riously looking forth to the "Father's business," which He must "finish" amid the thorns of Calvary-the picture being a Christmas present from the thirty child-Christians of this pastor's church. Yonder, above the desk of the preacher's help-meet, hangs another of Holman Hunt's pictures-"The Shadow of the Cross," in the carpenter's shop of Nazareth; while a little to the right of the picture, in the cabinet of curiosities from Bible lands, are ancient tools from Nazareth, just such as Christ used in His consecration of labor. These tools and this picture carry back the mental crucifixion of Christ, even beyond His baptism. There, above the mantel, is its consummation in Doré's masterpiece, which shows us Christ as He goes forth from Pilate's prætorium to His atoning death.

A score of other pictures give us Other views of Christ as babe, boy, man -copies from the paintings of Raphael, Müller, Salvatore, Titian, Guido Reni, etc.- while the large photographic scrap book on the centre table keeps at hand copies of every famous Christpicture of Europe, and two other such books present views of the places where Christ lived or visited. Nor let us overlook this placque, which was also a part of the Palestine day-dream. It is beautifully painted with the flowers of the nations-roses for England, eidelweiss for Switzerland, kaiser blumen for Germany, etc., surrounding the Rose of Sharon-the whole symbolizing the union in Christ of all nations, to whom immortality, pictured in the butterflies, is brought by His Gospel. The central thought of this study is shown forth more intensely, as a shadow brings out the light of a picture, by that hideous marble image, above the library, of Subhardra, the third person in the trinity of India. By contrast we realize the more vividly that we worship the "altogether lovely."

This Christ-room is provided with a Bible atmosphere by Oriental curiosities. Besides the cabinet referred to, there hangs in a nook one of the leathern bottles of the Bible, just behind a

steamer chair which is covered with a Turkish rug and Oriental robe, while in another nook, on a shelf, is an Oriental ewer, set off by a tidy of Turkish embroidery. The desk and library, however, are not Oriental.

The great Wotten desk, with its forty compartments for classifying thoughts and things, is supplemented by an arrangement for keeping all pamphlets, notes and scraps as orderly and available for instant reference as the older topics in the encyclopædia itself.

The library, of forty shelves, is classified, and therefore needs no catalogue to tell in what row a certain book is to be found. One row contains books on "The Oldest Testament of Nature"that is, all the literature bearing on science and a full collection of the books on the world's natural religions, which are now being quoted so much by infidels that the Christian preacher needs to have the real documents at hand. The next two rows contain books on "The Old and New Testaments," and are followed by a row containing books on The Newest Testament," including the providential revelations which God has made since the New Testament was concluded, in fulfillment of that promise of Christ, "I have many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now." He has said many of these promised things, and so this row has a shelf containing the works of the Church fathers who succeeded the apostles; another shelf for another chapter of this newest Testament, with the literature of modern missions; another shelf devoted to temperance, and several shelves to the Sunday-school movement and to childhood. Another row is devoted to art; another is the "sideboard," containing full goblets of spiced wine from Carlyle, Emerson, Holmes, Macaulay, Bacon, Talmage, Taine, etc., with the poets, while history also has its nook in this secular corner.

This study is, like the other, large, light, and airy; but, unlike the other, it is warmed from a register, and last, but not least, it is carpeted with lino

leum, which raises no dust either to the preacher's books or his throat, as he walks back and forth weaving his ser

mons.

Brooklyn, N. Y.

HOMILETIC SPECTACLES.

Beecher and Spurgeon.

BY J. STANFORD HOLME, D.D. "WHAT kind of glasses do you use?" asked a young minister of a preacher of experience and distinction.

"I use homiletic spectacles," was the reply.

"And pray, sir, what are they?" asked the young man. To which the senior responded:

"I look at everything through my preaching. I am ever on the alert to find, not so much topics from which to preach, as illustrations for abstract truth. I find my truth or topic in the Bible; I find my illustrations here, there, and everywhere. I try to look at everything homiletically-art, science, history, and the newspapers, as well as the Bible; and especially I try to look at the commonest affairs and incidents of life in this light, for here I find the most apt and merchantable supply of illustration. And in this I have no so great teacher and example as Christ Himself." In this the preacher was right. This matter of illustration requires the greatest attention. We must never be obliged to stop to explain the illustration, or by any obscurity to lose the attention of the hearers. Illustrations may be good to those who understand them, and bad for those who do not. Illustrations do not always throw light on the subject. Sometimes the train of thought is lost by the introduction of an illustration. The hearer stops to think of the illustration, and loses the object of it. The illustration should be more simple than the thing illustrated. While the truth of the Gospel may be greatly enforced by illustrations, it is of the first importance that the hearer be familiar with the illustrations; and the more familiar the better. This is the striking characteristic, as we

have intimated, of Christ's discourses. He leads His hearers from what they know to what they do not know. And in this particular, Mr. Beecher, as a preacher, in our opinion, not only excels his contemporaries, but his predecessors. If to our inquiry of this Samson of the pulpit, "Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth?" he should vouchsafe a reply, he might say that it is in the dexterous use of the commonest incidents of life in the illustration of abstract truth. Mr. Beecher's range of truth, as it appears in his discourses, is not, as we apprehend it, so wide, nor so grand, as that of many other preachers; indeed, no one can read his sermons without discovering a certain narrowness of range-a monotony of thought. He is ever moving along in certain lines of truth.

In freshness of theme, Beecher is not to be compared with Spurgeon. Mr. Beecher never digs out new truth as does Mr. Spurgeon. In a recent life of Mr. Beecher, the editor, to show the variety of Mr. Beecher's topics, has given us the texts and themes for two years. But Mr. Beecher's themes are like Mr. Beecher's self: though they seem to change, they are not essentially new. His mind moves in a circle, and he is very apt to repeat himself. He takes a new text; but as his text is generally a mere motto, and his topic a suggestion of his own mind, he very soon falls into the rut of an old line of thought with new illustrations. There is much sameness in the theme. Mr. Beecher once said to one inquiring about his manner of preparation for the pulpit, that "his way" was like that of the old Maryland housewives: to make up a good batch of dough, put it into a cool place, and when she made biscuit for breakfast or dinner, to cut off a piece and make them up and bake them. Now, if this is "his way," it is no wonder that Mr. Beecher's sermons taste as much alike as a woman's biscuit.

This is not Mr. Spurgeon's "way." He goes to the granary every time he wants to make a loaf, and gets some fresh grain. He finds each harvesting

carefully kept by itself in the granary. At one time he will get some of the old corn of Egypt, at another some of the gleanings of Ruth, at another a handful from the threshing-floor of Araunah, at another some of that of which the disciples of Christ ate when hungry; and so on, in almost endless variety. He grinds it in his own mill, and bolts it after his own fashion, kneads it, and bakes it; and each baking has a peculiar flavor of its own, because the wheat is from a different harvest, though all taken from one storehouse.

Mr. Spurgeon depends more for his Variety on his theme; Mr. Beecher, on his illustration. Mr. Beecher excels Mr. Spurgeon in the simplicity and freshness and variety of his illustrations; but Mr. Spurgeon excels Mr. Beecher in the freshness and variety and Gospel flavor of his truth. The secret of Mr. Spurgeon's power lies in a devout study and implicit faith in the divine Word. The secret of Mr. Beecher's power is in the infinite variety and wonderful aptness of his illustrations. And this comes from the fact that he looks at everything through homiletic glasses: he permits nothing he sees, hears, feels, tastes, suffers, or enjoys to be cast aside as worthless. All this is "the material" in the rough for homiletic use: he husbands it and uses it as occasion may require.

When I was a boy-and that begins to mean in old times-I lived a sort of an amphibious life on a little creek, either in it or on it most of the time. Its waters drove a cotton mill, and at every ebb tide its surface was covered with what was called cotton-waste-the refuse of the cotton-which was thrown away as worthless. To us it would now seem that "the waste" was almost greater than the cotton used, for nowadays there is no waste; not a fiber of the cotton that goes into the mill is wasted; it is all used in some way or other. Now, most preachers are like this old-fashioned cotton mill. They waste more of their material than they use, and then frequently go to infinite expense and trouble to replace it with

that which is comparatively worthless. Mr. Beecher would seem to find use, sooner or later, for every kind of material brought to his mill, in the illustration of his subjects. Out of the most trifling, ordinary incident of life he will work out an illustration of the greatest value. He seldom brings an illustration from afar, but generally gathers it from the wayside of common life: and in this particular it is not too much to say his preaching is more like Christ's than that of most other men. If only his truth was as fresh and Scriptural as his illustrations are forcible, he would be the greatest preacher of the age. And a greater than either Mr. Beecher or Mr. Spurgeon will not be found till one is raised up who preaches the Gospel as closely as Charles H. Spurgeon, and who illustrates his preaching with as much simplicity and aptness as Henry Ward Beecher.

"IF THAT'S SO, SOMEBODY HAS GOT TO LET THE PEOPLE KNOW IT."-As Collins Graves, a milkman of Haydenville, Mass., a few years since was going his rounds very early one morning, he was met by a man out of breath with running, and intensely excited, who said: "The great reservoir on Mill River, up the valley, is giving way, and in a few minutes the floods will sweep everything before them down the valley!" "Do you mean it ?" said Graves. "Yes," replied the man, "I do!" "Then," said Graves, "if that's so, somebody has got to let the people know it.' He had not yet seen or heard the flood, but, believing the man's story, he turned his horse, thought no more of milk or customers, and putting on all speed down the valley, he shouted from house to house: "Wake up! The reservoir is broken away! The flood's coming! Save yourselves! Run, for your lives!" Sometimes he cried, "Fire! fire!" thinking that would wake the people quicker than "water." He started every one he met on a like mission. In less than ten minutes the overwhelming waters did come, and swept away the whole village-houses, factories, shops, and everything. But all that man could do (as it appeared on the inquest) had been done, and most of the inhabitants escaped with life; but some were too late, and were swept away and perished.

A Bible Reading on Home Missions.

Joshua i: 12-18.

I. WHAT peaceable possession of the land of Canaan was to the Israelites, our religious privileges - our churches, the ministry, our Sunday-schools, and our Christian family circles-are to us.

II. If now we enjoy a rest in these privileges, while those whose lot is cast in newer and more distant parts of our country do not, it is God that has given it to us. (V. 13.)

III. Our responsibilities are not limited to our own States or immediate neighborhood: it is ours, also, to see that our brethren in the more remote parts of our country have rest, as well as ourselves. (V. 15.)

IV. It is only when we have helped our brethren to possess the land that we may return and enjoy our rest to the full. (V. 15.)

V. If we must share our brethren's conflicts and toils in new and unsubdued regions, is it not some compensation to us that our wives and children are, the while, resting in peace? (V. 14.)

VI. Now, as of old, it is the East (the land toward the sun-rising) that is to help in evangelizing the West. Westward, not only the course of empire, but the Star of Bethlehem, holds its way, (V. 15.)

VII. A hearty response to these obligations on the part of those to whom God has already given rest is especially fitting and pleasing to God. (V. 16.)

VIII. To neglect this duty and these obligations is to bring condemnation and judgment on us. V. 18.)

Smooth Stones.

"I LOVE TO TELL THE STORY."-When the disciples (Luke xxiv: 16-33) had found the risen Savior, their hearts were so full of the good news that they could not wait till morning; so they started at midnight and walked seven or eight miles back to Jerusalem, to tell their brethren that the Lord was risen,

and that they had talked with Him by the way.

A MISSIONARY'S PRAYER FOR HIS DESCENDANTS.-Dr. Judson, when nearing the end of life, remarked that he had always prayed for his children, but of late he had felt impressed with the duty of praying for their children and their children's children down to the latest generation, so that he should ultimately meet a long, unbroken line of descendants before the throne of God, where all might join together in ascribing praise to their Redeemer.

A HAND IN EVERY GOOD WORK. -An intelligent English farmer, having carefully read the annual report of an English missionary society, found that there were one hundred and twentythree missionaries of the society laboring in different parts of the world. Meeting the secretary of the society, he said: "I am determined to have something to do with every sermon preached, every tract distributed, every school established; and for this purpose I will give a sovereign for each of the missionaries. Here is my check for £123, in order that I may do something all over the world."

"THE DAY IS BREAKING."-Though the processes are slow and inconspicuous by which the ancient structures of false religions are being undermined, yet the time will come when they will tumble suddenly into ruins, when a nation shall be converted in a day. In the baptism of ten thousand Telugus in India, within a single year, do we not already see the gray dawn of such an era of culmination?

"We are living, we are dwelling
In a grand and awful time!

In an age on ages telling;

To be living is sublime.
Hark! the waking up of nations-
Gog and Magog to the fray;
Hark! What soundeth? "Tis creation's

Groaning for its latter day."

-Life of Adoniram Judson, by his son, Edw. Judson.

The Gospel the Only Security for Eminent

and Abiding National Prosperity." Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might; let not the rich man glory in his riches, etc.— Jer. ix: 23-24.

THE Jewish nation had come to rely on their wealth, power and political wisdom. To rebuke such this text was spoken. It is no philosopher that speaks, but God. No doubtful theory is announced, but eternal truth. No vain experiment is recommended, but the wisdom which is from above. The same propensity to forget God and confide in man for national prosperity is rife in every age. And no nation was ever more strongly tempted to do this than ours at the present time.

Consider-I. The inefficacy of the common grounds of confidence: 1. Reason has been appealed to, but its impotence in the conflict with passion, ignorance and irreligion is demonstrated on every page of history. 2. Education has been relied upon, but knowledge and virtue are not inseparable. There is no moral power in science, learning, mere civilization, to purify the heart and restrain vice and crime. Philosophy, culture, the arts, did not save Rome or Greece from ruin. 3. The efforts of philosophy to reform and elevate mankind have proved signal failures in the past. 4. National wealth is thought to be the perfection of prosperity. But in all ages and lands it has proved the most active and powerful cause of national corruption. Our nation to-day is shaken to its foundations by our monetary power. 5. Nor is military genius and prowess any safer ground of confidence than wealth, as the history of nations illustrates

*This outline was suggested by reading a thanksgiving discourse by Dr. Lyman Beecher founded on this text.-ED.

H. W. LONGFELLOW.

with solemn and awful significance. 6. Political wisdom, statesmanship, the boast and confidence of nations, is inadequate to secure and perpetuate national prosperity. 7. Our boasted free institutions, bought and maintained at immense sacrifices, and the envy of the nations, are not a guarantee of the future. There are elements existing and at work in our land to-day that are sure to work out disaster and ruin to personal liberty, national thrift and virtue, and even our national existence, unless checked and brought under control by a higher power than man's; by more potent elements and forces than those on which nations are wont to rely.

II. There is efficacy in the Gospel of the grace of God, and nowhere else, to secure eminent and abiding national prosperity. It was devised and bestowed upon mankind for this purpose; and in its principles, provisions, institutions and moral tendencies, it is eminently adapted to elevate, purify and bless nations as well as individual man. The proofs of its power to do this are not wanting. See the effect of Christianity on the laws and institutions of the old Roman empire-on the social and political life of Germany at the Reformation-on our own history and destiny as a nation by means of our Pilgrim fathers-on the condition of the Sandwich Islands, and in South Africa among the Hottentots. Hence patriotism demands of the Christian Church to-day earnest prayer to the Lord for His speedy and gracious interposition in our behalf as a nation, and the faithful and earnest application of the Gospel to stay the tide of demoralization which threatens to ingulf us, and to reform and purify and evangelize this mighty and rapidly growing nation, with possibilities and responsibilities beyond our power to compute.