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ing the religious life of the commu
nity. The remedy the Church offers
for this situation Is a bettor applica
tion to the principles of Jesus Christ
to our national life. When the old
rule of selfishness has given way to
Jesus' new rule of love, when steward
ship has supplanted ownership, and
when each of us is trying to make
tho most of himself for the sake of
all tho others, as Jesus did ? then the
Church will have begun to point the
way to a solution of this problem.
These issues are thoso of the
Church at large, but the individual
church member can do much to meet
them. He can study these bigger
problems of Christianity, for only on
the basis of this knowledge can he
hope to understand his share of the
( work before us all. He can by prayer
enter into the life and purposes of
God, and thus come to see tho part
God has for him personally to do.
And he can certainly give himself in
a new spirit of consecration to the
work of the Church to which he be
1 longs. As he makes that part of
the Church at large stronger and more
eager to do its part, he contributes
not a little to the cause of Christianity
as a whole. ? Presbyterian Banner.
the pear tree at thk OI,l>
PARSONAGE.
The daughter of a minister relates
some of her father's experiences as the
pastor of a country church. Among
ether things, she tells of his being en
gaged one day in planting a fine young
pear tree, when one of his parishion
ers came up, if the truth must be told,
with something of pity in his counte
nance for the supposed ignorance of
the new incumbent. Farmers are apt
to suppose that a young man who has
studied in the college and the semi
nary cannot know much outside of
them.
"How long before that tree will
bear enough pears to pay you for the
planting?"
"Some ten or twelve years, per
haps," was the pastor's reply.
"That's a long time to look for
ward. Do you expect to eat its fruit?"
TRY Tins FOR YOUR HEALTbT
For diseases which do not readily
yield to drug treatment, such as
chronic dyspepsia, indigestion, rheu
matism. Bright's disease, gall stones,
uric acid poisoning, and diseases of the
kidney and liver, the best physicians
send their wealthy patients to the fam
ous mineral springs. Some even spent
months at the Spas of Europe and were
almost invariably cured or greatly
benefited.
I believe that the Shivar Spring is
the greatest mineral spring ever dis
covered and I believe it so firmly that
I offer to send you enough water for a
three weeks' treatment (two flve-gal
lon demijohns) on my guarantee that
if it fails to benefit your case I will
refund the price. You would hardly be
lieve me if I told you that only about
two out of a thousand, on the average,
say that they have received no benefit.
The water is restoring thousands. It
restored my health when my friends
and physicians thought my case was
Incurable and I am willing and anxious
for you to match your faith in the
Spring against my pocketbook. If I
win you become a life-friend of the
Spring. If I lose I will be sorry for
you, but I will appreciate your cour
tesy in giving the water a trial and
will gladly refund your money on re
quest. Sign the following letter:
8hivar Spring.
Box 14-C, Shelton, S. C.
Gentlemen:
j i I accept your guarantee offer and
enclose herewith two dollars for ten
gallons of Shivar Mineral Spring
Water. I agree to give it a fair trial,
in accordance with instructions con
tained in booklet you will send, and
If it fails to benefit my case you agree
to refund the price in full upon re
ceipt ? of the two empty demijohns
which I agree to return promptly.
Name ? ? .
Address ?
Shipping Point ?
(Plonne write dlaflnrtly.)
"I trust so. I do not know; but if
I do not, some other minister of God
will. If my predecessor had been as
thoughtful, wo might have been enjoy
ing these luxuries.
"I do not believe." he added, "that
any act of kindness is ever wasted.
This pear tree may not bear fruit
while I live here, or I may die before
its bearing time, but it will supply its
luscious fruit for years and years to
como to some faithful minister. It
may give nourishment and strength to
other pastors and their families long
after the grass Is growing on my
grave."
"Besides," added Mr. Thorn, "we
should remember that we have all our
lives been eating fruit planted by
others. Let us do as much for those
who shall come after us. My children
may be scattered abroad, and may
never taste the result of my fore
thought, but they will eat fruit some
where. I plant in faith, and leave the
rest to God."
So the pastor, when his hour of re
laxation from his studies came, plant
ed and planted, here a choice scion,
there a rare graft, until almost every
field on the little farm was bordered
by fine fruit trees. He did eat of the
fruit of his labors, and his children
after him. Yes, many a bushel of the
fruit of that very pear tre was put
away for winter's use. And he diffused
a taste for that species of arboriculture
during his long residence among his
numerous flock, until the country
around became like a garden.
"Do you remember the conversation
we had once in my garden?" asked
Mr. Thorn of the old elder just re
ferred to, one winter evening at the
parsonage.
"Indeed I do," was the reply, "al
though I thought you very visionary
at the time. For all that I consid
ered you so, I was the owner of my
home, and I began the next week and
planted a variety of trees in my own
garden, and they are all bearing
nicely."
"Well," said the minister, "these
fine pears grew on that very tree, and
I have eight bushels more stored
away in bran for winter's use." ? The
Christian Union Herald.
HOW TO HAVE FAMIL.Y WORSHIP.
By Robert Wells Veach, D. D.
There was once a mother who had
five children. She was a Christian
woman, and felt deeply the need of a
stronger religious influence in the
home. Her husband was quite indif
ferent, indeed somewhat opposed to
the discussion of religious themes.
How to interest her children in family
worship without offending him was
to her a serious problem. To com
mence to have it against his will and
without the interest of the older chil
dren might be to defeat the very pur
pose she had in view. Then, too, she
was a very busy woman, cumbered
with household cares, and it did not
seem possible that she could spare
the time. Yet her own life was grow
ing peevish and fretful; every little
thing seemed to upset her, and the
members of her family were becom
ing likewise. She knew that some
thing vital was lacking in the home,
so she began to pray about it.
There was a little room In the house
just ofT the dining-room. After the
husband had gone to work and the
older children to school, the mother
would slip quietly into this room, close
the door, and spend ten minutes in
Bible reading and prayer for herself
and her family. Soon the smaller
children learned to know that when
the door of the little room was closed
they must not enter. Into the
mother's life came great joy and
strength, which began to be felt in
*11 the ordering of the household.
One morning she read these words
from the 37th Psalm: "Delight thy
self also in Jehovah; and He will give
thee the desires of thy heart." Her
soul was thrilled by this blessed prom
ise; she believed it and her face be
came radiant.
That evening as they sat at supper
she seemed so full of real happiness
that her husband was led to remark:
"Mary, what has come over you? I
have never known you to be so
happy." Before the mother could re
ply, little James spoke up and said:
"She goes into that room evory morn
ing and shuts the door, and when she
comes out she doesn't scold a bit."
The secret was out, and with a divine
impulse of love, which she could not
restrain, the mother told all that was
upon her heart, and this is how family
worship came naturally to be held in
one home.
This is not altogether an imaginary
story. It has happened in some such
fashion many times. We have all
heard of General Gordon, called Chi
nese Gordon, who every morning
placed a white handkerchief just out
side his tent, closed the flaps, and
spent a season in prayer. Scon the
soldiers came to know the hour of
prayer, and the whole army felt the
spiritual uplift.
In haying family worship there are
several things which it might be well
to remember:
1. It should not be dragged in, but
should have a natural and vital place
in the ordering of the household.
2. Its value will be largely deter
mined by its influence upon the lives
of those who participate. v
3. It may often happen that the
whole family- cannot always be pres
ent. Father may have to go to work
early or late at night. Even so, the
mother should be faithful, and those
who cannot be present will feel the
spiritual help.
4. The Bible reading should be as
systematic as possible. Some peoplo
read just wherever they happen to
open the book. It is well to read by
books, as each one of the inspired
writers had a definite thought and
purpose in mind as he wrote. There
are several good manuals in existence,
any one of which will be very helpful
and suggestive.
5. It will help to Interest children
If they have some little part in the
reading. Reading verse about is some
times desirable. One of these best
methods is to announce In advance
what the Bible lesson is about. Let
me illustrate : Suppose you were go
ing to read through the book of Jere
miah. This Is a rather formidable
book, and few people attempt it, yet
selected passages will prove exceed
ingly Interesting. One might an
nounce it in thi^way: "During all
this week we are going to read about
a man who saw a rod of an almond
tree and a boiling caldron; who hid
a girdle in the cleft of a rock; who
went to the potter's house; who saw
two baskets of flgs, and who was put
in jail." This kind of statement
ought to interest the most indifferent
and furnish an opportunity to read
some of the best passages of this
great book. In a similar way, children
can be interested In almost any other
oook of the Bible. Attention is often
gained by announcing that the les
son is about "ants," Prov. 6:6-19; or
"fools," Prov. 15:1-8; or a "boy's sis
ter," Prov. 7:1-5; or "a man who was
robbed," Luke 10:25-37. This sim
ple, concrete method of approaching a
Scripture passage will often open up
the way to Its deeper spiritual mean
ing when no other way will do so.
Always family worship should be
supplemented by the asking of the
blessing at table before each meal.
These words may be repeated by all
at the table, if desired:
"Bless Jehovah, O my soul; and
all that 1b within me, bless His holy
name. Bless Jehovah, O my soul, and
forget not all His benefits. Amen."
Or this form may be used: "Our
Father, what we have here came from
Thee. Receive our thanks and bless
us. Amen." ? Westminster Home De
partment Quarterly.
THE FIVE-CENT EGG.
Nourishing and Easily Digested, But
Its Food Value Greatly
Overestimated.
With eggs costing all the "way from
sixty to eighty cents a dozen, persons
who have never given the subject of
food value and study are now raising
tho question, "is the egg as valuable
a food as it has been cracked up to
be?"
Human beings are creatures of
habit. A person sees some one else
eat a couple of eggs every morning,
and he proceeds to do likewise. It
never occurs to him to ask how much
real food value there is in an egg.
But when eggs cost five cents apiece
one may reasonably inquire, "is the
egg worth it?"
Of course, soft-boiled eggs are fed
to invalids, but it doesn't follow that
the egg is a complete food for a
hearty, robust person. In his famous
work on "Food and Dietetics," Dr.
Robert Hutchinson says: "The ab
sence of carbohydrates prevents eggs
from being in any sense a complete
food, and it would require twenty of
them a day to supply even the amount
of nitrogen required by a healthy
man."
In otner words, you have to eat
something else with the eggs in or
der to make up the deficiency in car
bohydrates. Now, this applies to
strictly fresh eggs. What would the
doctor Bay about the modern cold
storage eggB? As a matter of fact,
there is much more real nutriment in
two cents' worth of shredded wheat
biscuit than in ten cents' worth of
eggs. Shredded wheat biscuit con
tains both proteids and carbohydrates
just enough ot each to perfectly
nourish the human body. Two of
these biscuits will supply all the
strength-giving nutriment needed for
a half-day's work or play. They have
in them the material for building new
tissue ? for furnishing heat and ener
gy and for keeping the bowels healthy
and active. Two of these biscuits
with hot milk and a little cream make
a complete, nourishing meal at a cost
of not over four or five cents.
BETTER THAN A GIFT OF MONEY
is the gift of making money. A large
part of that is the habit of saving,
because having capital to work with
is one of tho first essentials of mak
ing money.
If there are any young persons ?
your children, other relatives or
friends ? in whose success in life you
are vitally interested, place in their
hands this Christmas a gift of perma
nent value ?
"THE BOOK OF THRIFT,"
Why and How to Save and What to
IK) With Your Savings,
because this new book, by T. D. Mac
Gregor, is an inspiring and a good
habit-forming one. Every one of its
350 profusely illustrated pages is full
of stimulus to the ambitious. Being
a composite of the success experience
of thousands in the past and present,
it is a safe guide to the future suc
cess of those who read it and need it.
Features of the book of Inestimable
value are the true stories of success
through systematic saving and ^lae
investing, compound interest tables,
and practical hints for saving in the
home, the office, the factory and the
farm.
Ijartre !2mo. Cloth. $1.00 net; by
mail, $1.12.
Send check or money order to
THE PRESBYTERIAN OF TH?
SOUTH,
Richmond, Va?