and I did praise Him all the day long; and I did not murmur against the Lord, because of mine afflictions." We find here a man of faith; a man who submits to affliction without murmuring. In all his history we find that he followed the commandments of the Lord. The Lord said to him in the beginning that if he followed His commandments he should be prospered in the land, and he was prospered. I wish to bear my testimony to the Latter-day Saints that all of us who will obey the commandments of God will be prospered in the land. Sacrifice doth bring forth the blessings of heaven. I bear my testimony to the truth of what Brother Lund has said today, that if the people will pay their tithes and offerings, they will not only be blessed in their material affairs, but they will be abunantly blessed with increased outpouring of the Spirit of the Lord. We find recorded in section 130 of the book of Doctrine and Covenants, the following: "There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundation of this world, upon which all blessings are pre dicated: "21. And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated. I bear witness to you, as an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, that material and spiritual prosperity is predicated upon the fulfillment of the duties and responsibilities that rest upon us as Latter-day Saints. I have rejoiced exceedingly that the debts which the people owe to the Lord in tithing have been forgiven by the Prophet of God. But I want to say to those who are able to pay those debts, it will be a great deal better for them if they will do so, notwithstanding they have been forgiven. If the Lord will help me, I propose to pay every debt that I owe in the world. 1 propose with the help of the Lord to be true to my fellowmen in fulfilling every obligation that I have entered into with them. But above all and beyond all, I propose to fulfill my obligation, to the best of my ability, to God my Heavenly Father. I have been ridiculed in the public prints because I said that a man's duty was to pay his debts to the Lord if he did not pay his debts to his fellowman. I repeat that. God my Heavenly Father has blessed me with a knowledge of the Gospel. I do know that God lives: I do know that Jesus is the Christ; I do know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God; I do know that Lorenzo Snow is a Prophet of God; I know that God loves me; that he blesses me; that I am one of His children; that I am under obligations to Him; and that all I have on earth, all that I will ever receive here or hereafter, I am indebted to Him for it. Therefore. I say, shall I not fulfill the duties and obligations that I owe to my Creator and loving Parent before I fulfill my obligations to my fellowman. Has any man ever loaned me money because he loved me? No; he has loaned it to me because he wanted his interest. With the help of the Lord I propose to keep the commandments of the Lord, and then I do know that I shall be able to pay all com o'clock. Elder L. M. Terry made a few remarks upon Revelation in a very inter President Ben. E. Rich in a pleasant manner introduced his subject and took his text from Gal. i.:8, showing the necessity of present revelation. Said the sin of every generation was a belief in dead prophets, and a rejection of the liv ing oracles. Spirit of God, be honest in keeping the North Kentucky Conference. The Elders of the North Kentucky Conference arrived in Louisville Friday, November 24th, and registered at the Victoria Hotel, where they were treated royally. The evening was devoted to spiritual exercises, and addresses were made by Elders Thorley, Terry, Turman, Peterson, Brain, Thatcher and Clegg. Proved that the Church of Christ should have the same officers in it today as was placed there by the Master 1900 years ago. Said a man must be properly called of God as was Aaron to preach the Gospel, and that signs would follow the believer. Compared the civilization of the "Mormons" with that of professed Christians who revile us, burn our churches and brutally mob Elders. Brought up polygamy as it exists in Utah, and as misunderstood by the world. In closing he made an appeal for peace President Thorley and brotherly love. thanked the people for their presence and hospitality. A good congregation was present during the meetings, many of our friends Saturday morning President Rich and and Saints from other places attending. Elder Arrowsmith, our late president, ar. A spirit of brotherly love and union was rived from Chattanooga; a meeting was felt, and no one who has not had the held and a lecture on the "Restoration like experience can realize the sorrow at of the Gospel" given by Elder Arrow- parting and joy of meeting, understood smith, by request of the Elders. After so well by Saints, Elders and friends. having a photo of the conference taken President Thorley was released to rethe Elders again retired to the hotel par- turn home and Elder L. N. Terry aplor and held council meeting. After pointed his successor. The Elders were prayer and singing President Thorley given companions and went to their vamade a few remarks. President Ben. Erious fields of labor feeling refreshed by Rich then questioned the Elders in turn the spiritual feast that they had attendas to their health, feelings, circumstances ed and feeling more determined to work and their general condition. Elder Ar- ezalously in the Lord's vineyard. rowsmith in a brief address exhorted the messengers of God to press forward in the cause of truth. Upon invitation from President Rich, two of our local Saints, Brothers Cannon and Ritchie, of Jefferson, made a few remarks, bearing a faithful testimony to the divinity of Joseph's mission. Elders Hibbert and Peterson, of the Southern Indiana Conference, sponded to the invitation to address the Elders. re President Rich impressed A general meeting, to which the public President Terry chose as his counsellors Elders J. R. Turman and Brigham Clegg. And the headquarters in the fu ture will be Bagdad, Shelby county. President Rich complimented the Elders on their appearance and general neatness. We have a good president and a bright, energetic lot of Elders. It is our aim and desire to see that the North Kentucky is behind none of her sister conferences. President L. A. Thorley and Elder George L. Freestone were honorably released and go home early in December. Brigham Clegg, Clerk of Conference. Ohio Conference. The Elders of hte Ohio Conference on Nov. 28 and 29 held one of the most successful conferences ever held, either in the history of the Ohio Conference or of Father." the Southern States Mission. Two weeks before the appointed time, Elders Ben. E. Rich and L. M. Nebeker entered the city of Columbus to make preparations for the coming event. President Ben. E. Rich made a few remarks relative to the object of our mission and the barbarous treatment tendered us by mobs of professed Christians. President Thorley introduced in turn Elders D. C. Benson, Brigham Clegg, J. R. Turman and George L. Freestone, who that I owe because I know that God blesses those who keep His bore their testimony to the truthfulness mandments. I know that I never of the Gospel, and discussed briefly mismade a sacrifice of a financial cellaneous doctrines as taught by our nature in my life to help the advance- blessed Redeemer. President Rich made ment of God's work, without being a few closing remarks. After singing and abundantly rewarded therefor. Not only materially, but I grew in the knowl- 2:30 p. m. prayer the meeting was aajurned until edge of the Gospel and in the Spirit of God. which is worth more than all the wealth and honors of men. I desire never to allow my heart to wither up, so to speak, but rather to have it grow and expand. I desire to seek first the kingdom of God. I do know and bear witness to you that if I do it all other things for my good will be added unco me. And what I bear witness to pertaing to myself. I bear witness to for all the Latter-day Saints. If you desire the The afternoon meeting convened at the appointed hour, and Elder James McArthur bore a faithful testimony, after which Elder Albert Arrowsmith spoke on the gathering of Israel and miscellaneous principles of the Gospel as taught by the Latter Day Saints, pointing out some of the fallacies of modern Christianity. A true American spirit prevailed in this city; all but a few treated the E!ders with due respect; the papers reported them fairly; officers and citizens alike showed every courtesy. The chief of po lice when requested to interfere and stop our conference by some ladies belonging to a society, who has members that judge a matter before hearing the condemned speak, were informed that they were in America. Tuesday, the 28th, was spent in Priesthood meeting. Wednesday morning, according_to_ap. pointment, all met in the I. O. O. F. Hall at 10 o'clock. After singing, prayer and singing again, President Ben. E. Rich addressed the congregation briefly, outlining "Mormonism." Elder R. L. Shepherd quoted extensively to show how every new truth has The night meeting convened at 7:30 its drawbacks. Elder L. M. Nebeker dis REPORT OF MISSION CONFERENCES FOR WEEK ENDING NOV. 18, 1899. Elder Maycock followed, speaking on the Spaulding story and Book of Mormon, showing there was no resemblance. Also the frailty of the argument used by some who would make these books the same. He also compared the work of Joseph Smith with that of the founders of other religious societies; after which the meeting adjourned till 7:30 p. m. At the appointed hour the house was filled. Elder Ben. L. Rich was the first speaker, who in eloquent terms showed "Mormonism" to be a progressive form of religion. He was followed by President Ben. E. Rich, who spoke for about an hour to a very appreciative audience, who were entertained by his pleasing and apt illustrations. When the meeting was adjourned many men swarmed around the Elders and were loud in their praise of the doctrine taught by the Elders. Among the crowd were three men who had attended all three services. They approached President Rich and said: "We are heathens; they call us heathens because we are agnostics, and because we cannot believe in the kind of a God they worship. To night, Mr. Rich, after attending these services we come nearer believing in God than we ever did in our lives. You teach a reasonable doctrine." Many such expressions were heard. As formerly mentioned, this was one of the most successful conférences held this year. Owing to the release of Elder Funk, George E. Maycock was unanimously sustained as president of the Ohio Conference. He chose L. M. Nebeker and H. Z. Lund as his counsellors. DEATHS. Stephen Perry departed this life Nov 12, 1899, at the home of Wm. Perry, near Northcut's Cove, Tenn. He was 86 years and two months old and had been a member of the Church since Nov. 19, 1896. His house was always open to the weary traveller. He was a kind and indulgent father, a loving husband and a very desirable neighbor. He lived and died a faithful Latter-day Saint. May he rest in peace until the trumpet of God shall sound, then may he come forth to share the glories of the resurrection prepared for the just. 20 775 515 65 12 24 40 880 744| 44 114 370 248 18 66 268 122 10 5 156 67 13 THE DARK AGES. (From page 11.) scarcest among us wondered, and some spake jeeringly, thanking the lady, that she had thus with provident care, reserved the choicest banquet for the days. But even as she busily ministered, quick, sudden sobs of laughter broke from her. At length the vessel's covering she raised up, and there it lay! Ben Catha paused, and the High Priest exclaimed: 'What lay, thou'rt sick and pale!' "By earth and heaven, the remnant of a child! a human child! What, start? so Whereat she shrieked aloud started we. And then, and clapped her hands. "Oh dainty and fastidious appetites! The mother feasts upon her babe, and strangers loathe the repast. 'My beautiful child, the treasure of my womb; my bosom's joy.' And then in her cool madness did she spurn us out of doors. Oh, still. Oh, still, I hear her, and I shall hear her till my day of death." Thus the prophecies of Moses and Jesus were verily fulfilled, and Jerusalem was destroyed and torn up until every vestige of its glory had vanished. and not one stone was left upon another to tell of the glory of Herod's temple. Vespasion employed the captive Jews in the construction of the great Ampitheater in Rome, whose vast ruins stand today. A circus which would accommodate 80,000 people, where gladiatorial exhibitions were given before a bloodthirsty populace. The Jews have remained in a scattered condition ever since, and been the hiss and by-word of every nation. The lull in the Christian persecution was broken by the edicts of the Emperor Domitian, who was extremely bitter in his hatred of the Christians. He was jealous of Christ, whom he looked upon as a rival to his throne; and in consescendants of David, vowing their extermination. It was this Emperor, who, tradition records, had the beloved John placed in boiling oil, and not being able to take his life, had him banished to the coal mines of Patmos, a lonely isle in the Aegean sea; where the Savior appeared to him, with angels, who opened the windows of heaven to his view, and he saw the beautiful gates, and the golden streets, which must have been a source of great joy in his loneliness. These beautiful visions are recorded in his book of Revelations. John was the last of the Apostles, and appeared to vanish from earthly Knoxville Augusta..... Jacinto. Lulu. 3 Goldsboro. 2 Society Hill 2 Bay St. Louis. 2 Buck Creek. Shreveport Bagdad, Shelby Co STATE Tennessee. Kentucky. 713 W. 8th St., Cincinnati.. Ohio. view in the latter part of this the first century at Ephesus; where Timothy was Bishop. Timothy had been tied to the tail of a horse, and dragged to death; and all the Apostles had been ignominiously slain. At this time the laity was becoming weak in the faith, and apostates becoming quite numerous. The Gnostics were making great headway, especially under the unrepentant Simon Magus, did this sect thrive, after his denunciation by Peter (when asking for the gift of the Holy Ghost, and desiring to pay for it), Peter said, "Thy money perish with thee, for I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity." (Acts 8.) This man Simon the sorcerer, could bewitch people, and had a certain power that he got from the evil one, so that in the eyes of the people he worked wonders and miracles, and had a great following. He had been highly learned in the dark mysteries of Egypt, and like Jannes and Jambres of old, who withstood Moses and Aaron, by their enchantments, so Simon in like manner operated under the power of the evil one, and could almost deceive the elect by his imitations of the powers of the priesthood. He came to his end in a startling manner. Being under the impression that he could ascend at. will to heaven, he appointed a time and jumped from a high building, expecting to go upward, but descended, and was dashed to pieces. That is about the way the devil invariably deserts his subjects. Jewish doctors also corrupted the weak Christians in the provinces of Rome, by preaching the law of Moses; against the teachings of Christ, which doctrines were principally refuted by Paul in his epistle to the Romans. The of the corruptible condition of mankind first chapter gives a glaring description at this period. The living oracles had departed, and the Saints were becoming weak, and many were departing from the faith as taught by the Apostles, falling into darkness, and grovelling in the mire of rank paganisın. At my unrest, they seem to pause and How can I wait? Of old, the rapid hours And make no haste, but slowly stroll The summer blooms, not heeding my one song, How can I wait? The niguts alone are kind; They reach forth to a future day, and bring Sweet dreams of you to people all my mind; I feast upon your face, I no more sing, How can I wait? The morning breaks the A pitying night has flung upon my soul. You are not near me, and I know full well My heart has need of patience and control; Before we meet, hours, days, and weeks must roll. How can I wait? How can I wait? Oh, Love, how can I wait Until the sunshine of your eyes shall shine Upon my world that seems so desolate? Until you come again, oh, Love of mine, A Battle Song. We are they who will not falter Many swords or few Till we make this earth the altar We are those who will not take From prelate, priest or code, A nearer law than brotherhood A higher law than good. We are those whose unpaid legions, Massacred in many regions, Never once were stayed; We are those whose torn battalions, Make our agonies a triumph- Therefore down to Armageddon, Death and life are one to us, Who fight for quick and dead. ELDER GEO. A. LYMAN. The subject of this sketch, Geo. A Lyman, arrived in the missionary field just three years ago. He labored for five months as a canvassing Elder and was then appointed general superintendent of Sunday Schools of the East Kentucky conference. Later he was chosen to act as counselor to President Elias S. Woodruff and acted in the same capacity to President John Woodmansee. ELDER GEO. A. LYMAN. Nov. 10, 1898, at the release of Pres- ga to act as counselor to President Ben No. .3 counselor and did much good wherever he went. As previously stated he has spent. three years as a missionary and goes home Dec. 15, 1899, conscious of having done his duty, and with the assurance that God will bless him. His services Iwere much appreciated in the office and we reluctantly bid him farewell. We present his picture this week because he is the oldest Elder in the mission, not in age, but in the time spent in the work. History of the Southern States Mission. (Continued from Page 9.) In the latter part of May a serious mobbing occurred at Greasy Cove, St. Clair county, Alabama. May 21 Elders M. W. Miller and B. F. Le Baron were requested by Mr. Pink Battles, the postmaster of the above named place, to hold a meeting. They gladly consented and were entertained by Mr. Battles. Early next morning news reached the Elders of an approaching mob. Mr. Battles also learning of the intended raid, summoned five neighbors, who were friendly disposed toward the Elders. At about 6 a.m. both parties appeared, the five friends a little in advance of the mob. The law-breakers demanded the Elders, as they wanted to kill them. When informed by Mr. Battles that these gentlemen were his guests and he would defend them, the mob knew with whom they were dealing and said then if they were only allowed to whip the brethren they would be satisfied. This overture was indignantly refused, and finally they allowed the oppressed to depart, on the conditions that they leave the country. The mob disbanded very much dissatisfied with what they had accomplished, and dispersed swearing vengeance. This was by no means the end of this trouble. On the 27th Elders Beecher and Brinker hoff, who had not heard of the mobbing. This was the Elders just at dark. Then they could not agree as to what disposition to make of the Elders. Many would kill them, others thought whipping severe enough, while others still were in favor of letting them depart, providing that they (the Elders) would apply the lash to those who had befriended them. This insult was indignantly resented, so they decided to give Elder Beecher thirty lashes and Elder Brinkerhoff twenty. Guards stood on both sides of them with rifles leveled at the Elders' heads, while two of the brutes wielded the hickory. In the mob were James Gillan, Eli Gillan, Edward Gillan, John Smith, Robert Bryant, James Walker and Bud Jackson, who were ministers of the Gospel; at least they were preaching and were the recognized pastors of some of the churches. June The cloven foot is again in evidence this month. Elders Sessions and Smith went to a school house to hold meeting. From appearances they thought they would "get in a box" if they held services, as a coffin with an explanatory sign tacked on it was left on the doorstep. They held no meeting. Elders Jones and Phelps had some very unpleasant experience in Pearl River county, Mississippi. If people let them preach in their house or entertained them, someone would apply the torch and burn them out, consequently they had to depart for other fields. At Poplarville, the county seat, they were compelled to flee under cover of darkness to avoid being harshly treated. July Elders Carter, Done and Allen were stopping near Knott's mill, Orangeburg county, South Carolina. At 6 p.m. the 14th inst. two men approached the house and inquired if they had any cattle to sell. Receiving a negative reply, they departed, returning in a few minutes with twenty others. They said they had a warrant for the arrest of the Elders, and when asked for thtir authority they presented some formidable-looking revolvers and said, "This is our authority." Elder Allen had left the house to see a friend, and by this act escaped the unpleasant flagellation to which Brothers Done and Carter were subjected. At 8 a.m. the two were taken into custody and were marched all day through dense swamps and undergrowths. All this time friends were following, hoping to be of some service in time of need. The mob had halted for a short rest, but now resumed the journey at 3:30 a.m. the morning following the capture. They continued the journey until about two and a half miles from Swancy. The leader, a minister, Abney by name, called a halt and ordered that the men should be searched. Everything they had was confiscated, excepting their Bible. Their licenses, cards and all other books were destroyed, and their money (50 cents) was confiscated. Among their possessions was a bottle of Rubifoam. The minister mounted a log and said the bottle contained holy oil, and asked if any one wished to be annointed. As no one replied he threw the bottle against a tree and broke it. The Elders were then compelled to lie across a log while a stalwart brute struck them twenty-one lashes each with a heavy tug. They were then put aboard the train, closely guarded by one of the mob, and taken to Columbia. At this place they were to be arrested, but when they arrived they told the guard that they would have him arrested. He then seen his predicament and begged for mercy. He was allowed to go by those whom he had persecuted. The mob hunted night and day for Elder Allen, but were unable to find him. HABIT BY PHILIP S. MAYCOCK. (Continued from page 10.) Another thing we must remember. The child and even man easily adopts the The ministers were very active in op- manners of those with whom he fre posing the Elders at this time, and en- quently associates, particularly when he listed the newspapers to help them. One honors and loves them; and what was of these sheets published in Virginia pub-him gradually and unperceptibly becomes formerly a strange example confronting lished the opinions of some of the men. What seemed to hurt, they said, was the fact that the Mormons were allowed to proselyte among the Methodists and Baptists, and were successful in their work. John Page, of Beaver Dam, Va., who led a mob that drove the Elders from the county in which he lived about a year before this time, said: "To lose my life getting rid of the Mormons would give me as much pleasure as to die fighting for my country; in fact, I prefer the former." (To be continued.) The Death Sentence. There is kept in a small chapel at Caserta, a village twenty miles north of Naples, a thin brass tablet upon which is engraven, in Hebrew characters, the purported death sentence pronounced by Pontius Pilate upon Jesus of Nazereth. This plate was found in the year 1280 among a quantity of records of the Kingdom of Naples in the city of Aguilla. A number of other documents were found, whose genuineness were never doubted. They referred to official transactions in the Roman provinces about the same time as the crucifixion of the Savior. The inscription upon the plate is as follows: "Sentence pronounced by Pontius Pilate, intendant of the province of Lower Galilee, that Jesus of Nazareth shall suffer death by the cross on the 25th day of the month of March, in the seventeenth year of the reign of the Emperor Tiberius, during the pontificate of Annas and Caiaphas, in the holy city of Jerusalem. "Pontius Pilate, intendant of the province of Lower Galilee, sitting in judgment as president in the seat of the praetor, condemns Jesus of Nazareth to die on a cross between two robbers, because of the numerous and conclusive testimony of the people as follows: "1. Jesus is a disturber of the peace. "2. Jesus has taught the people sedi tion. "3. Jesus is an enemy of the laws. "4. Jesus calls Himself the Son of God. "5. Jesus calls Himself the King of Israel. "6. Jesus disturbed the worship of the temple by leading a mob of people with palms in their hands. "Quirilius Cornelius, first of the centurions, is ordered to take the body of Jesus to the place of execution and provide the cross. All people are forbidden to appear or prevent the execution." Then follow the names of the judges and the names of the witnesses to the various charges in the indictment. The engraving is well done, and most of the characters are still clear enough to be traced. Any traveler who visits the village of Caserta can see this extraordinary relic by paying a small fee to the priests. Life is made up, not of great sacri fices or duties, but of little things, in smiles and kindness and small obligations, given habitually, are what preserve the heart and secure comfort. his own thought and actions. At first if the act be repeated we gradually aswe may be shocked by a wicked act, but similate ourselves to it. "Vice is a monster of so frightful mien that to be hated needs but to be seen; but seen to oft, endure, then embrace.' familiar with his face, first pity, then should be of the surroundings we make, How careful we the companions we choose, the books we read. There is another aspect of habit to which I wish to refer. Extreme habituation is fraught with danger. It may diminish the many-sidedness of our interests, or even make the new incomprehensible or intolerable to us. Habit may keep us in a rut. We may form the habit of being interested in only one line of work-the mathematician cares for nothing but mathematics, the stock-raiser cares only for matters concerned with his calling. Instead of forming the habit form the habit of giving attention generalof attending in any particular direction, ly. Form the habit of "aying debts you owe, not only to a class of your acquaintances, but to all. Instead of forming the habit of being neat and orderly in company only, form the habit of being neat and orderly in all conditions. No matter how good the habit may be, if it be narrow instead of general in its nature, it tends toward slavery. We must not be bound by habit. We must form the habit of rebelling, if necessary, against a habit, the habit of being able to break a habit, the habit of freedom. It is because habit in the narrow sense tends to keep us in a rut, and thus prevent progress, that Rosseau said: "The only habit which a child should be allowed to form is the habit of doing nothing in particular.", In politics, habit is a conservative; in religion, he clings to the beliefs of the Dast; in education, the old methods are his and the old masters are his ideals. He allows the radical to look up to the rising star: he himself remains faithful to the sun which has set. In fashion he clings to the modes and styles of his ancestors. In short, habit defends despotism, and asserts the supremacy of human laws, adheres to the old creed, and supports ecclesiastical authority, pays respect to titles and preserves forms. Reformers do not always understand that it takes years to uproot an established custom and originate a new one. Only A struggradually is the change made. gle goes on between the resisting force of ancient custom and the contagious sympathy of new modes of feeling and thought. Reformers are generally too hasty, and because they cannot in a short time effect a change in the habit of a nation, they become disheartened pessimists. No revolution in public opinion is the work of one person or one day. The Re. formation would have occurred had there been no Luther or Zwingle. Their individuality, their personal energy and zeal. hastened, perhaps, by a year or two the already ripe for their revolt, the fate of event. But had the public mind not been the reformers would have been death. Woe to the revolutionist who is not himself a creature of the revolution. If he come before the spirit of the time is ready for him he is lost. for it requires what no powerful counter sympathy in a nation to one individual can supply. a long and untwine the ties of custom which bind a people to the established and the old. When an atetpt was made to establish the United Order among the Latter Day such a system and a failure was the conSaints, the people were not prepared for sequence. Let us now refer to a few pedagogical maxims that are of great value to us. On this point Dr. James is so rich I shall quote him at length: Seize the very first possible opportunity to act on every resolution you make, on every emotional prompting you may experience in the direction of habits you aspire to gain. No matter how full a reservoir of maxims one may possess, and no matter how good one's sentiments may be, if one have not taken advantage of every concrete opportunity to act, one's character may remain entirely unaffected for the better. With mere good intentions, hell is proverbially paved. A character is a completely fashioned will, and a will is an aggregate of tendencies to act in a firm and prompt and definite way upon all the principal emergencies of life. A tendency to act only becomes effectively ingrained in us in proportion to the uninterrupted frequency with which the actions actually occur. Every time a resolve or fine glow of feeling evaporates without bearing practical fruit is worse than a chance lost; it works so as positively to hinder future resolutions and emotions from being carried out into acts. We must expect nothing from cautions and precepts beyond the point at which practice has changed them into firm habits. Training converts precept, example, and impulse into habit. There is no test of virtue except its exhibition in action. A right feeling should have its issue in a corresponding action. The oftener we speak of right, as a matter of mere sentiment, the wider becomes the gap between the feeling and the act. There is no education to moralty apart from the practice of morality. There is no more contemptible type of human character than that of the nerveless sentimentalist, who spends all his life in a weltering sea of sensibility and emotion, but who never does a manly concrete deed. The weeping of a Russian lady over the fictitious personages in the play, while her coachman is freez ing to death on his coach outside is the sort of thing that everywhere hap pens on a less glaring scale. One becomes habitually filled with emotions which habitually pass without prompting to any deed, and so the sentimental condition is kept up. The remedy would be never to have an emotion at a concert (or theater) without expressing it afterward in some active way-doing the least thing in the world, speaking generally to one's aunt or giving up one's seat in the horse car, if nothing more heroic offers, but let it not fail to take place. Keep the faculty of effort alive in you by a little gratutitous exercise every day; that is, be systematically ascetic or heroic in little únnecessary points; do every day something for no other reason than that you would rath er not do it, so that when the hour of dire need draws nigh it may find you nerved and trained to stand the test. Asceticism of this sort is like the insurance which a man pays on his house and goods. The tax does him no good at the time, and possibly may never bring him a return. But if the fire does come, his having paid it will be his salvation from ruin. So with the man who has daily applied himself to habits of concentrated attention and self-denial in unneccessary things. He will stand like a tower when everything rocks around him, and when his softer fellow mortals are winnowed like chaff in the blast. Let us remember that since habit is the master of one's later years, we should in youth endeavor to form good habits; that although inherited tendency counts for much-for has not some one said that the child is the fruit of all the past and the seed of all the future-still habit counts for more in forming character; that although one original nature may be strong, habit may become a second nature-nay, as the Duke of Wellington said, it may become ten times nature, "for use can almost change the stamp of nature;" and, remembering these truths, let us not ascribe to natural endowments the THE SOUTHERN STAR. achievement that is the effect of long The heights by great men reached and kept 19 uable in reality, but what is most valuable in mere opinion. They disdain perhaps what can be easily accomplished and apply themselves to the obscure and recondite. Self-love is an enemy to progress in truth. It has led men to close the eyes against most evitheir dent truths which were not in harmony with their adopted opinions. What a man wishes to be true that he prefers believing. If the human mind has once taken a liking to any doctrine it draws everything else into harmony with that doctrine and to its support; and although there may be found a more powerful array of contradictory evidence or instances, these the mind does not notice, or else condemns and rejects. Baptists Disagree. Chattanooga Times. The Baptist church of Texas is badly split as a result of the factional differences which resulted in a large number of delegates being refused seats in the convention. The faction which was excluded is known as the church party. Its leaders were today in earnest but quiet consultation. The situation was considered from all standpoints and a vigorously aggressive campaign determined upon. address to the Baptists of Texas is to be promulgated within the next three days. The instrument is now being prepared. An It was determined to distribute this address among every congregation of Baptists in Texas and then at the expiration of two months energetic action is to be taken. Into the Courts. The first move of importance will be a resort to the courts of law. The board of directors appointed today by the general convention are to be sued to obtain control of the Baptist general convention, all of the educational institutions of the Baptist denomination in Texas, the possession and control of mission funds, and, in fact, for all the machinery of the Baptist church in the state. This will be the most extensive religious lawsuit ever instituted in the United States. There is no one who has not grown up under a load of beliefs-beliefs which he of owes to the accidents country or family, to the books he has read, to the society he has frequented, in general to the circumstances which have concurred in the formation of his intellectual and moral habits. These beliefs may be true or false; or what is more probable, they may be a medley of truths and errors. It is, however, under their influence that he studies, and through them, as through a prism, that he views and judges the objects of knowledge. Everything, therefore, is seen by him in false colors or in distorted relations. And that is why, in the search for truth, renunciation of prejudices is required, a prejudice being an opinion formed without a previous examination of its grounds. Christ says that unless we become as little children, we cannot enter the kingdom of heaven; unless we cast off the prejudices of the man, and become as children, docile and unperverted, we need never hope to attain progress in truth. Man is by nature, says Aristotle, a social animal, and there is a tendency in each of us to assimilate in opinions and habits of thought, to those with whom we live and act. As men are prone to imitate others, they naturally regard as important or insignificant, as honorable or disgraceful, as true or false, as good or bad, what those around them consider in the same light. They love and hate what they see others love or hate. Our faith is likely to be faith in somebody else's faith. Almost every opinion we have but by authority; we believe, judge, act, live and die on trust, as common custom teaches us. We are too weak to choose and decide for ourselves. An ounce of custom outweighs a ton of reason. But the wise do not act thus. They, as Paul says, prove all things and hold fast to that which is good. But since prejudice makes men slaves, disqualifies them for the purIt was also given out that the proceedsuit of truth, we must break off the habitings of the general convention, just adof prejudice. We must learn to judge of opinions by things, and not judge of things by opinions. Let us free ourselves from our opinions, but in asserting our liberty let us not act the part of revolted slaves and run into license. Let us doubt, but remember that doubt is a means, not an end. We begin with doubt in order that we may not end in doubt. We doubt once in order that we can believe always. We surrender opinion that we may obtain knowledge. We must not be infidels in truth. Our doubt must be the doubt of passion, of fancy, or of darkness; be but must doubt of prudence, of wisdom, the doubt that is born of light, and produces light in its turn. Belief without question is the work of a feeble mind; but unlimited skepticism, of a feebler one; and we are likely foolishly to ascribe vigor of intellect to one who doubts everything. Among the habits that induce us to adhere to skepticism or error, there is none more dangerous than sloth. The greater part of mankind are inclined to spare themselves the trouble of a long or laborious inquiry, or they fancy that a superficial examination is enough, and the slightest agreement between a few objects in a few points they at once assume as showing the agreement of the whole throughout. The discovery of truth can be made only by the labor of attention. The attention is a natural prayer by which we obtain the enlightenment of reason. not the Pride is a powerful impediment to progress, in knowledge. Under the influence of this passion men seek honor, not truth. They do not cultivate what is most val journed, will be reported to the various churches by the church policy party and denounced as illegal and of no force; that the amendments to the constitution are not binding and a recommendation that a general convention be held under the auspices of the church party leaders. The result will be that the fight will be carried into every church in the state, some 2,500 in number. "Some people," said the man with the large Adam's apple, "seem just naturally to have the hardest kind of luck. Here's an account of a man who put out his eye with his own umbrella." "Say," observed the man with the celluNow there's my loid dickey, "that's so. friend Quackenboss. He put his false teeth in his coat-tail pocket, forgot they were there, sat down on them and bit himself so severely that he died in three days from hydrophobia. Now-" But the man with the large Adam's apple was gone.-New York Press. In Belgium at 6 o'clock, evening, you hear from every cottage the voices of father, mother and children and servants saying their prayers, and it is much the same at noon. Many a good man has strayed into the crooked path by following the direction of a corkscrew. |