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CURRENT TOPICS. at - : "Human nature exhiblls many unac- itable contradictions, some of which ventre around (he good will or il will swhich onie person sometimes bears an- wer. The general 'rule is, of o»: 'friendship begels [riendship, @ begets enmity: If a man will friends, says a high authority, he fuust show himself friendly, 'Beljamin "Franklin, who had 'a profound know- © 'ledge of human nature, rélalcs an incl : ent in which he utilized this principle. 'Having become assured that a certain Public man was his enemy, he sent him -"® polite note, asking the loan of & valu- 2 able beok from his Mbrary. The book 'was send, and 'the lender was ever af- #Serward Franklin's friend. But it hap- Pens sometimes thal men hate those who have Lefriended them. Th's is par ticularly frue in the case of money foans. Says Polonius: "Loan oft loses both itself and friend," and the name of those who are avoided and despised by the people fo whom they have loaned money is legion. But this is only a specification under th> broader fact that men oIt.n hate those lof whom they have got under obligation, more especially ff it is an obligation that they are un- able to discharge, but also when {i is simply one that they Jo not intend or do not wish to discharge. Ths is poor enoccuragement to humanitarian"sm, but the kind-hearted man who does not bear this frailly of human nature in mind will encounter some galling disappoint- ments. ¢ Another proverbial peculiarity of the human heart--at least, alleged peculiar fty--is that a man takes a secret plea- sure in the misfortunes of his [riends. Some generous natures will indignantly deny that there is any truth in this say- ing, but many others who are shanper Critics ¢f human actions are just as posi- tive in admilting its truth. It is not meant that every man is indifferent to his friends welfare, or that he would not cheerfully sacrifice much to relieve his friend's distress. It 1s only meant that at the same (me--oontradictory though it be--he extracts some sort of pleasure from his friend's misery. ..e strangest anomaly in the list is the ill will which a person fcels who can give Mo reason for feeling it. This is what is called "prejudice," and it is the most invincible and crucl of all hatreds. It reveals ilsclf in absurd attempts at jus tification, and the more these attempts fail, the more virulent and unscrupulous the hatred becomes. Like all the rest, it is an inscrutable mystery. To burn as fuel sewage, sludge, coal wash'ngs, shale, and other waste is tne " falest fashion in London. Tar, crude naphtha, or other tarry substance is mixed wth petroleum, shale, Texas oil, or other hydrocarbon oil in such a way as to produce a solid precipitate which can be separaled from the remainifig thin liquor. The thin fluid from whicn the precipitate has boen separated 's used to produce a binding agent for the artificial fuel. For this purpose resin- cus matter is dissolved in the liquor un« til the whole becomes a thick viscous ' "masse lo form the binding agent. Tn mass may be mixed with a tarry sub stance in cqual proportions and a little common salt added." The combustible rubbish is reduced to a dry powder and thorough'y mixed with a small propos- tion of the dried precipitate produced @s described. A little of the binding agent is added and (he whole is mixed' at a suilable temperature, The result is pressed inlo blocks or brigueties or otherwise treated to produce artificial fuel as desired. With slight changes the same formula is used for making artificial coke, an achievement hitherfb impossible. fe ASHES TRAVEL FAR. Cinders From Volcanoes Were Found in Germany. Volcanic ashes, which have been blown 5,000 milés across the Atlantic from ctralers. in Central America, have doen found deposited on 'the snow in three nt places in Germany, name in the village near Berlin, another illage in. Pomerania, 'and' a thind vil Shes aokag ie ust of » seen es 'ke 'dust of a-some- ! 'olor, and attracted thelr "presen plicable. ~ Christ Could Not al. | from Refrain. "les That Over and Over Again 4 1 go to the Father.--St, John xvi. 16. Five times, including ! beally, hid. ig Beare in $03. last 'soourse to His: disciples in upper chamber before "His - betrayal thet He was lo. His Father.' The ociroum- slances of the delivery of these words cl fatewell were peculiar, Fhe discip- les, ir e as was their. ant ton of what was toward, were yet fill.d with forcbodings of umsaster. 'Being hu- 'man and not realizing all that was in- volved, there must have been in theif] minds a leaven of hope. These things that they vagualy dreaded could not oc- cyr. Something would happen; some pcwer would inlervere; they should yet sec.the Messiah triumphant on a throne rather than a cross. Yel their hearts were doubtless h:avy with premonitions of despair as they listencd. There was no vagueness abot Jesus' grasp of the: situation. He knew that He would have t+ drain the cup lo the dregs. I was even then ab His lips. Yet He did not allow this knowledge 40 overwhe:m Him, He agonized in the garden and on the cross, but He never absolulely and ._ ENTIRELY GAVE WAY. I like to belive that ond" of the thoughts which sustained Him in that tour was that, mo matter how terrible the way, how Jong the via dolorosa, how awful the gateway of the cross at the 'end, He was going to./tha Father. It se>ms to add the dvinest and sweet est touch to His humanity whon we think that this was in His mind when He repeated again and again that s'm- ple statement. His work was almost over, although ils most terrible hours were to come, although its grea'est de- mand was to be met; yet there was lignt al the end, for He was Father, How the mind of Joseph, lord cf lower and upper Egypt, the vice regent of the world, went back to that old man, ws father in Palestine. How the mind of going to the |! From Telling he Dis # A great deal about mothers; fal have a place in our affections, have they not! Lm i Exdy diy hid wont also {o- [ather, 50 wo may tour Father which art in heaven. There is this difference betwen our. ing and Christ's going. went alone, save that the Father was with 'When we go now the Father is wi in His love and Jesus is with us in brotherhood, : cr - 'WE CANNOT- GO. ALONE. Po And Shere oF Te eich we can through in our progress: the- Father which is not ex: in bit- terness by (hat through which otr Sav- four pissed. Because 3 (SI shviody and everybody can go! ather, ox- cept the willful, persistent, determined sinner. : You can go to the Father with the guilt of murder on your soul, buf you cannot. go to the Father with the spirit of anger in your heart. You can go to Him red-handed if you go $0 Him ve pentant, and through Christ yow can go to Hm regneraled and redeemed, You will have to pay the pénalty for your actions here, but H gou'are spiritually changed the payment here is all that will be exacted. So that every human being who desires can look forward to his hour of trial as well as In his day o! triumph to a welcome from the Fa- her. "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be us while as snow; though they te red like crimson, they shall be as wool." CYRUS TOWNSEND BRADY. THE SUNDAY SCHOOL INTERNATIONAL LESSON, JUNE 44. Lesson XI. The Risen Christ by the Sea of Galilee. Golden Text, Matt. 28. 30. THE LESSON WORD STUDIES. (Based on the lexi of the "Revised Version, ~ An Appended Chapter.--The narrative ot John's Gospel was formally brought lo a close with wv 30 and- 31 of chapter 20, Chapter 8 therefore, forms an epilogue, or appendix, to the Gos- pel, which to a cortain extent balances the prologue to the Gospel (John 1. 1-18), This epilogue, however, unlike the pro- logue, does not seem to have been part of the original plan of the Gospel," Ii seems evident that when verso 30 of the preceding chapter was written the au- thor had no intention of narrating any more "signs," having already brought his testimony to -the- divinity of Jesus fo the culminatingw\point in the record «l the resurrection. The reason for ade ding another section or paragraph seems to have been the desire on the apostles part to give a full and accurate account of Christ's words' concerning himself, about whieh there had evidently been serious misunderstanding. In order, therefore, to make the - meaning of Christ's remark as clear as possible John here gives in detail the circum stances which led to its being uttered, The epilogue is found in every exlant manuscript of the Gospel, and falls na- turally into four parts: (1) The mani festation- of Jesus-to the seven; and the miraculous draught of fishes (114); 2) Christ's commission to Peter-and the prediction as to the latter's death (15 19), (3) The misunderstood saying re: specling the apostle John (2023); (4) Appended {estimony 1o the authenticity ct the Gospel (24,25), ' Vgrse 1. After these things--A vague cation of time, such as occurs re- peatedly 'in the Gospel. The cvents ve- ferred to ave the appearances of: Jesus | altection recorded in the preceding chapter. 4 JAgein--taring alrady appearod to the p! on two separate occasions mentioned by the author, ER Tiberias --T} Sea. of Galilee Gospel, but pi 'Roman name for the | occurring only jn" this 8. On the right side of the boat--They had apparently been fishing on the op: posite, or left, side," and may haye thought that the Strangers advice hased upon his having observed a dis- turbance of the water's surface indicat. ing the presence of fish which had es- caped their notice. 7. That disciple therefore whom Jesus loveth saith--John was the first lo dis- cover (he identity of the Stranger, while Peler was the first to act upon making tho discovery. This circumstance well illustrates the difference in character between the two men, John being the more thoughtful and having apparently deeper intuitions, while Peter was the more impulsive and demonstrative in his attachment for his Master. 8. Two hundred cubits--About one hundred yards. i : 9. A fire of coals--Greek, "A fire of charcoal." / Fish--Lit., "A fish." Bread--Or, "a loaf." 11! Up--Greek, "Abroad," that is, back: into the boat. [5 Great fishes, a hundred and fifty ~and three--As a fisherman John never for- got the exact number, the fishes had seemedglo him at the time unusually large. ) 12. Break your fast--An expressiin the significance of which is preserved in our word "bréak{ast," z None of the disciples durst Inquire of Dim rise curiosity no doubt would ve their reverence for -their risen Lord compelled silence, ' > 13. Cometh, and taketh the bread, and giveth 'them--Their awe and reverence forbade their approach to him. Hemes Jesus found. if necessary 'to break the [and spell which his presence had 'thrown i the group by tive and adva A%: Sumo, son. - of Joh way of designating a identity "among the lent 10 our writing out a name 'The custom of adopting a family name was not common arffong the Hel until 'comparatively recent times, Lovest thou me more than these? Referring apparently to Peler's earlior beast (compare John 13, 37). The: verb, "love" used by : Jesus in this and" next verse denotes estéem rather: f a tion} that 3 a stale ot) feeling 'closely. rela gmen the moral sense." ed BL : n--The usuat| T x oward | {00st of the | , and the fact 'hattadi prompted many inquiries,' i yt} stone basemen ached himself taking the ini - 18 ncing to where they to vd. Parson's. com dele | pr brews, equi g = % Ev & WORSHIPPERS OF SAAKES|: INDIA THE CHIEF COUNTRY OF 4 One District Alone Has More Than 15,000 | nake Festival at ~~ - Travancore. 3 R a Despite the fact that yearly thousands of persons in India lose their lives Irom the bites of snakes there are certain parts of .the country where the wonship ol snakes, especially the cobra; the most deadly of all, is carried on. -~This form of warship is especially prevalent cn the southwest coust of India. . Snake worshippers search for the holes where their divinities are likely to be tound, and which more often than nov are in the little mounds raised by the karishs or white ants, When they have found one they visit it from time lo time, placing before it milk, bananas and other food which the snake is likely to fancy. ita snake happens to get inlo a house, | fa far {rom turning out the inconvenient guest and Kitling it on the spot, they Teed it plentifully and offer sacrifices to it daily. None is so bold as to lay sac- rilegious hands upon ft. They are also worshipped at shrines, there being in Travancore aloné no fewer than 15,000 to 20,000 shrines. dedicated exclusively to lhe propitiatory worship of snakes. These shrines are invariably in honor of the minor divinities of the country; some of them being of venerable age and more than local repute and pos-| sessing extensive and valuable proper- ties for their maintenance and for the numerous cerémonies which! haye to perlorgg from time] heir keepers to time. i i - A curious fact in connection with ser. pent worship in India is that it is women exclusively sho expect favors from. the. 'divinities propitiated, More particularly. barren 'women and those in expectation af becoming mothers go- in for: these RITES AND CEREMONIES. In these shrines, which are usually pro- tected by a mud wall, the nalives set down fantastic idols. of serpenls on a ] ment. of the 'most im- £1 | portant of these shrin "dim ages beyond history. tas 10" the household of a wealthy It in ag. 8 came into the camp. it went west, indicating that the, which stieTwan yi ved (rue, 3 In 1881 dn old id mine at _Bon- anza, near Santa Fe, N:M., was r aller having been closed many years. In| i were found, "all fiesting together, al Jeast fwo hundred rattlesnakes of differ- ent species, also long thin ved 'snakes, &o. In order to protect the miners sever- ni mén were employed exclusively in kitting the snakes, which crawled about in all directions. "The Pueblo Indians came and. protested, saying the snakes were his servants. They took the killed Siakes most devoully and lamented their e. * if Ton 3 Ros Ng «In many of the South Sea is} the | stake is offen held to be sacred, 8s it is thought to be ted. with 'a spirit, Al Valuwa there are snakes which stran- gers 'are. nol allowed fo see lest 'some 'misfertune should follow. Those that are held are not fed or worshipped, but such as are the familiars of individuals who know them recelve sacrifices. , In the New Hebrides snakes are highly re- garded, A native ol Pentecost Island, if oise, wil Th that there 18 som oh. , will' i at there is some rea- son or is A He will pour over himself the juice of a young ra pect. 0 nd the world go we 1 thc influence of the spirit. ge Army scheme of Ce THE SCHOOL AGE. be ¥ stantly struck b parat.ve ba tribe would: be' driven westward, | ™ { the season; and Comes a number of shades thai all may f suilable selection. 22 such numbers for seashore wear: "The tunic or over drapery is prominent on fashionable 5 spring, and the influence of. Grecia and Smpire slyles is also noticeable ar, A ow & Dull blue, dull green, and viole! ha! sympathetic color--are mosk often in touches of embroidery. * Embroi dots of various sizes are again a mi liked. feature, bul' ihe embroidery & delicacy rather-than slaboral The touehas of subdued or vivid lite or ecru linen: skilfully appl they are the mos) attractive, and gi character which 'would oftentimes Eilk votes and lightweight weo terial of all kings wil be used in j dresses, but the models of: linen a ticularly altractive, ; md guimps of sheer white lace trimmed: hand embroidered;. look X summer-like, cc 0c C0 "Little balls and dangles of Irish Ince are one of the distinguishin) atthe imported lingerie gowns. a Sieeves and draperies and SKiris---in foci, anywhere that the) hey are found,"