THE CHARLOTTE MESSENGER
VOL. 111. NO. 48.
THE
Charlotte Messenger
IS PUBLISHED
Every Saturday,
AT
CHARLOTTE, N. C.
In tho Interests of the Colored People
of the Country.
Able and well-known writers will contrib
ute to its columns from different parts of tho
country, and it will contain the latest Gen
eral News of tho day.
The Messenger is a first-class newspaper
and will not allow personal abuse in its col
umns. It is not sectarian or partisan, but
independent—dealing fairly by all. It re
serves tho right to criticise tho shortcomings
of all public officials—commending tho
worthy, and recommending for ©lection such
men ns in itsopinion arc best suited to serve
the interests of the ]>eople.
It is intended to supply the long felt need
of n newspaper to advocate the rights and
defend the interests of the Negro-American,
especially in tho Piedmont section of the
Carolinas.
SUBSCRIPTIONS:
{Always in Advance.)
1 year - - - $1 ftO
K months - - - 100
f> months -7
4 months - 50
;; months - - - 40
Address,
W.C. SMITH, Charlotte NC,
An American who happened to see a
man murdered in Havana was detained
»en months in jail as a witness, and the
judge then decided that it was a case of 1
self-defense. Cuba, observes the Detroit ;
i'rct Prcr>s, is o'.e of the places where a
blind man gets along the best.
Drummers practice a scheme to cir
cumvent that clause of the Inter-State
law relating to charges for excess of bag
gage. When the drummer's baggage ex
ceeds 150 pounds he buys several tickets
to his place of destination. On these he
checks his baggage. Then he sells the
tickets be doesn't want, and of course he
>3 all right.
Dr. Oscar Lcnz, the eminent scientist,
has lately returned to Europe, after trav
eling od foot across the African conti
nent, through regions literally reeking
with marsh fevers, agues and smallpox.
During the entire journey he enjoyed
perfect and robust health, and on not a
single occasion felt the need of medicine,
remedial or preventive. This immunity
ho attributes almost entirely to his cor
rect diet and habits. Raw fruit he es
chewed. All water used was first boiled.
Not a drop of alcoholic liquor passed his
lips. Rice, chicken and tea formed his
staple fare. He avoided bathing in
cold water, exposed himself as little as
possible to the dews and mists of night,
and dressed entirely in flannel.
There is going to be another tota>
eclipse on August 18, and a comjiany of
astronomers nas been organized to go to
Japan and observe it. The expedition
wiil be under the auspices of the Nation
al Academy of Sciences which body also
furnishes the required funds. It will be
u m u r the charge of Professor David P.
Tc rld, Director of the Observatory at Am
herst. The instruments to be used will
be chiefly photographic, aud will be fur
nished partly by the Government, partly
by the Lick Observatory, and partly by
England. The parly will number twelve
to fifteen, two of them being photograph
er. from San I rancbco, and there will be
throe photographers from Japan. The
nation will be at Nikko, ninety miles
from Tokio.
An iron lighthouse for the Govern
meat, which is to be placed on Anclote
Key, a narrow aand strip lying between
Cedar and Tampa Keys, on the west coast
of Florida, is a skeleton light-house, 106
feet hi :h from the base to the top of the
lant n chamber. It consists of a hollow
centra! shaft six feet in diafheter, se
cured by heavy posts fastened with radial
*tmts, and stiffened by wrought-iron
diagonal tio bolts. When in position it
Wi *) have a concrete foundation four feet
f b' p and thirty-eight feet square. The
lantern chamber is reached by a spiral
inn staircase jnsidc the central shaft.
The doorways and windows are solidly
storm-proof. Just below the lantern
chamber is the watch-room, whence the
nil r pumped to the lantern. This room
** lighted by poi tholes in the floor,
solidly glazed. The lantern chamber it-
is :t marvel of the iron workers
handicraft. J* is octagonal in shape and
about ten feet hi*!i. The light and ihe
glass sides of the r lumber ere being made
in France. It took five months to con
struct the lighthouse, but the workmen
| to be vut to Florida can erect the struet-
I ure in three weeks. The light house
I will coat the Government SII,OOO, and
L wc, f;b* only seventy-five tons. It is so
rJcvf tly knit together that if the* water
w ‘l* away it* foundation it can l>e rolled
to another mting-place.
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
Sowing Grass Without Grain.
On good, moist, rich land I have had
excellent success in seeding grass in
spring, upon greensward turned over the
previous fall, and the surface thoroughly
pulverized before winter .and again made
fine and mellow before spring. By this
method grass land may be kept produc
ing full grops of grass every year without
planting. But it will need reseeding
oftener than if an occasional hoed crop
is grown. Timothy is one of the poorest
kinds of grass for spring seeding without
grain, but if sown in August it will pro
duce a full crop the next summer.
Orchard grass is n good variety for
spring seeding. A great amount of grass
seed is annually lost by sowing it in con
nection with spring or winter grain.
The grain crops being harvested in the
hottest part of the year, leave the tender
and previously shaded grass plants to be
burned up, leaf and root, by tho scorch
ing sun.— Massachusetts Farmer.
How to Feed Hoars.
Construct your troughs for feeding
hogs, says tho Live Stock Regular, of Kan
sas City, so that each hog cannot appro
priate more than a foot to himself. Have
divisions by means of small fenced yards
so arranged that at least three ’ sizes of
pigs can slip under and be divided into
three grades and each have a trough to
eat from. Now, by pouring the swill
into the troughs forthe small pigs they
will crowd into their pens first and be
out of the way of the older ones, safe,
eating. Then take the second grade, *
and they will all be on an equality and
out of the way of the still larger ones. 1
In this manner a feeder can regulate tho '
feed and grade his hogs in eating, and 1
manage a large number and have each 1
"cl a proper share of food, and not get ■
hurt. Do not undertake to raise your
hogs on grass alone. They need at least 1
one ear of corn per day to give them ’
heart and to neutralize the acid arising
from eating the grass. A full supply of
ashes and salt should be kept in reach all ,
the time. Charcoal is a great neutralizer i
of acids. Burnt cobs are good. Re- ]
member that clover is full of acid, and a i
sour stomach soon leads to disease. “An ]
ounce of prevention is worth a pound of ,
cure” in this case. ,
Destroying Annual Weeds. ]
Annual weeds may be most easily killed «
when they first show themselves above
ground in starting from the seed, and to ]
the seed, or parts of the seed, it clings !
for nourishment and support until it is :
well established. Many of the worst
weeds are in this stage very small, and if i
in the moist spring time, plowed land ]
has lain quiet for a few days, the surface 1
may on close inspection bo seen to be ■
covered with minute plants, frequently <
exhibiting some bright color, red or i
brown or green. At this time a light
harrowing, or any thorough disturbance i
of the surface on a warm, bright day, ,
w ill destroy myriads in an hour. A week i
later tho piece migKt need plowing again i
to kill them, and then ten times as many ! 1
might escape. j
Tillage implements cannot be expected 1
to stir the whole soil where a crop is <
growing, but while the rows or drills are !
well disturbed a good portion of fine t
earth is thrown upon each side, and so j ;
the whole surface is renewed. It is very j
fortunate that of these littlo weeds many | -
are smothered by being covered by a
small quantity of earth, so that those j
which survive and are subsequently found i
growing in the rows are comparatively ;
few, and usually such as were protected !
by standing close to valuable plants, j
Weeds in the need leaf are therefore ! c
killed by being uprooted, disturbed, cut i
up. or smothered. If allowed to live
they gain strength daiiv, and must or- j j
dinarily he cut up below the ground, or
tip-rooted, operations involving much I
labor—plowing, tilling by the cultivator
or horse hoe, or hand pulling. This
class of weeds is especially annoying in j
ground under plow and summer tillage;
those of v more permanent character oc
cur chiefly in glass lfind. —American Ag
ritvHuritl
The Farm Workshop.
flnve you a workshop on the farm? If
not, why not ? Many jobs can be done
on the farm in less time than it would j
• take to order them of some person, per- j
haps miles away, and then wait for them,
or perhaps make another journey after i
them. Every farmer is not handy with >
too’s, but he may soon become so by
their handling, at least to such a degree
as to perform jobs sufficiently well to
compass »h« end. Nowadays any ro- i
pair about the farm may be had already :
shaped and only needing Citing. If you |
are diatant from where such things may j
| Ik- liought, when in the woods look out
1 fur crooks that will make a plow handle,
CHARLOTTE, N. C„ SATURDAY, JULY 2, 1887
or timber that will split into plow
beams, harrow frames, wagon tongues,
cross pieces for a hay rigging, a log for
a roller, or any other material needed.
The broken implement will aerve as a
pattern to hew or otherwise work by.
When found, prepare roughly and pile in
a loft, where the wood may become
thoroughly seasoned against a time of
want. Many a job may bo nicely done
in the workshop in inclement weather,
especially in winter. Provide a few
necessary tools and a stove to keep the
shop warm. At odd times make dupli
cates of articles or parts to implements
likely to break. Many minor implements
are now more cheaply bought new than
repaired or made on the farm. Handles
to any of the implements, rakes, etc., are
among the number, and when they may
be bought ready shaped, they are cheaper
than to how them down from timber.
It takes little labor to fit these properiy
to their places.
In the workshop broken harness may
be mended by means of rivets or stitch
ing. Many implements of use or con
venience in the family may easily be
matte. Here the children will make play
in learning to become handy with tools.
The hired men will also take kindly to
this work, since it is sure to keep them
out of the storm.
With a good stock of timber poleß may
be prepared for making sheds; lumber
may be fitted for pig-pens; posts may be
prepared by boring or hewing; rails may
be sharpened; mangers may < be fitted,
feed-boxes prepared, stanchions made
ready for fitting together, and tools
and implements may be sharpen- i.
These are a.few of the uses to which the
workshop may be put and the ingenuity
of the master and man exercised. If
they prevent a visit to the village grocery
for drink and card-playing when time
drags heavily, the small economics will
carry joy to the household, lienor to the
head of the family, and money into the
purse against a rainy day.— Chicago Tri
btlKS.
Rccipcfi.
- SponoeCake.—Beat the yolks of three
eggs.well, and the whites until they pile
up in a snowy mass; put these with o.ir
heaping cup of fine sugar; beat five
minutes at least, thoroughly mix one
heaping teaspoonfnl of baking powder in
one- cup of sifted flour and beat ten
minutes, add one half cup of cold water,
beat in evenly, add one cup more flour,
beat again, and bake in a deep pan in a
quick oven.
AsrAKAors Four.—Boil twenty-five
heads of asparagus in a quart of soup
stock until they arc quite done; then
pound the asparagus in a mortar and pass
it through a seive. Mix a tablespoonful
of flour and an ounce of butter in a sauce
pan on the fire, add pepper, sugar sauce,
the asparagus, and last of all the stock.
Let this mixture boil; add half a gill of
cream before taking it from the fire, and
serve with fried bread dice.
Hosnsy Croquettes.—To one quart
of boiling water add a teaspnonful of
salt; stir in gradually a heaping liolf
pint of the finest hominy; boil three
quarters of an hour, and put it on the
hack of the range where it will remain
hot an hour longer; then put in a large
bowl and add the beaten yolks of two
egg?, mix it thoroughly and when cold
shape into cones ; dip tha cones in beaten
egg, roll in crumbs and fry in boiling
fat.
Ego Gnaw. —Chop finely eomo tender
white cnbfiage. Let it lay in water half
an hour before using. Drain all the
water from it.. To about three cupfuls
of cabbage arid a tablespoonful of sugar,
one teaspoonful of salt, one of French
mustard or of mixed mustard. After
mixing well together.add two well-beaten
eggs in a cup of boiling vinegar, a little
cayenne and a tablespoonful of butter.
Pour this over the cabbage; toss well to.
gether and serve.
Burmah’s Forest of Teak.
In obtaining the vast and rich domain
of Burmali tho English fiovernment hui
come into possession, among other natu
ral treasures, of immense forests of teak,
which, never very plentiful in India, war
becoming commercially quite rare, and
consequently of increased cost for indus
trial purposes. Os all the woods grown
in the East this has been pronounced as,
in some respects, the most valuable. This
superiority consists in its being neithci
too heavy nor too hard; it docs not warj
nor split nder exposure, no matter how
prolonged, to heat or dampness; it con
tainsau essential oil which possesses thf
rare property of preventing the wood
from rotting under wet conditions, and,
at the same time, acts as a preservative tc
iron, and repels insects; it is, in addi
tion. a handsome wood, of several varie
ties of color and grain, and takesn good
polish.
Minnesota wants the two nutional con
tentions next year.
SUJSBAY SCHOOL LESSON.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
JULY 3.
IjftMon Test i “Tho Infant Jesu».“
3lntt. 11., 1-19—- olden Text) .Halt.
!•» ‘Jl—Commentary by Proff.
Tlfllothy Dwight.
Versa 1 .—Now when Jesus was bam in
Bethlehem of Jtided: Tho story Os Jesus, as
given by Matthew, begins with a genealogy
tracing his d«3Soai:t from David and Abraham,
and then passes to the announcement which
was made to Joseph respecting his origin and
approaehiug birth. In tbe narative of Luke,
on tbo other hand, the beginning of tho story
is with the birth of Jesus, including, ns pre
paratory to it, what is said of the birth of
John the Rnptistand the announcement made
to Mary; and the genealogy, which goes
backward from Jesus Himself to llisance«try.
is given at a later point. As immediately re
lated to Jesus, tho record of Matthew ap
proaches His life, as we may say, from tho
lather’s s : do, and from tho point of view of
genealogical desetmt; that Os Lukfe approaches
it from tho mother's side, and from the cir
cumstances connected with its beginning. It
is natural, th?refore, that wo find the details
of the story of tho birth in Luke s account,
and only a mere general allusion to the
fact in the narrative of Matthew. Both
writers, however, agree in placing the
birth at Bethlehem, and Luke gives tho rea
son why it happened to occur in that village;
namely, because Joseph was called to go there
for the purpose of an enrollment ordered by
the Roman authorities, as connected with
taxation. Tlio fact that we were obliged to j
fill out and adjust the details of the story by
a cafeful comparison of Luke and Matthew !
is, in view of what has been stated, not a j
matter which should occasion difficulty or
surprise. Moreover, whon we consider tho !
brevity of both of tho narratives, and the j
fact that the main interest of the authors of ‘
both i 3 connected with what followed the bo
ginning of Jesus’s public ministry, it cannot
be regarded ns a strange thing if tnecomplete
adjustment of tho two records to each other
should involve somewhat of conjecture, or
should remain, after all our examination, in
some degree of uncertainty. \Ve must re
member that neither of the two Gospels claims
to be a full biography of Jesus, and that, if
tho vacant places hod been filled up by the
writers* the explanation, which tte may now
seek for without assnred success, might
easily have been given us. Among the points
of difficulty to which these remarks may dp
ply, is tfiatj which Is Connected with the men
tion bf Bethlehem—Matthew apparently,ns it
is claimed, regarding t his village,and Luke re
garding Nazareth, as tho residence of Jesus's
parents before the time of pis Llrtb. Beth
lehem here referred to & Bethlehem of Judea,
or Bethlbbfem-Ephratfth (Micah v., 2. the pas
sage from which verse 6 of this chapter is
quoted). It was situated at a distance of
about six miles from Jerusalem, and in a di
rection somewhat west of south. There was
another town called Bethlehem in the region
occupied by tho tri lie of Zebulon. The latter
town was about six miles West .of Nazareth 4
and is mentioned bnce in tbo Old Testament
(Josh, xix., 15). Bethlehem of Judea was the
birthplace of David; and Luke states that
Joseph went to Bethlehem at the time of the
enrollment because he was of the house and
family of David.—/n the days of Herod (he
king: The birth of Jesus occurred in tho
last year of Herod's life, according to the best
evidence Which we ftre able to difecfevfer
“Tho days” here cover the period of Herod's
official life, but tho particular time of the
event alluded to was near the close of
this period. Herod who is here *poken of
is Herod the Great, the first of the Herod
family, of whifih several different representa
tives arc mentioned in tho Gospels and the
Acts. The one who is generally called Herod
m the Gospels was Herod the tetrarch, tho
son of Herod the Great, and appointed to
trarch of Galilee by his father’s will. He was
tho one to whom Jesus was sent by Pilate
(Luke xxiii., 7 ff.) He died A. D. 89. The
one who is spoken of a* Herod in The twelfth
chapter of tne Acts, and the account of whose
ij?r'?i t "k ro given, was Herod Agrippa, the
UrstOf that name, who was a grandson of
Herod the Great, and a nephew of Herod tbe *
tetrarch. The other members Os the Herod
family who are alluded td in the New Testa
ment are designated by other names; Arche
laus (Matt, ii., 22), Philip—first (Matt, xiv.,
J: Mark vi., 17), Philip— second (Luke iii., 1),
Agrippa—Herod Agrippa the second (Acts
xxv., 1J) Os these, tho last-mentioned was
theson of Herod Agrippa tho first, and the
great-grandson of H«*rod the (Treat.while the
other three were sons of Herod the Great, and
brothers, or half brothers, of Herod tho
tetrarch. Ihe cruelty and wickedness of this
family, and particularly of Herod tho Great,
k ,! from history which is outside
of the New Testament records, and the cir
cumstances mentioned in this chapter as con
nected with Herods action, arc fully in ac
coMance with his character.— Behold, vise
men front the east came to Jerusalem: 'lhe
margin of the Revised Version reads “Magi,”
and refers the reader to Esther i.. 13, and
Daniel ii., 12. Ihe insertion of tho word
Ma"i In the text might well have com
nenilod itself to tho Revisers. These men
were the wise men of the region from which
tj ey came, notin the ordinary signification of
tliut term merely, but in the technical sense,
if we may so express it. They were origin
ally a distinguished priestly caste, ar.d they
devoted tuemselvea particularly to astronom
ical or astrological pursuits and investigations;
and the Magi heiu aliuded to. whether of the
priestly order or not, were doubtless men who
ooserved the movements and change of tho
heavenly bodies, and. in connection with
theso observations, were led to expect the oc
currence of great events in the world. This
is rendered probable bv the * moments of the i
i
narrative here given, as well as by what w< j
know of tho Magi class from other sources
The region which Matthew designates a* j
‘‘the east, ’’ cannot lie determined with cer
tainty; but there can lie little doubt that, it wa»
either Arabia or Persia, and more probably,
as it, would seem, it was Persia. Tho words
‘‘from the east,” in tho grammatical connec
tion of the B-mtencc, are unite probably to lx
joined with “Mogi,” rather than with th<
verb. These Magi wore doubtless heathen, as
is indicated by their question, which mark!
the Jews os a distinct body from tbemseive*
aod their countrymen.
Verse 2 — Ba,J/Cnfs, Where is He thal is bom
King of the Jewsf This question was, nc
doubt, presented t-o mich loading men oi
authorities in Jerusalem as they wore able to
meet They do not soem to hnvo come Ixtfor*
Herod at first, but uioro probably they con
sulted some of the scribes or chief priest*, the j
whole company of whom is mentioned in *
veiSo 4. As Moyer remarks: “Tho ox- i
peotaUon of the Jews, that their Messiah wa»
to rule over the world, might at Hint period
have been su(Helent’.v dLseniir.atui through*
out tho foreign countries of the Kust to lead j
heathen astrologers, for the object in quo* 1
tion, to the Jewish capital.” The writer of i
the Gospel was, no doubt, impressed with |
this teHtiinonv, ns it were, Isorne to the
Mcsniah, and to Jesus ns tho Messiah,
by these reprehentatives of the Gentile
nations; and thus he records the story for the
purpose of setting before his reader* this
testimony,ns well os because of the wonderful
npptsirance of the star. —For ice taw hit star
in the east , and are com? \a worthiu him:
The word* “in the vast in ibis sentence are
kuppucfa try some to mean “at its rising;'* the
Greek word here used being commonly in the
pliiral, as in verso 1, where it means “the
East,” whereas here it is in the singular. It
is not improbable that this view of the monn*
ing is correct, but it cannct be affirmed that
it Is so beyond question, for the singular of
this noun i 3 sometimes used to denote “the
East.” Tho word “worship” hero may mean
to “do homage” or “show reverence; ’ but it
may refer to an act of religions adoration.
There Would seem to have been in the minds
of the Magi a desire and hope for light in tho
line of the messianic idea, at least in some
sense or degree.
Verse s.— And when Herod the King heard
itj he loan troubled , and all Jerusalem with
him : The form of expression seems to indi
cate that Herod did not know of the arrival
of the Magi anil the object of their viait until
some time after they had reached tho city.
When he received the inforinati *n, he was
troubled. The verb id this cqfie conveys the
idea of bring agitatod by reason of fear or
dread os to tlie possible consequences to him
self. The agitation of mind on tho part of
the people of Jerusalem, on the other hand,
had reference more probably to tbo conse
quences which might result lor themselves.
VV hether Herod should finally losj his throne
because of this new Kiug or not, the people
would be likely to suffer through the violent
measures which ho might adopt lor the se
curity of his own power and the overthrow
of hrs adversary. “The people, worn away
by seditions and slaughters, says Ailord,
“ioared fresh- tumults and wars.” They
feared them especially, so far ns they were
not devoted partisans of Herod, in view of
what they had reason to apprehend from him.
So far as they were his partisan*, on the
other hand, they feared the possible destruc
tion of their leader and themselves.
Verse 4 .—And gathering together all the
chief priests and scribes of the people, he
inquired of them where the Christ should bo
bom: It h uncertain whether the words o.‘
this verse refer to a formal meeting of the
Jewish Sanhedrin, of which the scribes and
chief-priests \>ero members, or not. More
probably, Herod summoned a large company
of those men who were learned in this mat
ter,.and submitted the question to them as
learned men, rather thau in their capacity as
the council of the nation. The frequency with
which the term “ chief priest” occurs in the
Gospels as referring to one section of the
membership of the Sanhedrin, may lead us
to believe that the word, as here employed,
includes not only the high priest and 1 1 lose who
had held this office, but also tho heads of the
twenty-four classes of priests mentioned in
l Chronicles “i 4. These prominent person?,
as well as tho scribes whose business it was
to study the Old Testament, would be best
qualified to answer the question proposed.
The question, if the Greek words are literally
translated, is, Where is the Christ born/ that
is, Wh6r§, According to tho Old Testament
declarations, etc., does the birth of Christ
take plac? The lorni of the question is that
which the author may have supposed He rod
to use in presenting bis inquiry to the Jewish
iuthoritietf.
Verses 5, 6.— AM Uley said i mto him. In
Bethlehem of Judea : for thus it is written
'tu ihe prophet , And thou Bethlehem , land of
Judah , art in no wise least among the
orinces of Jiulah : for out o r lhce shall come
r orth a governor , which shall be shepherd of
?i y people Israel: The Old Testament pcs
tage here quoted is taken from Micah v., 2.
I'hert are several changes iu the words given
bv Matthew OA compared with those found
in the Old Testament, but they are not of
vital importance as related to tin thought.
The principal one is this: Matthew says,
“Thou art in no wise least among tho nrim es
of Judah: for out of thee,” etc.; Micah says:
“Thou, small [or “too omall ’J to be among
the thousands of Judah, out of thee will come
forth, fete This difference, however, is ona
of no special significance so far sis the main
idea of the passage ii concern'd. *\ r ~\
thow 6p3aks as if from tho thought of what
comes, forth from JJethlehem—in view of
this, thou Ai*t by no mfeflirs tb A least. Uic
prophet speaks as if fr6m the opposite start
ing-point: “Though too small, . yet the
ruler of Israel will come from thee.” The
change from “thousands” to “princes” ma}
possibly be connected with a tendency to
ward a sort of personification in Matthew s
use of the passage, a substitution of “princes”
fflr the larger divisipas or “families' of the
tribes which might liafefetich a head or chief
man, or, as some have supposed, the word in
Matthew may have boon translated from a
different Hebrew wora having the sain? con
sonants. but not the same rowel sounds, with
that in Micah. There can be no reasonable
doubt that the ruler referred to iu the pro
phetic passage is the Messiah.
Verso I—Then Herod privily called
the wise men and learned of tliam care
fully what time the star appeared: The
word “privily” may suggest tho idea of
a treacherous concealment, which would be
altoget her in accordance with Herod's charac
ter; nut it may mean nothing more than
“secretly,” as, for example, in John xi., 28;
Acts xvi., 27; Matthew i., 10. The word
tendered “carefully” by Ihe Revised Vers ion
inay perhaps be better translated by “ac
curately.'’ The exact moaning of the phrase
rendered “what time the star appeared”
(“literally, “the time of the appearing star”)
is uncertain—whether tho words mean “w hen
the star first appeared,” or “how long a time
had passed since it first appeared.” In either
case, Herod, in endeavoring to gain all the
knowledge which the wise men could
made it a jioint t-o determine the time of the
first rising of tho star, as bearing upon the
birth of tho now king, or upon tho action
which ho should take in consequence of that
event. There may be a connection, possibly,
ill this regal d, between this verso and verso
ltf of this chapter.
Verse ft— And he sent them to Bethlehem ,
and said, Go and search out carefully con
cerning the young child; and when ye have
found him, bring me word, that I also may
come and worship him: Tho espra.si-m
j “search out’’is the rendering of a worn which
occurs in only two other plaors in the New
| Testament (Matt, x., 11: John xxi., 12). In
[ connection with the adverb which is added to
I it, it suggests an examination into the matter
I with scrutiny and accuracy. Herod laid hia
■ plans thus carefully, in order that he ro'giit
1 know all that was to bo learned respecting
the child. He gives to th»* Magi a false rea
son for his desire to get the information; but
this Boomed to him essential to the success of
his plan. The word “worship," in this verso,
probably means “do reverence.”
Verses 2,lo.— And they , having heard the
King,went their way; and to, the star, which
they sair in the cast, went before them, till it
came and stood over where 'the j toung child
was. And when they saw the star, they re
joiced with exceeding great joy: The natural
impression derived from verses would
deem to l»c that the Magi had not seen Die
star aitice they left (heir homo in the east. It
is possible, however, that verso 10 refers only
to a rejoicing on thrir part, that the star,
I which Fiad guided thorn to J<-runnlt:m, now
! nppea: til again to guide them to Bethlehem.
| The words “in the east" may mean, as in
verse 2, “at. it; rising.” Tue statement
! of the second part of Verse l>, w hen taken
lin connection with tho opening words
J of verse 10. indicates a movement of the star
1 until it came to the house where the child was,
; and n resting or stopping above that bous?.
j If this is tho meaning, or, inclee 1, if tho
village rather than the house i« referred to
in the phrase “whore the young child was,”
the star cannot hava been an ordinary star
or conjunction of stars in tbe upper heavens;
lor such a Ktar could not have so moved a a to
guide the Magi t-owurd a particular house or
village, and could not have stood over such a
house or village in such away a* to point it
out us tbe pkue sought for. The star which
apparently moved in advance of them on
Terms. $1.50 per Annm Stogie Copy 5 cents.
their journey would have been as far be
yond thefn when they reached the vil
nge or house as it had been before.
Ir the storv is to be understood lit
erally according to the language used, tbe
indications point strongly toward tho coit
elusion that the star was a miraculous oh'*'
nomenon, which was caused to appear for a
special purpose, and, having accomplished its*
mission, finally disappeared. How far the
language of appearance, or of a sort of poeti
cal picturing, may be possible in this verse, it
is difficult to say. The star did not actually
move, it only seemed to move, say those who
would hold this view. It must in faimes-r.
be said, however, that the remainder of tho
story i 3 told iu the prosaic, not the poetic
waj'; it is told as if all that is mentiono*!
actually occurred. It mu*t also be admitted
that stars in the upper heavens, which
apparently go before the traveler, do not oven
seem to “stop over a village or a house
when the traveler reaches the house or
village. In this brief note, the difficulties in
the way of the view that tb« phenomenon
was a conjunction of stars cannot bo
presented. The reader may bo referred to*
the article in Bmith's Bible Dictionary, en
titled “The Star of the Wise Men.” There
arc more or less difficulties in connection with
every view cf tho subject which has been
proposed. That which holds that the star
was an extraordinary luminous body which
appeared for a time’ and then disappeared,
aud which in its movements, etc., answered
to the statements of tho narrative taken
literally, is the ono which is, perhaps,exposed
to the fowest serious objections, and the one
which may best sntisfj' the demands of tho
case.
Verse 11. —And they came into the house
and saw the young child with Mary his
mother ; and they fell down and worshipped
him; and opening tkeir treasures they
offered unto him gifls, gold and frankin
cense and myprh: The words “the house”
naturally point backward to the phrase
“ where the young child wan,” in verse 0.
They would seem to indicate, if we take them
in connection with th.i story of the birth of
Jesus as given by Luke, that the pa rente ot
Jesus had left the inn before this time, and
were now in a house. If we had MatthewV
narrative alone, we might suppose
this h/viso to be one in which Jo
sepii And Mary hod been previously living
as residents of Bethlehem. But Luke tells us
that they had come from Nazareth, and that
they were only in Bethlehem for a time. The
face that Joseph is not mentioned here scarce
ly needs explanation, as the child was the ob
ject of the r search and inquiry, and the child
would naturally be with liis mother. The
“treasures” hero mentioned were the treas
ure-boxes or chests which they carried with
them. Tho gifts which they offered were such
as were befitting when they approached such
a King; and with the presentation of their
gifts, or as preparatory to tho presentation,
they did obeisance to him
Verse 12. — And bring warned of God in o
dream that they should not return to Herod,
they departed into their own country
another way: Tho Macri wore in a dream
directed not to return to Jerusalem, wbic’
would have, been their natural course as they
went homeward. The Divine interposition
in this case was, as we may believe, partly,
at least, in order that tho accomplishment of
Horoi’s plan of putting Jesus to death might
be hindered. What other purpose, if any,
the warning may have had, we may not dis
cover from the story.
As to the exact condition of mind of the
51agi with reference to the new-born King of
the Jews, and as to what followed their visit-,
no certain and definite statement can tie
made. But it is difficult for us, in view of the
simple story, not to believe that they do
parted to their own country as true subjects
of the now-born King,and that they found in
their own experience tho meaning of th.?
words of the angel who had appeared to
Joseph in a dream, and had said: “Thon
shalt call his name Jesus; for it is be that
shall save his people from their sins.”— Sur
dau-School Times.
Making Soap.
To describe with any minuteness the
process of making soap is impossible.
It is formed by the union of alkalies with
vegetable and animal oils and fats.
The requisite quantity of tallow having
been placed in the boiling vat, a weak
lyo is added, as the boiling continue*
more and more lye, stronger and stronger,
is added. A6 the tempature increase*
and the alkali mingles with the oil a
milky emulsion is formed. The boiling
is continued, until the glycerine, or
sweet principle of the fat separates.
Finally by the addition of salt the
emulsion of the oil and alkali is decom
posed, the salt taking the water and
causing a precipitation of the newiy
formed soap in a new or granulated state.
It now goes through a second oporatjon
like the first, and the whole is boilti*!
some time until the fats arc completely
saponified. After allowing time for the
subsidnee of the dregs the soap is trans
ferred to frames where it cools and be
comes solid preparatory to being cut up.
To impart the warbled appearance to
soap, when it is nearly finished, a small
quantity of very dense lye is sprinkled
on it. Thi9 percolates slowly through
the whole, giving it the red motled ap
pearance. Toilet soaps are made from
very pure and sweet materials which go
through supplementary processes of pur
ification and perfuming. The medical
ingredients in many toilet soaps are add
ed during the boiling.— Buffalo Courier*
Observations on the Horw.
An old cavalryman says that a horn
will never step on a man intentionally.
It is a standing order with cavalry that
should a man become dismounted he
must lie down and be perfectly stilL It
he docs so the entire company will pas*
over him, and ho will not bo injured. A
horse notices where he is going, and if
on the look out for a firm foundation to
put his foot on. It is an instinct with
him, therefore, to step over a prostrate
mnn. The injuries caused by a runaway
hor.se are nearly always inflicted by tbs
animal knocking people down, and not
by stepping on them.
Although 97,790 people die every day
on the globe, yet there are 100,800 born,
ihere seems little reason to fear that
tbe supply of voter* for fut ire election*
will run short. /