.
It is, in many respects, a happy condition that
so many girls in the American colleges are still
daily members of their homes. I frequently
hear it said that it is well for girls to go away
i rom their homes, in order to teach dependence
upon themselves. It is well for the girls to be
dependent upon themselves, but there is a type
of this dependence which is bad. For dependence
upon one'8 self may become independence
of others. The girl is in peril of coming not to
care for her home, to be remote, from its interests,
to feel no concern for its welfare, to decline
to Rhare its common rights and duties.
For girls who are coming from and going to
homes each day, and for girls who are coming
from and going to homes each year, one message
is to be given: it is the message of association
with, of communion with, of love for the home.
To most American homes it means much to
have a daughter or a son iu college. The mother
and father love the child more than the child
loves them The child's absence is an hourly
absence The meaning in money is much. Somebody
has worked and somebody has saved.
Somebody is working and saving that the child
inav be in eollege. Closeness of association with
a home is a bare and simple duty of appreciation.
Furthermore, the student should bear a special
service to her home. Few parents are college-bred.
The daughter is, in a way, being
Oivoir fmm J
. v... ^j iiwiu uci laiuvr auu jiwi uer.
But education into a certain intellectual largeness
and sense of relation should inspire the
child with a desire t.o bring into the home the
largest possible share of the enlargement which
she receives. Three years ago, a graduate spoke
to me of the richer blearing to her father and
mother which she believed she was able to give,
because of her college training. "Noblesse
oblige." Learninc. too. ohlii***?
obliges?even to the home.?The Presbyterian
PEACE AND GOOD WILL.
When day had hardly just begun,
A baby's life that mom began
Before the rising of the sun;
The morning star igave light to man.
The shepherds left their flocks you see,
To find out -where that 'babe could be.
The wise men with their gifts of gold.
Fallowed this star to find their king,?
While angels glad hossannas sing:
"Peace and good will."
There is a shadow on a hill,
A shadow of a cross. The sight
Wakes nature how, and aJl is still.
The s-un has veiled his face. Xo light?
There's darkness, when it should he day;
Because a king they had to slay.
xiis luroa uiiea novor rounn m grief,
His mother sees hi# hands and feet.
And hanging by his side a thief,
W,bo asks, and gains this promise sweet:
"In Paradise we meet."
The star! the star! it shines again
iuc oifciiiv. i ue ongoi and morning1 star.
It "beams upon us just as irlven
Those wise men traveled from afa-r.
"Tis shining now, and brings good cheer
To all who wish to see it here.
For hope and gladness rose the day
That star shone out; and ever since
He rose above death and decay,
We own and love Him as our Prince,?
"Of Peace and Good Will."
New Orleans, L*. ?Jeannle Copes White.