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Caught in the Links. A French writer relates the story of a captain of a vessel who was one day walking along by the side of a river not far from its mouth while the water was at low tide. Before him was a great chain, one end of which was fastened to a ring and fixed in a stone on the bank. The other end was fastened to a huge anchor that was sunk in the river. Not seeing the chain the captain stumbled against it, and his foot passed through one of its links, and he could not draw it back again. Vio lently he struggled and struggled to extricate him self. He turned his foot first on one side and then on the other, but all in vain. Failing to accomplish anything, he called out for help, and some strong men came to his assistance, but they could accomplish nothing. His foot had begun to swell, and it was impossible to get it out. Os course, they said let us take the chain away, but this was impossible. It was fast at both ends. Finally, they decided to send one of their number in this direction and one in that to obtain implements for cutting it loose. One man stayed with the poor fellow to watch the fast rising tide. Higher and higher the tide came, and the poor man began to scream, “Help! Help!” The man who was left to watch him himself started in the search. “Help! Help!” the cry was heard all through the neighborhood, and from every direc tion men and women came, but it was too late. When they got there, the mighty, rolling tide had swept over him, and not a trace of him could be seen. Oh. my friends, this terrible picture of a man fast in the chains, shrieking and crying for help, endeavoring to tight back the waters as they came mercilessly feeling for his life is the picture of many a man and woman in our midst. Satan has laid his chains; he has laid them well. Unsuspecting feet have dropped into their links, and there they have been allowed to stay until after awhile the deluge comes. They cry then for help, and help sometimes comes; but alas! alas! it is too late. Character is gone, hope is blighted, peace has taken its flight, and down in despair, with anx ious friends standing by, goes the life and the soul forevermore. God save us from the clutches of Satan. Thanks be to Him, Jesus Christ can break the chain before the tide sweeps over us. The Lesson. Now field and forest teach us all How glorious is death, Arrayed as for a festival, To meet the winter’s breath. The sumac and the oaks rejoice, Nor shun th’ advancing king; ’Tis but a sleep, and thence the voice That calls them forth in spring. Are you and I of lesser worth Than weeds of slope and fen? That will which once accorded birth Shall waken us again. —By Edwin L. Sabin, in the Housekeeper. To live content with small means; to seek ele gance rather than fashion; to be worthy, not re spectable, and wealthy, not rich; to listen to stars and birds, babes and sages with open heart: to study hard; to think quietly, act frankly, talk gently, await occasions, hurry never; in a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up hroiigh the common—this is my Sympathy.—Wil liam Henry Channing. New York is to have one of the largest and best lighted harbors in the world. The new Ambrose Channel is to be 40 feet in depth and 1,000 feet wide and Congress has appropriated $320,000 for lighting this great waterway. The light will be visible for thirty miles, and every device for harbor lighting, from a huge new light house on Staten Island down to light ships and small floating lights, is to be used. He is the happiest man wl nders the greatest number happy.—Desmahis. The Golden Age for August 16, 1906. “Higher Criticism.” By Mrs. Leslie Crossley. Emerson speaks of “a certain enormity of culture making a man invisible to his contemporaries, and therefore unrecognizable.” Do not the alleged “seekers after light” in what is called the higher criticism make the mistake of an enormity of Bible culture that leads into the mists of an un knowable land, where shadowy theories never can be recognized by sane men as the clear-cut, ma jestic figure of Truth? I have heard it said that reason and philosophy may speculate and theorize, but true science is ex actly like the mind of God from whence it came. “Thy word is truth.” This declaration from the divine life of the Son of God gives to all men an impregnable position from which can be proclaimed the solution of every ethical and spiritual problem that may be brought before the tribunal of con science. I am not at all apprehensive that any attack upon the Bible will ever be able to “impair a chap ter or invalidate a verse.” But I am grieved to think of the hurtful influence that may demoralize our young men (may Heaven bless and keep them) just entering upon their life’s career with bright promise and buoyant hopes, and who so much need, at this critical period, a rock of strength to which they can cling with unfaltering conviction in the hour of trial and temptation. If a young man is taught to believe that some portions of the Bible are untrue, it is reasonable that he should lose faith in the whole. It is related that “a self-satisfied undergraduate of Oxford one day informed Prof. Jowett that he had searched everywhere in all philosophies, an cient and modern, but had nowhere found a God. The professor, after a moment’s pause, said: “Well, sir, if you do not find a God by five o’clock this afternoon you must leave this college.” It is further stated that “if the young man had been an honest inquirer. Prof. Jowett would have pa tiently assisted him in his struggle with doubt, but he had no tolerance for silly brag, and so sent the embryo sceptic away to reflect on his philosophies in a positive manner.” We have some institutions of learning in our own boasted Christian country that would be more honored by a reputable public if they adopted the educational conviction of Prof. Jowett. It is difficult to understand why one should seek to grope about in the sunless realm of doubt and fears, when he can come out into the unclouded light in which stood St. Paul as he exclaimed with exultant joy: “I know whom I have believed.” When we reach this lofty height, aglow with the radiance that streams down from the unquenchable Star of Bethlehem, and lifted far above mere shadowy ambition, we can talk face to face with the Author of all intelligence, and tell Him we “are persuaded” that the science and philosophy of the ages never has healed one broken heart, never has brought the calm-browed angel of Peace into a tempestuous life, and never has saved one soul from eternal death. Some years ago I saw it stated that Miss Flor ence Willard made an impassioned temperance talk to the Missouri Legislature during one of its sessions. Dr. Palmone. editor of the St. T/onis Christian Advocate, in speaking of Miss Willard’s address, said it was “logic set to music, and the music set on fire.” I do not suppose that any one appreciates intelligence more than I do. and more gladly* pays homage to trulv great men of every age and country. I not only admire, but reverence genius, science, philosonhv and all scholarly at tainments that are set to the music of heaven, and the music set on fire by. love for God and heart breaking humanity. Bishop Berkeley’s twelve-year-old son asked his father '"’hat was meant bv Cherubim and Sera phim. The bishop replied that the cheruhim were supposed to be the angels who excelled in knowl edge, and the seraphim those who excelled in love. “Then, father,” said the little son, “I hope that when T die I will be one of the seraphim, for I would rather love God than to know all things.” “A little c’y’d lead them.” Thomas Young, who was said by Professor Tyndall to be the greatest of philosophers, tells us that “Humble love, and not proud science, Keeps the door of heaven.” Scenes of a Chinese Journey. (Continued from page 3.) turned into joy. “Recently,” said he, “I have seen what a sinner I am; please pray that God may save me.” How we were humbled as afresh it came to us, God answers prayers! Months before we had prayed for him, and then as he passed out of sight we had forgotten to hold him before the throne. In that moment God rebuked us and taught us that “though the vision tarry, wait for it.” May I not ask you to pray definitely for this young man? He has notyet come to the point wheie he is willing to break fully with the life of sin. Pray that he may turn his back on all and follow Jesus wholly. There are many sinful complications in his life that only the grace of God can break. Will you unite with us in praying for him? Chinese Inn—On the morrow we leave the little boat for a Chinese hotel. This one is strongly recommended on account of its newness, and hence its freedom from “China’s millions.” This appealed to us strongly, and soon we were domiciled in a cor ner room on the third floor, with a fine view of the city and surrounding country. The Inns of China are not always things of beauty nor famous for cleanliness, but this one is above the average. Ex cepting the front rooms the others are small and dark. The partition walls are thin and run only some two-thirds of the way to the ceiling, hence conversations are almost as easily heard in adjoin ing rooms as in one’s own apartments. On our floor a large furnace was often going and the smoke paid us frequent visits, and under such circumstan ces foreigners are liable to incline to tears. In the mornings the boy will bring you a bowl of steaming water; such a bath may be conducive to cleanliness but it is rather trying on the flesh to say the least. Guests furnish their own towels and soap. This accounts for Chinese travelers in variably carrying a towel tied to their umbrellas. But towels are not for drying the face, they think, but for washing; letting the wind be the drying agent. No wonder many Chinese faces, especially children’s, looked chapped and hard. Frequently we indulged in Chinese food of which I am quite fond. I cannot say I would care for it all the time; for a change it is very nice, but a foreigner needs foreign dishes. They prepare it with so much grease that it needs the counteracting influences of their rice wine. This qualiity in wine makes it a staple accompaniment of a Chinese meal. This, of course, we omitted. One soon learns to manage chop sticks and Chinese food does not come too high. Eight cents (gold) will get a fairly good meal, and fifteen cents will bring quite a num ber of extras. New Opportunities.—The hotel proved a fine place for meeting visitors from other cities and villages, thus scattering the Gospel message. I was struck with the large number of men who had been abroad, either to America, England or Australia. Some spoke quite good English and all were impressed with the fact that these countries have far out distanced China. One who had gone to America when only a boy of fifteen,remaining until forty, said, “When I first came back to China, my heart was very sick to return to America. Everything is so different here, the streets so narrow and the cities so dirty.” Day after day, as I talked to such men I was impressed with the splendid service in civilization America and England can be giving by allowing the celestial to come to their shores. These men, even though many of them formerly were coolies, return to inculcate new views of life and are but another force to break their fellows from a dark, superstitious past. Note—This delightful paper is taken from a clever publication entitled “Gleanings,” and issued in Ma coa, China. Me will give further extracts from this article next week.—Editor. “Happiness consists not in having, but in being. It is the warm glow of a heart at peace with it self. A martyr at the stake may have hapj ’ that a king on his throne might envy.” 5