ment of the art through the various models. Really he talked to my son more than he did to me, and I protested jokingly: "Do not let the youngster absorb too much of your attention and take up too much of your time," to which Edison replied: "It is the boy in whom I am now interested," and he went right on making many drawings and expounding his subject from the ground up. He gave us nearly the whole day, though he was an exceedingly busy man at the time. My son came home filled with an enthusiasm for electricity that he has never lost, and to the study of which he has devoted himself ever since. Meetings with such men are an inspiration and a stimulus to the ambition of a young man with character, and there is no need to worry about the future of a young man who has character and ambition.

-JOHN HAYS HAMMOND, in Collier's.

THE chief value of any plant may be measured by its ability to store sunshine. If a thing has the facilities for storing sunshine, this means that it must in turn release that sunshine in order that some other creature, whether animal or plant, may be benefited. All beauty in nature is nothing but the radiance that comes from the spending of stored up sunshine. A golden sunset, that tints up the clouds in the western sky, is made beautiful by the sunshine that is being spent by the sun. The exquisite colors found in the autumn leaves is nothing more than the spending of sunshine. Stored sunshine makes any plant or creature beautiful, but the greatest beauty comes when the sunshine is being spent. Thus the green foliage of forest trees is beautiful while the trees are at work storing sunshine; but their beauty does not become exquisite until the tree begins to spend its sunshine, and it is then that the human soul is lost in admiration for the green, the golden, the purple, the crimson, the yellow, and the other rare hues that the autumn brings. Nor does the stored sunshine end here, for every flower that spreads its waxen petals before us makes a firm declaration

that all its beauty is nothing more than the sunshine, which it has captured and is joyfully spending again. Nor is the storage of sunshine confined to the leaves and flowers of plants. The beet and sugar-cane stores sunshine, and in spending it gives back that which it has gained in the form of sugar for the preservation of animal life. The apple, the peach, the orange, the strawberry, the cherry, corn, wheat, and every soil product gathers together the rich and rare elements of soil, and in their laboratory store them with sunshine, and give back to mankind toothsome and health-giving foods for which no mortal can find a substitute. And thus nature declares that the value of any plant lies in its ability to store sunshine and in spending it in some way, leaving the world a rich blessing.

This same principle of storing sunshine as exemplified in plants may also be used as a safe criterion by which to judge the worth of a human being. The man, woman, or child who goes through life wearing a smile, who always has a kind and encouraging word for his brother, and is always sympathetic, is as surely shedding stored sunshine as is the rarest flower that spends its fra

grance to make life more beautiful. The person who goes through life unselfishly, lifting and lending a helping hand without the thought of receiving favors in return, is as surely spending the sunshine his soul has

Playing the Man

captured as is the apple, the peach, wheat, or rice, which spend themselves that the lives of both man and beast may be made more tolerable on the earth and that civilization may be advanced.

Be of good courage, and let us play the man.-2 Sam. 10:12.

Context: King Nahash, who once had done a kindly deed to David, is dead. Wishing to requite that deed, David sends comforters to Nahash's son Hanun. Hanun's princes lead him (Hanun) to suspect the motive, imputing a sinister one, namely, that David had sent spies to spy the land. This leads to shameful conduct on the part of Hanun with regard to David's ambassadors, which, in due course, leads to collision and Both sides draw up for conflict, and in our text, we have Joab rallying his men to "be of good courage, to play the men," etc. Such a word is heartening and rousing to the great spiritual conflict we all have to fight. What is it to "play the man" in this great conflict with evil?

war.

I. It is to prefer Christian principle to unprincipled policy. In a worldly sense, it would have been policy for Moses to have "laid low" with regard to those poor brow-beaten, back-smarting slaves in Egypt. Nursed in the lap of luxury in Pharaoh's palace, living on the best of the land, in order to side with Pharaoh's slaves was to jeopardize his own position in the palace? But these slaves were of his own stock-of his flesh and blood, and he felt the whole thing a positive wrong. It was a call for decision between principle and policy; and, to the credit of Moses, he "played the man" for his people and his God. How many since that day have failed as compared with Moses! How many prefer policy to principle, pence to Christian practise! How many will tell a lie when a lie means the sale of some particular article in business! If we "play the man" we shall scorn that kind of thing, and stand up for principle and conscience and God.

II. It is to stand by our convictions, whatever the cost. Immovable, rock-like, defiant, Luther "played the man." Not to the same degree can this be said of Erasmus.

Compromising, he would not stand to his convictions as did his confrère-Luther! When convictions are at stake, we can compromise too much. The old, false prophets were false in that they cried, "peace, peace," when there was no peace. Amiability must be guarded against lest, in being too amiable and peace-loving, convictions and high principles are forfeited. When fundamentals are at stake, we must put on the brave front, and "play the man."

III. It is at the foot of the cross, to quit our sin and take sides with God. That's true manliness! A story is told of a medicine man in West Africa who was at death's door. Having applied all his herbs and spells without avail, and having conducted his rites before his idols without effect, he went to the seashore, and casting all into the surf, he cried: "Now I'll be a man, and meet my God alone!" We "play the man" when alone at the cross, we face the issues of life and death, cast our sin on the great Sin-bearer, turn our back on the world, and stand out for Jesus. To do that, is bolder by far than facing any amount of batteries and battalions of war.

"Play the man, win the fight," and to you shall be redeemed the promise, "He that overcometh," etc. (Rev. 2:17).

Potter and Clay

And when the vessel that he made of the clay was marred in the hand of the potter, he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. Jer. 18:4.

This world is a huge pottery district in which human character is being molded into beauty or deformity.

I. Our attention is called to a failure in pottery. This is an incident of every day observation. Peculiar results of handicraft are visible. Chaste design and perfect finish also meet the eye. God confesses indirectly that he has failed to produce a good result. He rightly attributes the failure to the incongruous elements. We amateur

potters are in good company when we fail. II. Attempt an explanation of this remarkable failure. The material was unsuited-not plastic enough, nor ample enough; or possibly contained disintegrating elements. There may be found in our mental and moral composition constituents which limit even God. Of a starved, shrunken fragment of humanity amid adverse conditions even our benevolent Redeemer might despair of making a noble saint.

III. Observe the renewed attempt on the part of the potter. Notwithstanding the humiliating failure, the obdurate material, he "made it again another vessel." The old material employed to new uses. Life in the hands of God is susceptible of a new mold, if not of perfect pattern. The clay would be fresh kneaded and subjected to close scrutiny-suggesting painful, mental, and moral processes. Each may make or mar his character, as he facilitates or resists God's gracious purpose.

IV. Mark the general hopefulness of the allegory. Individuals whose life is confessedly a failure may hope in the mercy of God. Churches and nations may be recast on nobler lines, with less alloy. Grotesque social deformities give place to moral grace and beauty. Even a ray of hope is thrown upon the future. Christ has promised to "present us faultless" yonder. The marred unfinish of our life will give place to that moral symmetry which will satisfy even the great Potter.

Faithfulness

He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much; and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. -Luke 16:10.

The text is an observation on the parable of the "unjust steward." It presents, in negative fashion, an exhortation to be faithful. Concerning faithfulness, note three things.

I. That faithfulness in little things is equal to faithfulness in big things. It is not a question of large opportunities or small, but one of spirit. For the timber of soul can be displayed in the doing of a small task as of a large one. The "salt" and the "blue" are in a glass of sea-water as in the sea itself. The same quality material can be in the sample as in the whole. It is not

bulk, but texture. Christ valued the widow's mite as great not because it was great, intrinsically speaking, but because the spirit that prompted it was great. In themselves the gifts of the wealthier were far greater, but not in spirit. It is all a question of soul!

II. That faithfulness in little qualifies for faithfulness in much. Note verse 11. Unfaithfulness in this world's mammon disqualifies for the responsibility given with regard to the higher riches. Faithfulness qualifies for higher faithfulness. Unfaithfulness destroys trust. How can a man be trusted with higher things who has proved dishonest with the lower and the smaller things? Advancement, responsibility, progress are dependent on proved fidelity with regard to present tasks and present commitments.

III. That if we can be faithful in little things postulates faithfulness to the big things. Let a man prove true to the little task, and he can be depended upon for the big task. The man who can work consistently with his duty in some corner can well be trusted to do some bigger and more public duty consistently. If he can be faithful when away from the gaze of men, it will generally follow that he will be faithful when he works in men's full view. The temptation to "scamp" is not with the big, public task, but with the small and the insignificant one. It is there the test lies! Application: Let us be faithful to our bit, as those having to give account.

Surface Impressions

Jehovah seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but Jehovah looketh on the heart.-1 Sam. 16:7.

Our opinions and estimates and conclusions are usually based on what things seem or appear to be. Our prejudices, our likes and dislikes, are based largely on casual observation and acquaintance. In a word, we are swayed and ruled to a great degree by surface impressions.

I. Positive aspect. In social and business relations, fine clothes, fine mannerspolish and urbanity-impress us so favorably! Don't imagine that everything that looks good is good. Don't mistake a hat for a head! Don't mistake a hand for: