thenes the honor of a crown. He "had fled from battle, and his counsels, though heroic, brought the city to ruin. Demosthenes' speech is the masterpiece of all eloquence. Of the accusation by Æschines it is praise enough to say that it stands second only to that. In it Æschines warns the Athenians that in granting crowns they judged themselves and were forming the characters of their children. "You know well that it is not music, nor the gymnasium, nor the schools that mold young men; it is much more the public proclamations, the public example. If you take one whose life has no high purpose, -one who mocks at morals, and crown him in a theatrum, every boy who sees it is corrupted. . . . The character of a city is determined by the character of the men it crowns.' Eschines. We become like those who are crowned in our hearts." It is good to be able to set forth the principles and the practice of those who have been exalted to the highest place in the gift of the American people. No bad man could be elected to that office. More than one aspirant has been turned down and kept down because the people thought they had done something wrong. PRESIDENT TAFT. "It is reported in the public press that President Taft had turned his back on moderate drinking. At a little dinner at Hot Springs, Virginia, he not only turned his wine-glass down, but said in response to a query, 'Yes, and it is going to stay turned down; I am not going to drink anything again, ever.' "If this is true, President Taft improves on President Eliot, for he not only expresses a deliberate conviction as to the inadvisability of moderate drinking, but he follows his own conviction and lets it be known. "These two testimonies coming from these two remarkable leaders, one just finishing the greatest task of his life, the other just girding himself for the greatest responsibility that can come to an American citizen, are pregnant with meaning. Both of these men have been moderate drinkers all their lives. After a life-long experience, one repudiates the principle and declares it unsound and unsafe. The other, facing enormous responsibilities involving tremendous physical and mental strain, declares that he is done with it forever. "Now every one knows well enough that the independent character of both of these men is such as would forbid their coming to these conclusions because of any pressure from without. We all know that President Eliot has the moral courage to say what he thinks, no matter if the whole world were against him. And we all saw not long ago that President Taft could not be budged from his convictions, even to win a presidential nomination."— C. E. World. "Those who regret that the Filipino Legislature (1907) decided not to open with prayer, will be glad that Secretary Taft served no wine as host nor expected it as guest.' "Have a cigar, Bill,' said one of Mr. Taft's classmates to him down at New Haven. "No, thank you, I have never smoked,' was the secretary's response. "An interesting revelation and one which may in large measure account for Mr. Taft's fine health and remarkable endurance. The little vices, so-called, may not be particularly injurious singly, but they tell in the aggregate and in the long run.”. Newspaper Report. PRESIDENT LINCOLN. The Centennial Celebration of President Lincoln's birthday, has brought into notice the facts concerning his sentiments and practice as a total abstainer. The following statements are given by Rev. Thomas D. Logan, pastor of the Presbyterian Church in Springfield, Ill., which Lincoln and his family attended; and published in the Advance. In his early life Lincoln was abstemious but not a total abstainer, but he was a keen observer of the effects of intoxicating beverages among his early companions. Very shortly after his removal to Springfield in 1837, he joined a Total Abstinence Society, of which the following was the "TOTAL ABSTINENCE PLEDGE. The members of this society severally agree not to use intoxicating liquor, nor provide it as an article of refreshment for their friends, nor for persons in their employment, nor will they use, manufacture, or traffic in the same, except for chemical, medical, and sacramental purposes.' "A SERIOUS TEST. But the supreme test of Mr. Lincoln's temperance principles came when the news reached Springfield that he had been nominated for the presidency, and that a committee would soon arrive to notify him officially. It was an event of no ordinary importance in a little inland town, and some of its citizens felt that the guests must be entertained in the conventional way, and they offered a stock of the finest wines and liquors for their entertainment. Now Lincoln was not a narrow-minded man. He had been at Washington, and he knew that it was customary to serve spirituous liquors in receiving dis He said he tinguished guests. He knew, too, that the absence of the customary refreshments might be attributed to penuriousness rather than to principle. Yet he stood firm. never had offered liquor to any one and he did not intend to begin then. His temperance speech is well remembered in this city, and is found in all complete histories. He respectfully declined the offer of his friends, and served only God's beverage of pure water to the distinguished company who visited his honest home." PRESIDENT LINCOLN, WHILE A MEMBER of Congress was once criticised by a friend for his seeming rudeness in declining to test the rare wines provided by their host. "I meant no disrespect, John," answered Lincoln, "but I promised my precious mother, only a few days before she died, that I would never use anything intoxicating as a beverage and I consider that promise as binding to-day as it was the day I gave it." SEVENTEEN OF THE PRESIDENTS of the United States, the first twelve of whose names were obtained, I believe, by Mr. Delavan of Albany, and the next two sent me their autograph signatures, have signed the following declaration: 66 Being satisfied from observation and experience, as well as from medical testimony, that ardent spirit, as a drink, is not only needless, but hurtful, and that the entire disuse of it would tend to promote the health, the virtue, and happiness of the community, we hereby express our conviction that should the citizens of the United States, and especially the young men, discontinue entirely the use of it they would not only promote their own personal benefit, but the good of our country and the world." JAMES MADISON, JOHN TYLER, FRANKLIN PIERCE, Z. TAYLOR, PRESIDENT HARRISON. MILLARD FILMORE, JAMES K. POLK, ANDREW JOHNSON, Rutherford B. HAYES, GROVER Cleveland. "A Pennsylvania lady tells that when General Harrison was running for the presidency he stopped at the old Washington House in Chester for dinner. After dinner was served, it was noticed that the general pledged his toast in water, and one of the gentlemen from New York, in offering another, said, General, will you not favor me by drinking a glass of wine?' The general refused in a very gentlemanly manner. Again he was urged to join in a glass of wine. This was too much. He rose from the table, his tall form erect, and in the most dignified manner replied: 'Gentlemen, I have refused twice to partake of the wine-cup. That should have been sufficient. I made a resolve when I started in life that I would avoid strong drink, and I have never broken it.'" President GRANT, says Rose E. Cleveland, the sister of President Cleveland, did a manly thing in his later years in refusing to drink wine everywhere and in all society. PRESIDENT TAFT as we have seen is a total abstainer. And I do not know about the other presidents. FOURTH. The teacher and his class can continue these Adventures if they desire. There are ADVENTURES OF THE GOLDEN RULE WITH THE SALOON, for the Golden Rule is utterly opposed to the saloon, for it is an enemy to all that is good in our country. See an article in a late Independent on "What I know about saloons." THE SALOON BAR. "A bar to heaven, a door to hell; "A bar to honored, useful life, A door to brawling, senseless strife; The Helper. FIFTH. The Boys and Girls can join the Golden Rule in a series of very interesting Adventures with the doctors, medical societies, and laboratories, where from these friends they may obtain ammunition for their warfare against Intemperance. The Loyal Temperance League and the Knights of King Arthur (which is the largest fraternity of church boys in the world, with 1,400 castles, and 35,000 members) and other kindred organizations can do heroic work. FOURTH QUARTER, 1910. THE MINISTRY OF OUR LORD AS NARRATED IN THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. CHAPTERS XXV. TO XXVIII. FROM OCTOBER 2 TO DECEMBER 25, 1910. LESSON I.- October 2. THE WISE AND FOOLISH VIRGINS. Matthew 25:1-13. COMMIT vs. 10-12. GOLDEN TEXT. - Be ye therefore ready also for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not. - LUKE 12: 40. THE TEACHER AND HIS CLASS. Here is a "word-reducing plan," which can be used on the blackboard for the whole school; or on a piece of paper for the class. Print on it the following. Why do I come to my Sunday school class? School class. Reasons, excuses. |