been in existence 100,000 years, a separate grave could be provided for every individual of the race within a part of the United States east of the Mississippi River.—W. C. Prime,
New York Journal of Commerce.
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Censure, Misplaced—See Reflection, Imperfect. Census-taking, Primitive—See Collective Labor. CENTER OF LIFE Some men have a Ptolemaic notion of life; their little earth is the center around which all things move. If I have been of that sort, I will remember that the age has outgrown that. It is time to reconstruct one's life on the Copernican theory, admitting that ours is only a little earth in the great universe, and finding our true solar center in the great moral gravitation of the divine love.—Franklin Noble, D.D., "Sermons in Illustration."
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Ceremonial Purging—See Prejudice, Religious. CEREMONY, USELESSNESS OF At Teschen, which town Stephen Schultz, missionary to the Jews, visited several times, he entered the store of a Jewish merchant to buy some articles. He conversed with one of the Jewish clerks on the necessity of an atonement for sin, when the Jew asserted that every man can atone for his own sins. Schultz made him agree to the statement that we are all become altogether as an unclean thing, and then asked him: "How, then, can we pay our debts to God or atone for our sins?" "We must pray, fast, give alms, etc., for altho we dare not now offer any sacrifices, yet if we read over the institution and rites of sacrifices, it will be accepted." Schultz, without paying any attention to this absurd statement at this time, asked: "How much do I owe for these articles I bought?" "Fifty-seven cents." "Please write it down upon the counter, lest I forget it." The Jew did so, and Schultz read ten times: "Fifty-seven cents," and then walked toward the door as if he would depart. The clerk called him back, saying: "You have not paid me." "What! Have not yet paid? Have I not read over ten times just what you wrote?" "Yes, but that will not pay your debt." "And will you then deal so treacherously with God, and think to pay your debts to Him by repeating some prayers?" (Text.)—Missionary Review of the World.
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CHAINS
David had twenty-four columns of marble
around his banqueting room, and he chained
a bandit and an old enemy to each column,
and in the presence of his enemies feasted.
Christ enables the soul to chain hate, envy,
lying, avarice, gluttony, jealousy, evil-speaking,
sloth, and then the soul exclaims, Thou
hast spread me a table in the midst of mine
enemies! (Text.)—N. D. Hillis.
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CHALLENGE
The outburst of the matchless hymnic
genius of Isaac Watts was the response to
a challenge. When a youth of eighteen he
complained to his father, who was a deacon
in an Independent church at Southampton,
England, of the poor quality of the hymns
sung in the nonconformist services of the
time. "Suppose you make a few," said his
father, with more than a suggestion of gentle
sarcasm. Taking up the challenge, the poet
retired; and soon, out from his seclusion
where he had put on his "singing robes,"
came the hymn: "Behold the Glories of the
Lamb," which was sung at an early meeting;
and so began a career of hymn-writing which
continued through the author's life, and
which later aroused to song a whole nest of
singing-birds.
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Chance and Work—See Toil and Providence.
Chance, Decision by—See Coincidence
and Superstition.
CHANCE FOR THE BOY
From Congregational Work is taken the following incident:
Patrick A. Collins, Mayor of Boston for
a number of years past, believed that a boy's
word is worth listening to. One time complaint
was made to him that a saloon was
located too near a certain public school. The
politicians and others interested in keeping
the place open urged him not to interfere
with the resort. The school authorities desired
it closed and removed.
After the Mayor had listened to arguments from both sides, he said:
"Well, I'm going to let the boys of the school tell me what they think of the place. Send me," he said to the principal of the
