Brussels LikeTomb at Night
Curfew Rings at Eight O'clock
and City Becomes Silent
and Dark.
CHANGED BY THE PRUSSIANS
Gayaty-Lovlng Belgians Being Pun
ished Thus for Honoring King Al
bert?Learning to 8tay at
Homo Evenings.
Berlin.?tjermun new*pupers prim a
letter from Brussels, sent by u Uerniun
resident of that elty, which glees u
graphic picture of life there uiulef
Prussian domination.
"If there. Is uny niun with n g>s>d
meigory who can think buck to 1U14
before the war und remember how
things were in Brussels at that time 1
would beg of him to resurrect In hts
mind the picture of that glorious time.
What a life that wus then I Prom
morning until night the air wus tilled
with entrancing-music coming from all
sides, and up anil dow n the boulevards
iwraded gully pressed men aud women,
laughing and chatting. Brussels
luughed. sang and danced In those
days.
Is Differsnt Now.
"What a difference now! A few daya
ogo In honor of King Albert some too
sealous patriots held a religious serv
ice ami made use of the occasion to dis
tribute manifestos not only In the
church, hut also in the streets. At the
same time they Insulted some (ieruiau
soldiers. The result wus that ttie gov- ,
eruor of Brussels placed s fine of a mil
lion murks on the clly and Issued an
EAGLE IN 3,700 MILE FLIGHT
Carried Bottle From Montana to South
America in Nine Weeka'
Journey.
Aua< oiHla, llonr.?KlftRlit of an eagle
caught and released at ("hotcalf, Mont.,
covered more than 3,700 uilles in nine
week*. according lo word received
from Luis Felipe It ul da In ttie repub
lic of Colombia.
P. B. Christian. route L, box 62, Kl
Centro, Cel., while In Chotenu on
August 10 caught a gulden eagle in
Ida lyhent field. He released the bird,
with a small bottle containing his name
and adores* the next day.
Mr. Ohcfstigii a few day* ago re
ceived a Uieeaago from Lul* Felipe
Kubia. in the republic of Colombia,
stating that ituida killed the eagle on
October-29. The eagle flew 3,700
miles front Montaua to tbe plains north
of Bogota.
When the bird was captured 51 r.
Christian planned to keep it us a pet,
but it evinced such a desire to get
away that he decided to mark it so as
to determine its habits. 51 r.-Christian
said that tip* bird was on its way
south when It landed In his field.
Due to Drink.
Chicago.?Ninety-five t*?r cent of the
cases in the court of domestic rela
tions dming 1916 were due to drink.
The court's annual report lists the
cause* us follows: Drink. 93 per
cent; other women. 3 per cent; inter
ference of mother-in-law 1 per cent;
other causes. 1 per cent.
HEADS MODERN SCHOOL
I ~Z~ 1
A new school, which will be put Into
operation next fall anil run In connec
tion with the teacher*' college of Co
lumbia university. New York, will
esAew most of the thing* that now
characterize the elementary and sec
ondary education of children and tench
only "practical" subject*.
The general education board, found
ed and endowed by John D. Rockefel
ler, has $35,000,000 at Its disposal to
devote to the new scheme of educat
ing children from six to nineteen years
of age. The new school will have no
fnrnwl discipline and teach a* little
mathematics and grammar as possible,
The no-called "culture" subjects will
be tabooed and stress will be laid
upon those subjects which will flt the
student for his life's work.
Otis W. Caldwell, now head of the
department of natural science* In the
school of education of the lodveeslty
of Chicago, will be the director of the
modern school.
REFUSE TO DON TROUSERS
British Munition Girl* Balk at Ordor to
Put on Maacullne Attire When
at Work.
London.?Munition manufacturer!
are having a difficult time of It to per
suade some of their woman worker!
to don trousers. In moat of the hip
plante the rtlle was established thai
all the woman employees should put on
mnfcullnc attire to minimise the dan
f er. .
%
urderMbat all cufea ami concert ha I la
inuHt be closed at eight o'clock In tie*
evening and that the merry Belgians
must go to bed ut half-past eight. This
la u hard blow to citizens who so much
enjoy night life.
"Aftej; eight o'clock at night Brus
sels la as ailent ami as dark aa a tomb.
The only sound heard Is the heavy
tread of the Prussian soldiers on pa
trol duty. A few Gertnau restaurant*
have permission to remain open until
midnight, and for the benefit of their
patrons, the main street car line can
run a ear once an hour.
"While many look u|s?n this as a
Joke, It hus Its tragte side, for thou
sands who made their living at ulglit
working in the vurlous places of umuse
ntent are now without a position. How
ever, citizens of Brussels are resource
ful, and instead of enjoying themselves
in the evening they now do their own
singing, drinking ani dancing In the
afternoon. The theaters all have mati
nee performances and the cafes and
dunce halls do a big business in the aft
ernoon. The closing down of all them*
resorts after eight o'clock In the eve
ning has no doubt had Its good effect In
the family circle, for many a good wife
now has the pleasure of having her
husband home with her In the evening
?something that never happened foe
fore. The order also hus stimulated
reading of good literature aud the vari
ous libraries have never hud so many
calls for books.
City Like a Tomb.
"But. Joking uslde, Brussels Is like a
tomb. Rave for the fumble of distant
guns on the Soinme, a walk through the
streets after dark Is like walking In a
cemetery. Only a German cuu be out
after eight o'clock, and even he must
foe ready to give a good account of hiin
^CUBS HER PLAYMATES
? ?,
imossisbbbbbhwbbbbwwbhbbii
Mlss liitn (jilinore and three fU-j
weeks-old lion culm, pilot ogm plied '
during a "frolic.- "Cuts and dog* are 1
! tauie' playmate* compared with these
; pets," say? Miss (Jllmore, who plays ;
with the cubs dally. "There Is Juiit
enough of the 'wild* left in them to !
inuke them Interesting."
self. Occasionally the rumble of sup- I
{ ply ami Hiuinuhitton wagons going to |
| the front Is heusd In the streets, and ;
, they look like specter* as they diflap- !
i pear In the fog of the night. A few
i nights ago a Zeppelin passed over the
city, and her propter* made su< h a
noise that they awoke nearly the uhole
| city. Almost every window lo the city
was opened and faces were seen peer
ing out into the darkness, hut the Zep
pelin quickly disappeared. Then the 1
Jdty went to sleep again."
FRENCH GENERAL AT ITALIAN FRONT
I
General Uourautl of lb(? French staff and Kiug Victor Emmanuel on the j
Italian front. The king <s pointing out an Austriun position.
i . 1
Canadians Raid German Dugout
* _ j
First Learned Enemy's Language
Says Correspondent of
London Times.
PREPARE WITH GREAT CARE
Affair Moves on With Unfaltering Pre
cision?Judgment of Officers
Formed by Guesswork From
Airplane Photographs.
London.?A Times correspondent
; with the British army in the field
writes the following description of a
raid on German trenches made on the
Soinme front:
A full account of the ruid made by
Canadians on the German lines near
I Csionne on January 17 serves to show
that the raid,, though soon over, re
ceived much care from the staff offi
cers and the men who carried it out.
The Canadian lads were set to study
ing the German language and acquired
some phrases, such as "Bans" and
! another phrase explaining that if the
Germans stayed down they must ex
pect the worst immediately.
Our men hate the necessity of
bombing deep dugouts, full of the
frightened ifficmy. but the time is short
i and bombing Is necessary if orders are
: not obeyed at once. A modest Canu
? dian officer said he called down one
dugout six times, shouting in German
011 this occasion.
Burned Battalion Orders.
"I didn't want to bomb," he said.
"I knew the number below. Every time
I shouted n voice replied, "Yes," In
good English. At Inst out came a
German company commander, a ser
geant major, with four others. He
apologized for delaying and said he
had been burning the battalion orders.
Ho bad only Just time euough."
Three men were detailed to stay be
hind and when the German wire was
reached to cut paths. It happened that
I our guns made a beautiful mess of
I that wire. Nevertheless these three
1 cut the tangle;into short lengths and
the shorter boys went over nt eight In
' the morning. After an active walk of
i four minutes the flgsf waves of raiders
was at the tirst line. In 20 minutes the
? second Hue was reached. The affair
moved with unfaltering precision. The
The Dally Sketch has born printing
Interviews with the pioneer* among
, the "trousers wenrtng women" as an
inducement to (he hold-outs to Join
the movement.
"Some of the girls," says this paper,
, "thought ihey would be unsexed by
donning pnntnlooo*. but they soon
, found nut that no one paid any at
, tention to them."
> Ten Days at 8ea in Small Boat
Wllleinstad, Curacao.?Three French
sailors have reached the Island of
enemy's front line had been strength*
ened and the assembly trenches man
ned with supports. Their losses were
heavier in consequence.
The Judgments of the Canadian of
ficers were formed by guesswork from
airplane photographs. All proved cor
rect. Each Canadian by consulting bis
watch recognized each particular Ger
man trench and dtd his appointed work
! till all was over. A friendly snowstorm (
i masked the homeward journey, which
began one hour after the start.
Said a German noncommissioned of- !
fleer sadly:
"If you hud only come the day be
fore you would have captured the corps
[ Commander."
The prisoners, many of them Slle- i
sians, surrendered readily. Two small
and one large ammunition dump were
blown up. The death roll inflicted was
as high as 300. including. K Is thought,
a battalion commander. We took 100 j
prisoners, several machine guns and a
trench mortar. Our casualties were .
light.
Hog Ate Pile of Scrap Iron.
Beaver Springs, Pa.?-Dory Hum- i
mell killed a hog recently that weighed j
595 pounds but puzzled all conserve- I
I tlve weight gtiessers as to where' It \
I carried the weight. When the atom* \
. ach was opened 60 ten-penny nails aftd
six pieces <>f hoop iron we re found.
? ?????????????????????to*
:: LAMPS FOR HENS so i:
jj - THEY WORK LONGER ? j
, , Nn I'erces. Idaho.?tiasoline
' ' lamps are used by Mrs. W. H. , ,
j. ? Baringer to lengthen the work- ' j
|; Ing day of her hens. Mrs. Bar- . !
| < > lnger lights the lamps at six \ |
I \ j o'clock in the morning In the ? i
| ? > winter months and keeps them ] [
i \ | lighted until 8:30 p. in. In this ? >
II ? way she says she increases the '
j 1 I egg output of her flocks. J [
11 1 Mrs. Baringer says a hen < i
j! ! can't see to scratch her dinner \ |
i ' ' out of the litter before 8 a. m. 1 1
1! i nor after 3:30 p. m? which leaves ! ,
' J Biddy only 7'/i hours for work. ' 1
I ? ? By adding to the hen's working ! !
: ; I hours. Mrs. Baringer declares, ' |
? > the efficiency of the egg-making < .
II | machine Is Increased. ' '
! < ? !
IHucn Ayre off tlx1 Venezuelan const,
in ft starving condition, lifter having
been ?t sen ten days In a small lioot,
bringing with them the bod} of one
inun who hud died. They belonit to
the crew of the French armored cruiser
Jeanne d'Arc, stationed nt Martinique,
nnd were carrfed off In their bout by
the current.
A French phonograph fnr teaching
language displays printed words nnd
phrases on oni side as their vomids
| are produced by Its disks.
JN mcJirimGirr
AN ACCOMPLISHED EMPRESS
I ? ? ? 1
Zlta, flie new empress of Austria
Hungary. from her early days has been
studious and la an accomplished mu
sician and well versed In literature, his
tory and philosophy. She also Is fond
of society and Is a graceful dancer.
Empress Zita was born in the Vil
la lieale at Planore In the Italiun
province of Lucca. May 9. 1802, the
daughter of Duke ltobert and Duchess
Maria Antoinette of Parma. She is
of Bourbon descent. Her early train
ing was In the hands of the Marquise
Delia Uosa.
Later she entered a convent at
Zangbert, where she presided now and
then as organist in the chapel.
After her father's death. Princess
Zita in 1008 spent some time In the
Ityde convent, isl*? of Wight, where
her sister, Princess Adelaide, is a nun.
Here, among the French sisters who
had been compelled to leave France
owing 10 me cnurvn reiorni law, sne
studied music, literature. Latin, history and philoKophy. Princess Zlta made '
the.acquaintance of Archduke fharles Francis at Franzenshad. Bohemia, in
the spring of 1909, while the guest of the Archduchess Marie Annunziatu, her
cousin.
I - 1 1 1 1 " I
SECOND RICHEST AMERICAN
W. A. Clark, former United States
senator from Montaua .and mine king
of the West, is believed to be fast over- ,
hauling John I). Rockefeller, oil king. 1
as the richest man in America. War j
prices ou metal have enormously In
creased Clark's fabulous income. One
difference between Clark and Itockefel
ler is that Clark's holdings are in his
own name. His Intimates declare he
could raise $100.000,l>00 in cash In 24
hours and that he probably Is the only
man in the United States who can.
Clark started his career as a hull
team driver in Montana and as a ped
dler of spices, baking powders and oth
er household supplies In the early days
of Butte, Mont. He was |n on the tlrst
whack ut the "billion-dollar hill" In
Butte. At seventy-six years of age he
owns extensive mining operations' In
Montana, Arizona, California, Michi
gan, oil properties in Montana and tie
Salt Lake railroad line from Butte to !
Los Angeles. United Verne. the Arizona copper nunc iar wmcn uurk re- f
nntly refused an offer of $75,(tOO.tHM), Is paying $2,000,000 a month. His
I'.utte propertiet, though comparatively small, yield enormous wealth. Every
day he receives a telegraphic report of what is done on each of his properties
and thus he keeps posted on all operations.
Clark is not close with his funds.' He owns a $15,0t10.000 houie in Xew
York city and u $10,000,000 chateau in'Varts, the adopted home of his children.
BABY OF THE SENATE |
"Joe" Wolcott of Delaware, who
defeated Col. Henry A. du Pont last
fall for the senate. Is the "baby" of the
upper house.
Kightly his name is not "Joe;" It
Is Josiah Oliver Wolcott, and he comes
of an old family. In his veins flows
the spirit of colonial times, the tradi
tions of the plantation, the love of
public service.
If there be such a thing as a real
American type it is represented in this
youngest member of the United States
senate. Down in Delaware there is lit
tle of whet is called -"foreign influ
ence," and in the quiet town of Dover,
where he was born, affairs have run
along in the same channel for years
and years, untouched by ideas brought
by recent comers. It is the old type
of Americanism that he represents.
Josiah Oliver Wolcott was born in
Dover in 1877. Ilis father, James L.
WaImiO <?)->!? n/-<?])or nf Hut efntA /if
Delaware. His mother was Mary Mills Goodwin. Woleott went to the public
schools, and In 1800 came out of Wilmington Conference academy and went to
Wesleyan university, at Middletown, Conn.
He had to work his way through the university, but g t his degree In 1900
and went hack to Dover to study law. He became a good trial lawyer and a
good talker. He was made a deputy attorney geueral by Andrew C. Gray In
1900. In 1912 he was elected attorney general of the state, running ahead of
the ticket.
It is no small thing to be the youngest senator of these United States.
Luke Lee of Tennessee consented not to go hack this time, so that his youth
will not Interfere with Woleott'a claims to the baby seat. And Senator Wads
worth is just a month and a half older than Wolcdtt.
SHERMAN LELAND WHIPPLE
? Sherman Lcland Whipple, the 1V>*
ton lawyer who was selected by tlm ;
house committee on rules to conduct
the "leak" investigation regarding Pres
ident Wilson's peace letter, has long
been regarded as one of the ablest and
most astute lawyers before the courts
of Massachusetts.
For nearly 23 years Mr. Whipple
lias had the reputation of being one of
the shrewdestVmemhers of his profes
sion. As a cmss-examlner, he Is looked
upon by benAh and bar alike as having
few equals nio^noisuperiors.
Mr. WhippleTs^lh the prime of life. !
being fifty-five years old. New Hamp
shire born and bred, he was educated
I at Yale, graduating in 1881, before he
was twenty years old. After teaching
for a year he returned to Yale and
graduated from the law school In 1884.
Mr. Whipple has made several
speeches and addresses on the subject
" " nf reforming the courts ncrorc piumc i
bodies and hnr associations of late. The administration of the crlinlnal laws,
Mr. Whipple contends, Is a dlsgruce to the country. He suys It Is archaic.
He takes the ground that the guilty man should not he shielded and that a
lawyer Is not Justified In so doing. He goes ao far as to say that If a ninn
confesses his guilt to n lawyer a lawyer ought to go Into court antl Inform the
Judge. He predicts that the time will come when trials will be conducted I
to further Justice and not cheat It.
TAKEN FROM EXCHANGES
Rich vein* of 7.1 nc lire suld to exist
Id all parts of Japan.
More than 00,000 Japanese make
their home In !Iatvalt.
Farming and pig rearing were the
ataple Industries of Serbia.
Relglmn's population at the outbreak
of the war was 7.700,000.
The caterpillar tread principle lias
been applied to a raft of English
Invention tHat Is Intended to travel
over the softest ground. ,
I
In Assam an oath la taken standing j
within a rope circle, to Imply a wish
to perish as the rope does If the wit- j
ness doe* not tell the truth. ;
The commerelnl failures In Argen
tina in the first half of 1010 show lia
bilities of less than one-half those of j
aninf period of 1015 and one-fourth
th6s<^)ttl914.
Horselfclr cushions as seats for avi
ators haw been found by British air
men to counteract the vibration of
thpir machines and to make the use of
magnetic compasses feasible
imbmtional
sums*
Lesson
(By K. i>. 8RLLEK8. Aclimc IMwtnr ol
nunoay K< imoi Course of Moody PIble
Institute.)
(Copy right. 1917. V.>?trrn ts< wipap) r l'(llon t {
LESSON FOR FEBRUARY 25
JESUS AT POOL OF BETHESDA.
I.KSSON TKX1 -John 5:1-15.
(JOl-KKN reXT^I! J..im whlcl. |
l;a*l made him whole.?John i;tt,
Following Hi* events o( Sun- ;
day's lesson, Jesus went to Jerusalem ,
to utteiul (lie feast (v. 1). He went up
according to the requirements of the
Jewish luw (Ex. 34:23; see (Jul. 4:4).
hut he was not satisfied' with the con
ventional fulfilling of the duties for
ilmt occasion, nor was he occupied
with social and commercial functions
hut in "going about doing good." The !
feast was nn occasion ??f Joy and mirth i
ou every ham!, hut la the midst of it
Is this greut need so graphically pic
tured In this lesson. How true this Is
to our daily experience. Teachers
should appeal to the Imagination of
their scholar* mid describe us vividly
as |H>sslhlo this |h*?1. Let them depict
a room, on the floor of which is a pool;
In one corner of the room a stairway
leading up to the ceiling; surrounding
the room, at the top of the wall n
broad walk; ou the wall, looking down
toward the floor and the pool is "a
multitude of them thut were blind, halt
and withered." These were the
wretched ones who sought the pool,
and-Evidently Jesus sought the most
wretched of this company. i
1. Jesus went where there was need
(v. tf). In the midst of this company j
Jesus "saw" this man lie. He had been
there often (v. 7), and his ease seemed
to be beyond all hope, but there is
nothing too hard for (Jod (Gen. 18:14; (
Jer. 32:17).
II. Jesus throws the responsibility
upon the man (v. 6). Jesus had eyes
not only to see need, but he also saw
God's and Ills own personal power to
relieve the need. The question Is. whu'
do we see as we Journey through life?
Are our eyes open to the great needs
of men. spiritually and morally, and
are we ft ware of the resources whirl:
God has placed ut our dlspomtl to meet
these fundamental needs ??f men?
III. Jesus was moved with compas
sion ("Matt. 14:14). He always has that
feettnj when he h?oks upon suffering
and the misfortunes of men (Ileh.
13:8; 4:15-16; Isa. 63:0). Jfsus does
not do for the man what the man can
do for himself; so lie makes his (lrst
appeal to the man's desire ami; through
his desire, to the mail's will, "Wilt thou
he made whole?" The fact that he has
been a long time In his nrediennient. or
the fact Unit a sinner has been a long
tiiue in an evil state is no reason for
sup|K>sinK that Jesus will not take In
terest in him or that he cannot save
and help and heal him (Mutt. 0:21;
Luke 8:43; Acts 3:2). His question
throws tire whole matter uj>on the will
of the mun. Jesus is willing and able;
the only question Is, are we willing?
(Itev. 22-17). The only thing that keep*
men from enjoying eternal life Is their
personal attitude toward God (John
5:40). Jesus did not ask the man If
he would he made better, but if lie
would be made whole. He does not
wish to make the sinner better, but to
make him whole.
IV. Jesus commands the impossible.
The man thought the oi\ly way he
could lie made whole was! through the
efficiency of the waters In this pool,
hut Jesus, by speaking a word, had
the power that would heal him (I*s.
107:20); so today It |s the power of
the word of Christ that can save all
who believe on him (Uoin. 1:16). AH
we have to do to live is to hear and
believe (John 5:24). With the com
mand of Christ, "Uise, take up thy
bed," was enabling power. The cure
was not only complete, hut it was In
stantaneous (Acts 3:7,8).
V. He worked a complete cure. He
was mude whole even according to the
question which Jesus had asked at the
outset. The man at once began to use
tliis Christ-given strength by taking up
his bed, and doing exactly as hi' was
commanded (11 Tim. 3:12). Jesus
likes these hard cases, those of "long
standing" (v. 5). He also likes those
that are the results of siu, for that was
Ids work in the world (v. 14; Matt.
1:21).
VI. Opposition and danger (vv. ltK
15). The objection raised was that Je
sus had transgressed the Jewish law.
The man's answer to this was, "He
hath made me whole." The word of
Hod is our law (Matt. 17:5). The
strength that Jesus gives us is to he
used in obedience to him In glorifying
Ills name. The man did not tell the
Jews who it was that made him whole,
because he did not know Aid mself; hut
as soon as lie found oyU^vho it was he
told them without feur or hesitancy.
He did not even wait for them to ask
him, hut sought un opportunity for
witnessing (v. 15). Any man who is
truly saved will at once give his wit
ness to others. The admonition which
Jesus gave to this man (v. 14) still
holds good. I|/i\v many men we have
seen who have been sayed from the
drink habit or some other mil In life,
and who have gruwu indifferent or
careless and returned to their sin only
to have "a worse thing come unto
them." It is interesting to notice that
Jesus performed this miracle in the
face of great opposition and danger.
The Jews (v. Id) sought to slay Itltu
for having thus violated their law.
They gave more thought to his disre
gard of their traditions than they did
to his deed of goodness on behalf of
this unfortunate man. Many today are
so occupied with the violations of con
ventionalities or the disregard pome
good man has for the traditions >f po
lite society as to overlook the benefi
cent work Hod may do through him.
There are many today who ure
greater sticklers for the religious
traditions of the eliureh than they are
to see the sinful,, the sorrowing and
the nee<ly ones relieved, and many of
ihese. like those undent Jews, are
murderers ut heart.
1 *
| Rejoicing in 1
Temptation|
j By REV. W. W. KETCHUM 1
j Director of the Practical Work Cour*c. |J{
Moody Bible Institute, Cfucago
TKXT- My brethren, count It all Joy
whtn je fall Into divers temptations.?
James 1:2.
This la rather a struutfe exhortation.
Is It not? Joy U not usually ummm'I
_ utetf lu our n>iu<ls
with temptation;
it more seemly
Wort! would ap
|M*ur to he, count
It till Morrow.
It will help to
understand this
exhortation If ne
know what i*
meant by tempta
tion, and
find out, perhaps
we shall see that
there is a real
value attached to
such an experi
ence.
V... ?k? kua*
.'<rw uir w
way to understand a Biblical term I*
to study the way in which It is used
in the Bible. So we may urrive at the
meaning of temptation by a study of
the word in the New Testament.
In the ninth chapter of the Acts, the
twenty-sixth verse, we read: "And
when he was come to Jerusalem, h?
ussayed to Join himself to the disciples
and they were all afraid of him, not
believing he was a disciple.'* This ref
1 erence is to Paul after his conversion.
The word translate*] "assayed" is our
word "tempted." Ilere .lt means that
Paul endeavored or tried to jolu him
self to the disciples.
Turning to the Revelation, chapter
two, verse two, wo road: "Thou ha*t
triod thorn that say they are apostle*
and are not and found them liars."
This timo our word is translated
"tried" and moans to try In the sense
j <?f testing to uscertuin the quality; as
i for example, metals are tried. In this
same sense the word is used of our
' Lord when we read: "For in that he
himself hath suffered being tempted,
ho is able to stucor them that ore
tempted." (Heh. 2:18.) That is. our
Lord's steadfast new or moral quulity
was tried; it stood the test and he
< atjse It did, he is able to deliver the
? tempted. ~
Christ's experience in the wilderness
! helps us to understand thivt . tempta
tion may he an endeavor to druw one
away from virtue by suggestion to sin.
This is probably the common idea of
the word. Yet, it by no means com
prehends all there is in the experience
| chide from our study that anything
which tries or proves one as to hi*
ehuracter, his faith, his steadfastness,
whether it be a testing under trial or
n solicitation to do evil. Is a tempta
tion. /
It will help us further if we consid
er some of the forms temptation may
take. ^
Paul in his epistle to the Galatians
(4:14) speaks of his temptation in the
flesh. Whatever that was. It was some
sort of a serious bodily ailment, for In
i lie verse preceding he says: "Through
infirmity of the flesh I preached the
gospel unto you," Well, we say, what
is there in physical suffering to canse
a child of God to rejoice? No doubt
about the fuct that u physical ailment
tests Christian character, but where
does rejoicing come in? Lot us revert
again to Paul, who tells us he be
sought the I^ord thrice to remove his
thorn In the flesh. God instead of do
i ing It. said: "My grace is sufficient
j for thee." And Paul by physical suf
fering. learned what lie could not learn
in any other way, the sweetness and
sufficiency of God's grace.
Only today I met n frieud who had
been sick. He said to me: "When I
"was sick I had the best time I ever
had In my life. I was so happy; the
U>rd w as very near"and precious." He,
you see, was rejoicing been use he ex
perienced what many a suffering child
! 1 ins?the nearness and preclonsnes* of
i God.
Outward circumstances like the fiery
trials IVter speaks of (I IVter 4:12)
may he the temptation of sotne,
hut few in these days suffer severe
' persecution; hut how many do know
| what real adversity and affliction are.
the loss of a. loved one. position, prop
I erty? How Van they rejoice? Hut
I they do. as ijknow. I have seen them
| smiling through the tears; I have
| heard them say: "Bless God, It's nil
! right." And as they drew a fresh
! supply from the fountain of his, grace,
1 have heard them sing with new
meaning and power, "Praise God from
whom all blessings flow." One whom
1 knew well, who suffered more .se
verely than most men, said to me.
when I offered my sympathy; "If I
had my choice of freedom or trial such
as I have passed through, knowing
what I now do of God and his grace, I
would choose trial." He. too, you see,
rejoiced in that he had fallen into
temptation and his testimony makes
the reason for his rejoicing obvious,
! There, are. indeed, some paths we must
! travel if we are to know God.
How many of us think of prosj?onty
( ms temptation? Yet the word says:
i "They that will be rich, fall Into tepij?
' ration." I sometimes think that noth
! ing so tests Christian character aa
j prosperity. Many a Christian has ship
wrecked his life spiritually on proa
! |>erlty's rock. IIC prospered and thea
j lie forgot God ; he forgot the Bible; he
i forgot to pray; he forgot the church;
I and today, though wealthy, he is a
? spiritual derelict. \
Well, you say. "t could rejoice in
I the temptation < f riches if 1 couhl la
no other." 1 ciui understand ymir say
ing that, for we all desire ut least to
pros|M>r. But. oh. the danger in pros
perity of leaving God out of our Ufa.
Beware! Prosperity Is not an easy
temptation. So fearful was Christ that
his |>eopie would not endure it that he
warned them, saying: 4<IIow hardly
?shall they that have rlctiea entfcc *****
the kingdom of Oo<LH
\ V