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-;-. szz'w.1‘r:>. all)”. .‘xn-J: cur-r .1. ‘4 t r. l 3 . . '.u¢\4r;sg4v13<\mlwflmt .14. F’ ~__.e_______ . or owns my A Good Man Never Knows How Good He is Nor Stops to Learn “Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of the least of these ye did it unto me.”â€"Matt. xxv. 40. If religion is wholly or essential- ly a matter of holding certain views or performing certain formal, speci- fic acts there can be no serious dif- ficulty in the wa of determining the number of re igious persons in any community. But if religion is an attitude of the soul and a trend of life it eludes all statistical en- deavors. When you have before you certain set prescribed tasks you can go about them deliberately, consci- ously; you may know when they are begun and when completed. But if you are developing ideals and seeking character it is likely to happen that the finest, fairest growth will take place when you are thinking nothing about its pro- cesscs. A child in the home becomes truthful, not by'mesns of set peri- ods daily in which it is exercised in veracity, but by the steady, un- conscious acquisition, of the habit of truth telling, until the truth be- comes the only normal aim. So would it be with the acquisition of an affectionate character. It could not possibly come with observation, nor by direct endeavor toward it. SO GROWS RELIGION .in the soul of man, not by efforts to become religious, but by steady living toward the best; always and at length habitually allowing the life to answer to all of life’s sti- muli by acts, and thoughts and feel- ings that tend upward. One be- comes good not by the attempt to be good, but by always yielding to the temptation to do good, by throw- ing the life into the stream of the good, by service for the good, and the true and worthy. Character grows best when we are least conscious of it. Health is a matter not of physical inspection but of normal activity, whether it be health of body or of mind and spirit. A sane religion turns from the. cant phrases about feeling good to consider what opportunities there are for doing good; and'the world grows weary of institutions- professingto save, but standing helpless before its real needs. . But there are manywho lack e1â€" thcr the energy or the vision to make their religious life one of nor- mal activity, and who therefore at- tempt to judge the piety of others by the tests which they find most convenient for themselves, who in- sist that they only are religious who pass through certain types of emo- tional feeling or who speak of a certain shippoleth. No man needs to allow these self- constituted authorities to give him any concern even though they be many in number and MIGHTY IN LUNG POWER. He can be sure that if there be any advantage, an enriching or growth from religion, it will be found not by such flimsy tricks and devices but through earnest seeking after the good and true. There is a. tremcndous amount of untabulated, unreported, and often unrecognized religion in the world. Men are doing the deeds and liv- ing the life of religion who might well be unwilling to wear any of its formal labels. Whenever a man answers to the best in himself afâ€" firmatively, {whenever he seeks the good of others, he is turning toward the ultimate good; he is religious. And the life that lives for these things, the man or woman who throws the weight of personality in- to the tide for better thingsâ€"for noblcr ideals, for truth and right, for the relief of needless sufferings and the removal of oppression and degradation, that life fights on with the Eternal, that one walks with God and belongs to the king- dom of heaven. ‘ He who serves in love finds felâ€" lowship with the infinite and all embracing love. He who stoops to wipe a child’s tear stained face has worshipped better than if he had sung as angels can. The sacred supâ€" per is the common meal we share in our need. ‘ HENRY F. COPE. WW THE S. S. LESiSlll‘l â€"â€"â€"- INTERNATIONAL LESSGN, DEC. 26. .____ Lesson XIII. The Birth of Christ. Hall. 2. 1-12. Golden Text, Matt. 1. 21. Verse 1. Bethlehem of Judaea â€"â€" The home of David, five miles south of Jerusalem. also called Ephra~ thah (Mic. 5. 2). “Now a small white town on a spur running out cast from the watershed.” The supposed site of the nativity is marked by what is probably the oldest church in the world, the pilâ€" lars being those of the ancient Bas- ilica erected by the mother of Con- stantine the Great, about A. D. 230. Beneath is the Cave of the Nativity. This is bean in the rocks and measures 38 by 11 feet. An in- scription reads: “Here was born Jesus Christ of. the VirginMary.” Rock-cut caves for cattle are comâ€" mon in the Hebron hills. Herod the kingâ€"The Herods were Idumcans, but the father of this Herod (the Great) had embraced the Jewish religion, and by Julius Caesar had been made procurator of Judaea in 13. C. 47. Hence Herod the Great was brought up a Jew. He was made king of Judaea at the instigation of Antony in B. C. 40. He began his rule with great rigor and cruelty, and to the end was vengeful and implacable. His thirst for blood led to the mur- der of his wife and two sons. His chief distinction was the building ' of the temple. He died in B. C. 4. Wiseâ€"men-Same word found in Acts 13. 6, 8. But here uscd in a good sense for a saccrdotal class among the Persian, Babylonian, and other Oriental nations, who “read men’s destincs on the face of the skies,” and were in great favor “in an age when religion was dead and superstition had usurped its place.” These astrolo- gers had large influence, not only with the common people, but with statesmen and kings (Dan. 2. 48). Tradition says there were three of these wizards, and their names were, Caspar, Melchior, and Bal- thasar. ‘ But this is unfounded. Came to Jcrusalemâ€"Naturally, as it was the capital. 2. Born King of the Jews â€"- The appearance of the strange .star would betoken a royal birth, and they must have known of the widely cherished Jewish expectation, and would learn from the propheCIes that the hope of a Messiah center- ed in Judaea. To worship himâ€"See note on verse 11. 3. Herod . . . was troubledâ€"He was now an old man in his dotagc. He had gained his throne by craft, through the favor of Rome, and had rcpt it by bloody cruelty. From the beginning of his reign he had been pursued by a dread of being deposed, and only shortly before this a plot for his overtnrow grew out of a prediction that the Mes- siah was to drive him from the throne. Herod had put down this revolt with blood. All Jerusalem with him â€"â€" The people knew what was likely to happen when Herod was seized with a fit of jealousy. Already he had shed blood in his own home on ac- count of his suspicions, and he had begun his reign by killing off the entire Sanhedrin, whose members were hostile to him. His malig- nancy would know no bounds when he'heard of a new king of the Jews being born. 4. Gathering . . . chief priests and scribesâ€"Herod had reconsti- tuted this august body, but in a way pleasing to himself. But they were the chief theologians of the- uation, and the recognized author- ity on such questions at. to where the Christ should be born. The Christâ€"The word has a two- fold meaning. First, Jesus is King, sitting on the throne as God’s anointed. Secondly, He is the Person through whom God’s king- dom comes, and God’s promises are fulfilled (Denney, in Jesus and the Gospel). 5 The prophetâ€"Micah. , s. Bethlehem was the birthplace of David and his home in the shep- ' .id days; and as such was dear to the peasant heart, for it linked the coming Messiah with the life of the lowly. Their governor was to be a shepherd, not such a one as the tyrant nobles who oppressed them at Jerusalem. The quotation is not an accurate translation of either the Hebrew or Greek, but Do not underestimate the earning power of the Taxicab. __.__.__.__.__â€"_.-»-. >4€wtflgmé 7-:2'1: 2... ', ~ .; ,z-x-~A. w. . ‘ v The Taxicab habit grows, and, where there is one user to-day there will be two toâ€"morrow. To the Taxicab patron all other methods of city travel seem common-place and ordinary. We advise its purchase of Tam’cab Stock at free paraphrase put in. popular Arm. 7. Exactly what time the star ap- pcaredâ€"â€"â€"In order that he might know how old the child was. The wise men appeared in Jerusalem about two years after setting out} 8. Exactlyâ€"Not the repetition, indicating the old king’s solicitude lost any oversight should rob him of his prey. That I also may come and wor- ship himâ€"A thinly disguised pre- text. which shows that Herod’s passion had dulled the farâ€"seeing wisdom displayed by him in the ear- lier part of his reign. 9. The star . . . went before them â€"â€"â€"A poetical. way of saying that the wise men were guided in their course by the position of the star. 11. They came into the houseâ€"It must be remembered that Jesus had been taken up to Jerusalem when six weeks of age, for the puri- Siibscriptiom will be accepted up to 190 shares in the order received at this office. T'.».f1.".\') .11.... u.- s E. A. Efv GLISH tiiiii‘iesgtée if Semi for our illustrated booklet. KING EDKARI) ’S HOUSES. Has So Many That He Lends Them to Save Expense of Upkeep. There is a good deal of specula- tion in England as to who will have the offer of White Lodge from King Edwars if, as is expected, Mrs. Hort-man resigns her tenancy ow- ing to financial difiiculties. It is an ideal spot for a residence, only just a few miles out of London, yet per" fectly rural in all its surroundings. The drawback to White Lodge is that the place, though not large .8 very expensive to keep up, and it was for this reason that several people refused the King’s ofier af- ter the death of the Duke of Tea};â€" 1nclud1ng, so it was said at the time. at least one member of the royal family. These extra residences around London prove rather an embarrass- ment of riches to the King. who v u.- 4 M“ v.» ~‘rp. .v. u W‘Jn', ...,,.u.v.- per share, par value $5.09, because it has a big future, and is now‘ a big money earner. o i‘ - r a. . l is lie-s s CULLEG" 31., "*° 2 ‘ ‘7 E "schomb. he a «av. boa-w 7 5 That Every Sick Child. in Ontario Whose Pan ants Cannot Afi‘ord to Fay for Treat ment is Treated Fees. The Hospital for Sick Ohitdren had last year in its cats and bed! l,l55 patientsâ€"â€" . 383 of these were the L‘rovince. Sixty- k'om 267 places in. five per cent. were children of p o o r people who could Dd. afford to pay. Since its organiza tion the InsriLution fication (Luke 2- 22) “’33 OVCI‘ and does not need them himself Buckâ€" a sacrifice must be offered. Thcniingham Palace, Windsor “Castle the family returned to Bethlehem.’13almoral and Sandringham are-hall and, the crowds of the enrollmentgthe places the King and Queen (Luke 2- 1'7) hiWiDS departed, “flood in the course of a year. Yet would be easy to get accommoda- if not lived in these empty houses} tion. They seem to have intended would be admin on the privy pursel to settle there permanently. enforced flight into Egypt prevent- ed. The‘ in the matter of upkeep. l Almost all these superfluous! houses have been at the King's-i Fell down and worshipped himâ€" disposal since he came to the throne The usual method of paying hom- age to a ruler. The worship of these men, however, must have had something of religious devo- tion in it,‘in view of the fact that before them was God’s guarantee of the fulfillment of his work. Offered unto him giftsâ€"In 'the East the custom still is not to ap- proach 'a monarch without some gift. It is fitting that Christ should have the rarest gifts. The ancient interpreters saw in these particuâ€" lar presents, symbolsâ€"the gold, of royalty; frankincense, of Deity; myrrh,'of his Passion (John 19. .39). 12. In a dreamâ€"The Magi were versed in the understanding of dreams. ' Should not return to Herodâ€"- Who, thereupon, sought to carry out his brutal schemes regardless. .4 ' MISFORTDNE DOG GED HIM. A lady who prides herself on be- ing an ideal hostess, received al nasty set back at her last party “I‘m so glad you’ve come,” she said to a young man who 'arived late. “Has your brother come too 2” “He sent his apologies,” said the late arrival. A “You see we have so many engagements just now, so we tossed up to see who should have the pleasure of coming to-night.” “Very good of you,” said the hostess, who felt quite flattered. “What a brilliant idea, too! And, ' of course, you won 2” “No,” answered the young man unthinkingly, “I lost.” >11 BABY’S 9m: ushers A mar LIFE SAVER] l l .Therc is no othcr medicine for little ones as safe as Baby’s Own} Tablets, or so sure, in its beneficial. ! effects. cure stomach and bowel troubles, destroy worms, break up colds, thus preventing deadly croup, al- lay simple fevers, and bring the 1 little teeth through painlessly. Mrs. C. A. Weaver, Saskatchewan Landing, Sask., says :â€"“I have used Baby’s Own Tablets for my little one in cases of colds, stomach and bowel troubles, and other min: or ailments, and have never known them to fail in speedily restoring the child’s health. I think there is no medicine for babies like the Tablets.” Sold by medicine dea- lers or by mail at 25 cents a box from The Dr. Williams' Medicine C0,. Brockville, Ont. It takes a genius to invent a tale that his wife will believe. These Tablets speedily fig 3"; ’lnus, says The Gentlewoman, we' have the Prince and Princess if? Wales at Frogmorc, Georgina Lady Dudley at Pembroke Lodge, Rich-g mond; Colon-cl and Ladv Sarah‘ lVilson at the Stud House, Hampâ€"é Rn 1({Z‘ourt; Elixir Stanlev and Lady; J ar e at t e Ranger" ' Hyde Park, and so oil. 5 LOlge, mainâ€"fl EASIER TO NEGOTIATE. “You look down-in the mouthl Now. don’t be borrowing trouble.” “Will you lend me $5.?” “Erâ€"well, on second thought, perhaps you’d better go ahead and borrow the trouble.” 'Vrâ€"â€"â€"â€"â€"n NO NOVELTY. “A temperance lecturer ‘ has proved that beer contains so much alcohol that it may be used as an illuminant.” , . . ‘. Nothing new in that, I can’t drink three glasses of it without being all lit up.” FEm,â€"â€"â€".. “What Signifies a Name? a V, égfi‘ .‘ ’ chlzsâ€"T'ne Drug Clerk Strongâ€"The Blacksmith Bawldâ€"-Thc Barber Gromle-The Han Tonic Man Crtvuchbc Undcruku Lulaâ€"J“ Mama: 3 «life. 1 and perhaps years, that could have r. been disposed of in a few days or ‘ weeks. One medical man, who rwo CLUB roo‘r cssns has “‘95in 15,513 IN PLASEEB. children ; 11,559 of these unable to pay and were treated free. If you know of any child in your - neighborhood who ' is sick or has any deformity send the name of the parent -‘ to the Secrets . N The Hospi for .1 ' Sick Children ’wnot l i a local but a gm .. , Provincial Charity for ' sick child of ~ the poor "um in any come home IN Airman part of (.ntsr‘o hss same claim upon its help - as the child who 1 i v e 5 within the , shadow of 2 its walls in " - Toronto. T h c r o w e r c 6 9 c a s e s o f treated i n mamas. the Hospiâ€" tal last year and 67 had perfect correction BEFORE AFTER Just think of itâ€"Yonr money can help the .Hospitul to do the good work of strmghteuing the crooked limbs and club feet of little children. Please help us. Please SendCoatvlhutiona to J. Home Robertson, Chairman, or to Douglas Davidson. Sea-hm" The Hospital for Sick Children. College St... Toronto. W A CANDID DOCTOR. .Physician and lawyers are some- times charged With protracting profitable “cases” through months, had no temptation to that kind of, practise, was frank enough to take advantage of the impeachment, and put the blainc where it belonged. A lady was very solicitous about her health. livery trifle made her uneasy, and the doctor was called inuncdiatcly. The doctor was a skilful main, and consequently had a large prac- tise. It was very disagreeable to him to be so often called away from his other cases for nothing, and be resolved to take an opportunity of letting the lady see this. One day the lady observed a red spot on her hand, and at once sent for the doctor. He. came, looked at her hand. and said: “You did well to send for me early.” The lady asked : “Is it dangerous, than ’2” “Certainly not,” replied the (inr- tor. “To-morrow the spot would (have disappeared, and I should have lott my for: for this whit.” looked alarmed and. 1 I l t. c5. 13‘- "'vâ€"-