school, "half a dozen of your brightest boys. I'll listen to them."
The next day half a dozen of the boys, ranging from ten to fifteen years of age, called on the Mayor. Each boy gave some reason why he believed the saloon ought to be taken away, until it came to the last one, a youngster of twelve. He looked the Mayor squarely in the eye, and gave as his reason:
"My school gives me a chance to be Mayor of Boston some day; the saloon can't. I think us boys ought to have all the show we can get to be Mayor. That's all I know about it."
The Mayor threw himself back in his chair and laughed heartily; then, straightening up, he said to the last spokesman:
"My boy, you have said more than did all the politicians and the teachers. You shall have the show to be Mayor. That saloon will have to quit business at once."
The boys gave the Mayor a hearty cheer, and marched out of his office. They had conquered, and were consequently happy and triumphant.
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CHANGE RENOVATES
Police captains find that if they change
every man around to a different position
about once in so often, it is good for the
entire force. The managers of some business
offices say that a good big jar is beneficial
to almost everybody, and especially for
those in danger of believing that they are
indispensable. It is a most remarkable boy
who is not improved, on occasions, by a
genuine "calling down."—James M. Stifler,
"The Fighting Saint."
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Change Wrought by Time—See Time, Changes of.
Changes in China—See Chinese Progress.
CHANGES WROUGHT BY CHRIST
The geologist tells us that ages ago vast
and horrible creatures filled the air and
waters—fierce and hideous monsters swarmed
and fought in the primeval slime; but in due
time God swept away mastodon, mammoth,
megatherium, and filled the world with mild
and beautiful forms of life.
To-day we see moral changes wrought
far more wonderful than any to which
the petrifactions of the geologist witness;
we see the power of Christ destroying
passions far more terrible than
the lizards, serpents, and crocodiles of
the antediluvian world, creating graces
sweeter and fairer than the choicest
forms of perfected nature.—W. L.
Watkinson, "The Transfigured Sackcloth."
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Channels, Choked—See Life.
CHARACTER
That a life tells more than a creed is shown in this incident told in the Young Man:
Mr. John Morley said to a Presbyterian
minister who was his guest: "How was it
that your Church tolerated Drummond? His
views were surely not those of the Free
Church." "No," said the minister, "but we
never took him seriously as a thinker. No
one believed that he would shape the theological
opinions of the Church. We regarded
him rather as a religious influence." "Ah,
yes," said Mr. Morley, "you are quite right;
he wasn't a thinker." After some talk on
other matters he returned to the subject:
"You said a little while ago that Drummond
was a religious influence. How did he show
that?" "Well," replied the minister, "for
one thing, he cleansed Edinburgh University
life for several years." "Ah," said Mr. Morley
thoughtfully, "that's better than being a
thinker." It is never easy for the Church
to drive out heretics who are not thinkers,
but who purify by love the sources of
spiritual life in men.
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As the light is rayed back from the flower and the wave, from the rock and the roadside, from all objects in nature and all ornaments of art, no matter from what center it emanated first, so the excellence of a character, when serenely and brightly exprest through life, attracts an immediate and instinctive response from all natures around it.—Richard S. Storrs.
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See Appearance; Trust.
Character and Evil—See Evil Germinal.
CHARACTER AND FAME
Fame is what you have taken,
Character is what you give;
When to this truth you awaken,
Then you begin to live.
—Bayard Taylor.
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