STAIRS OF SAND
A TALE OF A MYSTERY
T
ERNEST DE LANCEY PIERSON
actios or
"thb secret of the marionettes," "a dangerous quest," etc.
Copyright,
Br STREET A
CH APTEIt XXII.
Job Hendricks scrambled to bis feet
snd looked up at the roof of the build
lug be bad escaped from but a few mo
menta before. He could distinguish a
number of dark, moving objects bearing
lights. The police had brought lant-rns
with them to prosecute the search, and
some, lying at full length, were peering
down over the parapet of the building
into the gloomy depths below.
Job did not move, hoping to escape ob
servation in the shadows, and preseutly
he h-ard one of the men above sajiug
confidently:
"The poor wretch must have tried to
climb down, and fell and killed hisself."
Job waited to hear more, but it was not
forthcoming. Evidently the comrades of
the man who had made this statement
believed as he did that the object of
their search had escaped them. After
a time they slowly dispersed, and the
light uo longer twinkled from the roof
tabove.
, "Now or never is my time to get out
:oi this," Job muttered to himself. "They
are making for the street to make sure
that I am dead, and, finding no signs
of the remains, will probably renew the
search."
Making his way carefully along the
edge of the roof, he was overjoyed pres
ently to come upon a fire escape, which,
though rusted -with age and broken, en
abled him to make his way down to the
Street. Feeling sure that the- front of
the hotel must be guarded, he chose to
take the opposite direction.
Hearing the sound of steps approach
ing, he paused for a moment in the
shadow of the factory, to see with whom
he had to deal. The man had come out
of one of the doors of the hotel, and as
for a moment the light fell ou his face.
Job recognized him as the individual who
tad planned the ambush to secure pos
session of the paper. He made his way
along with an unsteady gait, as if he Had
not wholly recovered from his experi
ence, or the narcotic effects of the Has;.
'.- Evidently the police bad no further
ose for a man whom they believed aarl
humbugged them, and so bad permitted
him to go his way, little caring what be
came of him.
! Job was not sorry to see his quondam
enemy, and after watching his unsteady
'progress for a while, resolved to go and
follow him. For this personage iuterest
d him strangely, and he was not yet
done racking his brains, hoping to find
ut in what important crisis they had
once figured together.
Ellison, half stupefied, stumbled on like
man in a dream. He did not look back
to see whether be was followed or not.
(Now and then he would raise his head
sleepily and stare around, as if to make
are where be was.
Hendricks was glad to remain unno
ticed, for, after the exertions he had
made in escaping, he was not prepared
for a fresh encounter with any one.
Arriving at the corner of the street.
Ellison paused in a dazed kind of way,
as if he were looking for a carriage, lit
tle thinking that such luxuries were
scarce in such a locality.
Job had meantime taken up his stand
In a nearby doorway. Under the circum
stances, it was not likely that he would
"I wonder what next?" lie heard Elli
son mutter; then, with a silly laugh: "I
suppose I shall be able to square myself
with the police should I happen to be
In the neighborhood again. Oh, dear!"
with a groan, "I suppose I shall have to
foot it home unless I have the luck to
strike a carriage on the wcy. There
don't seem to be anything on wheels in
this cursed neighborhood," then swaying
(or a moment unsteadily on the curb, he
drew himself together and went lurching
forward on his way with Job at his heels,
i It was a long journey they made to
gether, and Job was heartily glad that
they met no vehicle on the road, for he
bad no desire for a run in his tired con
dition. He was still worrying his brains
trying to recall where he had seen this
man before, and ever the search eluded
him.
"Time to acknowledge that you are
getting to be an old man," be muttered
to himself, "since you cau't remember
where yon had dealings with this person
In the past and he played a mighty im
portant part in your life, too."
Ellison had turned in a northerly di
rection, and was making his way along
s if half asleep, snd anxious to be home
and in bed. He apparently had given up
all hopes of getting s carriage.
They had reached the uptown resi
dential district of the west side 9f the
city, when Ellison suddenly turned to the
right, passed down a narrow street, and
pa need before a door set in a white wall,
nd began to fumble in his pocket for a
As lie stood there with the light of a
street lamp shining opoo his face. Job
Hendricks, off in the shadows, suddenly
Clasped his hands together ss if trying
to control his emotion:
"Ou it be possible?" he muttered.
"Why, my poor old wits mast have been
wool gathering all this time not to have
recooised him before this! It is none
other than the man who led me on my
aid enemy, who found me when I was
tarring, nod wB tempted me into sin
king, and, to save himself, helped to send
KM te prUon to languish hslf a llfetimer
An these Utter thoughts surged through
hj naiad, nnable longer to control the
the sight of this man naa sum
sjn. he ran forward with out-
ftMte&td heads as 1 bent ea a summary
lUiaaci far his sufferings and wrongs.
tM Matt he had reached the gate or
tmr la the wall, Ellison, an unconscious
af tsenr, had slipped through and clos
ai it hatted hiam.
arrived jut lav time to aee his ca
rry C-iZfW aawflf the ah robbery of
I t f-r tat, Bt tamed away with cllnch
flt ".-J and a mattered eiclaaiatloa af
J ityt. Then ha waked ay at the
1901,
SMITH
white walls of the house that glimmered
through the trees. "Why. bless me, it
is James Ellison's bouse!" for he had
often of late visited the place secretly,
though he saw it from a different point
of view.
"James Ellison's house, and this man
evidently lives here," and then his mem
ory went back to the day he had picked
up that curiously written bit of paper in
the drawing room of The Grange at Ex
ton. As he stood there, peering through
the slats of the door, he saw the man
he was interested in appear at the fur
tber end of the garden aud then enter
the door of a small pavilion.
A friend of Ellison's, perhaps a rela
tive, for he had noticed the two men re
semhled each other.
"Well. I know where to find him." said
Job to himself, when be turned away.
"For the present 1 will busy myself fiud-
ing out all about him. He has not turn
ed honest since those old days, aud 1
may trap him yet. Ah"' with a sigh,
"how I wish that my work was done,
and that 1 was at rest," and with bowed
head he walked away from the place.
CHAPTER XXIII.
James Ellison, entering bis private of
fice one morning, was surprised to hud a
small, gray-haired man occupying the
principal chair. rihe intruder had placed
himself before the desk, and, at the
sound of steps, he turned his head.
"Well, what is it?"
"I am surprised at your impudence.
said Ellison, as he recognized his unwel
come visitor as Hendricks. "How on
earth did you manage to get in here when
the doors were locked?" and, as be said
this, he made a motion toward the elec
tric bell in the wall.
"Before you do that," said Job, with a
warning gesture, "just wait and hear
what I have to say. I won't detain you
long, and I might perhaps interest you."
Ellison stepped back, nd did not at
tempt to ring the hell, but be regarded
the other with an unwelcome eye.
"I suppose you know," said Job cool
ly, "that Barnett is free, and may arrive
here at any moment?"
"1 don't believe it!" exclaimed Ellison.
"I won't believe it'."
"Ho, ho! i'ou have betrayed yourself
unwillingly." said Hendricks.
Ellison drew himself up with a scornful
air.
"Fellow, do you know to whom you are
sneaking?"
"Unfortunately I do and am not proud
of the fact."
Ellison advanced toward him, hi) right
hand extended in a threatening way, as
if be would do injury to the little man
seated calmly by the desk.
"Do you know," said Ellison, "that I
have but ta open a window and call to
the police, in order to have you arrest
ed?
"I see no particular reason why you
should not do it," with a smile. "Do so
by all means, niy dear fellow."
Ellison allowed his hands to fall, and
then, surprised at the reception of his
threats, took a chair not far from where
Job was seated.
"What do you want, anyway?" he
asked, after a silence.
"Very little. But why don't you sum
mon in your policemen if you want to,
Mr. James Ellison 7"
Tbe other was silent.
"Because there are others beside my
self who have reason to fear a visit of
the police. Now, then, Ellison, I believe
you said that you were not unwilling
that your daughter should marry Kich
ard Barnett? Am I right?"
Ellison twisted uneasily in his chair:
"Of course, I said that, but since the
young school teacher is under such a
shadow why, of course"
"Well, the shadow has been removed,
if that is the only thing that worries
you."
"What do you mean by that?" asked
Ellison, in amazement.
"Exactly what I say. Let me tell you
that he may be released at any mo
ment," said Job, "since the man who is
guilty has coufessed."e
"You seem to know a great deal about
this case," stammered Ellison.
"Much more, perhaps, than you would
care that I should know. The person
who calls himself your brother Is also In
volved." "My brother absurd!"
"Not so ludicrous as you imagine. 1
shall deal with blm later."
"You seem to have arranged things to
suit yourself," sneeringly. "I am aston
ished at your impudence, considering
that you are a proscribed man."
"That may be true," receiving the
statement coolly, "but I have a little busi
ness I wsnt to transact on my own ac
count. Now young Barnett is free, or
soon will be, will yon agree that be is to
marry your well, the young lady who Is
called Grace Ellison?"
Job watched the other as he paced up
snd down the room. He finally came to
a standstill near where the little man
was sested.
"Why are you so much interested?"
"That matters not; what I wsnt is your
agreement in writing. They love each
other, and so should be allowed to marry.
While they might be able to dispense
with your blessing, as the ostensible
father, your consent would not be out of
place."
Ellison looked at bis companion doubt
fully, as if wondering what he eould do
in case of a refussl.
"Ton know I never had anything but a
friendly feeling for tbe young man," he
said, savagely.
"8ucb being the case, all you have to
do Is to write a line giving yonr consent.
Here Is a piece of paper, and here la the
pen," and, picking tbe articles up from
the desk before blm, be held them oat.
(Te he contra nea.t
An old man can't leaa on the CaJa ha
raited la bis oath.
TOPICS OF THE TIMES.
A CHOICE Sf LECTION OF INTER
ESTING ITEMS.
Comnent and Criticisms Baaed (Jpoa
the Happening of the Day Hlatorf
cat and News Note.
Wealth aIds to the wisdom of the
wise aud to the folly of the fool.
Young King Alfonso seems to regard
Spain as quite a ueat plaything.
Some people were born poor, some
achieve poverty and some thrust pov
erty upon other people.
When his wife Informs hiin that din
ner Is ready, even a lazy man manages
to get a move on himself.
Old Grim Death will come along some
day and merge all these multi-millionaires
In a common poverty.
King Edward has confounded the
soothsayers, and that's not a small Job,
even for a man who weighs 250 pounds.
Few women make successful law
yers; they are unable to break them
selves of the babit of giving free ad
vice. It it-n't a man's worth but rather
what he Is worth that Interests the fair
female who lias an ingrowing desire to
change her uanie.
Young men may be Interested In giv
ing publicity to tbe fact that a girl
In a neighboring State died from the
effects of Ice cream.
Morgan finds no difficulty In succeed
ing when be goes up against European
competitltors; but lu his strife for Lon
don franchises bis opponent was a Chi
cago mau.
The story that a New Jersey Sunday
school superintendent asked his flock,
"What Is the best thing In tbe world?"
and that a hundred little voices piped
out, "Money!" bears internal evidence
of being true.
Mark Ilanua says the proper way to
understand the needs of any man Is
"to put yourself in his place." Yes.
Get a pen aud some paper and try to
earn a living by writing verses and
you will soon understand tbe needs of
tbe poor poet.
Nowadays men work more Intensely
than was formerly the case when they
3o work, but, as a rule, they Intelli
gently blend recreation with labor.
There are some men who work Inteus -ly
without recreation. They pay tbe
penalty by breaking down. But they
are tbe exception. Men have learned
to take better care of themselves than
they used to. Tbe larger their fortunes
the more do they realize tbe fact that
they oujsiit to take care of their health.
From top to bottom tbe rule holds good
that men, bankers or bricklayers, work
faster and better, for fewer hours, at
a higher wage, than a generation ago.
It Is only the blind who cannot see the
Improvement. There are a few of the
older generation who work In the old
way, but the vast majority take time to
play, and society is the better for It.
Tbe continued cropping up and break
ing down of various kinds of get-rlcb-qulck
schemes suggest the Idea that
the government authorities could effect
a great saving to the army of credulous
"Investors" by a little quicker action.
QrAv.p.TAy ( who work such plans
to transfer the money of the gullible to
their own account are allowed to go on
their way without hindrance until their
operations get beyond them and their
suspension Is forced. Then when a
horde of "depositors" and government
officers swoop down upon their bead
quarters the office boy Is generally
found the only tenant, while the bene
ficiaries of the swindle have fled with
tbelr plunder to unworked fields. Sta
tistics of the hundreds of thousands
lost In these various enterprise that
are as unlawful and as profitless as a
lottery would point a powerful moral.
Why does the government seem always
to delay until tbe harvest has been
reaped and tbe public mulcted? Such
enterprises cannot thrive without ad
vertising and the use of the malls. It
would be refreshing to hear of the ar
rest of some of these swindlers before
tbey bad worked their schemes to con
summation. Poverty aud su ering persist not be
cause tbe desire to cure them Is luck
lug, but because men do not know
what tbe remedy Is. The only feature
f the original coronation program
which was not postponed or abandoned
when tbe king was taken ill was the
tinner to the poor of London. Half a
million persons were fed by royal boun
ty. The motive of the King was good;
but be did not lessen poverty In the
capital of his empire. Not long ago an
tged man In New York turned over bis
fortune of $4,000,000 to trustees, who
n bis death are to use tbe Income in
tbe care of the worthy sick and poor
knd In maintaining tbem during tbelr
convalescence until tbey can again he
roine wage-earners. Fourteen years
I go another man In the same city left
I million dollars, now increased to three
millions, for the "temxrary relief of
Unobtrusive suffering endured by Indus
trious and worthy persona." However
wisely tbe Income from these funds
nay be distributed, tbe trustees are con
stantly confronted with tbe danger of
making paupers of tbe beneficiaries;
(hat Is, of strengthening tbe habit of
lependence which la at tbe bottom of
pauperism; and this, too, In aplte of the
fact that the object of tbe givers of
(be money waa to help the poor toward
independence. It ia beyond human In
tenuity to change tha nature of man;
to make the shirtless thrifty or the tm
provident irovWeut; so It M-rus that
tbe best w can do is to strlie to re
lieve Immefllste suffering and tm let the
radical cure proceed In the way thai
fate has ordulied. If cure there is to be.
A New York pbysiciun of prominent
and wealthy family, has married a
professional nurse whose tender care
In a severe illness saved his life. To
do so, he threw over a wealthy English
girl of powerful social Influence, to
whom he was engaged. This sort of
thing often happens in fiction. Home
of tbe moHt tender scenes In all artistic
literature are based on the love that
grows out of a nurse's devotion to her
patient. In no other of the Infinite ca
pacity In which woman serves man.
easing his cares and soothing bis pain,
docs she appear to such good advant
age. It Is thus, as an angel, that she
brings heaven to earth. It was two
years ago, that Dr. Harry Hodman was
111 In Bellevue Hospital and was nursed
by Miss Edith Wyman. When be left
the hospital they were sweethearts, but
he went to South Africa as a physician
ou tbe hospital ship Maiue, and bis
vows were forgotten by blm. Going to
London, he met a rich English girl,
whom be thought be loved better than
the poor New York nurse. But again
Illness came upon him and then, when
he could find no relief, his heart yearn
ed for tbe patient, tender help of tbe
girl be bad deserted. He returned to
America, reached a hospital In Itlcb
mond, Va., and sent for Edith Wyman.
She went to blm at once. He was near
to death, and In his distress and de
spair, he realized that the faithful girl
was necessary, not only to his health
but to bis happiness. It was tbe very
best qualities of woman that had won.
It was tbe very best qualities of man
that moved blm at tbe last. Man rea
sonably may doubt whom be truly
loves, but the woman to whom be turns
in trouble. Is pretty sure to be his best
companion when the skies are clear.
Did you ever read "Dear Daughter
Dorothy," one of the sweetest stories
extant? It tells of the love and hero
ism of a little daughter and the sur
passing love between father and child.
But truth Is stranger than fiction. Two
years ago there was no happier child
than Evelyn Anderson and no fonder
parent than Albert Anderson, cashier
of the Morrlstown, N. J., National
Bank. The bond between tbe two was
remarked by all. Albert Anderson for
got bis duty to his employers and took
money from tbe bank. He was put In
Jail. The evidence was conclusive. Ev
eryone knew blm to be guilty. Every
one but Evelyn. She visited hiui In
prison, putting her arms about him,
saying: "I know you are Innocent, dear
papa." Then her papa began serving
bis sentence in the penitentiary, nud one
day the taunt of a playmate opened the
child's eyes and broke ber heart. She
began to droop and languish. Tbe doc
tors said It was consumption. What
do doctors know about a loving heart?
Finally, death became certain. Eve
lyn, fragile as a flower, begged that ber
papa might come home. On some legal
technicality he was released on parole.
In her papa's arms the frail child ald:
"I am so tired. It was so long to wait
for you, dear." And then there was
a feeble smile. "O, I am so happy,
father." The father's torture no one
can realize. "Good bye," she whisper
ed. "I shall see you again some day,
Good bye, papa." Then she died. Her
father bad killed her, and she loved
him to the hist! Do you think the dis
grace of tbe prison was Albert Andcr-
iyn's TcSt5t p'TT: : 7T: ? Q a
sand times no. Ills real punishment
came when be looked Into tbe face of
his dying child. In his blindness he
bad struck the dearest thing of his
heart. But God's punishment Is re
formative. Through all tbe gloom of
bis desolate life he will hear the rustle
of an angel's wings and a sweet voice
crying: "J will see you again, some
day."
Some Chinese "Autographs."
After the siege of Pekin, the Lotos
Club of New York, which has long been
In the habit of entertaining distin
guished men, gave a dinner for Wu
Ting-fang, the late Chinese minister at
Washington. The autograph seekers
kept him busy between courses, and to
enhance tbe value of bis signature they
were unanimous In asking Mr. Wu to
write In Chinese.
Several of tbem, later in the evening,
were comparing his signatures as they
appeared on their menu cards. Unfa
miliar as they were with tbe Chinese
script, they could see that the charac
ters were not tbe same. Just then
Cbow Tsz-ChI, the Chinese consul,
came up, and was at once asked what
the writing meant
Mr. Chow hesitated a moment, and
then gravely read these "autographs"
as follows:
"What a funny, red nosed man!"
"How short and fat you are!"
"An amusing, baldheuded fellow!"
Novel Manner of Theft.
A manufacturing jeweler In England
recently remarked that some of his em
ployes had begun to wear their balr
unusually long. He watched tbem more
carefully and discovered that tbey fre
quently greased their bands, rubbed
tbem over with gold filings and dia
mond chips and then carefully passed
their hands through tbelr balr. It was
tbelr custom at night to cleanse their
hair with fine combs and collect and
sell tbe gold particles and diamond dost
ttolcn In tbe manner above described.
Brasll's Ranilles But.
Tbe smallest state In Bratll la
Serglpe, with an area of 16,136 square
miles and a population of 400,000, most
ly a mliture of Portuguese, negroes and
Indiana. It la purely an agricultural
state, yet there la an almost entire lack
of agricultural implements.
, I T'bfl m 1 Msil rJt 19
BROUGHT OCT AND BKOl'GHT IN.
Br Rev. Theodore L. Curler, D. D.
Many historical passage and personal
incidents in the Bible illustrate great
spiritual truths. For example, the nar
rative of the restoration of blind Barti
uieus illustrates the process of conversion.
The awakening sinner feels his need
prays fur mercy flings away his "gar
ment" of sin comes to Jesus and tbe
Holy Spirit does' the regenerating work.
There is a line in the sixth chapter of
Deuteronomy which describes the rxodus
of the children of Israel from Egypt into
Canaan by the Diviue guidance: "Ho
brought us out from thence, that He
might bring us in." That illustrates the
out-bringing and the in-bringing of every
genuine Christian.
First, there is a deliverance from tbe
slavery arid condemnation of sin by the
redeeming work of Jesus Christ. How
constantly that expression occurs in the
Pentateuch, "out of the land of Egypt,
out of the house of bondage." The eighth
chapter of Paul's epistle to the Houinni
is the believer's magnificent song of de
liverance. There is therefore aud thence
forth no condemnation to them who are in
Christ Jesus. He brought them out from
darkness into light, out from death into
life. No one can sing this "new song"
unless Christ has accepted him, pardoned
him, snd made him free from the law
of sin snd death. John Wesley said that
his first joyful sense of deliverance came
when he realized the perfect security of
every soul that is sheltered iu the Sa
viour, I once visited the little room in
London where this glorious light poured
into Wesley's soul; it was tbe birthplace
of Methodism.
Does this in-bringing imply a perfect
freedom from temptation or the possibil
ity of any lapse into sin? No, iudeed. The
children of Israel had long inarches, and
severe discipliue, ere the first foot step
ped into the promised land. Every con
verted soul must go in battle harness,
fighting every furlong of the road to heav
en. I suspect that the first moment of ab
solutely sinless jierfection any of us will
experience will be after the gates of the
"Father's House" have shut us in. Per
fect assurance never means perfect holi
ness. It means that Jesus Christ prom
ises never to desert us. Is not that
enough?
Conversion does not only bring a person
out of an old position; it brings him or her
into new practices. Conduct is the test of
conversion. Old sins are renounced; old
habits sloughed off; there Is another hand
at the helm as well as other colors at "tbe
peak." When sharp Mr. A begins to
do business on the square; when stingy
Mr. B begins to send coal to tbe poor
and gladly drops his "greenbacks into
the missionary pUte; when churlish Mr.
C begins to treat his poor relations
kindly; when gy young D refuses to
go to the theater, preferring to escort
his good mother to the prayer meeting
when godless Mr. E sets up a family
altar, there has been a new departure.
There has been a bringing out of old
ways, aud a bringing out into new prac
tices; and this continues, then Jesus
Christ has been at work on those hearts.
Conversion begins with first steps, some
times very small steps; but if it is genu
ine, it does Dot stop there.
Vital and vigorous religion depends on
a coming out of the old sinful ways, and
coining thoroughly and decidedly aud
fearlessly into the life of honest conform
ity to Christ. The secret of the feeble
ness and fruitlessness of thousands of
church members is that they bavo never
entirely broken with their former selves
and their former sins. The soil of Egypt
still sticks to their shoes, and the spirit
of Egypt still lingers in their hearts. No
man can serve two masters. "Come out
and be ye separate" is Christ's clear com
mand to every one who -enrolls In his
church. The Bible draws distinct lines;
and no one can stand on both sides of tho
dividing line. On one side walks the
Master, on the other drifts the worldling;
and Christians need never expect to draw
their frivolous fashion-loving unconverted
neighbors over to Christ's side of the line
by compromising. The moment that we
walk one mile with worldlings they will
compel us to "go with them twain."
Egypt snd Canaan lie in opposite direc
tions. When Moses wanted to win Ho
bab he did not offer to stay with hira:
he said "come, go with us, and we will
do thee good." That it the only wty to
win souls to Jesus.
Finally, what a new aud cheerful as
pect this passage from the dear old Book
gives to dying. It I a bringing out and
s bringing in, that's all. It is sn escape
from the tolls, the trials and the tears
from the head winds and hard climbs, the
sins and th sorrows of this old sobbing
world Into the rewards snd the raptures
of the Father's House eternal in the
heavens. Jesus died to bring us out of
the prison uouse of tin into the palace of
hit everlasting glory.
"Out oif earth's wesriness, trial snd sor
row. Out of its caret and itt feart for the
morrow,
Out of its restless, unsatisfied yearnings,
Out of the fever of hui:ian heart burnings,
Out of the palu of night-watching re
moved,
Into the sleep that God gives his beloved;
Into the dawn of a glad resurrection,
Into the house of unbroken sffctlon.
Into tbe joy of Christ thus confessing
Death in disguise is his Angel of bless
ing!" CHMHTiAXS Ml' NT HOIIT.
Bf Blikop Smmael rlln,
"Fight the Good Fight of Faith." This
world is a militant world. The kingdom
of God upon earth Is a militant kingdom.
The combined forces of tbe world, the
flesh and tbe devil are arrayed against
H. The fight with evil is a good tight.
There Is no make-believe alwut evil
It Is not a fancy, but a fact, and a tremen
dous fact. It is not figment of 'mortal
mind,' a shadow, a nothing, as the shal
lowest Of would-be philosopher teach,
making every valiant knight of the cross
an eiaggerated Don Quixote when charg
ing not aa actual windmill, but only tbe
PWMT
thought of a windmill in a brain which
has no real existence.
The Christian belittles or uciie. u
name who is a pe-iniit. whether irom I
physiological or philosophical point ol
view. To believe the world is growin,
:.. . .,.,,.,,,, Me surrender to the
archenemy vf mankind. 'I he wh,? we
of Old Testament auo .ew i"-'"""
teaching is toward the go.d. the bettel
nd the best.
CHRISTIANITY A MKI.P.
Br J. P. BrusHlntf".
ii limn dilik-t-ut in business he
shall stand before kings and arbiters aud
not before uiesu man. rirst or an. in
spiritual life is enhanced aim gionnea
by an honest business life. Tbe spiritual
does not antagonize the natural. There
is no conflict, but mutual hcipruineat.
Christianity never taught asceticism. Iti
devotees were to be m the world, jn un
of the world. Hut Christianity diguifled
labor. Its founder became the son of a
carpi'uter. His apostles were not chosen
from philosophers and noblemen, but
from fishermen and business men. The
author of the gospel of Matthew bad been
sitting at the receipts of customs, a Jew
iih busiuow man. A man too pious for
citizenship is not an ideal Christian and
must render uulo Caesar the things of
Caesar. A woman too pious to attend
to her household duties is not an ideal
Christian.
The intellectual life cannot 1 isolated
or it will suffer. The painler must tak
nature as his model. The musician must
have for bis souudiug board not merely
the subjective but the objective world.
The scholar will not succeed abstractive
ly, metaphysically or aesthetically, but
must grappie with material things. When
the spiritual life is cut loose from daily
business it becomes cranky, unsymp
thetic, morbid and mummified, like pa pet
or feather roses no perfume, no life. Let
the Christian do business ss Christ
would. Let him handle money, if be can
get it, as Christ would. Let him vote at
well as pray, and pray as well as vote,
and show the world practical religion at
the promise of this life as well as thit
to come, that it needs not live upon 'skim
milk' here to have 'cream' hen-after. If
the spiritual helps the secular the secular
helps the spiritual. We need religion in
business and we also need business in re
ligion. Religion is uo handicap to biui
miss. There are extremists in religion, but
we should not make too many infcrencci
from that fact. Poets and philosophers
become abstractive. Thinkers become
drenmers, philosophers forget to have
their buttons sewed on. ministers are
absent minded, but for that reason the
poet, the philosopher, the preacher are
not shorn of all beneficent power in the
world.
Faith and worship arc not time worn.
On the contrary, many a weary heart
has gone forth refreshed. Business men
do not commit suicide because they work
too many hours, but it is because they
are what is often called 'all business'
uo other thought or diversion, but a con
suming passion for gold enters their Uvea,
and when they can no longer heap up
dollars there is no other recourse and the
monomaniac in an insane moment takes
his life. Religion is often a safety valve.
It is not a childish whim; its hopes are
the very basis of our civilization. It ia
not impractical because it calls for the
fourteenth chapter of John at tbe death
hour instead of a gaslitter or an electri
cian.
I The great problem is uow to maintain
an equilibrium between business and re
ligion, how to avoid worship at the shrine
of gold on the one hand and to keep clesr
of fanaticism on the other hand. Jesut
Christ proposes to help ut make the ad
: jiiLuiriji. liciigivu si lis utsi ia saiie. it
. enters into everyday life. It may appear
I foolish to the secularist, but to the Ohris-
tian it is the wisdom of God. He is not
, ashamed to call God Father, or to be
counted in the family of Immortals.
VALCE OF APPRECIATION."
By Her, 6. O. Clewortt.
Fault-finding it a poor spur to en
deavor. It it a great mistake to think
that the best way to secure good work
from a servant is to harshly criticise ev
erything be bat tried to do. A far bet
ter way is to speak words of encourage
ment. How much more apj. a father it to wold
hi child when he does wrong tkan be it
to praise bim w hen he does right. How
long some parents have to wait for any
recognition of their devotion to their chil
dren. And sometimes It uever comes un
til the loved one bat passed from earth,
when exqiusite floral emblems are heap
ed upon the rich csnket too late, nlat,
to perfume the thorny road, and loud ex
pressions of regard mingle with lamenta
tions, but they cannot be heard by the
ears that they should have gladdened long
before. There thould be lest postmortem
and more ante-mortem love.
Teachers often err In showing 'mps
tienre because the alow pupils do not see
through problems ss easily as they do
themselves. They forget thot they muat
take Into consideration the time element.
Pupils are chary of appreciation to their
teachers who often ache for some little
word to indicate that their labor is not
in vain.
What a pity that termt of en.learmcnt
and exprrHioni of praise should so often
end with the honemoon. Why should a
wife he lets valuable after she has kept
the table tempting and the hnrne beantifel
for ten, twenty or thirty years than she
was the first three nionthi? If words of
appreciation helped to make her happy
then they will work In jiwt the tame way
now.
Then let ut not forget our God, whots
good new and mercy rim before us on ev
ery hind. It us praise him. Praia him
with the voice of joyful , thsnkigivlng,
with the heart of adoring love, with the
life of generout, uucslculsting, unreserv
ed consecration.
Death to Bin. A natural death la tha
gate through which wa pass Into Ood'i
kingdom above, so death to (In Initi
ates us Into Ood'a kingdom on eartl,
Wltb many people the Christian Ufa I
slmpljr an orthodox: creed, or a happy
slate of the amotions; but tha apoatlaj
tcschra u that the Christian Ufa la a
striking spiritual life. Iter, 8. O. NeJLj
Baptist, Philadelphia, Pa,