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ESTABLISHED 1821.
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The Christian Index
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For “about twenty years past,’’ a
band of Methodist gentlemen incorpora
ted as “the Des Plaines Camp Meeting
Association’’ has maintained an annual
gathering of that kind on its grounds
near Chicago. It has been quite an in
stitution, fragrant with the odor of sanc
tify among the initiated. Ten years
ago,“the National Holiness Association,”
a Methodist body of men designed to ad
vocate, exemplify and diffuse the Wes
leyan type of “sinless perfection,” held
a two-weeks meeting there, as it has en
gaged to do again this year. But there
U a very offensive “dead fly in the oint
ment” of both the Associations. By
the contracts with the railroads, the
Camp Meeting Association Las received,
year after year, “thirty per cent, of all
Sunday fares to and from the grounds;"
making itself a party, for reverence, to
the desecration of the day of the Lord
by trains run on that day for professedly
religious but thoroughly, ungodly ex
cursions! And when th* Holiness As
sociation was paid SI2OO tor conducting
the meeting—that is, at the rate of SSO a
week to each of its twelve members, —
this payment was made out of the fund
accruing from that thirty per cent of
Sunday fares; so that the desecration of
the Lord’s day by the railroads and ex
cursionists as brought home to that body
of “saintly” and “perfect" men as a
thing which they are themselves willing
in part to live by! One point is certain:
either the so-called “Holiness” cause is
a delusion and a snare, or else those
tender self-constituted leaders of it are
its obstruction and its incubus.
In Germany there are some two thou
sand collections of books for students
rather than for popular reading. Os
toi ie con-
with-eathedrals, church**, etc,
wtth l,Bsff,«pvolumes. Lighting on
these facts in one of the literary jour
nals, recalls a suggestion which we fruit
lessly urged a number of years ago. That
suggestion seems to us worthy of re
newal. Baptists have need to be intel
ligent as Baptists; and this need will
grow all the more emphatic in the
course and the changes of the years.
But many of them, we fear, are less in
telligent as Baptists than in any other
character and relation. By their own
fault, too, for there is no lack of a lit
erature adequate for their indoctrination.
Often, however, tJiui literature has not
been brought to their notice in away to
attract attention and secure apprecia
tion ; often it is not convenient of access,
or funds are lacking for its purchase as
individual property. Why, then, should
not the Baptist churches of a city, or of
a town and the adjacent neighborhoods,
combine to establish in their midst a
Distinctive Baptist Library, with such
other departments of Christian litera
ture as occasion may suggest and means
may warrant, for the benefit of their
membership? Such a collection of books,
we are sure, would more and more cre
ate a demand for itself and achieve
a widening use and heightening useful
ness, besides leading to a large personal
and family ownership of works which
have been found interesting and helpful.
Beginning now, we know no reason
why the twentieth century when it opens
might not find our brethren in Atlanta,
Macon, Augusta, Savannah, Columbus
with Instinctive Baptist Libraries, with
from $25,000 to $1,000,000, and accom
plishing results too precious to have
their value expressed in times of silver
or gold.
A “Catholic American" flllis four col
umns of the Now York “Sun” with the
expression of his discontent over the
appointment of Monsigner Satolli os
the representative of Leo XIII in tills
country. What he objects to, in especi
al, Is that this “Apostolic Delegate"
should possess “a general power of at
torney from the Pope to do anywhere
and everywhere that which the Sover
eign Pontiff could do if personally pres
ent,” a power in view of which “he has
been called in church .circles a Deputy
Pope.” This objection strikes us as a
thing of course, if not a thing of right.
It Is not to bo looked for that either
“Catholic Americans,” or American
Catholics, (two very different kinds of
people,) will content themselves with
Joss than the very beat wares kept on
•xhibitlon, of sale, or on gift in the ba
ser ecclesiastic. Now, the pops is the
one only Infallible personage vouch
safed to the Holy Mother Church; and
it is not in reason, it Is not in grace it
self, that they should meekly put up
with a “deputy” lacking this quality of
infallibility. Os course, they are not
unaware of the teaching that papal im
munity from error is limited to the
sphere of the definition of dogma. But
they count this largely a weapon forged
for the armory of polemics with Pro
testants (which, in simple sooth, it is);
and it appears to them a thing most
natural that the immunity from error
filling the sphere <>f the definition dog
ma to the full, should, at least now and
then, overflow Into the adjoining and
kindred sphere of the administration of
discipline. And If it should, if it really
should, are they by willingly passing in
to the hands of a mere “deputy'" to
place themselves in a position where
they must miss the help of it, the light
of it, the joy and glory of 1t? No: they
will not do so; they would feel as though
they were already half heretics if they
but thought of dotag ao.J
THE CHRISTIAN INDEX.
For the Bronx.
BEV. E- Z. SIMMONS, CANTON
CHINA,
BY WM. B. MCGAJMTY.
In the Index of August 24 something
was said of the wonderful work of Dr.
R. H. Graves in South China. After
thirteen years labor he reported, about
the time Bro. Simmons joined the mis
sion in 1871 one ordained native pastor,
eight native assistants and four churches
with a total membership of one hundred
and thirty-five. From 1871 to date the
work has been divided between the
members of the mission, and there is
danger of doing some an injustice when
we say what each has done. We shall
speak of the work of the mission rather
than that of Bro. Simmons.
Bro. Simmons was reared in Mississip
pi, and when a mere boy joined the Con
federate army. After the war he studied
as his health would permit, at Bethel
and Georgetown Colleges in Kntucky.
He was appointed as missionary to Chi
un when only twenty-fohr years old, and
with the exception of two visits home
on account of the ill health of his wife,
has remained faithfully at his Jpost for
the past twenty-two years.
bro. Simmons is peculiarly adapted
for mission woak. He looks far into the
future, and calculates results before he
acts. For this and other reasons his work
has grown on him constantly. Two
weeks after his arrival in Canton, he was
in hi* own hired house, had procured a
teacher and was busy studying the lan
guage. This is a period which trys the
missionary’s soul. Thousands around
him dying without the gospel and he
cant give it to them. After a year’s res
idence in China he wrote the Board: “I
think I shall soon be able to preach the
Chinese without much trouble,” and
again, “I don’t want our friends to think
we are a set of martyrs, or hermits, or
anything else that does not agree with
human nature.” So many people haye
such a visionary idea of foreign mission
work that the above is well said.
Every person has trials peculiarly his
own. The missionary is not exempt.
We may imagine that his severest trial
is to leave his work just as he is able to
preach. Such was the case with Bro.
Simmons. After a residence of four
years in China be had to return to Amer
ica on account of the bad health of his
wife. Ab all the Chinamen in our coun
try speak the Cantonese dialect, he was
well qualified to work among them, and
so procured an appointment under the
American Baptist missionary Union to
labor among the Chinese in California.
In 1880 he, his wife and Miss Sallie Stein
arrived in Canton a few days before Dr.
Graves sailed for America. He entered
into the work with that enthusiasm
which always brings success. Bro. Sim
mons is not easily discouraged and has
the happy faculty of always looking at
the bright side, of always expecting
great things from the Lord. When he
was in America, five years ago, a Virginia
pastor introduced to him a young minis
terial student with the hope that he
would be a missionary. Simmons
replied, “I hope ho jfeJiie.ljprd
dn< Iftta.” 'bhe ww&iflA iXJtW# mission
are willing ter’r-.l> by themselves,
and wait fur men to join
them. Their prayers nave been answer
ed, for where can you find two men bet
ter fitted for the work in Canton and
vicinity than brethren McCloy and
Graves.
In 1882 the literati of Canton headed
a movement to drive the Christians out
of the country. The country stations
experienced bitter persecutions, were
deprived of their places of worship and
some were even driven to the “.Sand
wich Islands where they could serve
God unmolested.”
In 1882 the Hong Kong Mission, of one
hundred members, was turned over to
tho Canton Mission and Bro. Simmons
placed in charge. Here he meets many
Chinamen going to, and returning from
America, and utilises the work done on
the Pacific Coast, and in other parts of
our country.
In 1885 a regular Baptist Association
was organized in Canton. There were
twenty-five delegates present. All the
officers were Chinamen, except Modera
tor Simmons. What a day of rejoicing
this would have been to Robert Morri
son if ho had lived to see it. In regard
to this Association, Dr. Graves writes:
“The Chinese brethren, by their punctu
ality and attention to the speakers, set
an example that might well be followed
by many of our Associations at home.”
From the first this mission was taught
self support, and has given liberally for
its own support as well as for missions
elsewhere. The native Chinese Mission
ary Society has its own chapel and native
workers. The members of our churches
in South Chins give yearly, over one dol
lar per member.
This same year, 1885, the French-
Chinese war broke out and our native
Chinese passed through another perse
cution. Though there was great loss of
property and continued persecution,
twenty-four heathen professed Christ
during the year. The annual report
says: “It is a cause of great thankful
ness, that amidst all the hatred and per
secution and loss of property to which
our native members have been subject
ed, no one of them, so far as we know,
has denied the fact.” Some South
ern young men did not stand their test
in the late war.
During the French-Chinese war, Bro.
Simmons devoted his time to study and
giving private instruction. Our mission
aries are never idle; when prevented
from working in the usual way they find
another. They have the will.
In 1889 the mission reuorta preaching
at twelve stations besides the central
one in Canton. Here three chapels were
kept open for daily preaching.
We copy some items from Bro. Sim
mon’s quarterly report, April 1887:
Preached formal discourses 44
Prayer-meetings led and assisted in... 18
Bible readings 10
Parts of Scripture and tracts sold. .2,000
Baptized. .7
Besides all this, ho did much that can
not be embodied In a report, as every
preacher well knows.
Bro. Simmons has done his greatest
work itinerating up and down the rivers.
In these journeys lie mixes freely with
the people, asking end answering ques
tions. Kentucky would call him a good
Chinese mixer. We gather the follow
ing from last year's report of this mis
sion: Bro. Simmons preached alternate
Sunday* at a chapel in Canton, working
in native assistants the other Sundays.
He preached throe days in the week in
the oity chapel to the heathen. Often
large crowds went present. He bad
charge of tire work on the West River
and North River. The central station
in the West River work is Shire Hing.
The work her* Is In charge of native
workers, apastor, evangelist and Bible
woman. They have five out stations
ATLANTA, GA., THURSDAY. SEPTEMBER 28, 1893.
Bro. Simmons spends much time in.
structing them. The central station of
the North River work ie Tsing Yen.
The brethren here have been greatly
persecuted. They have two out stations.
In a sense, Bro. Simmons is bishop of
these nine stations. No bishop ever en
joyed his work more.
PHILIPPI ANS-
BY REV. F. It. BOSTON.
(Continued from last issue,)
A letter is informal, personal and
affectionate. This strikes us as the
leading features of our epistle. Paul
opens the very gates of his heart
and lets his affection flow out. “I
thank my God upon every remem
brance of you always in eyery
prayer of mine,” he writes. The
memory of his visitation, work and
worship with these Christian peo
ple, their love, devotion and co
operation with him, was 4rich and
precious,—a green corner in his
life, ever to be cherished.
He then expresses his firm confi
dence, that the good work com
menced in them would be carried
on to perfection, and closes his in
troduction with a special prayer
for them.
As we read on, we come to some
information concerning his impris
onment. Christ was over ruling it.
Paul was not useless nor idle. His
hands contributed in many ways to
the furtherance of the Gospel, and
even to his own salvation.
Having given this information
concerning himself, he writes again
about their spiritual welfare : “Only
let your conversation be as it be
cometh the Gospel of Christ.” As
we read, we see a longing come
into his heart to hear directly from
his Philippian friends. He writes :
“I trust in the Lord Jesus to send
Timotheus shortly unto you, that I
also may be of good comfort, when
I know your estate.” Then fol
lows a description of Timothy’s
character, that shows him a most
excellent man, like-minded with
Paul, —unselfish, consecrated, prov
en, and serving with Paul in the
Gospel, like a son with a father.
But he can not indulge this desire
of sending Timothy till he sees
how it will go with him. Here he
expresses a hope that he himself
will be able to come shortly.
With great reluctance he writes,
that he sends back to them, Epaph
roditus. Their megscngffr had
been suc'u « ser\*<c and comfort to
him, how can he give him up! Yet
I suppose, he writes, it is necessary
to send to you Epaphroditus.
The Judaizers had not as yet
made any head way and havoc in
the Philippian church, but they
were threatning. We find this fear
looming up in Paul’s heart. He
sounds the alarm : “Beware of dogs,
because of evil workers, beware of
the concision.” Then follows that
very sublime passage in which
Paul describes his abnegation of
everything touching self and Ju
daism, that he might be found in
Christ and attain unto the resurrec
tion of the dead.
Following this part of the letter,
is the mention by name of two wo
men, members of the church at
Philippi, and who had labored with
him in the Gospel, but who now
were at variance, Euodias and Syn
tyche. This was a cause of sincere
distress to the great Paul. He
mentions them by name and re
quests them to be reconciled. Then
he entreats the true yoke-fellow,
possibly the pastor, and Clement,
and in fact all of his fellow-laborers
whose names are written in the
Book of Life, to help these good
women to reconciliation.
This is followed by an exhorta
tion to joy, freedom from care and
thinking on noble things.
Paul reserves for the last, special
mention of the splendid and affec
tionate contribution to his needy
condition. He wanted them to
feel that while he was in distress, he
was not unhappy. He had learned
in what ever state he was; to be
content. He desired them also to
know that they, more than any
church of his planting, contributed
to his needs. He appreciated all
this, not because he desired a gift,
but that the fruit of benevolence
might abound to their account.
How beautiful beyond compari
son, is Paul’s acknowledgment of
their contribution : “I am full, hav
ing received of Epaphroditus the
things which were sent from you,
an odour as a sweet smell, a sacri
fice acceptable, well pleasing to
God. But my God shall supply all
your need according to his riches in
glory, by Jesus Christ."
Some one traveling up the sides
of Vesuvius, noticed that the seam*
and fissures which once had run
with fire and burning lava, are now
woven over by tender plants and
vines, that a new life had grown up
where fire and burning seam* had
divided, and bound them together
again. So the salutation* sent from
the saints at Rome and from Nero’s
household, were as tendril* and
vine'*, and the growth of a new life
—Christian brotherhood, binding
into one family-—Jew and Gentile,
bond and free, Roman and barba
rian. Even on the putrid pool of
Nero’s household, the pure, white
lily of Christian life, and
sent salutations to tLe saints at
Philippi.
While this letter to the Philip
pians was not intended to correct
error, nor set forth great doctrines
of Christianity, yet in an incidental ,
way, it doesbotn. We find in this
letter, shining like luminous lines,
fundamental doctrines of the Gos
pel. Paul introduces them to en
force some special form of the
Christian life.
We can find only a most con
densed mention of these doctrinal
statements: ( i) the final persever
ance of the saints, chapter i: 6;
( 2 ) Christ’s dominance of all prov
idences, chap. 1:12-19; (3) the
state of the soul immediately after
death, chap. 1: 21-23 ; (4) the pre
existence, diety incarnation, humil
iation and final exaltation of Christ,
chap. 2:5-11; (5) the doctrine of
righteousness by faith, chap. 5 :9-
14; (6) Christ’s second coming
and resurrection of the dead, chap.
3: 20, 21 ; (7) doctrine of prayer,
chap. 4: 6,7. These are some of
the fundamental doctrines shining
like stars in this letter. A close
study will no doubt reveal more.
This informal personal letter, un
consciously to the writer, gives us
a deep insight into his leading
characteristics.
( 1) Paul’s great heartedness. I
have you in my heart, he says. In
God is my record, how great I long
for you in the bonds of Jesus
Christ. He wrote something like
this to the Corinthians: “Ye are
in our hearts to die and live.” His
heart was enlarged with love—it
was like Christ’s, it was .as big as
the world, and its sympathies were
as extended as man.
(2) A joyous spirit. Let us bear
in mind, that the background of
this letter is a Roman prison and a
coupling chain which bound the
writer to a soldier, But see how it
abounds in joy, gladnqps—hopeful
ness. Has it not been rightly called
the Epistle of joy?
(4) Consecration. Paul’s life
was for sacrifice or service. He
was happy in either. No mortal
pen has ever written loftier words
than these : “Yea, and if Ibe of
fered upon the sacrifice and service
of your faith, I joy and rejoice
with you all.” He compares the
faith of the Philippians to a sacri
fice, over which he will most gladly
pour out his blood in martyrdom
as a libatjot», —a .
(4) Contentment. This great
lesson of life Paul had learned. It
did not come to him by intuition.
It was not born with him, he
learned it by painful, laborious les
sons. He says : “I have learned in
whatsoever state I am to be con
tent.” Phillips Brooks has two not
able sermons on Paul’s abasement
and abounding. They set forth in
the finest light this noble character
istic. By the grace of God, Paul
was king of his circumstances. He
knew how to use abundance to the
greatest advantage to himself and
the glory of Christ; and he knew
how to use hi* abasement also to
its greatest advantage. Getting out
of all conditions of life, that which
with God’s help,'will most promote
character and the glory of Christ.
As we fold up this letter and
put it back in its envelope, invol
untarily there comes a desire into
our heart to be as thoughtful for
others, noble and generous as the
Saints at Philippi, and that the
spirit of God that fashioned the
Christ-like character of Paul, may
also construct ours till we shall be
changed into the same glory.
Warrenton, Va.
THE WORLD VERSES THE GOSPEL
OF GOD.
BY REV. S. O. HILLYER, D. D.
The meaning of the term, world
in the above caption may be learn
ed from the following scriptures :
“If the world hate you, ye know
that it hated me before it hated
you. If ye were of the world, the
world would love its own ; but be
because ye are not of the world,
but I have chosen you out of the
world, therefore the world hateth
you. * * * If they have per
secuted me, they will also persecute
you. • • ♦ But all these things
they will do unto you for my
name’s sake, because they know
not Him that sent me.” John xv:
18-21.
Throughout this passage, “the
world” is used to denote the great
body of mankind considered as in
their natural state, and a* distin
guished from the disciples of Christ,
who, though in the- world, are not
of the world, —having been chosen
out of it. In this sense, the term,
‘ ■world,” will be used in this paper.
Jesus addressed the words, above
quoted, to the disciples then pre
sent with him ; but we cannot lim
it their application to that small
company. He was speaking to
them as representing all his people
to the end of time. This ie evident,
when we consider the scope of his
discourse on that occasion. His
word* were, not only instructive,
but prophetic. And as prophecies,
their fulfillment was not confined
to the Apostles, or to that genera
tion ; but they have been fufilhng,
from that time, down to the present,
hour. Hence his words were in
tended to apply to all God,s peo
ple.
If so, it is important that we
should know and duly appreciate,
the teachings of the Savior’s words.
The central thought, which they
develop, is that the world is the
enemy of God’s people. This
thought is expressed in terms ex
ceedingly emphatic. Three times
the word, “hate,” is used to express
the animus of the world towards
the followers of Christ.
Another thought, no less impor
tant, than the foregoing, is inci
dentally given us, when the Savior
proceeds to account for this intense
hatred. He says :“If you were of
the world, the world would love its
own ; but because ye are not of the
world, but I have chosen you out
of the world, therefore the world
hateth you.” These words clearly,
and most forcibly teach that God’s
people are not of this world, but
are chosen out offthe world, —elect-
ed or gathered out of the world—
that they might be Christ’s own
people. And Jesus assigns this
fact, as the reason, why the world
hates them. The logic of the facts,
above set forth, is very clear. I
think it will furnish us the means
of answering some vexed questions.
But we shall be better prepared to
make these deductions after we
have noticed briefly the several
methods which the world, in its
opposition to God’s people, has at
different times adopted.
It may be well, however, to be
gin with this preliminary remark :
When we speak of the hostility
of the world towards Christians,
we should not forget that this hos
tility is directed, not so much
against them as men and women,
as against that which ’they repre
sent. The Savior himself refers to
this distinction when he says : “If
the world hate you, ye know that
it hated me before it hated you.”
These words, taken in connection
with the following verses, plainly
show that, the hatred of the world
towards Christians has its source
in the nature of the carnal mind,
which “is enmity towards God.”
And for as much, as the people of
God, are his visible and tangible
representatives, this enmity of the
carnal mind, towards God, is nat
urally transferred to his people.
And we shall find farther on, that
tbk enmity is,trawsfered also to the
Word of God,—-to the whole sys
tem if revealed reJigion as set
forth in the sacred Scriptures, and
also to the church of God. Let us
now resume the consideration of
the world’s methods of opposition
to God’s people.
The first method, in the order of
time was a bitter and bloody perse
cution. The Saviour said: “If
they have persecuted me, they will
persecute you also.” The pages of
history bear witness to the fearful
fulfillment of this prediction. The
aim Was to crush Christianity by
killing its followers. But the effort
failed.
Then the worldly powers sought
to accomplish their purpose, by
adding to the slaughter of the
Christians, the destruction of the
inspired writings left to them by
the Apostles. We know not how
many manuscripts perished in the
flames. But this effort also failed.
Neverthless, it exhibits as truly
as persecution itself, the animus of
the world towards Christ and his
people.
For the want ot space, 1 pass by
the mediaeval ages, and proceed to
notice the opposition of the world
to God’s people as manifested in
modern times.
While bloody persecutions have,
for the most part, passed away, the
animosity of the world still seems
to glow with fervent heat against
the word of God. The effort to
destroy it by the flames ds already
stated, had failed. The writings of
the Apostles and the prophets were
kept, by the providence of God, in
sufficient numbers to give, to the
churches, the Bible as we now
have it, But if men have ceased
to burn it, they have not ceased to
hate it. Hence they have sought
out other methods to destroy it.
The aim was to discredit its di
vine authority. To this end, almost
every branch of science has been
invoked to bear witness against it.
Unbelieving scholars have applied
to it the scalpel of unrelenting crit
icism, that they might dissect its
composition, and its structure, and
thus scatter its severed fragments
to the winds. Moreover, a free
press is made to do service in this
unholy work. Witness the many
infidel papers and magazine* scat
tered over this and other lands.
Witness also, the extent to which
our secular literature is infected
with skeptical insinuations, whose
breath is more deadly than the bite
of the viper.
Added to these forces, we may
see, the infidel lecturer, going from
city to city, and pouring out upon
crowded house blasphemy against
God, and contempt and scorn
against his inspired word. Is there,
on this earth, another book that has
encountered such furious assaults
as the Bible ? And is there any
other book that could have survived
such assaults ? But it has survived
them. It stands to-day in the gar
den of God, as the tree of fife,
whose leaves are for the healing of
nations, That it has survived the
raging storm, which, "has, for cen
turies, beat upon it, proves that God
is in it. Ah, that is the reason
why it has not been destroyed, God
is in it. Men may as well attempt to
pluck the sun from the sky, as to
pluck the Bible from its place in
the moral Heavens.
But why all this antipathy to
wards the Bible? Be it remember
ed, that it is but the “reflex” of
that antipathy which men endulge
towards God, and towards his peo
ple : and then, we can understand
why they hate his Book. The
world found out that it was impos
sible to extirpate Christianity, by
killing the Christians, so long as
the Bible was accepted as the di
vinely inspired exponent ofrevealed
religion. It was the rock, in a
very important sense, on which the
churches were built. Thence the
efforts which men have to destroy
it.
There is yet one more mode in
which the opposition of the world
towards the people of God, has
been, and, even now, is manifested.
And it is, perhaps, the most hurt
ful mode of all. It deserves a fuller
description than I have space to
give it in this paper. Indeed the
present discussion was undertaken
that we might be able to unfold the
influences of the world upon the
churches, and if possible determine
the duty of Christians towards the
world. This I will endeavor to do
in my next article.
73 Wheat St., Atlanta.
THE COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION-
The stay-at-homes, that only
hear the praises of this great Fair,
might be interested in hearing
through the Index, something
about this, the greatest of all the
World’s Fairs.
Chicago is itself wonderful. The
growth, in a few years, of a city
that is pressing on to a population
of two millions, is something that
, has never been equaled in the his-
I tory of city building either in an
' cient or modern times. I think it
has been well that Chicago was se
lected as the site of the Fair, rath
er than New York. Strangers
would have returned to our shores
hardly dreaming that away Jn the
West, there is a city that rivals the
great Sea-board commericial metro
polis. Let New York look to her
civic laurels, there is a dashing
competitor, full of young life and
audacity, that surmounts obstacles
with the dash and fervor of youth.
She has made provision to entertain
the wondering millions thdt crowd
the trains to the great Fair. Hotels
of all sorts and sizes, upon the Eu
ropeon and all other plans. I think
that the Hotel accommodation has
been in the main good and at rea
sonable rates. It is a wonder what
is to become of the Hotels that
have been built around the Fair
when the demand for them has
ceased with the close of the Expo
sition. Those that prefer to go in
to the city to find accommodations,
find that ample arrangements have
been made to carry easily the
largest crowds, by railroad and
steamboats. The rates are cheap,
and no sign of a disposition to take
advantage of the unusual demand.
The Fair was conceived as befitt
ing the commemoration of the dis
covery of the New World by the
adventurous explorer, Columbus.
Four hundred years have passed
since he planted the standard of
Spain upon one of the American
islands. What an eventful four
hundred years ! How the politics
and the religion, the arts and
sciences have changed since then !
The standard of the old Castilian
floats over no great portion of the
great continent which was discov
ered by the protege of Isabella and
Ferdinand.
Steam, unkown to the bold ex
plorer who came with his ill equipp
ed boats, has made this great Fair
possible. Steam, as it propels the
great iron steamers of the Atlantic,
or groups across the continent on
the wheels of trade and travel, has
made such an exposition possible.
Everything in its time. The fac
simile of the Columbian fleet an
swered its purpose, and but for it,
there would have been no Fair.
But let us take a look at the Fair.
We are amazed at its immensity.
Hundreds of acres are actually
covered with the buildings. Os
course these are not built of stone
or marble, but iron has been exten
sively used and the outside* are
glistening in their white dress of
paint or plaster, so as to have a fine
effect, not only as you approach
them from the lake, but when you
stand on the grounds, surrounded'
by their imposing forms. The
States generally have their repre
sentative bnildings,containing some
of the specialties of the State,
forming a sort of rendesvous for the
people whose State pride desires
to see something to remind them of
the great State from which they
come. The building of the Liberal
Art* is possibly one of the most in
teresting. The different nations
have filled their allotted space with,
VOL. 70—NO. 38
what is most curious, unique, artis
tic arid distinctive. The exhibits
are good and abundant. Some of
national traits are revealed in the
very surroundings: there is the
French tact and delicacy, here is
the strength as well as beauty of
the various exhibits of the German
Empire. Germany has spared no
pains to show her interest, and it
was pleasant to see our American
Germans, especially the aged linger
in this department, their eyes re
gaining their ybuth as the familiar
language was read in the names of
the various exhibits. Here is solid
old England, with sober, good sense
showing that she has not lived on
her little {island withouts working
out grand achievements. South
America was right creditably on
hand, spid it must be yet that this
grand section of America must be
come mightier as the years pass.
The Art department is probably the
most artistic building architectur
ally in all the group. Pictures of
all degrees of merit are here, and
here are the books descriptive, and
in a hurried way, pencils are used
to mark the pictures that please.
Os course there is no such
thing as studying. The visitors .
push from room to room. Some
are tired, some are indifferent, some
doing their duty, but all judging in
their way. The only way I can
judge is, Does the picture please me:
If a landscape pleases me I like it,
just so with pictures. Each must
judge in his own way.
The Agricultural, Horticultural,
Forestry, Transportation, etc., are
all here, each in its way interesting,
and to some people of surpassing
interest.
The electrical exhibit is one of
crowning glories, and shows how
the strange subtle power has grown,
since the day when our own Frank
lin, invited the stranger from the
clouds and gave him the key to this
lower world. But after all I was
most interested in the Foreign peo
ple.
The East is having a holiday in
the West. The Turk, Javanese,
Ceylonese, the Arab, the Dahomey
African, here they are. It is won
derful to see so many turbaned
heads and the dark skinned child
ren of those first peopled lands.
Os course you will find the wise
ones saying that these are Chica
goans, but this is folly. Some of
them, are good looking. The Cey
lonese with ihtir dark olbrff com
plexion, and black, black hair, have
features as delicate as if they were
carved in marble. These people
have specimens of their houses and
villages which give a good repre
sentation of the qpaint style of that
bamboo world.
The negro from Africa is there.
There is no place in the remote re
gion of the South where you could
gather such specimens of savagery as
these natives of the Dark continent.
Cursed as southern slavery has been
in the press and pulpits of the
North, slavery elevated the negro,
as no other influence has ever done.
It would be boone to such people
as are seen in that African corral.
What about the Midway? There
is a good deal worth seeing in what
is really a lot of side shows. The
Moorish Palace, the Irish village,
the German village, the Javanese.
These are in different degrees in
teresting.
The Ferris Wheel needs no guide
to show it. It is there conspicuous,
circulating its own greatness. It
is 264 feet high, one hundred and
fourteen thousand bolts were used
in its construction, it cost four hun
dred thousand dollars, it has paid
for itself. Henceforth five per cent
of its receipts go to the Fair. Take
a trip on it.
The Fair is worth seeing for peo
ple who want to see it. America
has no reason to be ashamed of it.
I am sure that in size and variety
it has never been surpassed even by
those Fairs which gather in the old
historic cities of Berlin and Paris.
After all, in the midst of all this
wealth of modern improvements,
it may be well to remember that
Columbus knew nothing about
many of them, but he managed to
be a man. Washington’s old home
in Mt. Vernon did not have the
elegance of a Parisian bouidor or
the upholstery of a German palace,
but he contrived to do a work in
his day which has moved the world
and placed his name high up on the
roll of the few immortals.
THE BULE OF OHBISTIAN GIVING.
HOW MUCH SHOULD CHRISTIANS
GIVE?
This subject is being more and
more discussed. All admit the duty
of giving. But how much? Wher
ever we may stand in theory, in
firactice, each one seems to be a
aw unto himself. Is there any
hope of securing uniformity in this
mattec? Indeed, is there a general
rule applicable to all? And if so,
what is it?
I. In the patriarchal dispensa
tion, one tenth of the gross income
seems to have been set apart for
God. See Gen. 14: 20; 28 :20-24.
And some suppose that this law of
giving the tenth, is now binding
upon all.
3. The Jews were required to