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WHICHEVER triumphs over the other, in the present conflict between France and China, many men will perish, many widows and orphans will have to lament the fruitless strife. Our intuitive sense of justice, crying out against the unprovoked attack by the more "civilized" power, leads to a sympathy with China, and a strong preference that she should not be conquered and made a prey to the rapacity of France. If it prove true that the late summary victory of the Chinese has been followed by an offer of that nation to accept the proposal of France, sent before the battle of Lang Son, to negotiate for peace, we may hope that the sober sense of the French will suffice to induce them to act favorably on that acceptance. But then, what will become of Madagascar? May it be, that with a change in the government, France may be called back from its brigand policy of conquest over feeble powers, to look to the establishment of its own not yet secure republican institutions. Of these we should have more hope, if it were not that the opposition to Romish priestly domination has gone so far as to include practically the rejection of all religion in the foundation of the State. Our own republic would have had but a poor chance of survival, a century ago, through the dark days of the Confederation, but that, behind and beneath the "Declaration of Independence," and all that followed, were the abiding truths and principles of Protestant Christianity. Without these, no republic is likely to be permanent, in France or elsewhere.

MUCH ATTENTION is now given, by philanthropists and students of social science, to the question of the best treatment of criminals sentenced to confinement under the law. One of the most interesting experiments of late years, is that of the Elmira Reformatory, in New York State. To this, only men are sent, between the ages of 16 and 30 years; those, also, who have never before been convicted of a crime rendering them liable to imprisonment. Three grades of inmates of the Reformatory exist; the position of each one being determined by his standing (as each is marked with precision day by day) in conduct, labor, and attention to the school exercises which are a part of the system. Eight hours of daily labor are required by the law of the State; the schooling being conducted in the evenings. On entrance, each man is placed in the intermediate grade; his going up or down then depends upon himselt. Privileges of a desirable kind are attached to the highest grade; and continuance in it for a year entitles the prisoner

to dismissal on a six months' probationary parole. If, at the end of that time, his monthly reports, corroborated by other testimony, are satisfactory, he is entirely at liberty. In the lower grades, a prisoner may be detained throughout the maximum time affixed by law to the crime for which he is sentenced to confinement. The Superintendent of this Reformatory is a man of unusual executive ability, and has absolute authority in the institution. Every inmate is with him a subject of careful individual study and treatment; and his good judgment, sympathy and firmness have obtained for him the respect and affection of all the six hundred men placed under his care.

With this system of combined labor and intellectual training, under very rigid but not too oppressive discipline, eighty per cent. of all admitted are said to be so far reformed as not again to come under punishment as criminals. Some of the remaining number prove incorrigible while in the institution; others lapse into crime after leaving it. In strong contrast with this proportion of success, however, it is reported that only forty per cent. of those who pass through a term of ordinary detention in a State prison, avoid or escape subsequent recommitment.

Clear proof is given in these results, of the great advantages of a wise adjustment of rewards and punishments, as impelling motives; and still more especially, of the importance of continued training, in the formation and change of habits; indeed, in the construction of character. Many of the criminal class become such early in life; partly from the inheritance of peculiar morbid tendencies, and partly from example, and surrounding associations. Take them from all such unfavorable circumstances, and give them something to work for and hope for, while obliged to adapt themselves to a regular and harmless mode of living, and in time they may lose the criminal habits which made them the enemies of society. Then they are safe to be at large like other people.

This régime does not, however, of itself, make men truly virtuous. "Other people," those who never enter a prison, are not all so. We regret to learn that the very superior administrator of the Elmira Reformatory does not, in his own management, emphasize strongly the religious element as a factor in the modification of character. There is reason to believe, from experience, that it is, when judiciously introduced, the most powerful of all motives and influences for such an effect. In appreciating the comparative results of the Elmira

management of those Indians, during which he saw some of them become incipient Christians, he was obliged by an almost fatal illness to abandon his charge. He was afterwards made a Special Agent, and while in care of the Quapaw Agency, he helped to organize the believing Modocs as a church. Later he was made an Indian Inspector, and finally by the unsolicited action of the Secretary of the Interior was

and of other penal institutions, it must be remembered that the latter usually receive criminals of all ages and stages of confirmed depravity; while the former takes charge only of such as are confined on account of their first conviction. Those who have known something of the history of the Indi-, ana State Prison for Women, while under the super-appointed United States Superintendent of Indian intendence of Sarah Smith, will be ready to believe, with us, that, while regular employment and well-adapted mental training, with firm discipline, will, as shown at Elmira, accomplish much, yet, for real tranformation of character, warm and positive religious teaching and personal Christian influence will do the most of all. Through them, as instruments, Divine power has, not seldom, out of very "stones, raised up children unto Abraham." It is true, at the same time, that injudicious teach ing about religious matters, with sentimental and pseudo-philanthropic

"coduling" of offenders

against law, often does a great deal of harm. What. ever may fall short of perfection in the Elmira system, the lesson of its success is one well worthy of being pondered by all who are interested in the reform and restoration of those who belong to the criminal class.

THROUGH AN ACCIDENT, the addresses on some copies of our paper for last week, to be distributed in Philadelphia, were lost, and they failed to be delivered. We will be obliged if those subscribers who did not receive their copies will let us know their names, so that they may be re-sent.

DIED.

HAWORTH.-Died, suddenly, at Albuquerque, New Mexico, Third mo. 12th, 1885, James M. Haworth, aged 53 years; a member of Kansas Yearly Meeting.

For a time a student at Earlham and afterward at Haverford College, James Haworth entered upon manhood with the impulses and conflicts of a strong character. At the outbreak of the civil war he entered the army and became a member of General Garfield's staff. At the close of the war his former religious convictions were greatly deepened, and he reunited himself with Friends. After the adoption by the Government of the " New Indian Policy in 1870, he became much interested in the elevation of the Indians, and in 1873 was appointed United States Indian Agent for the Kiowas and Co. manches. Here his peace principles were severely tested, for his life was in frequent peril, but were ever faithfully maintained. Unarmed himself, he wel. comed to his presence armed Indians who came with hostile intent, and won them to a better mind by his trust and moral power. In the midst of most perplexing duties he walked, as he himself said, "As it were holding up my hand continually that it might be clasped by my Heavenly Father, that I might be sustained and led by Him." After five years' successful

Education. He supervised the plans and the establishment of the training schools at Genoa, Chilocco and Lawrence, and was very efficient in helping for the Government. After spending some weeks at ward the system of industrial education adopted by Washington the past winter, doing all in his power to perfect the provisions for Indian schools in the appropriation bill, he hastened westward, called at his home, and then pressed on towards Santa Fé to plant a school there, to inspect others, and from thence to proceed to Oregon that he might direct the transfer of

the Forest Grove school to its new site at Salem. But at Albuquerque he died suddenly, in the full vigor of his powers, and in the height of his usefulness. He was translated from his devoted and loving service for his Lord here to a higher sphere, to meet Him who said, "Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of the least of these my Brethren, ye have done it unto me." He was a man of true courage, fitted by Christian grace and tact to meet the variety of men with whom he was called to come into contact, and unfaltering in his practical love to the Indians, thousands of whom, both young and old, will cherish his memory as one who was their steadfast and efficient friend. Earnest in his promotion of Bible-schools, fervent in prayer, frequent in exhortation in meetings for worship, he was in almost every respect a most fruitful Christian,

PRETLOW.-At his residence, in Wayne county, Ind., Second mo. 21st, 1885, Robert Scott Pretlow, aged nearly 64 years.

During his illness of several days, although his phys. ical suffering was at times very great, he often spoke of that being all-the mind was at rest and in perfect peace. His voice was often heard in prayer and thanksgiving; much of his talk to those around him was of the goodness and the mercy of God, and the importance of Christians giving positive tesimony for Christ; saying that unbelief is the sin of the world. One of his last testimonies in his meeting was, "I know my name is written in heaven. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day." He was an esteemed member of Dublin Monthly Meeting, and was gathered as a shock of corn fully ripe into the heavenly garner.

Christian Worker please copy.

THE BISHOP OF LIVERPOOL in his recent charge to the clergy of his diocese, made a powerful plea on behalf of house-to-house visitation, in order to reach those who are beyond the pale of present religious efforts. He revealed what is really the one great necessity of our times in reference to the masses of people who are living in utter disregard of God, when he said the true remedy lies in a multiplication of living agents who would "go to work as the Apostle St. Paul used to do, and visit house after house and room after room with the

simple message of the Gospel, telling the story of the cross, and approaching every one with love, sympathy, and sanctified common sense."

THE INTERNATIONAL LESSON.

SECOND QUARTER.

LESSON III.

PAUL GOING TO ROME.
Acts xxviii. 1-15.
GOLDEN TEXT.-He thanked God and took courage. Acts xxviii. 15.

The whole company of nearly 300 persons had escaped safe to shore. This, when we take into account their prolonged exposure to the cold, rain and tempest, and the exhaustion incident to insufficient food and long anxiety, is in itself almost a miracle. Certainly many of them owed their lives to the prayers and self-forgetful courage of the Apostle Paul. There is a striking contrast between Jonah, when, fleeing from the face of the Lord, he brought disaster on those with whom he sailed, and Paul, who being consciously in God's will, was the means of salvation and blessing to his fellow passengers.

1. The island was called Melita. Melita has been identified almost beyond doubt with Malta, an island near the middle of the Mediterranean, between Europe and Africa. It is 17 miles in length and 9 miles in its greatest breadth.

2. The barbarous people. R. V., the barbarians. This word was used by the Greeks and Romans of persons who could not speak their language. I Cor. xiv. 11. It has here the force of "natives." The natives of Malta were of Phoenician origin, from the opposite coasts of Carthage, in Africa. No little kindness. R. V. No common kindness. In their treatment of the shipwrecked crew they were far removed from our ordinary notion of barbarians. Because of the present rain and because of the cold. The rain was doubtless the remains of the long tempest. The cold of a northeasterly wind at this season was proverbial.

3. And when Paul had gathered. "Paul, with that indomitable activity and disregard of self which neither danger nor fatigue could check, was busy amongst the busiest collecting fuel."-Farrar. Thus he again exemplifies Christ's word about the greatness of serving. Matt. xx. 25-28; Matt. xxiii. 10-12; Lu. xxii. 24-27. A bundle of sticks. The word in the original would apply very fitly to the brushwood and furze which is said to be the only material growing in this part of Malta of which a fire could be made.-Cambridge Bible. There came a viper out of the heat. R. V., by reason of the heat. It had been lying torpid among the roots, but now the heat had revived it. It is said that the viper has disappeared from Malta; but those who have studied the habits of animals know that such an instance would be by no means unparalleled.

4. And when the barbarians saw. The natives knew that the poisoned fangs by which alone it could hang were bedded in the hand, and they knew the virulence of the poison now in contact with the life blood.-Butler. No doubt this man is a murderer whom though he hath escaped the sea vengeance (R. V. justice) suffereth not to live. They saw that Paul was a prisoner, and thinking

that a dreadful fate was about to befall him, they reasoned that he must be a murderer.

5. Howbeit he shook off the beast. Evidently Paul was perfectly self-possessed and calm. He knew that a venomous beast would not be suffered to interfere with God's designs already revealed to him. Now was literally fulfilled Christ's parting promise, Mark xvi. 18. These signs were intended to be proofs of His divine power accompanying His children in their work for Him, and twice at least when they were vouchsafed to Paul (here and Acts xiv. 9-11) they were received as proofs of divinity by those who saw them. In the present instance Paul came as an unaccredited prisoner, and there was a special reason why God should furnish him with clear credentials.

7. In the same quarters were possessions. R. V. Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging, &c. By a By a curious coincidence the present country residence of the English governor is not far from the same spot.

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8. The father of Publius lay sick of a fever and a bloody flux. Literally with fevers and dysentery." The plural "fevers" probably indicates attacks of a recurrent fever. To whom Paul entered in. Paul repaid the governor's kindness by healing his father. Heb. xiii. 2; Matt. x. 40—42. And healed him. Another of the signs promised (Mark xvi. 18) fulfilled.

9. So when this was done others also. R. V. The rest also.

10. Who also honored us with many honors. Courtesies. The presence of Paul was a means of blessing, not only to the islanders, but also to his feilow voyagers who shared in the courtesies heaped upon him.

11. After three months. Probably about the 8th of Second month when, according to Pliny, navigation opened again. A ship of Alexandria, most likely another corn ship which, more fortunate than the first, had gained the shelter of the harbor at Valetta before the hurricane began. Whose sign was Castor and Pollux. R. V. Whose sign was the Twin Brothers. They were the sons of Jupiter and Leda, and supposed to have special power over winds and waves. The sign was not a figure head, but was painted or carved on each side of the prow.

12. And landing at Syracuse. This famous city was on the east coast of Sicily, about 80 miles from Malta. Ships bound from Alexandria to Italy commonly put in here for purposes of trade.

13. From thence we fetched a compass. R. V. We made a circuit. The wind was probably from the west, compelling them to sail by a circuitous sweep to Rhegium. Thence after one day, the wind having changed to the south, they sailed without danger through the Straits of Messina between the famous rocks of Scylla and the whirlpool of Charybdis, and came to Puteoli, then the chief port of Italy, in the northwestern corner of the Bay of Naples.

14. And were desired to tarry with them seven days. Julius no doubt repeated his former courtesy to Paul. Ch. xxvii. 3. This delay would give

abundant time for the news of his arrival to reach Rome.

16. As far as Appii Forum. R. V. The market of Appius. Rome was 140 miles from Puteoli. They would travel most of the time along the Appian Way; the oldest and most famous of the great Roman roads. The market of Appius was a small town 40 miles from Rome. The three taverns was 10 miles nearer. Here a second body of Christians met Paul. Thus God answered his prayer, Rom. XV. 30-32.

PRACTICAL THOUGHTS.

1. V. 3. Paul was so delivered from himself that he was at leisure to do whatever came in his way to help others. Thus he practiced what he preached. I Cor. x. 33: I Cor. xi. 1; Rom. xv. 1-3; II. Cor. v. 14, 15; II Cor. vi. 3-10.

2. V. 4. The fact that a man meets with outward calamity is no proof that he is a sinner. Lu. xiii. 1-5; John ix. 3; Matt. vii. 1-5; Rom. ii. 1—6. 3. Vs. 8, 9. A Christian living in the power of Christ is a means of blessing to all with whom he comes in contact. Rom. xv. 29. This is meant to be our normal condition. Is it so ?

OVERRULED FOR GOOD.-At the very time while the Congo Conference was in session, all the great foreign Missionary Boards were planning, and some of them carrying out, enlarged mission work in Africa. In January last, a band of missionaries, numbering fifty, bound for the Congo country, sailed from New York. It was composed of preachers, physicians, mechanics, and farmers, with their families, constituting in itself a little Christian community, and supplied with all the necessities of civilized life. The spirit of self sacrifice sent them forth. As the ship was about to start, one of the lady missionaries received a telegram announcing the death of her father. For a few minutes she stood in silence, debating what she should do. Thrusting the telegram in her pocket, she said in tears: "I must not turn back." Farewells of friends were spoken, the warm clasp of Christian hands told of the love of Christian hearts. With one voice all joined in the grand Doxology, and as the vessel glided out into the river amid the swinging of hats and the waving of handkerchiefs, the song, "In the Sweet By and By" was taken up, and sung till the answering strains from the missionaries were lost in the dis

tance.

What a contrast between the motive that convened the Congo Conference at Berlin and that which banded together those missionaries who sailed from New York! How different the object each has in view; and yet, wide apart as are these movements in origin and aim, their final outcome will be the same-the bringing of Africa among the Christian nations of the earth. Science, art, learning, commerce, and every other element of human development may be headed as man determines, but in the end they shall become God's servants for the accomplishment of His glorious purposes.-American Missionary.

AGRICULTURAL WEALTH OF CANADA.

Let us not underrate the British States of North America. It has been my fortune lately, in Manitoba and in British Columbia, to meet with experiences which have given me a new conception of the dignity of the Canadian Dominion. Conversing with a professor of a university, in the beautiful and energetic city of Winnipeg, while a I map of North America was opened before us, put my compasses down, one foot on St. Paul, and left the other swinging above the chart. "Now," said I to my informant, "how far north must I carry this loose foot of the compass to reach the furthest border of your good wheat lands?" "You must carry it north," said he, “to

the Peace River in Athabaska. On the banks of that stream, the buffalo and their young may be seen feeding on grass on the tenth of May." I opened the compasses until they reached the Peace River, some 1,500 miles northwest of St. Paul. I then swung the compasses around, and their northernmost point, when carried to the east, stood in the Atlantic Ocean, and when carried to the south it stood in the Gulf. Incredible as the assertion may appear, there is more arable land northwest of St.

Paul than east of it, or south of it. Our Ameri-
can Consul at Winnipeg, the Hon. Mr. Taylor,
told me that he is accustomed to divide North
America into three belts-the cotton belt, the
maize belt, and the wheat belt-and that, in his
judgment, three quarters of the wheat belt lies
north of the international line. The sunlight en-
dures two hours longer on a summer's day in
Athabaska than in Ohio. Canadians are discuss-

ing, with not a little eagerness, the project of a
new route to England through Hudson's Bay,
from the mouth of the Nelson River, just north of
Winnipeg. At least three months in every year
ships may pass freely through the outlet of Hud-
son's Bay. The distance from the mouth of the
Nelson to the mouth of the Mersey is two hundred
miles shorter than that from the mouth of the
Hudson to the mouth of the English stream. Sir
Richard Temple had just been lecturing in Win-
nipeg when I was there, and he was accustomed to
say publicly and privately that as the ships of the
Hudson Bay Company had gone in and out of
Hudson's Bay for two hundred years, it might be
expected that steamships could carry on an im
portant trade there. Archangel, in Russia, with
its 20,000 people, has a climate worse than that of
the Nelson River, and yet it was and is an im
portant port. The Canadian Pacific Road intends
to carry to England all the teas that the mother
A study of
islands bring from Japan and China.
Manitoba and of British Columbia, and of that
mighty region of the Saskatchewan valley, through
which the warm isotherms run north so far, has
doubled my respect for the political and industrial
future of the Canadian Dominion.

JOSEPH COOK.

No man is so happy as a real Christian.—Pascal.

HELPING THE CAUSE.

A writer tells of a sturdy old Methodist, who, with another old brother, was in the habit of shouting in the church on meeting-day when things went well. One day the other brother kept silent, while our sturdy brother went off as usual. Meeting in the churchyard after service he said to his companion in holy joy:

"You didn't shout to day. What was the matter ?"

Said the other, "I didn't feel like it."

"I didn't either," said the shouting brother; "but I thought it would help the cause."

He seemed to have an idea that about so much pious racket would be helpful to "the cause," whether it was the genuine expression of devout joy, or a fusillade of noisy pretence. He was not entirely singular in his views. There are many persons whose religious exercises are largely intended to 66 help the cause." They sing words which they do not mean, they pray prayers which they do not expect to have answered, they shout and babble with a mock enthusiasm, and they think they are helping " the cause."

It may be they are. But what cause is it that can be helped by pretence, and sham, and hypocrisy? Certainly it cannot be the cause of Christ, for that does not depend upon such pretentious performances. He who desires "truth in the inward parts," wants none of this empty babble to help His cause along. He who hates hypocrisy, and requires that men should serve him in spirit and in truth, in simplicity, in sincerity, and with godly fear, is not in the least dependent for the welfare of His cause upon empty noise, and words which do not express the inward thoughts of the heart.

We shall best help the cause of God by being honest in the sight of God, by speaking the things which we mean, and expressing emotions which we feel, by telling the honest truth, or maintaining silence until we have something to say which we are not ashamed to tell. And if we draw near to God, He surely will draw near to us, and we shall have cause for real joy, and praise, and thanksgiving, instead of the empty and hypocritical babble with which men try to help the cause."—The (Boston)

Christian.

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CORRESPONDENCE.

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heard she was collecting the money for our hospital, and Irish friends a building had been put up, and that to tell her that through the kindness of some English we would not require such a large sum of money. I do not know whether my letter reached her or not; certainly it did not before thy letter was posted.

The building, though erected, is not properly finished, but still has afforded a shelter to many suffering creatures; we had not means to put in doors or make proper bath-room accommodations, or furnish it; now we shall be able to do so.

With reference to the houses for inquirers, lest my letter should have gone astray, I had better give you a little explanation. Many of our new converts and inquirers wish to live on our compound, where they will be out of the reach of the temptations and persecutions of city life. We have five Christian families living there, but have not room for more, and have living if they could only have a place to live amongst now several inquirers anxious to remain and earn their Christians; two converts who have settled down are anxious to bring their wives; indeed, one has gone to fetch his. Thou canst see that these young women, brought and put to live in the city amongst their lately come out themselves from heathendom, are not heathen neighbors, and whose husbands have only likely to learn much amongst such surroundings; we should like to have them amongst Christian influences; then, as they get strong in the faith, draft them off to live in the city, where they may let their light shine amongst their heathen neighbors; but the light must it can shine, or it will be quickly extinguished. We first be kindled and fanned into a strong flame before experienced Christians living in the city, and the have followed that plan so far, the older and more should be nursed and pampered always, but it is very younger ones on our compound. I do not think they necessary that they should be surrounded by good influences at first.

Thou asks if we are encouraged in our work. We showing us that the seed seems to be springing up a are very much so indeed; our late camping tours are Saviour becoming known in the district. little, and the name of the Lord Jesus Christ as a

only teen established ten years. Charles Gayford, The Mission here is comparatively recent, having

my husband's predecessor, was at first occupied in

to the heathen."

building and arranging, and when fairly started, devoted himself more especially to the city work; when my husband came, now more than six years ago, the name of Christ was not so much as known in many of the surrounding villages. He is essentially an evanin the district, overseeing the city work too; through gelist, as he says "he came here to preach the Gospel So he has gone about a great deal the preaching and the books sold by the colporteur, there is not a village we go into now where the purpose of our visit is not known. This year we find the people not only willing to listen, but ready to acknowl edge Christ, in conjunction with their own gods. Of course that is not sufficient, but still it is a step in the

Extract from a letter to a member of the W. F. M. A. right direction. In some places we have found those of Friends in Philadelphia:

who say they have given up all other worship, only they have not yet come to breaking caste.

In one village lately a crowd of little boys came a Christmas hymn, beginning round our tent soon after our arrival, and began'sing

TARONDA, HOSHANGABAD, INDIA, First mo. 29th, 1885. DEAR FRIEND-Thy welcome letter of Twelfth mo. 13th, enclosing the drafts for £60 and the extra money for photographs, reached me safely. Please accepting for thyself and convey to those friends who have so kindly and liberally subscribed, our heartfelt thanks for their sympathy and interest in our work; indeed, we hardly know how to express ourselves suitably in return for your very generous help.

I wrote to M. H. Garrett some time ago when I

"Isa Masih mera pramahachaya

Jesus Christ is the Saviour of my soul.
They had heard my husband and one of the native
Singing a hymn to a native air is the way they gather
preachers singing it last year, and had picked it up.

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