Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, Cal. · Aug 10, 1882
General Articles.
By Ellen G. White
Victory at Michmash.
BY MRS. E. G. WHITE.
THE energy and military skill displayed by Saul in the victory at Jabesh-gilead were extolled by the whole nation. In their enthusiasm the people forgot that he was but the agent by whom the Lord had wrought for their deliverance. And though at first the king ascribed the glory to God, he afterward took honor to himself. When first called to the throne, he was humble and self-distrustful; but success made him self-confident, and ere long he was guilty of presumption and sacrilege, in offering the unbidden sacrifice at Gilgal.
The same blind self-confidence led him to reject Samuel's message of reproof. Saul acknowledged Samuel to be a prophet sent from God. Hence he should have accepted the reproof, even though he could not himself see that he had sinned. Such a course, showing a willingness to be set right, would have gone far to re-instate him in the favor of God. But Saul endeavored to vindicate his own course, and blamed the prophet, instead of condemning himself.
There are to-day many who pursue a similar course. Like Saul, they are blinded to their errors. When the Lord seeks to correct them, they receive reproof as insult, and find fault with the one who brings the divine message.
Had Saul been willing to see and confess his error, this bitter experience would have proved a safeguard for the future. He would afterward have avoided the mistakes which called forth divine reproof. But feeling that he was unjustly condemned, he would, of course, be likely again to commit the same sin.
The Lord would have his people, under all circumstances, manifest implicit trust in him. Although we cannot always understand the workings of his providence, we should wait with patience and humility until he sees fit to enlighten us. We should beware of taking upon ourselves responsibilities which God has not authorized us to bear. Men frequently have too high an estimate of their own character or abilities. They may feel competent to undertake the most important work, when God sees that they are not prepared to perform aright the smallest and humblest duty.
Saul was in disfavor with God, and yet unwilling to humble his heart in penitence. He desired to devise some plan by which to establish more firmly his royal authority, as well as to revive the courage of the people. What he lacked in real piety, he would endeavor to make up in pretension and display. Saul was familiar with the terrible history of Israel's defeat when the ark of God was brought into the camp by Hophni and Phinehas; and yet, knowing all this, he determined to send for the sacred ark and its attendant priests.
With a spirit of exultation he enters upon the accomplishment of his plans. He hopes to inspire the hearts of Israel with fresh courage, to re-assemble his scattered army, and to vanquish the Philistines. He will now dispense with Samuel's presence and support, and thus free himself from the prophet's disagreeable criticisms and severe reproofs. He feels that Samuel does not rightly appreciate the position and authority of a king, and hence does not treat him with proper respect. He expects that Ahiah the priest will be awed by royal dignity, and will readily yield to the king as to a superior.
The Holy Spirit had been granted to Saul to enlighten his understanding and soften his heart. He had received faithful instruction and reproof from the prophet of God. And yet how great his perversity! The history of Israel's first king presents a sad example of the power of early wrong habits. In his youth, Saul did not love and fear God; and that impetuous spirit, not early trained to submission, was ever ready to rebel against divine authority.
The lesson is one which all would do well to ponder. Men cannot for years abuse the noblest powers which God has them for his service, and then, when they choose to change, find these powers fresh and free for an entirely opposite course. Those who in early life cherish a sacred regard for the authority of God, and who faithfully perform the duties of their position, will be prepared for higher service in after years. If we would conquer in the battle of life, we must take counsel of infinite wisdom, first and last and always.
Saul's efforts to inspire the people with hope and courage proved unavailing. Finding his force reduced to six hundred men, he left Gilgal, and retired to the fortress at Geba, so lately taken from the Philistines. This stronghold was situated on the south side of a deep, rugged valley, or gorge, a few miles north of the site of Jerusalem. On the north side of the same valley, at Michmash, the Philistine force lay encamped, while detachments of troops went out in different directions to ravage the country.
On the one hand was a little company of almost unarmed men, on the other, vast numbers of well-drilled troops, with their thirty thousand chariots of iron. What marvel that the hearts of the men of Israel were filled with fear! God had permitted matters to be thus brought to a crisis, that he might rebuke the perversity of Saul, and teach his people a lesson of humility and faith.
Jonathan, the king's son, a man who feared God, was chosen as the instrument to deliver Israel. Moved by a divine impulse, he proposed to his armor-bearer that they should make a secret attack upon the enemy's camp. "It may be," he urged, "that the Lord will work for us; for there is no restraint to the Lord to work by many or by few."
The armor-bearer, a man of faith and prayer, encouraged the design, and together they withdrew from the camp of Israel, secretly, lest their purpose should be opposed as presumptuous. With earnest prayer to the Guide of their fathers, they agreed upon a sign by which they might determine how to proceed. Then passing down into the gorge separating the two armies, and which here stretched out to half a mile in width, they silently threaded their way, under the shadow of the cliff, and partially concealed by the mounds and ridges of the valley. Approaching the Philistine fortress, they were revealed to the view of their enemies, who said tauntingly, "Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they have hid themselves," then challenged them, "Come up, and we will show you a thing," meaning that they would punish the two Israelites for their daring.
This challenge was the token which Jonathan and his companion had previously agreed to accept as evidence that the Lord would prosper their undertaking. Passing now from the sight of the Philistines, and choosing a secret and difficult path, the warriors made their way to the summit of a cliff before deemed inaccessible, and therefore not very strongly guarded. Thus they penetrated the enemy's camp, and slew the sentinels, who were so overcome by surprise and fear as to offer no resistance.
The whole army was seized with consternation, which was increased by an earthquake miraculously occurring at the same time. The Philistines imagined that a vast army was upon them, and in their confusion they began to slay one another.
Soon the noise of the battle was heard in the camp of Israel. Upon inquiry it was found that none were absent but Jonathan and his armor-bearer. Saul at first desired to consult the Lord as to whether an attack should be made upon the Philistines; but the confusion among them evidently increasing, his impatient spirit could not brook delay. Marshaling his little force, he advanced against the enemy. The Hebrews who had deserted to the Philistines, now joined their fellow country-men; great numbers also came out of their lurking-places, and as the Philistines fled, discomfited, Saul's army committed terrible havoc upon the fugitives.
PRAISE HYMN.
By Harriet Auber
“O that men would therefore praise the Lord for his goodness.”
Sing praise to God who reigns above,
The God of all creation,
The God of power, the God of love,
The God of our salvation;
With healing balm my soul he fills,
And every faithless murmur stills:
To God all praise and glory.
The angel host, O King of kings,
Thy praise forever telling,
In earth and sky all living things
Beneath thy shadow dwelling,
Adore the wisdom which could span,
And power which formed creation’s plan:
To God all praise and glory.
What God’s Almighty power hath made
His gracious mercy keepeth;
By morning glow or evening shade
His watchful eye ne’er sleepeth;
Within the kingdom of his might
Lo! all is just and all is right:
To God all praise and glory.
The Lord is never far away,
But, through all grief distressing,
An ever-present help and stay,
Our peace and joy and blessing;
As with a mother’s tender hand,
He leads his own, his chosen band:
To God all praise and glory.
Thus all my toilsome way along
I sing aloud thy praises,
That men may hear the grateful song
My voice unwearied raises.
Be joyful in the Lord, my heart;
Both soul and body bear your part:
To God all praise and glory.
—Harriet Auber.
A Victim of Bad Books.
WILLIAMSON, the discharged clerk of the Department of Justice, who is accused in the Police Court of purloining valuable autograph letters from the department, is a brother of Judge Williamson of this city. He was formerly Pardon Clerk in the Department of Justice; and has been regarded by his associates as a man of more than ordinary ability. The officials in the department say that Williamson's downfall came from his passion for collecting improper books and publications. His mind became debauched from constant perusal of rare works of this character. He took to drink, and rapidly sank from one position to another, until finally he has been discharged. It is said a noted lobbyist furnished the capital for his collection of notorious books, and that he aided Williamson in gathering together a lot of curious and revolting foreign and native publications. Two months ago, it is said, Williamson sold his entire collection for $2,000 to a wealthy citizen of New York, who has a taste for forbidden literature.—San Francisco Chronicle.
Description of the Kingdom.
By J. N. Loughborough
BY ELD. J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.
"Oh! the transporting, rapturous scene
That rises to my sight!
Sweet fields arrayed in living green,
And rivers of delight."
Human language is hardly adequate to the task of setting forth the glories of the better land; for, as St. Paul says, "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him; but God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit." While here, our view of future things is "through a glass darkly, but then, face to face." As a person looking through a darkened glass at the broad sun may get a correct outline of its disc, and yet not behold its resplendent glory, so we, by giving heed to those things which God has "revealed by his Spirit," may get a view of that glorious kingdom, and yet have but little actual conception of that glory which can be better felt than told.
St. Peter says, "We, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth." From this promise recorded by Isaiah, the apostle reasons that the present heavens and earth are to be melted, and the works which are therein (the dross—sin) to be burned up. The psalmist David probably referred to the same when he said, "Yea all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed."
In his discourse on the day of Pentecost, St. Peter speaks of Christ's second coming as, "The times of restitution of all things." St. John, while in vision, on the isle of Patmos, heard a voice from him which sat upon the throne, which said, "Behold, I make all things new." David doubtless had a view of the same when he spake of the Lord's renewing the face of the earth.
We will notice the testimony of Isaiah, from which St. Peter has drawn his conclusions: "For behold I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former shall not be remembered nor come into mind." Here is the very promise to which St. Peter calls our attention. We are interested in the description this ancient prophet gives of the new earth. "I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people; and the voice of weeping shall no more be heard in her, nor the voice of crying." This agrees with St. John's view of the matter, "God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes." As expressed by the poet,
"His own soft hand shall wipe the tears
From every weeping eye."
When this is accomplished, the people will not still be left with sadness in their hearts. Nay, verily, for "What God doeth, he doeth it forever." The Lord wipes away tears by removing forever from among his people every cause of grief. When our Saviour tells us that God shall wipe away all tears, he immediately assigns the reason, "And there shall be no more death, neither shall there be any more pain." Yes,
"Pains, and groans, and griefs, and fears,
And death itself shall die."
But Isaiah continues his description, "There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed." "No more thence," from the time the new earth state is brought in, "an infant of days [a short-lived child], or an old man who hath not filled his days [premature old age]. The latter clause speaks of death, and cannot therefore apply in the new earth, for St. John says of that state, "There shall be no more death." The death, then, must apply to what transpires just as that state is being ushered in. The fire that purifies the earth is called by St. Peter, "The perdition of ungodly men." It is the sinners that then die the second death. His age will not save him. Being an hundred years old he shall nevertheless be accursed.
In those early ages of our world, when men attained to eight and nine hundred years, one who lived to be one hundred years old, was, comparatively speaking, only a child. Such an one, dying in sin, raised from the dead at the end of the thousand years, shares equally the fate of the hundred-year-old sinner of later ages; they both die the second death. The righteous only remain and enter upon the new-earth state, in which there is no death, but eternal youth, so that indeed in that state there can "be no more thence an infant of days, or an old man that hath not filled his days."
"And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat." Some object, saying, Can it be that the saints will build and plant in the new earth? It says so. Where will you apply the testimony, if you attempt to refer it to the present state? Where is the man of whom it can be said that he shall not build, and another inhabit? Men here spend their whole lives fitting up an inheritance to their taste, and just as they pronounce it fitted to their mind, they find themselves old men, die, and leave it to others.
"For as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands." As the days of what tree? I reply, The tree of life. If that be the tree referred to, then they will live forever; for God drove Adam out of the garden, lest he should put forth his hand and eat of the tree of life and live forever. In another testimony the Lord says, "With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation." How long a life would it require to satisfy a man? If his body was racked with disease, and his life made bitter by disappointment and sorrow, he might perhaps come to a point where he could say, I have lived long enough, I want to die; but if he was surrounded (as the saints will be) with everything that tended to his comfort and happiness, in a state where there was no death, no sorrow, no pain, no tears, would he be satisfied with anything short of eternal life? I think not.
In the testimony of verses 23 and 24, the prophet shows God's willingness to answer and to do for his people, and that in that time the labor of their hands shall prosper and not be brought forth for trouble. In the next verse the prophet speaks of the animals in that state, "The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock, and dust shall be the serpent's meat." This can only apply in a state where the ferocious dispositions of the wolf and lion have been changed. But, you ask, can the above apply in the kingdom of God? Are the saints to eat there? Yes. Christ ate after his resurrection. If Christ ate, why may not the saints? They are to be like him.
Angels appeared to Lot, and ate of the food he prepared. David says of the Israelites, "Man did eat angel's food." The resurrected saints are to be as angels. But our Lord has declared that the saints will eat in the kingdom. "And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." Again, "Blessed are those servants whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching; verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them." But, you may say, I did not think there were to be beasts in the kingdom of God. If the kingdom of God is to be a restitution to the primeval state, there will be beasts there. In Eden, the Lord gave man "dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth on the earth." And Micah testifies concerning Christ, "And thou, O tower of the flock, the stronghold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion." If the first dominion is given to the saints, then they will have dominion over beasts as well as the earth. That the dominion to be given to Christ, is the dominion of the earth, is confirmed by the testimony of David, "He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth." His testimony shows that there will be beasts in that renewed state. After speaking of beasts, etc., he says, "Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled; thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust. Thou sendest forth thy Spirit, they are created; and thou renewest the face of the earth." The prophet Isaiah, in the eleventh chapter of his prophecy, speaks from verses 1-5 of the "rod of the stem of Jesse," in such a manner as to show that he does not refer to any earthly monarch, for they have no way of judging, but "after the sight of the eyes," nor to reprove, except "after the hearing of the ears."
This personage is also the one who is to slay the wicked with his breath. What follows in verses 6-9, is after he has thus slain the wicked, and refers to Christ's kingdom, "The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the suckling child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice's [margin, adders] den."
Here, again, we have a description of a state when the evil dispositions of the beasts are taken away, when the mode of their living even is changed; "They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain." This is after Christ comes and subdues all his foes.
"Then bears and wolves, no longer wild,
Obey the leading child;
The lions with the oxen eat,
And dust shall be the serpent's meat."
(To be Continued.)
Feet Washing.
THE Banner and Gleaner is a radical Baptist paper published in Benton, Ill. Occasionally some of its correspondents broach the subject of feet-washing as a church duty. And the fact is divulged that some of the ministers and churches in that connection practice it. Recently a young minister wrote an article of inquiry, raised by hearing that another minister was practising it. From his letter we extract as follows:—
‘Now if it is right for one church of Christ, is it not for all churches of Christ? If it is right for one pastor to teach the church over which he has charge, is it not right for all? I am a young man just starting out, and a boy in the ministry, and it does seem to me that some of our churches do wrong. If it is not a church ordinance the church does wrong that observes it as such; and if it is a church ordinance, the church does wrong that does not observe it as a church ordinance.
‘Now Christ says in John 13:14: ‘If I then, your Lord and Master have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.’ Now what does ought mean? Webster says it means ‘fit or necessary, or should.’ It would seem from the reading of the 15th verse that he meant ‘should wash one another’s feet,’ in 14th verse. Here is the 15th, ‘For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done unto you.’ ‘That ye should do.’ It don’t say that we may do so if it comes handy and convenient, and if not we can let it alone. Sixteenth verse: ‘Verily [just as positive as it can be] I say unto you the servant is not greater than his Lord; neither is he that is sent greater than that sent him.’ Seventeenth verse: ‘If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.’ I want to ask some questions. 1. What person was speaking and acting here in these named verses? 2. What action does he perform? 3. To whom was he speaking? 4. Are the words that were used then by this person still binding on his people? 5. Were those persons to whom he was speaking, the church? 6. If this was the church, and he washed feet in the church, send me the chapter and verse when it was commanded not to be observed any longer, or when it ceased to be a church ordinance?
‘Now brethren, I want this answered. It may be that a great many will shoot at this little sketch; all I have to say is, brethren, if you do I want you to load your gun with gospel. I don’t want to know about Jewish customs, Theology, or Philosophy; but I want the word of God on feet-washing. If it is taught in the word of God, let us practice it. Now, brethren, don’t write in an unknown tongue; but write to the point and give us the Scripture. You may be honest, but that won’t make it so to my mind unless you prove it by the word of God.’
Faults in Friends and Enemies
STRANGE how quickly we can see a fault in an enemy! A friend may be all faults, but we are blind to them, while the least approach to one is so soon discerned in an enemy. For a friend we have a dozen excuses, but for an enemy not one can be invented, even though there be just cause for excuse. Poor human nature! When we possess Christ's spirit, and can really love our enemies, we shall be less likely to be so observant of their faults.
Description and History of Strasburg Cathedral and Clock.
By Stephen Nelson Haskell
BY ELD. S. N. HASKELL.
Thinking that perhaps the readers of the SIGNS might be interested in a brief description of the cathedral at Strasburg, Germany, and the wonderful clock which it contains, I will relate a few facts concerning them, which I learned while in the place. We recently passed through the city on our way to visit persons in Dresden who are interested in the truth, and while waiting for the train, visited this cathedral. In Europe it is no uncommon thing to find cathedrals and other structures which have stood for hundreds of years. Connected with these buildings there are many things of interest to every reader of history, especially those who have never visited Europe.
The spot upon which this cathedral now stands, and the buildings which have from time to time been erected upon it, have a wonderful story. Catholic tradition is fruitful in miraculous circumstances connected with their earliest history. It is said that the place has been consecrated, from times most remote, to the worship of some deity. The Celts, the first inhabitants of the country, here worshiped their god of war, and in times of great calamity offered human sacrifices. Their huts were built around this spot. After the conquest of Gaul by the Romans, a fortified town was built, and a temple erected, which was dedicated to Hercules and Mars. There may be some truth in this, for in the present cathedral there are representations in stone of both Hercules and Mars, also something to favor nearly all of the traditional stories which are told respecting the place.
For the erection of the first Christian church at this place no reliable date is given, but it is supposed to have been in the fourth century. In the sixth century it is said that Clovis erected a church upon this site. It was built of wood, with a flat roof, and supported by earthen walls. The Franks changed the name of the place from Argentoratum to that of Strasburg. The Merovigian kings granted favors to those churches founded by their predecessors. The valuable presents bestowed upon the bishopric of Strasburg enabled the inhabitants to greatly embellish and enlarge the cathedral, which was consecrated to the virgin Mary. Notwithstanding this consecration to the holy virgin, with whose statue it was adorned, and the fact that Catholic zeal has made it sacred by rich offerings and holy blessings, the earthquake, lightning, cruel wars, and devastating fires have may times made its rebuilding and repairing necessary. In 873 it was destroyed by fire. In 1002 it was plundered and set on fire by the soldiers of Hermann, the Duke of Suabia. In 1007 a thunderbolt accomplished its destruction. In 1015 the old foundation was removed; and after digging to the depth of five fathoms, stakes were driven, and the places between them filled with clay mixed with lime, fragments of brick, and coal. It is said that, in the construction of this church, two hundred thousand men were employed, who, supposing that they were working for the salvation of their souls, carried the enterprise forward with great rapidity. Notwithstanding this, it was one hundred years before they reached the roof. In 1113, 1140, 1142, 1150, it was more or less injured by fire, and in 1176 the destruction was completed. It was, with the exception of the towers, rebuilt by Conrad, of Litchenburg, in 1275. The following year he laid the brick for a tower with his own hands. A quarrel arising concerning his trowel, one man was killed, which was considered a bad omen. In 1279, 1289, and 1291, it was partially destroyed by earthquakes, and in 1298 by another fire. In 1365, the north tower was repaired and completed. Three years later it was again struck by lightning. In 1384, another fire destroyed the organ, but did little other damage. In the years 1540, 1555, 1568, 1624, and 1625, it was struck by lightning, from which it received much injury. In 1654, the spire upon which was the virgin Mary was destroyed by lightning. In 1728, it was shaken by another earthquake, and in 1759, injured by lightning. In 1870, the roof was riddled by shells, and taking fire, was much injured.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT BUILDING.
The height of the inclosure is ninety-six feet; the height of the tower is four hundred and thirty-three feet; the length of the building is three hundred and eighty feet; width, one hundred and thirty-five feet. The roof is supported by two rows of massive pillars inside of the building. There are a number of rooms in the building, and many rich paintings, some of which represent apostles, others represent eminent personages both good and bad. Purgatory and hell are also vividly represented. In this scene the virgin Mary and Christ stand waiting to rescue the souls of deceased persons, in answer to the prayers of their friends; but as these prayers are not received, the poor souls are plunged into the lake of fire.
When the devout worshipers are disabled in an arm, hand, or any part of the body, they have that portion carved and hung up in the presence of the Virgin, who holds the Saviour in her arms. Candles are then lighted. The object of this is to remind the Virgin and her Son of their sufferings, so that they will pity and relieve them. We saw many representations of portions of the body suspended for this purpose. Services are performed in the cathedral every day.
There are six Mosaic windows on one side of the building, which cost $30,000 each. Those on the other side are in imitation of these costly ones.
THE STRASBURG ASTRONOMICAL CLOCK.
This is said to be the most wonderful clock in the world. Traces of it are found in Strasburg as far back as 1352. The present clock is not the original one, but similar to it. Some of its parts have been perfected by modern science, while other portions remain the same. In 1547, the construction of this clock was entrusted to three men; Michael Herr, Christian Herlin, and Nicholas Pruguer, who immediately commenced the work, but died leaving it to be done by others. It was not until 1836 that this clock was brought to its present state of perfection. This was accomplished by Mr. Schuilgue, a watchmaker of Strasburg, who devoted four years to the work. In the lower portion of the clock is a large dial twelve feet in diameter, which indicates all the variable holy days, regulating itself each leap-year, also during the last day of each year for the coming year. Upon this dial is also given the day of the month and of the year, the hands making a circuit once a year. In front of this is a globe which revolves upon its axis each twenty-four hours, and which, like the earth, makes a complete revolution once a year. This, in connection with the dial, shows each season in its turn. Above this is seen the moon in its different phases, corresponding to its appearance in the heavens. Taken together it is an ecclesiastical computation, a planetarium representing the revolution of the planets, the phases of the moon, the eclipses of the sun and moon calculated from the most remote times.
There is also above this a dial indicating the exact time of day, under which is an opening in the framework of the clock. In this opening there appears each day a vehicle drawn by two animals, representing the god which has been worshiped on each respective day. On Sunday, the sun appears in a golden chariot, on Monday, the moon, and so on through the week. Sitting on each side of the clock dial is an angel, one of whom holds a hammer with which he strikes the hour; the other an hour-glass, which he turns over when notified by the threading of the bell. Above the moon is another opening in the framework, in the center of which appears each quarter of an hour a representation of one of the four periods of life around which childhood, youth, and old age are represented as passing.
At a quarter past each hour the representation of childhood appears in the center, and a child comes out of one side of the opening, strikes the bell, and passes on. At the end of the next quarter, a figure appears representing youth, and a youth comes out from the same place, strikes the bell and disappears. At the close of another quarter of an hour manhood is represented in the same manner, and at the close of the hour grim death appears in the center with his scythe to cut down life, while an old man, bent with age, appears on the scene; grim death strikes the bell, the hour glass turns in the hands of the angel below, and age passes from the scene. This occurs every hour, forcibly reminding the beholder of the shortness of life and the certainty of death.
Above all this there is still another opening in the clock frame. In the center above is a figure representing Christ. At the stroke of twelve each noon, the twelve apostles following each other from the right hand side of the opening, pass before Christ and bow their heads while he lifts his hands and blesses them. Perched upon a high elevation upon the left is a cock, which, while this is taking place, in a most life-like manner stretches his neck, claps his wings, and in a voice so natural as to be hardly distinguishable from that of a live bird, crows three times. It is said that this wonderful cock has been in existence, faithfully performing his work, since the fourteenth century. Whatever repairs the clock has required from time to time it has not been necessary to repair this part of the wonderful mechanism. During all these years he has been faithfully at his post, reminding visitors of the unfaithfulness of Peter in denying his Lord.
Upon the sides of the clock are sculptures representing angels, etc., which are very common in Europe. As we stood with a large number of persons listening to the clock as it struck at noon, and to the crowing of the cock, and saw "old time," with his grim features, striking the bell, the passing of old age, the turning of the hour-glass in the hands of the angel, all stood in breathless silence until the guide announced that the doors would be closed until two o'clock, deeply impressed with the moral lesson it taught.
MANY A SWEETEST MEASURE.
By Currie A. Breeze
Full many a sweetest measure
Is struck in a minor key,
And many a royal pleasure
In lowliest lives may be.
For Jesus himself oft enters
The humblest and poorest door,
And gives from exhaustless treasures
A rich and abundant store.
Pure diamonds of love and beauty,
And rubies and pearls of truth,
The joy of accepted duty,
The hope of immortal youth.
These make all the world seem brighter,
They ward off the stings of care,
And bringing unnumbered blessings
Enkindle the incense of prayer.
There's never a home so dreary
That Christ may not enter in,
And never a heart so weary
That he to joy may not win.
-Currie A. Breeze, in Golden Censer.
A Valuable Secret.
It is related of Franklin, that from the window of his office in Philadelphia, he noticed a mechanic among a number of others at work on a house which was being erected close by, who always appeared to be in a merry humor, and who had a kind and cheerful smile for every one he met. Let the day be ever so cold, gloomy, or sunless, the happy smile danced like a sunbeam on his cheerful countenance. Meeting him one day, Franklin requested to know the secret of his constant flow of happy spirits.
"It's no secret, doctor," the man replied. "I've got one of the best of wives, and when I go to work, she always gives me a kind word of encouragement, and a blessing with her parting kiss ; and when I go home, she is sure to meet me with a smile, and a kiss of welcome; and then tea is sure to be ready; and, as we chat in the evening, I find she has been doing so many little things through the day to please me, that I cannot find it in my heart to speak an unkind word, or to give an unkind look to anybody."
And Franklin adds:—
"What an influence, then, hath woman over the heart of man, to soften it, and make it the fountain of cheerful and pure emotions. Speak gently then; a happy smile, and a kind word of greeting after the toils of the day are over, cost nothing, and go far toward making home happy and cheerful."
A Missionary in Morocco
Captain Corville tells some curious stories in his book on Morocco. One, for example, is that of “a well-meaning gentleman, with more enthusiasm than brains, who made some attempts to convert the Moslems of Tangiers. His method was simply to go into the market-place, accompanied by an interpreter to translate the sacred words to the crowd. That worthy, having some respect for his own life, explained at each pause that his employer was a madman of a very pronounced type, and must on no account be molested. As the Moors have a great respect for madmen, this explanation probably saved the missionary’s life.”