Earlier text: God's Gift to ManWise as Serpents, and Harmless as Doves.
By George I. Butler
"Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves; be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves." Matt. 10:16. THUS spoke our divine Lord when he first commissioned his apostles to preach the gospel. They were going out to save men from death. Their operations would be among all classes and characters. They themselves would be exposed to persecution and death. They would have to meet prejudice and bitter opposition. Unbelief and hardness of heart would hinder them at every step. They had a most important mission to accomplish, even the salvation of precious souls, whom Christ had come to reach, and for whom he was to die. It was important that their object should be gained. They must succeed. Christ gave them this general rule by which to govern their conduct, as best calculated to secure the object they had in view. Human nature is much the same in all ages, and the plan of God is mainly the same. This rule is doubtless just as good now as it was eighteen hundred years ago. Why does our Saviour take the serpent as an example of wisdom for them to pattern after? There must be some reason for this. He does not want those who go out to catch souls to imitate the serpent except in the matter of its wisdom. But in that respect he does. The habits of the serpent are peculiar, and contain a lesson of instruction. Why does not the Saviour tell his servants to be wise as lions, wolves, or other ferocious beasts? Why select the serpent? Any one who has given the matter any reflection can readily answer. The serpent does not, in approaching his victim, rush out in a manner to frighten, intimidate, and repulse, like these creatures. His approaches are very cautious, and yet effectual. He glides along in the most careful manner possible, so as not to needlessly alarm, and presents himself in a manner to favorably affect the one whom he is seeking to reach. If necessary, he can wait long and patiently, while the victim runs or flies hither and thither, still holding himself in that position which will most favorably influence. The victim, thus drawn toward him, comes within reach, and is taken. When the serpent strikes home to secure his prey, there is very rarely a failure in accomplishing his object. In all this there seems to be a wisdom peculiar to that creature. When the cat or other destructive animal lies in wait for its prey, it usually conceals itself until it gives the spring which destroys its victim. But the serpent often presents itself fully to view, and, by the attractions which it presents, secures its object. Our Saviour instructs his followers who go forth to win souls, to imitate the wisdom of the serpent, while they are harmless as doves. They do not catch souls to destroy, but to save. If they desire to accomplish this good object, they should use wisdom. The object is the highest and noblest that can engage the attention of men. Therefore the highest wisdom should be employed to accomplish it. The human mind is difficult to manage. How necessary that all who try to present God's truth before it, either as ministers, or distributers of tracts, or in common conversation, should understand their business. It is very easy in ten minutes' conversation to leave impressions upon minds which it will be nearly impossible to efface. Much injury has been done to the cause of truth in the past by individuals in various communities being ever ready to "pitch in," as the common expression has it, and argue and debate, on street corners or in stores, or wherever there was a chance to crowd in the truth, whether people wanted to hear it or not, until people became disgusted, and perhaps their ears could never again be reached. This is not the wisdom of the serpent. It has no resemblance to it. Neither do such follow the directions of Peter. They may quote a portion of his direction, but they forget or ignore the remainder. "Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear." The class above referred to rarely wait to give any one a chance to ask them the reason of their hope, but press them upon people against their wishes, and they entirely forget the "meekness and fear." Such only do harm. This great principle of the Saviour and his apostle should be remembered by all who engage in the distribution of tracts and papers. It is a matter which should occasion devout gratitude to God, that we have our views written out in our tracts, pamphlets, and books, in a calm, Christian spirit, yet clear and forcible. These always speak in a good spirit. They never get angry. They always answer questions calmly. They never stir up ungodly passion. They appeal to the reason and judgment. While they do this, those who distribute them and talk with their fellow-men concerning them, should possess the same spirit also. If they do not, they should show their wisdom by keeping still. While we are pressing upon our people the importance of circulating the tracts and papers here and there all through the land, and giving to them that light which the Lord has given us, we should learn to do this in the right spirit, and in the right manner; otherwise we shall drive people off instead of bringing them nearer to us. A spirit of boasting, or glorying over others, because our views of Scripture are more consistent than theirs, will always drive them away. We may use the truth as a club to show our greater strength in the argument, but it will not bring men to God. And, as a general rule, unless there be a disposition to listen and consider the truth, and hear what is said, talk concerning it will not accomplish very much. What we want is a spirit of meekness and Christian love, which, being real and genuine, and heart-felt, will manifest itself to the one listening, and show him that our motive is to do him good, not to gain a personal victory over him. When a person can be persuaded that this is our real motive, it will have its influence. We must not undertake to force religion or truth down people's throats. Were it possible to succeed in so doing, it would amount to nothing really in the sight of God. He wants the willing service alone. When we have that spirit of love spoken of above, it will give us the very disposition spoken of by our Saviour, at the head of this article. For the "wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without wrangling [margin] and without hypocrisy." It is a wisdom that comes from another source which makes men love contention and personal triumph, and leads men to crowd upon people that which they will not hear if they can help it. It is "earthly wisdom," which grows out of selfishness. The Holy Spirit, Bible’s Best Commentator
THE Holy Spirit is the very best commentator that the Bible ever had. Affliction and Learning God’s Statutes
"It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes." “Of No Reputation.”
By Christian Witness
It is not said that Jesus had nothing to do with the making of his character, but he made himself “of no reputation.” He looked diligently after the real living and doing of the Father's will, and then let the Father take the entire care of his outward and historic reputation. If we want to be and live holy, the same spirit must have full possession of us. We must willingly and constantly agree to be esteemed as little nobodies, not only by the world but by the church as well; to be suspicioned and held at a distance; to have old and intimate acquaintances greet us with the frigid formality of strangers; to be “as a dead man—forgotten;” to be imposed upon without stoutly defending ourselves; to have the plume plucked from our hat and worn by another; to toil and let others get the reputation of doing it; to be neglected and disesteemed by professors of holiness; to be hated by some holiness people (?) who are worldly, and to be castigated by other holiness people because we do not run into all their whims; finally, to be misunderstood by the best saints; to get with Job into a place where about the only record and the only reputation we have is on high; and yet through it all to follow Jesus in his meek and loving spirit; to hide in his cleansing blood; to ever press after universal holiness and peace, not for the sake of any church, or set, or holiness party, but to please him, that he may be all in all,—this is the price of true saintliness. A Lesson from Solomon.
By Emily H. Miller
MRS. WALLACE looked up from the work over which her needle was rapidly flying, and for one astonished moment let her hands fall in her lap, while her indignant eyes flashed at her cousin. "Jennie Carter, you must think I am an idiot; you are always triumphing over me with your Bible quotations, but I'm not such a goose as to accept that for inspiration; it doesn't even sound like Scripture." Jennie laughed in her quiet fashion, and reached for the Bible from the table near her. "It is Scripture, nevertheless, and I call it excellent philosophy, if it did come from Solomon." "Oh, Solomon! Well, one never quite knows whether he is talking from the standpoint of the preacher or the man who set himself to know madness and folly." "Listen," said Jennie, "you shall have the exact words: 'Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee; for oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.'" "Let me see it. Well, it certainly is there, but I never would have believed it." "And don't you see," said Jennie, "that having counseled us sometimes to shut our eyes and ears to unpleasant things as the most comfortable way of getting along, the wise man enforces his argument by appealing to our own consciousness of its justice. How many things have you said and thought in your heart that would condemn you if they were proclaimed." "But think of that shiftless, slatternly Norah telling Bridget that I was crosser than forty bears, and an angel from Heaven couldn't suit me!" "She was only expressing her opinion of you to her friend, just as you are telling me your opinion of her." "She is shiftless and slatternly—" "And you are an admirable housekeeper, but a little inclined—" Jennie paused, and Mrs. Wallace laughed but colored uncomfortably as she said frankly:— "Yes, I know I am not amiable. I feel strongly and so I speak strongly. Words often seem to me entirely inadequate to express my feelings." "But suppose you did not express them?" "Not when I see Norah stirring her omelette with a new silver spoon, using a china cup to measure butter in, and a tea-towel for a holder? Just wait till you are mistress of a house, my lady." "Do you remember Aunt Kate's way, and how many years she managed that crotchety Mary? Her girls used to say she had eyes in the back of her head, but this was the way she used them: She would find occasion to do something about the stove, and say, 'Bring me a holder, Mary! I won't spoil your nice towels,' or, 'That was a nice omelette you made this morning, Mary, but don't you think it tasted of silver?' And when Mary fairly started for one of her hurricane days, Aunt Kate just kept out of the way and pretended not to notice that anything was wrong." "That may do with servants, perhaps, if any one has the grace, but when it comes to children you must notice their faults." "Not always; it seems to me if I were pretty sure my children meant to do right I should not be too careful to inquire whether they succeeded in every instance. I declare to you, Melly, I have seen children in beautiful Christian homes whom I pitied as sincerely as I do the heathen on our streets, and who seem to me to have no chance of growing up with any adequate conception of right and wrong." Mrs. Wallace murmured something about old maid's children, but her cousin went on:— "They lived in perfect terror of transgressing some law, or calling down in some way a rebuke; they seemed to be always dodging a reproving glance or a word of criticism, just as the others dodge an expected blow. It seemed to me inevitable that they must either grow up utterly callous to reproof and disapproval, or become habitually deceitful and hypocritical." Mrs. Wallace, whose eyes were always alert, started up, exclaiming sharply:— "Now there goes Arthur straight across the lawn, and I charged him to keep off the wet grass." "Wait a minute, Melly," begged her cousin; "don't you hear the band? The little fellow thinks of nothing but the music; he is not disobeying, only forgetting. Suppose you don't see him this time." Mrs. Wallace frowned a little, but sat down, and in a few moments her little boy came in with glowing cheeks and sparkling eyes, wild with delight at the music and gay uniforms. It would have been a hard heart that could have resisted his enthusiasm, and Mrs. Wallace only said with a smile:— "You're mamma's own boy for music, but don't forget about the grass; it is very wet after the rain." "O mamma," said Arthur, looking regretfully at his feet, "I didn't think about the grass, I was in such a hurry. I'm so sorry." "Never mind now," said his mother, "Mamma knows you meant to remember, and she'll excuse you." "Nice mamma," said Arthur, patting her cheek as he ran away. "Jennie," said Mrs. Wallace after a moment of silence, "Solomon was right. Do you know what I was going to do? I was going to call Arthur straight back and make him sit down in his chair half an hour for disobeying me. We should both have been angry, and ten to one I should have had one of my regular battles with him. I declare," she exclaimed, biting her lips, "there he goes on the grass again." But the little fellow only took one impulsive step towards the playmate who was calling him, and then turned quickly and went by the long circuit of the gravel walk. "There," said Jennie, "I call that obedience." "I'm going straight down to praise Norah for the way she has polished the brasses, and if I find her raking out cinders with the carving-fork I'll hold my peace until some other time. Haven't I just snipped off a whale-bone with my embroidery-scissors to save myself going upstairs for a penknife?" Mrs. Wallace went to the kitchen humming the march the band had played, and her cousin laid away the Bible, saying with an amused laugh, "Wise King Solomon."—Emily H. Miller, in Christian Weekly. The Home Circle.
By Mrs. M. J. Bahler
SEAR and brown the leaves are falling,
Dry and withered, float they down;
E'en the crimson, gold, and purple,
By the winds are tossed and torn. Clouds are drifting o'er the heavens,
Black and dreary, oh so slow,
That we sigh to catch the gleaming
Of the sunlight; still we know That the storm-cloud hath its mission,
And a blessing rare it brings
For the earth, which, parched and thirsting,
Has drained low her water springs. And she needeth much the blessing
Which those drear and dark clouds doth hold,
Showers enlivening fainting verdure,
Bringing life an hundredfold. So our hearts grow seared and barren,
Dust of earth-cares gathers o'er
Many efforts which did promise
Golden fruits while thoughts did soar Heavenward hourly, seeking, praying,
Help which comes alone from him
Who exalted, King eternal
Boweth low our love to win. But the verdure, pale and withered
In our hearts, should rouse us each
To seek showers of heavenly blessing,
Though in sweeping storms they reach Our poor hearts; they come in mercy
And are blessings, rich and rare.
May God help us then to treasure
Every storm, with thankful prayer— Thankful that 'tis sent in mercy
Ere we were too dead to feel
Pain or pleasure, grief or gladness,
From its strokes, sent but to heal. Spring comes with its buds and blossoms,
Summer with its waving grain;
Autumn garners in rich harvests,
Then comes winter's snow and rain. But though oft upon the flowers,
Or the ripening fruit and grain,
Come the storms, they never murmur;
Though bowed low, they lift again Faces brighter, thus expressing
Thanks they have no voice to speak.
May we too, lift faces brightened
By the storms which o'er us break. The tendency of children to disregard the authority of their parents, and the too general acceptance of this juvenile self-assertion as a lamentable but inevitable feature of modern society, are working out their miserable but natural results. It is a fact which needs to be emphasized over and over again, that in many cases the straying of children into evil is due to actual laziness on the part of their parents. Making due allowance for the sad cases in which parents devote thought and labor enough to their children, but in unwisely directed efforts, there remains a large percentage in which parents are content to see that their boys and girls are fed and clothed properly, are sent to school regularly, and are nursed suitably when ill; but do not take the trouble to know who are their children's associates, what are their habits when away from the fireside, and what are the tendencies of their development. It is no wonder that their children cause them grief and shame at last. Nor is there anything harsh in declaring that the conduct of such parents is too often due to sheer and shameful "laziness." A word to the wise ought to be sufficient.—The Congregationalist. Obedience at Home.
By Christian Leader
The numerous runaway matches and startling elopements of the period are among the evidences of a defective home life. There are sons without sense and daughters without dutifulness. A combination of untoward circumstances may sometimes annul the best training. But a true home life is the defense of society and the safeguard of the young. Not contention, nor railing, nor hard and fast rules; but obedience inculcated early will become spontaneous at length, joined with a sweet reasonableness, with affectionate interest and with confidence, are the conditions of such a home life. Too much absorption in business on one side, and in display on the other, have to answer for a great harvest of domestic sorrow.—Christian Leader. He That Overcometh Shall Inherit All Things
"He that overcometh shall inherit all things." Two Frenchmen have invented a new kind of harp, made entirely of wood. Instead of strings, the inventors use strong strips of American fir. The sound is produced, as in the ordinary harp, by the contact of the fingers; but the player wears leather gloves covered with resin. The tone of the instrument is said to be of remarkable purity. The Little Bootblack's Question.
ONE Monday morning, not so very long ago, the ministers in a certain Atlantic city met, as their custom was, to compare their Sunday's work. "The most noticeable event with me," said Mr. M——, "was the advent of Esquire Pond at our last evening's meeting. You all know him as our most prominent criminal lawyer and as an avowed unbeliever. He listened very attentively to all that was said, and I felt that something had brought him to a consciousness that he had a heart. When I invited any one who had a burden to share it with the Christians present, he said:— "Yesterday morning, as I started for the station to take an early train, I paused near the depot at the stand of a bright-faced little bootblack whom I often patronize. As he finished shining the first boot, he rested his hand upon his brush, and looking very earnestly up into my face, said:— "I had never been asked that question before, and although I am not often puzzled, I was that time, having no idea what to say; but I managed to ask what difference that made to him. "A good deal, sir, replied the little fellow. If you love him, you will be acquainted enough with him to ask him that he will find a decent tenement for grandmother and me. We will have to leave Long Alley sometime next week; the old hive where we live is to be torn down, and rent is high for a fellow in my business, and I am in a good deal of a fix, for I don't know what to do, and granny is so lame that she can't do anything. Yesterday I heard a man, who was talking to another man while I was giving him a shine, saying that God would do anything for anybody that loved him. I've thought about it all night, and I came out uncommon early this morning, bent upon asking every one who stopped until I found some one who did love him, and so dared to ask. "You will have to wait for another customer, I said, but don't give it up. Keep asking, for in a city with so many churches as there are here some one must love God. "I gave the little fellow a dollar and made all haste for my train; but, although I sped swiftly away across the country, I was not able to get away from the child's strange question. I wondered why I did not love God; I had heard what he had done for me, and although I have the name of being an infidel, I have not given thought enough to such matters to claim even that title. I felt mortified that I did not know the Lord well enough to teach the little fellow the way to go to him for himself. The question, Do you love God, sir? would not let me sleep last night; it took me to church to-day, and has brought me in here this evening. Can anything be done for me?" "Strange, strange!" said the minister who was sitting on the opposite side of the round table, "for I had an almost similar experience at my last evening's meeting, only mine was a young business man, and the question had stimulated him to seek and find." "I had the bright-faced little bootblack himself," said a gray-haired dominie, exultantly. "He came first on Saturday evening. A good brother had brought him in, who had found him weeping and quite discouraged because he could find no one who would admit that he loved God. The testimonies in the evening were evidently a delightful revelation to him. He came again last night with clean face and hands and neatly combed hair. After listening for some time, he said, 'I think I have found it out—I believe I feel acquainted enough with God now to ask him myself.' And he did so in the most touching and quaint little prayer of faith I ever listened to. The prayer was answered, too; for the lame grandmother was moved this morning to a better tenement, and the happy little bootblack declares his intention of telling his experience and asking his question, 'Do you love God?' as part compensation for what has been done for him by the glorified Redeemer, whose great sacrifice even the poor little bootblack could understand." "WHAT is that, father?" asked Benny. "It is a footprint, my son; and it is a sign that some one came into our front garden last night." "It must be," replied Benny; "for there could not be a footprint without somebody had been there to make it." "That is true, Benjamin; and now, show me some of the footprints of the Creator?" "I don't understand you, father," Benny said. "Well, who made all these beautiful flowers, these splendid trees, the clouds up in the sky, the great round earth, and set the mighty sun flaming in the heavens, and started the bright moon?" "Then all these things are but footprints of the Creator. They are the sign that there is a Creator, and that he has been here. See this ice-plant that I hold—man could never have made it; see all the glistening grass; hear all the chirping birds—man did not and could not make them; and they are all simple 'footprints' of the great Creator, to prove to us that there is a good and great God, whom we love, worship, and obey. Do you understand?" "Yes, father, I understand very well now, and I thank you for teaching me that lesson." TEMPERANCE PACKAGES.
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SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Oakland, Cal. The Insecurity and Unsatisfying Character of Riches
TWO THINGS ought to be strongly impressed upon the young people of our country: The insecurity of riches even when acquired, and their unsatisfying character. There is no fallacy so universally cherished as the notion that wealth is surely a means of happiness. The care of a large property is one of the most burdensome of earth's trusts. The only material good which comes from any estate is to be made out of a moderate income far more easily than a large one, and with fewer attendant disadvantages. Few thoughtful men would undergo the entire stewardship of a large estate on a positive bargain that they should receive no more for taking care of it than ordinarily falls into the lap of the owner. The scramble after wealth is due to a wrong estimate of good when it is gained.—Sel. Why Gaddest Thou About So Much?
THERE is a class of persons in this world, by no means small, whose prominent peculiarity is whining. They whine because they are poor, or, if rich, because they have not health to enjoy their riches; they whine because they have no luck, and others' property exceeds theirs; they whine because some friends have died and they are still living; they whine because they have aches and pains, and they have aches and pains because they whine; they whine, no one knows why. Now, a word to the whining persons: First, stop whining; it is of no use complaining, fretting, finding fault, and whining. Why, you are the most deluded set of creatures who ever lived! Do you know that it is a well settled principle of physiology and common sense that these habits are more exhausting to nervous vitality than almost any other violation of physiological law? And do you know that life is pretty much as you make it? You can make it bright and sunshiny, or you can make it dark and shadowy. This life is meant only to discipline us—to fit us for a higher and purer state of being. Then stop whining and fretting, and go on your way rejoicing.—Sel. —Freemasonry, the world over, embraces 14,160,543 members. —A German firm has received an order from England for 150,000,000 postal cards. —The cholera holds its own in Paris. There are daily from twenty to fifty deaths from it. —Three hundred arrests have been made in connection with the latest attempt to murder the Czar. —Six hundred employes of the Singer Sewing Machine Company, at Elizabeth, N. J., have been discharged. —Petroleum has been struck within the corporate limits of Ukiah, Cal., at a depth of sixty feet. The oil is clear and burns readily. —The king of the Belgians has been so prostrated by political excitement in his kingdom that his doctors fear he has become insane. —The Poor authorities of Paris say that they will be compelled to give assistance to more than 400,000 people the coming year. —The United States Supreme Court has decided that the underwriters are not liable for property in Richmond destroyed during the war. —An advertisement in Paris for a bank clerk brought in no less than 6,000 applications, although the position was worth only $240 a year. —The Chronicle states that there were only 387 deaths in the city of Los Angeles during the year ending October 31, 1884. Of these, 102 were consumptives, 92 of whom were recent arrivals in the city. —Joseph Cook says: "France, Germany, and England are paying five million pounds sterling ($24,200,000) a week to enable them to be in readiness to cut their neighbors' throats." —A sloop containing two white men, and nineteen Chinamen who were being smuggled into Washington Territory, was upset near Port Townsend Nov. 22 and the whole party were drowned. —About 40,000 persons are employed in Switzerland in the watch and clock trade. The Canton of Neuchatel has 13,700 artisans, who turn out annually 1,000,000 watches, valued at 50,000,000 francs. —Twenty-five leading business houses, including machine shops and printing office, were burned at Goldsboro, N. C., on the 16th. The loss was over $250,000. On the same day there was a $200,000 fire in Savannah, Ga. —All decent people will rejoice to learn that Sullivan, the pugilist, has been indicted by the grand jury of New York for prize fighting. Coupled with this will be the fear that the prize ring will prove to be more powerful than the court. —Japanese commercial houses say that the typhoon of September wrought great destruction to the Japanese rice crop. Large tracts were laid waste, and the standing grain was so tossed to and fro as to thresh out thousands of acres, and but little was left save straw. —The S. F. Chronicle says: "It has been discovered that large purchases of whisky and tobacco, made for the patients in the Butte County Hospital, have never reached the patients at all, but have been regularly gobbled by the officials constituting the Court House ring." A good thing for the patients. —A smokeless locomotive is on trial on the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad. Although it burns the poorest quality of bituminous coal, it emits only a thin, white smoke from the smoke stack. The device is not only a convenience to the traveling public, but is economical, as it secures a considerable saving in fuel. —The World says: The sugar trade is passing through one of those prolonged states of stagnation into which the market sometimes settles, and out of which it is so difficult to revive it. Prices are lower than they have been before in thirty or forty years, and while the members of the trade profess to believe in a revival of business, there are as yet few signs of improvement. —It is reported that a species of cholera is making frightful ravages in the extreme southwestern counties of Virginia, and in the portion of Kentucky adjoining. The loss of life is variously estimated at from 400 to 800. From sixty to eighty per cent. of those attacked die. The epidemic is due to the use of mineral and stagnant water, rendered necessary by the intense drought. —A company has been formed in Berlin, for the removal of trichinae from pork. The process is to pickle the pork in very hot brine, formed, in part, of muriatic acid. This, it is claimed, will kill any trichinae that may be in the meat. We should suppose that it would have the same effect on any who might eat the meat. At any rate, there is small choice, in our opinion, between worms pickled, or fried, or raw. We decline, with thanks. Publishers' Department.
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