GIFT OF y / n v^/jnn^ 4f LQy>^i d ft : tbe Searchlight Mrs. San. 3L (Skaham SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA 1913 COPYRIGHTED, 1913 BY MRS DAN. L. GRAHAM By transfer & te House <- 19"* DEDICATION TO All mankind in every land, struggling against a foe on every hand; to my fellow - worker in church and home ; to the patient, hard working toilers wherever they may roam, and even those who do not appreciate a home This Book is affectionately dedicated. 281818 THE AUTHOR THE SEARCHLIGHT. The searchlight of the twentieth century, the gem of great price, which we hope will be the means of opening the eyes of multiplied millions to their spiritual needs. God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform, He plants his footsteps on the sea, And rides upon the storm. The most of this book has been composed and written by Mrs. Daniel L. Graham with the exception of a few rich sayings of the wise and noble God s chosen and elect vessels fitted for His use. This book has been written by inspiration, has been guided by the holy hand of God, line by line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little, the essence of God s divine word, the word which says "without holiness, no man shall see the Lord." The writer was born near a village called Amity, in Brown township, Knox County, Ohio. Her maiden name was Rachel Jane Hall, known as Jane Hall, the country maid. Raised in the forest with no advantages, save hard work, my life was a struggle, monotonous and hard, with very little sunshine, until I found the way to the cross. Then I learned that the way to fame was by the thorn road and by no other is the mount of victory won. Come and tread it, my dear brother and sister. Christ has trod it, press thou on, Onward, upward, like the eagle, shall thy way in faith be born, Soaring high above the troubled scenes of this short life, And all we here have won. The path of the just is as a shining light which showeth more and more unto the perfect day. Praise God from whom all blessings flow, Praise him all creatures here below, Praise him all ye hosts of heaven, For the blessings he has given. MRS. DANIEL L. GRAHAM. [5] BEER AND SALOON BUSINESS [It appears that this anti-saloon contest is to be fought out in rhyme to some extent at least. The saloon side has out a "poem" telling how workingmen must "stand hand in hand for that dear old saloon. " Here is one that is different.] By A, Felton. A little town in a distant state Was suddenly seized with a wish to be great ; And lest their greatness should be delayed. They organized a board of trade And held a meeting, and every man Was trying hard to devise some plan To increase the business. The town was pretty and clean and neat, No turmoil disturbed its quiet street ; Amusements were there for old and young, Good plays were acted and songs were sung ; No children wandered about half-clad For all had plenty and few were sad, Or worried with business. The men who formed this board of trade Were energetic and undismayed ; And from what they heard or what they read Were firmly convinced (or so they said) The town could never enjoy a boom Without at least one good saloon, To enliven business. The women feared for the boys and men, When such temptation were given them ; But men said those who wanted beer, W T ere sure to get it from far or near ; In jugs and kegs from where it was made, Thus another town would aid To increase its business. One man in town, a wretched shirk, Too proud to beg and too lazy to work, Obtained a license to start a saloon And had it running all too soon. [6] And men who would ne er even think Of wanting liquor, oft stopped to drink. Well just to help business. The license said that he must not sell To intemperate men ; but who can tell Of a dealer who cannot get around All limits with which his papers abound? He sold enough on Saturday night To last till Monday about daylight, Then resumed his business. A brewery next was established near, To supply the trade with home-made beer. Saloons were started, some three or four, But they only created demands for more. Policemen, hired by night and day, And "drunk and disorderly" fines to pay, All helped the business. One fourth of July a rough crowd, they say, Had taken their beer and gone out for a day. The picnic ended, of course, in a row, Arid one man was murdered, nobody knew how. A youth was arrested and taken to jail, Where, thoroughly sobered, with a pitiful w r ail He acknowledged the business. The trial then lasted some nine days or ten, And several lawyers, all eloquent men, Made speeches for hours as if paid by the word; The people listened, the jurymen heard. It mattered not which side won or lost, The county would have to pay the cost For that was its business. The judge, with a wisdom-filled gray head, Had granted a license which plainly said : No liquor to minors must be sold. But to this boy who by liquor controlled Unconsciously entered the terrible strife, He gave the mild sentence, "To prison for life." And continued his business. As the antidote grows near the rattlesnake s den, So these law-makers, w r onderful men [7] Built a Keely-cure for the drunkard s ills. And taxed the people to pay the bills. While across the street hung a bright sign "Beer, Which said so plainly "We make drunks here, Tis our lawful business." That little town you would hardly know, Its wished-f or boom has changed it so ; No beauty is there for the drunkards wives; Only sorrow and care throughout their lives. And grocers, bakers and butchers found Saloons and breweries all around Didn t help their business. Fond parents now mourn a promising lad, In prison garments forever clad. Husbands and fathers once kind and true, Are selfish and cross and cruel too. Young lives are wrecked and homes are spoiled For which the parents and grandparents toiled, And beer made the business. Arise, arise, good Christian, Let right to wrong succeed ; Let penitential sorrow, To heavenly gladness lead : To the home of fadeless splendor, Of flowers that bear no thorn, Where they shall dwell as children, Who here as exiles mourn. ******* Strive, man, to win that glory; Toil, man, to gain that light, Send hope before to grasp it. Till hope be lost in sight. [8] WHAT S THE MATTER WITH THE PEOPLE IN THIS ENLIGHTENED DAY, WHEN THE PEOPLE HAVE SUCH WISDOM, SO THE PEOPLE SAY? There has been much said about the sin of intemperance, To which men are giving their approval, support and defence. Now what under these circumstances can be our hope of a happy reward or recompense? Does it look like we were using our God-given sense? Why do we weep and mourn for our boy, When we give the saloon the right his soul to destroy? Why do we murmur and complain, About the dens of wickedness and those that are slain, When we give them the license to carry on the crushing shame ? Now who do you think is most to blame Those who sell the deadly stuff, Those who never get enough, Or those who give the right away To do his neighbor wrong from day to day ? You cannot help but see the blight and stain Which we have suffered to degrade and mar the souls of men, Whom we should have rescued from the depraved and oppres sive hand, In this once glorious freedom s land, And now are in shackles From whiskey and taxes. Now may God open our eyes to see That we must awaken from our stupidity, Which brings to us such misery. We should put on the whole armor of faith and good works at God s Command; Who promised his chosen ones they should inherit the land, If they would obey at his command. He said to Joshua, "Go break down the idols and clear away the Groves, And make place for God s grace against all his foes. The people claim that Temperance is so weak it never can win, [9] J^ecause the world is so hard and corrupted with sin ; And Christian Professors so often fall in With the political whiskey ring scheme. That s the way things are running today, We vote for them but have nothing to say, As though they were all right doing nothing out of the way, And so they say, It cannot be helped we must obey. So they set their traps and catch us like rats. Then say for a complaint, we are blind as bats. They always have an ax to grind, And we w r ill turn as long as we are party blind. So w r e d better get the scales from our eyes, And prove to the world we ve grown more wise ; For they make us their by-word all the day long, Saying we are political hypocrites, And have lost half our wits, Or we would not dance to their song. We are blinded by party and lacking in grace, Who ever heard of such things in a civilized place / Then call this a christianized race! With a yoke on our necks and an empty purse, What condition in life could possibly be w r orse? Men voting, against their own interests, for knaves ; Supporting a traffic that makes themselves slaves ; Causing starved children and widows to die ; Yet we fold our arms and pass these things by. Unheeded, uncared for, while we remain deaf, Caring nothing for Christ s teaching, which is pleading relief, To deliver the outcast, rescue the crushed, And we do nothing to have their cries hushed : Nor nothing to have this infamous iniquity crushed. Xow if we women had any say, We should see that demagogues were put out of the way ; We d be nobody s machine To yield to their scheme, Or be bought and sold for whiskey or gin. And anyone who would sell his vote, We would put him in the pond and there let him croak. [10] The bank robber and treasury thief, We would not exalt and make him chief, We d bring him to justice. You need not doubt a word that we say, For you would soon find it out. We are tired of every political scheme, Of party ring, whiskey sling, And every other abominable thing. We have advantages and ought to be wise, For God has given us light and given us eyes. Given us knowledge to comprehend, And given us grace which we all should defend, And not have it tramped under foot by whiskey knaves, Who are nothing but tyrants and make us their slaves. We are short-sighted and no mistake, And God will give us trouble and make our hearts ache ; For supporting such creatures is like warming a snake, When it can crawl it will teach us with vipers not to partake. Now this is a question on which all men should vote, For the elevation of mankind lies in the power of that little note, Which, when placed in the ballot, must count for us all. It must count for our rise and count for our fall ; It must count for reformation, Or count for degradation. Now, brethren, when you give us women the right to vote, We worn out mothers, kept at home to mend some ragged old coat, Cook, sweep, wash dishes and prepare plenty of good things to eat ; Then there are the children to be watched night and day, To keep them at home lest they wander away ; We must take care of the milk, the skimming of pans, Which must all be kept clean by one pair of hands. Then we must wash and iron, darn and sew, Which ought to give us plenty to do, To say nothing about scrubbing and churning, The cleaning of lamps and to keep the fires burning. It has got to be done all nice and clean. [HI remaps only by one, But that s all the same, For that s all we are good for when that s said and done; So the sooner the better our race is run, A pity sometimes that it ever begun. A pity it would be for us indeed, If we had in this way long to proceed. So you see we have had no time to go to the polls, No right, if there, to vote for souls ; That would spoil politics, And all her game tricks. It would play smash, And bring out the cash, To support our schools; Which is used for bribery and buying of votes, To elect outlaws and supporting of bloats, Who ought to be in the pen with the shotes. Now when we women get in power we will renovate, Reform, resolve to make everything over and have it straight, Revolutionize such affairs of state. And then begin to cultivate virtue and purity, Until we would have some security, For the young and innocent one. This is the way things will be, When we are all filled with spirituality. Instead of shame and disgrace, Filling every corner and space, Where can be found a vacant place, Which all know is a disgrace, To any country or civilized race. Now, brethren, don t be pulled about, For God in his wrath will find you out, Like he did Jonah, who ran away, When sent to preach to the Ninivites that day. But persisted to disobey, And went where a great fish caught him and kept him at bay, Until he repented and there did pray, Saying, "Yes, gracious Lord, I will go back, And take the right track, And do as you say." Now it may not be the same kind of a fish will swallow you, Because you are not true ; It may be a baboon who runs in your city, your fine furnished Saloon, Which you have helped to furnish, By neglecting and impoverishing your own home. How blessed you would be to learn to do As the Golden Rule has instructed you. To love your own, And care for your home, Is the rule laid down for you. It is the vote that tells the character of a man, That speaks and counts more than anything else can. What he says blows away, What he does is going to stay, And count at the great judgment day, If right ; if not, it will be too late to pray. So we had better act as well as pray, In a consistent common sense kind of way, So the people will have some faith in us after the coming elec tion day. The scriptures tell us that no drunkard can enter the king dom of Heaven. Then what of those who sell the criminal stuff, Or those who give the right away, To do his neighbor wrong from day to day ? Crushing and degrading, destroying and imprisoning, de ranging and impoverishing humanity so terribly that it cannot be described for its misery, torture and grief. Now we should be children of God s heritage, heirs to his kingdom, living so his holy spirit would dwell in our hearts, which then would guide us into the light and truth of the Gospel and teach us better things than to devour one another for ill-gotten gain, profiting no one and only proving a curse in the end. How can any man be a member of civilization and go to bed and rest under such appalling conditions? Can he be made in God s image and not have eyes to see his surroundings nor ears to hear the cry of the wives, mothers and starving children all over this beautiful land which would be like the garden of Eden were it not for this blackest of iniquities? [13] Look at the millions of women and children in thousands of factories worked beyond all reason till strength is exhausted and they are complete wrecks. What is the cause? The rum traffic. When men spend their money at the saloon women and children must earn the living for themselves and often also for the father who has been enticed into the trap laid to catch weak-minded men who are not wise enough to understand the game. Who is going to be responsible at the day of judgment? Do you believe those in power will be excused and go unpun ished ? O cannot you see where we stand ? Are you still going to suffer this state of things to continue and still give the mon ster of iniquity the right of way ? God told his chosen people way back in ancient time that to make a league with heathen was a forbidden crime and if they did they should be their servants all the rest of their life time. True they found it so by sad experience, then as we do surely know that we shall always reap the very things we sow. The precious Christ said, "Let your light so shine before men that they, seeing your good works, may glorify the Father Who is in Heaven. He, the Holy One, whose word cannot fail said, "I will reward everyone according to his works." He said to deal justly, love mercy and to walk righteously and humbly before him that it may be well with you. Then ye shall go in and possess the good land which the Lord thy God hath prepared for those who obey. He said, "Ye are mine if ye do whatsoever I command you." Also, "He that knoweth his Lord s will and doeth it not shall be beaten with many stripes," and again he said, "Where can wisdom be found, and where is the place of understanding." Man knoweth not the price thereof. The value of knowledge is, to know God s will, and wisdom is to do it. The mystery of unspeakable value is to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, soul, mind and strength, and thy neigh bor enough to rescue him from a felon s cell. He was put there by our giving the right to the real perpetrator to put him in the condition to commit the evil deed. For this every voter who has tolerated the open hell for weak humanity to be trapped in must some day pay the debt for the suffering, injustice and heartless cruelty caused. Suppose it was your son who had been coaxed into the snare and then had to pay the penalty of an unjust law ; a law made only for the poor and weak who, unconscious of the danger until it is too late, are like the silly fly caught in the spider s web. you poor blind creatures, to whom God has offered heaven if you would put away evil, are going to have to stand before God and render an account for mercies abused. Religion what treasures untold reside in that heavenly word ; more precious than a world full of gold or all that this earth can afford, for we must all leave these temporal things and give an account for how we have used them. These bless ings are only loaned to us. We cannot take them with us. We can only take character after all the dross is taken out of the gold and made fit for the refiner. MRS. DANIEL L. GRAHAM. JOHN BARLEYCORN By Berton Braley He s just around the corner, he s just across the street; his voice is warm and comradely, his words are soft and sweet. He poses as ADVENTURE, all debonair and brave, though all the deeds of Barleycorn lead only to the grave ! He comes to you with laughter, He comes to you with song-, With soothing lies to trick the weak And glamor for the strong, Along the road that you must tread Wherever you may fare, At every turn or resting place John Barleycorn is there ! He masquerades as valor, he swaggers as Romance, and down the road of broken hopes he leads the merry dance. His eyes are red and gloating, there s poison on his breath, for call him any name you will, JOHN BARLEYCORN IS DEATH ! (With acknowledgments to Jack London) San Diego Sun. [15] A SALOON SPORT. There is a monster in our town who thinks he is wondrous wise, He is making love wherever he can with his corrupt and evil eyes. It matters not how old or young the maid he chance to meet. Widow, wife or anyone he ll win her heart complete, If he is only sure her mind is weak. But he is very careful what to say, When pious people are in the way. With artless intrigue and effect, He can deceive the very elect. But time is God s and will bring to light The hidden secret of the right. Now what can be done to check this w y retch and rescue girls so young, From the jaws of vice and shame and sin to which he leads them on, Corrupting their pure minds at will and none to plead their cause ? What can be done to rectify and execute our laws? This chief of sinners talks so loud about the hipocrite Who will cheat and lie and then deny when he the shoe will fit. He never learned the lesson our S vior taught and gave When he said get the beam from your own eye and your brother you can save. Instead of making him as low as yourself, you wretched sot, Go lift him up and help him on to do the thing he ought, By walking in the light yourself and showing him the way. That leads to peace eternal, the life of endless day. He never had the common sense allotted unto man But always craved some wickedness to carry on his plan. His broken-hearted wife still lives, a witness to his shame, And wonders how a man can give his life to curse his name. Her grief while here can not be told from sorrow s crushing sting, Which fills her life with pain and strife and leaves no peace within. [16] He hates her like a rattlesnake, Hates the sight her presence makes, A thin and haggard wreck is she, Dragged down by wrong and misery. Her life has, been a living death, Her food is sorrow and distress. Year after year it wore away, Which showed the sorrow s deep decay, Upon her pallid cheek which once was rosy as the bloom Of Eden s flowers of rich perfume; But alas, alas, how very soon That flower did decay and dropt its leaves no more to bloom, While here on earth to stay. Yes, see her now, that haggard form, Which once was blithe and gay. But stinging wrongs untold, Which did unfold To her each night and day, And brought such grief, With no relief, Which wore her life away. That wife, so tender, kind and pure, Has tried these troubles to endure, Until she found there was no cure ; For nothing on this earthly sod, Except the heavy chastening rod, At the hand of the Almighty God, Can check his wild career. He has grown old in sin and crime, Yet still pursues his course, He loves it better than the crown That s purchased by the cross. His head and hands so full of sin, His heart so full of dross, He cares not for the cross or crown, Or any other loss, If he can only have his way, In this dark world of sin, And grovel in its dark decoy, With all he hopes to win. [17] He has many brothers just the same. Running round and hunting game, Which they will drag to endless shame, If not arrested soon. They all seem trying hard to see Who will win their master s seat, Dethrone him here, And make it clear, That his is sure defeat; For when they are around, He must leave the ground, And take his place beneath ; For they each seem heir, And bound to share Old Satan s crown and seat, For their lives are full of darkest deeds, And black with dire deceit. They should have learned the lesson a sailor once received. Who was giving his hard earnings a bad one to relieve. He said she loved him dearly, A fool, he proved to be, When a friend of his showed clearly The light he could not see, And said, "She is only robbing you, a wretch of low degree." "Go prove," he said, "her faith to you by testing her strong love, And you will very quickly see that she is not your turtle dove." "Now go to her in rags," said he, "Tell her you have been wrecked at sea, And need her deepest sympathy, Then you will see how kind she ll be." And so he went a test to make, Upon his love which made him shake, And made his wicked heart to quake, When he received the summons strong, "Begone, you dirty dog, begone. You re nothing but a brute," said she, To come in such a plight to me." "Now go," he said, "and test your wife, Tell her the troubles of your life. Tell her you have been wrecked at sea, Have nothing left but misery. [181 Then you will hear her quick reply, Come to my arms, you darling boy. You are spared, that s quite enough for me, To know that God did rescue you from sea. Nor will I murmur at the loss Of finance trials, nor any cross, Since God in goodness spared to me My darling one from the deep sea . Now the world is full of just such shame, For which, I fear, we are much to blame. We favor men that are black with crime, But women we shun, For the wrong that they have done. Composed by Mrs. Daniel L. Graham, instructed by the divine guiding power of the sacred spirit. THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. Father c x f mercies ! in Thy Word What endless glo^ shines ! Forever be Thy name adored For these celestial lines. Here the Redeemer s welcome voice Spreads heavenly peace around ; And life and everlasting joys Attend the blissful sound. Oh, may these heavenly pages be My ever dear delight; And still new beauties may I see, And still increasing light. Divine Instructor, gracious Lord, Be Thou forever near; Teach me to love Thy sacred word, And view my Savior there. [19] A QUESTION ASKED AND ANSWERED. Say, cannot we all see the marvelous changes and vast im provement in every way since so many have accepted the true light of the Gospel and are shedding it far and wide? Look at the advantages we have above the dark ages when people w r ere not allowed to study the sacred volumes and, sad to say, some today are not allowed this blessed liberty, therefore do not advance but remain the same as in the beginning. But in this age we must advance or go backward. We cannot stand on a narrow belief but must advance, must seek for spiritual light as for hidden treasures, must seek deep, for valuable things are not found on top of the ground. Jewels, precious stones, and gold and diamonds are not found without great search. We cannot advance and live like monks and accomplish any thing worth while. When progression ceases, I mean spiritual progression, then it is time to dig our own graves and toll the death knell, for God is done with us poor blind pensioners. The precious God pity any people who cannot see these truths and make them wiser and nobler and more useful. We are put here to seek light through the inspired word of God, then to use it in God s service, as our Lord has taught, for high aims and noble pur poses. Then go home and enjoy the interest in that peaceful habitation of rest and joy unspeakable and full of glory. How can we feed on the bread of life, which is the word of God, which is the food to the soul, except we read reverently? Then how beautifully it unfolds the true light to every sincere worshiper. Study God s word with a zeal and you will soon be zealous of his cause and the sacred inspirations given to win us to live righteous lives. Then the partition walls of prejudice will begin to crumble and your faith, strengthening in love to God and the human race, created in His likeness, to be heirs of His Kingdom redeemed by the cost of his pure life. What excuse can anyone make for neglect under such circumstances? What excuse for not accepting His terms, complying with his conditions instead of getting up some hobby to ride to destruc tion? Can anyone who has reason not grasp these truths so profitable, so plain? Now anyone who has been teaching the people error or erroneous doctrine and leading them away from God s sacred word, deluding and deceiving without thinking of their own loss of Salvation, would be wise to consider whether that is a profitable course to take or not. What will it count you in the end? don t tamper with God s golden hours. They are only loaned to you for a short time to prepare for eternity. Re [20] careful, then, lest you grieve away the divine spirit and sin away your day of grace and, when weighed in the balance, will be found wanting. What will you do then, when it is too late, to right these wrongs? Do you think anyone else can work out your salvation for you and you continue in sin? Paul, our greatest evangelist, said, "God forbid." Then he said, "Can we continue in sin that Grace may abound! God forbid. But that we should put it away and run with patience the race set before us, look ing unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who en dured the cross and bore the shame that we might be re claimed." Why is not God s cause first in our hearts to Avill and to do his good pleasure, which would in time bring us the fruits of our labor, terminate in our own glory and happiness a million times multiplied? This is the teachings of Him who spake as never man spake. O the depths of His goodness and mercy which is past finding out. It is blindness to neglect the greater duties for the lesser, neglect the spiritual for the temporal which may not last a day. If we could realize how our little petty faults hinder the growth of the good seed sown in the heart, we certainly would try hard to get rid of the pesky, little, ruinous habits, that we so often cherish and nourish, such as envy, conceit, which go hand in hand and work harmoniously together. But what will be the result? Loss of influence, loss of trust, loss of God s guidance, which is the saddest loss. When we get the big head and want to be most popular, receiving the highest praise or position from men and try to put others down, thinking to elevate ourselves, then is when we, like Haman, are liable to be brought low, for Christ said, "He that exalteth himself shall be abased, but he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." These should be profitable warnings to all, written for our admonition, written from the sublime word of God which is able to save to the uttermost all who will come unto Him. A few lines more and I must close, but must first say, we surely are on the verge of despair. We through our neglect have certainly brought ourselves to an awful crisis, and it is high time the problem of cause and effect should be the essen tial theme of our lives. It is effort that leads to fame or to the most appalling despair. We must get down to the dregs, analyze and take away the poison venom that has so crept in unawares, like a deadly disease, and now we want to cry unto God to give us wisdom sufficient for the task. MRS. DAN. L. GRAHAM. [21] KEEP THE GOLDEN RULE. If we would only keep the Golden Rule what a power we would be. Then we would be improving God s golden hours which he has loaned to us to build for eternity. Paul, the greatest evangelist that was ever chosen of God to warn all to repent, put away sin, and take on the higher life that it might be well with us in eternity, he said he dare not neglect to do the whole council of God lest he himself be come a castaway. Then what about the rest of us? Have we nothing to do but live from the bountiful blessings of God and return no service, no gratitude, nothing to recompense for so many multiplied innumerable favors too great to comprehend ? It is appointed unto man once to die. Then after death the judgment. When wickedness is exterminated then righteousness will flourish and cover the earth as the waters cover the deep. God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform ; He plants His footsteps on the sea, And rides upon the storm. His purposes will ripen fast. Unfolding every hour; The bud may have a bitter taste, But sweet will be the flower. Let us all learn to be loyal, keeping the Golden Rule in prac tice every day. Then strife will cease and harmony will prevail, selfishness and envy and all evil speaking be put away. Get the love of God so established that you will turn a deaf ear to all kinds of gossip, which has always been such a hin drance to the progress of Christian work. No true Christian will slander his or her neighbor, but will go to them and show them their fault and by this their souls may be won. Once a minister went into a gossiping neighborhood \vhere he saw at once that nothing could be done to win souls for Christ until this evil was removed. So he determined to root it out. The first evil story that was brought to him he said, "We will go to the accused party and talk the matter over with them and show them how they should live;" but the ac cusers refused to go and face what they had said. So the min ister knew who was the guilty one. Not long after he had another similar case which he treated in the same way and he kept this up until the strife had ceased. He continued to give them their medicine until the disease was cured. Such cruel sin does really become a loathsome disease for which there is but one remedy and that is conversion. To be born of the Holy Spirit of God, which is putting off all the old natural sins and putting on the new life, renewed and cleaned by regeneration, to be born of water and of the Holy Spirit. Repent and be baptised, every one of you, for the remission of sins. Then ye shall receive the Holy Ghost. Water is the emblem of purity, the proof that we have come out of the world, separated ourselves by baptism and taken on the new life prepared for the master s work which counts more than all other work as much more as eternity is longer than time. There is nothing lost that is done for God. So let us work with a zeal, w r ith an eye single to God s glory. He said that all things must work together for good to them that love God, and that not one jot or tittle shall fail from the law until all be fulfilled. So let us be up and doing. By and by will be the harvest where we shall reap, if we faint not, when our labor is ended. Then we shall go to one of those mansions which our dear Lord spoke of to his disciples. So, Be wise today, tis madness to defer, Next day may come the fatal blow That ends life s pleasures here below. But what if not prepared to meet thy destiny? Where wilt thou go? What wilt thou do to end thy woe in vast eternity? What wilt thou do to mend thy wretched state if thou hast failed below to make thy peace with him who led the way to victory the Holy One who left his throne and laid his robes aside that we might taste his joy and be transformed, cleansed and made new creatures, fit for his Holy Spirit to dwell in, prepared for the master s use that we might be par takers of His Holiness? Did you ever consider what it cost the Father and the Son of Immortality to redeem our souls, man s only prize onto which he can hold? All else must perish, must vanish and disappear like frost before the sun. What then will we have left? It will be then that we will realize that eternity was worth looking after. Is time granted to us only to please our fancy or to lay in rich treasures for the eternal harvest ? What think you? Have we nothing to do but to eat and drink and spend our days as a tale that is told, receiving all these bless- [23] ings from God s bountiful storehouse and returning no grati tude, no service, but accept it like swine, and then trample all His sacred warnings under our feet and go on in sin like the ox to the slaughter, heeding nothing to which we can cling? Is this wise or intellectual or prudent? If we continue at this rate, What, then and there, will be our fate, When we have found it is too late, To make amends for wasted time? This inconsistent, shameful way, We have of doing things today. Is madness to endure, And live like those in blindness, And say there is no cure. Are we so stupid we can t grasp the meaning of the times? That which shows the danger of God s wrath upon us like the Niniviter, \vhen Jonah was sent to warn them against their practical wickedness. But they were wiser than we for they took the warning and fasted and prayed for mercy. God for gave them at that time and spared their city, but, later on, they rebelled and went into idolatry, and were overthrown. This is what I fear, for God will not always strive with man. and with us as a nation. We have no excuse for we have been favored of God above other nations and still there are thou sands who have not accepted the Gospel as their guide ; this is why we have so much sin and contention. For example, we will take the prisoners. They claim that if they had been taught the word of God, as written in his sublime volume and taught in Christian homes, that they would never have gone to a felon s cell. Only think of the excruciating misery and woe we have filling our land which ought to be like Paradise for purity. And 0, how the awful sadness of neglect brings about the saddest results. And you, brother Catholics, your prisoners as well as ours claim the same thing. Now why withhold the sacred, sublime Word from your people which they need so much, just as much as we need daily food, for this is the only food we have for the soul. May God help us to see these truths and improve them while we may, for time is fleeting and won t wait for us to play away golden opportunities. Remember the saloon is another tragic traffic that sends thousands to our prisons, while the very ones who ought to be there go free. Things are in a terrible condition today Thou sands on account of them are going without bread while these monsters of iniquity are often overfed, while by their cursed traffic our darlings are often led into felon s cells, and we fold our hands reconciled to their fate. I fear we will cry when it is too late. What kind of an eternity can we hope for and let things go on at this rate? What can be our fate? We act as though these were trifling matters so long as the saloon pays our school tax, and we save that much in dollars and cents, it doesn t matter how many thousand mothers sons are bound in a felon s cell. That doesn t matter so long as it pays our school tax to educate what s left. It will cost less and the license won t need be quite so high and they won t have to drug quite so much or else make more profit and put less salt in their crackers. Say, clear Christians, do you know that those dens are open at five o clock or earlier, and the first slave to drink that goes there in the morning gets his drink free? This is done to get the last dime from the poor maniac before he goes to work. In this way they form his appetite for the day and often for life, keeping his head full of evil, his pocket empty. Now, dear voters, how would you like your son treated in this way until helpless and drove to steal for a living, then murder in a fit of drunkenness and have to go to a felon s cell, and the perpetrators of all vice and crime go free to continue his cursed business in pomp and grandeur, having the best of the land as his reward here. But what of the hereafter? Can any one know these things and believe there is no future pun ishment? Not and believe there is a God who has required His subjects to clean up the ground that the righteous seed may have a chance to take root and bring forth fruit to the honor and glory of God and salvation to men. How can we go to sleep at night and know the truth of such a state of appalling, despairing tragedy ? We ought to rise like an army in defence of our boys, our country, our rights, which are trampled under foot, and relieve our captives made so by drink. This crime has caused much sorrow in this beautiful country, which cost our forefathers their lives to make us free from oppression. If our prisons were thrown open and work furnished their inmates I don t believe they would do us half the harm that the whiskey traffic is doing. There is nothing surer than that we are bringing dire doom upon our nation by this blackest of all vices, which proves our weakness. If we would read history, we would know that the rise and fall of nations came from holding on to or letting go of God. Read the rise and fall of nations in ancient times, and you will be fully convinced that we have everything to do with the [25] Holy Hand of God. We can mwve God either to love or wrath. He is a tender, loving father when we obey but we can turn him away and bring his judgment upon our temporal affairs as well as our spiritual. Read the word of God and you will get light on these truths. Read how God brought down the mighty in sin by his Almighty power ruling in this world, Whom we should all fear to offend or disobey. I think if we all. as rational beings, would bow the knee in submission to his required will and not be trying to excuse our negligence, but spring to the front saying like Isaiah, Here am I. Take me, Lord, and handle me for Thy glory." If we knew the joys laid up in heaven, for such who are waiting to be sent of God into his great field of labor, we would be up and doing everything we could to down crime and exalt righteousness, for the harvest is great but the laborers few. Now may the good Lord help us to see the great need of true workers that will grasp every opportunity to snatch souls from the jaws of the oppressor. How appalling to behold the situation. Saloons everywhere as though we had to have them. What for? Do they make people Godly? Are they of a refin ing advantage? Who do they benefit? Are they an honor to society, a blessing to Christianity? Do they fit anybody for heaven? If not, then what are they for and w T ho placed them among us, and for how long? What a condition. The inferior ruling over the superior with a high hand and nobody able to strike off the shackles and say, "By the grace of God we will have freedom, Christian freedom, and will no longer be slaves to this enormous crime, but prove to the world our talent, our culture, our heroic character and power, and will no lonsrer bear the yoke of tyranny and submit like helpless slaves." What can other nations say for us, boasting of our advan tages, which are so superior in many respects to other nations, and for which we owe so much reverence and praise to our Great Creator for so many special favors? Then to allow our country to be polluted, contaminated and flooded with the blackest crimes, until I fear we shall bring the judgment of God upon our country for our sin of omission. Since we will not obey His sacred requirements He has to chastise us with the rod, and will, until He takes out of us by affliction, sorrow and disappointment, for we must pay the penaltv for disobedi ence or receive our dues on the other shore of vast eternity, for no unclean thing can enter heaven. If we were w r ise enough to search the Scriptures, we would understand how much more interest we would get out of our earthly possessions if we invested in spiritual work, evangel- L26] izing the world, building up of Christ s Kingdom in the hearts of the people, instead of investing so much in the things we must so soon leave to give an account of how we have used or abused our opportunities. Paul, the greatest evangelist ever chosen of God to warn all to repent, put away everything that would hinder the progress of true and undefiled religion, take on the higher life that leads to peace and life everlasting. He said he dare not neglect to do the whole council of God lest he himself become a cast away. Now we have the proof that Christ communed with him at various times, giving him encouragement each time to press right on ; that nothing else was of such vast importance and that he should receive the glory awaiting him. So he got so exultant over the work left to him that he cared nothing for persecution, for he said, "It will bring me a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory beyond this world of suffering and wrong." Now if Paul had a work like this to do what about the rest of us? Have we only to enjoy God s bountiful blessings and return no thanks, no service? Is there nothing for us to recompense ? The sacred scriptures say it is appointed unto men once to die, then after death the judgment. Then is it not important to search God s Holy Word, to know his requirements and do them? For they are the only light to life eternal. It will take fortitude with God at the head to lead on to victory. Like King David when he went out to defeat the Philistines, first taking their leaders. That is just what we, as intelligent Christians, must do or we can never change the course of things. The enemy has got the inside track and they work while we sleep, when we should be up and doing. Now, dear, precious ones, get out and work for humanity, for Christ s sake and your own souls sake don t cloak nor sugar-coat crime any longer, but stand firm like men of God, men of character, men who want to see purity reign and our churches filled with holy men and women, raising children who will make laws of justice and who will imprison the right one if need be. I believe the day is dawning. I believe God has a host who will stand to their post when they are convinced of the error we are committing by remaining silent. So let us all be loyal to our trust, keeping the Golden Rule before us with the ten commandments, winding up with the apostles creed. Then with a Halleluiah give glory to God in the highest, peace on earth, and good will to men, closing with our precious Lord s prayer, who has given us such marvelous light and inspiration in his sublime word, which speaks with majestic power until angels rejoice and myriads wait for His Word. He speaks and eternity is filled with his voice, re-echoes the praise of our Lord, who has promised to be with you in your troubles and sanctify to you your deepest distress, if you are true to your trust. Now what more can He say to you than He hath said I To you, who to Jesus for refuge have fled, he said : Fear not, I am with thee, be not dismayed, I am thy God and will still give thee aid. I will strengthen thee, help thee and cause thee to stand, Upheld by my own omnipotent hand. When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie, My grace all sufficient shall be thy supply ; The flame shall not hurt thee, I only design Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine. The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose, I will never, no never, desert to his foes. Savior, visit thy plantation, Grant us, Lord, a gracious reign, Or all will come to desolation, Unless Thou return again. Keep no longer at a distance, Shine upon us from on high, Lest for want of thine assistance, Every plant will droop and die. Once, Lord, thy garden flourished, Every plant looked fresh and green, Then Thy word our spirits cherished, Happy season have we seen. But a drought has since succeeded, And a sad decline we see ; Help, Lord, is greatly needed, Help can only come from Thee. Let our mutual love be fervent, Make us prevalent in prayer, Let each one esteem the other, Shun the world s bewitching snare. Break the tempter s fatal power, Turn the stony heart to flesh, And begin from this sad hour To revive Thy work afresh. MRS. DAN. L. GRAHAM. [28] THE SALOON INFLUENCE AT THE BOTTOM OF ALMOST EVERY CRIME. The more I think of this evil of all evils, the more desperate I become and the less patience I have to bear with the instiga tors, perpetrators, traitors to all that is pure and right in the sight of a Holy God. And I want to say right here, that all women who dare vote for a murder den like the saloon, ought to be put where many a good mother s boy has been put on account of the vice, of all vices the most deadly on the face of the earth. Who can describe the depths of its horrors the starving, ragged, uncared for, innocent children, made in the image of God, for God s divine spirit to dwell in, yet tortured, degraded, demoralized instead of Christianized, and we not accountable? Are we insane, blind, deaf, demoralized so that we cannot com prehend the situation? What does the world at large say of us? It is true we have been highly favored of God, as a nation, but so were the Jews, at one time. But now are they not scat tered like lost sheep for rebelling, for profaning God s sanctu ary, violating His holy laws? And, just like them, we shall reap as we have sown and pay the penalty of suffering, starved humanity, caused by this awful traffic, set up to rob and ruin, and separate man from God, separate men from their wives, fill orphans homes with half-fed children, fill the asylums with abused women. 0, God only knows the depths of its indescrib able misery and woe. Don t think, dear voters, that you are going to sail into heaven over a land like this filled with crime, which God put you here to remove. Now think of these things before it is too late, for as sure as you live you will meet your fate, which will be according to your works. Your record will not be according to your appearance. That is not the way God keeps record. So beware lest you deceive yourself and, when weighed in the balance, will be found wanting. Vain man, thy fond pursuit forbear, Repent, thy end is nigh. Death, at the farthest, can t be far, O, think before thou die. Reflect, thou hast a soul to save, Thy sins, how high they mount; He, the holy One, calls thee hence, How stands that dread account? What is the matter with trie people? Cannot you see how much richer and grander this glorious country of ours would be if we would wipe out these curses that crush so many mul tiplied thousands of homes, leaving them destitute, and hun dreds of thousands in State prisons who might be caring for their families were it not for these traps, which are set only as robber dens to tempt the appetite of the weak, while their wives at home many of them doing washing and raising babies on a mere starvation mite they can make and pay the rent. Is this a proof of intellect or of sympathy? Pity the man or woman that can t weigh such matters and judge accord ingly. It looks to me like apes ought to know more than we seem to know in many respects. It is really a matter that has puzzled all intelligent human ity, that we allow these terrors to go on from generation to generation, a detriment to all morality, hindering the spread of righteousness, for right living means righteousness. We are encouraging the very thing that hinders the spread of the Gospel and allow men to rule over us who are so inferior that we would not be seen with them anywhere, and yet w r e, with all our advantages, are no better or we would not be their supporters. Shame on the man that has not got principle enough to stand by the right and resist the foe. We would be very brave if some other nation were to come and try to usurp our government, but they can usurp our boys by the million, and no account is taken of that. The saloon traffic is like an army with sword in hand that smites all who come in contact with it. You say, pay us the price and you have the right of way ; you can slay all who come under your influence. They are like lariated vipers, given all the rope they want to reach to the extent of their ability, a pretended checkrein, that only checks when some thing very serious has happened. Now, brethren, don t allow them to blindfold you any longer, but arouse to your spiritual interests, as well as tem poral, and count the cost. How much does it cost to run the police force of the United States? What does it cost to run our courts, pay lawyers to cover crime, pay for keeping all the paupers and criminal houses of different branches? One- tenth of these buildings would be sufficient to supply the demand were it not for the rum curse. Can we, w T ho claim to have the light of God s spirit shining in our hearts, tolerate or vote for these conditions? Can we fold our arms and let the rattlesnake charm, entice, coax and [301 persuade those whose minds are weak and appetite strong, just to get their last dime, then send them home to an empty cupboard, half clothed, half starved children, and a wife wasted to a skeleton for the want of home comforts ? There is no mind that can picture the terror of such homes. Are we going to let this power rule, or are we going to strike off the shackles that bind men like fetters of iron to the stake, to become mar tyrs to the last endurance ? I see but one way this- monster of tyranny can be success fully handled, and that is to handle it as the coinage is handled. There should be but one brewery in the United States and only enough intoxicants made to fill the demand for medical pur poses. This could be done if those we place at the head of government would work for it as they work for partyism. If every voter knew his own interests they would soon exter minate the murder dens. So be wise today, tis madness to defer. Next day may come the fatal blow that ends all chance to right these neg lected wrongs or neglected rights. We may not have much more to time to play away, for it is allotted unto man once to die, then, after death, the judgment. We can escape duty, but not judgment. We are commanded to look after our brother s welfare, do as we are done by and so fulfill the law of Christ, for he said, "Not one jot or tittle shall fail from the law until all is fulfilled." So let us get off the fence and go to doing something that will count in judgment as well as here, or our efforts to spread the Gospel will be in vain, our labors fruitless. It will be like sowing good seed among thorns, where the ground has not been cleared off nor broken up. You know in order to have a garden we must get the ground clean and the soil ready and then keep down the weeds. Then nourish and protect it from damage, giving it the proper elements, which, in comparison to the spiritual work, must be love and attention out of a pure heart. It must then bring forth good results, sixty and a hundred fold to the glory of God and the salvation of many souls. He has promised, if we would sow good seed and keep do\vn the weeds, that He would water and bring forth the increase. Then truth would spread like the yeast in tb** meal, until all would be raised to a higher standard of living, of usefulness, serving God as stewards. Then we would all have an influence worth while and the world would soon be evangel ized. We are said to be God s offspring and should be profit able servants, shining as gems, chosen as God s elect and pre- [31] r eious. He said we should be the salt of the earth ; but if the salt has lost its saving power it is good for nothing but to be trampled under foot of man. We could have things our own way if we were true to God s call. Then we could accomplish that whereunto we are sent. Then we do know that we would walk the golden streets of the New Jerusalem and be worthy to sit down with the chosen of God. But we cannot have any hope of nor claim on a happy home on the other side and allow this condition of things to continue. God help and pity ns all, for we know not what we do. We ought to know that ye are making for ourselves a dark future. MRS. DAN. L. GRAHAM. THE PRODIGAL SON. Brother, hast thou wandered far from thy Father s happy home, With thyself and God at war ? Turn thee, brother, homeward come Hast thou wasted all thy powers, God for nobler uses gave, Squandered life s most golden hours? Turn thee, brother, God can save. Is a mighty famine now in thy heart and in thy soul, Discontent upon thy brow? Turn thee, God will make thee whole. He can heal thy deepest wound, He thy humblest prayer will hear, Seek him while He may be found, call upon Him while He s near. Come now thou long expected Jesus, born to set thy people free From our fears and sins release us, let us find our rest in thee. Israel s hope and consolation, hope of all our souls thou art, Sacred desire of every nation, joy of every longing heart. Born thy people to deliver, born a child and yet a king, Born to reign in us forever, now thy precious kingdom bring. Let thy own eternal spirit rule in all our hearts alone, Be thine all sufficient merit, raise us to thy glorious throne. Writer unknown. [32] LIVE THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. Dear ones, how I wish I could impress upon your minds the importance of living a Christian life. God s word says, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. Then He says whatsoever we sow, we shall reap, if only to this tem poral life, or to our earthly interests, or to the flesh, we shall only reap corruption ; but if to the spirit, life everlasting. What profiteth it us, if we could gain the riches of the world? We cannot stay with them nor take them with us on the other side where we must go to receive our reward, which must be according to our works. We will not be judged there as man judges, from outward appearances, but from the lives we have lived. We all make our own eternity. God says work out your own salvation through obedience to His sacred written law. Then he says strive to enter in at the straight gate, for many will strive and not be able. Why? Because they are taking their own way instead of God s way; trying to go in on their good moral deeds, which is only service to man. Do we owe service or honor to man more than to God? Morality is just like the dough before the yeast or leavening is put into it. 1 say, morality alone, is just like the dough be fore the leaven is put into it. We know it cannot be used. Just so with the moral person. God cannot use them because the spirit that raises us all to action, to a higher state of living, is not there : consequently we cannot be used by the Great Mas ter. But when we are converted, and have fulfilled all right eousness, then we take on the spirit of God, have passed from death unto life, born into the Kingdom of God s grace and have become heirs to His promise. Who never said, seek ye my face in vain, but did say that all things must work together for good to them that love God. Then He said, "If ye love me, keep my commandments. Why ? That it may be well with you. Then ye shall go in and possess the good land which the Lord thy God hath prepared for them that obey. So remember, dear ones, that your heaven will be just what you make it. Your harvest will be according to your sheave- gathering. It makes no difference what the people are saying about you. They may say you are a good fellow, but that won t stand the test in judgment. God has made this great world and filled it with every innumerable blessing, every con ceivable thing that man can use, or convey into use. Then given us such miraculous intellect, such a wonderful material [33] make up, so great that men can never conceive, nor compre hend, nor fathom. We are a wonder to ourselves, a mysteriovis wonder. And the more we try to look into the depths of His Great Power the more we are confused and dumfounded, for His wisdom is past finding out. So, since we cannot understand His Great Power, let us be wise and accept his kind offer of salvation, which cost him so great a sacrifice, proving His un told love and mercy to an ungrateful, dying world of sinners. Why not be glad to accept his terms and not try to get into heaven with empty lamps, like the five virgins ? They had faith but no works. The scripture says, believe on the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved. Is just believing sufficient? Let us see. Christ said "the devils believed and trembled." What do we understand by this? They knew their time had come. That Christ s coming would destroy their power. God has done everything to destroy the power of sin and now leaves it with us to make our choice. Shall we choose the road to peace and joy or go down in despair, willfully, when such riches are offered unto us? Eternal riches, which this world cannot give nor take away. God says He will not withhold any good thing from them that walk uprightly. Then how can we accept so many bless ings from the All-bountiful Giver and return nothing? How can we abuse such mercies? How can we, as rational beings. turn away from His pleading voice Who said, "all things must work together for good to them that love God"? Hasn t He done enough for us all to win our love and make us say like Joshua, "Let others do as they will; as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord ? We all owe our service to Him which is very little compensation in return for the millions of favors we are continually receiving from His bountiful hand, which we should appreciate and return in obedience and service. Do you ever think how the golden opportunities are slipping away ? Time is fleeting, life is uncertain. We have no claims on that, for time belongs to God and is only loaned to us to prepare to meet him, so sacred and holy, and it is only through his mercy we are spared from day to day. It is not because we are profit able servants but because of His great love, and when we neg lect to grasp these truths we cheat ourselves, for God said, "I will not always strive with man." The day of grace will not always hold out. You may have had the last opportunity to turn your back on sacred duties. God said if we would live worthy we should eat of the tree of life which stands in the Paradise of God. Then He said we should also eat of the hidden manna. Then He has offered us the bread of life and to drink [34] at the fountain head and have all of heaven that we can enjoy, if we will heed his warning voice. Now is not this enough to make us fall at His feet and say, "Yes, gracious Lord, I am not worthy, but will obey and do the best I can, not through fear, but through love, and say, "0, for a closer walk with God." Everything else is presumption. Dear Lord, pity us. We know not what we do when we sin against Him and our own souls. So pray much and fast for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit to be poured out upon the people. God helping us all to do our part and then He will come to the rescue. May not our efforts return unto him void, but may they accomplish that whereunto He has sent us. Knowledge is to know the will of God and wisdom is to do it with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. MRS. DAN. L. GRAHAM. CHILD S PRAYER. Jesus, tender Shepard, hear me; Bless Thy little lamb tonight; Through the darkness be Thou near me; Keep me safe till morning light. All this day Thy hand has led me, And I thank The for Thy care ; Thou hast warmed me, clothed and fed me ; Listen to my evening prayer. Let my sins be all forgiven; Bless the friends I love so well : Take us all at last to heaven, Happy there with Thee to dwell. [35] MY FIRST ATTEMPT AT RHYME. I had been requested to write a poem without any knowl edge of what to take as a subject, so I decided to take the story of Saul of Tarsus, his miraculous conversion, as we read it in God s divine word. So I looked to God for guidance and this is what He gave me : I know nothing of Damascus, only, That the Saints were gathered there, Which speaks the highest praise Of a city anywhere. Paul, going to Damascus, The Christians to molest, For he was then a persecutor Of grace and righteousness; But Jesus met him on the way and said, "Enough of this, dear Paul, You stop right here, While I make clear The mystery to you all." "Arise," said He, "and do not wait, Make right your wrongs before it is too late, Be up and doing while it is day, For soon the time will pass away. Now I will show you what to do, Now go away and thus pursue The work I ve left to you Tis not a little you will find, When you re restored, for you are blind. Now hurry on and thus make haste, Make up the time for years of waste, And do the work you re fitted for Instead of always making war Upon the saints while here. Go, prove to them and make it clear That you re a chosen vessel here, To bear the gospel truth the world around, That you re transformed and must abound, In greater work than any found, And never to shrink, or shirk, As long as time gives place for work." This shall be my mission, thank my God for the light of revelation through His inspiring word, so precious and sub lime. MRS. DAN. L. GRAHAM. [36] HOW TIMES HAVE CHANGED THE COURSE OF JUSTICE Fifty years ago, how we were crying freedom for the black race and now we can close our eyes and have half a million of our own race in bondage from the drink habit and another half million locked in prisons, half fed and required to work beyond their strength, not allowed to speak until their togue grows to the roof of the mouth. Who cares, so long as it is not any of their family? We don t allow the Indian to have rum lest he make us trouble, but our own white slaves we can pound over the head because they are not so strong and resentful as the Indian ; not so capable of standing for their rights, and we call this a Christian nation. The good Lord pity us and teach us wisdom, light, reason and morality for heaven s sake and our soul s sake and help us to pray to know the will of God and do it before it is too late. Every one who votes in favor of the saloon curse ought to be in the state prison for just one year and fare as they do who have been put there for years for committing crime when drunk. If this could be brought about there would never be another saloon opened up as long as the world stands. God put us here to rale in righteousness, saying, "Go, evan gelize all nations." This is His command, not to enslave them. I am afraid we are unprofitable servants. We have rule and authority and can have right or wrong prevail just as the rulers wish. But what will it cost in the end should be the question of every intellectual being. Who w T ill pay the cost in the end? I hope the time is at hand when God will put His Holy Spirit upon His people ; when there will be a mighty reform every where; when men and women will cry out, "What shall we do to be saved from the vengeance of God for the evils we have hugged and nourished blindly?" My prayer is that God will send us prophets like Daniel, Elijah, Jeremiah; men full of good works like Cornelius; men who love to do the will of God through reverence like Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Joseph, Nehemiah. How I wish men of great fortunes would have these books printed by the million and put in every home as far as the curse is found, that humanity may be lifted up and God hon ored, exalted and glorified: Oh, what a heaven on earth we could have then. Men praising the Holy God instead of blas pheming that Holy Name. MRS. DAN. L. GRAHAM. [37] AWAKE THOU THAT SLEEPEST AND ARISE FROM THE DEAD AND CHRIST WILL GIVE THEE LIGHT Dear friends, I pray you, take the word of God and make it your guide, your light, your salvation for time and eternity. Tt will reveal marvelous truths and will inspire you with new zeal, lift you above temporal and unprofitable desires and tasks which will count nothing in the future. It is the leading hand that will lead you to a higher standard, above the little, petty hindrances which so hinder the progress of the building of Christ s Kingdom everywhere. When we can see ourselves how helpless and insignificant we are at best, then God can use us for His glory and not until then are we sufficient for the work. We must be humbled, brought down to see ourselves as nothing and Christ all in all. When we will begin to hold up Christ to the world and talk only of eternal things then something worth while will be done and not until then will we accomplish that whereunto \ve are sent. So let us show to the world that we have ability sufficient for the task. We have the sweet assurance that Christ will be with us when we strike the blow, with our vote, to down the curse which has come down upon us like a death knell, shroud ing our land with the appalling crime crime for which we are responsible today. No wonder our cities are swept away with tornadoes, floods and fire, when we will have more deathtraps than churches. But churches count nothing unless the mem bers are born of the spirit of God, which is to put off or put- away all sin that hinders the spread and power of Christ s teachings. To be a Christian means to be converted, to live a pure, clean life. No one is a Christian until he puts on a Christ-like life. Neither can they have any hope of heaven until they are cleansed from all unrighteousness. God made this beautiful world ; fitted it with everything but sin. Then, while we were taking our ease in Zion, the devil came and sowed tares which, just now, seem to be filling the land with the fruit of crime, the blackest, excruciating misery and woe. This is w T hat has swept in upon us while we have been seeking for the unprofitable gain, which only mars the souls of men and leaves a guilty stain, while we are filling this God-given land with the graves of broken-hearted mothers, starved wives and frozen, unfed, unclothed children, which can never be described on this side of eternity, where we must reap as we have sown. [38] You dear people who can support a million saloons ought to be able to build work shops enough to supply idle men with labor. There will be more than a million idle before the close of another year, and what is going to be done with the starv ing multitudes? Let them perish with their families and still support the saloons? MRS. DAN. L. GRAHAM. THE IMPORTANCE OF HOME DEPARTMENT WORK. I have been handling the Home Department Work and can assure you that it is one of the most fruit bearing of any work which can be handled to the glory of God and the salvation of souls. My dear Christian people, I rejoice that I can bring you encouraging word concerning the Home Department Work. T realize that the Home Department Work is of much more importance than generally supposed to be. It will reach a class of people, if handled with interest, that otherwise is not reached, therefore we cannot give it up. I have placed it in several Catholic homes who have become interested, and not only appreciate the work, but have given money to forward the cause, that those who are not able to take part in it might be supplied with Quarterlies. So we have much to be thankful for in this direction. I am sure that many Catholic people can be won in this way, for many of them are hungry for divine food, the manna that feeds the soul, the holy inspired word of God, which must be spread until it reaches all the king doms of the earth. So let us be up and doing with a heart for the work that will count most. God, helping us to be faithful like Paul of Tarsus, that we may have something to rejoice over when we are done with time and earthly things. So may our whole aim in life be for the glory of God and the salvation of souls who are tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine which leads them away from Christ, and the true light of the gospel. MRS. DAN. L. GRAHAM. [39] SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM. Our heavenly Father has given us rules, laAvs and command ments, Which we should not abuse but strictly obey, And listen to his warning voice, And hear what he would say, Then we could walk the golden strand, In the faraway home on that shore, Where all is peace in that heavenly land, In the home of the soul ever more. If we would keep the golden rule in practice every day, Its glowing brightness would not rust and crumble with decay. It should be kept before the mind that we are not here to stay. Then let it be our motto here, To hold the interests of others dear, And be careful of what we say. Then charity with her golden crown, Richest in grace and glowing renown, Comes humbly in to find a place, To prove her love for the human race. So listen to her sacred voice, Pleading with each one to make her virtues their only choice, And put her garments on, The righteousness of faith and love which we ve been taught so long. Then light appears impatient to reveal The truth which we should learn, Has waited long with pressing zeal, To impart to us in turn. She appeals to us to accept her plea, Which she will gladly give To every one who seeks the right That they may look and live, Beyond this world of trials here We have a higher home, Where we by faith can realize The glories farther on. [40] Then let us all like Paul press on, To the higher calling there, And never mind the awful wrongs Which we are called to bear, That will make us far more grand to enjoy the blessings there. So fight on ye ransomed soldiers, A victory you shall win, When you have conquered Satan And triumphed over sin. Then knowledge comes hastening in to speak a word in season, It pleads with all, on that power to call, And use some common reason, And not be gossiping around, But strive for truth let that abound, Exalt her while she may be found. Then truth came weeping with bowed head, And claimed there are few who care for all she s said. Her heart is wrung from wrongs like these, For there are few on earth that she can please ; Her story has no place they claim, Because, in this age and day, truth cannot reign. Composed by MRS. DAN. L. GEAHAM. My God, I thank The, who hast made The earth so bright ; So full of splendor and of joy, Beauty and light; So man3 r glorious things are here, Noble and right. I thank The, too, that Thou hast made Joy to abound ; So many gentle thoughts and deeds Circling us round, That in the darkest spot of earth Some love is found. [41] THE MARVELOUS AND UNFATHOMABLE LOVE OF OUR GREAT CREATOR. The goodness of God should bring men to repentance, which is only common sense if we could realize that we have done nothing to merit God s favor. He is under no obligation to us disobedient rebels, who provoke Him continually and some times gloi\s in ignorance, having neither gratitude nor fear toward Him, Who holds all things and by His majestic power can save or destroy. Now God has put us here to evangelize the world and we must get up and act as if our lives depended upon it. Now unless we do this there will be little accom plished, for, so long as we depend on some one else to do the work left to us, the work will diminish instead of accomplish ing that whereunto we are sent. The question is, shall we despair, give all into the hand of the enemy, letting them rule in triumph while we sit down and fold our arms in helpless despair? What does this say to the world? What for our religion? Shall we suffer these things until God blasts our nation with war or pestilence, drought or flood or tornadoes? For it is sin which brings the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Consider how God has blasted the prosperity of nations in the past for their persistent wickedness. We ought to be afraid when we think how great is the wickedness in the cities in our midst, almost like Sodom for abominations, and we take it as a matter of course. How blind and stupid we are to our own interests. Ji the money that is wasted for intoxicants was used to decorate and beautify our country it could be made like the garden of Eden a perfect Paradise. Then every body s heart would be full of gratitude and praises to their blessed God, instead of so much blasphemy, infamy and ingrat itude to the All-Seeing Eye, Who is taking account of all our doings. We often see these sweeping storms which God sends in His wrath to warn us. Then how often we see the mercury go down, and the wind rise up, while God pours out his wrath in an unmeasurable cup. We get drought, then floods with all kinds of disaster, yet men will harden their hearts and persist in evil doings as though they expected to remain here through all eternity, without ever receiving the reward of their doings. Strange that men will w r aste this fleeting life in avaricious desires for gain, which they can neither stay by nor take with [4?] them when they leave this wicked world, made so by the injus tice of man, which is all contrary to the teachings of the Divine Guide. Why do we waste our time for that which cannot profit nor benefit any one but only mars the soul for eternity? Our heavenly Father has promised us so much if we would hearken to His pleading voice to come out of darkness into the light of His glorious Gospel which will bless and sustain us through all the trials in life and give us that peace and consolation at death which passeth all knowledge. He, the Holy One, says, "Eye hath not seen nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him." Has not Christ offered us enough to win our attention, our service? What more can He do than He hath already done, and yet promised us a thousand times more if we would live worthy and fill our mission? Think of the children in factories, worked to death to sup port drunken parents, and who is to blame ? All who can vote the curse down. Can the depths of misery and woe ever be known until we are called to give an account of how we have used our advantages which should be used for the glory of God by rescuing the helpless, innocent victim, crushed under the rum traffic ? How bravely we fought to free our black slaves from bond age, but suffer our own flesh and blood to be bound in chains of vice, which we could move from our land if we had as much love for God and humanity as we have for money. We, as a people, worship money but don t understand how to apply it to good use. It is not saving money to have the saloons pay our taxes. It takes five times as much to keep up public expenses caused principally by these curses. Would that we would all arise in the name of God, like King David when he went to slay Goliath, and join hand in hand and say, by His Grace we will put down this monster of iniquity and set the captives free. If we as Christians would work as the enemy does, righteousness would cover the earth as the waters cover the deep. But, while we are folding our arms with indiffer ence, they are setting their traps working underhanded to overthrow our efforts before we get them established. I think if our churches had the spirit of our forefathers and were as determined to overthrow the evil and stand by the right, like Washington and Paul Jones, one of his great leaders, who declared that, with the help of God, they would never take down the flag which is so dear to us today but would [43] give his last drop of blood to save it. You know the results. If we had the same spirit living in us we could conquer every thing that hinders the spread of the Gospel. How did Wash ington lead on to victory? Through prayer and close commu nication with his Creator, never trusting to his own strength hut always leaning on the everlasting arms, which will sus tain us under all trials and bring us through more than con queror. Now, if we belong to God s chosen, let us show it by our devotion and fidelity. 0, if we were only true to God, we would have less earthquakes, less tornadoes, less pestilence, and none of the extremes of heat and cold. It is our disobedience that brings the judgment of God upon us. We had none of these triais and contagions until our ancestors rebelled and provoked the Holy Giver of every good and perfect gift, for which we owe reverence and obedience, service and gratitude, and these we must render if we want the favor of our Great and All-Seeing God, from whom we can hide nothing. By and by will be the harvest w r hen our labors here are ended. Then and on the other shore we shall reap as we have sown. Say. will it pay to gather sheaves for the great harvest ? Let us have every sacred profession spotless and harmo nious and oi such character the world will discern between us and those TV ho live half-hearted lives. Live so they w r ill say the union bands are meeting to praise King Jesus. The union bands are meeting, I have them in my view, I want to see them join In union sweet, and love divine, And glory through the churches shine, A.nd gentiles crowding to the sign, To give to Jesus glory. Then we can sing; The midsummer sun shines but dim, While sweeter than music His voice, His presence dispenses my gloom, And make all within me rejoice. Say, my dear brethren, shall we vote for the rise or fall of our nation, for light or darkness, for freedom or bondage, for wicked oppression or righteousness, for purity or degradation ? What will be our hereafter, both here and for eternity? Some of us are living in pomp with every luxury, enjoying every good thing that earth can afford, but in danger of having the pearly gates closed against them. God pity those who stand in their own light. They know not what they do. Would it not be well to examine ourselves and see where we stand? Whether we are in favor with God or have lost all influence to save and rescue men from the rattlesnake s den? These dens never before had so strong a hold on humanity, which is our faul-t, for we have let them have their own way while we, so timid, had nothing to say. That is the way things go when we play. We kept hands off as though we were destined here to stay, as though men were not worth looking after, until our land is filled and black with crime from one end to the other. This will grow worse and worse as long as we suffer the foreigner to come here arid set up the rattlesnake s den to charm our weak ones, void of intel lect, who know not the worth of money or character. Why do we cloak anything so black with crime? We should go to work at once and build work shops enough to give employment to every idle man or woman. Then set free every man that has committed crime under the influence of drink, for it is our fault that we have murder dens all over this fair land of too much freedom. I do not say this because I am interceding for relatives or friends, for I have not a rela tive on earth, nor never did have, so unfortunate as to get in the penitentiary, jail, asylum or poor house. I was born of better ancestry, thank the Lord. My mother was a Quakeress and all her people as far back as we can trace them. My father was a Methodist and so were all his people. He hated the rum traffic far worse than he hated highway robbery. He said highway robbery was not to be compared to it. Bait men into a trap, then put them in state prison for life. 0, may God help us to tear off the shackles of tyranny and let the captives go free whom we have helped to put into bondage, who would make great armies if free again. Half of them have more honor no doubt than those who run the trap. The man catcher and some who give them the right-of-way, I fear, will never see the light of heaven. I hope and pray that every woman will vote, as conscience dictates, for the upbuilding of Christ s kingdom in the hearts of the people. But the way must be cleared, the briers and thorns must be gotten out of the way. We must go to the leg islators, and all in authority, and plead and pray with them. So let us work with a zeal, each one as though our lives de pended on its success. We have got a big job on our hands because the adversary has the inside track, but with God to [45] lead out we can conquer every foe. He is only too willing to lead us on to victory when we strike the blow for liberty by our vote. These I hope will be millions more than we need, showing the noble wisdom and fidelity of every true citizen, every human who feels for fallen humanity. Then \ve can sing "Praise God from whom all blessings flow," with a new T mean ing, a heart of gratitude, which will sing like a silver bell from clean hearts renewed and made new and clean by a new deter mination to stand for the right, for purity, for everything that will count in eternity. If we do not lay hold of the valuable riches of eternity while we are here, our gain here w r ill all be loss over on the shores of vast eternity to which we are so fast hastening. Dear brother, now if you think that closing the saloon is going to hurt your financial business, just try it and you will find it the reverse, for then there \vill be a chance of your get ting a good share of what is spent at the horrible, consuming place, which is like a consuming fire, swallowing everything coming in contact with it. You ought to know this is the con densed truth which would bring you a million times more in eternity, if you are faithful to your trust. Now if you will not see these truths in time then you must learn the value of them by dear experience when it is too late to profit by them. God help you and turn you to Christ, the only help in every time of need, who has said I will never leave nor forsake them that are true to their calling. MRS. DAN. L. GRAHAM. O Word of God incarnate, O Wisdom from on high, O Truth unchanged, unchanging, O Light of our dark sky; We praise Thee for the radiance That from the hallowed page, A lantern to our footsteps, Shines on from age to age. CHILD LABORERS. (By Elizabeth Tousey, in The Woman s Journal.) Night is past and da} 7 is dawning, and the world awakes and stirs, Rises at the call of battle, meets the struggle, his and hers ! Man and woman join the army. Man and woman, did I say? But I see the ranks increasing boys and girls in close array ! Surely not to grinding labor? Judging by their years and looks, They are off to desk and schoolroom, spelling-match and writ ing-books, With a merry time at recess and an afternoon of fun, Whether in the lane or alley, children love to play and run. No, for eight or ten long hours they must ply their weary tasks, Strain their sight and sap their vigor, till their faces grow like masks, Lacking lustre, joy and spirit, while their tired bodies bend And their patient, unskilled fingers keep on working to the end ! Unskilled, patient! There s the reason, there s the crime, and there s the sting That the weak and the defenseless must endure this cruel thing ! Innocence and blind obedience, which should shield them from all wrong, Hold them slaves to kin or stranger, the unscrupulous and strong. Can we profit by the labors which their task-masters have wrung ? Can we count our gold and silver in the sorrows of the young? Can we guard our health and comfort while disease and toil and pain Warp their minds and mar their statures? Perish such a ghastly gain ! Look upon the dumb creation, even it can guide and teach ! Does the swallow force its fledgling far beyond its strength and reach? For the hours she has brooded does she clamor for return? Must the parent and the nation seek her twittering nest to learn ? [47] Shall the painted savage tell us that such things ought not to be? Shall we yield to the blinded heathen his superiority ? Has Industrial Ambition graved an idol, reared it Mgh, Fallen to the earth in worship, made God s truth appear a lie? No, the mill must be deserted and the factory must fail Ere our country s great investment shall grow feeble, dull and pale. By the promise of our fathers, by the standards they have set, Wrongs like these no more shall flourish we can never quite forget ! Quite forget the price that bought us, planted us upon this soil ; Quite forget the prayers and perils, sarificial blood and toil, Which established our republic, flung its banner to the wind, Held it forth the hope and refuge of a storm-tossed human being. Let us take to heart the lesson taught by England years ago, Lest we reap the bitter harvest that once brought her pride so low; Let us heed the wiser counsel of those peoples o er the sea, Who have sown a better seed, now ripening for posterity ! By those memories of childhood, safe and happy, free and blest ; By those ties of human nature, strongest, deepest, tenderest ; By our love for our own children and our longing for their weal May we not forget the others may we understand and feel ! By the Child, divine and human, smiling in His manger-bed; By His calling of the children and the gracious words He said ; By His parables of judgment and the warnings which He spoke To the shame of their offenders, up and break their heavy yoke ! As when the weary traveler gains The height of some commanding hill, His heart revives, if o er the plains He sees his home, though distant still. WHAT IS THE GREATEST NEED OF ALL NEEDS, IN ALL LANDS OVER THE ENTIRE GLOBE? IT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF KNOWING THE CONTENTS OF THE BIBLE, WHICH WOULD LEAD MEN IN THE WAY OF LIFE EVERLASTING. Dear friends, I feel that I must awaken to a sense of activ ity. I have been a long time down in the valley of humiliation as one dead to the world. No one can ever know what I have suffered, but I find that yielding to sorrow does not advance the Christian cause, so I must plainly tell you that unless we take up the work in a different form we might just as well close the doors of the church. The Word of God is power, wisdom, light and inspiration and is able to save to the uttermost all who will live by its teachings. How are we going to reach the masses unless we carry God s Word to them and get them to take an interest in the Sacred Volume? Therefore I know there should be Bible readings in all the homes that can be reached, for as long as we are indifferent there will be nothing accomplished, no gath ering in. Where will be the sheaves for the harvest and what will be our reward for duty neglected? When we awaken to the importance of shedding the Divine Light there will be some things worth while accomplished, for the people will soon become interested not only in their own welfare but that of the church also as well as the people. The blessing of God always goes with His Word which alone can convince them that there is no other way whereby we can be saved. Ezekiel said God made him a watchman to warn the people from danger, and, if he failed to do his duty, God would re quire their loss at his hand, so if we have the spiritual light and don t shed it we shall be responsible for lost souls and there is no way of getting around it. What is the use of sending the Gospel to other lands and letting our own dear ones, or rather our own moral people, wrapped up in their good moral deeds, which is only of service to man expecting to be recompensed in return by man. But what does the Sacred Word of God say? Ye must be born again, born of the spirit, born into the Kingdom of Grace. What is that ? Born into the love and communion of God, that [49] we may be partakers with His Son who redeemed us with His precious blood from the world and the sins of the world to be co-workers with him, not giving up to the petty trifling things but seeking to win souls into the Kingdom at "any cost, So let us be up and doing, With a heart for any fate, Still achieving, still pursuing, Learn to labor in God s vineyard and to wait. By and by will be the harvest, When our labors are ended here, And we shall reap the golden grain, Seeing then the fruits of labor Which will never be in vain. God has intrusted us with the most important of all things, His great spiritual work, which is, of -all things, the last that should be neglected. The Christian people make the Word of God of non-effect by their thoughtless indifference. If religion is not of all things most important why was it necessary for Christ to suffer so much to bring us into the light? Religion, what treasures untold reside in that heavenly word. More precious than silver or gold or all that this earth can afford. Then why do we waste our years as a tale that is told? We are not going to heaven on flowery roads of leisure or ease while others fought to win the prize and sailed through bloody seas. But through tribulation ye shall enter into the Kingdom of God for we, if faithful, are promised a crown of rejoicing when God gathers home His jewels. Only think what Christ suffered to bring us into service that we might be crowned heirs of salvation. He speaks and ten thousand angels rejoice and myriads wait for His word. He speaks and eternity is filled with His voice, re-echoes the praise of our Lord. Once, Lord, thy garden flourished. Every plant looked fresh and green, Then thy word our spirits cherished, Happy seasons we have seen. But a drought has since succeeded, And a sad decline w r e see, Help, Lord, is greatly needed, Help can only come from thee. Let our mutual love be fervent, Make us prevalent in prayer, [50] Let each one esteem the other, Shun the world s bewitching snare. Break the tempter s fatal power, And may we cease from being rash, And begin from this sad hour To revive thy work afresh. God forgiving and helping us all to improve the future and respond to His call for the welfare of souls. MRS. DAN. L. GRAHAM. A REMEDY. Dear people, who are looking for remedies to heal your diseases, which you are far more interested in than your eternal interests, which are a million times more profitable, I will give you the best remedy now known. First stop hugging and petting your diseases. Let go of them and go in Christ s name and begin to work for the inter ests of others. Work diligently and faithfully and you will be well before you know it. Another splendid remedy is putting off selfishness, getting rid of envy, prejudice, gossip and everything that hinders the practice of the Golden Rule. You don t know your worth until you start out with a determination to do nothing that hinders Christ s work. When you make this a specialty you will be surprised at the knowledge and light you will obtain and how, by faith, you will mount up so far above, these tem poral desires that you will count them as nothing to compare with the spiritual work. Then you will sing : I have a faith that satisfies, i,, Since I have been redeemed to do His will is my highest prize. That faith, that hope, unseen, Is w r orth more than all this life to me. Of all the fleeting things I see, Cannot compare with eternity, So vast, so real, so grand to be. - < ; Y/hat then is all this vanity worth to one who, by faith, can see and solve the greatest mystery? Success or failure all depend upon good sense to solve the problem^ weigh the matter, balance accounts. Launch out into the abyss with two good oars which should be fidelity, pure Christian devo tion, with cause and effect as the problems to be kept before our minds. With God at the helm, we do know that we shall be led on triumphantly to victory by Him whose word cannot fail. MRS. DAN. L. GRAHAM. [51] REDEMPTION LIES WITH US. We have often to witness such terror from cruel practices and are often so heartbroken and discouraged at the thought of the suffering caused by evil for which we as a community shall be responsible and we must pay the penalty for allowin g humanity to be crushed under the heel of tyranny. When discouraged remember Christ has said, "I will never leave or forsake my OAVII." If Christ forsakes us it is our own fault. It is because we have not been faithful to our trust. It is through sorrow that we are cleansed from the dross. The dross must be taken from the gold or it would never be fit for the refiner and so we are chastised often for our negligence and disobedience. Our thoughts should be centered more upon eternal things and not so much upon these things that perish ; then we would have sweet peace that passeth knowledge. The great mystery is why do men neglect their soul s interest, seeking this world r s possessions which they can have no claim on only for so short a time when they might claim eternal bliss if Christ s voice they would obey, but no they seem possessed to stray the other way, not realizing that there will come an awful day when we all must sum up our account, meet our record, receive our destiny, which will be our reward according to our works. How strange that the world seems to be running over with everything but religion. So many are contented with a kind of moral life which i , only service to man. Some in the church haven t even got that. They are busybodies looking more after their neighbor s faults than after their own; consequently they are the tares that destroy the wheat. Their highest mission is to get others on a level with themselves. The church would be better without such, but we cannot get rid of them without injuring the wheat, so the Savior said, "let them alone." They will be separated at the great final day of Judgment. The worldly disobedient have these things for an excuse, but how much better are they who trample the blood of the cov enant under their feet, cast the sacred, inspired word of God behind them, saying they can live without sacred things. But what if God does not suffer them long to continue? How will it be when time is taken from such and they must meet death and Judgment? What will be their boasting then? Oh, for common sense to be used before it is eternally too late [521 God said, "Ye shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. These things are only material, only to sustain our temporal existence while we are here to be schooled for the higher life of our eternal souls. Why do we prize so highly the perishable things we cannot stay by, nor take with us when we must go to give an account of how we have used these material things which are only loaned to us for the present use and which often become a hin drance to our spiritual welfare? Are we blind to our spiritual welfare? Are we just drifting with the tide that will soon carry us beyond hope and the reach of help ? Is the desire for avaricious gain taking away our interest in eternal blessing? The Savior said, "Ye must be born again." He said, "except ye be born of the spirit, ye cannot see the kingdom of God." Then he said, "If I have told you of earthly things and ye believe not, how shall you believe if I tell you of the heavenly?" He said, "This is your condemnation, that light has come into the world and that men love darkness rather than light; be cause their deeds are evil ; for everyone that doeth evil hateth the light lest their deeds be made manifest. " MRS. DAN. L. GRAHAM. Holy Spirit, heavenly Dove, Due descending from above Breath of life, and fire of love; Hear us, Holy Spirit. Source of strength, of knowledge clear, Wisdom, godliness sincere, Understanding, counsel, fear; Hear us, Holy Spirit. Source of meekness, love and peace, Patience, pureness, faiths increase, Hope and joy that cannot cease; Hear us, Holy Spirit. [53] WHAT I WOULD DO. As T passed by the White House the other day, Where the President lives, you know, I saw him walk out through the gate and away Down the avenue, stately and slow ; And I said to myself, "Mr. President, if 1 Were chief of this glorious land And lived in the White House (I may by and by), I d write with a resolute hand This message to Congress, on one special theme, To which not a President, sir From Washington down, very strange though it seem, Has cared or dared to refer: "To the Senate and House of Representatives: Since figures and facts that are plain to all Do show that strong drink is the cause Of nearly three-fourths of the crimes, great and small, That violate God s and man s laws; Since millions of bushels of fruit and of grain Are rotted and spoiled every year To make fiery stuff that burns body and brain. While thousands are starving, tis clear That prompt legislation is needed to save The people from this deadly foe; For numberless thousands go down to the grave Each year as its victims, we know. "In view of these facts, I do now recommend That Congress, without more delay, Our great Constitution proceed to amend, Prohibiting in every way The making, importing, and selling of all Strong drink in the nation s domain, With punishment stern behind strong prison walls, If need be the law to maintain. I now leave this very grave question with you. You earnest attention to gain. Executive Mansion, March 1, Nineteen twelve, By the President, Walter McLane." Now I ve said what I d do if I were a man And ruled in the White House today ; [54] But as I m not there, I will do what I can, In. my earnest ard boyish way, To fight this drink business ; and if all the boys Would make the same promise this hour, I tell you there d be such a teetotal noise The people would call us a power. Nellie H. Bradley, in National Educator. A GREAT MYSTERY. One of the greatest mysteries, the hardest problems to solve, is how the world at large can receive so many multiplied bless ings at the hand of God and return so little gratitude for such extended mercies and unfathomable love, seeming not to com prehend, much less to appreciate, nor to realize from whence they all come. The apostle Paul said, "What is man that thou art mindful of him?" W T hat are we that one so high and holy should take account of us miserable unworthy mortals? Disobedient, fault finding, murmuring, short sighted are we at best. How many blessings we lose by not living up to our highest provileges. How we cheat ourselves and lose so much of the promise by not heed ing the still small voice of the spirit. When we think how God in His infinite love has made all things for us who are too slow to comprhend. Then given us dominion over all, not even sparing His holy precious Son but delivered Him up for us all that He might bring us to the true light of the Gospel wherein we should walk by faith, which it is impossible to have except we have obeyed ; for obedience to the divine law is the germ of faith which, through that hope unseen, is an anchor to the soul, both sure and steadfast, which will be revealed in due time. The more I think of these heavenly mercies the more T am inspired to seek to know what the will of the Lord is. I fully realize that we are here to be schooled for eternity and our highest ambition should be to bring as many as possible to the light. We have no time to lose, as time does not belong to us but is only loaned to us for a few fleeting years, to pre pare for a high and holy life beyond this vale of tears. Strive to enter in at the straight path that leads to that City whose builder and maker is God. MRS. DANIEL L. GRAHAM. [55] TO A BOTTLE OF WHISKY INQUIRER: What dost thou contain, little bottle demure, With the clear amber liquid transparent and pure? Full a quart of your contents is herewith enclosed And the strength they contain is much better exposed. You are labeled just "Whisky;" now what may that mean? For a thing so much talked of, you really do seem Very meek and subdued in appearance ; and yet I demand you tell all, that I never forget. WHISKY : I am essence of misery, lord of a slave ; I m the quickest, precipitous path to the grave; I am liquid of fire, that the entrails shall burn ; I am loved of the devil, while angels do spurn. I am friend of the murderer, friend of the thief; I m the shortest and easiest route unto grief; I m the scapegoat for weak men to lay on the blame ; Reliable guardian ever of shame. I ve been told I m enticing, and cheering, and good, And a fine appetizer before taking food, Though I think that the stomach is somewhat passe That requires a preemptor to burn out the way. I retard education ; and foster the taste For impurity, ignorance, slothfulness, waste. I m an enemy strong of all culture and wealth ; I have ever crossed sw r ords with all study and health. I am foe to all virtue, and friend to all vice ; And I tell all adherents to never think twice ; But to strike when in humor, and do what they please That the world is their own for pleasure and ease. Then at times I am jocose, and teach in my school How to make of a wise man a humorous fool ; And I laughingly whisPer to poor men, "You re rich," And I artfully trip them forthwith in a ditch. [5(5] I m tormentor of home ; I am poverty s clerk; And while virtue is sleeping, I vice never shirk. I m awake with the owl, I am up with the lark ; And I gather my victims in daylight and dark. I am tireless and thrifty in plying my trade ; Those who dance me attendance, the price have oft paid. There are those who ignore me, and those who deplore, There are those who half love me, and those who adore. I have wrecked human happiness, tortured the good ; I have robbed little children of clothing and food ; As promoter of evil, my praises I sing; After Satan, good sir, I am Satan s first king ! Ella Costello Bennett. When, doomed to death, the apostle say At night in Herod s dungeon cell; A light shown round him like the day, And from his limbs the fetters fell. A messenger from God was there. To break his chain and bid him rise ; And lo! the saint as free as air, Walked forth beneath the open skies. Chains yet more strong and cruel bind The victims of that cruel thirst ; Which drowns the soul, and from the mind Blots the bright image stamped at first. O God of love and mercy, dein To look on those with pitying eye Who struggles with that fatal chain, And send them succor from on high ! Send down, in its resistless might, Thy gracious Spirit, we implore, And lead the captive forth to light, A rescued soul, a slave no more! [57] THE STORY OF THE THIEF ON THE CROSS. Dear Friends : As so few seem to understand the story of the thief on the cross I will try to explain the truth and show to those who are hanging their salvation on a death bed repentance the danger of waiting and neglecting the all-important theme of their lives. The reason Christ showed so much mercy to one who suf fered with Him on the cross, the one called a thief, whom Christ gave such hope, was because he was a boy nineteen years old who had been pressed into the service of robbery by a robber who stole him away from his home when a little child. He was the son of the priest who had Christ and the malefactor hung on the cross. The boy and his nurse were stolen when the child was quite young and the little fellow was taught by his nurse that Christ was indeed the son of God. How I wish that every minister understood more of history. If they would read the book of Maccabees they would get ex planations which would throw light upon the Scriptures and give people a truer sense of the meaning. The way some handle this subject drives people into the dark and gives a tendency to make them more indifferent in regard to sacred duty, living a dangerous life, risking their soul s interest, putting off till a_dying hour, Christian duty. There is nothing so sad as for people to neglect their soul s interests which God said, I will reward every man according to his works." He that soweth sparingly to spiritual things must reap sparingly. Then again, if we sow bountifully and reap and do not gather in the sheaves where will the harvest be? If a shep herd does not gather in his flock while it is in sight when can he gather it? I think in two or three months it would be hard to find them. If the smith did not strike his iron while it was hot I think his moulding would be in vain. There is a right time for everything. If a farmer did not gather his hay when dry it would not be worth gathering, and so it is in spiritual things. Time thrown away is lost forever. We shall get in eternity just what we have lived for here. We shall go there to claim just what we have laid up in Eternity. There we can only claim our own. MRS. DAN. L. GRAHAM. [58] WE ARE NOT ALL BARBARIANS. We are not all barbarians or cannibals that we should allow one half to consume the other half by oppression. We who a few years ago were in sympathy with the black race ought to go to New York in the winter time and witness for ourselves the situation and suffering. Slavery in the South was not to be compared to the horrors of the suffering in our cities at the present time. Go and see for yourselves. Then you will know what torture and wicked hard-heartedness mean. Go to the slum districts. Visit those districts every day for a month and see the appalling conditions, indescribable for their misery and woe. There you can see families turned out in the storm, every day, to wander without bread or shelter, crawling away to some shed or cellar steps to freeze, unnoticed and unknown. Nobody cares. They have got so hardened with these every day scenes that no account is taken of them. Now what is at the bottom of this degradation and appalling state of things? You well know the curse and the causes. Who is going to pay the cost at the day of judgment, when we must sum up our account, and receive our just dues for upholding and pro tecting such monstrous crime, a sin that has driven multiplied millions to despair and filled our prisons with some of our noble youth? And we deem these trifling things. Now I warn you, my brother and sister, to not trifle any longer with the mercies of God. Oh, look at the awful storms that are sweeping the earth, which should be a warning to all who are so resigned, so unconcerned about the millions who are agonizing in despair from the cursed traffic which is too intolerable to ever be described. And if the ruler at the head of the government fails to exterminate the destroyer of millions, the saloon traffic, I hope it will be the last political ruler we shall ever be pestered with. If they cannot better conditions what is the use of putting men in authority? Only to fleece us poor laborers and keep us under the yoke of tyranny? It is time we came to our own rescue by voting common sense. God help us to put Godly, conscientious men over us as rulers. We have been acting just like the Israelites when they chose their first king. They must have a king like the heathen round about them, not withstanding the prophet warned them and said they would be a burden and a great detriment. But they would riot hearken, so had to learn by dear experience the sad lessons [59] of disobedience rewarded according to their works. This is just as sure as our existence. We build our own future. So, God helping us, from this time on, to vote for Godly men, men who keep their pledge made in honor to God, and the interest and welfare of the human race, as they have sworn to do when they press those solemn and sublime truths to their lips, confirming their oath, making it sacred as God him self, which links us so close to heaven. How thinly the veil would intervene between that holy city and ourselves if we Avould only be faithful to our trust which God entrusted to our care ! These rulers take the sublime, inspired word of God to bind the oath of allegiance, to confirm their pledge that they will be true to their trust and faithful in all the affairs of the interests of the people. They take this God inspired word and press it to their lips, declaring to take it for their guide. So we all had better beware how we deal with the covenant of God, for it is the light of the world. It was once flesh and dwelt among us, and is and ever shall be, the light to illuminate our pathway, the bread of eternal life, manna to the soul, which always gives that assurance that Christ Avill never leave nor forsake those that are true and faithful. Now, while I am writing this book, I am doing my house work, receiving company, corresponding with many. Have not changed my course of life nor neglected duty in any way, but have written these lines between intervals when I had nothing else pressing me to be done. 1 have fasted and prayed that God would endow me with spiritual light and handle me for his glory and the salvation of the human race, and it is wonderful how the divine light has dawned in upon my uned ucated mind, praise His Holy Name, who has chosen a humble servant like me for a work like this, which depends so much upon the guiding hand of Him Who gives light when w r e seek light. But it is only a fulfillment of His inspired word He, so w r onderful in majesty, said, "I have chosen the weak things of the earth to confound the mighty." So my whole aim in life is to be consecrated to God s work. The reason I have men tioned this is to encourage those far more fitted to take up a work that will vastly count more in eternity, as well as here, than anything else can possibly count. So, dear sisters, you have so much more time for service to God than the brethren, for they must earn for us the home comforts of life, while w T e often w r aste our, or God s precious golden hours, to make unnecessary things we don t need, simply something attractive but not profitable. Now, dear [60] ones, we cannot afford to use God s fleeting hours in this way. Time is too golden, too precious, too valuable, and so, if you have received much at the hand of God, much will be required of you. So, precious ones, you who have received so much at the hand of your Creator, do put away the unnecessary things, the things that will not profit at death, and take on the whole armor of God, that you may stand against the adversary and all that hinders the Progress of development. Like our dear old Paul, who said, "I dare not neglect to do the whole council of God, lest I myself become a castaway." Is not the work just as important today and more so? Yes, far more so, because there are more to reach. Now, you who have taken the oath of the covenant, band yourselves together, that you will work for God and the down fall of the saloon traffic and everything that infests this beau tiful land and injures society and, above all else, that hinders the spread of God s divine truth. MRS. DAN L. GRAHAM. Holy Father, cheer our way With Thy love s perpetual ray : Grant us every closing day Light at evening -time. Holy Savior, calm our fears When earth s brightness disappears Grant us in our later years Light at evening-time. Holy Spirit, be Thou nigh When in mortal pains we lie; Grant us as we come to die, Light at evening-time. Holy, blessed Trinity, Darkness is not dark to Thee: Those Thou keepest always see Light at evening-time, 161] WE MUST REFORM. The Fourth of July is a great day for the American people, and should be, so long as the country for which it is so highly celebrated stands free. But I sometimes fear that the freedom, of which so many boast, has become a curse, in many instances, instead of a blessing, and proper freedom is trampled under foot, while a slavish, tyrannical oppression has taken her place and brought to shame the grandest country on the globe and the very name of liberty, crushing the very vitals of justice and purity. And those who should be in authority folding their arms, sitting down reconciled to their fate, too weak and powerless to claim their rights or resist their foes. Are these the exam ples our forefathers set who fought, bled and died under the most trying circumstances that we might be crowned heirs to liberty ? Not liberty with mercies abused such as we are slaves to, and too helpless to put forth a hand to remove. Did not they arise, saying that, with the help of God, they would resist oppression or die in the attempt? And what was the result? The greatest victory ever won save that on Calvary s cross, when God gave his own beloved son to redeem us from the curse of sin. Now can we be the descendants of such courage, character and blood as that shed on Bunker Hill and allow the wicked oppressor to rule with a high hand and we hold our Peace when there is no peace? This state of things looks like we had dlgeiierated in many respects and especially in courage. Now what is to be done with such a state of things ? Throw out the oppressor, commencing with the whiskey ring leaders, who will soon bring dire doom to our once free and beloved country for which every true American would lay down his life. Why do we so willingly hand it over to. the enemy of all justice, purity and sacredness, only to lay ftieir traps to catch our darlings before their minds are developed sufficiently to know that they are their deadly enemy? This is a greater bondage than being tributary to another nation and yet we say little about it. But talk will accomplish little if we do not act in the matter. I have to acknowledge that I am too short-sighted to compre hend the great mystery of the times. It is a hard problem to [68] solve how the people will receive such manifold blessings from God, then persist in breaking His laws which He laid down for our good and admonition. Will you who are intelligent please explain to me how it is and why it is that license is granted, at any price, to carry on crime, to blight and destroy sacredness? Is the price of license the price you put on your boy s soul? How can we stand before God with a conscience black and polluted by the crimes we should have removed by our vote? I believe in the sight of God, the sin of omission is about the same as that of commission. We ought to know that we shall be responsible for every sin that we uphold, that degrades humanity. This crime, which is at the bottom of all vice, could be annihilated if men would stand by what they profess, when in church, at the polls as they do in church. We are commanded by God to deal justly, love mercy, walk righteously and humbly before Him, that it may be well with us, as He has said, * If ye love me, keep my commandments. Then I will be your God and ye shall be my people/ He also said if we make a league with heathen He would make them as thorns in our sides. That is now our experience for disobedience to His sacred laws which He says shall not fail until all be fulfilled. He also said that whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap; if to the flesh, corruption, if to the spirit, life everlasting. Re not deceived, ye have the law and the prophets but, greatest of all, our precious Savior, who gave His holy life to redeem us from the curse of sin and show us the way to salvation. He sends His spirit to guide us if we will only hear Him. Now why not accept Him and put evil out of our midst? He said we should love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and our neighbor as ourselves. Can we love our neighbor and see benighted heathen rob him of sense and purity and peace both here and hereafter, to say nothing about the money which should support his loved ones, which decent people are often burdened with ; besides there are the millions used to support the prisons, poorhouses and dens of vice and crime everywhere, which are swallowing up and consuming everything and we take little or no account of these awful things because it might interfere with our beloved party. God pity such blindness for they know not what they do. May the scales be removed from their eyes as from Paul s that they may see what God would have them do, and then do it or cease to name His name so sacred, for it is mockery to profess and not practice no*- DOSSCSS. The present state of [63] things is a disgrace to moral, cy, would be where Christianity is not known. Religion, what treasures untold reside in that heavenly word, more precious than silver or gold or all that this world can afford. If such experiences as we have at the present time are the expressions of religion then let that holy word, which should be so highly esteemed by every true citizen, be forever erased from the pages of history and not polluted with corrupt in temperance which is so fast hastening the dire doom of this once glorious and free country bought at so great a sacrifice. Any man who will violate his conscience and sin against his Creator, break his church vows, violate the ordinances of God for the sake of party, has no religion and is deceiving and cheating himself out of God s promise, for every church mem ber should vote for the upbuilding of God s Kingdom in the hearts of the people. MRS. DAN. L. GRAHAM The spacious firmament on high, With all the blue ethereal sky, And spangled heavens, a shining frame, Their great Original proclaim. The unwearied sun, from day to day, Does his Creator s power display, And publishes to ever_v land The work of an Almighty Hand. Call them in! the poor, the wretched, Sin-stained wanderers from the fold ; Peace and pardon freely offer! Can you weigh their worth with gold ? Call them in! the weak, the weary, Laden with the doom of sin; Bid them come and rest in Jesus ! He is waiting : call them in ! [64] SHALL I VOTE TO LICENSE LIQUOR? Shall I vote to license liquor? When I cease to sense the heartaches That are weighing millions down ; When I cease to feel the sorrows That a million hearts would drown ; When my heart is no more tender For the woes of those who mourn, And I gloat upon the ruin Of the wretched and forlorn, Then I ll vote to license liquor, Not till then. Shall I vote to license liquor? When my soul is seared and cankered With the rust of lust and greed, And from every sense of justice And of virtue I am freed ; When the anguish and the heartaches Of a stricken world I see As a cause for joy and gladness And a blessed boon to me, Then I ll vote to license liquor, Not till then. Shall I vote to license liquor? When God shows me that the drunkard Is the highest type of man, And that slavery to passion Is his purpose and his plan ; When our womanhood is safest Where the drunkard freest goes, And our children best protected Where Rum s river freest flows, Then I ll vote to license liquor, Not till then. Shall I vote to license liquor? When the prisons all are emptied Of the hordes Rum drove to sin ; [65] When the brothels are abandoned By the painted slaves within ; When no more the drinker s children Cry for clothing and for bread, And the demon in that liquor Has been numbered with the dead, Twill be time to talk of license, Not till then. Shall I vote to license liquor? No! Gold can never right the ruin Eum is causing in our world, Turning humans into demons Where its banners are unfurled. Day by day the list increases Of the numbers of its slain ; If I license that dread business. I shall bear the brand of Cain. Shall I vote to give it license? Not till I have lost my brain. Shall I vote to license liquor? No! Every little child that prattles On the knee of parenthood, Every trusting wife and mother, All things noble, all things good, Plead with manhood to be manly, Plead protection at our hand From that King of Degradation That has ruined every land. Shall I vote to give it license? Not till God gives His command. C. M. SNOW. [66] TO THE UNCONVERTED. My dear unconverted friends : I would like to show you that you are standing on the brink of eternity. Do you not realize this? Are you willing to lose the blessings of eternal life for the perishable things of this life from which you may be so soon called to give an account of how you have improved God s time which He has given you to work out your salvation by keeping His holy law which says come unto me all ye ends of the earth and be saved, saved from sin which leads to eternal death. But not like the rich man who said, "I will tear down my barns and build greater that I may have place to store my goods." That night the spirit voice said, "Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee ; whose then will these things be?" So it will be with everyone who loves the things of this world and is not rich towards God. Now come, my dear ones, do not grieve away the Holy Spirit like the Jews who would not accept Christ s teachings when he pleaded with them saying, "0 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killeth the prophets and stoneth them that are sent unto thee. Gladly would I have gathered thee as a hen gath- ereth her brood under her wings but ye would not. Behold your house will be left unto you desolate. And so it was. How many warnings we have received but will not heed, notwithstanding we are shown that not one jot nor tittle will fail from the law until all be fulfilled. Is it in reason that Christ should suffer so much and the world go free? Have we nothing to do but enjoy his millions of blessings and return no service? Is that in reason? No, there is a cross for everyone and the more faithfully we carry it the more our blessings in eternity. We are to bear trials, suffering and wrong ; in other words, to go through the furnace that all the dross be taken out and the gold fitted for the refiners. How marvelous and strange is God s plan of salvation. No matter what we suffer here it will all work out for good, to them that love God. Like Job, all things must work together for good to them that love God. MRS. DAN. L. GRAHAM. [67] A SUMMONS TO DUTY. Tis not in title nor in rank, Tis not in wealth like London bank. To make us truly blessed; If piety has not her seal and center in the breast We may be wise, or rich, or great, But never can be blessed. Lives of great men all remind us That we should make our lives sublime, And departing, leave behind us Footprints on the sands of time. Footprints that perhaps another, Sailing o er life s troubled main, A forlorn and shipwrecked brother, Seeing may take heart again. Life is short and time is fleeting, Is our destined end and way. Act, act in the living hour, For tomorrow may not find us on the way. The goodness of God should bring men to repentance, which is only common sense. What will it profit a man if he could gain the whole world and lose his soul? Vain man, thy fond pursuit forbear, Repent, thy end is nigh; Death at farthest can t be far, think before thou die. Reflect, thou hast a soul to save Thy sins, how high they mount. He in a moment calls thee hence, How stands that dread account? Prepare to meet thy God, For we have no claims on life, Nor on the golden hours of God s mercies. So grieve not the Holy Spirit of Omnipotent grace. But seek His approving, smiling face. We cannot afford to sin against our own souls, Striving for gain, popularity and fame, Which cannot profit us not even in this short life, Which we have no claims on not even for a day ; [68] But we can claim eternal bliss, If His laws we obey, Who said, "Let there be light, and there was light," He spake and it was done. He commanded and it stood fast. He said also that we should let our light so shine before men that they seeing our good works would glorify our father in heaven. There is no peace to the wicked sayeth God; but the Savior said, "Eye hath not seen nor ear heard; neither hath it entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him." Then He said, "If ye love me keep my com mandments. Then I will be your God and ye shall be my people. But if ye disobey and break my covenant, I will pour out my wrath upon you until ye are consumed." We often see the mercury go down and the wind rise up, while God pours out his wrath in an unmeasurable cup. We get drouth, then floods with all kinds of disaster. Still men will harden their hearts and persist to disobey, As though they were destined here to stay, And had secured their right of way. They drink at the saloons as though they were trying to drink them dry. Then the keeper will kick them out on the commons to die. Then they will rise and vote again, For that class of criminals who call themselves men. There is a place where saints do rest, An immortal home for all the blessed, Where we shall some day go, When we are done with time. On this promise my hopes are stayed, My heart and my treasures are there ; If faithful, the angels will favor our flight, And waft us in peace to that shore. What is religion? Righteous living. Not Creedism but a pure, clean conscience before God. Charity, pure, free from every sin, from backbiting, gentle, liberal and kind, seeking always to lift up humanity, that they may honor God, and learn to appreciate the goodness of the sacred one who created us all to be heirs to His Kingdom. Now I don t know of anything that a man could do to win the favor of God and man more than to take up a work like this. I wish there could be millions of these printed and bound in a book with a number of similar pages, quite as important, [69] and circulated all over the globe where our holy God might be exalted, honored and appreciated by the nations as well as individuals. Then peace that passeth knowledge would reisn triumphant. Composed by the guidance of the holy spirit to the writer MRS. DAN. L. GRAHAM. TEACH THE BOYS TO SHUN ALL EVIL. The boy that gets his lesson is the boy that wins the prize, The boy that shuns all evil will be noble, pure and wise The boy that always speaks the truth will rise above the skies. And he who never swears nor chews the filthy stuff Which is conveyed to cigarettes, which naughty boys do puff, Which ruins manhood, mind and health, Destroys his strength, consumes his wealth, Makes him a pauper and a slave, Fits him for an early grave. It is for want of knowledge they practice all such things, Which brings them untold sorrow and leaves such lastin^ stings. When they should save their money to spread the gospel round And help to build Christ s kingdom that grace mi "lit more abound, Then they would be building each day for future life, As well as for eternity in this great world of strife. Striving for popularity, striving for fame and gain, Which often mar the souls of men and leave a guilty stain The boy that shuns all evil will arise to honored fame. Then let us seek for wisdom, that wisdom from above Which crowns all majesty with purest Christian love, Hie boys who never enters a saloon nor any den, Where evil deeds are practiced to slay the sons of men, u^ Wl11 nse to eminence and then beat down the sin Which has enslaved so many homes where she has entei-d m. That brings to us such bondage, and all we ought to win. bo let us be up improving the time that counts today, or death is fast approaching, and will soon carry us awav Where we must meet our destiny. Composed by MRS. DAN. L. GRAHAM [701 A REQUEST. Dear Catholic Friends: You should join us heart and hand to exterminate the saloon which has been the cause of hundreds and thousands of your men and boys, as well as our own, to be dragged into cruel, torturous prisons, there to waste away in grief and pain such as no one can describe, unless they have been there. I wish those who are perpetrators and instigators of such crime as giving demons the right of way to curse his fellow man, I say I wish they would have to hear the cries of mothers, wives, sisters and children of those poor boys, first made drunk by those who have the right to make as many criminals as they can entice into the viper s den for only one purpose and that is to get their last dime and send them out to commit crime in a condition they know not what they do. But the lobber that robs them goes right on repeating this tragedy until he fills our prisons, orphans homes, asylums and poor houses with the broken hearted who have been starved and distressed beyond the limits of endurance. God only knows the depths of this indescribable sin and misery and we act as though we knew nothing about it and cared less. Tell me, can anyone who believes in a just God do that which he knows is destroying human beings by the millions? No. A creature that can harm his fellow man is an unbeliever. He is void of conscience and is taking no interest in his own soul. Did Christ die that sin might abound or that we should put it away? Paul said, "God forbid that we should continue in sin If Christ died that we might continue in sin then He died in vain." But thanks be to God, He has shown us how to live that we may escape His wrath by putting down sin and exter minating it and exalting righteousness by rescuing those who are in danger of being led by the snares of the enemy of all righteousness. So 1 plead with you to join us heart and hand to extermi nate this den of robbery which is at the bottom of almost every crime and often the cause of railroad wrecks, sinking ships, strikes, disasters of all kinds. How can a Holy God endure such things after giving us the light of His holy sublime word and requiring us to go and [71] evangelize the world ; but instead of obeying we have let the enemy in, ruling in triumph, until he is running everything pure and right into the ground ; given him the right of way to set up these traps of perdition all over our beautiful land bought at the price of blood by our forefathers who suffered all kinds of privations to secure a home for us, and now we have proven ourselves unworthy of the merit or victory won at such a cost. This was done for our liberty and now we have allowed the oppressor to invade and shackle us with such untold bondage. One critic said that, "Old Satan flew from north to south, And took the hypocrites all in his mouth; And when he found they were such fools, He left them in the cities to run our schools. Now he must have been an awful naughty man to make such an assertion as that about our refined citizens, but it is a kind of a free country for everybody who stays sober but look out you poor weak fellow that you don t get too much and have to spend your days in a prison cell. Now I think what ought to be done is to exterminate the saloon; then build workhouses in every city to give employ ment to the idle ; then after those dens death traps are driven from the earth and man lifted to a higher standard and made to know the power of the gospel, then open the prison doors and free those poor boys that we put there by our per petrating and blindly granting such an iniquitous sin the most monstrous in the universe. Now lest we receive judgment at the hand of God, like the ancient cities brought down in ruinous heaps, some destroyed by nre, others by earthquake like they had in Italy a few years ago, there is no question but that we will bring the judg ment of God upon the nation if we continue at this rate for Sodom or Babylon or Tyre, Ninevah or Sydon were any worse, they were to be pitied, for they did not have a spark light in comparison to what we have, therefore would not be half so responsible. Now I plead with you and warn you, like Noah warned the people before the flood, to repent and put away their sins them if 7 " n0t hearken S the flood carne and swallowed We have no excuse. God has given us intellect and we do sin against God and against our fellow being to allow anythino- to exist that is an injury to our race; anything that destroy* [72] God s grace and breaks up and impoverishes hundreds of thou sands of homes. Is not the sin of omission equal to the sin of commission? So where can we go to escape the vengeance of God when He takes us into account for our inconsistency, our indifference in regard to suffering helpless humanity? You will say that to take away the saloon is taking away a man s liberty. No, it is not, for there is no man in a drunk ard, nor in any one who supports the traffic ! he is a beast of the lowest type, not fit to have a say in anything. You would not vote to have a lot of wild beasts running at large not knowing who they will devour. It is no doubt this curse which causes so many auto wrecks and every other kind of wreck; but the worst wreck is the wreck of mind. The mind is generally wrecked before the other wreck occurs. Then the second wreck wrecks wives and children and often makes untold wrecks of millions, and so it goes on and on as a little thing of no consequence, not worth anybody s notice. Then call this a Christian ration and 1 doubt if the Hindoos do worse. Let Satan s host rule in making criminals and then hire a million policemen in the United States to keep them straight and in order. First give them the drug, then the club. Haven t we got lots of culture to boast of? How wise we are, and I think we have more wisdom than courage. The dear Lord pity us for we know not what we do ; but one thing we are sure of, and that is the vengeance of the Almighty God for allowing so much tyranny and starvation to come upon the helpless innocent which God left in our reach to rescue and enlighten and we fail to do it at our ow r n cost. There never has been a time when God showed us so defi nitely the corruption of politics and the need of righteous living. I have known for years that it was only a scheme to cloak fraud, a hobby to ride into office on and get where they could handle our tax money to their liking. Instead of hand ling it for the benefit of the individual as well as the nation it is handled to buy votes and benefit a few at the head of the government and we so blind we cannot see through these things. Now you have seen all this and felt the enormity of it in taxpaying, realizing that a man is better off who owns nothing ; then his tax won t consume all he has with himself thrown in to make good measure, and then they have not got enough to run the schools but must run rattlesnake dens to support our schools. What do you say to this, you Christian voters who have [73] children in the schools and boys in the penitentiary? If you have not, your neighbor has> and if you ever expect to see the light of heaven you had better go and get him out just as soon as it can be done, for you were put here to look after your brother and never speak of religion until this is done lest God smite us with a curse. How Christ must be weeping over us, as He did over Jeru salem when He said, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, gladly would I have gathered you as a hen gathers her brood under her wings but ye would not. Behold your house will be left unto you desolate," and so it was. There was a great army came and besieged it and destroyed hundreds of thousands of those rebels who would not hear the voice of God nor repent and be saved. Stubbornness is presumptive disobedience and never fails to bring the judgment of God, and who can wonder when we realize his blessings which are so little appreciated by the masses. Instead of living so Christ could handle us for His glory and our salvation and living so we could always sing, "On Christ the solid rock I stand, All other ground is sinking sand," which we all will find out some day and it won t be long with some of us. Then we will wish we had not sinned against God and played away our days of grace. Then we will wish we had let our light shine before men through our good works that they would glorify "Our Father who art in heaven" also People are not put here to rob and plunder. That was not God s design in making man so like himself. He made us to be His heirs if we would fill the conditions, but He never prom ised anyone eternal life and peace unless they accepted His terms. We cannot serve Satan all our lives arid then measure up to the standard mark required. If we undertake this we will find ourselves like the five virgins with their empty lamps for you have no excuse. You have Moses and the prophets the sublime word of God, which should be your guide your light your all. It will bid all your dark forebodings* cease and through the thick and dangerous thrall it will lead you to the port of peace. Now it is not necessary for me to dwell on these truths which you would understand perfectly if you study the sacred volume as God intended we should. Then it would be our wis dom for there is more in it than there is in the world beside MRS. DAN. L. GRAHAM THE CHOSEN OF GOD. Whom do we choose as gentlemen? The knave, the dunce, the galoot, If they but own a stock of gold, Or wear a broadcloth suit. The parchment scroll of titled line, The exalted name it may be, Can that suffice to ratify Or grant a high degree? Know God with matchless hand Puts forth His noble born, And laughs the paltry attributes Of wealth and rank to scorn. He molds with care a spirit rare. Half human, half divine, And shouts exulting, Who can make A gentleman like mine?" He may not spend His glorious skill Upon the outward part ; But showers beauty, grace and light Upon the mind and heart. He may not choose ancestral fame, His pathway to illume, The sun that sheds the brightest ray May rise from mist and gloom. Should fortune with her welcome store And useful gold abound, He shares it with a bounteous hand, And scatters blessings round. The treasures sent are rightly spent, And serve the end designed, When held by God s own gentlemen, The true, the pure, the kind. He turns not from the cheerless home Where sorrow s offspring dwell, He greets the peasant in his hut, The culprit in his cell. [75] He stays to hear the widow s plaint, Of deep and mourning love, He seeks to aid her lot below, And prompt her faith above. The orphan child, the friendless one, The luckless and the poor, Will never meet his spurning frown Or leave his bolted door. His kindred circles all mankind, His country all the globe, An honest heart, the jeweled star, And truth his ermine robe. He wisely yields his sentiments To reason s firm control, His pleasures are of crimeless kind And never taunt the soul. He may be thrown among the gay And reckless sons of life. But will not join the revel scene, But shun the brawling strife. He wounds no breast w r ith jeer or jest, He bears no flattering tongue ; He s social with the gray haired one. And merry with the young. He gravely shares the council s speech, Or joins the rustic game, And shines as God s own gentleman, In every place the same. No haughty gestures mark his gait, No pompous tone his word ; No studied attitude is seen, No palling nonsense heard. He ll suit his bearing to the hour, Laugh, listen, learn or teach, With joyous freedom in his mirth Or candor in his speech. He worships God with inward zeal, And serves Him in each deed ; He would not blame another s faith Nor have one martyr bleed. [76] Justice and mercy form his code, He puts his trust in heaven, His prayer is, "If the heart be right, May all else be forgiven. Though few of such may gem this earth, Yet such rare gems they are, Each shining in his hallowed sphere, As virtue s polar star. Though human hearts are often found, All gross, corrupt and dark, Yet still some bosoms breathe and burn, Lit by celestial spark. There are some spirits nobly just, Unwarped by pelf or pride ; Great in the calm, but greater still When tossed by adverse tide. They hold the rank no king can give, No station can disgrace, God puts forth his gentleman, And monarchs must give place. This blessed poetry was written by one, chosen of God who 1 ? we do not know. If things were as they should be, this country could be made like the garden of Eden for beauty, and purity, and when we can have the right influence thrown over the people the right kind of voting when men will prove themselves to be converted, born of the spirit of God, then we will have harmony, just and righteous dealings. There will be little need then for almshouses and state prisons. Life passeth soon; Death draweth near: Keep us, good Lord, Till Thou appear; With Thee to live, With Thee to rein Through eternity! [77] OUR FUTURE HOPE. 1 have great hope and comfort in believing that we are going to have a wonderful change for the better, for I believe now that we have God-fearing men at the head of the govern ment ; men who will not dishonor God and themselves to put blood-stained coin into their pockets, which must be made at the cost of starving widows and orphan children whose fathers are in a felon s cell. We have been supporting such corruption cloaked with politics, to deceive and get us where they could rob us, not only of our money but of our boy also, which is a thousand times worse. They who are now in authority cer tainly do not realize how much they do need the guidance of heaven, with the wisdom of Solomon, the strength of Samson, the mind, fidelity and grace of Washington and the heroism of Paul Jones. I believe we have that spirit still living today, in our noblest heroes, which must be put to the test, but we hope in a milder form, God leading on to victory. These grandest heroes here mentioned were praying men, who had more sense than to trust to their own strength. If they had not we would not own this country today. It was bought at a great sacrifice then, founded upon the highest Christian principles, from which we have fallen, with all our advantages, by letting go of the main strength, the sure and only hope to fame, the power that will never fail us, if we hold out faithful. When we look around us and see the saloons, automobiles, motorcycles, chasing as though their destiny depended upon the race they were trying to win, it makes us stop and wonder whether it is worth our while to try to live any longer. If you decide it is not worth while to try just get your life insured and then undertake to cross a street anywhere where saloons have the right of way. You will find that you are liable to be marching to Zion almost any day, that beautiful city of God, providing you have been traveling the right road here. These could be run safely if it were not for the saloon effects running them to the distraction of thousands. Now I leave you this book of instructions, a book of great price, Which will be a great blessing to all who read it through twice. It shows how God offers consolation to weary hearts that bleed ; It offers invitation to Christ but not to creed. This He offers for your salvation and all that you may need. [78] Are you ready and waiting for the coming of the Lord ? Are you living as He bid you in His sacred, solemn word ? Are you walking in the light? Ts your hope of heaven bright? Could you welcome Him tonight, Were He now to come and call? Have you heard the joyful sound, Jesus saves? So let us then where sin abounds, Go spread the tidings all around That Jesus saves. Bear the news to every land, Climb the steep and cross the wave, Onward, tis the Lord s command, Jesus saves. Waft it on the rolling tide, Jesus saves. Tell to sinners far and wide, Jesus saves. Sing ye islands of the sea, Echo back ye ocean caves, Earth shall keep her jubilee, Jesus saves. Sing above the battle strife, Jesus saves. By His death and endless life, Jesus saves. And thus declares that some will enter By and by the pearly gates, Taste of the glory that there awaits, Shall it be you or I? Some will travel the streets of gold, Beautiful visions there behold, Forever enjoy the pleasures foretold, Shall it be you and I? Now may the spirit of truth stamp these realities upon your hearts, one and all, now and forever. MRS. DAN. L. GRAHAM. [79] COME, HEED THE WARNING. As I have said before so say I again, that we shall be shrouded in blood, pestilence and famine for our inconsistent ignorance, unfeeling heartlessness and neglect. It is so hard for any one who weighs these appalling truths to endure the outlook. Brutal beasts, coming home drunk, beating their chil dren to death with stove wood, beating their little tender heads into jelly, often setting their homes on fire to cover their crime, and we call these "little every day occurrences" and take no account of the cause. my God, what can we say w r hen we must stand before Thee and be judged at the final day? Can we fare better than those who have committed these crimes? No. Impossible, for we have laid the foundation and they have built upon it to their own destruction and ours. God only knows how my heart goes out to the criminal who ought to be free and we w r ho are the perpetrators, the instigators of the curse, put there in their place or stead. We are building for ourselves a fearful eternity as well as an appalling present. Now it is you who have influence and power who must decide this terrible problem; for it is you who must pay the price which will cost you a million times more than you can make out of it in dollars and cents. Now hearken before it is too late, for it is written in the Word of God, "Vengeance is mine," sayeth the Lord, "and I will repay." So this is writ ten for a warning to all, for the benefit of all, for Christ s sake and humanity s sake. Now I leave you here this little book that you may look upon, that you may see my homely face when I am dead and gone, all for the hope of heavenly things for you and I, while we do here remain, I give over all, these golden warnings to rescue you from shame and to deliver you from blame. Now may the richest blessings of God inspire you with zeal, to work, for the night is coming w r hen we will be shrouded in blood. Work with power, improve every flying hour. With a hope I now leave you in that faith which is unseen, an anchor to the soul, both sure and steadfast. I leave you to question yourselves concerning our present and future wel fare. Take these truths to heart ; like Queen Esther did when her people were to be destroyed at Hamon s command, who was afterward hung on his own gallows. That same condition can be brought about by the faithful if they will only be true to God and conscience and step out on God s promises, like [80] King David when he went to slay that giant Goliah. He said in the name of the living God he would do it. We have been playing with sacred things and trifling with the most monstrous sins until God is ready to cast us down and out, like He did Adam, out of the garden of the Lord, that beautiful garden of Eden which our America almost represents, and would be similar, were it not for the dens of vice and crime taking us almost root and branch and fastening their fangs into our very vitals with a grip not easily got rid of. But, with true, practical, earnest, sincere, influential leaders at the head we shall break the bands of tyranny, throw open the prison doors, arrest the perpetrators and put them where they belong. Then sweet peace, love and harmony will reign supreme and God be honored and glorified. This is my prayer, my brother whose kindred circles all mankind, whose country is all the globe. This is my prayer without partiality to any ; but, for Christ s sake, would gladly bring you all into the Kingdom, Jew and Gentile, bond and free, rich and poor, honored and despised. Christ said He came not to save the righteous but to bring sinners to repentance. He said, they that are whole, or, as we would term it, well, need no physician. if people would only read the wonderful, sublime, inspired Word, so rich, so instructive, so mighty in power, which would save and keep them clean; if we would only heed the warnings contained therein and pray only for light and a closer walk with God ; pray to arise to a higher plane and rise up by faith as on eagles wings and soar away to meet Him, Who is supreme over all, Him Who the winds and waves obey, Him Who commands the waters to part and stay until His chosen people passed over safely to the other side of Jordan; then gave Elisha the same power ; only observe and consider what miraculous power He will give to His faithful ones in whom He can trust. O may the Holy God kindle a flame of sacred love in these cold hearts of ours for Jesus sake and humanity s sake, now and forever. Now may our song every day be, Nearer, my God, to Thee, Nearer to Thee, E en though it be a cross That raiseth me. Let all our life s pleadings be, Only nearer my God, to live nearer to Thee. MRS. DAN. L. GRAHAM. [81] A HINT OF COMING EVENTS. Unless there is a great change soon, which we pray that God will bring about through the change at the head ol our government, we must plead to the Lord God Almighty, know ing there is none beside Him, ruling, reigning triumphantly over earth, sea and sky, seraphim and cherubim falling down before Him, Who wert and art and evermore shall be, through all the ages of everlasting eternity ; to Thee we plead to break the bands of tyranny and set the captive free as Thou didst in 1865 when principle was still alive. But long since then it is laid aside, While graft, greed and dishonor Have separated us from all natural pride. From justice and all purity, And, worst of all, From our supernatural guide, From whence we have drifted far and wide, And now are serving on the other side. In 1865 we freed the blacks and now we protect them and the Indians, which is right; but our own flesh and blood go unprotected into the death trap set for them, like the idols in the heathen land, made to burn their children in. Are we setting up these dens of crime to make a sacrifice of our chil dren, like the heathen when they throw a child into the mouth of a crocodile as a sacrifice for their own sins? This distress ing state of facts will never compensate for our enormous guilt and perpetrated crime as a nation. We are supposed to be a spiritual, intellectual, moral people, but I fear we have lost sight of these sublime attributes and are drifting into infidelity or non-consciousness of the real emblem of right. Now in order to win the confidence of the world we must break the demon s chain that binds us like martyrs to the stake, and prove to be a people capable for the task, a people chosen of God to right all wrongs that degrade and mar the souls of men and fit them for a felon s den. We must work like heroes, work like Paul for the prize of the high calling, with an eye single to God s call as well as our own temporal prosperity. If we don t we are going to reap what we have allowed to be sown by the enemy and will reap the judgment of God upon our violations of " His divine law for [82] abusing His mercies. As we have received special favors from Him just so shall it be required of us. Christ said, "As you do good to one of the least of these ye do it unto me." He also said it were better for us if a stone were hanged about our necks and we cast into the sea than that we should offend one of these little ones that believe in Him. So we had better be careful who we offend. Christ said, "search the scriptures;" for in them ye find eternal life, for they testify of Christ and lead us into the light and life eter nal. Read the book of Jeremiah, the book of Esther, then Malachi. Read the book of Acts. Turn to the 9th, 10th and llth chapters of Acts and you will be fully convinced that we all have something to do besides down and ruin our fellow man because we have it in our power so to do. Study the word of God and see who will be the greatest loser in the end. That sublime truth will show you whether you can afford to crush humanity under your heel to gain which will only ln> a curse to you in the end. If we would work like the adversaries, day and night, to carry out their plots against us, then we would soon do some thing w T orth while, would accomplish that whereunto we are sent, win for God and every creature victory triumphant over all, and would all be singing Hallelujah to God and the Lamb. Long I have waited, long I have sought, For the truth that light has brought, For the inspiring light now given To illuminate our path to heaven. MRS. DAN. L. GRAHAM. A few more years shall roll, A few more seasons come, And we shall be with those that rest, Asleep within the tomb; Then, O, my Lord, prepare My soul for that great day; Oh, wash me in Thy precious blood, And take my sins away. [83] CHRIST BEFORE PILATE, AND PILATE BEFORE CHRIST When Christ, the King of glory, Stood in man s judgment-hall, "What shall I do with Jesus?" Said Pilate to them all. They said, "Release the guilty, And Christ we 11 crucify. A robber was acquitted The Prince of Life must die. "I ll wash my hands," said Pilate, * To free myself from guilt ; I will not be responsible When Jesus blood is spilt." But when the Judge immortal Who stood in Pilate s hall Shall sit upon the great white throne, To judge both great and small, Then Pilate shall be summoned From death s deep shades of gloom, To hear his own dread sentence The Christ-rejecter s doom. Oh, with what bitter anguish He then shall meet those eyes ! How will yon scene of judgment Afresh before him rise ! W^hen Christ shall ask of Pilate, "What have you done with Me?" Oh, in that solemn moment, What will his answer be ? What have you done, my reader, With God s beloved Son? Have you received His mercy? Or are you still undone? [84] Are you, along with Pilate, Selling the Christ of God For the world s fleeting honors, With those who shed His blood? If you thus treat the Saviour Whom Pilate crucified, Amid eternal darkness With Pilate you ll abide. Oh, heed the words of warning, To Jesus bow, and live, While yet the chief of sinners He s ready to forgive. C. C. Crowston. THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM. How bright it shines o er all the earth; Since first it marked the Saviour s birth! How many travelers from afar Have sought the guidance of that Star! The bright effulgence of its light Pierced e en the darkness of earth s night. Its radiance, dimmed awhile, shone clear, Pointing the Reformation near. And now once more the heathen night Is full illumined by its light, Proclaiming, "Christ will soon appear, Herald the King whose reign is near!" Instead of manger now a throne ; For humble birth, a Prince well known; Instead of thorns, a crown of might ; For seamless garb, a robe of light. O Bethlehem s Star, thy rays have pierced The limits of the universe ! Our hearts a loyal tribute bring To Bethlehem s babe encrowned King. Worthie Harris Holden. [85] THE DAYS IN WHICH WE LIVE. These are days of wild excitement, Mobs arise beyond control. Lynch law reigns without indictment, Tho it scars the human soul. In the fever of a moment, In the furor of a fray, In the silence of long torment, Men cast hope and life away. These are days of fierce achievement, Competition s race begun, Click of hammer, no relievement, Hot. the toiling wheels whirl on, Rush of cars in webbed commotion, Men are running to and fro, Strain of nerve and keen emotion Is the whole worlds undertow. These are days of hard contrastings, Rich in lavish luxury, Poor in bitter, sad recastings, Under goad of penury. Beggars, menials, workmen, languish, Pressed by heartless grasp and cold, What to those who gain their anguish? Men grow calloused as their gold. These are days of world-enthronement, Lust of eyes and pride of life, Days when self hath great endowment To attain the end of strife. Days of epicurean festal, Days of fatness for the J*wd. Days when men grow coarse and bestial From the slaughter of the good. These are days of warring nations, Armies, navies blast and boom; Picked, the flower of rank and station. Facing deathward for their doom ; Hearts defiled and homes dismantled, [86] Earth s a charnel-house of dust. Is there aught for man implanted To survive the reign of lust? Yes, my soul, behold, above you Flies an angel with a scroll Written on, "The Father loves you, He will save the seeking soul;" Flying, crying as he passes, "Turn to Christ and Calvary," O awake the frenzied masses, Ere time strikes eternity. In these days of swift probation, join all, ye hearts that ken, Publish out the great salvation, That still waits repentant men; For these days are of decision; Souls to lasting choice are driven; Swiftly comes the just concision, Hate to doom, and love to heaven. Frances E. Bolton. We love Thy holy word, The lamp Thou gav st to guide All wanderers home, O Lord, Home to their Father s side. Then let us sing the love To us so freely given, Until we sing above The triumph-song of heaven. I thank Thee, Lord, that Thou hast kept The best in store; We have enough, yet not too much To long for more: A yearning for a deeper peace, Not known before. [87] THE MASTER IS COMING! Or, How to Entertain the King. They said, "The Master is coming To honor the town today, And none can tell at whose house or home The Master will choose to stay." And I thought, while my heart beat wildly, What if He should come to mine ? How would I strive to entertain And honor the Guest Divine ! And straight I turned to toiling To make my home more neat; I swept, and polished, and garnished, And decked it with blossoms sweet ; I was troubled for fear the Master Might come ere my task was done ; And I hastened and worked the faster, And watched the hurrying sun. But right in the midst of my duties A woman came to my door ; She had come to tell me her sorrows, And my comfort and aid to implore. And I said, "I cannot listen, Nor help you any today ; I have greater things to attend to," And the pleader turned away. And soon there came another A cripple, thin, pale, and grey And said, "Oh, let me stop and rest Awhile in your home, I pray ! I have traveled far since morning, I am hungry, and faint, and weak ; My heart is full of misery, And comfort and help I seek." [88] And I said, I am grieved and sorry, But I cannot help you today; I look for a great and noble guest," And the cripple went away. And the day wore on more swiftly, And my task was nearly done, And a prayer was in my heart That the Master to me might come. And I thought I would spring to meet Him And serve Him with utmost care, When a little child stood by me With a face so sweet and fair Sweet, but with marks of tear-drops, And his clothes were tattered and old, A finger was bruised and bleeding, And his little bare feet were cold. And I said, I am sorry for you ; You are sorely in need of care, But I cannot stop to give it You must hasten otherwhere." And at the words a shadow Swept o er his blue-veined brow ; "Someone will feed and clothe you, dear, But I am too busy now. At last the day was ended, And my toil was over and done ; My house was swept and garnished, And I watched in the dark alone Watched, but no footfall sounded, No one paused at my gate, No one entered my cottage door; I could only pray and wait. I waited till night had deepened, And the Master had not come ; "He has entered some other door," I cried, "And gladdened some other home!" My labor had been for nothing, And I bowed my head and wept. My heart was sore with longing, Yet, spite of it all, I slept. [89] Then the Master stood before me, And His face was grave and fair ; "Three times today I came to your door, And craved your pity and care ; Three times you sent me onward, Unhelped and uncomforted, And the blessing you might have had was lost, And your chance to serve has fled." O Lord, dear Lord, forgive me ! How could I know it was Thee?" My very soul was shamed and bowed In the depths of humility. And He said, "The sin is pardoned, But the blessing is lost to thee ; For, comforting not the least of Mine, Ye have failed to comfort Me." R. MAY. Love divine, all love excelling, Joy of Heaven to earth come down! Fix in us Thy humble dwelling, All Thy faithful mercies crown. Days and moments quickly flying, Speed us onward to the dead: Oh, how soon shall we be lying Each within his narrow bed! Fear not, I am with thee; oh, be not dismayed! I, I am thy God, and will still give thee aid; I ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand, Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand. [901 THE PRESIDENCY. What is a thoroughgoing American viewpoint of the rivalry expressed in presidential elections comes from Chicago, in th- Record-Herald, from the pen of one of Chicago s best known writers of verse and social commentary. Wilbur D. Nesbit may be called the successor of Eugene Field in his sunny Amer icanism. He writes also in a helpful and characteristic way on current events and may fairly stand as an exponent of the philosophy of Americanism. It is a higher, nobler thing by far Than any transitory meed of fame. It is too great for us to sear and scar By heaping up our petty hate and blame. Built on the olden hope and sacrifice, Shaped of the soul-born faith that m It is above all favor and all price That any man among us may commanu They gave their all that this high place should ^ The symbol of the patriotic pride That warms the very souls of you and me. It was not made to be a pledge or pawn, It was not made for barter in the street It typifies the trust of days agone That liberty with justice fair should meet. It means all that we hold from all the years, It means all that is splendid in our age ; Its story has been writ in blood and tears Upon Time s never-fading, widespread page. And it means more it means that you and I Have here a heritage that is a bond Which binds us now as under that blue sky Which told the world that Freedom s day had dawned. Ah, out upon the mean and scowling spite, Have done with all the bandying of words ! The years shall try our deeds and mold the right And break the wrong into a thousand sherds. It is no gift, it is no thing of price, It is no bauble passed from hand to hand It marks the olden hope and sacrifice, It shows the soul-born faith that made our land. T91] FROM GREENLAND S ICY MOUNTAINS. From Greenland s icy mountains, From India s coral strand, Where Afric s sunny fountains Roll down their golden sand; From man}" an ancient river, From many a palmy plain, They call us to deliver Their land from error s chain. What though the spicy breezes Blow soft o er Ceylon s isle; Though every prospect pleases, And only man is vile: In vain with lavish kindness The gifts of God are strown; The heathen in his blindness Bows down to wood and stone. Can we, whose souls are lighted With wisdom from on high; Can we to men benighted The lamp of life deny? Salvation, O salvation! The joyful sound proclaim, Till each remotest nation Has learnt Messiah s Name. Waft, waft, ye winds, His story, And you, ye waters, roll, Till, like a sea of glory, It spreads from pole to pole: Till o er our ransomed nature, The Lamb for sinners slain, Redeemer, King, Creator, In bliss returns to reign. 192] ADVENT. Hark! the voice eternal, Robed in majesty, Calling into being, Earth and sea and Hark ! in countless numbers All the angel - throng Hail creation s morning With one burst of song. High in regal glor\ r , Mid eternal light, Reign, King immortal, Holy, infinite. Bright the world and glorious, Calm both earth and sea, Noble in its grandeur Stood man s purity. Came the great transgression, Came the saddening fall, Death and desolation Breathing over all. Still in regal glory, Mid eternal light, Reigned the King immortal, Holy, infinite. Long the nations waited, Through the troubled night, Looking, longing, yearning, For the promised light. Prophets saw the morning Breaking far away, Minstrels sang the splendor Of that opening day. Whilst in regal glory, Mid eternal light, Reigned the King immortal, Holy, infinite. [93] Brightly dawned the Advent Of the new-born King, Joyously the watchers Heard the angels sing. Sadly closed the evening Of His hallowed life, As the noontide darkness Veiled the last dread strife. Lo! again in glor\ r , Mid eternal light, Reigns the King immortal, Hoi} 7 , infinite. Lo! again He cometh, Robed in clouds of light, As the Judge eternal, Armed with power and might. Nations to His footstool Gathered then shall be ; Earth shall yield her treasures, And her dead, the sea. Till the trumpet soundeth, Mid eternal light, Reign Thou King immortal, Holy, infinite. Jesus, Lord and Master, Prophet, Priest and King, To Thy feet, triumphant, Hallowed praise we bring. Thine the pain and weeping, Thine the victory ; Power, and praise, and honor, Be, O Lord, to Thee. High in regal glor} 7 , Mid eternal light, Reign, King immortal, Holy, infinite. [94] INFIDELITY. As I look around, take in the situation of present events, which mainly comes from unbelief, which is termed infidelity, 1 don t wonder at present conditions sweeping the country with all kinds of undescribable crime and disbelief in God, which never fails to leave its brand wherever it trails. It is a pitiable reality to know that men will lose sight of God, the God that made them, the God in whom they live, move and have their existence. I feel sorry for the unbelievers who have nothing to base their hopes upon, and know they are rot here to stay. They certainly must, in some way, be de praved, deficient in intellect, which often comes from an im moral life, some unknown cause, which leads them to grope in the dark; for men would not love darkness rather than light, except their deeds were evil. We never see any true person seeking for darkness. Darkness always goes with dark deeds. When you hear men say they don t believe in God, you can depend that they have the mark of Cain upon them and are deficient in intellect and morals as well. Unbelief has filled our land with disease for the reason that so many have turned their backs on the Great Physician ; consequently are suffering, reaping the fruit of their doings, as the result of just what they have sown and are too ignorant to know or realize these truths. How can anyone, who knows anything, fail to realize the harmony, the order set forth in God s plan of the universe, the seasons so regularfi so wonderfully planned, the heavenly orb or canopy above our heads, so mysteriously, so magnificently planned and controlled by the high, majestic, holy hand of Providence, all for us unworthy to enjoy, and some who are scarcely human? Then think of the great deep filled with coral and crystal, then the ground containing everything that man. unworthy man, can make use of. Then the top of the ground, covered with fertile soil that, we so undeserving, may raise our bread and much more that we can turn into money, all for which we should be thankful and praise and serve the bountiful giver, instead of blaspheming and denying His supreme exist ence and power. How dare anyone deny that all that they cannot see with the evil temporal eye when we cannot understand the visible things we behold every day? You poor idiot, who disbelieves [95] iii God, cannot tell why your hand moves at will, nor from whence comes your sight or hearing or taste or what keeps ;p all your mysterious makeup, and then try to think there is no superior, miraculous power managing everything in His own wise way. Anyone who is too weak to comprehend these plain truths should keep still and not expose their ignorance, for there is danger of bringing immediate judgment from Him Whom you deny. MRS. D. L. GRAHAM. POEM ON SUNDAY SCHOOL WORK. We are a little band of pilgrims which God has stationed here, And Jesus is our leader and we re bound to persevere ; We are holding high His banner, His royal name to honor, His work shall be our mission, while life to us He ll spare, And happy would we be if our blessings you would share. We are bound for the land of Canaan, though desert be the way, We ll feed upon the manna and w r e will watch and w r ait and pray Until our blessed Redeemer calls us from this sinful world away. We want to go to heaven but not to go alone, We want to bring the children to sit around the throne, For our dear Lord has said that of such should be His own, He said except we be converted to heaven we cannot come. Now we are needing helpers to labor with us here, That they may reap the harvest which the faithful ones will share. Now come accept the offer and a crown of life you 11 wear, On the happy shores of Eden, in eternity so fair. I am bound for the kingdom, will you go to glory with me? Hallelujah, praise ye the Lord, Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, just to take Him at His word, Just to lean upon His promise, Just to obey, "thus saith the Lord." MRS. DAN. L. GRAHAM. [961 INDEX PAGE Introductory, "The Searchlight" 5 Beer and Saloon Business.- - 6 What s the Matter With the People 9 John Barleycorn 15 A Saloon Sport 16 The Holy Scriptures 19 A Question Asked and Answered 21 Keep the Golden Rule 22 The Saloon Business at the Bottom of Almost Ever} 7 Crime.- 29 Live the Christian Life 33 A Child s Prayer r5 My First Attempt at Rhyme 36 How Times Have Changed the Course of Justice 37 Awake Thou That Sleepest P8 The Importance of Home Department Work 39 Seek Ye First the Kingdom 40 The Marvelous and Unfathomable Love of Our Creator 42 Child Laborers 47 What Is the Greatest Need of All 49 A Remedy 51 Redemption Lies With Us 52 A Great Mystery ... 55 To a Bottle of Whiskey T6 The Story of the Thief on the Cross 58 We Are Not All Barbarians 59 We Must Reform 62 Shall I Vote to License Liquor? 65 To The Unconverted 67 A Summons to Duty 68 Teach the Boys to Shun All Kvil 70 A Request 71 The Chosen of God 75 Our Future Hope 78 Come, Heed the Warning 80 A Hint of Coming Events 82 Christ Before Pilate 84 The Star of Bethlehem 85 The Days in Which We Live 86 The Master Is Coming! 88 The Presidency 91 From Greenland s Icy Mountains 92 Advent 93 Infidelity 96 Poem On Sunday School Work 96 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY BERKELEY THIS BOOK IS DUE ON THE LAST DATE STAMPED BELOW Books not returned on time are subject to a fine of 50c per volume after the third day overdue, increasing to $1.00 per volume after the sixth day. Books not in demand may be renewed if application is made before expiration of loan period. DEC 1 Wl.i 12947 281818 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY