main. On Sir Erick's discovering the escape of Gustavus he followed him and threatened the town with Christian's wrath and punishment if he was not surrendered. Gustavus boldly declared his right to freedom. "I was borne into Denmark by deceit and violence. It is my right to be free; I will pay to Sir Erick the price of my escape with interest when I get home." For a few weeks he remained in Lubeck closely disguised. Then he started for Stockholm. He wore a round hat, short baize jacket, threw an axe over his shoulder, and asked for work by the way. A miner gave him employment threshing in his barn, but his courtly manners excited suspicion. Gustavus suddenly left. A long succession of perils and adventures were before him before he reached the home of a former friend named Arendt. To Arendt Gustavus confided his cherished project of freeing Sweden. He trusted to their youthful affection for safety and help. Arendt was a very stanch supporter of the King. He craftily listened to Gustavus with words of encouragement. In his heart he was plotting to ruin the young man. The nicest food was prepared, a good room was given him, and, unsuspicious of danger, Gustavus slept for hours, while Arendt was conspiring against him. Christian had offered a large reward for the head of Gustavus. The King's gold dazzled his eyes; it overruled the old love between them, and he sent to inform the Danes Gustavus was with him. A body of well-armed soldiers soon were seen going toward the house. On they went with fleet steps, up the stairs to Gustavus' room. He was gone. Loud oaths and angry mutterings filled the apartment. Who could have given Gustavus the necessary warning? The friend in need was Arendt's wife. She noted a strange light in her husband's face; she knew a foul plot was being laid. The moment he was out of sight she ran and awakened Gustavus. With the help of a long towel she assisted him to descend from the window, eighteen feet to the ground. A trusted servant was ordered to harness a sledge with haste and secrecy. Gustavus jumped into it and was driven away at full speed. Another of his friends helped him on his journey. He loaded a wagon with hay and covering Gustavus over with it, he drove boldly out of town toward the forest. On their way they met some Danish soldiers who were on a relentless hunt for Gustavus, greedy for the price which would be paid for his head. They half mistrusted some one was hidden at the bottom of the wagon. As they passed it each man in turn thrust his 66 As Finally Gustavus reached Dolmen. He lived among the mountaineers and miners. Everywhere he strove to stimulate his countrymen to rise in arms against the tyrant." He taught the peasants the use of long lances and to shoot red-hot arrows. His eloquence inflamed and excited all classes. he slowly made his way toward Stockholm the little army increased and became a powerful force. The famous siege of Stockholm soon began. Soon the enemy was reduced to great extremities and forced to abandon the city, and the victorious Swedes drove their foe out of the land. 66 When the Danes were finally driven out, a diet was held by the Swedes. The nobles and people emphatically declared "They would have no other King than Gustavus." They said: "He has been tried. He can command and he can obey. He alone had courage and valor sufficient to drive out our enemies and rescue our lost Fatherland." The coronation of Gustavus as King took place in 1523. His first act was to go to the House of God, prostrate himself before God, and plead for wisdom and guidance. Under his reign the Church prospered and flourished. As old age advanced he was stricken with a fatal disease. Calmly he met the dreaded messenger. He said, solemnly: "I feel I shall soon go hence and lay down before the King of Kings the glorious but perishable crown of Sweden." When dying he was asked by a servant: "Dost thou want anything?" Yes," answered Gustavus, the kingdom of heaven and that thou canst not give me." He died in the year 1560, at the age of 72, and lies buried in the Cathedral at Upsala. A. S. B. "No artist work is so high, so noble, so grand, so enduring, so important for all time as the making of character in a child.”—C. CUSHMAN. THE Electric Locomotives HE most powerful electric locomotive in the world has just been completed for the New York Central & Hudson River Railroad in the shops of the General Electric Company and of the American Locomotive Company, at Schenectady, N. Y. This locomotive is one of between thirty and fifty which will be used by the New York Central for hauling the through passenger trains within its electrical zone from the Grand Central Depot, New York, through the Park Avenue tunnel to Croton, on the main line, a distance of thirty-four miles, driving axle carries without intermediate gearing the armature of an electric motor having a normal rating of 550 horse-power and capable of much greater power for short periods. The maximum horse-power of this locomotive is approximately 3,000 horsepower, which is considerably greater than that of the largest steam locomotive. The total weight is 95 tons, of which 67 tons are on its eight driving wheels. The electric motors, aside from being the largest railway motors ever built, are of special interest owing to their design. In the and to White Plains, on the Harlem division, a distance of twenty-four miles. This will be the heaviest railway passenger service that has ever been handled by electric locomotives. With these locomotives, trains of ten or more cars may be hauled at express speeds of sixty to seventy miles per hour. The design and method of control are such that two or more locomotives can be coupled together and operated by a single engineer from the leading cab, the size of train under the control of one engineer being practically unlimited as far as the question of motive power is concerned. In general design the locomotive is doubleended and symmetrical in construction, and can be run in either direction with equal facility. The locomotive has four driving axles and a pony truck at each end. Each Life is the most precious of all possessions. No one would select it if among all his treasures he were compelled to choose one to be sacrificed. We cling to it even though youth, health, wealth, and any or every other auxiliary supposed to help make life worth the living have fled. With what thanksgiving, then, may Christians pass out from the shadows of death cast upon all who rightly observe the Lord's passion, into the glorious light of the Easter gospel of Life. Three things about the Easter gospel ought to be remembered. right. What right humanity once had to it was sacrificed to sin. And that we have it again is due entirely to the love and mercy of the Father Who bestows it without any compensation from us. A boy and a girl went out into the field on a beautiful summer day. The boy came back with a branch of thistles. The girl returned with a bouquet of flowers. Why the difference? The boy looked for thistlės. The girl looked for flowers. It all depends what you are looking for. You can look for and find faults in every Christian worker about you. You can look for and find many a grace and many a beautiful quality in them. are you looking for? Looking for the one makes you forever unhappy and dissatisfied. Seeking the other makes you a happy, joyous, loving, helpful, sympathetic worker. Which We need, in these days, more of the deep seated sense of duty, a devotion to the truth and the responsibilities it lays upon us. Feeling is good and necessary, but let it be a feeling which brings us to a complete and determined loyalty to the claims of Christ. Let there be emotion, but let it be of that EDITORIAL quality which led Paul to say, "the love of Christ constraineth me." Let that love constrain us to be true to our Christian vows and Christian obligations, no matter what it costs. Wanted, those who will feel we must do our duty to God and we must meet our obligations to Him. The blessed Eastertide calls us to new life and new joy. "If Christ be for us who can be against us?" This calls us to a glad and hopeful view of life. "Looking unto Jesus," the risen Lord and King, and knowing Him as our Lord, our King, our Redeemer, all life takes on a new quality of joy and gladness. How delightful it is to live, having such a view of life as the gospel of Easter brings to us. No Christian can be sad in the bright light of Easter day if he will but open his heart to the full and glorious meaning of the resurrection. Plausible, popular sins are destructive vices. They are bait to the unwary. They are as deadly morally as the upas. At the start they seem pleasant. In reality they are sure of disaster. It was into this pit so wise a man as Solomon fell. Rogues are everywere waiting to spring their traps on the unsuspecting victims of their treachery. Το meet such ways one needs understanding and sound judgment. It is often what is called "horse sense." But this is only saying a clear head is at the bottom of all real success in life. O for sanctified common sense! For there is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. Because of this we need the experience acquired by large observation, and an impartial survey of all sides of a subject. During the visit of the great Chinaman, Li Hung Chang, to America, and when he was in New York, in speaking of the opium trade in China he pronounced opium smoking a great curse to the Chinese population." In this connection he spoke of the superior virtues of the laboring classes of China, mentioning "thrift, economy, and temperance." How strange this sounds to our ears! But are we as a people much better off? Consider 66 23 Teach me to trust Thee, and each day to raise Grant unto me each day my daily bread, Guard Thou my slumber through the hours of night, Dispel the darkness with the morning light; *Hear Thou my prayer for Jesus' sake! Amen. —JEREMIAH H. LAUT. L TRUTH is mightier than eloquence; the spirit is stronger than wit, and faith is greater than learning.-LUTHER. Either sing this line in intonation, or repeat the music for last line. Publishers' Column The appropriateness of our Luther League Badge as an Easter gift for your friends or relatives, a member of your League or for the scholar in your Sunday school cannot be questioned. A large number of Sunday schools use them for the occasion, and they have them for Roll of Honor marks during the entire year. It must be remembered that a Luther League Badge is not merely an emblem that looks well and is admired by all who see it, but it stands for something as well. Every color and every part of the Badge stands for something. It is designed from the Luther coat of arms and is full of meaning. The great Reformer has thus described it: 66 There should be a black cross in the naturally red heart; for from the heart we must believe in the Crucified One in order to be saved; the cross, indeed, causes pain and mortification, yet it does not kill, but rather promotes the vital energy of the heart. Such a heart should stand on a white rose, to show that faith imparts joy, comfort and peace, and it should be white, because that is the color of spirits and of angels, and the joys not of the world. The rose, finally, should be placed in a sky-blue field, as this joy is already the beginning of the heavenly, and is comprehended in the hope of heaven, and that field should be encircled by a golden ring, because heavenly salvation endures forever and is valuable above all other possessions." We are much encouraged by the letters of commendation that are received from subscribers speaking most flatteringly of the REVIEW. We appreciate these kind words, and take occasion here to express our thanks. It would, however, be a delight to us if the many Leaguers who are not among our regular readers could catch some of the enthusiasm and give us a lift as far as subscriptions are concerned in their respective organizations. Can't we get you started? How would you like a batch of sample copies to start the ball rolling? They are yours for the asking. How about the Luther League Hymnal? Are you using it? If you want a book with good singable hymns you will find this the best that can be had. It is highly indorsed, and deserves your careful examination. Although a very large edition of the last number of the Topics was printed the edi Good Friday-Matthew 27: 1-61. April 23. Easter-Mark 16: 1-8. Monday-Acts 12: 1-9. April 30. Quasimodogenili-Acts 7: 54; 8: 1. Tuesday-Ecclesiastes 12: 1-14. Wednesday-Ezra 9: 5-15. May 7. Misericordias-James 1: 1-8. Thursday-Isaiah 32: 1-20. Pennsylvania Railroad's Washington Tours The Pennsylvania Railroad's eighth three-day personally-conducted tour to Washington will leave New York. Brooklyn, Newark, Elizabeth, and Trenton April 28. Round-trip rates-only difference being in the hotel selected in Washington-are $12 and $14.50 from New York, $10.50 or $13 from Trenton, and proportionate rates from other points. Tickets cover railroad transportation for the round trip and hotel accommodations. A special side trip to Mt. Vernon may also be taken. All tickets are good for ten days, with special hotel rates at expiration of hotel coupon. For itineraries and full information apply to Ticket Agents; Tourist Agents, 263 Fifth avenue, New York; 4 Court street, Brooklyn; or Geo. W. Boyd, General Passenger Agent, Broad Street Station, Philadelphia, Pa. Reduced Rates to Pacific Coast Points Via Pennsylvania Railroad, Account Lewis and Clark Exposition and Various Conventions On account of the Lewis and Clark Exposition at Portland, Ore., June 1 to October 15, and various conventions to be held in cities on the Pacific Coast during the Summer, the Pennsylvania Railroad Company will sell round-trip tickets on specified dates from all stations on its lines to San Francisco and Los Angeles, April 9 to September 27; to Portland. Seattle, Tacoma, Victoria, Vancouver and San Diego, May 22 to September 27, at greatly reduced rates. For dates of sale and specific information concerning rates and routes, consult nearest ticket agent. |