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VOLUME IX.
PUBLISHED EYIEY SATURDAY AT ONE DOELAB AND FIFTY CENTS A YEAR----PIIILADELPinA, NOVEMBEB, 9,1867.
NUMBER 45.
THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL TIMES,
A Weekly Religions Paper.
All letterc containing article! for publication, or r»-
' fating to the editorial management ot the paper, shonld
* Cm addressed
Editors Sunday-School Times,
Philadelphia.
All oommnnloationi relating to the business man¬
agement of the Journal, or containing remittances
for subscriptions; also orders for books, and Inquiries
In regard to the best publications for Sabbath-sehool
Ehonld be addressed
J. O. GARRIGUES db OOJ
148 South Fourth Street,
Phiuuds-phia, Pa.
[For Terms of Subscription, see Fourth Page.-]
-— _, -
- For the Snnday-School Times.
A WORD TO YOUNG LADIES.
Bt Melicent Irwik.
IN gathering in recruits for the Sunday-
school, quite a number are lost to
ub for want of clothing deemed suitable for
the Sabbath day. We think all who have
explored a circuit of any extent in search of
scholars will agree that this ha3 been one of
the chief difficulties encountered. It may be
argued, indeed, that the feeling is weak with
many, and Deeds to be put down rather than
t encouraged, bat in very many cases it is based
npon onJy proper self-respect, and hence to a
certain degree should be respected. There is
in the world a great deal ofthe seeming insin¬
cerity of saying, " Depart in peace, be ye
warmed and filled," notwithstanding «those
things wbich are needful to the body" are not
given. With the apostle we may well ask,
« What doth it proBt 1" 8omotimeB it needs
discrimination and tact to discover these wants
and meet them. They are not always acknow¬
ledged where they are most felt. A genuine
sympathy will divine them. Tbe modus ope¬
randi of relief should be provided for.
Now there are in every flourishing school
of fair numbers, certain memberB who are
actually Buffering for a  field  in which their
dormant   powers    may   be   exercised    We
allude to   the   daughters  of  happy, Chris¬
tian  homes, who  all their  lives  have been
taught   the    blessed   principles    of   living
truth, but who have failed to vitalize them
in   their   own   lives   by   proper   action.—
They believe the truth  in a negative  way.
They would, we think, act by it in any great
^crista of principles, but they lose growth and
happiness by failure in action.    Tbeir faith
without works languishes.   Tbey learn Bible
^lessons as a matter of proper form.   They are
: regular in their places in Sunday-school as
much from early habit as from personal inte¬
rest.    Listless and discontented hours come
to them through the week.    In their inmost
hearts there is often the complaint that there
io no place for them in this busy world.   No
one, they gay, beyond the home circle would
mis3 them if they were removed.   Even at
home they argue, so unhealthy does the feel¬
ing sometimes become, they would, after the
first, be but little missed : they fill 80 small a
place, they are so little necessary to any one's
real happinesa or comfort.   Older sisters, Borne
kiod aunt, cr mother's wonderfal gift of ac-
; complishment seems to leave nothing for them
, to  rfo.    Where  real love of study has been
- evoked, this unhealthy feeling is very happily
met.    But real, natural students are the ex¬
ception  rather than the rule, and when the
mere demands of tbe echool-room are met, the
many, unhappily, are satisfied.    And if school
•days are ever, few keep up systematic study.
Now j ust here the Sunday-school may organ¬
ize a most efficient corps of workers if the
matter ia undertaken in the right way.    Why,
dear girls, work  is waiting  for jou  every
where.    For your own sake, to put the lowest
motive first, do not Jet jour energies rust out,
or be devoted to belittling trifles of dress and
gossip, if we may so designate much of socie¬
ty's thin  discourse  of polite criticism and
disparaging running   comment, when work
•which will call into exercise your highest na¬
ture is waitiDg yon at your very doors.  What
has become of all the enthusiasm that^ found
such  coneenial  work  in  lint-scraping, and
bandage-rolling, and jelly-making, and letter-
|writing dnr'm* the war?    Love of country
itiU has work to do.   Soldiers, dear ones of
rar own homes, it is true, are not lyiDg bleed¬
ing on the battle-field as then, and thia we
should   remember, wishing to give thank-
offerings  for the  fact; but principles  upon
which the safety of our republic really depends
are everywhere lying wounded and bleeding on
the battle-fields of individual encounter, and
the little children of parents who have come
from other eborea as well as those of our own
congregations and acquaintance, need to be
inducted into the holy faith which alone gives
just awakening mind o| the little child may
as savingly coia prehejtfd as tho most cul¬
tured intellect;. It.l^a work in alliance with
that ofthe angels. It ie in benefitting others
that self is most truly benefitted by securing
harmony with^God'a divine economies of use
in which heavenly intelligences delight to
perform their part. Is it not a privilege to
work withjthem in whatever degree we may
be permitted ?
."  -1-
lor the Snnday-School Times.
The Chinese Converts
T is often thought that much allowance ia
to be made for the etatementa of mis¬
sionaries about their heathen converts. Pew
believe that the "spots on the leopard" can
bo changed even by divine power. Though
these idol worshippers may for the time pro¬
fess to be converted, it is thought that a very
little temptation would be sufficient to turn
tbem aside. Not long ago a correspondent of
the London Times remarked that, "if any one
asserted that the missionaries in China were
making true converts, they were either guilty
of fraud, or the subjects of a deluBion."
Let us look at one of these converts, who
waa employed in the mission printing-house.
He was a man with a large family, and his
salary of thirty dollars a month barely sup¬
plied their want3. He was a man of much
intelligence and ability, and on his worth be¬
coming known, he we3 offered a situation aa
interpreter of the supreme court.
"I am empowered to offer him one hundred
and twenty dollars a month," said the officer
to tho missionary; "and if ten dollars 'more
will make the ecale go down in favor of the
government, I can aid that to it. Wdng
Shing is a young man, with a large family,
and he haB no right to refuse such an im¬
portant and honorable position."
. But in the new situation tho missionary and
the young man knew that all the influences
would be on the world's aide, Byerything
around him would terd to draw him away
from holiueBS and heaven. Ha would not ao
imperil his soul.
" I hope," ho said, "that the government
will get a gcoi interpreter, but I do not mean
to leave my present situation."
How many professors of religion in cur
Christian land would have made the same
decision ?
This heathen convert's example puts to
shame many who profeas to serve the same
heavenly Master, and yet are jostling each
other in tha eager chase after mammon.
Thoy Bsek the high places of the earth for
themselves and for their children; little heed¬
ing whether the surrounding influences will
lead tbem heavenward or earthward. Will
not those in ths heathen lands rise up in the
judgment to condemn euch parents? Will
not their children reproach them as the cause
cf their eternal undoing ? We may lower
down the standard aa we will, the declaration
of Ohrist stands unchanged: " Ye cannot
serve God and mammon." J. E. L.
For the Snnday-School Time*.
"HOW TO DO IT."
OF TENTIMS3 it is not resolution that is
needed for the achievement of a purpose
that remains unattained, neither ia it ability
that is lacked, but though these two needful
qualities are possessed, the work remains un¬
done from want of the simple knowledge
" how to do it." Teachers and superintend-
entB know this is the case with themselves;
how much more, then, with the little child.
Ohildren need to be taught how to study.
Their faculties are all undeveloped; the re¬
gion of study is an unexplored domain to
many Sunday-Bchool scholars, particularly to
those in our mission-schools. A few hints
from tbe teacher as to how tho lesson is to be
committed may ensure tha attendance of a
scholar who is ashamed to come without a
lesson, and yet for want of mental training
not unfrequently feels utterly unable to com¬
mit it.
Of course it ia not sufficient to state
how you, with habits of study, would make
it your own. Suggestions have to be adapted
to the learner's capacity or rather want of
capacity. It is surprising, however, what
rapid advancement such suggestions are often
the key to. What haa hitherto been con¬
sidered task-work becomes a pleasure. The
intelligent exercise of the faculties is always
a pleasure, and to wake the love of study is
one of the first aims of a true teacher. In
most instances it is only necessary to tho¬
roughly show a scholar how to study with
facility to wake this love of mental exercise,
though of course it is much less strong with
some than with others.
It is beautiful to note, step by step, how
God in his kind providence lovingly teaches
liberty; need to be prepared for the duties of i QS " how" to learn onr lifa-Iessons, " how" to
Christian citizens, need to be educated to
support, every man in hia place, the princi¬
ples of Christian justice and national purity
wbich have cost precious blood and bitter
tears ever to be held in remembrance of the
do our earth-daties. A failnre here, accord¬
ing to hia unerring laws of cause and effect,
Bhows ua where the flaw was in calculation or
action, or the wortblepenessof a sought success
shows ua with new realization what are the
God of nations. The Sunday-school work j objects truly worth striving for. Yet we too
calls upon f.vtry spark of patriotism within j ofte11 W**6 tbe e*me mistakes, and are taught
na to tdr.c*te mto the principles of vital | vet again by the Divine patience, which never
Chris'ianity ev^ry child who shall hereafter | wearits, never refuses instruction—the same
hold the ballot. Thia must be done through | leflBOns» ^ith UI»wav6ring faithfulness and
the eimple systematic efforts of individuals. I lov*> As we have received, so according to
Just, euch work as you can give, dear girls, is j our capacity, let ub give.
required.    The gathering in of Echolars, the -— —	
soliciting of articles of clothing to be made ) Fob the indulgence of curiosity, or even
into nectary garments to be judiciously dis- j from a better motive, it is dangerous to vea-
trihuted, and last and highest, teaching young i tnre into temptation in our own strength, or
immortals the lesson of the cross, which the | without a divine warrant.
Tor the Snnday-School limes.'
UNION TO CHRIST.
As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it
abide in the Tine, no more can ye, except ye abide in
me."   John 16: 4.
0, with what precious teaohings, Lord,   .,
Are thy disciples Mossed!
Help me to feel each saored word,
Thy gracious lips expressed.
:-   ..   ; ...      ub<i ■ '   j
Too long, alas ! my guilty soul
A fruitless branch hath been;
Saviour, in mercy, make me whole,
Raise from the death of sin.
Jeans, thou true and living vine,
Unite my soul to thee ;   .
And kindly tell me, " Thou art mine;
Henceforth.live unto me."
,   Grafted by faith, my heart shall seek
" Thy goodness to proclaim;
While fruits of heavenly growth will speak
l   The praises of thy name.
0, may I now, through sovereign grace,
This blessed union know ;
Prom whence abiding pease we trace,
Whence endless glories grow*!
Qome, Lord of life, thy Spirit give,
Make all these blessings mine;
That I, a fruitful branch, may lire
In thee, the living vine.
S. A.
Vox the Snnday-School Times.
PATIENT IN TRIBULA:TION.
IN reading the history of Job we can hardly
' fail of being shocked at the advice given
to him by hi3 Wffe, In the view of his
many calamities. " Dost thou still retain
thine integrity? Curse God and die." She
eeeiaa to regard it aa something not to be ex¬
pected that any one ehonld exercise patience
and resignation under such afflictions; that
B God wW could thus afflict hia childWas un¬
worthy of any farther confidence and wor¬
ship. We are apt to conclude that she was a
very wicked, godless woman;1 but let ua for a
moment place ourselves in her position, and
see if we could endure all her woes without
a murmur. Cast down in a day from the
highest affluence and social position, com¬
pelled to perform the most unaccustomed
drudgery, dependent on charity, or her Own
exertions, bereaved of ten children in one
day, all meeting with violent deaths; her
husband afflicted with a most painful malady,
what wonder that for the time faith and rea¬
son itself should be almost annihilated. No
doubt Satan plied hia temptations here as
unceasingly as was in his: power; ih order to
leave not the slightest mitigation to Job's
afflictions; and what wonder that the bereaved
and frantic mother was for the time over¬
come by them ? Certainly we who murmur
so often at our trifling ills'j should judge her
kindly.
Her advice to l; curse God" was ai sentiment
very common among heathen nations. It waa
common for the Idumean women, when tbey
failed to receive what they prayed for, to re¬
proach and cast away their gods. Perhaps
there is an allusion to such a custom when
Job says, "thou speakest as one of the foolish
women speaketh."
A man who had made expensive offerings
to the supreme god, Siva, for tbe success of a
certain undertaking, failed in it and lost all
his property. In a rage, he reviled* his god,
and reproached him for his losses.-'"-What,
shall I serve him any more? Make offerings
to him ? No, no; he ia the lowest of all the
gods." So in the Iliad, Achilles and Mene-
laus are eaoh represented as reproaching the
gods.
How different the noble sentiment which
Job utters in reply. " Shall we receive good
at the hand of God, and Bhall we not receive
evil ?" This ia the language of true piety.
This is tbe spirit in Which we should meet
all our afflictions. But it is only the sancti¬
fied heart that can utter it. Oh, how it
lightens our burdens to feel that a Father's
hand ia helping us bear them; that he will
surely hold'us up, and in due time that he
will remove them from ua, and give ua the
oil of joy for mourning. Loia.
for the Snnday-School Times.'
CHRISTIAN UNION.
AT an anniversary meeting of the American
Sabbath-School Union, held six or seven
years ago, one of the speakers, .the Rev. J.
Hyatt Smith, then of Philadelphia, made use
of the following figure to illustrate Christian
union, which, although published at the time,
in your columns, will be. read with interest
now.
After speaking of the realneaa and honesty
of Christian union, as it was exemplified in
common work for Christ, Mr. Smith said,:
We have a banquet of love spread here to¬
night j and tbe wine is from that vine which
was planted amid darkness and tempest on
the holy hill of Calvary, that vine which was
moistened with a Saviour's blood, that vine
wbich climbed a Saviour's cross for its arbor,
and whose fruits ripened in the smile of God.
Our wine is taken from tbe clusters that hung
on that vine. We went up to one side of the
viBe, and we picked off a full purple Presby¬
terian cluster; we went away to the other
Bide, and we plucked a rich cluster of the
Epis»opal church; we went to still another
part of the vine and we took a Methodist clus¬
ter ; from another part we picked a Baptist
cluster; from another a Dutch Reformed clus¬
ter ; from another a Congregational cluster.
We found rich, blooming clusters in all
branches of the church of the Lord Jesus
Christ. Those clusters were put into one
common press of holy Christian seal; and
when the pure wine gashed forth, Gabriel
himself could not tell which part had ripened
in a Presbyterian cluster which part had
purpled in a Baptist cluster whioh part had
sweetened in an Episcopalian, or a Methodist,
or a Congregational cluster. It is simply
wine: and pouring it into the goblet of this
holy benevolence, we bring it to our lips to¬
night ; and in the midst of the great congre¬
gation, we drink it, calling upon the name of
our common Lord. B.
for the Sunday-School Times.
AN INCIDENT.
A N intimate friend of mine spent part of
ii his college vacation la3t winter in preach¬
ing in a small village in northern Ohio. Re¬
vival meetings were held, and many Bonis were
brought to Christ. A noted drunkard in the
vicinity Was induced to attend the meeting
, one evening. My friend preached upon tbe
hopelessness of any reform that was not
based upon Christianity. He told his hearers,
rsa plainly and as earnestly as he could, that
4f they wonld reform -from any evil habit,
they must seek the help of Christ. The man
paid the closest attention, eagerly drinking in
every word that was said.' Going home with
his wife that night, He told her that if she
had gone forward for prayers he would have
followed her. He was almost persuaded.
|Hi3 wife did ge forward afterwards, and be¬
came an earnest Christian. A few months
before, this man in a drunken spree had very
narrowly escaped death on the railroad. He
took it as a warning for awhile, and stopped
drinking. Bat neither this nor the impression
left on his mind at the meeting were suffi¬
cient. He made a few weak resolves, but not
having Ohrist to help htm fight the battle, he
was soon drinking as badly as ever.
, A few weeks since, while looking over a
Western paper, my attention was drawn to a
local item headed, "Horrible Death."' It
said that an intoxicated man had been seen
round the, village daring the day, and had
smarted in the evening for an adjoining town
to visit a dance. He was. found the next
morning by the track handa on the rail¬
road, about a mile from the village, terribly
mangled and cut to pieces. All the night
sind morning trains had run over him. A
<•» .ken bottle was found in his pocket. It was
the same man who, a few months before, had
been almost persuaded to give up his evil
habit. But he refused to call Christ to his
help, arid strong drink conquered him; more
than that, it killed him, and terribly mangled
his body; and infinitely more than all this, it
ruined hia soul forever. ■
The incident speaks for Use!f. More than
one lesson can .be drawn Aom. it. Surely
God intends that such deaths shall be ex¬
amples to others, and it is the duty of Chris¬
tians to draw the attention of those who are
walking in the same path to ..such true inci¬
dents as this whioh I have related.
,      R. T.C..
■
For the Snnday-School Times.
Tbe Use of Forgetting*
F there is one place more than another,
after the table of our Lord, where personal
animosities and antipathies should be forgot¬
ten, it is the place where the little children
gather to learn the Word of God. The re¬
sponsibility of teaching, is enongh of itself
to make one humble; and fellowship in
trying to lead the little ones to our Sa¬
viour ought to be a bond strong enough
to make Blight differences as nought. The
causes which produce such animosities are
often a necessary result of variety of charac¬
ter. They have often a wise use. Friction is
necessary in the spiritual as well as in the
material world. There are things each day
that try most of as, sometimes sorely. Their
use is to supply necessary friction and then to
give exercise to the ability to forget. The
ungenerous act, the cold tone or glance when
sympathy was expected, the careless, wound¬
ing word, to say nothing of offences more un¬
mistakable, these having done their work are
good only to be forgotten.' We do not want
the soul's fair domain cumbered by their me¬
mory. Besides we know tbat each such small
trial is permitted of our Father, and from him
has its mission. Let us then receive it as
from him; accepting its use of patience or of
strengthening, and cancel our debt to the un¬
conscious bringers of good in disguise, by
throwing over the immediate offence- the
mantle of forgetfulness, dwelling together in
harmony, and assisting each other in, and in¬
citing to, good works. M. E. 0.
"Whatsoever He Sailh Unto You, Bo It."
I HAVE a, beautifully illuminated text in
my little parlor—the words, " Whatsoever
he saith unto you, do it." It was the gift of
a very lovely young friend, who brought it to
me and asked me to find the right place to
hang it. "Ah, Emma," I said as I looked up
at it after I had placed it upon the wall,
"what a beautiful text; what a reminder of
one's duty every hour in the day."
" Yes," she said, " I have the same in my
chamber. The first thing that my eyes rest
upon in the morning is this text, and I wonder,
when I awake, if I shall have courage to go
forward in my day's duties, doing whatsoever
the Master bids me."
Yes, there it hangs, the beautiful text in
blue and gold and divers colors. I do not
know how many times during the day my eye
tarns to it, and my heart turns to it too, I
think—"Whatsoever he saith unto you, do
it."
What does he say nnto me, a plain, quiet
woman, in my own quiet home? Does he bid
me go forth and do some great thing, and
bring soma honor upon myself and family ? I
think not. My path of duty does not seem
like that. Ood appoiats ns each a place in
his great vhseyard, and gives ns work to do,
and be saith nnto us-, " Do it." Mine is a
quiet lot—daily duties, daily cares, daily la¬
bors, daily sorrows, and daily blessings; here
is my work, rcy life; work in my hone and
about my home T and the Master saith, " What-
aoever thy hand findeth to> do, do it;?' and
when anxious and troubled, like Martha, about
mnch serving, he says, " Casting all yourcare
upon him, for he careth for you." I never
thought much about thia text antil it hung ia
my parlor. I hope it will prove a silent and
effective teacher, and tend to keep me in the
path of duty.
For the Sunday-SchoolSiiata.
GOD IS GOOD,
A MINISTER waa placing in the grave the
body of a beloved child. After the cof¬
fin waa let down, and the boards were laid
over it, another minister who was attending
the funeral, turned to the father of the child
and asked him if he had anything to say to
the people ?
" Yes," eaid he, and turning towards them,
be addressed them aa follows: " In my pros¬
perity and your adversity, I often toH yon that
God waa good. Now my darling boy is taken
from me, and as it ia the best opportunity I
shall ever have, I wish to tell you again that
God is good."
Thus was uttered a precious testimony to
the value of the Christian religion, as was
shown by the fact that when these words
were spoken, there was not a dry eye in the
whole assemblage. Such testimony is given
by God's people every day. In the midst of
the sorest afflictions the Christian says, God
is good. He is enabled to say with Job, " The
Lord gave, and j the Lord hath. taken away;
blessed be the name of the Lord," and so
he is happy, happy in God, even when, his
dearest earthly treasures are taken from him.
To the Christian in bereavement, those are
sweet words of the prophet Nahnm, " Tbe
Lord is good, a strong-bold in the day of
trouble; and he knoweth them tbat trust in
him." S. E. B.
For the Sunday-Sehool Times.
WAITING.
I wait for thee upon the dewy slope,
By fragrant meadows ripening in the son,
Where beaming skies foretell the rising hope,
Or mark the record of a victory won.
I wait for thee, thou child of many tears,
. With yearning heart eaoh promise to fulfil;
Before the radiant morning disappears,
WiU thou repent ?   Shall 1 be waiting still ?
I wait for thee; another and another
Comes from the dusty road and sandy plain,
To meet beside the fount their Elder Brother,
Who bids them drink and never thirst again.
Where  art   thou   going,  child ?—oh, tell me,
whither ?
Hy aohing heart anticipates reply,
And thinks of joys that blossomed bnt to wither,
Of darling hopes that glimmered but to die.
Then let the world no longer thus deceive thee;
'Tis sot too late to set thy spirit free;
At morn, at noon, at evening I'll reoeive tbee,
My ohild—my child—thy Father waits for thee!
JOSBPHINB PoLIiABS.
ii
For the Snnday-Sohool Times.
MINNIE'S QUESTION.
AMM A, where are the stars in the day
i.*x time?" asked a sweet child, aa ehe
curved her pink fingers over her eyea and
looked up into the sunshine. "Last night I
counted ao many, and this morning there's
not one."
" The stars are all there, my child; but the
brightness of tbe sun eo far exceeds their
feeble light, it is impossible to trace them."
" But, mamma,, if the sun did not shine,
would the stars be bright in the day-time just
as well as in the night?''
"Yes, my child. There are parts of the earth
on which the sun dees not shine in the day¬
time, and the stars are always ont. A dark
back-ground is sure to bring oat the stars,"
and there was a puzzled look en Minnie's face.
How like God's promises, I thonght. When
the sun of prosperity is bright, we do not al¬
ways value them. Bat when adversity comes,
and afflictiou ia laid upon us, we feel how
weak and feeble we are. We cannot take one
step without tha light that comes from above,
to guide our wandering feet. The darker the
hour the brighter grow the promises. The
sickly and di formed child ia nearer to the
mother's heart than the bright, rosy-cheeked
boy bounding down the path. The weak and
feeble are carried in his bosom; the sorrowing,
suffering heart ia the one on whom the oil of
consolation is poured. Surely sorrow is not
such a bitter thing when it is followed by
such blissful tenderness. J.
" It ia the action of the mind that God ac¬
cepts, not the motion of the body; it is the
thonght communing with him; it is the eouI
coming into contact with the soul of God ; it
is spirit-worship which the Lord accepts.
The text does not say, Let him ask of' priests,'
or of books, bat,' let Men ask of God."'—
Spurgeon.
For the Snnday-School Times.
THE MIGHT SUN MD THE BARK CLOlifl.
fX$ one of those beautiful days that were
" occasionally seen during the last spring,
two little girls, whose ages were respectively
eleven and eight yaars, were tripping gaily
along the avenue of one of our large cities.
It waa evident, aa tbsy glided alcng with
quiek and rapjd movements, that they were
happy children, Every tread of their little
feet seemed to respond to the music that
filled their youtbfal hearts. Th»y had just
left the parental loot— that place where the
true affeetiona ofthe parental heart were ever
beatowed, and the- purest acts of kindness
were e?or shown. All along the way their
minds were filled with thoughts of the
pleasant timea they would have when they
reached the church., and of She still more
pleasant times when Sabbath night should
arrive. Thus thinkinsj the children quick¬
ened their footatepa, and hurried on to &■
large church not far distant, where they
were to mingla their happy voices with
those of many other little children in singing,
their sweet hymna of praise to JesuB. They
soon ascend the stops that lead into the
church where they have come to recite their
piece—Onr Beautiful Eome—and among the
happy voices that make the church resonant
with their richest melody, are heard these
children's voices singing:
"A beautiful land by faith I gee,
A land from sin and Borrow free,
The home ofthe ransemed bright and fair,
And beautiful angels too are there.
chorus:
" Will you go ?   Wiil you go ?
Go to that beautiful land with mef
Will you go ?   Will yon go ?
Go to that beautiful land V
They had come on this Friday afternoon to
prepare for the " Sabbath-School Concert''
which was to take place on tb.8 Sabbath night
following.   A pleasant hour they spent in the
church that afternoon singing their beautifal
hymns, and repeating tbose sweet lines that
tell of a beautiful home in heaven ; and when
the hour closed thoy bade thair auperintendent
" good-bye," and hurried back to their plea¬
sant home.   A bright   sun followed   these
children to their home, and then went dowa
beneath the western hills  to rise npon the
coming morrow bebind a dark, dark cloud.
•«■       *       #       *       *-       *      '*
" Fire! Fire I Fire, Fire!!" Men and boye
are hurrying alang tha streets, crying " Fire I
Fire I" . Tho whole sky ia lighted up, and
people aro hurrying toward a large building
enveloped in flames. Snch headway had the
fire made before the engines arrived, that the
firemen could do nothing toward saving the
building, or removing anything that waa
within. Well had it been, if no other cala¬
mity had occurred except tha destruction of
that property! Well had it been, if nothing
had been destroyed except the few bricks and
timbers of which the building wa3 composed!
But while the fire was raging, and the timbers
oreaking, there came a crash. The building
had fallen, and buried beneath its ruins some
six or seven immortal souls. In the house
acjoining live-d tbe parents of these little girls
who had been that afternoon at the church
rehearsing for the " Sabbath- S :hool Concert."
This family fearing lest their house should be
destroyed by the fire, had set to work te re¬
move the most valuable pieces of furniture.
The father was in one of the back rooms en¬
deavoring to remove a piano, when the build¬
ing fell. A large portion fell upon the roof
above that room, and crushed is through,
burying the parent beneath the rains. And
from ten o'clock that F/iday night until ten.
o'clock on Saturday morning, the father of
these little girls was lying under the burning
ruins, f Sabbath day came, and it was a beau¬
tiful; day. In tbe evening when the "Sab¬
bath-School Concert" waa held, " Oar Beau¬
tiful Home" was rendered; but two little girls
were absent. The shadow of a dark cloud had
thus suddenly come over their young lives.
They were orphans. As I attended the fune¬
ral of their father, and witnessed their de¬
monstrations of grief, I felt very aensibly how
dark indeed tha cloud was. May he who is the
Father of the fatherless, take up these children
now deprived of an earthly parent, and lead
their feet in the ways of peace until they Bhall
Bit down with him above, where "there is
fulness of joy," and ' at hia right hand where
there are pleasures evermore."        C. P. G.
Washington, D. C.
SPEAK OF CHRIST.
AH I the man that has had Christ in his
bcuI,  and wants to tell nobody, has a
soul that is a sepulchre, and he is dead.   If
there be one thing in this world that is worth
telling, it is not that honor, that wealth, that
any good fortune in secular things has come
to you; but that Chriat has been made known
to you.    It is the noblest of all  events, and
the most precious of all disclosures; and if
there is a man that has walked in sorrow and
sadness, and had his Saviour come to meet
him, and interpret the Scriptures to him, and
at last disclose himself to him in his own
house in the breaking of bread, and he ia not
moved to tell  bis friends and neighbors, then
the dead ought to speak, and the very stones
ought to cry cut I
God hears the heart, though without words;
but he never hears worcs without the heart.
Look upward for the grace needed now, and
forward for the rest that remaineth.