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fxinihrrn Ckisiiaw
TWO DOLLARS AND FIFTY CENTS
PER
VOLUME XLI., NO. 32.
Forgiveness.
BY J. KDMONBTOIV.
When on the fragrant sandal tree
The woodman’s axe descends,
And, she, who bloomed so beauteously,
Beneath ihe weapon bends,
E’en on the edge that wrought her death,
Dying, she breathes her sweetest breath,
As if to token in her fall
Peace to her foes, and love to all.
How hardly man this lesson learns,
To smile, and bless the hand that spurns:
To see the blow, to feel the pain,
And render only love again !
One had it—but he came from heaven ;
Reviled, rejected, and betrayed,
No curse he breathed, no plaint he made;
But when, in death’s dark pang, he sighed,
J'rayed for his rrurdorers, and died.
(Tontributions.
Nacoochee.
The first view of this lovely valley
hursts upon you as you approach the
“ Mountain Home” of Mr. G. VV. Wil
liams, of Charleston. This gentleman
has demonstrated his love for his an
cestral acres, by selecting the most
eligible spot in the valley for the sum
mer retreat of his family, and sur
rounding it with all the comforts and
beauties which good taste could sug
gest. The grounds are admirably
laid out. The green lawn sweeps to
wards the house from every stand
point, dotted with the rarest and most
beautiful native and exotic trees and
shrubbery, parterres of flowers, gor
geous in hue and redolent of fragrance,
fountains of sparkling water playing
around you, flocks of sheep and goats,
and herds of cattle clipping the green
herbage, or quietly resting under the
shade of some monarch of the woods,
“ tout ensemble ,” give you the beau
ideal of a rural home.
From this standpoint let us take a
view. On the left, in front of you,
stands Lasalle’s Mountain ; behind it,
looms up old Yonah, grim sentinels of
the valley ; sweeping northward and
westward, mountain rises upon moun
tain—Pelior upon Ossa like—until
they culminate in grand old Tray, the
highest point ii> this portion of the
Apalachian chain. Turning eastward,
your eye is next attracted by Chimney
Mountain, looming up, then mountain
rfter ises and falls iu beau
iitnl utfouiJudos, r%,u they —it
in the Blue Ridge. In the embrace
of this grand amphitheatre is nestled
the sweet Vale of Nacoochee, with
the beautiful Cbattahooche winding
its way through green meadows and
fields of waving corn. As you ride
up the valley new beauties arc con
stantly unmasked, and you arc bewil
dered by the transition.
As you advance, the valley of the
Santee suddenly opens before you, en
compassed by mountain spurs, with
here and there a white cottage peep
ing through the greenwood. All
along the valley, on your right, you
will have glimpses, through the trees
and shrubbery, of houses, which bring
to memory these lines,
“ I knew by the smoke which so gracefully
curled
Around the green elms that a cottage was
near;
And I said, if there’s peace to be found in
the world,
The heart that was humble might hope for
it here.”
A large school house, and the Meth
odist and Presbyterian Churches, with
their spires pointing heavenward, il
lustrate the character of the inhabit
ants, but when we toll you that the
services in either are alternated, and
you can’t tell the Methodists from the
Presbyterians, in their zeal to do good
and elevate, the Christian character,
you may have a conception of the
harmony which pervades this eommu
nity.
A tit setting to the picture of this
“ Tempo of the South ” will be recog
nized in the beautiful villa of Captain
Nichols, at the west end. In a little
dell, embowered by rare and beautiful
trees and shrubbery, with its foun
tains playing about you, resplendent
with gorgeous flowers' along its ter
raced walks, you can appreciate how
art can lend its cannie hand to nature
in embellishment, and bewilder you
with the beauty of the surroundings.
In front of the villa, at some distance,
stands the only real Indian mound in
the valley. It is an oblong, trun
cated mound, thrown up with precise
regularity, and measuring on the sum
mit about 115 by 100 feet, and in
height thirty feet, the longest diame
ter pointing north and south. Origi
nally a parapet extended around the
circumference of the summit, upon
which it is conjectured the Indians
sat when enjoying such games as
might be played in the arena, or when
seated in council.
Some fort}' years ago the French
savant, Nicolet, spent several days in
exploring this mound, in search of
some clue to the history of this lost
people, but without much success,
finding only some pieces of pottery
and other trinkets of little value.
The Captain (as everybody calls him
in this region) has been more success
ful, and has found some very interest
ing relics, which have been made the
subject of a lecture by a gentleman of
antiquarian tastes. The mound is
now embellished by parterres of flow
ers,and crowned by a tasteful Pagoda,
forming a pleasant retreat for the
pleasure seeker and a fit spot for mu-
PUBLISHED BY WALKER, EVANS & COGSWELL FOR THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, SOUTH
sing on the mystery which hangs
abont the remains of these “ Mound
Builders,” who have left behind them
evidences of a higher civilization than
their successors, extending from Cen
tral America to the Great Lakes, mute
memorials of a forgotten race. One
of the most beautiful standpoints for
a view of the valley is on the PinsoD
Hill, on the south side of the valley.
From this point you have the only
view of the whole valley, and of
the Chattahooche, winding its way
through it, and a grand mountain
view, also, in the back ground. But
after all, it is difficult to say at what
standpoint the valley is most beauti
ful. It is beautiful in the silvery
sheen of the moonlight. It is more
beautiful in the morning, when the
-cun first tints with his golden ttys
the top of Lasalle’s Mountain, i/ext
illuming old Yonah’s crown, throwing
the deep wcody valleys into the dark
est shadow—now sweeping down
upon the valley, lighting it up with
its glorious effulgence, and driving
the fog banks to the mountain heights.
It is even more beautiful at noon,
when the silvery couds, floating over
the sky, reflect in “chiaroscuro,”
a thousand images of fancy.
But above all, is it most beautiful,
when the sun sets behind the western
mountains, and lumes with his golden
rays the gorgeous kaleidoscopic views
of cloudland. How the Alps and the
Appeninesloom up before you, mosques
and minarets! cloud capped towers
and gorgeous palaces! broad oceans
and ships at seal Imagination runs
riot in such scenes of beauty and
grandeur. Talk of Italian sunsets —
nothing can surpass a Nacoochee sun
set. But we should not attempt to
touch with the pencil of an unskillful
artist, a scene which Ruskin might hes
itate to portray, or which a Claude
Lorraine would admire, but not ven
ture to put upon his canvas.
Rambling Reminiscences.
My dear old friend, Dr. Whitefoord
Smith, need not apprehend that I
shall think he slighted me because he
did not chance to mention my name
in a late communication to the Advo
cate. His reference to me in a more
recent paper iff very kind—-just like
the man.
Yes, those were pleasant years, in
deed, which wo spent together in
Charleston, notwithstanding tiie yel
low fever visit colons to jwhie'.i the
Doctor alludes. He and orfr latd’ven
erable friend, Dr. Bachman, and my
self, had no little experience with that
terrible scourge.
I took it in Vicksburg, in 1843,
and Dr. Marshall and other friends
who were with me, thought my’ end
was come. They wept and prayed
around my bed, and commended my
departing soul to God. But he snatch
ed me from the jaws of death.
When the fever was raging in
Charleston, a fast was proclaimed. I
preached the fast-day sermon in the
Third Presbyterian Church. Before
I concluded the service, I was seized,
in the pulpit, with what might have
been yellow fever if I had been sus
ceptible of a second attack. 1 think
they called it “ sympathetic fever.” It
seemed to be near akin to yellow fe
ver. It went hard with me. I was
taken from the church to ray bed ; but
I cannot detail—imleed, l cannot re
member—what I passed through.
My son was born just at the close
of a yellow fever season (November
10, 1849); be was nearly five years
old when the terrible visitation took
place in 1854. As 1 believed the fever
to be highly infectious, but not con
tagious, I kept my children shut up
in the house during the prevalence of
the epidemic, and they escaped. I
moved freely and fearlessly among the
subjects of it, as 1 would do to-day.
My son never took it, but when it
broke out in Memphis he rushed off,
against the wishes of his friends,
(from Beersheba Springs, where he
was Medical Adviser), and remained
a month, breathing the very vapors
of death. lie dissected a great many
subjects, analyzed and noted every
thing with the greatest care—spent
days and nights with the sick, the
dying and the dead—the stench being
worse than that of a sepulchre; all
his co-laborers fell—many of them
died —and yet he was miraculously
protected, and has returned to us safe ;
I wish I could say sound. But I trust
the poison will be worked out of his
system. He attributes his escape to
the prayers offered incessantly in his
behalf. He has studied the subject
more thoroughly, perhaps, than ever
it was studied before. He thinks he
understands its pathology, and the
method of treatment which will result
in cure. But he is to write a History
of the Epidemic in Memphis, and also
Pathological Notes—the latter at the
instance of the authorities at Wash
ington —so I say nothing on these
matters in this rambling letter.
Nashville is exempt from yellow
fever visitations. When a quarantine
was spoken of, Drs. Menees, Atchison,
Rowling, and others, opposed it; all
honor to them for so doing. I op
posed it with all ray might, as a lay
man. We invite refugees from the
stricken regions to come to Nashville.
The hygrometric and other conditions
forbid the notion that yellow fever
can be propagated in Nashville.
I have been surprised to find that
people have been afraid to send their
sous and daughters to school at Nash
ville, for fear of the yellow fever! I
CHARLESTON, S. C., SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1878.
have never known the city more
healthful at this season of the year.
The literary, theological and legal
departments of Vanderbilt Universi
ty are in full blast Students are daily
coming in. The medical department
is just opening; that called my son
from Memphis. The faculty of the
Medical College is very able, and
all the arrangements of the institu
tion, hospital, museum, etc., are ex
cellent. Thos. O. Summers.
How to Succeed.
NUMBER VI.
Young men desirous of establishing
business habits should be prompt,
punctual, and accnrate. Nothing be
gets confidence in a young man sooner
than habits of pui-ctnali*j-, sobriety,
and accuracy. No one who is habit
ually dilatory and inaccurate will be
tolerated in a well regulated counting
house. Accuracy is a mark of good
training. Let me urge the young to
concentrate their efforts, and not frit
ter their time by engaging in a vari
ety of pursuits, making themselves, as
it were, “Jacks at all trades and good
at none.” Find out what you are
fitted for, and having chosen a busi
ness, go to work with a will and de
termination to succeed. A despond
ing, hesitating character scarcely ever
accomplishes much. Some people are
always resolving, hut fail to put their
resolutions into execution.
Punctuality is an important business
habit; and a punctual man always
regards the time of others. An emi
nent lawyer in Charleston, who is a
member of important boards, said ho
lost so much time by being prompt in
various meetings, he found it necessa
ry to be prompt only ten minutes after
the time fixed for the meetings, and
if there was not a business quorum in
five minutes thereafter, he would
move an adjournment. In this way
he is robbed of only five minutes, in
stead of fifteen minutes. I have been
worried no little, and have lost much
valuable time by dilatory directors.
Punctuality should be made a point
of conscience, as well as duty.
Some men have their names asso
ciated with various boards, but give
very little attention to the trusts as
sumed. Diligence is said to be the
mother of good luck, and is an impor
tant business trait; it is the active
employment of mind and body, in
useful employment, and often brings
.Ut*." - nossessor. km; wje lire, wealth
and fame.
When a thing is to be done, the dil
igent man does not hesitate, but goes
to work and accomplishes it. The
Spartan youth who told his mother
that his sword was too short, was or
dered to add a step to it. If we feel
that our talents are insufficient, we
must add to them by industry and
diligence. You should not only be
punctual, accurate and industrious,
but you must also be prudent. “ A
prudent man looketh well to his go
ing;” he will not involve himself in
debt, until he has carefully considered
the means of discharging the same.
Business, when conducted on a large
scale, demands sound judgment, great
energy, and a correct adaptation of
means to ends.
You must bo master of your business
to succeed. Do not be allured from
your legitimate work, and engage in
business enterprises in which you
have had no previous experience. Bet
ter let well enough alone.
Losses by had debts and shrinkages,
in nearly every class of investments,
have, lor the past five years, well
nigh consumed the profits of many of
the best conducted commercial houses.
Now that the bankrupt law is to be
swept away, perhaps our business
men will turn over anew leaf in
granting and accepting credits.
In the eager desire to sell goods,
the credit system has been greatly
abused. It is even difficult to carry
on business upon credit when the
profits are sufficient to stand as a
fund to insure collections; but when
they are reduced, by sharp competi
tion in all pursuits, and when labor
yields such meagre returns, there is
great necessity for using the strictest
economy.
Young men should waste neither
time nor money. Remember that
“ time and tide wait for no man.”
Time is y r our estate; an estate, how
ever of little value without cultiva
tion and improvement. Continuous
application and faithful work will ef
fect much. It is distressing to see so
much time wasted by’ young and old
men at country stores, political gath
erings, railway stations, and at city
and town hotels.
Many y’oung men waste valuable
time at billiard saloons, and at the
gaming table; time that should he
devoted to work, or the improvement
of their minds. It is as important to
learn the lesson of economizing time
as it is to save money, for if you lose
your money’, you may regain it by
industry’, but golden hours lost are
gone forever.
Thirty minutes to-day 7, an hour to
morrow, and two hours next week
saved, will enable the studious and
industrious y’outh tolay the foundation
of a good education. G. W. W.
Nacoochee Valley 7 , Ga., Sept. 1878.
“Search the Scriptures,” as the
miner searches for rich ore, and as the
hound for the scented track. Avoid
desultory habits of reading, and make
a faithful and protracted effort to un
derstand and retain what you read.
The Church and ILL' Mission.
NUMBER II
Our selfish and narrew views limit
our joys, dimir ish theirintensity, and
often destroy them atogether. In
deed, selfishness alwa;s defeats its
ultimate aim. Intending to benefit
self only and by all means, it gets
misery instead of benefit. Christian
ity is uncompromising in its war
against this miserable irnciple, not
merely tor the sake of conflict, but be
cause of its destructive Influence. As
we gather facts by observation and
experience, we see how pliianthropic
is the religion of Christ. It proscribes
only that which is evil ip nature and
influence, and prescribes those things
which will enhance our joys. It may
l>e abundantly proved jF actual ex-
L . _rimehYTnat, j torbiddeu
in the law of God is actually detri
mental to our happiness .
Now it may be laid down as a
position which needs no proof that
God’s aim in all his requirements of
us, is our happiness, or, rather, our
blessedness. And as iu
wisdom as in goodness, that obedience
to His requirements will bring that
blessedness, while disobedience will
naturally produce misery. Il is not
material to our argument whether
God prescribes a certain character and
course of conduct because they tend
to our happiness because .he has com
manded them. It is sufficient to know
—and this we may know positively—
that blessedness is founded in the
pathway of duty as marked out by
God’s word, and in that -cay alone.
The only source of, happiness or
bliss is in love. A n;an must love
whatever gives him happiness. That
men find temporary pleasure iu sin
is because they love siu. That this
pleasure is temporary irises from the
nature of sin and from the fact that
its deformity is concealed and a de
ceptive appearance is presented to
the mind. When sin is seen in its
real nature, as it will 1> j seen by all,
then will it be hated, feud iu the case
of the finally lost, no qj.her love will
be substituted for it. (This will be
the acme of misery, lor the source of
all happiness will he destroyed.
Love, then, beiug ti£ source of all
bliss, and being an active principle,
going out to the object -oved, it must
find expression for itself. The only*
expression lovefindsfo: Itself is giving.
God could
by giving His onl; ifiet'Cyen Son • and
every auaeu inmutr ,/uiir- sirs loiys"
has been, and ever will be,in the form
ol a gift. Thus human love must give
out its expression, and u this outgo
of love from the heart theie is an in
flow of bliss into it. The bliss expe
rienced by a soul is proportioned
to the iove felt by that soul; and when
the object loved is worthy, the love
and the bliss of the heart are con
stantly increasing. To love largely
then is to be greatly happy by direct
consequence. As we enlarge our per
sonality’, and increase, as it were, the
surface of our sensibilities, we increase
the sources and the amount of our
bliss. To illustrate : tiie members of
a loving family enjoy far more than
an isolated man, lor the pleasures of
each member are reproduced afresh
in every other. Let the family be
indefinitely increased and we see how
the happiness is multiplied. So when
God would have us enlarge our sym
pathies, and extend our love to all
mankind it is that we may be made
the happier thereby. We gather joy
from a thousand sources which we
would fail to receive, were vve to shut
ourselves up in the narrow shell of
selfishness.
The intensity of the joys thus ex
perienced is proportioned to the love
felt for others. If that love be feeble
the joy is feeble ; if strong, the joy is
deep and lull Therefore “Thou shalt
love thy neighbor as thyself,” not so
much that thy neighbor may be bene
fited as that thou mayest be made
happier. When then our hearts, en
larged by God’s abounding love, go
out to all his people and to all men.,
and project their sympathies deep into
the hearts of all, so unite them
to us closely 7 and vitally, we multiply
our own joys and greatly increase
their intensity.
It is easy to see how such loving
union of Christian hearts would
strengthen the Church, and increase
the power of her usefulness. It would
give cohesiveness to the Church, and
add wonderfully to the attractiveness
of religion. The Christian Church
would be a family instead of a frater
nity 7. O, what bliss would flow abroad
in refreshing abundance were tho
Church thus united ! O God, unite
Thy children to Thee and to one an
other iu a strong and abiding love.
Crispus.
Mr. Editor: 1 wonder if a letter
from this far away State of Kentucky
would possess any interest for many
of your readers. I have the vanity
to believe that some, at least, when
they read the name at the end of this
communication, will be glad to learn
that their friend and brother of former
years is still living and toiling, both
well and happy, in his work. First of
all, he desires to congratulate you on
the return of the dear old Southern
Christian Advocate to her native
city. It might have been an occasion
of rejoicing similar to that on the re
turn of the ark of the Lord to its
proper place, after its long sojourn in
exile among the Philistines; just at
this point, 1 beg to say, the compari-
son fails, for your ark has been, not in
the hands of enemies during its ab
sence from its original abode, but
among friends. Still, you all have
been weary’ at its long tarrying, and
have been pining through these tedi
ous y’ears for its restoration to the old
home. Well might all South Caro
lina Methodism have run out of doors
to meet it with outstretched arms,
and clapped her hands with exube
rant joy’, exclaiming, “ O, it has come!
it has come! Welcome—thrice wel
come to our hearts and homes once
more.” The writer participates in
that joy, and sends his greeting (with
the renewal of his subscription), from
tho beautiful banks of the fair, wan
dering Ohio.
The Kentucky Conference has just
closed its fifty-eighth session, in this
town, and I grieve to write that my
only fellow-South Caroliuian in this
body—Rev. Jas. Wesley Wightman,
D. D.—re-transfers to the dear old
mother Conference of which we to
gether were so long members. Our
honored brother, Rev. H. A. C. Walker,
who was with us for about four years,
returned to her maternal embrace
several years ago, and was made wel
come to her loving hearts; so also
will be this longer abseut, but equally
worthy son.
How it will delight his many friends
there to learn that his son-in-law, Rev.
Clarence F. Reid, as esteemed y’oung
member of the Kentucky Conference,
has just been appointed, by Bishop
Pierce, a missionary to China—we
having pledged ourselves to send and
support him for six years without a
dollar ol expense to the parent Board.
Ilis devoted wife, Mary, is as admi
rably adapted to that work, as any
woman I have ever known. They will
probably be ready to set out by about
Ihe first of January next. God speed
them on their way, and give them
eminent success in winning many of
the benighted Pagans to Christ!
Your brother,
Charles Taylor.
Shelbyville, Ky., Sept. 25, 1878.
New England Correspondence.
Mr. Editor : In a previous letter we
spoke of the popular watering places
at the North. There is still another
yet to be named, sometimes called the
Religious Watering Place. Tho old
time camp-meetir.gs of the Methodists,
in New England, as generally else
where „were under the ban, of ot !><>•
dono a8 we || aH tjye outside
public ; but still they were a great
power in the earlier history 7 of the
denomination, in reaching multitudes
who would otherwise have remained
outside of religious influences. Thous
ands upon thousands have been con
verted at these annual Methodist
gatherings, and proved as stable and
useful Christians as the fruits of any
other gospel labors. Within twenty
years or so, these annual gatherings
have divided themselves into two
classes ; one, retaining more or less of
the old fashioned camp-meeting of
our fathers, witli many family cot
tages and greatly increased facilities ;
tho other, assuming almost city pro
portions and elegance, have, little by
little, become a species of Religious
Watering Places.
The best representatives of this
latter class are Ocean Grove, in New
Jersey, Round Lake, in New York,
Vineyard Grove, in Massaehusitts,
and Old Orchard Beach, in Maine.
At these places the camp-meeting
week is still kept up each year, and
the usual stand-preaching, tent-meet
ings, and other means of grace are
gone through with, but with small
results spiritually. The trouble is
these places have become too popular
as summer resorts, and theciowds
that flock to such invitii g groves,
with no well defined religious object
in view, are quite too great to allow
of much good being done of a distinct
camp-meeting nature.
Vineyard Grove, for instance, on the
Island of Martha’s Vineyard, off the
coast of Massachusetts, has become a
Summer City by’ the Sea, with a pop
ulation of perhaps twenty thousand
people, who resort thither at the be
ginning of the hot season and remain
until autumn brings its cooling
breezes to their city homes. Some
times the population at this fashiona
ble resort goes up, it is said, as high
as forty thousand. Railroad lines and
steamers ply daily’ and almost hourly
to carry passengers to and from this
place of great resort. Streets, ave
nues, parks and walks, have been laid
out in regular order; and miles upon
miles of concrete pavements add to
the natural fitness and beauty of the
grove. Two large hotels and a thous
and or more family’ cottages, .all of
them modtds of taste, and many ex
travagantly’ elegant, afford shelter to
the multitudes of visitors.
To feed this collection of people re
quires grocers, bakers, butchers and
restaurants or eating houses. To
meet the religious wants of this Sum
mer City are the great Tabernacle,
belonging to the Camp-meeting As
sociation, two or more church edifices
where services are held before the
regular camp-meeting week begins.
Sunday-schools are established for
Sabbath work, common schools on
week days for children that would
otherwise fall behind their grade at
home, and schools of modern languages
for adults.
The old time camp-meeting odium
has ceased to attach itself to this and
similar gatherings. Not only the
leading clergymen and families of our
own church, but those of nearly all
the other denominations also spend
their summer vacations at such places
of religious resort, and some of
them have adopted tho regular thing
themselves! The Baptists have pur
chased a site at the Vineyard, near
the Methodist ground, fitted up regu
lar camp-meeting appointments, and
hold a regular annual gathering there,
commanding some of their ablest di
vines from both Boston and New
York; and even the Unitarians and
Universalists have begun to follow
suit in other parts of New England.
Verily’, all our Methodist usages and
methods are in a fair way to be adopt
ed by’ other denominations.
September, 1878. Tourist.
The Salutations of St. Paul.
Rom. 1G: 1-16.
These salutations are valuable, as
affording an index to the apostle’s
character. They show the depth of
his affection, the earnestness with
which he took hold of the individual,
separating him in thought from tho
rest of mankind, and drawing him
tenderly and abidingly’, near his own
loving heart. To the unreflecting
mind there is something monotonous
and wearisome in these frequent salu
tations. The eye, perhaps, glances
mechanically, and without interest,
adown the list. But these salutations
are like the smooth, round pebbles
which, with ail their sameness, tell us
that we are on the margin of some
grand lake, heaving in majesty and
power. We should think of the great
heart of love which gave birth to those
similar, but fond addresses. Well
would it he for us did we possess tho
same deep love. 1 fear that we are
lacking in this respect. We do not
love one another to that extent and
degree which we ought. Instead of
tender greetings, loving salutations,
we too often give utterance to dispar
aging remarks, censorious criticisms.
And yet our Master has said; “This
is my commandment, That ye love
one another, as I have loved you.”
And again, He has said: “By this
shall all men know that ye are ray
disciples, if ye have love one to
another.” O, that tho Church had
more of “tho mind which qris in
Christ.” It would be “no more a re
proach.” Like a garden of spices, it
would emit the most grateful odors.
Like an oasis in the desert.Jt would
attract from afar the feet o the drea
ry and heavy laden. Let us “ follow
after charity.” It is the crowning
excellence of character. Hcr.v St.
Paul eulogizes it in his first epjytle to
the Corinthians. It is nobler imm elo
quence. “Though 1 speak with
the tongues of men, and of angels,
and have not charity’, I am become as
sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.”
It is more to be desired than the deep
est insight or tho most majestic power.
“ Though I have the gift of prophecy,
and understand all mysteries, and all
knowledge; and though I have all
faith, so that I could remove moun
tains, and have not charity, I am
nothing. ” The greatest sacrifices have
no reward without it. “ Though 1
give all my goods to feed the poor,
and though 1 give my body to be
burned,and have not charity, it profit
eth me nothing.”
The salutations of St. Paul are val
uable, moreover, as reminding us of a
means of usefulness. It is the main
tenance of a correspondence with
those whom we have been the instru
ments of benefiting, and who, in the
Providence of God, have been sepa
rated from us. Too often we betray
great folly in permitting the influence
we have acquired over such to gradu
ally 7 decline, for want of an occasional
communication. Let each ask him
self, Have i been faithful in this re
spect? Perhaps you are a Sunday
school teacher. Do you not remem
ber that bright-eyed hoy who used to
belong to your class ? That boy who
seemed to appreciate your labor ?
That boy who sent a thrill of hope
through y’our heart every Sabbath
afternoon? Do you not remember
how sad he lopked when ho came to
bid you good-by, as be was about to
leave with his father for some village
or country home? Have you ever
written to that boy? ever sent him
one salutation, one word of greeting?
Perhaps there was a neighbor over
whom you once exercised great influ
ence. At your solicitation be would
read his Bible, attend church, and
keep from the-bar-room. He now
lives at a distance from you. Do you
ever visit him ? Or, if too remote, do
you ever send him a line, inquiring
after his welfare, and urging him on
in the right? O, brethren, imitate
the apostle, and endeavor to maintain
the influence y’ou have acquired. A
sceptre like y’ours is not to be relin
quished, without an effort to retain it.
An Atlantic, with its t housand leagues,
may roll between y’ou and the subjects
of your sway; but in God’s Provi
dence there are means at your com
mand, by which y’ou can perpetuate
your influence, perhaps even unto
death. R. L. Harder.
The United States is the only great
nation to-day in the happy condition
of exporting much and importing
little. All the others are compelled to
go outside of their limits for bread
and meat, and other necessaries of
life.
F. M. KENNEDY. I). D Editor.
Rev. IS. A. WEBER Associate Editor.
WHOLE NUMBER 2112.
International Lessons.
FOURTH QUARTER LESSON 111 OCT. 20.
THE PRODIGAL SON. Luke : H-24.
Lesson Notes. —lt Is probable that
this parable was spoken in Perea, to
which place the Saviour had gone to
avoid the hostile Jews. It was only
a few days before the crucifixion.
Luke only’ mentions the incident.
According to the Mosaic law, the
younger brother received only one
half as much as the oldest. By
“husks” is meant tho fruit of the
carob tree, common in many places
in the East, which is fed to animals,
and also used by tho very poor as
food.
1. The Prodigal Son. —ln the lesson
to-day’ we get a glimpse of the business
habits atid character of tlie three per
sons mentioned. We see the industri
ous, kind-hearted impartial father, tho
energetic, active boys, both posses
sing remarkable decision of character;
theone, genial, social, liberal; the other,
selfish, mean, stingy. Ourlesson refers
only’ to tho better son, and not to tho
worse. It was not wrong for him to
ask for his portion ofgoods. Thefather
readily y’ielded to his request. It was
not wrong for him to leave home and try
his fortune amongst strangers in afar
country’.
2. Wasted his substance with riotous
living. —Here is where the young man
made his mistake. The temptations
of this new, unrestrained life over
came him. Just at this time of year,
thousands of young men are leaving
their homes for far countries ; some
are going to college; others are seek
ing employ’ment in commercial cen
tres; while many are seeking their
fortunes in the far West. Let them
not dissipate their money, and mind
and character in riotous living. Op
portunities are never wanting; tho
tempter is always at hand.
3. The Far Country. —When any
one is away from God, he is in a far
country’. One may go to church
every Sunday’, and pay his dues to
the treasurer regularly, and yet be
living in a far country. It does not
take one long to spend all he has in
that far country.
4. The Famine. —Riotous living
will not long satisfy the immortal
soul. Indulgence in the lower appe
tites will soon produce a sore famine
in tho heart. Give a man all the mo
ney he wants, and everything that
money will produce, yet, if he is away
from God, striving to satisfy his soul
with tile things that perish a great
famine will soon come on him.
5. Tiif, Feeding of Swine. —More
disgraceful and humiliating work
couid not be assigned to the Jew.
Taught from the very beginning of
their national existence than the hog
was an unclean animal, it must have
been the very lowest depth of degra
dation for the Jews to have the care
of the swine, which they detested.
6. The Hunger of the Soul.—
Though be may have had a great
abundance of swine’s food, yet he was
not satisfied ; it did not fill him. No
man gave unto him ; for it was not in
the power of man to furnish him with
the bread of life, which alone will sat
isfy one in tho day of soul-famine.
When one gives way to envy, or
hatred, or selfishness, he is living on
the food of swine.
7. And when iie came to himself.
Sin is a state of madness. You would
call one mad, who persistently tries
to mutilate his body in some way;
or who, by’ abstaining from food, en
deavors tostarve himself. So he is mad
who runs away’ from his father’s house
and devotes his time, money and mind
to the gratification of sinful desires.
8. Decision of Character. —This
y’oung man was not a weak, wavering
sort of fellow. He acted on his hon
est convictions. When he wanted bis
share of the property he said so, and
he got it. He then prepared for his
journey, and set out in a few days.
He gave himself up to pleasure with
all the force of character he possessed.
9. The Father’s Reception. —This
illustrates the love our Heavenly Fa
ther* has- for his children. Though
they may gut far away’ from him. still
his eye sees them, and he discerns
the very first step that is made back
towards him. He runs to meet them,
so as to help them on their homeward
way.
10. Tiif, Son and the Father. —Tho
sinner’s course is portrayed in the
son’s life. He did not become sud
denly very wicked. From the day
that he made up his mind to ask for
his portion of goods, to the time that
he engaged himself to a citizen of
another country to feed swine, there
was a gradual growth in sin. When
he left home he did not dream that
his course was downward. When he
was about to starve, he then repented;
when he recovered his mind, he im
mediately’ turned back towards his
lather. Then the father had watched
his downward course with lovingoyes.
He welcomed the return of his lost
boy. Ho went out far from home to
meet him, and gave him ihe best robe,
inslead of the rags he wore ; he placed
a ring on his finger, showing that he
was honored as a son, and not re
ceived as a servant. lie put shoes on
his feet, a thing that did not happen
to servants. He killed the fatted calf,
intending that his son should no more
hunger. Instead of sorrow, and sad
ness and wretchedness, in a strange
land, there was much rejoicing iu his
father’s house.