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Signs of the Times, Vol. 10, No. 28.

General Articles
Earlier text: General Articles

"Thy Kingdom Come."

By William N. Glenn

EVERY petition in the Lord's prayer has a deep meaning. There is no "vain repetition" there, no superfluous verbiage. It was not composed by one given to insincere formalism, nor designed for mere lip service. Every point presupposes an earnest sincerity. It is possible that, short and simple as is the language used, many repeat it without an understanding of its full meaning. "Thy kingdom come." How many formally pronounce those words without realizing the character of the petition, or really meaning even their limited comprehension of them.
Many professed Christians believe that the kingdom of God was set up hundreds of years ago, yet they keep on inconsistently praying to God, "Thy kingdom come." Many believe that the King comes to the Christian at death, and introduces him to the kingdom at once. He makes perhaps daily use of this prayer, yet at the same time he shrinks from death as from a scourge, and clings to this state of sin and toil as tenaciously as does the veriest worldling. Does such a one really desire the petition of his lips?
The establishment of the kingdom of Heaven involves radical changes in the condition of men, and consequently much preparation would be expected on the part of those who would enter that kingdom. Peter says to the expectant ones, "Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless." Then those who pray understandingly, "Thy kingdom come," must be striving to come up to the qualifications of citizenship in that kingdom, else the petition is a mere repetition of meaningless words, if not hypocrisy.
As we cannot expect the establishment of the kingdom until the return of the King who has gone to receive it (Matt. 19:12), and as he will not come until probation has ended, and judgment has been passed as to who are accounted worthy or unworthy to enter the kingdom with him (1 Thess. 4:16), it is plain that of all petitions, that which implores the coming of the Lord's kingdom should be made understandingly. An answer to this prayer involves the closing of the petitioner's probation, when he must stand "without spot and blameless," if he would become an inhabitant of the new earth.
When we consider the many meaningless prayers offered before God, how often we ask amiss in not comprehending the full purport of the language we use, how thankful we should be for the words of the apostle in Rom. 8:26: "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities; for we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." Oh, how utterly hopeless would be our situation were it not for the intercession that is made in Heaven in our behalf.
W. N. GLENN.

Resist the Devil

“Resist the devil, and he will flee from you,” is the advice of One who overcame him.

Truth in a Nutshell.

By Sel.

THE obligation of the tithe, like the obligation of the Sabbath, did not have its origin in the Mosaic law. The truth that one-tenth of one's property and one-seventh of one's time belongs peculiarly to God, and is to be counted as devoted to God, is a truth of all ages and of all lands. It was before Abraham. It is also after Christ. Abraham did not institute the tithe; he simply recognized its binding force, when he gave to Melchizedek, the priest of the Most High God, the tithe of those spoils which he would not count as his own. An illustration of the prevalence of this custom in the unchanging East is given by Arminius Vambery, in the story of his Oriental travels. He was with a party of darweeshes and in their guise. While between Persia and Tartary, bound eastward, he was the guest of a Turkoman host, of whom he says:—
“This man, all by himself, and being on foot, took three Persians prisoners, and drove them eight miles into slavery. He gave us, as our share, a tenth part of the plunder, being the tithe belonging to the priests, and amounting to two krans for each of us.” Sel.
It would be a pity if the law of love, which is the limit of Christian liberty, would prompt to less than the one-tenth of one's increase as a first payment into the Lord's treasury, which has been recognized as a religious obligation from before the days of Abraham down to the present day in the primitive East.—S. S. Times.

How to Treat an Enemy.

Jesus, who had more enemies, and was more shamefully entreated, than any one that ever lived upon the earth, gave this injunction to his followers: "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." Matt. 5:44. And Peter, following in the Master's footsteps, exhorts the churches in like manner: "For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. . . . For even hereunto were ye called; because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps. . . . Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously." 1 Pet. 2:19, 21, 23. Paul, also, adheres to the same policy, saying, in Rom. 12:20, 21: "If thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink; for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good."
Aside from that of Christ, there is perhaps no more striking example of the foregoing principle than the conduct of David toward Saul. The king, in his jealous wrath, gathered three thousand men and started out in search of David. Becoming weary, he turned into a cave to rest, and fell asleep. David and some companions happened to be hidden in the same cave, and had his cruel and unreasonable enemy completely in his power. The Lord had promised to deliver Saul into David's hands, and his men reminded him of this fact, and wanted him to slay the king while he had so good an opportunity. But he would not lay hands on the Lord's anointed; he merely cut off the skirts of Saul's coat, and even for this his tender conscience smote him; but the act served to convince his persecutor that he bore him no malice. Saul, in his confession, acknowledged that David was superior to him in righteousness, and had been rewarded evil for good. "A soft answer turneth away wrath."
On another occasion, after Saul, in a fit of jealous anger, had attempted to take David's life, the latter fled and was relentlessly pursued. At night David and Abishai went into Saul's camp and found him asleep. Abishai wanted to kill him, but David would not permit it. Thus twice he spared the bitter enemy who was determinedly seeking his life, leaving an example of patient endurance under persecution that all servants of God would do well to imitate. "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord." So let us leave it to the Lord.

Too “Refined” to Preach.

DR. J. M. BUCKLEY said in debate before the Methodist General Conference, on the subject of licensing women to preach, that “the great majority of refined women do not desire to be licensed.” Doubtless, “refined” or unrefined, the great majority of women, and equally of men, do not desire to preach. But we do not quite understand that word “refined.” Why was that put in? Certainly Dr. Buckley would not dare say that true “refinement” unfitted any one from preaching the love of God to men! If it is a fact that the “refining” of woman causes her to become indifferent or careless of her duty to God and men, or if it causes her to become unwilling to “do what she can” do well, then it is high time for the Methodist General Conference to give some prayerful thought to the abatement of the evils attending the refining process of society. The next thing we may expect to hear is that the preaching of the gospel of the Son of God has been reduced to a mere business avocation, and is, therefore, a really vulgar profession, like the law, for instance, and, therefore, no modest, sensitive, and “refined” woman will engage in it. True refinement consists in learning the right and wrong concerning all subjects possible. A truly refined woman will judge all things by the highest possible standard of right, and will then abide or be governed by the right. Take such refinement as this into all the relations of life, and we will see the most perfect lady or gentleman imaginable. This would be a refinement of right-doing, and it would not unfit any one for preaching the gospel of right-doing, right-living and right-trusting.—Independent.

Church Prosperity.

THE general estimate of a church's spiritual prosperity is found by the additions to its membership. If these are numerous, it is taken for granted that they indicate a good spiritual state. In some respects this may be true, for a church destitute of active, prayerful piety is not likely to receive many accessions. Nevertheless, it is possible to err in the matter. Mere numbers are not infallible indications of prosperity, and some churches would be more prosperous if they counted fewer members than they do. Every worldly, inconsistent member is one too many for the church's good, and hinders its real prosperity. A musical society gains nothing for its great purpose by members who have no music in their souls; and so a church must have members who really add to its spiritual life if they conduce to its prosperity. The great want of our churches to-day is more real religion in the membership. If men cannot discern between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not; if our aims are as worldly as those of the world, and if our pleasures are derived from the same sources, can we hope to have power with them? There are many churches that need as much a gracious work within as do those "without." If professed Christians who are now bringing forth nothing, could be brought up to bring forth thirtyfold, and those who are bringing forth thirtyfold could be made to bring forth sixty or a hundredfold, it would be better for the ultimate honor of Christ's cause than a large number of new converts. Only as Christians are in earnest to know more of the real life of godliness, and exemplify its power in their lives, have we hope that the world will be impressed; and here will be the proof of prosperity and the starting-point of true advance.—Sel.

Subject unto the "Higher Powers."

FROM a contribution to the Pacific, on Rom. 13:1, we extract the following:—
The situation of the Christians at Rome at the time when this epistle was written, demanded some positive instruction in regard to their duty to the civil government. "The civil power was everywhere in the hands of heathen men, who were idolaters and polytheists, and consequently hostile to Christianity."—Stuart.
Pagan Rome held the reins of civil government wherever the Christian church was planted, during the age of the apostles; and the principles laid down in this chapter have general bearing, and are applicable to Christians in all lands and in all times. Not only the Roman Empire in the days of Paul, but a large majority of all nations since have been under pagan rule, and the laws and practices have been contrary, in some particulars, to the plain requirement of the Bible. Does Paul mean to say we are to actively do all pagan governments require, and to abstain from all they forbid? No. (Daniel 3 and 6; Acts 4:19.) Paul himself and thousands of his age died martyrs at Rome, under the tyrant Nero, for failing to conform entirely to the demands of paganism. And millions of persons have been put to violent deaths under the iron heel of the papacy for a strict conformity to the doctrines and requirements of the Holy Scriptures. When human statutes are in open conflict with the most sacred rights of conscience, and the plainest laws of God, we are justified in a passive violation of such statutes, even if we meekly suffer the penalty; but we are not to take up arms in violent rebellion against the civil authorities. We may suffer wrong under an oppressive government and not do wrong. Mob violence indicates the extreme resort of a bad cause.

Be Honest if You Would Do Good.

THE financial policy of a church has much to do with its spiritual prosperity. A dishonest man cannot expect to influence men to embrace his religion. His neighbors will say that they want nothing to do with a religion which produces such characters. They want a religion which will at least make men honest.
The man who is slack or indifferent about paying his debts is, by business men, esteemed but little better than a rogue. Many a man who thinks himself a Christian and means to make his way to Heaven, utterly ruins his reputation and influence by criminal carelessness of this character.
What is true of an individual is true of a church. We know of churches which, on account of the carelessness of trustees and stewards at this point, nobody wants to trust. If our churches would honor Christ and save souls, they must be both honest and prompt in financial matters. If a church would have the respect and confidence of thinking men, its financial standing should be as good as any bank.—Sel.

Free from the Commandments

An Arran correspondent of a London journal writes of meeting a venerable Presbyterian who was well acquainted with Rowland Hill, and from whom he got this anecdote of the great preacher. One day a comparatively young preacher called on Mr. Hill, and said: "Mr. Hill, I've got some new views, and I am sure they are right." "What views?" said Mr. Hill. "Why," was the reply, "I have nothing to do with the commandments at all," and then he proceeded to unfold his system at length. With just a bit of a twinkle in his eye, after hearing him, Mr. Hill called his man-servant, and said, "John, show this man to the door, and keep your eyes on him, for he is free from all the commandments."—Morning Star.

Forsaking the Law

"They that forsake the law praise the wicked."

The Sabbath-School.

By Ellet Joseph Waggoner

LESSON FOR THE PACIFIC COAST—AUG. 9.

  1. What did Jesus say to his disciples as they were at one time pointing out the splendor of the temple? Matt. 24:1, 2.
  2. What questions did they ask him? Verse 3.
  3. Did he rebuke them for making such an inquiry? Verse 4.
  4. Why were they to be so careful? Verse 5.
  5. Did the Lord encourage his disciples to expect his coming immediately? Verse 6.
  6. What terrible things did he say must first come? Verse 7.
  7. Would these calamities indicate that the end was at hand? Verse 8.
  8. What else did he say must be done before the end would come? Verse 14.
  9. When did he say that those which were in Judea should flee to the mountains? Verses 15, 16.
  10. What is meant by the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place? Luke 21:20, 21.
  11. When they saw Jerusalem surrounded with armies, what were they to know? Id.
  12. Then to what did Jesus have reference in Matt. 24:15?
  13. What had Jesus, on a previous occasion, said should take place at the end of the world? Matt. 13:40-43.
  14. At the destruction of Jerusalem did the angels cast all that did iniquity into a furnace of fire?
  15. Were the righteous made to shine as the sun in the kingdom of God?
  16. Then can it be that the destruction of Jerusalem was the "end" to which Christ and the apostles referred?
  17. To what did he say his coming would be similar? Matt. 24:27.
  18. Following the destruction of Jerusalem, what did he say there would be? Verse 21.
  19. How great would the tribulation be?
  20. What would be the result, if those days were not shortened? Verse 22.
  21. For whose sake were they to be shortened? Id.
  22. If some of the elect were to be saved in consequence of the shortening of those days of trouble, who were they that were to suffer that great tribulation?
  23. Who were meant by "the elect"? Acts 10:35.
  24. What were the people of God commanded to do when they saw that the destruction of Jerusalem was near? Luke 21:20, 21.
  25. If all the Christians left Jerusalem before it was destroyed, could any of them have suffered in the siege?
  26. Then can the tribulation of Matt. 24:21, 22 be limited to that at the destruction of Jerusalem?
  27. Was a time of trouble for the saints of God foretold in prophecy? Dan. 7:25.
IN the twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew two subjects are considered,—the destruction of Jerusalem, and the coming of the Lord. Concerning these two events only one point is considered, namely, time. There was no question as to whether those things would occur, for Christ had already assured them of that fact; but the question is, "When shall these things be?" It is this question that our Saviour answers in the discourse that follows. Incidentally, it is true, he imparts additional information concerning those events; but the main point in the chapter is to settle the time of their occurrence.
ALTHOUGH the discourse relates to time, no attempt is made to fix the exact date of either event. Concerning the destruction of Jerusalem he says (we quote the parallel passage in Luke 21:20): "And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh." This is as definitely as that event is located. The disciples are informed as to the events that will show it to be imminent, so that they can escape before the ruin comes. So likewise concerning the coming of the Lord. After relating certain signs, to be considered in detail hereafter, he says: "So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors." Matt. 24:33.
It is popularly supposed that if all men are not ultimately converted, the gospel will have proved to be a failure. This would indeed be the case if it were anywhere stated that the gospel was designed to accomplish the conversion of all men. The trouble is that men make the mistake of expecting more of the gospel than the Lord ever said it would do. He said (Matt. 24:14) that it should be preached in all the world for a witness. Now a witness may testify against a man as well as for him. The work of a true witness is not to favor any one, but to tell the exact truth and let that justify or condemn, according to circumstances. James said that God visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for his name. Acts 15:14. God was perfectly willing and anxious that all should be converted, yet at the same time he knew that many would remain stubborn and rebellious. If all men are permitted to hear the gospel in its purity, then the gospel will have accomplished its work. It is a witness to all men; to some it will prove a savor of life unto life; to others, a savor of death unto death. 2 Cor. 2:14-16.
"THIs gospel of the kingdom." In these words the gospel in its entirety is brought to view. The Lord was speaking about his coming, and when he said, "this gospel of the kingdom," he evidently meant the gospel which proclaims his coming to set up his kingdom. And this is the gospel itself; for the gospel is the good news of salvation; it brings to view the plan by which condemned rebels may be saved from death, and converted into loyal subjects of the kingdom of Heaven. But, as we have already seen, the final salvation of man depends upon the coming of Christ. None are saved until the Lord comes for them. To leave the coming of the Lord out of any preaching of the gospel would be to deprive it of all its force. So we say that the preaching of the gospel includes the announcement that the Lord is coming. The gospel is not complete without this. And therefore it is not enough that all nations have heard of Christ; they must also hear of his second coming in glory to save his people, and must have an opportunity to learn of the special preparation necessary to fit them for the event. When this shall have been done, then the end will come, as stated in Matt. 24:14.
WHATEVER idea may have been in the minds of the disciples when they asked the question recorded in Matt. 24:3, it is certain that Jesus made a wide distinction between his coming and the destruction of Jerusalem. Christ had previously said (Matt. 13:36-43), that in the end of the world he would send forth his angels to gather out the wicked and cast them into a furnace of fire, and that the righteous should then shine forth as the sun. This did not occur at the destruction of Jerusalem. Again, we have learned (1 Thess. 4:15-17) that the Lord himself shall descend, and that the righteous dead shall be raised. This was not the case at the destruction of Jerusalem. More than all, in the Revelation, which was written more than twenty years after the destruction of Jerusalem, and in John's Gospel, which was written still later, the coming of the Lord is spoken of as an event then in the future. And, finally, Christians are taught, both by Christ and by his apostles, to look for the coming of the Lord as the consummation of all their hopes; they are taught that they cannot be with him unless he comes again. Now if Christ's coming is in the past, Christians at the present day have nothing to look forward to. But our faith is not in vain, for our King is yet to come with his reward.
"For there shall be great tribulation." When? Following the destruction of Jerusalem. To whom was the trouble to come? Upon the people of God. This is proved by verse 22:
"For the elect's sake those days shall be shortened." The elect are the beloved of the Lord, those who serve him. Now if the elect were saved from utter extermination only by the shortening of the trouble, then it follows that the trouble was upon the people of God. And this is proof that the destruction of Jerusalem is not referred to in the passage, for before that city was destroyed, the disciples, in accordance with the Lord's instruction in Matt. 24:15, 16, had fled. When the final siege came, there were none of the disciples of Christ in the city. The tribulation referred to in verses 21, 22, must therefore refer to something besides the destruction of Jerusalem.
IT is a fact that the early Christians did suffer very much from pagan persecutions; but these cannot be all the tribulation referred to, for the promise that certain days should be shortened, indicates that the Saviour had in mind a definite period, during the greater part of which his followers should suffer grievous persecution. This fact is plainly stated in Mark's account, where he says: "But in those days, after that tribulation." Mark 13:24. The question then arises, To what period of persecution did Christ refer?
IN the book of Daniel we have two times of trouble brought to view. One is mentioned in chap. 12:1, but that trouble must be for the wicked, for God's people are to be delivered from it. In Dan. 7:25, however, we read of a certain power that "he shall speak great words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and think to change times and laws." The term "wear out" is very forcible, indicating slow but sure extermination by torture. The time allotted to this work was "a time and times and the dividing of time," a definite period. This, then, must be the tribulation to which the Saviour referred as coming upon his people,—a tribulation that failed to entirely "wear out" or exterminate its victims only because it was cut short. E. J. W.

NOTES ON THE INTERNATIONAL LESSON.

By W. N. Glenn

AUGUST 10—2 SAM. 15:1-14.

THE rebellion of Absalom was a marked incident in the reign of David, and the causes which combined to bring about such a state of affairs are worthy the attention of all who profess to serve God. Willful, ungrateful, and disobedient as Absalom was, it is evident that the foundation of the trouble was laid by the king himself.
DAVID had taken to himself many wives, which was strictly forbidden on the part of those who should become kings when they should come into the land of Canaan. Deut. 17:17. He had taken a heathen woman for a wife, the daughter of a neighboring king, probably to gain some political advantage. Such alliances have always been fatal to the servants of God, having led directly to the destruction of the world by the flood; to the loss of part of Lot's family in Sodom; to the overthrow of Samson, Solomon, Ahab, and many others, even to this day. Absalom was the son of this heathen wife.
Another prolific source of trouble arose from the king's weakening character through his many carnal indulgences. As a consequence the duties of his office were sadly neglected. He disregarded the wants of the people, and failed to adjust their causes of complaint between each other. He himself ceased to “sit in the gate,” as was the custom of Eastern kings, and there was no one deputed to administer justice, and the people were no doubt justly dissatisfied with his growing selfishness and neglect of their interests. He had also pampered Absalom, and allowed him, after a long banishment from his presence, to force his way into favor through an act of gross incendiary (chap. 14: 28-33), without any manifestation of penitence. Thus did the once noble and beloved king gradually yield his control and lose the respect and allegiance of the people—the sad result of “sowing to the flesh.”
ABSALOM had no qualification for a king, but was well adapted to the work of raising an insurrection. He was of fine personal appearance, and possessed a suavity of manner calculated to captivate the multitude. He sought the good-will of the people, but not for their good; he worked through deception for his own aggrandizement. He was a typical politician, and it was a merciful providence that prevented his success, although the measure of punishment meted out to his father was merited. “It must needs be that offenses come, but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh.” Matt. 18: 7.
Absalom’s total unfitness for a king is manifested in various points. Such an attempt to overthrow and even murder his father was a flagrant violation of the fifth commandment, that could never secure the approval of God. His manner of judging was very deficient; he told every one, “Thy matters are good and right,” without hearing the other side. He longed to be a judge in Israel, without regard to his incapacity. As Matthew Henry said, “Those commonly are most ambitious of preferment that are least fit for it; the best qualified are the most modest and self-diffident.” His flattery of the people, and his hypocritical religious pretension crown him as a schemer without one redeeming quality; but he has many characteristic counterparts in the political world to-day, kissing the people and paying vows to the Lord merely to gain honor and profit for themselves.
NEXT to Absalom himself, the most influential character in the rebellion was Ahithophel, David’s principal counselor. His position and acknowledged wisdom had great weight in the nation, and nothing appears to have disturbed the king more than his complicity in the traitorous plot. David, feeling the weight of his former counselor’s opposition, earnestly besought the Lord that Ahithophel’s counsel might be turned into foolishness. It can hardly be said that, from a military stand-point, Ahithophel’s advice to Absalom was foolish; but “Absalom and all Israel” were moved to accept the counter advice of Hushai, David’s friend in disguise, and thus the king gained advantage. “For the Lord had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the Lord might bring evil upon Absalom.” Chap. 17: 14. Here is a striking example of how God can “destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent” (1 Cor. 1: 19), when they are arrayed against his designs. And it is just so regarding the truths of the gospel; they are hidden from the wise and prudent and revealed unto babes. Matt. 11: 25; see also Isa. 29: 13-16, and 1 Cor. 1: 26. Verily, “the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.”
Ahithophel is regarded by some commentators as a type of Judas, who betrayed the Saviour. However this may be to a certain extent, there is a limit to the parallel—Ahithophel was grandfather to Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, and had personal reason to be disgusted with the king’s course, although not therefore excusable for taking part in the rebellion.
DAVID evidently understood to some extent why this evil had been permitted to come upon him, and he humbly submitted himself and his servants to the fate of a flight, in order to save the city from the consequences of an attack on his account. Kitto says: “The conduct of David throughout, his goodness, resignation, and patience, is clearly evinced in all these trying scenes.” And Dr. Chalmers observes: “This marks strongly his subdued and right spirit, partly induced, we doubt not, by the conscious humility of his own transgressions. He fell, but it was the fall of the upright, and he rose again, submitting himself meekly, in the meantime, to the will of God.” The third psalm is inscribed as “A psalm of David when he fled from Absalom his son.”
Though the child of God may stumble and fall, he will ever be, like David, submissive to reproof and to whatever punishment the Lord may impose upon him. David never resented the censure of Heaven, and was ever willing to fall into the hands of the Lord and trust to his mercy. See chapter 24: 14. In this especially is he an example for the Christian, who should at all times be thankful for that reproof or correction which to the Lord seemeth necessary for his protection against his own wrong inclinations, or the temptations of the enemy.

Temperance.

By Thomas De Witt Talmage

A Fatal Mistake.

A RIGOROUS divorce law will hinder women from the fatal mistake of marrying men to reform them. If a young man of twenty-five or thirty years of age, has the habit of strong drink fixed on him, he is as certainly bound for a drunkard's grave as that the train starting out from Grand Central Depot at eight o'clock to-morrow morning is bound for Albany. The train may not reach Albany, for it may be thrown from the track. The young man may not reach the drunkard's grave, for something may throw him off the iron track of evil; but the probability is that the train that starts to-morrow morning at eight o'clock for Albany will get there; and the probability is that the young man who has the habit of strong drink fixed on him before twenty-five or thirty years of age, will arrive at a drunkard's grave. She knows he drinks, although he tries to hide it by chewing cloves. Everybody knows he drinks. Parents warn, neighbors and friends warn. She will marry him. If she is unsuccessful in the experiment, why, then, the divorce law will emancipate her, because habitual drunkenness is a cause for divorce in Indiana, Kentucky, Florida, Connecticut, and nearly all the States. So the poor thing goes to the altar of sacrifice. If you will show me the poverty-stricken streets in any city, I will show you the homes of women who married men to reform them. In one case out of ten thousand it may be a successful experiment. I never saw the successful experiment. But have a rigorous divorce law and that woman will say, "If I am affianced to that man, it is for life, and if now, in the ardor of his young love, and I am the prize to be won, he will not give up his cups, when he has won the prize, surely he will not give up his cups." And so that woman will say to the man, "No, sir; you are already married to the club, and you are married to that evil habit, and so you are married twice, and you are a bigamist. Go!"
—Dr. Talmage.

The Rising Tide of Prohibition

THAT the temperance sentiment is strong and vigorous among the people of the United States is shown by the flood of petitions for constitutional prohibition that constantly pour in upon Congress. The Evening Star, of Washington, speaks of these petitions as “fairly flooding the Senate.” And the Rev. Joseph Cook, in his first Monday lecture of this season, sums up the situation of a part of the Western States in these words: “Constitutional prohibition is a rising tide, and has already submerged Kansas and Iowa, and very nearly Ohio.” As emancipation was the only effectual remedy for slavery, so prohibition is the only cure for intemperance.

Temperance Towns.

GREELEY, Colorado, was founded on strict temperance principles. It has been a success from the hour of its planting. Not a drop of liquor can be obtained in the town unless sold by druggists upon a physician’s certificate. Should any land-holder violate the provisions of the clause contained in the deed, it works a forfeiture of his ownership. The town has two thousand five hundred population, no paupers, no city jail, no police magistrate, no poor-house. As a further evidence, they have three newspapers, six churches, and a fine school-house, which cost over $30,000.
The town of Pullman, near Chicago, contains most of the characteristics of a great city—and yet it lacks certain things, which, hitherto, have everywhere been accompaniments to city life. Pullman has no saloons, no jails, no poverty, no suffering from hunger, cold, nakedness, homelessness, nor idleness. And a lady residing there relates a personal experience, which probably accounts for this condition of affairs.
She says: “Until a year ago my life was one of constant anxiety and foreboding. My husband, a skillful machinist, earned good wages, but the saloons took a greater part, and left little for food and clothing for the family. We lived here and there in miserable tenements, surrounded by disease and vice, and the children never knew the true meaning of the word home. A year ago my husband secured employment at Pullman, with the understanding that he must stop drinking. With the terrible temptation of the open saloons gone, he did stop; and now we have a beautiful home, with the comforts and luxuries we never dreamed of enjoying. After his day’s work, my husband comes home, takes a bath, puts on his good clothes, enjoys his dinner with the children and me, and then sits down at home, or strolls out with us along the pretty streets, sometimes to the library or elsewhere, and comes home a sober man. We have money in the savings bank; our children are getting a good education; everything is peaceful and hopeful about us, and we are very happy.”—Sel.

How Drunkards Are Made.

THE startling statement copied below from the New York Herald is deserving of attention:
“Now, you watch those children. They’ll drink half that beer before they get home, and their mother will scold me for not giving a good pint, and I’ve given nearer a quart,” said the bartender of a down-town saloon yesterday, referring to two little girls of six and eight, thinly clad, who had come in for a pint of beer. The reporter did watch the young ones. They had scarcely got outside of the saloon door when the one that carried the tin pail lifted it to her lips and took a draught. Then her companion enjoyed a few swallows. A little further on they entered a tenement house hallway, and both again took a sip.
“I have lots of such customers,” said the bartender, when the reporter returned to the saloon to light his cigar. “Girls and boys and women form half our trade. We call it family trade. It pays our expenses. Our profits come from the drinkers at the bar. But I tell you what—half the children who come here drink. That’s how drunkards are made. Their mothers and fathers send ‘em for beer. They see the old folks tipple and begin to taste the beer themselves.
“Few of the children who come in here for beer or ale carry a full pint home. Sometimes two or three come in together, and if you’ll watch ‘em, you’ll hear one begging the one who carries the pail for a sip. We must sell it, however, when their parents send for it. We are bound to do so. Business is business. We don’t keep a temperance shop.”—Sel.

Tobacco Nearly as Deadly as Alcohol

Dr. Bowditch, an eminent physician of Boston, says tobacco is nearly as deadly as alcohol.
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