About The Atlanta constitution. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19?? | View Entire Issue (July 9, 1900)
» ® vLj MRS-WILLIAM KlrtG. 480 Courtland pue., /klapta, (ja. PRAYER. (Rt Ella Whreler Wilcox.) A prayerful foul breathes through the face IJk* perfume through a rose; No art can imitate the grace Os spiritual reprove The heart that talks with Goff in prayer Unconsciously Imparts Borne portion of the truths learned there To other minds and heart a It needs no utterance of a word; It peeda no pen or book; Whxt God speaks to the heart is heard In every act or look. Pray much: in pleasure, toll or rest Cjl on that Unseen Force, And let you heart kneel in your breast. Communing with The Source. THE RAIN POURS DOWN AND LETTERS POUR IN -Oh. the rain, the rain, will it never etop? This question Is asked by every one. •nd ret It rains without and within are moar.s and sad prophesies In regard to the crops, the fruit and vegetables And now comes the doctors warning u 3 not to eat the vegetables—not healthy—too tnueh water in them. This is hard, for there never was such a beaufful dlsklay of ax»d things- The wagons that come to our doors ar* most Inviting looking. such crisp whit* lettuce, tin* cabbage, okra, cu cum -era. onions, toouoe*. beans, indeed, evervthlng and tn such abundance. Then com* th* fruits. We were just an tlc'prtting such a good time this summer when th* rains have made the fruit al most tastelees, and so we ar© told not to eat too much fruit. Well, ‘"it’s a long lane that has no turning.” and we have only to be natient a little whtio for we know “all thlnge come (right) tn those who While the raJn has been coming In a dow-ptmr th* letters to th* Kingdom have come tn floods within doors. Gu*«s it mom be the effect of the rwtnv weather. Fe many are shut up within doors, and ere lonely with nothing to do, no they conclude to send a letter to th* Kingdom. Well, we are g’a«l tn hear from all. and wfi; trv and g*t just as many published as w» have space for: we will call It a letter week and give snare to the letters, ff w* have to leave -nt other matter. Ar rc rhe many letters tha thave come !» one t*"vt cannot fall to interest all. Th- 1 sad emdl’lon of thlnes in China ma's v vs send many an anxious thought to o • missionaries on for* ten shores and any word from them Is eagerly looked for ward to with Interest. Th* letter from Miss Idxxl* Thomas glm an Insight into the Ilf* of a mission ary. We In our own coxy homes ean scarce ly re tlixe th* hardships that they under go, and the many sacrifices thev make. We h *pe the letter will Interest all. Hiroshima. Japan—Gear Friends: Every Sunday, as I am ret urn’ng from Sunday school I think of mv friends In America and wish that I rou’d tell them the many interesting th* ng* I see mid hear while werktrg among these people. 1 must eonf< <s that many a Sunday morning I am almost tempted to stay at home. Af’er one has taught all the week It would be easy to listen to Satan as h* whispers. “You need th* rest, xou do enough tn the we*k wl’hout this long journey and hard •lay.” Rut I declare to you. dear friends. I am always glad that I go, and it seems to m* that some csj<ecta! incident occurs on rainy or snowy Sun days to teach me the boaut'ful lesson that when giving seems hardest we receive <ur greatest recompense. The v i’.lace is seven ml.es by rail and twelve by the road, and it takes just forty-live minutes to ride those seven miles. Railroad travel in Jn;>aii Is yet In iis Infancy and the fastest train only mak* a IVt miles In eight hours. And 1 wish you could see h»w h* people pack tel Sometimes there 1* not standing rcom in the third class and the first and second are full in pro portion. Now, when I sty "ronn times" 1 don't mean on excursion days. You never saw such a restless nation. They move from place to place and th* con stant change* In the army serve to foster th* r -Gessness. in former times the peo ple wTe compelled to move every live yean* to keep down plots and wars. They don't have any heavy furniture to tr»-»v- and they often go to the second hand shops and dispose of the few thing.* th*- are In any way troublesome. I try to g to my Bunday school third-class, because It is so much cheaper, and iha way you people hold on to your money when the church collections are taken con-.; :s us to ray a great many things out *f our salaries. By going third-class it on’v re-sts a little over JU a year, while recor 1-lass would com over IS. Ir. ’he summer it is very troll, but tn the »Inter it b> awful. Th* oil the women us* on their hair, the dye u.*ed tn the c. ’t. re. the smoking and drinking make a reeking atmosphere without the had air e> .»d from the lung*. The smoking, etc., are as bad in ofi« as another. Men fiot meals and cooks J’You’ll not need to regulate your cooking thermometer when you get a • Wickless Blue Flame Oil Stove. On the hottest days you can cook whatever you ; • choose, in whatever way you wish, with- k out suffering any additional discomfort i while cooking, The comfort you’ll gain r is only one of the advantages of using a I Wickless Oil- Stove | It is handier than a coal stove and cleaner and cheaper. The Wickless Blue I Flame Oil Stove is absolutely safe; it burns ordinary kerosene, without wicks R and causes neither smoke, smell nor soot. li Mitde In ▼Hftouo fltsM for ▼Rr!oo*-«IEXi sold at prlcM to milt any Rlzod R .live. ir. .old. If th. dealer n* h.v. them, write to the B STANDARD OIL COMPANY. and women smoke and drink in the first class coach and it is there that some of the most wanton scenes take place. But this is not about my Sunday school, is It? Well, there aro fifteen children that come regularly and over thirty who have books and come when they can or the no tion strikes them. The Buddhists have started a sowing school for Sunday morn ing and that takes some nice girls I did have. You see the girl's knowledge of sewing has a great deal to do with he* getting married and that is the greatest end and aim of Japanese families—to mar ry off the girls. There are some such Interesting chil dren. They average about like the chil dren in America. I believe their memo ries are better, but it is at the expense of their reasoning powers. This language is a fearful tax on the memory. There are thousands of things that must be memorised. That sounds like exaggera tion. but when I tell you that we must memorise 150 characters the first year, M) the next and a thousand the next, and so on. you can see wiiat the natives must have from childhood. There are two little girls who have never missed one time. They are stolid looking children, but they learn all right and generally answer, a trait wo have to culti vate. About four months ago I noticed the round-shaved spot on the youngest sister's head was a little sore. By next Sunday it was pretty bad; then for a time or two I did not notice It, as she sat further away. After that It was as large as a silver dollar and seemed deep. I got troubled and suggested to my Japanese helper that wo take some medicine to use on it. “'Why." she said, "they make It sore.” And I've since been told that the poor little children are bound to boa mass of sores any way; therefore, a deep sore spot Is made, in order to get the bad blood out of the system. Truly the sins of the parents are visited upon the children. In Bunday schools of this sort one cannot have lesson books, for the lesson must be adapted to the crowd. We tc.ll thorn tho stories of the Old Testament and about Jesus; how the world was created; ask them questions and teach them the differ ence between the gods of wood and stone and Jehovah. These children know the Lord’s Prayer, five songs and a number of verses from tho Bible. Every Sunday when 1 get off the train ond see sometimes one. and sometimes h-ilf a dozen children waiting for me, I feel reproached because it was such an effort to get there. The train leaves a little after S. My Japanese helper and I always take a lunch. We have the chil dren with us until noon. Then, after dinner, if it is cold we sit over the little charcoal fira until ba'f-past 1. We have tn get In the train then, or perhaps miss a seat. The train waits there until after 2. so it is nearly half-past 3 when we get h me- In pleasant weather wo walk ee'en miles and a half and get ktirumas for the rest of the way, and that brings us homo at 1 Some of you may say it is un-Chrlst!an to ride on the Sabbath. Well, that question stems merged into the greater one, "How shall ms* people know of God and Jesus?" Tnere is no body to go on any day except Sunday, and it is rather far to walk there and back. My help' r and 1 give out tracts to the people on tho train, and some time 1 will tell you tho questions and conver se tic ns that these tracXs cad forth. We are told to sow b< side all w aters, and when a priest sits near me he gels a tract, too. "Believe and worship the true and living God" is one tract, and ■ \\ ny do you object to Christianity?" is another that 1 give out every btinday. Th* latter tells the people cf the good tl it gs they have accep’ed from foreign ers and why not at least honestly inves tigate Christianity? Liar me! i believe I began this letter with the promise to tell y, tl of the llat- Fukaichl Sunday school When 1 tell you that every tiling I wr.te is interrupted many limes, and that this letter has been written hi add moments I alf an hour be lor- udiejl. u few inlnutes al noon, and a few lines before the retiring I ell at night, you will parden all thnt seems dis c .nneete 11 am quite sure About tho time you ure going to bed on Saturday nights our Sunday begins. 1 v ant each on* to please remember that and pray that our w< rds may be from te d. That all wo do and teach may It-vo God's blessings; that the children in the Sunday schools an t the parents at jit me may be conv »r • from their idols nnd superstitions. Ask tills believing and such a mighty Intercession will besiege the throne of grace that Japan will sure ly see and believe. Playing that the God of peace may en fold you tn His mantle of love and that y, ur ilves -nay be *p»nt in His service, L am faithfully yours, LIZZIE O. THOMAS. Hiroshima, Japan. EXCHANGE LIST. Mrs. T. W. Riddle. Huffman. Ala.—l wet-id like to exchange silk skirt coupons for IS cent J worth cf flower bull s or any thing useful. Mrs. Sable Bvxre't. Cahaba, N. C.—l have very nice jonuzil bulbs to exchange for geraniums, fuchsia, calla lilies or any nice plant. Inclose etrnips with your letter to pay postage on bulbs. Mrs. A. N. Sutherland, Southland. Mira, v ants to exchange a cutting chart for THE WEEKLY CONSTITUTION! ATLANTA, GA., MONDAY, JULY 9, 1900. anything of equal value; also, if some one w'll send me the . ong containing the follcwlng words. “Wo’ll bld all cur dear friends goodby,” I will send other songs tn return. Mrs. E. C. Koger, Kingstree, 8. C., will give two varieties (rooted) of begonia, for the June and July numbers. IWO of The Ladies' Homo Journal in good con dition. Write first. Good Hop *. Elmore county, Alabama.— Miss Bertha Jackson has well-rooted cur rent bushes and gold vane to exchange for thread: one bush for each spool of thread sent; silver pencil and pon holder and gold pen for best offer. KINGDOM CORRESPONDENCE. Mrs. J. 11. Dußose. Huguenot, Ga.— Some time ago I received a letter from a lady In North Carolina—a Mrs. Brooks, I think—asking if I could furnish her a Scarf for a church aliar. I wa* quite sick at the time and the letter has been mis laid. Will she please write me again. Mrs. I. A. Hoffman, Seminole. Fla.—My father has long been a subscriber to the dear old Constitution and the flrat oage that catches my eye Is the Woman s Kingdom, from which I have learned many useful things; have tried many o' the recipes and remedies, and find 11H to be good. Our home is In southern Flor ida, near the coaat. We would find it very lonely if it were not for our papers to divert our minds from the monotonous routine of country life. I take several magazines and story papers. Mrs. C. M. Bishop, Morenci, Arlr..—l have received only a few copies of Tho Constitution, but cannot ref tain fi om Joining tho sisters, and if Aunt Susie will give me space I would like to tell some of them who have children of a preven tive for croup. Sew a piece of fat bio on on a strip ol cloth and bind it around the throat, letting it extend downward so as to partly cover the chest, inis will prevent croup even after they take that hoarse cough. I would like to hear from soiiw of the sisters, who, like myself, aro young housekeepers. Anna M. Nesbit. Watson. Ga.—ls th* lady who wished a remedy for dandruff will dissolve two ounces each of borax and camphor gum in a pint of hot water aad apply a Itttto to the KSlp once or twice a day, 1 think she will be pleased with the result, i am glad to see so many good letters on saving fruit and vege tables. 1 expect to profit by several of them. Do you know that if you can't procure new rubbers for your fruit cans a good substitute can be cut from old felt and wool hats? Be sure to get a good lit. 1 could not get new rubbers this summer Just when 1 wanted them and used felt on a number of cans of cherries and dewberries. Have also kept tomatoes that way. Will some one tell me tne best place to keep canned fruit? Is a pit or cellar too damp? Mrs. J. C. Fort. Pelion, S. Q—Will Aunt Susie let me in to ask a favor of the kingdom sisters? i would like to get a copy of The Ladies' Home Journal for January, of this year. Have tried several times to get it, but failed. Tne publishers have no extra copies, and 1 come to say that if there is a sister who has the de sired number, and will let inc have it, 1 Will pay the publishers* price, 1® cents. Won’t some one write a letter on duck raising? We have such a nice pond here. Mid I would like so n.Uvh to hive a great many ducks to swan and play on the water. Have tried two stTsous to raise some, and have always met with failure. The ducklings live to be four or five weeks old, then dlo off one by one till all are gone. I would try to say something nb e about Aunt Susie, but so many have had their "say" before tne, that I could only repeat mme one el-v-'s praises, so will close by Joining nil the kingdom band in mu<’h love to her. Mrs. It. W. Mathers, Latham, Ala.—l have for some time been a silent admirer of The Constitution and J feel I cannot i«st quite easy until I have Joined in with the sisters in writing to the Klng <!« in. 1 live a quiet country life, and am alvays anxious fur the limo to come, when I know lite dear old Constitution will visit our home circle onee more. 1 think tli« Woman's Kingdom a great advantage to The Constitution. You gain so much valuable information from the sisters’ letters, and 1 am especially interested lit those writing un raising chil <H<-n. 1 have three little on, . 1 am trying to bring them up in the true ad monition of the Lord, and I think our I" st plan Is to put our trust In God and teaeh them to the best of our ability, and God will do tlie rest. Would like to tear more front the sisters on this sub ject. I think Aunt Susie's •■Heart to Heart Talks” aro just splendid. Mrs. L. A. Bass, N 3 Leland Avenue, Houston, Tex. -After a long absence, I return to seek an admission into the King dom of our dear old Constitution. Shall 1 »ind a welcome? for amongst strang ers we feel somewhat restrainc 1, and it setins that, like myself, ail of our old correspondents have taken a back seat. Still those who have contributed in our sH-.vl OU the p ig.- with items of mu< h interest, and I enjoy every page of the d< »r Constitution. With a feeling of grati tude to those who have so widely aided me in making exchanges on mv little books on decorative icing, 1 beg leave to say to those who may not have heard of same; that all who have got them ex press themselves as quite pleased. it teaches methods for icing In plala and fancy designs. Anyone can le.u n front tiie plain directions given there! 1. Any one desiring to m ike an exchange can write me any offer they desire, sending a seif-addressed stamped envelope for reply. Should any of my obi friends or school mates who were In Montevallo, Ala., in 1557 and IkilX, during the supervision of J. M. B. itoach, chance to see this plcitse write me sonic day of the Neelys with whom 1 boarded; the Kings, DeJar netts and others. ‘‘Should auld acquaintance be forgot. And never brought to mind?" Mrs. F. E. Shultz. Okolona, Ark.—lt is useless to begin by telling how much I appreciate the woman’s column 1 have b»*-n a reader of The Constitution for a number of years, and have received so much useful information from its pages, and each m mber continues to tiring some thing new that is to be appreciated. 1 so much enjoy Aunt Susie’s heart-to-heart talks, they are a sermon to me ea n week; I always feel benefited after reading tliem. Acts gently on the Kidneys, Liver and Bowels ( LEANSES THE „ OVERCOMES 1 co^' w,on PERMANENTLY " SBt *EhClA[trf ECTi Bvy rue GENUINE - MArtTO fey '4LIIvRNIAJigSyRVF(S • rmuMLS*. rwi ,o» ’t.Mrt'.C I, too. think that Aunt Susie’s piece that is headed "There'll Be No Lark V alley i When Jesut Comes To Gather His Loved Onus Hume,” is such a b<auttiul thought I to the Christian. Expecting tor some one to answer through this column, 1 will ask: What does It take to make up a true | Christian s life? W 11l the sister that has California beer s**d send me some.' I I would gladly return postage. I have ex periiiK-nted tome on saving eggs it-sh through warm wejiiher, and so far have been very suece.-. ful, and if some one of the sisters will tell tne where 1 can get the best and cheap st tgg tester I will return the favor. Wi:h all good wishes to the readers ot this pago. I’ll bid jou I goodby. Mrs. I. Coleman Jeter, Santuck, 8. C. — To all who have written me nnd have re ceived as yet no reply, I will have to ask your leniency. My little five-months-old baby girl is very sick, and unless there Is a change for tho better soon I am afraid I will have to see my darling go. Hit, sisters, pray tor mo, in nty deep trouble. Will answer your letters just as soon us possible. Mrs. M It. Gray, Simsboro, La.—As I sco no letters from our little town I thought I would wr.te n few lines. I dear ly love The Constitution. 1 think it is In structive. I read T. F. Lockhart’s letter and sent him JO v i ts and got his book. 1 think every r< id-.: of The Constitution ought to send him 10 tents. Aunt Slide, I inclose 10 cents to you for your chil dren’s ward. 1 wl’l the names of those who join the bird loving society. I will send tin m on a separate leaf. Long liv. Aunt Susie a: 1 the dear old Consti tution. Mrs. G. W. Colley, Morgan. Ga.—Well, I have came again and 1 promise Aunt Susie if she will give me a little spaoo tills time 1 win not come again in a long while. 1 have r a. ived somewhere near 3.0ti0 letters from the sisters of the King dom since M reh, many of which were long. Interesting letteis desiring an early reply, but when they read here the great number 1 am sure they will all excuse me. I have Just got off all except about sixty. Some few will not receive any seed at ail because they failed to Inclose stamp for postage. 1 hink it was through neglect and as 1 had so many seed to buy It was impossible io pay postage. My husband laughed at me a great deal about my mail and . • m.-tlme* 1 would almost give up, and finalij I vo come to the conclu sion these letters have been a blessing to me for til' simple met 1 had not been well in two years. The doctor had ad vised me t go about and take pleasure trips, but kinder like Frank 1,. Stanton, to., poor to be leaving home, and I think If more of us would stay away from the seashore and tty th* foamin’ millpond Instead th ■ world would lie in better tlx. I believe I’m about to stray from my sub ject, as 1 tn ant to explain why these letters were a blessing. I can’t tell only that thev took my mind entirely from mv affliction and at once I began to Im prove. I vn't resist telling tin sisters a little about myself, as so many have asked. 1 am a farmer’s wife and love tho country. I was reared there with the exception of tlie four years I spent at college. I hav* tried to make myself useful In thts life. Although J was not • ■ tnp' ll 1 to ivoi k. I would always come home fr tn school and all during the long hot sun.tner months teach a school. For the past eight years 1 have been living In the thriving little town of Morgan. During this time I did a millinery busi ness. I have written to several factories, but all have orders ahead. To any of the si tors wishing millet sc*d this fall, write me Inclosing a postal card for reply. So many asked me for citron seed, and Just t< think 1 diil not even have one when J could have saved a bushel, so this fall ITI sav* some. If Mrs. Cobh, of C'obb vlde. Miss , will make her wuitermelon pre erves right by Mrs. Hill’s cookbook she will not fall. Long’ live the dear old Kingdom and Aunt Sisie to guide it. i do kt ow The Constitution is the best paper in the world. Mr :. Agnes Troutman, Rnm*. Ga. —I thins you are doing much good by your talks to our country women. T felt that I needed your last. two. ard have been trying to benefit by them. Yet, when one has a large house, and no servant, and only one pair of hands, it is dif ficult to find time to read a few weekly papers, much less books. How I wished you had Homo of my ilghtbread, when, Ila Darby, you had your “hands be daubed with paste at.d flour." 1 succeed wa ll in bread making and have delightful t< ast for breakfast. And such good but tei with the tcast. 1 want to tell the ulsters how we kep our milk and butter ci il. We use un oid flower pit. We lined the bottom with pretty rocks; had a wall put around the pit and a cover to protect from rain and sun. I'here our ml r. ts cool, our butter firm. I am train ing -ypress and morningglory vines over the .vails, ns they arc rough and unsight ly, but the vines will soon hide them. We have vines all around our verandas. Hops, grapes, niadelra. mornlngglory and hcneysuckle vines in ike it a place of beauty. We live on the veranda, even ’aklng all our meals there. Do any of l><- sisters use corncobs for scrubbing brushes? I tlnd them a great con ven let ce. I clean my tables, spots on the floors, my stoves, tut nips, beets and po tatoes with tho cobs. They save the hands much hard usage. Then you caai have a fresh cob fur every purpose I afterwards use them for fuel. Now that the fruit season is on hand. I find my quickest and easiest way I have ever found is to use a cob. I dip a big end in water, then In ashes, rub the knives briskly on the wet ashes on the cob, .md ali stains quickly r’lsappear. That Is a discovery I marie myself. I was inter ested in Mrs. B. B. Simms's letter. I know her and her chickens. 1 was so glad to learn those Inns had a rest, 'they needed it. "Soul like were the hours” spent with Mrs. Simms when she would come in my quiet room and we would talk about education, the Bible, heaven, etc. "Would we could walk In bcu! once more.” I boarded with her and taught the school last year at Nelson. I low deeply I sympathize with Miss Mat ti* Collinsworth of Americus. I knew her and her loved ones well and loved them all when I lived in Americus. Never run into debt unless you see a way to get out again. SMTSfIEM WLKT Rev. Baxter D. D. Greer, pastor of Sher man Street Methodist church, San Anto nio, Tex., preached the following sermon recently. His subject was: "Spiritual Knowledge and the Twentieth Centuiy," and he took the following text: “If any man will do His will, he shall know of tho doctrine, whether it be of God or whether I speak of myself." John vll:17. I propose to speak to you some whole some words on the subject of the “Twen tieth Century Educational Movement.” And at the outset, I beg you to take off your church cap, put on the "sombrero” of reason and common sense, and give ear to my words. "I am not mad, most no ble Festus, but speak forth the words of truth and sobernass, and after the manner which some call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers.” “What is truth?” I have often pictured to rayself the thoughts and feelings of the Roman judge when he asked that ques tion. Pilate had taken careful note of tho various sects or denominations of his day and time; he was familiar with their teachings and with their lives; and he had observed that on points of doctrine they had failed entirely to agree among them selves. The Essene said: "I have the truth;" the Sadducee answered: “No. but the truth is mine,” and the self-righteous Pharisee stood up In broad phylactery and delivered this statement: “I •■un the de pository of God’s truth, and if any 'man believe not as I believe, let him be an anthemamaranatha.” So there was a divis ion among them—an unholy strife; no man was able to show tho world any good, nnd each man claimed that his He was the truth. Pilate observed all these things and pondered the mln his heart; and tills k*en man of tho world, no doubt w.th sorrow, camo to thts conclusion: "Wis dom has been hidden from the eyes of men and these proud, pugnacious pastors aro as far from the truth as I am.” Therefore, when Jesus stood before his judgment scat, and said something about the truth, is it any wonder that Pilate caught the word and asked, half in jest, half in despair: “What is truth? Is there any such thing as truth? Who will show us any good.” Alas! poor Pilate, how I pity thee. Tho world stands today just where Pi late stood nineteen centuries ago, and that question of ills is still unanswered. The chariot wheels of Zion have journeyed not. True, along certain lines the church has made wonderful progress. We have found out, for example, that the Bible is not a textbook of physical science; a man Is not called to account in these days for any opinion whatsoever In regard to tho shape, the motions or the ago of the earth; ho may worship at the shrine of Allah or Mahomet or Jesus or Mary, and there is none to molest or make him afraid; even the sons of Jacob, In almost every land, may rest under their own vino and fig tree, nor fear the mailed hands of Torquemada; the occupation of Clavot house is gone, and Indei d the proud bird of ecclesiastical freedom seems almost to have found where to lay her young, even thine altars, oh. twentieth century! Fain would I joy and rejoice in these things; fain would I, but thought—rest less, daring, unbridled, rebellious thought —"mad to see a man so happy,” comes with Intrusive steps to bring this query: Is cur progtess real, or only apparent? Does it mean growth in grace or mere enforced deference to civil authority? The church has ceased to persecute, but Is it for conscii nee’ sake, or is It because a mightier hand has laid upon her tho in junction, "Thou shalt not?” Would to God T might with confidence dismiss such thoughts as these; what business have they here at such a time; but— “ The thoughts w* cannot bridle. Force their way without the will." The inquisition and the thumbscrew are pointed out today as the curious relies of a bygone, barbarous age, but the spirit which invented and inspired those instru ments of torture neither slumbers nor sleeps. We do not crucify the body of a heretic, but we do that which is Inunite ly worse; we drive the nails of slander nnd thrust tho spear of ridicule and sus picion into his good name, and it stands forever true that, by the side of slander and ridicule and suspicion and ecclesias tical ostracism, the thumbscrew nnd tho guillotine are instruments of mercy. The body of Claverhouse has long since return ed to dust, but his spirit is doomed for a certain time to walk the night and work In the hearts of men; ami there is under the sun no hate like tho hate of a church man ! Are wo more merciful than our fathers wore? Be this as it may, Pilate’s ques tion. in so far as It touches the probl'm of eternal life, is still unanswered. Tiie.se nineteen hundred years have been sp> nt in wrangling over doctrines—doctrines, too. which do not touch the great question of salvation from sin, and with all our controversy we have scarcely been able to agree among ourselves concerning one im portant truth set forth in God’s Holy Word. Barring, if you please, all those questions which belong to the realm of speculative truth; barring also those other questions which lie. in tho borderland of truth and error, we have not been able to ag’-e* among ourselves even in regard to the great interior and fundamental principles of morality; for there are tieise who claim that morality does nut touch, in the smallest point, the great question “What must a man do to inherit eternal life,” and If one dares to preach on this subject what Jesus preached, they say that he has "forsaken the righteousness of Christ and is going about to establish his own righteousness.” "He that hath ears to hear let him hear." The orthodoxy of this day and time is just what Uhariseeism was in the days of Pilate, and it’ the Lord should suddenly come to his temple he would overturn the table of tne money chang ers, drive out them that sell doves and repeat the Injunction: "Tako these things home and make not my Father’s house u house of merchandise.” God has made the way of life so plain that the proverbial wayfaring man need not err therein. The truth lies open all around us in a thousand books tend wish a thousand voices, from within and from without, is calling unto us and saying: “Here I am; here I am." Why, thin, hav* we not discovered the truth? Is it because wo have no eyes to see, no ears to hear, no hearts to receive the truth? I am glad that we have the answer to this question in the very words of the Master: “If any man will do His will he shall know of the doctrine, wheth er it be of God or whether I speak of my self.” Let us review briefly the history of these , words. Jesus was teaching in tho temple | during the feast of tabernacles. The | Jews were astonished at His wisdom and | they said: “How knoweth This man let ters, never having learned? He has not sat at the feet of Gamaliel, nor has he j drawn inspiration from the porch or the ucad'-tny; whence, then, hath this ! man these things?” They marveled; they | could not understand how a carpenter i came to have so much wisdom. Jesus an- i swered and said unto them: "My doc- 1 trine is not mine. I did not originate or discover it; I received it from another. My doctrine is not mine, but His that sent me. and tho Father teaches me wis dom because I seek always to do those things which please Him. I know be cause I obey; I know the truth because I do always and everywhere and in all things not my will, but the will of Him that sent me.” Obedience, then, was the channel through which God had poured wisdom without measure into his soul. “Tlie secret of the liord is with them that fear Him.” Thon the Master makes universal application of this principle: “If any man. no matter who he is or what he is; if any man will do His will he should know just as I know. I learned through obedience; any man can learn through obedience.” This brings spiritual knowledge within the grasp of all—the high and the low, the rich and the poor, the learned and the unlearned. Even the humblest may know Him whom to know is life eternal. God dwells in the high and lofty place with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit. Now, let me state the text negatively and then point this negative statement with an incident from the life of Balaam. “If any man will not do his will he shall not know of the doctrine, whether it be of God or whether I speak of myself.” Blank, king of the Moabites, sought to hire Baalam, a prophet of the Lord, to curse the Israelites for him. To this end, he sent honorable messengers to Baalam, with large gifts of gold, ani with promise of promotion to honor in Balak’s kingdom. Baaiam took coun sel of the Lord, and tlie Lord answered him: "Thou shalt not go with tho mes sengers." So, they returned without Baalam to their place. But Balak was not to be outdone, and he knew wnat was in man; (Just had to raise the pi ice, that was all) therefore, he sent messen gers again, more in number, and more honorable than the first, with larger gifts and with the message: "Balak will pro mote thee unto Very great honor; come now, therefore, and curse me Israel.” And Baalam, Instead of acting the only part of a thoroughly honest inan—that is absolutely and immediately refusing to g > with the messengers—took counsel of the Lord the second time. God hath told him once what his duty was, but in stead of doing his duty, he went back to God to get his duty altered. In making this second appeal Baalam showed him self forward; in making His second an swer God showed Himself forward. He told Balaam to go, and then was angry because he went. Balaam did wrong to go with the messengers, but it is clear 1 rom tlie record that he believed lie was doing right, tor did he not say to tlie an gel, “I know not that thou stoodest in the way against me; now, tlierelore, it it displease thee 1 will get me back again. ’ Balaam’s conscience was seared w ith the hot iron of gold and self-aggran dlzement until he was more blind than the beast on which he rode. He refused to da God’s will, and God gave hirn over to believe a lie. "To the forward thou will show thyself forward.” "Tlie meek will He guide in judgment; the meek will he teach his way." To show you to what lengths a man will go who is given over to his own will, 1 remind you of that still more surpris ing piece of Iniquity. After Balaam had tried, from every hilltop and altar, and tried in vain to bribe God with sac rifices and coax God with prayers, it came unto his mind that tlie reason why the Lord would not permit him to curse the Israelites was that they had done nothing to to cursed for. "The Lord had not beheld iniquity in Jacob." Ha inan! caught that idea and made use of it He recommended Balak to use the fascinatlor of th- 1 daughters of Moab to betray the Israelites into fornication and Idolatry. The plan succeeds; the people sin against God, and he curses them. Outside of liell, there is no power so po tent tor evil ns a propliet of the Lord, bent on doing his own will. Balaam was a cake unturned. Balaam, unlike Mephl hesketh, was lame only on one foot, so he hobbl' d along and he hobbled along until he hobbled right Into boil! He would not obev. therefore, h* did not know. Take a.i example nearer home. Th* S'>utli*rn people awoke one day and found themsel »'es In possession of 1.00fi.000 slaves, and they proc*nded at onee to prove, and did prove to their entire satisfaction that slavery was a God-giv.-n institution. The very shape of lb* negro’s skull showed that he was designed by the great Cre ator to he a slave. One man wrote a Ih> k. and scattered it ali over the south land. in which the negro race was ex cluded from tho category of human beings at d numbered with the beasts of the field. In defense of this nefarious traffic, the Bi ble was laid under tribute; they marked tho words. ’’Servants, obey your mas ters;” they cited Paul’s letter to Pnila u.'in, and to clinch their arguments, they pointed with absolute confidence to the ■ father of the faathful," and said, “Abra ham was un owner of slaves." tThey seemed to forget, however, or to ignore, the fact that, even to th* extent of manu facturing a lie. Infallible Abraham, the father of the faithful, was tuways pre pared for an emergency.) The southern 1 . i p!e believed they wire right, and. call ing upon God to witness the justice of • a. ir • ate" . they baptized their faith with their blood. But today, after the lapse ol inly thirty-live years there is not. <n sill th' southland, on* to speak in defense of traffic In I t;man souls. Thu southern people were blhuled by self-interest, seeking to do their own wills, nnd G' d gave incm ovf-r, as He did Balaam, to believe a lie. lam a southern man. but the truth’s tue truth, fur u that, in holding rlaves we were in Lite wrong, and w* maoefully adm.t that we were tn the wrong if any man will confess his sin, “God Is faithful and just to forgive him his sin.” O laud of my birth, how I love thee— "thy rocks and thy rills, thy woods and templed hills;” O daughters of the sweet routhland. with Jcom and spinning wheel, and "homespun dress which southern ladies wove,” how I cherish the memory of your sacrifice and your labors of love; (» soldier boy. in your suit of gray, words cannot paint the glory <>f your dauntless courage; but beyond and infinitely above all thi-re do I admire and almost worsiitp the manhood whi*h, when the battle v as fought and lc.it, and the mists were cleared away, could Iww down a s tl.o cress of the lowly Nazayene, look up into the face of Him who came to set men If>. c, and say with penitential voice, ••J.i'ril, I have tinned; forgive- thou the Iniquity of my sin.” Justice demands one remark Just here-- whenever tlie northern people repent of their sins In connection with slavery and that cruel war, God will forgive them, so will I; but as yet, they have manifest ed no signs whatever of repentance, there fore their sin remaincth. Victory is not al si'lution. "If any man will not do His will, he shall not know of the doctrine." We take tn example still nearer home'—one, too, which, upon the slightest touch, emits sparks o£ glowing fire. There are those who hold and teach that God is under no obligation to men, and that, without any reference whatever to the good or ill they have done “He sends one to heav en and ten to hell." If you have such a God as that, j ou manufactured him with your own hands, and out of iqjiteriaj tak en from your own heart. That di>ctrine Is downrigat blasphemy! an outrage upon the race and a slander against God. The father is under no obligation to the child of his own loins? Rather than buw down to such a being, I’d take my chance with the fool, who says. "There is no God.” I io not say that God Is under obligations to save all men with an eter r al salvation, (1 do not know about that) but s]h aking from an Arminiun as well as a Calvinistic point of view. I do say that God is under obligation to Himself not to turn His own child over eternally to th* tender mercies of the devil. How comes It to pass that men hold such doctrine? How comes it to pass that the Pharisees believed It was wrong to heal a man on tho Sabbath? Men are blinded by prejudice and self-interest, seeking to do their own wills Instead of God’s wIH. and God gives them over, as He did Balaam, to believe a He? But the worst feature of the case Is that to uphold such doctrine the church perpetrates the most damnable outrages in the name of the blessed Christ, thcl. wipes her month and says she has done no wrong. "Hold on there!” somebody cries out. "my church has never done a thing like that.” Perhaps not, brother, but your church is cheek bv jole with, mid gives the right hand of fell iwship to those who have done and are doing such tilings, and one sure way to Judge a church is by the company it keeps. Listen: "if thy right hand offend tho*. cut it off. and cast it from thee, for It is letter for thee to enter into life maimed than having two hands to be cast into hell fire.” Shall we crucify Jesus upon tho cross of fraternal relations? Do as you like with your right hand of fellow ship, but as for me, "My castles are my king’s alone. From turret to foundation stone. Th* hand of Douglas is his own. And never shall, in friendly grasp. The hand of such as Marmlon clasp?’ Unions! Christian unions! Pastors' union.*! Upon what, I pray you, are they united? 1 cannot imagine, unless it be that they have agreed together to It* unto the Lord. The only thing the churches of Pilate’s day ever did agree about was the crucifixion of the holy One. “Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord.” Fastened to a post, on every block In the business portion of San An* tonlo you wiii find a box with these wards upon it: "Throw trash here. Be sanitary and be saaie;” and there is a fine of for spitting on the sidewalk. Tn® pulpit is a lumber room of dusty docu menta and the health resort of invalids. Oh. for abboax —a large bux—fastened to tho gatepost of every church, into wnica pastors might throw their dusty docu ments and theological trash. Oh. for an cidlnance against lite deposit on the side walks of Zion of the vile expectorauuns of consumption doctors of the Lord. Zion beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is it possible that Zion haa become the spittoon for the Scribes and Pharisees of tho twentieth century? God forbid that in the low and vulgar sense of ti.u term. I should prefer against the pastors of this age the charge of Immorality, but with grief and sorrow of heart, in the name of God, and with abiding confidence in the final triumph of His truth, 1 do charge them with that refined Pnariseeism which subscribes to one creed and believes another; which tithes the mint and the anise, and the cinnamon, and neglects justice and mer cy and the love of God; which, on the eighth day circumcises a man, that tho law of Moses be not broken and then cru cifies the holy One for making a man every whit whole on the Sabbath day; : which teaches for doctrine the com mandments of men, and makes the word of God of none effect by its tradition; which loves darkness rather than light be cause its deeds are evil; which stand?, be fore God with a lie in its right hands and then wonders what is the cause of the spiritual death in Zion; which belabors the people for their faults, and refuses ; to b* buffeted f.»r its own faults; yea, I which, with death grip and Balaam-ilke ; biuntness, holds on to the old man-set ' landmarks and in response to the sugges ! tiun of a more excellent way. withdraws within its hell and says, with brow of i scorn, "We have a right to make our 1 own rules and regulations, and es ablish i our own doctrine and if you don’t like them, you get out!" Yes, th* church has a r/ht to do her | own will, no mistake about that—the I same right that Feagan had to make the rules and regulations fur his gang of I handkerchief stealers! All around ua men art 'lying of hunger and we have no compassion on them. They ask for bread and we give them a stone; they ask for fish and w>- give them a serpent. We are trying to fill the bellies of God’s people with husks which swine do eat. Ou.- creed (for that is the fond we offer) is "a mass of things confusedly heaped together, with here and there a solitary fact of consequence,” and we call it knowledge. “Why, yes! they call it knowledge. Who may dare t > name things by their real names? The fools who did know something, and were weak enough to ex pose their hearts unguarded—to expose ■ their views and feelings to the eyes of men—thej hav- been nailed to crosses — thrown to flames.” If these allegations la? true (and I would anticipate no difficulty in proving to any reasonable man that they are true, except, of course, as regards his own church), "let justice be done though the heavens fail.” Stan I by the truth, being assured that the truth Js able to take eare of itself and of the man who dares to proclaim it. If the truth is on yoar side, God is on your side. for God is truth. Some years ago a man came from Eng land to America. He was an Englishman, but lie was naturalized and so became an American cil.Z'-n. Alter a few years he became restless and dissatisfied and went to Cuba; a civil war soon broke uut in Cuba, and this man was arrested by tiie Spanish governm nt as a spy. He was tried by cuurtmartial, found guilty and I ordered to b* shot. When they told the poor man the verdict lie sent to the American and English consuls and laid the whole case before them, proving his Innocence and cla:ming their protection. They went to the Spanish general and said: ' I. .ok here; this man whom you have condemned I.* nut guilty.” The Spanish general rei'li-.-J. “Lie has been tried by ou r law and found guilty; he must die." The morning for the execution came. The condemned man was brought out sitting on his coflin. in a cart, and was drawn to the place where he was to be executed. A grave was Uug. They to <k the coffin from the cart and u.a- ed tne man on it, took the black cap and were Just drawing It down over his face. Th* SiiS/i sh soldiers awaited the order to lire. Just then the two consuls roue up in baste; lh< Ei gi ah consul spring fr 'in his carriage, toes the union ja. k and wrap ped it around the man and the American consul wrapped around him th* star spangled banner. Then, turning to the Spanish officers, thev said; “Eire upon thoge flags, if you dare.” The power ot two great governments was behind th >se flags, and they did not dare to fire upon them. So gaith th* Lord: "Cal! upon Me in tne day of trouble and I will answer thee.” Stand by tiie truth, my dear b ethren, and your citizenship Is above, and n av. u and earth are laid under tribute f>.r v-ur pro tection. Underneath you ar* the ev< East ing arms and God’s banner over and around you is love. Stand by the truth ar.d in every emergency of life tlie tru n will stand bv you. "Thein that honor Me I will honor, and they that despise Me shall b* lightly esteemed." "If any man will do His w!)| he shall know of the doctrine.” There are tlnitb and they coma to us ail at 4 :ne uern .t life, when tli* hand f ni> sterv -s ... d UP m u.- -tim 8 a h > we fee • sens; ol our own ivorthl ssness and 1 ise lait.i in all human g* >dn*ss; when lif* si-ems a blank and dreary waste, with nothing of h..n* ex-*t't the merciful gate ot d. t h which opens «t the end; times wh n th k dirkti' Ss is -utbl al.'.ut us. an i w.- <•> out. almost in tbspair. Is there a and wh »t Is He world RToan on m such away; Is .. ;us God, or man, or a beautiful table; - .ite a real thing, or onlv a troub* 1 dream, and what shall the waking b<•; times waen the soul iscut lo a • from all its qi. in ■ : - Hn<s and goes d ting Irifting orei tne va.,t Infinitude, ulth an a.vrtii sens-- ot Solitariness. In sticn an hour, wiiat are we to do? Tiie answer is, obey. Du is duty whieii lies U ; >ru yell atiiJ wh.eh \ ou know to be right. Be k t <!._ be g< ’«■• . fill up life’s in>a-ur.- with love’s sw-ct w e; do God’s v. ill, so far os vou know H s will, and by ah the. laws of the human heart, and by the word of G >d, vou - ■>!] not be leftjn doubt. Obey and you s-.a-I have knowledge, knowledge which m.-ans eternal lite and bless .Jnc.-s at G -d - right hand; knowledge whict; cannot be ob tained within the walls • f a d*my r university. "Ye are My ‘learners’ if ye do whatsoever I command you.” (See J - Robertson’s sermon.) "It is autre l.i'S-ed to give to re ceive.” Ar* those words tru--. The w.scr answers: ' ' you, but they are n t tr te • » me S »• fishness has changed tlie truth ..f God in to • lie." "The natural man .: ■• ‘rn tn not the things of the spirit.” On the other hand, the man wuo obeys .-.nd v.s makes this ati.-iver: "Yes. it is nr- 1 s *d—a thousand times mere. L-ies-c. i > • words of the apostle and he kn experience that they are true. ”O taste and see that the L> rd is good.” Jesus Christ Is th Master who prase’--> over the Schoo! ■ r Sp ritual K ‘ • and He ha* laid down three rule- f*r I. s "learners.” T. -«t Is obey; 1 coni Is obey, and the third Is obey. Let oie cry of the newborn century be: ”O t ,r the prize—a diploma from th* great schoolmaster’s hands.” Bicase under tand. I believe in tne churches, indeed I d e but who tvt ;an r-> the fact that they are bound i>i at a ’•! burdened with many creeds and d •etrlu- s. and "cannot g" with these.” Men ■ * shorn of their strength, in being •!• ni--'l llb -r’y of th a short and single cre< d, one the min isters can believe and the people uno r stand. Furthermore. I ain an sptlm -t, every Inch of me. It may be dark her*» but there 1* light somewhere -light for the whole world. We aro in the hands of one whose thoughts toward us are precious. "Behind the dim unknown Standeth God within the -hadow. keeping watch above His own.” I believe in men, and in the infinite possibilities of humanity. A currant bush said to tho acorn: “What a littl - In significant thing you are; I am a larg® bush, nnd I bear currants.” "Y _s, ' rep a® the acorn, “but you just wait a w.i.i*; there is in me a germ that shall grow ana make me larger than currants bush es.” So we will wait, and watch, an I work, remembering the promise of the Master. ”Ya shall be kings and priests unto God.” Let u* love on* another, and do good, as Jesus left commandment. Now. In the easy-going phrase of Doc tor Faust. "Pardon me; but 'tis very late, my friends— Too late to continue this conversation longer.” "Murder will out.” Impurities in the blood will also be sure to show them selves unless expelled by Hood’s Sarsa parilla. I 9
