many were our birthright members, and a number of them members of other churches. The amount of money expended through the committee was less than two thousand dollars. It was believed to have been the year of the greatest religious blessing ever known in lowa Yearly Meeting. The report of the committee was satisfactory, and a committee was appointed to have the oversight of the work another year. A contribution was taken up in the meeting for the work, and more than one thousand one hundred dollars subscribed; a considerable part of which was paid.

In the same session Josiah Dillon laid before the meeting a concern to visit, in the love of the gospel, some of the West India Islands. The subject was considered from various standpoints, including the expenses of traveling and the support of his large family. With a large expression of unity he was liberated for the purpose.

In the afternoon, again met in joint session; in which Penn College, with what it is doing and its needs, was brought before the meeting. The school has been rather larger this year than ever before, and the work done very satisfactory, both from a religious and literary point of view. During the winter all who were in the college course were converted except three or four, and so also were a large proportion of those in the preparatory course. Many of them were converted before they went to Penn College, and we are thankful that the influence of the President and all the professors and teachers is to direct the students to Christ, through whose precious blood they are redeemed.

The College has no endowment. The Board is trying to raise one, and the subject was earnestly pre. sented by several speakers. It is expected that agents will visit our membership this fall and winter, and it is hoped that the Lord will so open the hearts of our members that an endowment can be secured.

First-day. There were about one thousand people ina each room, and not less than twice the number outside, making a company of six thousand or more. Several meetings were held in the yard, at which there were believed to have been five converted. In the meetings in the house, including the evening meeting, there was evidence of several having been definitely blessed.

Second-day morning, 15th. In the meeting for Ministry and Oversight, we were instructed that ministers should speak with assurance that the Bible is true, and not in a way that could be construed that there might be a doubt in the mind of the speaker as to the correctness of some part, and that it was not often best to speak of a particular error and then combat it; but to teach the truth as it is in Christ Jesus from the Bible. The errors of the day, either old ones or new ones, must wilt before the truth, for the Lamb and His followers will have the victory.

In the meeting for business, several standing committees reported. One of them stated that pastoral letters had been sent to some of our absent members, and that there was evidence of good results from them. J. H. Douglas stated that in his Monthly Meeting this mode of communicating with absent members had been adopted with very satisfactory results.

The interest on the Wells Fund could pay the tuition of four students in Penn College this year.

At White's Manual Labor Institute there have been during the past year 11 white children, and an average of 60 Indian children. It was stated that there were as many white children sustained there at present as there could be without the Indians. They are making commendable progress in their educational, household and farm duties.

The Parsons school in Kansas for colored children is progressing satisfactorily. It has had an average during the past year of 53 students.

Satisfactory reports were received from the Quarterly Meeting schools of Pleasant Plain, Le Grand, New Providence and Ackworth.

Anna J. Winslow, of Kansas, with two of our members, Catherine Ozbun and Anna White, visited men's meeting with a message to the men: "" Husbands, love your wives." Try to develop them to the best of their capabilities by assisting them in work, especially religious, and by no means tell them that their capabili ties are such that their efforts will amount to little or nothing. If they wish funds or necessaries of life, which you are at the time unable to supply, tell them so sweetly, and not bluntly or harshly refuse. You don't know how crushing such things are. Go with your wives in religious service if you can, and if not, let your prayers accompany them.

Third-day, Ninth mo. 16th.-Epistles to other Yearly Meetings were read, and returning minutes for ministers were read and approved.

The Missionary Association reported that a building 20x40 feet had been erected in Jamaica for school purposes, and that the missionaries, Jesse R. and Lizzie Townsend, were progressing satisfactorily with the work. $1056.84 had been collected by the Bibleschools for the support of the work.

After the business was transacted, there were many who expressed their thankfulness to God that they had been permitted to be present, and that God had definitely blessed them. We were advised to keep our connection good with the world to which we are going. Read and study the Bible with the aid of the Holy Spirit. Aim to be like Christ, humble, sweet, gentle, loving, and be guided by the Spirit of God; by His providences; by His love.

The baptizing power of the Holy Spirit also pervaded the women's meeting. Their business, too, was transacted in unity and love. It was a time of spiritual feasting; sometimes accompanied with much brokenness, and many tears. After their business was brought to a close, there was much thankfulness expressed to God for the very many blessings that He had bestowed upon them, and upon the church during the year, and especially during the week of Yearly Meeting. The time for adjournment having arrived, there appeared yet to be many full hearts. At the suggestion of the Clerk, Jane W. Blair, all who felt like it, several hundred in number, arose to their feet, and together said, "Praise the Lord."

There seemed to be more on the camp grounds this year than usual. As the weather was very propitious, they appeared to be comfortable in their tents, and were at but little expense. In the religious gatherings in and around some of their tents, there were several converted. In the devotional meetings held in the meeting-house in the mornings and evenings, there were also a number who were converted, renewed, or sanctified. To God be all the glory. L. T.

WESTERN YEARLY MEETING.

Western Yearly Meeting convened at Plainfield, Indiana, Ninth month 19th, 1884. The attendance was about the usual number.

The meeting for Ministry and Oversight convened on the afternoon previous at 2 o'clock, under a very solemn covering; in which the spirit of prayer found vocal utterance for the unity of the Spirit and the enduement of power to attend the various sittings of the Yearly Meeting. The Meeting for Business met at 10

o'clock, A. M. After several minutes of reverent waiting, in which several voices were heard in vocal prayer, the Clerk read the opening minute. The individual and united responsibility of the members in the transaction of the business of the church and in the maintenance of gospel order was feelingly referred to. And the young men were exhorted to submit themselves to discharge the duties assigned them by the church to the best of their ability, leaving results with God.

Credentials were read for Eli Jones, of New England Yearly Meeting; Deborah C. Thomas and Jehu and Sarah W. Newlin, of Baltimore; Noah C. McLean, of Ohio; Susan Ratliff and Ann Gause, of Indiana; Truman Cooper, Malinda B. Hunt, Edward C. Young and wife, Nereus M. Hodgin and Benja min Farquhar, of Iowa; Thomas A. Smith, William F. Harvey and Samuel Weeks, of Kansas; also for Thomas Thompson, an elder, from Kansas; for Martha E. Hodgin, in company with her husband, N. M. Hodgin, of Iowa; and for Esther B. Tuttle, from the Women's Foreign Mission Association of Ohio Yearly Meeting, to that of this. The meeting very cordially welcomed these and others without minutes who were with us, and a committee was appointed to prepare essays of certificates of their attendance here for their friends at home.

A committee was appointed on outdoor meetings on the meeting grounds during the time set apart for public worship, which was also instructed to assist the ministers in obtaining opportunity to discharge the services to which they may feel called.

The Clerk announced that he had received a communication from the Superintendent of the "Indiana State Reform School for Boys," near by, tendering the use of his carriage to those who wished to visit the institution, and opening the way for those who felt called thereto to have an opportunity with the boys there, at present numbering a little more than four hundred.

A printing committee was appointed and directed to have 4,500 copies of the minutes of the meeting printed. Also, one to have care of devotional meetings each morning at eight o'clock and each evening

at seven.

1.30 P. M.-The meeting convened in joint session. Hiram Hadley was appointed Clerk, and Simon Hadley and John P. Penington, Assistants. A very full expression of appreciation of the services of Amos Doan, who had served the meeting so well and so long as Clerk, was given.

A very full report on the subject of Bible-schools was presented. The condition of the work was encouraging-83 schools were reported, 69 of them had continued the entire year. The entire enrolment was 7047; the average attendance 3667. The attendance of Friends, 5019; of Friends not attending, 4918. Of these, 692 were too young, and 670 were infirm; 905 officers and teachers were engaged; nearly, but not quite all, giving evidence of Christian life; 31 schools had maintained "teachers' meetings;" 58 conferences had been held, and one training class conducted.

Very interesting and instructive remarks were made on the subject by Mary T. Wilson, of Indiana Yearly Meeting; Eli Jones, of New England; B. C. Hobbs, John Winney, (an Indian from the Indian Territory), William F. Harvey, of Kansas, and others.

The London General Epistle was read and a reprint of 6000 copies ordered. Amos Doan, on behalf of the Foreign Mission Committee, called attention to the need of a man and his wife to superintend the work at Soto La Marina in Mexico; which called out very earnest remarks from Eli Jones, Sarah W. Newlin and Calvin W. Pritchard.

Minutes were read for Alfred Johnson and Eli J. Scott, of Indiana Yearly Meeting, and for Elwood Weesner (an elder) of Kansas.

The meeting entered very feelingly into sympathy with J. B. Braithwaite in the affliction caused by his accident; adopted a minute expressive of the sense of the meeting, and directed the Clerk to communicate a suitable expression of it to him.

The epistolary correspondence was entered into, and two Epistles were read from London (none having been received last year) and that from Dublin.

Sarah W. Newlin and Deborah C. Thomas paid a visit to men's meeting.

John P. Penington, in a few words asked Divine preparation to receive the message. S. W. N., after invoking Divine guidance vocally, entered very living. ly into the condition of the meeting, speaking from the words, "Be ye clean that handle the vessels of the Lord." Her communication was very earnest and accompanied with great power. Deborah C. Thomas supplicated that the Holy Spirit would reveal to each heart its true condition; also to endue those called to the ministry of the word with spiritual power. After the sisters withdrew, Jehu Newlin added his testimony to the labors of the sisters, and Truman Cooper prayed for the seal of the Holy Spirit upon it. The reading of the Epistles was resumed, and those read from New England, New York, North Carolina, Baltimore, Ohio, Indiana, Kansas and Canada, and a large committee was appointed to draught replies expressing our fraternal love and our appreciation of

this bond of brotherhood.

Afternoon.-Convened at 1.30 in joint session. The report on education was presented by the General Superintendent on that subject. The report embraced a review of the work of the committee for the last ten years. The progress in the work was very encouraging.

They reported 2803 children of school age; 2554 had been in school the past year; six academies under the control of Friends had 355 pupils in academic course, and 29 had completed it; 59 had been in college, three of whom had graduated.

Interesting remarks were made on the subject: by B. C. Hobbs on uniform course of study in the academies; by Eli Jones on the necessity of educating head, heart, mind and hands conjointly, for the Lord has need of them all. C. W. Pritchard called attention to the "Christian Worker" as a means of publishing educational items. B. C. Hobbs suggested that the committee establish an "educational directory," where teachers might apply for positions, present their recommendations, &c., and where those needing their services could know where to apply for them. Wm. Wooten called attention to his purpose to establish a Friends' school in northern Alabama as an individual enterprise in connection with his religious work there. The meetings of men and women Friends then separated. The committee to attend the opening of West Liberty Quarterly Meeting in southeastern Illinois reported that meeting satisfactorily opened. The Committee on International Arbitration made a satisfactory report of their services, and were continued for another year.

First-day, Ninth mo. 21st.—Meetings were held in the house, and at places on grounds adjacent at 10 o'clock A. M., and at the same places at 2 o'clock P. M.;

wherein the gospel stream flowed freely and with power. The number in attendance was estimated at 5000 persons.

(To be concluded.)

THE INTERNATIONAL LESSON.

LESSON II.

FOURTH QUARTER.

DAVID'S CHARGE TO SOLOMON.

Tenth month 12th, 1884

GOLDEN TEXT.-Arise, therefore, and be doing, and the Lord be with thee. I Chron. xxii. 16.

The Books of Chronicles, like the Books of Samuel and of Kings, formed originally one book, which was afterward divided. It was probably written by Ezra, after the Captivity, about 440 B. C., and for the purpose of bringing before the Jews briefly their whole history, and showing them what place they held among the nations of the earth. In order to do this the writer makes use of genealogies until he reaches the time of David. The main characteristics of the book are, the tendency to dwell on the externals of religion; its genealo gies; and its moral teachings, especially in regard to rewards and punishments. The histories of David, Solomon, and of other kings are all used to enforce the lesson that good is rewarded and evil punished in this world. The moral is always pointed out and not left for the reader to draw his own conclusions. (Compare I Chron. iv. 10; V. 18-20, 25, 26; ix. 1.) While much is repeated that is related in Samuel and Kings, often new light is thrown upon the times, and new details are given which are exceedingly interesting and instructive. The present lesson is an example, as it consists entirely of matter omitted from the account given in II Sam. and I Kings. Solomon had probably been crowned king, and David, with injunctions full of loving wisdom and caution, gives to him all the vast accumulation of treasure and material for the Temple which he himself had so earnestly desired to build unto the Lord. For a fuller account of the preparations of David, see I Chron. xxviii. and xxix.

6. Then he called, etc. The earnestness of this makes it probable that the events now to be described took place but a very short time before David's death.

7. It was in my mind. I had intended. See chap. xvii. 1-4; II Sam. vii. 1—5.

8. The word of the Lord came to me. Probably not through Nathan at the time mentioned in chap. xvii., but at some other time. Because thou hast shed blood abundantly. See II Sam. viii. 5; x. 18; xii. 31; I Kings xi. 16. The kingdom of God is essentially one of peace, and so the Temple, which was a type of Christ, who is the Prince of Peace, could not rightly be built by such a man of war as David. I Kings v. 3; I Chron. xxviii. 3.

9. A son shall be born unto thee. Better, "a son is born;" the prophecy was given after Solomon's birth, not before. A man of rest **** his name shall be Solomon. Solomon means "peaceful;" he was a man who enjoyed rest, and not a maker of it. For the condition of Palestine

11. The Lord be with thee. For our success to be real and abiding, the Lord must be with us. 12. Only the Lord give thee wisdom and understanding. Wisdom to do the Lord's work must come from Him. and He giveth it "liberally.” Jas. i. 5. Compare Ps. lxxii. 1, which is supposed to have been written at this time; and for the fulfilment of the prayer, I Kings iii. 12; II Chron. i. 12. Charge concerning Israel. Ability to rule. 13. Then shalt thou prosper, etc. God is ready to fulfil His part, and to cause us to prosper; but we must do our part; we cannot expect the Lord's blessing if we do not "heed to fulfil " His "statutes and judgments." Be strong, etc. David uses these same words to Solomon on a later occasion. • (Chap. xxviii. 20.) Compare Josh. i. 6, 7, 9; Deut. xxxi. 7, 8. If we do the Lord's work in His way, and with the strength which He gives, there is no reason to feel weak, discouraged or dismayed. For then the battle is not ours, but God's. (II Chron. xx. 15.)

14. In my trouble. The margin reads "poverty." David refers to the troublous character of his reign, which nevertheless had not kept him from accumulating great treasure and abundance of material. Talents of gold, etc. The exact value of

the gold and silver mentioned here is not known, and the estimates of the amount collected by David have varied from $600,000,000 to $4,200,000,000. The most careful critics believe that there have been errors of copyists in setting down the figures, the amount was undoubtedly very large. Thou mayest add thereto. This we know Solomon did. See II Chron. chapter ii.

15. Workmen *** cunning men, etc. David had collected workmen of various kinds and "cunning" (skilful) men for the work. See I Chron. xvii. 2; II Chron. ii. 7-14. The whole of II Chron. ii. should be read in this connection.

18. Is not the Lord your God with you? etc. There is no excuse now for delay, the means were at hand, and the Lord had given them rest and

2.

The Lord chooses His own instruments, and when the time comes He calls them forth.

3. True wisdom, understanding and guidance must come from the Lord.

4. David, in the midst of all his troubles, difficulties and dangers, never forgot to lay by treasure, and collect material for the Lord's house-he was never too busy to work for the Lord.

5. "Arise, therefore and be doing." This was the word of David to Solomon. What is the word to us of to-day? Hath He not given us rest on every side?

CORRESPONDENCE.

WHITE'S INSTITUTE.

WABASH, IND., Ninth mo. 17th, 1884. All are well and prosperous at the Institute. The superintendent has sufficiently recovered to be always at his post. Our wheat, 80 acres, is sown; we are feeding early corn; we have spent a month grading about the yard and buildings, putting in walks and gravel roads. We must have moved a thousand wagon loads of dirt and have hauled several hundred loads of gravel. Our sewerage and drainage is quite

complete.

Last week all spent a day at the Fair, which was quite an event with the children. We were honored with six premiums. We had samples of written recitations and examinations from the school. The excellent penmanship of the children attracted much attention; but the articles that attracted most attention were from the industrial room. In garments made by hand the sewing of Indian girls excelled. Some lace that they had made was good.

On the 15th inst. George W. Steele, of Marion, our member of Congress, paid us a visit, in company with Nathan Coggshall and Mahlon Harvey. He seemed quite interested in our work and the welfare of the Indians.

School opened on the first, Alice Ridgway and Ida M. Roberts, teachers. We are well organized and in good condition to do an important year's work.

Every week brings us numbers of visitors; they express constant surprise at the intelligence and understanding of the children and their readiness in work. We do not feel as if we were performing an experiment, but are engaged heart and hand in honest effort to help a willing yet needy people to the light, comfort and safety of Christian civilization.

BENJ. S. COPPOCK.

I HAD two good meetings at the B. M. Williams school house on the 1st. The new teacher seems like a solid Christian woman, and is to all appearance a capable teacher. The impression is favorable on the part of the citizens.

W. and Ella Morris, with Lizzie Test and Arizona Jackson, seem to be succeeding nicely with the Wyandotte I. boarding school. The Modoc school keeps up finely. J. M. WATSON.

Modoc Camp, Indian Territory, Ninth mo. 15th, 1884.

THE Lord's children must break with the Lord's enemies-Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works; but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images. Exodus xxiii, 24.

THE American Social Science Association met lately at Saratoga, in its five departments of Education, Health, Finance, Jurisprudence, and Social Economy. It would be hopeless to try to condense into half a column the thought elicited in the papers and discussions of this meeting. Among the most prominent and valuable contributions were the following: A paper by Professor W. T. Harris, of Concord, maintaining the necessity for preserving the study of Greek and Latin in American colleges; one by President Walker, of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, advocating the introduction of industrial education, especially in our public school systems, as necessary for the harmonious development both of the individual and the community; an address by Professor Sargent, of Harvard College, pointing out the dangerous tendencies of college athletics, the decay of which he regards as indicated by the incursion of professionalism; an extensive discussion of the scientific basis of tariff legislation, by Carol D. Wright, Esq., of Boston; a very interesting account of the lunacy laws of Great Britain, by Dr. Tuke, one of the ablest authorities on that subject in Great Britain; a discussion of the true object of punishment for violation of law, opened by a paper by the Rev. F. Wines, of Springfield, Ill., who took the ground that the vindictive character of punishment could not safely be eliminated or ignored; and a brilliant paper by George W. Cable, of Louisiana, on the condition of freedmen before the law. This last was the most popular and interesting of the papers read. In connection with the Social Science Association, a Historical Association was organized, of which President White, of Cornell University, was elected President. Its object is the promotion of special studies in the discussion of history, chiefly American history.Christian Union.

ITEMS.

WONDERFUL TENACITY OF LIFE.-A few months ago one of my students brought me a fine specimen of our common fresh-water leech. Not wishing to throw it alive into the alcohol, I placed it in a beaker containing a little water, and added considerable dilute hydrocyanic acid. After some time I found that it had no effect on the animal, and poured into the beaker a large amount of a saturated solution of cyanide of potassium. The animal disliked the presence of this reagent and tried to get out of the beaker, but after remaining in it a half hour or more, and still not being dead, I removed it, and placed it in a vessel of clear water. In this it lived for several days.-Prof. Groff, Lewisburg, Pa.

[In some recent remarks on the tenacity of life in shell-fish before the Academy of Natural Sciences, by Mr. John Ford, reference was made to the tenacity of life of Busycon and other mollusks. Specimens of the former were found to be alive a considerable time after being half cut out of the shell, and specimens of other species, collected by the late Rev. Dr. Beadle in the desert of Arabia, were able to crawl about when moistened after being packed in a dry box for threeyears.-Ed. Gardeners' Monthly.]

WINDOW PLANTS IN THE OLD WORLD.-In Ameri

can towns and cities there is but a comparatively limited demand for window plants from the florists; but in the Old World growing plants for window culture is a very important branch. The different variegated forms of the Japan Euonymus are particularly popular. The Gardener's Chronicle says that one firm at Islington grows 100,000 of these plants for the London market alone. It is found to stand smoke very well.

AN INDIAN WARRIOR'S NEW DEPARTURE.-A Carlisle student, short-statured, straight haired, coppercolored, with a nice suit of clothes, was returning on the cars to his reservation when addressed by a young prig who had come into the smoking. car from the sleeper. "An Indian, I guess," said the young chap, as he lighted a cigarette. And then, approaching the son of the plains, he attracted general attention by shouting with strange gestures: "Ugh, heap big Injun! Omaha? Sioux? Pawnee? See great father? Have drink firewater? Warm Injun's blood!" The copper-colored savage gazed at the young man a moment, with an ill-concealed expression of contempt on his face, and then he said, with good pronunciation, "You must have been reading some dime novels, sir. I am going back to my people in Montana, after spending three years in the East at school. I advise you to do the same thing. No, I do not drink whisky. Where I live gentlemen do not carry whisky-flasks in their pockets." The cigarette was not smoked out, and, amid a general laugh, a much crestfallen young man retired to the sleeping coach.—Am. Missionary.

A COMPASS, invented by Captain Magnagni, and lately introduced in the Italian navy, is thus described in the Jewellers' Circular: Its needle floats upon a pool of water, tinctured with spirits of wine to prevent freezing. The water is contained in a glass vessel, with an elastic vessel to allow its expansion and contraction without breaking the vessel. The needle consists of six bundles of fine magnets, built up of cast ribbon steel, and fixed on a cord. It is enclosed in a hermetically sealed case, which is delicately poised on a brass pivot. The pivot has a sapphire top and a jade point, all highly polished to diminish friction. The advantage of the compass is that the resistance of the water being great to rapid movement is comparatively slight to slow ones, and hence the ordinary movements of the needle are free enough, whereas those due to sudden shocks from without are resisted, with a consequent staying of the indications. Tried on board the Duilio, it is found that the discharge of a 100-ton gun or the motion of the screw does not affect the reading of the compass. The effects of the rolling and pitching of the vessel are also guarded against by suspending the floating case a very little above its centre of gravity."

"FOLLOW THOU ME."

BY C. P.

The footprints are marked as ever,
The steps of the Son of God,
No lapse of years can erase them,
Deep-set in tears and blood.
But the road was too rough and rugged,
And some coward hearts drew back;
Ye found one more smooth and sunny,
But ye lost the Master's track.

Ye have been amid wealth and pleasure,
But no traces could ye see;

Ye have walked in earth's proudest dwellings,
They had no room for Me,

The world with its choicest pictures,
Its jewels rich and rare,

Has found you a place and a portion,
But I was a stranger there.

Ye sleep on its downy pillows,

Its couches of sloth and ease, But I was a homeless pilgrim,

I had nothing to do with these. Ye bask in its smiles of welcome, It had only a frown for MeA rejected Man of Sorrows,

I was nailed to the cursed tree.

Have ye looked for sheep in the desert,

For those who have missed their way? Have ye been in the wild waste places, Where the lost and the wandering stray? Have ye trodden the lonely highway!

The foul and the darksome street?
It may be ye'd see in the gloaming
The print of My wounded feet.

Have ye folded home to your bosom
The trembling neglected lamb?
And taught to the little lost one

The sound of the Shepherd's name?
Have ye searched for the poor and needy,
With no clothing, no home, no bread?
The Son of Man was among them,

He had nowhere to lay His head!

Have ye carried the living water

To the parched and thirsty soul?
Have ye said to the sick and wounded,
"Christ Jesus makes you whole?"
Have ye told My fainting children
Of the strength of the Father's hand?
Have ye guided the tottering footsteps
To the shores of the Golden Land?"

Have ye stood by the sad and weary,
To smooth the pillow of death;
To comfort the sorrow-stricken,
And strengthen the feeble faith?
And have ye felt when the glory

Has streamed through the open door,
And flitted across the shadows,

That I have been there before?

Have ye wept with the broken-hearted
In their agony of woe?

Ye might hear Me whispering beside you,
'Tis a pathway I often go!

My disciples, My brethren, My friends,
Can ye dare to follow Me?

Then, wherever the Master dwelleth,
There shall the servant be!

-Selected.