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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
