discharge with a single spark, but scatter as we see them in forked lightning. A Holtz machine in good working condition illustrates this when long discharges are made.

Faraday's experiments with small animals and birds in wire cages through which he discharged Leyden jar currents, is adduced as evidence in favor of the cage system of rods. Currents which would have instantly killed these, had they received but a fraction of the charge, did not cause the least inquietude.

I am aware that the Melsens system has met with determined opposition, especially among the English electricians, yet I believe that their objections can be successfully controverted, and that in some form the cage rod will eventually succeed to general favor. The Electrician.

who receives a direct commission to do some act or to convey some message.'

"We are conscious of treading on delicate ground when we speak of the commission given to ministers, but we should say, from our limited knowl edge,,that the call to the ministry, referring of course only to our own Society, comes in as great a variety of ways as the call to any other branch of the Lord's work. It may often commence with an impression of duty to repeat a passage of Scripture in meeting with or without any accompanying words of exhortation. But this may be several times repeated, and with enlarged utterance, before the speaker would venture to allow even to himself that he has received a 'call to the ministry.' There may again be a strong conviction that the Lord is calling to this service, long before there is any apprehension of duty to speak in meeting; duty in this case, it may be, pointing to preparation for word dropped by a Christian friend, a sermon, a book, an illness, and even the guidance of circumstances may be the means employed by God in first giving the call. But, as before remarked, the clearness of the guidance in these as in all other cases may largely depend upon the spirit of the servant, his self-renunciation, his sincerity of heart, his singleness of purpose, and his faith.

PHILADELPHIA, EIGHTH MO. 23, 1884.

SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE.-No better use can be made of our space this week, than to occupy a portion of it with an extract from the remarks of the Editor of the (London) Friend, in connection with an article in that paper on which comment was made by us a few weeks since :

"Is it not in the very essence of a servant's position that he must leave his master to appoint his work, and must wait on him for direction? We readily admit that the guidance of the Spirit may often be imperceptible-so gentle as to be quite distinct from what is ordinarily termed impulsethat it may be what some would call guidance by circumstances and that very largely in a great variety of cases it may be found in Scripture precepts and teaching.

"But, on the other hand, this guidance may come to any disciple of Christ in as direct a commission to do some act or convey some message' as was ever received by a minister of the Gospel. We knew a Friend who believed himself called one midnight to get out of bed and go at once to his mill about a furlong from his house. When there he found that the one servant left in charge had hung himself, he having arrived only just in time to save his life. But, leaving extraordinary cases like this, how often does an earnest Sunday-school teacher feel a direct call to speak on some special subject to his class, or to have a private interview with one of his pupils. Some kind Christian woman in like manner believes God wishes her to visit an acquaintance, whom she finds, when she arrives, greatly in need of her help. So, too, with persons in all the walks of life in the discharge of their respective duties. No doubt the clearness of the guidance will depend on the spirit of the servant, on his sincere desire and prayer to be led, on his faith, and on his single, watchful eye; but most assuredly the minister is not the only servant of God

"Then as to the message. We cannot own that as true Gospel ministry in which the speaker does not feel that he has a message from God which it is his bounden duty to deliver. But this may be given to him in many forms. We have heard of a Friend saying that she felt every word she uttered in meeting was specially given her by God at the time: probably few would assert this now. A master often sends his servant with a distinct message and yet leaves him to deliver it in his own words as best he can. So, too, with the minister; and though as he looks for help he will assuredly not be left to himself, he must yet give his whole heart and mind to the work and not expect to be acted upon as a mere machine. The message, too, may be special and concise, as that given to Jonah; or it may be of a very general character, as when the Apostles set free from prison were thus commissioned by the angel of the Lord:-Go, stand and speak in the temple all the words of this life.' It may be a word of comfort to those in trouble, given with the suggestion--' Go comfort them with the consolation I have given thee.' It may be a word of warning or encouragement, in which the speaker is divinely prompted to make use of illustration or analogy to arrest attention, and to rivet his message. Again, it may be a charge to impress some doctrine upon his hearers-to point to the cross of Christ, to teach the divinity of our Lord, the need to be born again, or to urge the power of prayer and of faith; and in these cases the minister may have to recall many passages of Scripture to the remembrance of his hearers, and to bring forth out of his treasury things new and old. Again, the message may be given at the time it is to be delivered, or days and even weeks before, that the

Lord's servant may be prepared to deliver it effectively.

"The subject invites to further remark, but enough has been already said to show that if the command to preach the word of the Lord be 'definite,' it may also be exceeding broad.' It is common to regard ministers as taking a specially high place in the Lord's service. It may be so or not. We cannot discern either in the character of their commission, or in the guidance granted them, the sharp line' others suppose to exist. 'One is your Master, even Christ, and all ye are brethren.' This is the teaching of our Lord."

WITH MUCH REGRET, we learn that the Student has, with the number for Seventh mo., No. 11 of its fourth volume, reached its final number, at least under its original management. Its conductors, Professor Isaac Sharpless and Watson W. Dewees, find other necessary engagements too engrossing to allow them to give farther attention to it.

The Student has rendered good service to the cause of education, and to the Society of Friends. Few educational periodicals have surpassed it in the variety and practical value of their monthly contents. It has quickened the apprehension of many of our teachers, making them better acquainted with current knowledge and thought; and has brought out a number of writers whose resources were perhaps before hardly known, even to themselves. More. over, in this amicable interchange of experiences and reflections, Friends who approached each other from somewhat different customary centres of thought and feeling, learned afresh how much common ground of sympathy and interest there was between them. We shall miss the Student, and will be glad if other competent hands may be found to take up its work; although it will not be easy to maintain it with all the excellent qualities belonging to it under the able and careful hands of Professors Sharpless and Dewees.

In the meantime, may not some of the writers of the Student find a channel for useful expression in the columns of The Friends' Review?

vanger, Quinnesdal, Erfjord, and elsewhere. Frederick Mackie expects to return with his wife, Rachel Ann Mackie, to Australia in the course of the ensuing autumn, having nearly completed their service on this side the equator.

NORTH CAROLINA YEARLY MEETING.

The Representative Meeting gathered in the Yearly Meeting-house at High Point, Eighth mo. 6th, 1884, at 10 o'clock, A. M. A time of reverent waiting before the Lord was followed by vocal prayer and thanksgiving. The committee appointed at a previous meeting to name suitable persons to serve the meeting as Clerks presented the names of Franklin S. Blair for Clerk and Himelius M. Hockett for Assistant, which were satisfactory to the meeting. The committee on the subject of building a vault for the safe keeping of valuable papers reported they had not been able, from want of a suitable location, to carry into effect the design of their appointment. A new committee was appointed to have the matter in charge, and if practi

cable, select a location and build a suitable vault. The committee on the subject of the Charleston property and fund produced an important communication from Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, which was sideration read and referred back to the committee for their consideration as to what further disposition should be made of the subject. This meeting then adjourned to meet on Sixth day at 3 P. M.

At three o'clock in the afternoon the meeting on Ministry and Oversight assembled under a solemn and precious feeling of the Divine presence. After a short silence, in which the baptism of the Holy Ghost seemed to be graciously poured out upon us, voral prayers were offered, returning thanks for the blessings of the past year and imploring His help and guidance of the importance of continually bearing in mind that in all the business of the meeting. We were reminded the great object of all our work is the salvation of souls. Meetings were present except from Lost Creek, in Nearly all the Representatives from the Quarterly Tennessee, which meeting was not represented at this sitting. Minutes were read from visiting friends, as Lydia N. Palmer, from Western Yearly Meeting; follows: Wm. G. Johnson, Franklin Meredith and Nathan D. Perry, minister, and Thomas A. Thompson, an elder, from Kansas; Abigail Henley, an elder, was companion to Lydia N. Palmer, and Asenath Meredith companion to her husband.

Our attention was directed to the words of Jesus to His disciples, "Ye are the salt of the earth-a city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another." Duties of parents to children were dwelt upon. The hearts of parents should be turned more to the children. They can be brought as effectually to Him now as when He was personally upon earth.

Adjourned to meet at half-past 8, Seventh-day

One

sons were rendered for the few that were absent, except for Lost Creek, from which meeting there were no Representatives present.

The same minutes for visiting Friends were read as on yesterday, no others having come in. These Friends were all heartily welcomed, and much sympathy and love expressed for them, and they encouraged to attend faithfully to whatever service the Master might call them to. J. E. Cartland, Josiah Nicholson and Hugh W. Dixon were appointed to prepare suitable returning minutes, and present them to a future sitting. The printed Epistle was then read from London Yearly Meeting. The many excellent points of doctrine so beautifully brought out in this Epistle were alluded to in a forcible manner by Jas. R. Jones, Rufus P. King, Yardley Warner, Nereus Mendenhall and Joseph Potts. Prof. L. L. Hobbs and Yardley Warner were appointed to have 3000 copies reprinted and distributed among the Quarterly Meetings. The written Epistles were then read from London and Dublin Yearly Meetings, and from all the American Yearly Meetings, including Canada, except New England. During the reading of these letters of love, we were brought under a very precious sense of the love of God binding us together in the bonds of Christian fellowship, and realizing that one is our Master, even Christ, and all we are brethren.

physician there. A caution was given that none of us take too much time merely to relieve our own minds and thereby become a hindrance to the young and diffident. Also that we should give to our young people a part of the work in all our meetings.

Seventh-day morning, Eighth month 9th.-As we came together in the meeting on Ministry and Oversight, the overshadowing wing of Divine goodness seemed to spread over us, and through the instru mentality of vocal prayer we were in a marvellous manner baptized by one Spirit into one body. David White, on behalf of the Representatives, proposed Hugh W. Dixon for Clerk, and Mary C. Woody for Assistant, of which the meeting approved. The read ing of the answers disclosed some deficiencies. A warning word was spoken against that spirit that would exalt self, or cause us to strive in seeing who should be the greatest. We were also tenderly exhorted to strive against drowsiness in meetings-to wait for and also move under Divine ability, and not to be over-anxious that some vocal service should be going on all the time in our meetings. Waiting upon the Lord and waiting before Him were contrasted; the former implies doing something-active service— the other may imply a silent waiting in preparation for service.

At 10 o'clock the Yearly Meeting met, and after gathering into silence, the Clerk knelt in vocal sup

Adjourned to 10 o'clock Sixth-day morning. Sixth-day Morning, Eighth mo 8th-After gathering into silence, vocal prayer was offered, during which we were brought very sensibly into the Divine presence; causing us to feel in our hearts, "Oh! how great is Thy goodness, which Thou hast laid up for them that fear Thee." Josiah Nicholson on behalf of the Representatives reported the names of Isham Cox for Clerk and L. L. Hobbs and George White for Assistants, which the meeting approved and appointed them accordingly. The report from Lost Creek Quarter was at this time received and read and one representative therefrom was present. An interesting feature of this session was the presence of several ministers of other religious denominations, among whom was Wm. G. Matton as a messenger bearing fraternal greetings from his church to us. Representatives were also present without credentials, from the Episcopal Methodist South, and one from the Presbyterian church. All expressed words of sympathy and encouragement to us and bade us God speed in the great work of saving souls. Responses were made by W G. Johnson, R. P. King, Nereus Mendenhall, Yardley Warner and others. Before reading the answers, a committee of three was appointed to embody the exercise of the meeting in a minute to be sent down to the subordinate meetings. The first answer showed a great deficiency in the attendance of meetings; which brought out many excellent remarks from ministers and others. James R. Jones thought Friends magnify their differences too much, and thereby cause some that are weak to absent themselves from meeting. R. P. King cautioned us against severe criticisms-said if it is necessary to speak the truth in love be sure our own hearts are filled with love. In putting the rules of discipline in practice it was remarked that the object was to reclaim members rather than to disown them. Earnest desire was expressed that Friends should be just and fair in all their transactions and not engage in business beyond their ability to manage. În reviewing our deficiencies we were reminded that there is a remedy. There is a balm in Gilead-there is a

statistics were read, and showed a total gain in membership of 165 during the year. A report from the Trustees of the Boarding School was read, showing there had been 122 pupils in school the past year, 75 of whom were Friends. The faculty is now made up of Joseph Moore, John W. Woody, L. L. Hobbs and Mary E. Mendenhall, with Leonidas T. Blair for Governor, and Lorena Reynolds for Governess. Francis T. King and Dr. J. J. Cox were appointed Trustees. The school is in a flourishing condition, and its future looks very promising.

The report on Peace from our committee was read, also the annual report of the Peace Association of Friends in America; all of which was very interesting, and elicited much favorable comment. meeting directed that $100 be raised among the different Monthly Meetings for the use of the Association.

The

A very encouraging report of work among the Indians in our own State, signed by Barnabas C. Hobbs, was read; also the report of the Associated Executive Committee on Indian Affairs.

(To be concluded.)

SAFETY OF DISARMAMENT.-"What is at present the danger of foreign invasion, compared to the danger of producing dissatisfaction and discontent, and curtailing the comforts of the people by undue taxation? The answer must be this-THAT THE DANGER OF AGGRESSION IS INFINITELY LESS THAN THE DANGER OF THOSE SUFFERINGS TO WHICH THE PRESENT EXORBITANT EXPENDITURE MUST GIVE RISE.

The interest of Europe is not that any country should exercise a peculiar influence; but the true interest of Europe is, to come to some one accord, so as to enable every country to reduce those military armaments which belong to a state of war rather than of peace. I do wish that the councils of every country, (or that the public voice and mind, if the councils did not,) would willingly propagate such a doctrine."-Sir Robert Peel, 1841.