and purpose for which the Bible was written. It is a guide to right living, it shows the path to God's throne.—N. D. Hillis.
(1408)
HIGHER LAW, THE
It is told of the Grand Duke Alexis of
Russia, that soon after he was assigned to
duty as midshipman, his vessel was wrecked
off the coast of Denmark. The Admiral
commanding resolved to save the young
man, and ordered him to take charge of the
first boat which put off from the doomed
ship. The Grand Duke disdained safety
thus bought and declined. "My duty is here,"
he said to the admiral, "and I must be the
last to leave the ship." "Do you not understand,
sir," exclaimed the admiral, "that you
are under my command? And do you dare
refuse obedience to my orders?" "I know
my duty," answered the midshipman, "and
I will obey any orders you may see fit to give
me, except an order to leave the ship, where
my duty now commands me to remain."
The admiral gave up his point and Alexis
was the last man to leave the ship, and after
landing, was promptly ordered under arrest
for disobedience of orders. He submitted
without a murmur. The admiral sent dispatches
to the Emperor detailing the affair,
and the Emperor wrote: "I approve your
having placed the midshipman under arrest
for disobedience, and I bless my boy for
having disobeyed." (Text.)
(1409)
See Deception Justified.
HIGHER LIFE
Verestchagin, the famous Russian artist,
once painted a picture above the clouds. He
climbed to the top of one of the Himalaya
Mountains, and lived amid the snow and
ice, where the colorings were gorgeous in
beauty. There he portrayed the mighty
peaks and the beauty of the morning clouds
as no other artist has ever done.
Elevation of life has much to do with
vision of soul.
(1410)
Higher, Survival of the—See Good Victorious.
HIGHER, THE
There is an old Dutch picture of a little
child who is dropping from his hands a
beautiful toy. Looking at the painting, one
is surprized to see the plaything so carelessly
abandoned; until, following the child's
eye to the corner of the picture, one sees a
lovely white dove flying down into the
child's outstretched hands.
That is the way it will be with all of
us as soon as we actually begin to see
the pure beauties and joys of the higher
life. All our silly playthings will be
allowed to fall out of our hands. We
shall let go of fashion and luxury, and
idle dissipation, and proud ambition, and
greed for gain, and desire for men's applause
and for advancement in the
world, and we shall stretch out our
hands for the things that are best worth
having. Those are the things which
will stay with us. They will give something
of their nature to our lives, and
will ennoble everything they touch.
(Text.)
(1411)
Highways—See Paths, Keeping One's Own.
HISTORY AND MUSIC CORRELATED
How closely our own history and our
songs are connected! One can not properly
teach our "Star-spangled Banner" without
going quite into detail and telling the thrilling
incidents surrounding its creation. No wedding
of poetry and music has ever been
made under more inspiring circumstances.
It was caught up in the camps, sung around
the bivouac-fires, and whistled in the streets.
When peace was declared and the soldiers
went back to their homes, they carried this
song in their hearts, as the most precious
souvenir of the War of 1812. Then there
are other patriotic songs, all one with our
history. Boys, as a rule, prefer these songs,
and will sing them with a hearty zest. I
think they must appreciate the feeling of the
young major in a Confederate uniform, who
said: "Boys, if we'd had your songs, we'd
have licked you out of your boots! Who
couldn't have marched and fought with such
songs?"—Elizabeth Casterton, "Journal of
the National Educational Association," 1905.
(1412)
HOLDING THEIR OWN
Two tired tourists were tramping in
Switzerland. They were on the way to Interlaken,
where they proposed to dine and
pass the night. Late in the afternoon, when
