ik i in Him i
11U8HIA AM) .lAI'AN.
Ilev. John ,. Itrnnitt.
"Behold these Hint II come from nfar,
mul lot those from the North and West,
nnd those from tlio Lund of Slidn."
All eyes nro now viewing tint situa
tion In the fur East. On account of
missions In China mid .lupon, mid tin;
recent war between those iiuIIoiim, our
people know more about them tlnin
about the Russians, but now us the
voloiino of war (hut bos long been
Hiiioltlerlng has burnt forth with Its
destructive force, we turn our eyes to
KiiHHla, and begin to study her history,
lier people, and her civilization.
Hussla was unknown as a European
power until the dawn of the eighteenth
century. Peter the Great did more to
make Russia and shape her destiny
lhan any other man. A little Intercourse
with the western civilization Impressed
him with the Inferiority of Hussla.
lie resolved to give his subjects tho
civilization of the West, lie wrought
wonders within the domains of his
conn try: he raised an army equal to
other European Stales. lie had no
Heel, but In a few years he placed a
formidable Russian licet In command
of tho Halt Itf. Tlio seat of his govern
ment at Moscow was too far from
western Interests, so he established up
on the shores of the Haltlc, with tre
mendous energy, the new capital of
Ills empire, from whose towers he
could look out upon western seas and
nations. lie Introduced cotton, silk
and woolen manufactories and the art
of printing amongst his people; he built
roads and canals; he perfected a po
lice and postal service; he made laws
and executed them; he founded schools
and hospitals, and Introduced reforms
In the church. lie fostered Industries,
nml prepared Hussla to take rank as
n great European power. When he as
cended the throne, Russia's dominion
covered r,0()(),0(K) square, miles of the
earth's surface, but to-day the Czar's
empire extends over nearly 30,000,000
square miles.
During the intervening period II has
been one tremendous expansion on ev
ery side. Nothing has dared to stand
In the way of Russia's unparalleled
growth. To accomplish her expansion
Ideas, she has crumbled thrones, routed
Jinnies, crushed people and blotted na
tions from the map of the world. Since
lier career of expansion began. Russia
lias pushed her frontier boundary 800
miles westward Into I'hiropo; she ad
vanced and pushed that boundary "()()
miles nearer the Mediterranean; she
pushed eastward until her outposts an;
contiguous to the territory under pro
tection of the Hritlsh Hag.
The history of .lapau Is no less In
teresting than that of Russia. Prior
to 18110 this sunrise Kingdom was a
hermit nation. Their laws declared
that Christians should be prohibited
from their country. One law stated
that "while the sun warms the earth,
let ut Christian be so bold as to enter
.lapau." Howards were offered for
suspected converts. Shipwrecked sea
men Avere put in cages and carried
through the streets for exhibition. Stu
dents of the Riblo Avere Imprisoned.
But in IS.").'! Commodore Perry, our
own American sailor, steamed Into the
Bay of Yedtlt), unfurled the American
Hag, opeend the Bible, sang the one
hundredth psalm, and .lapau opened
her doors to the civilized world. From
that day till this she has gradually
been changing her old and established
customs for the more enlightened ones
of tho New World. The triumph of
civilization Is felt on all sides, and
the rapid advancement of the Japanese
is the Avonder of the Avorld. As If by
magic she was Avalked forth from
darkness Into light; from bondage into
liberty; from heathenism into civiliza
tion. Within one-half century she has
established schools for the education
of her people, framed benellcent laws
for the government of her people, open
ed lier ports for commerce, given
hearty Avelcome to the missionary anil
philanthropist, organized and equipped
a formidable Hoot of sea monsters,
trained anil developed one of the
mightiest armies In the Avorld, and has
established and maintained her posi
tion as a Avorld poAver.
In tho present conlllct AVlth Hussla
Japan has alllrmed that her position Is
not ono of aggression, but of self-protection.
Sho declares the life of her
nation Is at stake. On the part of
Jtussln It is a necessity to liavo an
eastern outlet; on tlio part of .lapau It
Is national security, defenso of rights,
nnd tho maintenance of peace and
commerce. The ono Is the complement
of the other. That which Hussla
claims as n necessity, Japan claims
would bo her ruin. The crisis Is great,
the Issue tremendous, and the result
will have a hitting effect upon tho civ
Jllzntlon of Asia.
I HTI5 1 IM I N EI I NTIOG KIT Y.
Ily Rev, K. I. Huxscll
"Though he slay mo, yot avIH 1 triifV
him." Job xlil., in.
Nothing brings out the character o.
the man quite so well as his eondui
In the Hint! of trouble or persecution
Many men seem to enjoy fellowshli
AVlth Christ and are bold In their nlle
glance to him when supported by oth
ers, who, Avhen their friends scorn m
their Lord nnd their faith In him
quickly deny having ever known him
But Job, In spite of every assault
avos determined to retain his righteous
iioss. Tho only way for any of us t
preserve our integrity ami make it re
spected is by a ilrm resolution to tk
so at any cost. No man Is so Aveali
iih he who Is resolved upon no coursi
of right and Avrong. He Is exposed t
every temptation and soon becomes tin
prey of every evil power. Irresolution
Is the beginning of every man's fall
first the tempting subtle voice, ther
the question of the unsettled mind
then lh( final overthrow of all man
hood's poAvers.
Determination avIH erect strong for
tlllcatlons against the attacks of temp
tatlon. A. resolute mind knows not t
beat a retreat. It Is fearless, bocnus
It takes refuge behind a buhvark ol
its own construction. The Chrlstlaif
mind has a stronger formication than
the resolute soul AVltliout Christ; foi
there Is added to Its determination
God's protection. The man determined
on nothing, avIio waits to sec the drift
of the current before he acts, will do
nothing of Avorth and may well be es
teemed as nothing. Sin nlAvnvs flndi
Its easiest victims in the Irresolute and
vacillating. A King Haul or a Judas
falls easily Into tho hands of the temp
ter, but not so a Daniel or the Hard
of Israel avIio sang "My heart Is fixed."
The suggestions of Avrong are at onc
rejected by the "fixed heart." The;
are lost sight of in holier things. In
such a mind there Is a spirit tif hatred
"a cherished antipathy to the Avrong'
and before the temptation lias tlmt
to lead off the unsuspeetlm: Avlthom
any hesitation the soul of "determine;
integrity" bids the tempter depart.
In the heart of this "old Saint" there
was an established law to cleave to tht
right at all hazard, and his very nn
lure aviis so tilled AVlth thoimhts of Cod
and the truth that his mind beennu
very sensitive to the appearance ol
any evil; and the very presence of the
Avrong becomes a Avatclnvortl to the
powers of the soul to arise in theli
strength and cast out the usurper. But
some are so Avllllng to "prove tho spir
its" that they are polite even to tho
devil. The poAver to say "No!" is n
wonderful achievement. There Is noth
ing so Aveakening to the Christian lift
as vacillation. It. Is so in all the Avorli
of life. Tho man avIio succeeds is tin
man who says; "This one thing I do.'
Resolution will brace the mind up
to its conscious duty, and assist It in
forming Its Judgments or matters be
fore the temptation to the Avrong pre
sents Itself. To such a mind sonx
things are settled, and settled for all
time. It does not Avalt. for a careful
study of the temptation. Instantly its
reply Is ready. Thus. Avhlle the waver
ing and double-minded are being over
come by the tempter, the determined
man Avalks In his plain path of right
fearless and safe.
Many have false views of right, and
Avrong, and It is possible for one to
believe a lie and be damned, but to the
man avIio. by observation and experi
ence, will Avelgh the Avorth of pious Ha-.
lug. there avIH be no question as tc
Avhat avo should or should not tlo. Tc
some, personal Integrity may have sc
little Avorth that It Is bartered for anj
"gilded bait."
Nothing so subjects one to tempta
dons to the lowest and vilest forms ol
e 11 as a low estimate of personal rec
titude. The young man avIio humhl
tleclaivs that he has "purposed In his
heart not to dellle himself" should be,
appreciated and receive more encour
agement than many of them receive.
Not only the young, but tlio old,
quite as avoII need encouragement Id
the determined life of integrity. It it
sad, nevertheless true, that many men!
break down In their moral life after -10.
Therefore, every one should stand
strongly Intrenched by a determination'
that knows no relenting, and thin
guard the soul from the "delusions of
the devil."
Then, Avith tlio highest estimate ol
tho Avorth of conscious Integrity, tin
man of faith in tho lievor-falliug Lord
holds fast to his possessions, and gulnj
thereby, besides the approval of hit
oavii conscience, tho npproA'al of hit
neighbors and his God. In this dovo
tlon to tho principles of right Job suc
ceeds and becomes an oxnmplo to tin
tempted ones of all ages.
Short Meter Sermons.
.Mercy is never mushy.
Regret cannot uproot Arrong.
Labor is tlm suit of our llvo
Now, at 00, Mm. "Luke May Suffer
Kvlclloii iih t Piihhivc JfcrtlHtcr.
Over in the little British Isio of
Wi'ght a Avomnn avIio should hnve
n.iny admirers In this country is pre
paring for an in
evitablc experience
Avhlch avIII arouso
the Indignation of
all lovers of relig
ious liberty. The
Avomau Is Jemima
Luke. More than
00 years ago she
wrote a song
which has brought
comfort to thou
sands of hearts.
Mas. iir mima i.uki . One morning in
38-11, when she avos '2H years old, she
Avas traveling in one of tho old-fashioned
coaches of that day to a distant
place, when thero came to her tho
Avords of the song:
I think Avlion I rend that HAVcct story of
old,
When Johiih aviis hero among men.
Sho was then engaged in Sunday
school work. The Avritlng of the song
secured for her a place as editor of a
missionary magazine and a few years
later she married Rev. Samuel Luke, a
Congregational preacher. For llo years
sho has been a Avldow living in tho
town of Newport, isle of Wight.
Now, for conscience's sake, this au
thor of n' favorite hymn, though she
is 1)0 years old, has refused to pay a
tax imposed by tho government for the
education of children in the Episcopal
creed In Avhlch she cannot believe. She
Is ono of 300,000 Passive Resistors. In
tine time she avIH receive a visitation
from tho sheriff's ofllccrs and enough
of her small property is to bo seized
and soltl to satisfy tlio unyielding de
mands of n hnv not unlike that which
drove tho Pilgrim fathers from Ply
mouth, England, to Plymouth Rock,
Mass.
THIS GOLD MINE TOO OBVIOUS.
ProupcetorH Punned for Yearn Over lilch
Lcduc Without Finding Jt
A talc Is told of a rich gold mine In
Idaho, Avith a ledge of ore which once
extended above the surface of the
ground In a clear, solid ridge several
feet high and entirely distinct from
the surrounding formation. This ledge
aviis long and unbroken, nntf lay di
rectly across the course which hun
dreds of prospectors took every year
to reach other gold Ileitis. This ob
struction of rock the great value of
which aviis long unknown was too
high to 1)0 surmounted by pack ani
mals, so the prospectors cut n trail
directly through It. For several years
these eager gold seekers passed back
ward and forward over this trail in
search of gold mines.
One night a prospector camping near
tills ledge of rock picked up a bit of It
and, from force of habit, took it to n
crook near by and washed it. Then he
examined tho stone, and, to his great
astonishment, ho found "colors" in it
bits of sparkling gold. The pros
pector does not mistake gold avIicii ho
sees it. He is not deluded by Iron
crystals or bits of mica, as tho "ten
derfoot" frequently Is. The gold spar
kle Is clearer and brighter than that
of any other mineral, and It is tho
same in sunshine nnd shadoAV.
The prospector, tremendously excit
ed, broke off more pieces of tho letlgo
and found more of It bearing free gold.
Then he located his claim, and that
AA-as the beginning of a rich mine. Yot
for years tlio sagest of prospectors
had passed over this trail through tlio
cut in tills ledge, never suspecting its
value, although by Its very prominence
it seemed to Invite inspection. Les
lie's Weekly.
RISK OURSELVES FOR NOTHING.
Moal of Our Actions Arc UohIi, Im
pulsive and Uiii-eiisoiiiiiu-The
man Avas Avalkiug at a moder
ate gait, apparently in no great hur
ry, Avhen ho reached the corner.
He had leisure to pause thero to
look after a pretty Avonian. Then he
started across the street.
Two Avngons, a cablo car nnd a firo
engine were coming and tlio man
quickened ids pnee. He could haA'o
stopped to let them pass, but ho had
!io time to spare hoav.
He tlodged in front of the tAvo Avng
ons and found room to Avalt for tho
cablo car to pass. But ho couldn't
wait; ho had suddenly been deprived
of all leisure.
lie estimated speed and distance at
a glance, bolted in front of the car,
continued wildly across in front of tlio
engine and reached the opposite curb
on the run. Ho Avas in desperate hasto
or he never would have taken those
chances. Anyono could see that
But, onco safely across, he stopped,
turned, stuck Ids hands In ills pockets
nnd stood Avatchlng the lire engine un
til It was out of sight. Then he Avont
leisurely about his business, again
having amplo time for all ho wanted
to do. Brooklyn Eagle.
Girls aro always poor. Uncles, aunts
and old friends Avho wont to obllgo
Kirla, should glvo them money. Many
ft nlco girl Avalks because she husn't a
nickel to pay street car fare.
w4 Gm
OLD-
FAVORITES
Marco Jlozzurln.
At midnight in his guarded tent,
Tho Turk Avns dreaming of tho hour
When Groero, her knee In suppliancc
bent,
Should tremblo at his power;
In dreams through camp nnd court ho
bore
Tho trophies of a conqueror;
In dreams his song of triumph henrd
'Then avoio Ids monarch's signet ring;
Then pressed tlmt monarch's throne a
king!
As wild his thoughts and gny of wing
As Eden's garden bird.
At midnight In the forest similes,
Bozznris rnnged his Stilioto band,
True as tho steel of the tried blntlcs,
Heroes in heart nnd hnntl.
Thero had tho Persian thousands stood;
Thero hnd the glnd enrth drunk their
blood
On old Platncn's day;
And hoav there breathed thnt haunted nir
The Hons of sires Avho perished there,
With arms to strike and nouls to dnro
As quick and fnr as they.
An hour passed the Turk aAVoke,
Tlmt bright dream Avas his lust;
lie AVoke to hear his sentries shriek,
-M- V ll.llin. IIIVJ tllU VJtl.,l, nil.
Greek!"
IIo Avokc to die 'mid flames nnd snioko,
And shout nnd groan nnd snher Btroko,
And tlenlh shots falling thick and fast
As lightning from tho mountain cloud;
And heard, with volco ns trumpet loud,
Rozr.nris cheer his hnntl;
"Striko till the Inst armed foe expires,
Strike for your altars and your firos!
Strike for the green graves of your slrca'
God nnd your native laud! "
They fought like brave men long and
well;
They piled that ground with Moslem
slnin;
iThey conquered, but Bozznris fell,
Bleeding at every vela.
ITis few surviving comrades saAV
Ills Muila when rung their proud hurrah,
And tho red field was Avon;
Then snw In death his eyelids close,
Calmly ns to a night's repose,
Like flowers nt set of sun.
Roznris! with the storied bravo
Greece nurtured in her glory's time,
Rest thee, there is no prouder grave,
Even in her proud clhne,
She wore no funernl weeds for thee
Nor hnde the dark hearse Avave its
plume,
Like torn branch from death's leafless
tree,
In sorrow's pomp nnd pageantry,
Tho hcnrtless luxury of the tomb.
But she remembers thee as ono
.Long loved nnd for n senson gone;
For thco her poet's lyre is Avrcnthed,
Her ninrblo Avrought, her music breath
ed; For thee she rings the birthday hells,
Of thee her babes first lisping tells;
For theo her evening prayer is said
At palnce couch and cottngo bed;
'Her soldier closing with the foe,
GIach for thy snko a deadlier bloAv;
His plighted maiden when sho fonrs
For him, the joy of her young yonrs,
Thinks of thy fate and checks her tenrs.
And she, the mother of thy boys,
Though in her eye and faded cheek
Is read the grief she will not speak,
The memory of her buried joys.
And even she who gave thee birth
Will by their pilgrim-circled hearth
Talk of thy doom without a sigh;
For thou art Freedom's now and Fame's,
One of the few, th' immortal names,
Thnt Avero not borne to die!
Flu-Greene Hnllcck.
FORTUNES ON FINGER ENDS.
Unecii of Slam Huh Gem-Set Thlinhle
Worth $75,01)0.
The costliest thimble in the world is
undoubtedly one possessed by the
Queen of Slam, says the Queen. It Avas
presented to her by her husband, the
king, avIio had It made at a cost of
rathor more than 1f,000. This thlm
bLo is quite an exquisite Avork of art.
It Is made of pure gold, in the fashion
or shape of a half-opened lotos flower,
tho lloral emblem of the royal house
of Slam.
It Is thickly studded Avith the mo3t
beautiful diamonds anil other precious
stones, Vhich are so arranged ns to
form the naino of tho queen, together
AVlth the date of her marriage. She
regards this thimble ns ono of her
most precious possessions.
Not long since a Parts JoAveler made
a most elaborate thimble to the order
of a certain Avell-knoAvn American mill
.ionalre. It was sonioAvhat larger thrjn
the ordinary slzo of thimbles and the
agreed price Avas 0,000. Tlio gold set
ting was scarcely visible, so complete
ly aviis it set Avltn diamonds. rnhi,n
and pearls, In artistic designs, the
rubles shoAvlng tho initlnls of the In
tended recipient.
This thlmblo avos made as a birth
day present to the millionaire's daugh
ter. avIio can noAv boast the possession
of tho second most vnluablo thimble in
tho world. Her fnther Avas so much
pleased with the lino workmanship it
showed that he ordered another but
much less expensive ono to bo mnde
,for presentation to the school compan
ion nnd bosom friend of his fortunate
child.
Five or six years ago a Jeweler in
sum of nearly 0,000 for n thimblt
which tlio pampered wife of n s9vjH
American Croesus insisted on having
made for her. This wns ono mass of
precious gems, diamonds nnd rubies,
which as thimblo ornaments seem to
almost monopolize fominino tasto.
The eccentric prince, tho Into Maha
rajah Dhuleop Singh, never did things
by halves, and ono of tho most beauti
ful and costly thimbles e-cr mudo wus
that which Avas supplied to his ordei
as a present for a great lady in Rus
sia. The price of, this ran avoII InU
four figures and the gems set In it
Avoro nil pearls of great value and n
loss beauty.
So Avoro those in a highly treasured
thimble which, on the occasion of rdft
of his visits to Europe, tho Into Stfpfc
of Persia presented to a lady av1ios
guost ho Avas for a feAV hours. In the
Avords of the delighted recipient, H
looked like a cluster of glittering gems
Avhlch in reality it was, save for tin
gold In which they Avere sot. An export
iu precious stones valued the thlmbh
at 1,500.
Thero aro thimbles of no intrinsic
value, but which, on account of tlx
famous women to Avhom they belonged.
would command very high prices ii
submitted to public auction. In tin
possession of the wenlthy Mrs. Yonder,
bilt there is a thlmblo which aviis for
merly used by Queen Alexandra. It il
on extremely dainty article, mnde o'
gold nnd enamel.
But, apart from Its association, it h
not of much greater value than am
other thimble oAvncd by tho snttn
morlcnn lady. This is a very service
able-looking article In solid silver, but
very small. Its Aaluo' lies in the fuel
that it was tho property of tho late
Queen Victoria in the days when she
avus only a girl of 14. From its appear
ance our Into sovereign knew Iioav tc
ply her needle In her youthful days.
The first thimble ever made aaus tin
ono presented in the year 3084 to Ann
Van "Wedy, the second Avife of Klllaex
Van Rensselaer, and the thimble lit
therefore, a Dutch invention. In limit
ing the presentation the gher, Vnr
Benschoten, begged the lady "to ae
cept this hoav covering for the protec
tlon of lier diligent lingers as a tokei
of his great esteem and profound ro
spect."
BRUFF'S APT REPLY SAVED HIM.
Story of a Reporter Whose Quick AVI
Disarmed an Anry Woman.
"The nerve of noAVspopor men fre
quently keeps them from serious trou
ble, ns Avell as getting them Into if
remarked Representative Livingston o;
Georgia Avhile talking to a group in
friends In the cloakroom. "As a AvboU
they are generally a pretty clever lex
and prepared for any emergency, and I
suppose that they make about as few
mistakes as the average run of men.
'I shall never forget an incideii'
which happened several years ago ii
Atlanta, and I lough iioav every tlmt
think of It. A dashing young womui
came to Atlanta and engaged tin
swellcst suite of rooms at the Kim
ball, and she sported diamonds as lnrg
as walnuts and drove a four-in-hantl
It wns given out thnt tho young beautj
was Miss So-and-So, tho cuttle queec
of the West, and that she had 11101103
enough to burn up a stock yard of Ave!
COAVS.
"Ed Uruffey of tho Constitution had
an Idea that tlio woman avos a fake,
and he soon bad tho Avlros hot Avith
messages making Inquiries about her.
the result being thnt ho got a corking
good story to the effect that tho worn
an avos tho rankest kind of humbug
Bruff printed the story next morning
and It caused 0 genuine sonsntion, bul
tho Avoman never lost her grip, driving
out that afternoon with her four-ii
hand.
"Late that night Bruff avos in tin
lobby of the Kimball talking to Ed Col
lOAvay, the night clerk, Avhen the 'cattlt
queen' swished down tlio steps and
Avalking up to Bruff, asked if ho avoi
responsible for the story in the Co
stltution.
" 'I have that honor,' avos his reply
" 'Then, sir, I am going to kill you,
almost yelled the Avoman as she drev
a gun from the folds of her dress.
"This didn't alarm the little news
paper man In the least, but. lifting hO
hut. ho quietly remarked:
"'Fire aAvoy, madam; I had rathci
be killed by a pretty woman any da;
than to tile n natural death.
"Bruff Avon out, for the womni
laughed and retreated upstairs."
Washington Times.
Consistent
"I aviis cleaning our silver on Sundnj
Avhen Mrs. Straltlaco called on hoi
Avay from church. Fortunately, though
Bho didn't find It out."
"She's very strict about tho Sabbath
Isn't she?"
"Yes. Sho apologized for calling up
on me on that day, but sho thought slit
ought to tell me that scandalous storj
about Mrs. Gldday." Philadelphia
Press.
Not Short in That Lino.
"This poem," said the editor, "don7
seem to have tho proper feet."
"1 don't see why," groaned tho poet
"Three editors kicked me out o' thel
ofllces."
A