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•*^V 1 ' ••' ', • "".*"• " " : "• •. •••'.' :;v";;'vTT'" ^7\'V-;:. TV -• •'• ,;r a >V"V'- ' '• >'•?• ' ̂ *" " J - ** ̂ * " * • * * ^ DtTRfMG the spring of the year 1862, S hi n the war was in progress, a nuro- Iter of array officers left Boston in the lew bailing ship "Merchant" for a Voyage to Skip Island. it Among the passengers were Dr. Booker, Lieuts. Prince and Emerson, £nd the writer; and we all witnessed the tee no I am about to desgribe. t Early one morning, Dr. Hooker called fjrom the deck to us below that a shark if as following the ship. We took this to be a practical joke and did not move from our state-rooms. "i But when we did go upon deck, about tx o'clock, we looked ovfcr the stern of le ship and there saw an enormous, dhOvel-nosed shark following us, but keeping his distance at about 200 feet. Iverv person on board was called to Ibok "i»t the huge fish. ^ V The old sea-captain saidJt wjw no Unusual incident to have a shark follow *ship for an entire voyage. They sub- list largely on the waste matter thrown * . OTerho?rd- and. as they are very fast fwimmers, can always'keep up with a •essel. , , _ 4 . It was proposed by Capt. Lewis, one of the Captains on board, to make an nftort to capture him. j We threw into the ocean pieoes of bread and other articles of food, and Were greatly interested to see him eat them. The ship was searched but there was not s£ harpoon to be found; there Was not even a shark hook. The pros­ pect of capturing this great fish was not very bright, until Capt. Lewis proposed to make a noose and lower it down Into the water, and thus entangle him. r But Sir Shark kept away from the fttpe. I then'proposed to put a piece of pork, big as my hand, on a com­ mon fish-line, and, by a little maneu­ vering of the bait, induce the fish to pass his head into the noose. But he was very cautious, and would not near the ship when I lowered the piece of pork, until two little pilot fish, that rode on his back, one on each side of the great fin, came forward and inspect­ ed the bait, then returned and took their places. ; ? They had barely time to finish this ietion when the shark swam under the stern of the ship, and, opening his pon­ derous jaws, attempted to take the bait. IJut I held it just above his nose, noting he possessed no power to leap or jutup iyp as many fish do. * I also watched with curious interest the pilot fish, which, having per­ formed their office, were now quietly Ringing beside the fin of his back. While Capt. Lewis was preparing a lioose which was to be slipped over the shark's bead, I asked about the pilot fish* "Every shark has one," said the Captain, "and sometimes two ; and when the shark is without one he is shy and wiill seldom approach very near a atoip.'1 These pilot fish seemed to be five or •ix inches long, and of a yellowish- brown color, having longitudinal dark stripes on their sides and resembling much the perch of our New England ponds. It seemed strange that so pow­ erful a fish should place so much de­ pendence on such insignificant crea­ tures. The Captain again lowered his rope, but the current of water drew it aside, and the attempt to entrap the fish was fgain a failure. :• Then, some one suggested holding the noose open by retaining the" bight" in hand, and when the shark put his hfcjul over the rope in order to get at the pork still dangling from the end of the little line, to let the noose drop and pull away at the end till the large rope tightened around his body. This was tried, but the shark slipped out. He Wits, however, so hungry that he im­ mediately returned, ana the maneuver repeated and with success the sec- vn-1 time. The moment Capt. Lewis got the loose around his body, eight or ten rrsons pushed away at the rope, and was hardly a minute before it began to tighten around the shark's body, * > And, *~3 it did so, it slipped down to his tail; and when he felt it getting uncom­ fortably tight he paid no more atten­ tion to the bait, but, turning slij -gave one flap with his mighty tan that nearly took the whole of us overboard ;>->>rf'apt. Lewis, with- 'the sapidity almost of thought, made a turn of the rope about a fastening, but so poweMul was the fish, that he- seemed to retard the movement of the ship, if not to drag her backward. A large number of men now got hold of the rope and succeeded in drawing him Out of the water, and left him sus­ pended under the stern We looked for the pilot-fin^, but in vain; they had disappeared during the excitement and struggle. After the shark had time to expire*-- for he never stirred after being pulled out of the water--the sailors hitched a tackle to him and swung him around to the side of the ship, where he re­ mained until nearly noon-time, when the sailors got permission to open him and take out the blubber, which is charged with oil that is extremely serv­ iceable about a ship. This was found to contain several pailfuls of oil. After dinner, one of the passengers, Dr. Hooker, signified his desire to nave the jaws of 4he shark as a memento of the unusual scene. So the great crea­ ture was drawn in on deck and the rope taken off. Scarcely was this done, when, in­ stead of being dead, he was found to be «o thoroughly alive that he cleared the deck of men in two moments; for, as he commenced his contortions and twistings about the deck, we all scam­ pered to places of safety. His vitality struck us with wonder and alarm. He had hung on the out­ side of the ship, in the broiling sun during more than half a day. had bet* despoiled of a portion of his vital­ izing apparatus; yet now, after we had supposed him dead for hour*, we found him able to keep the whole ship's erew at bay. The men soon commenced hostilities, but still for a long time he was able to maintain himself against the great odds. He bent his body and with sur­ prising strength threw himself from side to side; and, as he did so, he opened his huge jaws and barely missed from time to time seizing our legs. He showed successive rows of sharp teeth, and by the aid of his cartilaginous tail, he turned forward and backward and obliquely along the deok, and real­ ly seemed to be empowered with a mill­ ion lives. For two fall hours did the battle con­ tinue. At last a thrust through the heart was the finishing touch. He gave one spring, twisting his body powerfully, and fastened his great jaws on a spare spar that was lashed at the side of the deck; and, afterward, we found it hard to disengage bis grip, and could only do so by tearing out splinters from the spar. We found he measured fifteen feet in length. The two doctors on board were ar­ dent physiologists, and they did not de­ sire to let such an opportunity slip to obtain an increase of knowledge. So they began their investigations by examining many parts of the shark, and they imally removed his heart, The fact about to be recorded is prop­ erly vouched for, and yet it seems al­ most incredible. Although the shark was dead and emptied of blood,* yet his heart, when removed from the body and resting on the deck, kept up its contractions for a period of twenty minutes to half an hour, just the same as when in place, and performing its office of pumping the blood to the various parts of the body. This wonderful power seems to be in harmonv with the belief of some scien­ tists, who say the heart possesses a nervous center and power over its own life, separate and distinct from the brain, for the protection of life in times of accident.--Dr. J. T. Payne, in Wide- Awake. . . . ; 4 Cincinnati Singing Honw. r« "7" ' . ? The family of a well-known man, who lives on the south side of Seventh street, just west of Linn, have been greatly exercised for some weeks by the singing of what sounded like a canary bird, behind the wainscoting of the house, and between the walls of the partitions. Neighbors have been called n to listen to the strange music, and the general verdict was that the sounds were madef by that much-talked of, but seldom seen animal, a singing mouse. All through the night hours the sink­ ing has been done, and sometimes it has been so loud as to waken the gen­ tleman and wife, and disturb them. Yesterday Mr. F. succeeded, with the help of one or two lady friends, in cap­ turing the vocalist. A brick was re­ moved from the hearth in the kitchen, and the ladies, after setting a trap, armed themselves with pokers and sticks, and got upon chairs and tables and awaited the coming of the war­ bler. After a long wait he ventured out and into the trap. Last evening a Com­ mercial reporter was at Mr. F. s house, where several other friends were gath­ ered to observe the wonder. The wire trap containing the mouse was placed upon the table, and the singing was anxiously awaited. The mouse, an or­ dinary-looking one, with a rough coat and bright black, bead-like eyes, did not seem to be disposed to sing, and after a long wait and a good many ex­ pressions of incredulity concerning his ocalistic abilities, it was suggested that the ipouse be fed. A little bread was given it and some water. It went for the water, and began an extraordi­ nary amount of face-washing and gen­ eral primping. After the prima donna had finished her toilet, she gathered herself up in a little brown ball and be­ gan to sing. She began with a twitter like a wcodbird, then she chirruped like a sparrow, and then settled down into a long, sweet warble, like a young canary. As the tiny thing swelled up its throat and rolled its black eyes and executed the most wonderful little trills and roulades • and cadenzas, and the sweetest dimin­ uendos, and crescendos, the listeners looked at one another in wonder and delight There it was at last--a real little mouse, sitting up in its cage and singing with all its might! It is impos­ sible to describe the character of its ging, und Mrs. F. says it varies re­ markably eVery time it sings. It is ??£t, r,vect tone, not dear and . shar like the singing of an old canary--rat! er like a yoting bird, just learning to sing. Occasionally it makes a whin­ ing, exactly like a very young puppy, and then, after a chirrup or two, starts off on its' song again. Talking had no effect, and aid not seem to annoy it; and the cage was even passed around from one to another without interrupt­ ing the singing of the little prisoner. It had been singing a straight hour when our reporter left, and was still at it, and entertaining an admiring and wondering party of listeners. -- CtnciTi- nati Commercial. OaiMo '*• number of the Chi Review contains the following article, written for it by ThOmas F. Nelson, a Chicago optician, on Defective Vision Considered in Ite Relational to Railroad Management:" The wonderful delicacy and perfec­ tion of the eye has often been remarked, and has long been considered one of the highest types of creative perfection. If we consider it from the mechanical point of view, such an estimate is cor­ rect, but considered as an optical in­ strument it is far from being as perfect as we might expect, since the propor­ tion of the population having defective vision in a greater or less in some one or other of the various forms, will approach according to the best authorities very nearly to 60 per cent. The fact that it is not uncommon to find two, and more seldom three, dis­ tinct defects existing in combination in the same eye, which taken eitfier sepa­ rately or together are exceedingly diffi­ cult to detect, renders the subject, one full of complications. When to this is added the circumstance that in many cases these defects are found in persons where their existence was entirely un­ suspected it increases the already com­ plicated nature of the inquiry, since these defects are liable at any time to form an element in unexpected situa­ tions affording such a basis for incor­ rect judgment as to demand the most intelligent and systematic investigation to obtain a full understanding of what should be justly attributed to them. It is hot claimed, nor do I wish to be un­ derstood as saying, that this element ex­ ists in a dangerous form in the above- named proportion of the population, as it is only the more marked or hidden fofms and higher degrees that will re­ quire strict and systematic investiga­ tion. This proportion will lie found to approximate very closely to 15 per cent., ana is certainly an element of sufficient importance to demand recognition and investigation in all cases where the preservation of life and protection of property depend upon correct and per­ fect vision. The first defect in this connection to which our attention would be directed as having a practical application to railway service is that known as color­ blindness. This defect but rarely as­ sumes the form that would be termed absolute color-blindness or want of any sensation of color. Where this form is perfectly developed there is generally a sharp, well-defined appreciation of dif­ ferences between light and shade, or even between the finest grades of ap­ parent brightness or intensity; but recognition of color is entirely want­ ing; there being no distinction what­ ever between different colors having the same degree of intensity. A curi­ ous fact might be noticed in this,connec­ tion that these defects are but rarely found in women. The more common form is that caused by the absence of perception of one of the three fundamental colors. These are mentioned in the order of their comparative frequency, viz.: where the elementary sensation corre­ sponding to red is wanting; next, the absence or imperfect perception of green, and third of blue is excluded. It will be noticed as a remarkable fact that the first two mentioned are now used to make up the entire code of rail­ way signals, and that this defect for red occurs more, frequently than for any other coior. This is an item of the greatest importance in railwav and vessel management, since red is almost always used for the danger signal. To add still further to the deceptive and dangerous character of the defects, I have, in the course of my experiments, found a number of persons who were unable to distinguish between the pri­ mary colors' at night, while their per­ ception or sensation of color by uay- light was apparently perfect. Again I have found another anomaly which, un­ til it has been more thoroughly inves­ tigated and the real causes that pro­ duce it are understood, I shall desig­ nate as a form of color-blindness, al­ though I am in doubt myself as to its dependence upon any of the principles that enter into that defect; this isv an inability to distinguish between or to How Merit Win* in France. The large number of eminent men that France has lost" by death dnring the past three years brings constantly to mind a fact not a little surprising to an American. It is the astonishing number of persons of humble origin who rise to renown in all the depart­ ments of human effort. We have al ways indulged in the proud belief that our republican institutions were the favored protectors of humble merit, that under the wide wings of religious and civil liberty brain would rank all other qualities and that Kingdoms and Empires were not so blessed. In France it seems that there is an exception to this rule, and that in spite of turbu­ lences of every kind she has been a generous encourager of merit, however humble its origin. In all the depart­ ments of learning the French seem to have a natural sense of the practical necessity of a well-rounded develop­ ment. If a student gives evidence of superior talent in anything that is cal culated to do eredit to the State he is wanted at once. No matter who he is or whether he has shoes to his feet, his brain is wanted. In literature, the arts, sciences, and oow-a-days in poli tics, the vast majority of eminent men sprang from humbfe parentage and from some out-of-the-way corner of the Provinces. For every reason Paris is the eternal earthly paradise of every ambitious boy or girl in France. It is the brain _ and blood of the Provinces that nourish the center of the world.--- Paris Cor. Troy (JT. F.) Times. vision, and rendered it of no great con­ sequence whether a person was defeft- ive in this particular or not. so long as he formed judgment correctly. This might be true if vision depended upon judgment or instinct, but as we form judgment in a large measure by com" pansons upon impressions received through the medium of vision, it will be apparent to all that it will be impos­ sible to form correct judgment whon the basis upon which it is formed Is' imperfect. It is quite possible, that uch a person may continue to make narrow escapes, falling upon the sidq of safety each time; but as there is no natural law by which his judgment is made positive and certain, the very next occasion may by the merest chance result in a serious error. In investigating all of the different forma of color-blindness before mentioned, t have invariably taken into considera­ tion the quickness of perception. This I have found varied quite as much in the different individuals and even in the same person at different times as the defect has differed in form and der gree. The correctness and quickness with which judgment is formed and will power exercised after the percep­ tions are received by the mind through the medium of the senses depend in a great measure upon the physical condi­ tion of the body. I have found that very slight physical or mental weari­ ness produced results which showed a difference of between 80 and 90 per cent, in the time consumed.- recognize the primary colors at certain distances, varying more or less in in­ dividuals. This was found to be the most difficult of all defects to detect in the various cases I have examined, amounting to some nine or ten, in the regular course of my business as opti­ cian during the past three years. I have foundno two of them at all alike except in general results. I have kept records of various acci­ dents that have occurred, both upon land and water during the past few years, and I have gathered such infor­ mation about some of them as I could get outside of official sources--often was unable to get any of any value, but I am convinced beyond a doubt that a large proportion of them could have been traced to this defect for a correct solution as to the primary causes of the accident. The query* has been made, that if these defects in their various forms are as numerous and of such a dangerous character as has been shown, how can we account for such a com­ paratively small number of accidents occurring which might be charged to them? I have attributed it to the high average intelligence and acquired cau tiousness of engineers and pilots as a class. They hdve become so accus­ tomed to be on the lookout for danger that their suspicions are easily aroused, which creates a sort of instinct that governs their actions and they do not recognize but that their perceptions are correct. My convictions in this respect have been greatly strengthened within the past few months, there having been related to me some experience with an engineer who was continually making narrow escapes, and after watching his actions under different circumstances for a time, color-blindness was suspect­ ed, proved and afterward acknowledged by him. The correctness with which he formed conclusions under the exist­ ing circumstances would indicate that he had some means by which he was enabled to form a plan of action, but he declared that he had nothing upon which to base bis actions but the oau- tiousness acquired in that branch of service. It could be claimed that this illustra­ tion lessened the importance of perfect love's Vagaries. Tvi-Q wedding couples presented themselves at the Mayoralty in a Sub­ urb of Paris to carry out the civilpor- tion of their marriage contract. They ranged themselves on opposite sides of the Mayor's official throne, and faced one another. The Mayor was asking a question of one of the bridegrooms, whose attention was thus distracted from his bride. On turning round to look at her when he had answered the question, he caught her making " sheep's eyes'1 at the bridegroom op­ posite. Being of a jealous tempera­ ment, he laid his hand roughly on her arm, and said, sharply, "Mademoiselle, which of the two brides are you? 5Tou are mine, I believe; then oblige me by confining your glances to me." The bride was "a young woman of spirit, and, resenting the tone in which the reprimand was made, retorted, "Ah, monsieur, if you are jealous already, I am likely to lead a pleasant life with you!" The jealous bridegroom made an angiy reply, and then the other bridegroom must need put his oar in. "Pah! monsieur, why should you make such a fuss because mademoiselle chooses .to favor me with a glance?" Thereat his bride turned savagely upon him and exclaimed, "Ha, monsieur, it would seem, then, that you like to have ladies make eyes at you! Now I know what to expect from you; but you might at least have had the decency to keep this proof of your faithlessness concealed from me here." And with this fierce thrust she burst into tears. In vain the.Mayor attempted to pacify both parties. The bridegrooms stormed at each other, and the brides, between their hysterical sobs, mutually accused each other of perfidy. What was to be done? At last the Mayor, losing tem­ per. cried out, " Am I to proceed with this ceremony, or am I not?" The two brides, with one aceord, screamed No!" "Perhaps," said the Mayor, whose wrath had again cooled down, * you could arrange matters between yourselves if you were left alone. The clerk will show you to my private room. I will give you half an hour." At the expiration of that time the parties were summoned to appear again before the Mayor. "Have you settled your dif­ ferences?" he asked. " Yes, Monsieur le Main;," exclaimed both bridegrooms at once. " Oh, then I may proceed with the ceremony P" "Yes," Monsieur le Maire; but--but--" " Well, what is itP" "We have effected a change, Monsieur le Maire." 4*A change! What do you meanP" " A change of brides, Monsieur le Maire.11 And so it was--the jealous bridegroom had taken the jealous bride, and the young lady of the tickle glances had taken the gentle­ man who liked ladies to " make eyes'" at him. The astonished Mayor looked at them in silent amazement tor a mo­ ment or two, but they met his look un­ abashed, so he shugged his shoulders and said, "Well, if you are satisfied, it you are sai is no business of mine. 1 will with the ceremony." And they were. proceed married A Moving City. ftelfgloM.1-" •tiiliinfT Hi I t Jesus'K&otiris:• ******* 'ft . • •' ' ---- rf-Jxl • -V-:- Trnwrnsr *11 the weary toil of • Through all the battles, all the Btnfe, * Through all the hoars with trouble fraugM, There'ti comfort, bleaunv, in the thought That Jeius Known. When troubles come, we cannot bm Why life ehould fall of sufferinglM;i' ! . And tears come once, again, again*, , . Tttoomfortt * the sufferer then That Jesus knows. .Nft"}, And in temptation when we fall, T - And feel ounelT A n d \ " Deep > into sin, ah! then we think t That Jesus knows. • \ { I ' l i i - i All of par sorrows, doubta and tean. 4 All of out lobiiingH, inrpt-M und fealti All that we do which leads to shuttle. I ' ! M t : r All that we do for His beat, name. Our JesuH knows. We'll pray to Him who always beam ^ We 11 trust with Him the coming yean. We'll trust our future to Ili* care,'. He'll show us what we have to bear, For Jeans knows. Ai»d irhen our weary¥eet have poaaed ,p" ' \ Altof thiB earthly road at last, Well take Hia hand and softly pmy, " JLord, lead us home by die blest wmy ' > - That Jesus knows." ? ,M ' 0¥acs Y. Abbott. In Chicago Standard. Sunday*Sclreol Lessons* BBOOND QUARTER, 1878. . April 21--.Jeremiah in Frison..JeremttrtiS5: l -1. April 28--ThejSeohabitea Jeremiah 35:12-19. May 5--The Captivity of Ju­ dith Jeremiah 62: 1-11. Mm-12--The Captives m Bab­ ylon Daniel 1:8-17, May 10 Dream of Nebuchad- ' nezzar Daniel 2:96-46. May 26 -The Fiery Furnace.... Daniel 321-27. June 2-- I he Handwriting on . the Wall Daniel B32-S1. June 9--Daniel in the Lions _ . Den Daniel 6:14 23. June 16--Messiah's Kingdom.. Daniel 7: 9-14, Jons 23--The Decree of Cyrus..2 Chron. 36:22 2$, Jane 30^-B?»iew of the Lessons for tiie Quajftfy. Be Industrious. 1 all the difference between good«doi»g and bad-doing in the world Is made by , accepting or rejecting the grace of (rod. When the pastor ana deacon were boys, they rejected the grace of God, and so they fought one another. Now that they are trying td save souls "" from sin,, they have accepted thq grace _ of God. To explain their lives witKout the grace of God would be like explain- ing bread-making without fire. YouP^ might classify all the visible elements, Ik but unless you bring in heat as a factor p you would not explain bread. . S©-yeu||' could classify outward circumstances: j aRd natural dispositions in the pase of the pastor and the deacon, but you'can­ not explain either of them without the- grace of God as the most prominent^ factor. "Let ao one fail of the grace» of God." (Heb. iii:16.)--Church Union. ?•«'*•«- '• s,,_ £ j*1 or Chrisfc 1 r If we :• ' ! I Our town is very quietly and very slowly moving to the eastward, down the face of the mountain. This is owing to the settling of the ground over the Bonanza mines. As all the town is going together, it is not much noticed on the surface, where no cracks are seen. The water and g companies are better acquainted with the movements* taking place in the ground forming the site of the town than most others, as the instability of the earth tolls upon their pipes. On B and C streets the ground is moving both north and east. A water-main, running north and south, uncovered yesterday, was found to be telescoped to the dis­ tance of over a foot, and, beside, had in it a great kink, which made it neces­ sary to take out a piece nearly two feet in length. About the Consolidated Vir­ ginia ran Mill the pipes are crowding in from both east and west; at least, owing to the settling of the ground in that neighborhood, there appear to be two movements. Although there are as yet no cracks in the central part of the town, there is a large one to the westward. Toward the north this crev­ ice is about eight inches in width, and the ground on the east side of it is about three feet lower than on the west. Capt. Overton, of the Water Company, whose opportunities for observing these move­ ments are unsurpassed, says that as the ground settles over the bonanzas, that on the slope of the mountain, where it is not much undermined, gradually moves down. He says the International Hotel has moved east about five inches since it was built. If such is the case, all the buildings in that port of the town, with the ground on which they stand, must have moved the same distance, as no cracks are to be seen in the earth.-- ; Virginia City (Nev.) Enterprise. There is no situation in life which affords so much comfort and enjoyment as that of having body and mind con­ stantly employed. Although there ap­ pears to be in the minds of most people a natural antipathy to labor, yet it is well known, and generally admitted by those whose circumstances have at times required incessant labor, and at other times perfect leisure and exemption from care, that there is vastly more en­ joyment in industry than in idleness. It is the plain and express duty of every person to be industrious, and to improve every hour of their time in the full exercise of their natural strength and faculties in the most useful em­ ployment. No Cfrenmstanees in life can furnish an excuse for a neglect of this duty. We would not, in these re­ marks, wholly proscribe recreation; but well-balanced minds will find the most healthy and pleasant recreation in ex­ ercises which are decidedly useful and beneficial to themselves and others. For example: a boy takes pleasure in the exercise of hauling a little cart loaded with earth or stones, though there be no advantage in the removal of those articles; but does he find any less pleasure under a consciousness of doing good, when removing the same materials from a place where they were an encumbrance, to another place where thev are wanted? Certainly not. Or if a miss finds pleasure in walking in the fields, that pleasure is rather enhanced than otherwise, if she can accomplish something useful by the walking. It is a common thing for men, dur­ ing their labor, to derive an enjoyment from the antibipation of the pecuniary compensation which they are to receive therefor, but this kind of enjoyment is far inferior to th»t of one who rejoices during his labor in the consciousness of performing a duty, and a sense of divine approbation. The scriptures of divine truth, which alone furnish per­ fect laws and rules of duty, and guide to happiness, contain many injunctions to industry and diligence in business, and that for the purpose, not of acquir­ ing wealth, but of doing good. The word "avarice." is not to be under­ stood to imply a desire of earning or gaining, but of retaining or hoarding what has been acquired of wealth. But our subject is the duty of industry and diligence. If aqy man entertains and cherishes the true principle of sym­ pathy and bciiGVclenee, deriving more Pleasure 4n relieving the sufferings of is fellow mortals, than in the posses­ sion of sueh articles of wealth as are not utterly indispensable, there will be no danger of his being either idle or miserly. But the neglect of improve­ ment of an hour of time is as decidedly a crime as the wasting of money or property; and the neglect of doing good to others, when opportunity oo- curs, is decidedly incompatible with the character or hope of a true Chris­ tian, for " he that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it is sin."-- Gleason's Monthly Companion. attempt to discover what it is in the personal character of Jesus'5 Christ, as shown in His life, that thus 'attracts such permanent'admiration. it/ ( is not difficult to do so. In an age when the ideal of the religious life was realized in the Baptist's withdrawing v; from men, and burying himself in the ascetic solitudes of the desert, Christ came, bringing religion into the haunts and homes and every-day life of men. For the ̂ mortifications of the hermit, * He substituted the labors of active benevolence; for the fears and gloom ', which shrank from men, He brought'" the light of a cheerful piety, which' made every act of daily life religious. ' He found the domain of religion fenced off as something distinct frofn common duties, and He threw down the wall of separation, and consecrated the whole,» sweep of existence. He lived a man among men, sharing alike their joys-' and their sorrows, dignifying the humblest details of life by making them subordinate to the single aim of His Father's glory. Henceforth the grand revolution was inaugurated, which1' taught that religion does not lie in sel­ fish or morbid devotion to personal in­ terests, whether in the desert or the temple, but in loving work and self- sacrifice for others. ; The absolute unselfishness of Christ's character is, indeed, its unique charm. , His cwn life is self-denial throughout, : and He makes a similar spirit the test of all healthy religious life. It is He who said. "It is more blessed to give than to receive;" who reminds us that life, like the wheat, yields fruit only by its own dying; who gave us the ideal of life in his own absolute self-oblivion. We feel instinctively that this Gospel of Love alone is divine, and that we cannot withhold our homage from the only perfectly Unselfish Life ever seen on earth. There is much, beside, to which I can only allude in a word. He demands « repentance from all, but never for a moment hints at any need of it for Him­ self. With all His matchless lowliness* He advances personal claims which, in : a mere man, would be the very deliri­ um of religious pride. He was divine- . ly patient under ever}* form of suffer- 4 ing--a homeless life, hunger and thirst, craft and violence, meanness and pride, the taunts of enemies and betrayals of friends, ending in an ignominious death.'; Nothing of all this for a moment turn-' ed Him from His chosen path of love and pity His last words, like His whole life, were a prayer for those who^ returned him evil for good; His abso«j' lute superiority to everything narrow or local, so that he, a Jew,, found ft re­ ligion in which all mankind are a com­ mon brotherhood, equal before God; the dignity, calmness and self-posses*- sion before rulers, priests and govern-! ors, which sets Him immeasurably above them; His freedom from super­ stition, in an age which was supersti­ tious almost beyond example. His su­ periority to the merely external and ritual, in an age when rites and exter­ nals were the sum of religion: all these considerations, to mention no others, explain the mysterious attraction of His character, even when looked at only as that of an ideal man.--Life and Words 6f Christ, by Cunningham Oeike, D.D. The Grnee of tioi . IAV a pastor in New York., 1 know a deacon in Newark. Forty years ago we two stood up to fight one another amid a crowd of boys, each desiring to hurt the other, each having a heart full of hate. To-day we love one another, and are both laboring to save souls from eternal death. What has made the change'1 We both know well. We both say it is the grace of God. That grace of (rod is a mighty power in the world--but men so leave it out in their calculations. At school we learn about fire and electricitv, and steam, and edu­ cation, and civilization, as the great forces at work in the world, but we do not learn about the grace of God. And yet you would find millions of persons doing good in the world, who would tell you that the grace of God made them doers of good. People, there­ fore, talk very unwisely when they at­ tempt to account for things, and leave out this wonderful element. 1 think it deserves study quite as^ much as elec­ tricity. When we examine its charac­ ter and laws carefully, we find that it is like the air we breathe--offered to every man. "The true light which lighteth every tpthat cometh into th't world. (John i:9.) "The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men?" (Titus ii: 11.) But we also find that it may be resisted and despised, and so be inefficacious. "Ye will not come to me that ye might have life." (John v:40.) "Ye do always resist the Holy Spirit.'* (Acts vii^l.) Now, The iiaw-Mili Man* He was not a person of deep thought, and his knees shook as he stood bcxorc the desk and explained: "You see, I came down for some ma­ chinery, and I had a little time to look around, and I drank a little beer, and J.< T suppose I was a little drunk." ^ " Yes, you were. When the officer found you you were standing before ar tannery and crying out: ' Shend porter down 'ere t' carry up my trunk!' I sup­ pose you thought yoU were in Cnfc cago. "I suppose so, and I'm very sorry. I own seven saw-mills up the shore." " The shore of time?" r "No, sir--the lake shore. J hope you can Overlook this affair." "Are your seven saw-mills painted redP," , , . .. r •* ^t'hey afe not painted at all* sir.' , " Then 1 shall nave to fine you fite dollars, Mr. Slab. I once made a trip through the Saginaw Valley, and I hadn't put in one day when I took * solemn vow to bear down on the first saw-mill man tvhom - the boys ran in. There wasn't a window curtain to be seen around any mill; not a pair of inside blinds greeted the weary eye; the front steps were dirty , the stairs had ho railings, and just whei'e a climbing rose ought to hav#" been seen there was a pile of two-inch^!* Flank to knock sentiment endways. l$w ever own a saw-mill, sir, I'll showf you the cosiest, cleanest, tidiest mill in, s the world. I'll have a parlor on thd '* south side, a library in the west end, a studio up-stairs, and while the saws are- chewing up the logs I'll be imbibing knowledge and making myself tamiliar ; with the beautiful." The saw-mill man started out to smile contemptuously, but one glance ' from the Court made him change it to a smile of approbation, and he careful-, ly handed over five dollars and went, out.--Detroit Free Press. " --A Rochester (N. Y.) man hUng * sign in front of his place ot business; which reads: 44 Twenty-five loafera' wanted to stand here." They don't, stand there.