58

Going Out and Coming In.

She knew no more than the glancing star,

Nor the cloud with its chalice full,

How, why, or for what all strange things are-
She was but a child at school;

Yet she thought, "It is part of God's great plan-
That even I should do all that I can."

So she helped a younger child along,

Though tired her own small feet;

And she sang from her heart a little song,
That we all thought passing sweet,

And her father, a weary, toil-worn man,

Said, "I too must be doing the best that I can."

Our best? Ah! children, the best that be

Must hide their faces away,

When the Lord of the vineyard comes to see

Their task, at the close of day!

But for strength from above-'tis the Master's plan,
We'll pray, while we're doing the best that we can.

GOING OUT AND COMING IN.

ISA.

Is breath,

that home was joy and sorrow

While an aged sire was drawing
Near unto the gate of death:
His feeble pulse was failing,

And his eye was growing dim:
He was standing on the threshold
When they brought the babe to him.

While to murmur forth a blessing
On the little one he tried,

In his trembling arms he raised it,
Pressed it to his lips-and died.
An awful darkness resteth

On the path they both begin,
Who thus met upon the threshold-
Going out and coming in.

Going out unto the triumph:

Coming in unto the fight:

Coming in unto the darkness

Going out unto the light!

The Reamin' Bowl.

59

Although the shadow deepened

In the moment of eclipse,

When he passed through the dread portal,
With the blessing on his lips.

And to him who bravely conquers,
As he conquered in the strife,
Life is but the way of dying-
Death is but the gate of life.
Yet awful darkness resteth
On the path we all begin:

Where we meet upon the threshold-
Going out and coming in.

THE REAMIN' BOWL.

W. SHELLEY.

LAUGH down yer fear, my wifie dear!
Whatever way the ba' may roll,
This heart o' mine shall never twine
A sang-wreath for the reamin' bowl.
While love o' sang remains wi' me,
I'll do my utmost, heart and han'
To fend frae routin' cattle's cloots
My wee bit dignity o' man.

There's lots o' cares come unawares,
However smooth our course may be;
But down the maze, where Folly strays,

They come, like Pharoah's plagues, waes me!

Wi' achin' banes and burnin' heart,

That man shall crawl the warl' in shame

Wha binds his gifts on Folly's brows,

Then gi'es his idol Love's dear name.

So, wifie dear, ye needna fear,

Though in the sheugh the ba' should roll,
This heart o' mine shall never twine

A sang-wreath for the reamin' bowl:
Let drivilin' drouths hoast out its praise,
I'll lilt against them a' I can,
And haud my twinklin' crusie up,
To show the dignity o' man.

REV.

.A Band of Hope Conductor.

›EV. JOHN PULPIT (seated in his study: takes up the morning paper to read). "I wonder if there is anything in the paper this morning? There must be something, for we never find any blank space. What wonderful folks those newspaper people are! How they beat out the gold in more respects than one! If they can only just get hold of a small substratum of fact, they build castles, often in the air. Yet what an influence they wield! But why soliloquise? (Opens the paper. Reads): 'Epidemic of brutality.-There is a very general opinion expressed by the press that nothing will teach the brutes who are guilty of the inhuman outrages which have lately been so prevalent a lesson save the lash.' Are the papers advocating brutality to cure brutality? I am inclined to think that such a remedy would be as bad as the disease. There are wise heads in the world, and they ought to try to put a stop to this fearful state of things by more humane means. Perhaps a letter to the papers would provoke a thorough discussion of this subject, and lead to some feasible plan being devised. I will make a note of that at once while I think of it, so that it may not escape my memory. (Takes up a pen and writes. Again reads): 'Band of Hope festival.' This Band of Hope scheme appears to me to be both foolish and wrong. I am sorry that men are so shortsighted as to engage in a work which assuredly tends to lower the moral tone of society. [Knock at the door.] Come in. [Enter Mr. LONGROBE.] Good evening, Mr. Longrobe, I am glad to see you."

MR. LONGROBE. "I hope I am not intruding, as I see that you are busy."

1

The True and False Idea of a Pledge.

61

REV. J. P. "Oh dear no. I was just looking over the paper. I have been so busy to-day that I have not had the chance to glance at it before."

MR. L. "Is there anything special in it?"

REV. J. P. "There is the daily record of crimes of violence, which I look upon as a very bad sign of the times. With all the religious and educational agencies at work in our midst, things should not be in this state. We ought seriously to ask ourselves if we are doing all we can to bring about a better state of society."

MR. L. " I believe that the spiritual advisers of the nation are to blame, to some extent, in this matter. They should be the leaders in all good movements; but have they done anything towards establishing reading rooms, chess and cricket clubs, and other innocent recreations? If men were induced to give more time to these things they would have less time to illtreat their wives."

REV. J. P. "I quite agree with you there, but you must remember that such institutions are not formed without considerable expense. Are you prepared to give us substantial aid if we at once inaugurate a movement such as you suggest?"

MR. L. " Why cannot the people provide for their amusements themselves? We as a class do so. We never think of asking anyone to subscribe a farthing to our clubs except the members. Why cannot the working classes do the same? Have they no spirit of independence?

REV. J. P. "They do subscribe, and that liberally to their clubs-the public-houses and beershops; and it is their attachment to these places which is the great producing cause of poverty as well as crime and immorality. I see there is a report here of a Band of Hope festival, though I have not yet read it. My opinion is, that though the Temperance people have the best intentions, they are working in an entirely opposite direction."

MR. L. "It is a great pity that they do not turn their attention to something more rational than pledging children

62

The True and False Idea of a Pledge.

to what they don't understand. And yet this sort of thing is pretty popular with a certain class."

REV. J. P. Yes, yes. There are many of my ministerial brethren who endorse the movement, and who say that it is the means of doing great good, but I strongly differ with them."

[A knock at the door, and MR. CHILDSFRIEND enters.] MR. CHILDSFRIEND. "I hope, sir, you will pardon me for interrupting your conversation."

REV. J. P. "No offence whatever, sir. Pray proceed."

MR. C. "My object in visiting you, Mr. Pulpit, is to ask if you would kindly aid in forming a Band of Hope or juvenile Temperance society in connection with your Sabbath-school? I believe that several of the teachers are willing to work it. Similar societies have been found very useful elsewhere. We strive not only to induce the children to abstain from strong drink, but we also teach them to be truthful and honest, to love and honour their parents, to fear God, and to avoid the appearance of evil."

REV. J. P. "I don't agree with your movement. I think it wrong in principle."

MR. L. “What principle do you refer to? It surely cannot be wrong to train child ren up in the way they should go."

MR. C. "I was just about to make a similar remark, but Mr. Longrobe, who belongs to a sharp profession, took the words out of my mouth."

REV. J. P. "I disagree with the practice of asking children to sign a pledge they do not understand."

MR. C. "So do I."

MR. L. "Then why do you act in so contrary a manner?" MR. C. "We don't. We carry out the principle in practice." REV. J. P. "No child understands what is meant by a pledge. They have no idea of its sacredness. They look upon your pledge as a very trivial matter; consequently they soon break it; and thus their views of the binding obligations of promises in general become very lax."

MR. L." In our profession we have abundant opportunities