Dy JOHN R. MUSICK,
Author of "My*t*rloua Mr. Howard,” "The
Dark Sti anger,” "Charlie Alteuda a'a
Double," Etc.
Copyright, 18*7. by Robb»t Rok«**'« Sow*.
All rlcbu raaerred.
CHAPTER XII.
"D’ye know him?” Kate asked.
“Yes, I have seen him.”
"Ye know no good o’ him, I be
bound, and I’m one as is not slow in
expressin’ my mind about such cat
tle.”
“Don’t, Kate, I beseech you.”
All the while the marble white face
of Theodore was unmoved.
"Is this your hand-bag, Laura?” he
asked, picking up the pretty, white
bag where the porter had left it.
“Yes.”
“Let me carry It to the hotel for
you. This good woman will assist
you. Come, there is but one hotel in
the place, and there is no missing it.
It Is a long way from the landing, with
no cable line.”
In a maze the unfortunate Laura
was led from the landing back toward
the hotel. She had left home, hoping
to be rid of her persecutor, and found
him waiting at the landing for her.
She longed to know, and yet dreaded
to ask him why he had come to
Alaska. Her heart told her he was
on his way to the Klondyke, and she
felt a strange dread of him.
On reaching the hotel, which was a
miserable affair made of boards and
but roughly finished, she ordered a
room and was taken to it. Kate was
assigned a miserable little apartment
near the kitchen, where she could
smell the beef roasting and hear the
cooks quarreling.
Laura had cot been long in her
apartment when there came a tap at
her door, and a boy with tangled, red
liair entered and said:
“Ef yer please, mum, thar’s a feller
downstairs who gin me this keard fer
ye, an’ says he’d like ter chin yes a
bit.”
Laura took the small, neat card
from the dirty hand of the boy and,
glancing at it, read the name of Theo
dore I.aekland. Should she see him?
She knew the interview must come. In
fact she wished for it on her own ac
count, so why not have it at once,
understand each other and have it
over with?
She told the boy that she would see
the stranger at once, and he bowed
his red head and retired from the
apartment. She nerved herself for
the coming interview.
There came a light rap at the door.
“Come In,” she said.
The door opened and Theodore
Lackland entered the apartment.
There was an insidious smile on his
face, as he said:
“You did not expect to meet me,
did you?”
"I certainly did not,” she answered,
her eyes growing round with astonish
ment.
“I hope my appearance did not
cause any unpleasant shock to your
nerves, and now' that it is over I trust
you will be glad 'to have a friend in
this strange, wild land.”
There was a short pause, after
which he went on:
“I will bo frank with you. Miss
Kean. I came that I might ho near
you.’
"I am capable of taking care of my
self,” she answered.
“But while I concede all that, I
reasoned that you were coming to a
land beset by many dangers, ar.d
could r.ct feel comfortable in the
thought that you were alone. I had
leisure and means, and consequently
why not devote them to your ser
vice? Oh, Laura.” and he drew his
chair a little nearer to her. "I know
you spurn me. I know you believe rne
to be a deceitful hypocrite, but 1 am
not so bad as you think. I am your
friend—your best friend if you will
only permit me—’’
“I cannot.”
“You have mistaken mo all along.”
“Perhaps at times 1 have, but I
know you now.”
“Laura, will you listen to me a
moment—Just one moment?”
“Yes. I will have to do so, as I have
no other choice.”
k His voice regained its ralmncss, but
his manner was still agitated.
”1 may serve you even yet.” he
said. “I have done you much wrong
—I know that—and him. too. I did
you and him a wrong, knowing I
would repent it to the last hour of
my life, but I was driven to it; I had
no power to resist it—it mastered me
then; it masters me now.”
Theodore had risen and took a step
nearer.
"Laura." he raid, and his voice fell
to a broken whisper, "l love you so
I can see you the wife of another if
he can make you more happy than I.
Do you believe there can be an unsel
fish love? 1 know it, and I swear that
■f you can he more happy as the wife
of Paul Miller, then 1 will go with
you all over the world to find Paul
Miller, and if he he li\ing will find
him and give him to you.”
Mis words had produced a profound
effect on Laura, and she could only
ea/.u on him in wonder. Overwhelm
ed by the ardent manner of the man,
she was speechless and dumbfounded.
When she could regain her voice she
“Heaven forgive me, Mr, T.aekland,
If I have done you injustice.
“I freely forgive you. It is so dim
v cllll for us to understand each other
Knat we are continually blundering
and making mistakes. But now that
ay motives are plain, now that you
Tee how unselfish 1 am, i hope you
win trust me implicitly. You may
think you have money sufficient to
push this search and may he mis
taken; ail I ask of you is that you
allow me to furnish the fupds you
need. You shall cot lack means to
find Paul."
The man watched with anxious eyes
the face of the girl to read the im
pression his groat generosity would
make.
It was favorable, and his delight at
the discovery was almost diabolical.
‘‘Thank you, I aura. You have made
me supremely happy by accepting my
favor. I will endeavor to find Paul
for you. We will go together, and do
all that can be done to find him.”
He bowed and went out. She bow
ed her face in her hands and wept.
“My heart misgives me,” she sob
bed. “He talks fair and seems hon
est, but something within keeps say
ing: ‘Trust him r.ot!’”
Ben Holton, who had remained be
hind to look after her heavier luggage,
arrived at the hotel, ar.d went to con
sult with his mistress about some
missing packages. On his way to her
room lie met I.ackland, and was much
astounded to see a man whom he
thought in Fresno that he was half
inclined to think himself mistaken.
‘‘I say, Miss Laura, was a feller in
here a mir.it ago?” he asked.
“Yes.”
"He looked just like Lackland.
"It was Lacnland.” t
“Well, Miss Laura, I* jlst be dod
parted if he's here for any good. He's
after grub stakes, ye kin depend on et.
Look out for him.”
She then told her faithful employe
the proposition he had made, and old
Ben listened carefully to her, and at
the conclusion said:
"I’ll bet my head for a football that
it’s a salted mine he's a-plautin’. Don't
ye bite at his bait, Miss Laura; don’t
ye bite.”
Laura was more distressed after the
departure of Ben Hoi ion than before.
She began to realize how utterly help
less she was.
There was quite .a change in the
expression on Lackland’s face after
he left Laura's room. All the benevo
lence and unselfish concern for the
girl’s welfare gave way to a look of
selfishness, and he chuckled In tri
umph.
"I will have her yet. She will be
wholly in my power. A few weeks
more, another turn of the cards and
the game is mine.”
At a low groggery in the town he
found his two employes, Ben Allen
and Horsa Cummins.
“Well, how are you faring?” asked
Lackland.
“Dry!” growled Cummins.
“Come, Cummins, you remember
the obligation imposed on you when
you were employed—you were not to
drink.’
"Yes, but that makes me dry,” said
Cummins, with a wink.
"Now, you have both been here be
fore, have you not?’
"Yes.”
"Do you know where to procure
good outfits?”
"Right here is the best place in
Alaska,” declared Cnmmins.
"How much will a first-class outfit
cost?"
Cummins reflected a moment and
said:
“Well, I think it will take about two
thousand dollars.”
Without returning a word his em
ployer counted out the money and told
him to go and procure it at once.
Cummins and Davis set out, and
next morning reported that all had
been secured.
"It is well,” declared the shrewd Mr.
Lackland. “Be prepared to go when
even I give the word.’
"We’ll be ready.”
When his hirelings had pone Lack
land went to the hotel and sent, up his
card to Miss Laura Kean. She admit
ted him, and he asked:
"Miss Kean, when arc you going to
cross the pass and start for the Klon
dyke?”
"As soon as I can. I want to go
with the first train.”
"There are some gentlemen ready
to start in the morning.”
“Then I can get ready. I will go
with them,” she declared.
"Would you like my services in
securing you an outfit?”
“Yes, yes; if you can, secure me
an outfit at once.”
“I’ll do so. I would as soon start
myself to-morrow as any other time.
You will want Indian porters for your
luggage and a sled and dogs for your
self. Have Ben Holton pack up all
your effects and be ready,” and he
left.
Ben Holton was only a stupid fel
low, but he declared he did not like
the arrangements at ail, and smelled
a greatbig mouse somewhere. Never
theless, Ben went to work packing up
the goods and preparing for the
journey.
I.aura took her place on the sled,
and the Esquimau with big snow
shoes came to strap her in and draw
the robes and furs over her.
"Are you strapped in securely?”
Lackland asked Laura.
"Yes.”
“Do you think you will be comfort
able?”
“I know I shall.”
They were soon in the midst of a
driving snowstorm, and Kate Willis
declared that she "just knew that
child would freeze.”
They halted before reaching the
summit and camped. Tents had been
brought and every precaution was
taken to provide for the comfort of
Laura Kean. She and Kate were
housed in a tent warmed by a gasoline
stove, which made it quite comfort
able.
Next day they resumed tkeir march,
crossed the summit and began the
descent.
T ackland was often scon talking
with one of the Indians, who spoke
English fairly well, and was a big, J
burly, villainous-looking fellow. Ona
day two men came to their cams*.
They held long and earnest confer* j
ences, and when they went away that
uight the man named Ben Allen went
with them. It is perhaps needless
to inform the reader that the two men
were Morris and Ned Padgett, who
brought the information that Paul and
the old hermit were prisoners in the
cavern.
"It is lucky I learned of his cap
ture,’’ thought Lackland. “Curse him,
why isn't he dead? For over a year
he has been lost in the forest and j
thought to be dead; now, why Isn't '
he dead?" *
Lackland littlo dreamed that the
very tools he was using were willing
to betray him if they could make
more out ot it, and that they were try
ing by bribes and threats to extort
from the prisoners in the cavern the
secret of the cached treasure.
After Ben left the party to fulfil liis
orders they camped three weeks in
a valley.
Laura inquired why they delayed so
long, but Lackland had abundant ex
cuses, and assured her they would
go on before winter set in in earnest.
Already lowering clouds had hung
over the'valley and covered it with
snow.
At last they broke camp and were
moving slowly toward the Yukon,
when a dog was discovered coming
toward them. Beyond a doubt it was
the property of somo of the Klondyk
ers. Horsa Cummins discovered a
strip of tanned skin about its neck
and called the attention of Lackland
to it.
Ho quickly removed it and read:
“We are in the forest out of food
and starving. Follow on the trail at
once and find us. Paul Miller and
Companion.”
The bit of tanned skin dropped from
the trembling hand of Theodore Lack
land. He pressed his hand to his fore
head and groaned.
"What is it, boss?” asked Cummins.
“Go into camp. We must start at
once to find some men who are starv
ing.”
When they went into camp, after
taking care to see that Laura was
made comfortable, he took one man
and three Indians and started on the
back trail made by the dog. All the
while he was thinking:
“Paul Miller and one companion.
Who can that companion be?”
CHAPTER XIII.
Clarence Berry and the Metlakaht
lans.
Clarence Berry and his brave little
wife Ethel continued to heap up their
golden treasure day by day, but they
had not forgotten their unfortunate
friend, Paul Miller. One evening, as
they sat in their shanty, before the
great, blazing fire, they received the
usual visitors, Long Dick and Gid
Myers.
“Say, ef ye want t' see d’ worst old
goesers ye ever clapped yer lamps
upon, ye want t’ go down d’ camp,” be
gan Dick.
“Dun know, but it looks mightly t’
me like it was some starved-out Egyp
tian mummies az had been resurrect
ed from de pryamids.”
"Where are they from?’
"Metlakahtla.”
“Where is that?”
“An island far away across the
mountains.”
Clarence opened his book again,
and, casting a casual glance over the
pages, remarked that he did not see
what they had to do with the peace of
the miners of the Klondylce. Gid was
about to speak when his friend began:
“That’s where yer off yer trolley,
Clarence. They come without recom
mendation, but they spin mighty
strange yarns, and old Glum he put
tliis thing and that thing together
ar.fi say they got some information.”
(To be continued.)
OUR SOIL RICH IN GEMS.
Where American Precious Stones
Have Been Found by Miners.
The report of the geological survey,
just compiled for 1901, shows that
during that year there were mined in
the United States precious stones to
the value of about $300,000. When
talking about rare and beautiful geni3
one's thoughts naturally revert to
South Africa or the orient or the
mountains of Asia or Europe, or per
haps to South America, hut one is not
likely to think of our own land yield
ing them; but the fact is, that no in
significant value in gems is taken
from the soil right here at home. The
report of the geological survey shows
that during that year we mined in
the United States precious stones to
the value of about $300,000.
Diamonds represent only $100 of
this amount, but the fact that they are
found at all gives encouragement to
the hope that paying fields of them
may some time he found. Last year
one diamond was found in Lee county,
Georgia, where diamonds were not be
fore known to exist. New Mexico
furnished $118,000 in turquoises, and
these have been placed on the market.
Montana gave us $90,000 in sapphires,
which come next. They come from
Fergus county'. Granite county is now
being explored for fancy colored sap
phires, that give evidence of being
there in paying quantities. Fine and
extensive rhodolite garnet deposits are
found in Macon county, North Caro
lina. Many dark greeni, blue and yel
low beryls, as well as amethysts and
emeralds, were found in that state
There is hardly a state of the Union
in which there is not some trace ot
precious stones and It appears not at
all unlikely that before many years
we may be competing with the old
world in furnishing gems.
IN A WANTON SPIRIT
TARIFF TINKERS ARE LIKE MIS
CHIEVOUS BOYS.
Eager to Make a Hole In the Protec
tion Dam, Apparently in Ignorance
of the Dire Disaster Which They
Would Tin,* Precipitate Upon the
Country.
Gentlemen who are advocating the
readjustment of the tarifT and the dis
turbing of business interests and of
the existing conditions which make
for general prosperity are hard to
please. They are mischievous or
ignorant. Though they are con
fronted with unexampled prosperity
in every part of the country they do
not seem to know it. There are few
idle men in any branch of industry.
Every competent workingman who
really wishes to get employment has
little difficulty in finding it. The
“want” columns of tho newspapers
are filled with demands for every kind
of labor and the “situations wanted”
columns have dwindled in corre
sponding degree. In addition to the
marvelous activity in every line of
manufacture and trade, the country is
on the eve of the most abundant har
vests known in many years. Appar
ently there will he no crop failure of
any kind. Corn, wheat and cotton will
he marketed in enormous quantities,
and undoubtedly will fetch good
prices. There will be an abundance
of corn for feeding cattle, which
should make lower prices l'or beef,
and the packers will have better prof
its at lower prices than they have had
this year.
What ails those chronic malcontents
and discontents whose feelings find
expression in the jeremiads of such
calamity howlers as Bryan? What is
the matter with them? Are they dis
tressed because of abounding prosper
ity? Bo they in a spirit of malice or
recklessness long to experiment with
another condition of affairs? Have
they not yet learned tho lesson that it
is “better to leave well enough
alone?” Might it not be advantageous
for Chicago, for instance, to feel
the impulse of the good times all
about us and reap some of the benefits
which other cities are enjoying?
The effort to disturb existing con
ditions in trade and business for the
purpose of giving occupation to a cer
tain class of restless politicians who
have nothing to do in prosperous
times is unwise, if nothing worse, !
and exhibits the wanton spirit of the
small boy who defaces public build
ings. destroys private property ai.J
tortures animals to give expression to
his superabundant “cussedness. ”
Some of those who are so anxious to
try “the other side” and experiment
with depression and disaster appear
to desire the fulfillment of these pro
phecies of evil even if their fellow
citizens have to suffer therefrom.
Others from lack of experience or
from sheer selfishness, having no
other occupation hut politics and
being on the losing side, evidently
think that bad times for ether people
may be good times for thorn. Those
who in this spirit wish fqr change
should read in Mr. Allertor.’s letter,
printed on Tuesday last, his reference
to 1894, when as the result of demor
alizing business and disturbing pros
perity “every one was idle, old men
and young men asking i'or a job.”
Those who desire this condition of
things, those who would like to see
the fires put out in the great mills at
South Chicago—men walking the
streets this winter looking in vain for
employment, the hignways full of
tramps and hobos, the corridors of the
city hall and the police stations
crowded with vagrants—men, women
and children actually perishing from
hunger and cold—will do what they
can to reverse present conditions.
They will subscribe to the program
w hich the calamity howlers would like
to have carried out for the delectation
of their misguided followers. It is
only candidates out of office and poli
ticians out of jobs who would have a
“change.” They will not be gratified,
for “prosperity is the issue and all
other questions aro secondary.”—Chi
cago Tribune,
CId Story; Modern Application.
There is an old story of a bumpkin
who saw a fowler take nim at a bird
in the topmost branch of a tree, and
who, when the gun had been dis
charged and the bird came down with
a thud to the earth observed: "That
was a waste of powder; the fall alone
was enough to kill the bird.”
The Democratic party has always
been addicted to equally shallow criti
| cism. In the 70's the Democrats of
j Wisconsin were greenbackcrs. They
! bitterly denounced the resumption
act; and when resumption was fol
lowed by a return of prosperity they
refused to admit that the resumption
act had anything to do with the im
provement of business. In 1890 they
furiously attacked the gold standard,
having previously taken advantage of
a brief lease of power to run afoul of
: the protective tariff. When Republi
j can legislators enacted the Dingley
law and placed the currency upon a
sound basis, and prosperity returned
after dreary years of panic and de
pression, the Democrats said the pros
perity would have come anyhow, from
the revival of confidence, their eyes
were tightly closed to the fact that
; sound currency and the Dingley tariff
were the conditions precedent to the
revival of confidence, without which
confidence would not have revived any
more than the bird that provoked the
bumpkin’s foolish remark would have
fallen if it had not been shot.
Sportsmen would hag few birds if
a law were passed compelling them
I
to dispense with weapons and wait
till the birds fell from the trees. The
Democrats are going into the pres
ent congressional campaign advocat
ing a policy as foolish as that—more
foolish, indeed, for the business pros
perity of the country is of vastly
greater importance than the bagging
of birds.—Milwa ukee Wisconsin.
A WOMAN'S SUGGESTION.
How to Insure an Increased Demand
for the Product of American Skill.
In a contribution to the American
Economist Grace Miller White bring?
forward the suggestion that if the
women of the United States were to
act in concert in buying and using
only fabrics, materials and articles
that art! ol American make they could
revolutionize trade and labor condi
tions io this country. This writer,
who has gone much deeper into econ
omics than is the habit of her sex tc
go, demonstrates that by uniting in
a common determination to patronize
none but home industries tne women
of America would bring about an
enormous increase in production, and
with it better qualities, more accept
able Rtyles and cheaper prices. As the
matter now stands Paris is the
world's great market for novelties
of all kinds in women's wear. A man
ufacturer in England, France or Ger
many, being assured of a world mar
ket m Paris, increases his unit of pro
duction to meet that certain demand.
Among the mercantile buyers who as
semble at Paris at different seasons ol
the year the buyers from the United
States are by far the most liberal pur
chasers, for they buy for a country
whose purchasing power and consum
ing capacity is twice or three times
•<s xrreat. ner capita as that of any
other country. Hence, under the con
ditions supposed—that is, where
American women and men should
have united in using none but Ameri
can made "goods—an enormous trade
would bo transferred from Europe to
the United States. Consequently our
domestic producers, being now as
sured of the domestic market with it?
vast purrhasing power and consuming
capacity as a whole, coupled with a
vastly greater per capita purchasing
power and consuming capacity, would
find our 80,000,000 of population a
consuming market equaling 250,000,
000 consumers in any other part of
the world.
The dream of such a state of things
is not altogether fantastic or impos
sible of lealization. Much has oc
curred in the past five years of pro
tection to help make the dream come
true. Much more could be done to
ward rerJ zation if the women of this
country, and the men, too, were tc
decide that the things made by oui
own people were good enough for oui
own people to wear and use. They art
good enough, and some day we $hal.
find out and act accordingly. In tht
meantime any progress along the lint
01 finding out is to be encouraged and
commended. To the largest possible
extent the people of the United
States should answer in the atflrma
tive the question, Shall the Republic
do its own work.
A WORTHLESS REMEDY,
To Deal With Domestic Trusts on the
Plan of Increased Foreign Com
petition.
"The unexpectedly large treasury
surplus for August is due to the pro
ductiveness of the Dlngley law. Tar
iff tinkers think they can improve the
present tariff, but the practical bus
iness sense of the country will be
slow to believe it.—St. Louis Globe
Democrat.’
Tariff tinkers do not concern them
selves With so trivial a question as
revenue production. Their sole idea
seems to be that the times are too
prosperous, that prices are too high
and that somebody is making toe
much money. It is for the purpose ci
rectifying these objectionable condl
tions that they urge the importance ol
tariff revision. They are quite right.
It would unquestionably bring about
lower prices. To take off the duties
on articles competing with trust
products would lower prices forthwith,
and the decreased range of prices
would hold good until such time as
our own trusts should have reached a
"working agreement” with the foreigD
trtists. In the meantime ail the non
trust industries would suffer a knock
out blow. That would suit the trusts
exacly. Once domestic competitior
were removed the home trusts would
bo masters of the situation, and in a
position to dictate terms with foreign
competitors. With the disappearance
of tariff protection would inevitably
come the International trust. The
tariff insures home competition, and
home competition is a safe and cer
tain check upon trust extortion. You
cannot smash the trusts by smashing
the tariff, but you can smash the non
trust competing industries by that op
eralon. The "progressives” clamor
for lower tariffs and foreign competi
tion a3 a means of throttling the
trusts, forgetting that this plan would,
at the same time throttle the com
petition of the non-trust concerns.
Either they forget it or are unable
to comprehend it. In any event their
remedy is futile, worthless and de
structive.
A Question.
"is prosperity another name for
trusts?” asks the Sioux City Journal,
one of those curious types of Republi
can newspapers which apparently be
lieve that the best way to promote
Republican success is to antagonize
principles and policies that have made
success possible: in short, a tariff
tinkering newspaper. "Is prosperity
another name for trusts?” Well, if it
were would you destroy prosperity in
order to smash the trusts? If not,
why »3k so silly a question?
I
HIE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON IV, OCT. 23; J03HUA 14:5
15—JOSHUA AND CALEB.
Golden Text—"He Wholly Followed
the Lord”—Joshua 14:14—How
Faithfulness Was Rewarded—Some
Practical Lessons.
1. The T.nnd of the Conquest.—The New
Inhabitants. "Taking the nation as a
whole. Israel's entrance into the land
marked a rise In civilisation from the
nomadic to the agricultural stage.”
"From such passages as Deut. 29:13; 31:7;
30:15-18, etc., may we not see that this
land was more. In the eyes of their
great leaders, than a mere home? It
was to he their workshop, school, place
of service for God and the world. The
mere Instinct of possession does not ad
equately explain their motives and acts.”
"The spirit which animated the leaders
of the people Is Illustrated in the case
of Caleb (Josh. 11:6-15; 15:13-19) and of
Joshua (Josh. 18:3; 19:49. 50). The relig
ious point of view is best set forth by
tho expressions of Deuteronomy, which
may be compared almost at random."
"The land placed the Hebrew in the very
center of the streams of the human life
of the time, midway, as she was, be
tween Egypt and Babylonia. It was
no observatory and a school. At the
same time, the peculiar topography of
the country made It capable of shelter
ing a ‘peculiar' people.
II. Incidents of the Conquest.—1. Tho
one defeat nt Al, and the sin of Achan.
One of the most Interesting references
to this event Is that of Hos. 2:15. where
It Is said to the people of Ills day that
the valley of Aehor (where Achan was
burned) should be a door of hope. But
ting away Action's sin was a door to
victory. Through this valley the Jews
returned from exile In Babylon, when
they had put away Idolatry forever, and
rebuilt their temple and city.
2. At Beth-horon, In the mountain
pass between Jerusalem and the western
plain, twelve miies northwest of that
city, a combination of tho petty nations
gathered in great force (Josh. 10:1-16).
This was one of the greatest and most
decisive battles of the campaign, worthy
of the prolonging of the day In order
that the victory might be complete, at
the command of Joshua,—
"Sun, stand thou still upon Olbeon,
And thou. Moon. In the Valley of Aja
lon.”
This seems to be a recognized poem
from the book of Jarher, apparently a
collection of poems or songs about He
brew heroes, from which David taught
the children of Israel "The Bong of th«
Bow" (2 Sam. 1:18). And hence many
modern scholars think It to be a poet
ical expression like the stars fighting
against Sisera (Judg. 5:20). the melting
down of the mountains (Isa, 34:3; Mlc.
1:4), the skipping of Lebanon (J’sa. 29:6),
the rending of the heavens (Isa. 64:1).
Others believe that an "extraordinary
refraction of the sunlight, n parhelion
or some similar natural phenomenon,
might have produced the desired pro
longation." If KJershelm’s translation
Is correct, "Hasted not to go—like (as
on) a complete day," this explanation
would suffice. But the Bible Implies that
It was a miracle. There certainly Is
nothing in the objection raised that "If
the rotation of the earth on Us axis
were suddenly arrested, all human be
ings on its surface and nil loose objects
whatever must have, been flung forward
with prodigious violence; just as, on a
small scale, on the sudden stoppage of
a carriage, we find ourselves thrown for
ward, the motion of the carriage hav
ing been communicated to our bodies.”
For the action of a force like gravity
would stop the motion of the earth
around Its axis In ten or twelve minutes
so Imperceptibly that not even a leaf on
the tree would be shaken, just as a can
non ball shot upwards is stopped. There
Is nothing said about the earth being
stopped suddenly, as a railroad train
striking another in disastrous shock.
III. The Division of the Land.—Josh.
33 and 14:3-5. Finally, at the close of six
or seven years' war, the Ittnd was so far
subdued that It could be divided among
the nine and one-lialf tribes who settled
west of the Jordan, the other two and
one-half tribes having already received
their portion on the east of Jordan. It
was assigned by lot at a great assem
bly nt Gllgul. But there was still much
to do before each tribe could settle in
perfect pence. Each family had its farm
with an absolute title. It could bo alien
ated for <i time, but n,t the end of every
fifty years there was to be a restoration
to each family of the family portion.
This did not include city property. Thus
perpetual poverty was excluded from
the family; yet each person suffered for
neglect and idleness, and was rewarded
for diligence.
IV. An Old Promise Now Fulfilled.—
Vs. 10-15. 10. "The Lord hath kept me
alive.” As he promised. One promise ful
filled gave the assurance that the other
would be. Forty-five years before ho
had gone Into this land, and It had bee'n
promised him. He had. as It were, taken
the deed of the land, hut not taken pos
session. Why was the fulfillment so long
delayed? Because its fulfillment before
this would have been of no use to him,
or worse than useless. He could not have
enjoyed tne land till It was conquered
by the Israelites. So the fulfillment of
many a promise has been delayed, be
cause we were not prepared to receive
it, or because It would have been no
blessing had it come sooner. The delay
also Is a test of our faith, to prove
whether we will wholly follow the Lord.
V. Some Practical Lessons.—1. We
learn a lesson concerning the conquest
of the Promised Land of our own souls.
It is to he won. every Inch of It, with
marvelous divine help, but also by hard
battles and persevering courage. Sin has
no right there and we must drive It out
In all Its forms. "There are those who
sigh for holiness and beauty of char
acter, hut they are not willing to pay
the price. They sing, 'More holiness give
me,’ and dreum of some lofty spiritual
attainment, some transfiguration, but
they are not willing to endure the tolls,
fight the battles, and make the self-sac
rifices necessary to win these celestial
heights. They want a larger spiritual in
heritance. but they have no thought of
taking It in primeval forests which their
own hands must cut down.”—John R.
Miller.
2. The whole world Is to be conquered
for Christ. Not an enemy is to be left.
But It is to b>- conquered by Spiritual,
not carnal, weapons, and by the wonder
ful power of the Holy Spirit. Tho victory
does not destroy men but sins, and
crimes, and bad customs.
Life Is a Struggle.
There Is a constant struggle between
vice and virtue, justice and injustice.
Vice shows its undaunted head in the
face of law. and ofttimes our represen
tatives, appointed to uphold the law,
appear before their superiors with
breath and actions that show that vice
has crept in, has overcome the men
sent out to protect our laws. The
main thing in this life is to fignt. The
world only moves to its better end
through strife, struggle and si'** a.—
’ Rev. Dr. Lorimer.