861 
 
 F 
 
 
 -i 
 
 HE 
 
 ^33*R@D^ 
 
 i"-K&.'^::^^l-::-'>^ 
 

 President WHtTE Library. 
 CORNELL University. 
 
Cornell University 
 Library 
 
 The original of tiiis book is in 
 tine Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924029473737 
 
THE INTERMEDIATE 
 
 SUHDAY SCHOOL ESADIR. 
 
 FOR THE USE OP 
 
 h' 
 
 Our Little Friends. 
 
 PUBLISHED BY 
 
 THE JUVENILE INSTRUCTOR OFFICE, 
 
 Salt Lake Crrr. 
 
 1888. 
 
A. 3^5-^3 
 
 COBNEl 
 LIBRARY 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 The demand for a Sunday school publication 
 which could "be used by children who had already 
 completed the Second Book for our Little 
 Friends and were not sufficiently advanced to 
 commence the study of the Faith-Promoting 
 Series, has induced us to issue this Intermediate 
 Reader. Such pieces as are here presented have 
 been selected because of their entertaining and 
 instructive character. The variety will also be 
 pleasing, we trust, to those who use this book. 
 Though all the selections are not strictly of a 
 religious nature, none have been inserted but such 
 as are deemed appropriate for Sunday school use. 
 
 That this little work may be productive of good, 
 and accomplish the object of its compilation is our 
 most earnest wish. 
 
 The Publishers. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 
 Aloe, The 
 
 34 
 
 Angel Watchers 
 
 60 
 
 Altar of the "Unknown God," The 
 
 96 
 
 Chinese Marriage, A 
 
 16 
 
 Chinese Torture 
 
 23 
 
 Cypress, The 
 
 43 
 
 Child in Court 
 
 50 
 
 Coal 
 
 53 
 
 Child's Faith and Confidence in God, A 
 
 56 
 
 Camel, The 
 
 113 
 
 Do as Near Eight as You Can 
 
 22 
 
 Fred Danielson's Lesson 
 
 122 
 
 God's Power 
 
 65 
 
 Hindoo Story, A 
 
 32 
 
 How my Prayer was Answered 
 
 71 
 
 "He That is Without Sin" 
 
 103 
 
 Hannah 
 
 119 
 
 I Will Try 
 
 88 
 
 Interesting Incident, An 
 
 136 
 
VI CONTENTS. 
 
 
 Jews, The 
 
 13 
 
 Joan of Arc 
 
 25 
 
 Joseph as a Savior 
 
 93 
 
 Judging from Appearances 
 
 100 
 
 Keep 
 
 73 
 
 Kind Thoughts 
 
 144 
 
 Laplanders 
 
 19 
 
 Living for Others 
 
 38 
 
 Lines on Life 
 
 49 
 
 Little Things 
 
 79 
 
 Letter of Life, The 
 
 84 
 
 Lesson on Order, A 
 
 86 
 
 Lord's Prayer, The 
 
 121 
 
 Last Supper, The 
 
 125 
 
 Murmur Not 
 
 70 
 
 Mount Tabor 
 
 132 
 
 Mahomet's Call to Prayer 
 
 141 
 
 Natural Bridge in Virginia 
 
 61 
 
 Never Satisfied 
 
 64 
 
 "Naked Truth," The 
 
 91 
 
 Only 
 
 131 
 
 Paul the Apostle 
 
 67 
 
 Quakers, The 
 
 74 
 
 Sentiments, A Few 
 
 139 
 
 Two Workers, The 
 
 15 
 
 Touching Incident, A 
 
 31 
 
CONTENTS. Vll 
 
 True Courage and Benevolence 45 
 
 Throwing a Child into the Ganges 81 
 
 Temptation, A 109 
 
 To Whom Shall we Give Thanks 117 
 
 Usefulness 99 
 
 Word, A 9 
 
 Wise Insect, A 10 
 
 Wonderful Weaver, The 30 
 
 White Sparrow, The 39 
 
 Winning his Plumes 85 
 
 Work and Think 107 
 
 War Hill 128 
 
IntGrmsdiatG S. S. Rcadsr, 
 
 A WOED, 
 
 A WOKD may seem a simple thing, 
 
 Yet, simple though it be, 
 It can impart a bitter sting. 
 
 Or fire the soul with glee. 
 
 How often hath the joy -lit eye 
 
 Been caused to drop a tear, 
 The heart to heave a bitter sigh, 
 
 By language too severe. 
 
 Thought, reason, wisdom e'er employ 
 
 Ere words escape the tongue, 
 Rob not thy brother's heart of joy 
 
 By poisoned arrows flung. 
 
 But think how you, yourself, would feel, 
 
 Should others fly a dart, 
 And tear a wound, begun to heal. 
 
 In some most tender part. 
 
 The thoughtless word may oft crush down 
 Hearts battling Against despair. 
 
 Like heedless wind whose cruel frown 
 Wrecks nature's prospect fair; 
 
]0 THE INTERMEDIATE 
 
 Or, like cold winter's blightiiig breath 
 That blasts the budding flowers, 
 
 And smites the lovely things with death 
 Ere yet their sweets be ours. 
 
 0, let us strive that we may drive 
 
 Such foolish things away. 
 And seek to know, while here below. 
 
 The brighter, better way. 
 
 That peace and love, as known above. 
 May make our bosoms swell. 
 
 And each rejoice to raise his voice 
 His brother's joys to tell. 
 
 J. 0. 
 
 A WISE INSECT. 
 
 The picture we give is copied from an engrav- 
 ing in a Chinese book on insects. In it is seen the 
 web of the Diadem Spider. This insect presents 
 the gayest colors, makes the most ingenious web, 
 and spins the finest silk of any member of the 
 spider family. 
 
 The web woven by this insect is like a wheel of 
 many rims or circles within circles. In forming 
 these circles the spider pulls out the thread with 
 her feet and applies it to the several spokes as she 
 walks around. The sagacity of the creature is 
 seen in the use of various stays to keep the struc- 
 ture steady. It is often placed in a windy situa- 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 
 
 11 
 
 tion, and therefore requires more support. In the 
 picture a line is carried from the corner of the web 
 and made fast to a tree, that the gusts of wind 
 may not break down the net. 
 
 The sagacity of this spider in selecting a proper 
 
 site for her net, and her skill in rendering that net 
 proof against ordinary breezes, have been noticed 
 by the Chinese, who, while they gave it one name 
 expressive of the pearl-like roundness of the body, 
 added another which refers to its knowledge, and 
 
12 THE INTERMEDIATE 
 
 means the "wise insect;" and hence, their ideas 
 about it, in this particular, are exactly like those 
 of Solomon, who classed it among creatures who 
 are exceedingly wise, for he probably had this 
 particular spider in view when referring to the 
 one which "taketh hold with her hands and is in 
 kings' palaces." The expression "taketh hold 
 with her hands" is remarkable, for her feet are 
 like unto hands, on account of their use in mak- 
 ing a web. While busy in weaving, the three 
 hind pairs are occupied in drawing out, measuring, 
 and applying the thread or woof And so well 
 does she judge of the different lengths required 
 that her work never needs the slightest altera- 
 tion. 
 
 In the narrow streets of a Chinese city may be 
 commonly seen this spider as it rests upon the 
 centre of its net, which reaches across the street. 
 It so places its net as to be secure from man, since 
 it is above his reach as he walks beneath. 
 
 There are but few allusions to the spider in the 
 Bible. The fragility of its web is, however, refer- 
 red to by Job {viii, 14) as an emblem of the unsafe 
 character of the hope of the hypocrite. Thought 
 well of he may bo among men, he may flatter 
 himself that all is well with him, but his hope is 
 vain. His expectation shall "perish;" his trust 
 shall be "as the spider's web." 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 13 
 
 THE JEWS. 
 
 Every child who reads this has no doubt heard 
 of the Jews. They are to be met with in many 
 countries, and though they live like other people 
 they are diflferentTrom them in a great many things. 
 They profess to believe in God and in the old Tes- 
 tament part of the Bible, but they do not believe 
 in the Lord Jesus Christ. They expect to be all 
 gathered to a place called Palestine, where their 
 fathers lived many hundreds of years ago, and to 
 build again the city of Jerusalem, when they be- 
 lieve the Messiah, or the Son of God, will come to 
 them from heaven and save them from their ene- 
 mies. They believe many other things, too, that 
 we may tell you of again; but now we are going to 
 tell you who they are, where they came from, and 
 who their fathers were. 
 
 They are called Jews, and Israelites, and He- 
 brews. They are called Jews because one of their 
 forefathers was named Judah, and that part of 
 Palestine, or the Holy Land, where his children 
 lived was called Judea, and sometimes Jewry, for 
 the Jews or children of Judah lived there; Judah's 
 father was named Jacob, but he wrestled with an 
 angel of the Lord who did not overcome him, and 
 the angel named him Israel, which means a prince; 
 and therefore they are called Israelites, or the 
 children of Israel. One of Jacob's forefathers 
 
14 THE INTERMEDIATE 
 
 was named Eber, or Heber, who was the great- 
 grandson of Shem, one of Noah's sons, and from 
 him, it is said, they came to be called Hebrews. 
 
 Now, though the Jews are called Israelites, you 
 must not imagine that all Israelites are Jews, for 
 Jacob or Israel had twelve sons, and all their des- 
 cendants are equally entitled to the name of Israel- 
 ites. The Indians in these valleys are really Israel- 
 ites, as well as the Jews, for they are descended 
 from Joseph, another of the sons of Israel; and so 
 are the descendants of the other ten sons of Jacob, 
 who are called the ten tribes of Israel; though it 
 is not known now exactly where they dwell, it 
 is somewhere in the north country, and the Lord 
 will make known to us in His own tirne where the 
 place is, and reveal many other things concerning 
 them. 
 
 By referring to the book of Genesis, in the Bible, 
 you will learn of Abraham, a very good man, with 
 whom the Lord talked at various times, and to 
 whom He made promises concerning his posterity. 
 He was so good a man and so faithful to righteous- 
 ness that he was called the friend of God. He had 
 a son in his old age named Isaac, who was called 
 the child of promise, and who was the father of 
 Jacob; thus all the Israelites were the descendants 
 ■of Abraham, and the heirs of the promises made 
 to him, which were that they should become very 
 numerous, like the stars in the heavens, and that 
 through them all nations should be blessed. 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 15 15 15 
 
 THE TWO WORKERS. 
 
 Two workers in one field 
 
 Toiled on from day to day ; 
 Both h^A the same hard labor, 
 
 Both had the same small pay ; 
 With the same blue sky above, 
 
 The same green grass below. 
 One soul was full of love, 
 
 The other full of woe. 
 
 One leaped up with the light, 
 
 With the soaring of the lark; 
 One felt it ever night, 
 
 For his soul was ever dark; 
 One heart was hard as stone. 
 
 One heart was ever gay ; 
 One worked with many a groan. 
 
 One whistled all the day. 
 
 One had a flower-clad cot 
 
 Beside a merry mill, 
 Wife and children near the spot 
 
 Made it sweeter, fairer still ; 
 One a wretched hovel had, 
 
 Full of discord, dirt and din ; 
 No wonder he seemed mad, — 
 
 Wife and children starved within. 
 
16 IHE INTERMEDIAIE 
 
 Still they worked in the same field, 
 
 Toiled on from day to day : 
 Both had the same hard labor, 
 
 Both had the same small pay ; 
 But they worked not with one will, 
 
 The reason let me tell — 
 Lo! the one drank at the still, 
 
 And the other at the well. 
 
 A CHINESE MARRIAGE. 
 
 The marriage ceremony in China differs in- 
 many respects from those of other countries. 
 Love before marriage was never the fashion with 
 the Chinese. A Chinaman, if he moves in polite 
 circles, has never seen the lady to whom he is be- 
 trothed, and has not the remotest idea of what 
 she is like; whether she will at all resemble the 
 creature his fond fancy has painted, or whether 
 the first sight of her unveiled face on the day of 
 marriage will cast a shadow over the prospect of 
 his future life. He does not understand love; it is 
 no part of the marriage contract. He was prob- 
 ably betrothed by his parents before his infant 
 eyes opened upon the charms of his country. His 
 intended wife has been reared for him in the strict 
 seclusion of her paternal home. 
 
 The parents of marriageable children usually 
 engage a professional person, or go-between, to 
 negotiate an alliance for their son or daughter. 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 17 
 
 Suitable presents are exchanged, and an astrologer 
 is called in to fix a lucky day for the ceremony. 
 This individual professes to investigate the horo- 
 scope of the contracting parties, and to ascertain 
 whether the combined ages of the bride and bride- 
 groom, and the exact time of birth will create any 
 bad influence if the two are united on a given day. 
 Should a lady who has been betrothed in the 
 usual manner by tier parents die before marriage, 
 the bereaved youth is at liberty to make another 
 engagement ; but should he die before marriage, 
 the young lady must go into weeds for the term 
 of her natural life; and, should she in her widow- 
 hood be held in esteem by her neighbors for per- 
 fect chastity, the Imperial Government will erect 
 a stone arch over her grave. There are many 
 who, when in this situation, prefer to commit sui- 
 cide rather than face the ills of a spinster's or 
 widow's life. 
 
 It is usual, during the marriage week, to engage 
 a procession of coolies to parade the streets with 
 the articles of household furniture, the silks and 
 jewels of the new couple. On the day of marriage 
 the bride is in a flutter, as she is being dressed and 
 painted by her female relatives and attendants. 
 The head-dress, hung with glittering sprays of 
 pearls, is poised on the head, the last touch is 
 given to the uniform folds of her red silk robe, 
 the gorgeous gilded chair waits at the door; she is 
 gently raised in her brother's arms, and held over 
 a fire of charcoal, to dispel any lurking deviltry 
 that may be about her. She is then carried to her 
 
18 THE INTERMEDIATE 
 
 chair, followed by a chorus of weeping females, 
 four of whom are the bridesmaids, who are old 
 married women, dressed in black and red scarfs. 
 Then, amid the deafening dtn of fire-crackers, the 
 shrill tones of native flutes and the boom of gongs, 
 she is borne off to the home of the bridegroom, at 
 the door of which she is met by an old woman, 
 the mother of male children. It is then that one 
 of the most tedious of earthlj'- ceremonies begins, 
 wherein the spirits of ancestors have to be wor- 
 shiped, the parents have to be worshiped, and the 
 marriage contract read. They then drink the 
 sacred wine-cup, when two wine-cups are united 
 by a red silk thread, and the contents drunk by 
 the young couple, in the presence of the assem- 
 bled guests. The bride and bridegroom are usu- 
 ally seated during this part of the ceremony. 
 
 When the ceremony is over, the bride takes off 
 the outer robe, and prepares herself to submit to 
 the varied, and what we would consider extremely 
 rude remarks of the gentlemen present, who talk 
 freely of the form of her hands, feet, head, nose, 
 mouth, eyes, etc. A feast follows, and the happy 
 pair don't go off in a chair-and-four on their 
 honeymoon. The lady retires to, and keeps the 
 strict seclusion of her new home, while the bride- 
 groom joins in the feast which is kept up to a late 
 hour. 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 19 
 
 LAPLANDERS. 
 
 The Laplanders are very lean in flesh, having 
 thick heads, prominent foreheads, hollow and blear 
 eyes, short flat noses, and wide mouths. They are 
 swift of foot and*very strong, so that a bow which 
 a Norwegian can scarcely half bend, they will 
 draw to the full, the arrow reaching to the head. 
 The usual exercises are running races, and climb- 
 ing inaccessible rocks and high trees. Though 
 nimble and strong, they never walk upright, but 
 always stooping, a habit they get by frequently 
 sitting in their cottages on the ground. Originally 
 pagans, and most superstitious, they have for some 
 centuries been Christians, and have produced 
 many eminent and intelligent men. The manners 
 and customs of the Laplanders in regard to mar- 
 riage are very peculiar. The young man first seeks 
 for a maiden well stocked with reindeer — which, in 
 case of marriage, is secured to the child by her 
 parents — and then comes the offer. Accompanied 
 by his father and one or more of his friends, who 
 are to intercede for him, he makes for the hut of 
 his intended, and waits at the door until he is 
 summoned. His best man then addresses the 
 father, discloses his strong affection for his 
 daughter, and trusts he will give her in charge to 
 him. He gives his consent. The loving couple 
 then meet. Then come the presents, the rarest 
 
20 THE INTERMEDIATE 
 
 delicacies that Lapland affords — reindeer-tongue, 
 beaver flesh and other dainties. If she accepts the 
 presents the future marriage is arranged, but if 
 she rejects his suit she casts them down at his feet. 
 The full approbation of the marriage and the 
 celebration of the wedding is often deferred for a 
 considerable time, which they employ in courting. 
 The object of giving time is to squeeze the bride- 
 groom to the fullest extent (i. e., for presents, etc.). 
 The day before marriage, the relatives and friends 
 of the bride and bridegroom resort to the bride's 
 hut to deliver their presents. The bridegroom is 
 bound to present the father and mother with pres- 
 ents — the father with a silver cup, a kettle of 
 copper or alchymy, a bed, or, at least, handsome 
 bedding; the mother a girdle of silver, a robe of 
 honor which they call vospi, or a whisk which they 
 wear about their neck, and which hangs down to 
 their breast, interlaced with bosses of silver called 
 krake. In addition, he gives presents to the 
 brothers, sisters, and all the near kindred, in the 
 shape of silver spoons, silver bosses, and other 
 ornaments of silver, for each of them must have a 
 present if he means to obtain his bride. All things 
 arranged they proceed to church in solemn 
 order. The bride is led by two men, her father 
 and brother if alive, otherwise by two of her 
 nearest relations. She is dragged all the way by 
 them, showing sadness and dejection, and great 
 unwillingness and reluctance to her marriage. A 
 wedding feast follows. Each person invited con- 
 tributes his share of provisions. At the feast-table 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 21 
 
 no person helps himself, but receives his meat from 
 the hand of a Laplander. If the hut is not large 
 enough for the company, they climb up to the 
 roof of the hut, mostly boys and girls, and from 
 thence let down a fishing-line and hook up the 
 food. The married couple must remain a year in 
 the service of her father : they can then set up for 
 themselves. The father then bestows upon the 
 daughter the reincleer which are her due, given to 
 her in her younger days; also furniture and a dowry 
 of a hundred or more reindeer. Then all their 
 relations return all the presents they have made. 
 The Laps may be said to be in the full sense of 
 the word a moral race. They have no schoolmasters. 
 The father instructs the boy, the mother the girl. 
 Soon after birth, they bestow on their infant, if it 
 be a female, a female reindeer, and upon the horns 
 they engrave her name, so as to prevent all 
 quarrels. She receives another when she cuts her 
 first tooth, which they call pannikeir — that is, 
 tooth reindeer ; and he who first spies the tooth is 
 entitled to a reindeer calf. If the parents die, the 
 nearest relation becomes the guardian. 
 
22 THE INTERMEDIATE 
 
 DO AS NEAR RIGHT AS YOU CAN. 
 
 The world stretches widely before you, 
 
 A field for your muscle and brain; 
 And though clouds may often float o'er you, 
 
 And often come tempests and rain, 
 Be fearless of storms which o'ertake you — 
 
 Push forward through all like a man — 
 Good fortune will never forsake you 
 
 If you do as near right as you can. 
 
 Remember, the will to do rightly, 
 
 If used, will the evil confound; 
 Live daily by conscience, that nightly 
 
 Your sleep may be peaceful and sound. 
 In contests of right never waver — 
 
 Let honesty shape every plan, 
 And life will of paradise savor, 
 
 If you do as near right as you can. 
 
 Though foes foulest scandal may speed. 
 
 And strive with their shrewdest of tact 
 To injure your fame, never heed, 
 
 But justly and honestly act: 
 And ask of the Ruler of Heaven 
 
 To save your fair name as a man; 
 And all that you ask will be given, 
 
 If you do as near right as you can. 
 
SUNDAY SCHaOL READER. 
 
 23 
 
 CHINESE .TORTURE. 
 
 Criminals and suspected persons in China are 
 treated in a very cruel manner. The tortures and 
 
 punishments which the law sanctions are, wearing 
 the cangue; beating the cheeks with a leather 
 instrument; squeezing the fingers; beating the 
 
24 THE INTERMEDIATE 
 
 person with a bamboo, or wooden stick ; squeezing 
 the ankles, and imprisonment. 
 
 The prisons in China are in a much more revolt- 
 ing state than those in Europe were before John 
 Howard began his labors for their improvement; 
 and the prisoners who are not rich, or who have 
 not rich friends willing to bribe the jailors, are 
 given but a small amount of coarse food, and have 
 to endure the most dreadful and excruciating tor- 
 tures that were ever inflicted on any human beings. 
 
 The most common of the lawful modes of pun- 
 ishment is the wearing of the cangue. This is a 
 square collar made of boards, which is generally 
 locked upon the neck, though it is sometimes 
 fastened to the person in the manner represented 
 in the picture. 
 
 The person's crime, and th« time that he is to 
 wear the cangue, are written upon the upper or 
 front side of it. He is placed, in the day-time, in 
 the street near the spot where he committed his 
 offense; in the evening, he is taken away by the 
 constable of the neighborhood : and in the morn- 
 ing he is returned to his usual place of exposure, 
 where he begs his living, unless his friends supply 
 him with food. This is done from one to three 
 months, according to the offense. 
 
 There are many other modes of torture and 
 punishment, which, though not recognized by the 
 laws, are used by the magistrates and jailors when- 
 ever they please. They are generally applied 
 when the desire is to make a man confess his own 
 or another's crime. 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 25 
 
 JOAN OF ARC. 
 
 Charles VII., surnamed the "Victorious," was 
 twenty years old when his father died. He was 
 proclaimed king by the princes who formed his 
 little court, and was" crowned at Poictiers — Rheims 
 being in possession of the English. In 1428, the 
 city of Orleans alone remained to him, and the 
 English now laid siege to it. 
 
 Charles considered the loss of Orleans as certain, 
 and was about to leave the country. His fortunes 
 were altered by one of the most singular occur- 
 rences in history — the appearance of Joan of Arc, 
 called also the Maid of Orleans. 
 
 The girl was the daughter of poor peasants, 
 who lived at Dom Remy, near the river Meuse. 
 From her childhood she had been taught to hate 
 the English on account of the desolation they had 
 spread over the country. The terrible scenes she 
 heard described made a deep impression on her, 
 and she dreamed of them by night. Before she 
 was thirteen she fancied she saw visions, and talked 
 with angels, who assured her that she was the 
 appointed deliverer of her country. 
 
 She served at a small inn, where she took care 
 of the horses and performed other manual labor. 
 She thus gained great bodily strength, could ride 
 without a saddle and was expert in many exer- 
 cises. 
 
26 
 
 THE INTERMEDIATE 
 
 When she was seventeen she went to the king, 
 and offered to deliver Orleans, then besieged by 
 the English, and to conduct him to Rheims, to be 
 crowned. 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 
 
 The cpurtiers thought her crazy. Charles, either 
 because there was nothing to lose by the experi- 
 ment, or because he believed her inspired, granted 
 her request to be given armor and sent with an 
 escort of troops to Orleans. 
 
 She was dressed in full armor, and mounted 
 upon a charger ;^in her hand she carried a banner, 
 sent, she said, from heaven. Her fame had gone 
 before her. The English soldiers were seized with 
 a dread of fighting against heaven. She and her 
 escort were allowed to pass unharmed through the 
 English camp, and to enter Orleans. There she 
 was received as a celestial deliverer. Things were 
 now completely changed. 
 
 Wherever she led the attack, the enemy threw 
 down their arms and fled. So many deserted 
 from the English army, that a proclamation was 
 issued offering a reward for the arrest of every 
 soldier who deserted "for fear of the mayde." Still 
 the panic went on ; the English general. Lord 
 Talbot, was obliged to raise the siege. The regent, 
 Bedford, collected another army, and sent it, under 
 the command of Sir John Falstaff, to the assist- 
 ance of Talbot. The French marched against 
 the united forces. The English fled at the first 
 onset. Sir John FalstaS', a man of tried courage, 
 did not escape the general infection. He set the 
 example of flight, and for his cowardice was de- 
 prived of all the honors that a long life of service 
 had gained for him. 
 
 The maid now oflfered to perform the second 
 
28 THE INTERMEDIATE 
 
 part of her mission, the accomplishment of which 
 seemed to be beyond belief. 
 
 Rheims was at a distance, and in the hands of 
 a powerful body of the enemy. The way was 
 guarded by several strong fortresses, and Charles 
 had few soldiers. But the king, yielding to the 
 importunity of Joan of Arc, set out on the 
 journey. 
 
 His progress was a success. The towns sub- 
 mitted to him, and on reaching Rheims, he was 
 met by a deputation of the citizens, who presented 
 the keys of the city. Here the consecration was 
 performed with the holy oil of Clovis, Joan standing 
 by in complete armor, her standard in her hand. 
 When the ceremony was over, she begged the 
 king to let her return to private life, now that her 
 promises were accomplished. 
 
 But Charles would not permit this. He ennobled 
 her family, giving it the name of "du Lys," in 
 allusion to the lilies on her banner, and assigned 
 her an estate in land. But he desired her to 
 remain with the army until the English were 
 driven out of France. 
 
 The French ofl&cers were jealous of her fame, 
 and ashamed that a woman should perform greater 
 exploits than they. In a sally from the town of 
 Compeigne she was deserted by her companions, 
 who fled into the town at the approach of the 
 enemy, and shutting the gateSj refused to admit 
 her. 
 
 She fell into the hands of the Duke of Burgundy, 
 who sold her to the regent, Bedford, for a large 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 29 
 
 sum. By the laws of honor and humanity, Joan 
 should have been treated as a prisoner of war. 
 But Bedford chose to regard her as a sorceress. 
 
 She was tried as such before some clergy in the 
 interest of Bedford. During this trial, which 
 lasted four months, she behaved with the greatest 
 firmness and dignity. She answered all their 
 questions with wonderful propriety. She was pro- 
 nounced guilty, and condemned to perpetual 
 imprisonment, and to be allowed no other food 
 than bread and water. 
 
 She was also forbidden to put on the dress of a 
 man, under pain of death. The regent thought her 
 sentence too mild, and at once took measures to 
 secure a more severe punishment. 
 
 He had a complete suit of armor hung in her 
 cell, in the cruel hope that she would not be able 
 to resist the temptation of putting it on. Poor 
 Joan fell into the snare. Persons concealed to 
 watch her, rushed in and seized her. She was then 
 condemned to be burned. The sentence was 
 carried out in the market place of Eouen, May 30, 
 1431. 
 
 The affairs of the English now grew worse and 
 worse. One town after another surrendered to 
 Charles. Paris opened its gates to him, and he 
 entered it, November 4th, 1437, after an absence of 
 seventeen years. 
 
 The French erected a statue to the Maid of 
 Orleans on the spoj; where she died. It remains 
 to the present day. 
 
 In a short time the city of Calais was the only 
 
30 IHE INTERMEDIATE 
 
 English possession in the territory of France. In 
 1440 a truce was agreed upon between the two 
 nations. 
 
 THE WONDERFUL WEAVER. 
 
 There's a wonderful weaver 
 
 High up in the air, 
 And he weaves a white mantle 
 
 For cold earth to wear ; 
 With the wind for his shuttle, 
 
 The cloud for his loom, 
 How he weaves, how he weaves. 
 
 In the light, in the gloom ! 
 
 Oh ! with finest of laces 
 
 He decks bush and tree ; 
 On the bare, flinty meadows 
 
 A cover lays he. 
 Then a quaint cap he places 
 
 On pillar and post; 
 And he changes the pump 
 
 To a grim, silent ghost ! 
 
 But this wonderful weaver 
 
 Grows weary at last ; 
 And the shuttle lies idle 
 
 That once flew so fast. 
 Then the sun peeps abroad 
 
 On the work that is done ; 
 And he smiles: "I'll unravel 
 
 It all, just for fun I" 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 31 
 
 A TOUCHING INCIDENT. 
 
 One of the most touching illustrations of the 
 strength of filial affection is given by an ancient 
 historian, named Herodotus, concerning a son ot 
 Croesus, king of Lydia. Croesus was a very rich 
 king ; so rich, that, to this day, when a man is 
 described as being very wealthy, he is said to be 
 "as rich as Croesus." But, notwithstanding his 
 riches, the city in which he resided was captured 
 by Cyrus the Great. The only son Croesus had 
 living was dumb. This young prince, when the 
 city was taken, saw a soldier ready to give king 
 Croesus a stroke upon the bead with his scimitar. 
 The sight startled him. Fear and affection for 
 the life of his father were aroused. He made 
 such a violent effort and struggle that he broke 
 the string of his tongue, and cried out, "Soldier ! 
 spare the life of Croesus." His cry saved his 
 father's life ; and Cyrus afterwards gave him great 
 honor and made him his friend. 
 
 This story seems more wonderful than true. 
 Still, it may be true ; and if it is, it is a beautiful 
 illustration of the power of affection. Speaking 
 of Cyrus, it is very remarkable that, during the 
 whole course of his life which was pretty long, as 
 he himself said, the happiness of it was never 
 interrupted by any unfortunate accident; and 
 in all his- designs the success had answered 
 
32 THE llSiTERMEDIATE 
 
 his utmost expectations. But he states another 
 thing that is equally remarkable; in the midst of 
 his great and uninterrupted prosperity he still 
 preserved in his heart a secret fear, proceeding 
 from an apprehension of the changes and mis- 
 fortunes that might happen. This prudent fear 
 kept him from being lifted up by prosperity, and, 
 also preserved him from intemperate joy. Though 
 a great king, he never forgot that he was a man, 
 and, as such, was exposed to all the changes and 
 misfortunes to which mortal men are liable. It 
 is probable that his prosperity was due to this 
 feeling of humility which he had in his heart. 
 Cyrus is called a heathen king ; but he possessed 
 more true knowledge than many boasted Christian 
 kings. On this point his life conveys a lesson 
 which Saints can profit by studying. 
 
 A HINDOO STORY. 
 
 A TiGEE, prowling in a forest, was attracted by 
 a bleating calf It proved to be a bait, and the 
 tiger found himself trapped in a spring cage. 
 There he lay for two days, when a Bramin hap- 
 pened that way. 
 
 "0, Bramin !" piteously cried the beast, "have 
 mercy upon me,. and let me out of this cage." 
 
 "Ah ! but you will eat me." 
 
 "Eat you ! Devour my benefactor ! Never could 
 I be guilty of such a deed," responded the tiger. 
 
 The Bramin, being benevolently inclined, was 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 33 
 
 moved by these entreaties, and opened the door of 
 the cage. 
 
 The tiger walked up to him, waved his tail, and 
 said, "Bramin, prepare to die; I shall now eat 
 you." 
 
 "0! how ungrateful, how wicked! Am I not 
 your savior?" protested the trembling priest. 
 
 "True," said the "^iger, "very true; but it is the 
 custom of my race to eat men when we get the 
 chance, and I cannot afford to let you go." 
 
 "Let us submit the case to an arbitrator," 
 replied the Bramin. "Here comes a fox. The 
 fox is wise; let us abide by his judgment." 
 
 "Very well," agreed the tiger. 
 
 The fox assuming a judicial aspect, sat on his 
 haunches with all the dignity he could muster, 
 and, looking at the disputants, said: 
 
 "Good friends, I am somewhat confused by the 
 different accounts which you give of this matter; 
 my mind is not clear enough to render equitable 
 judgment; but if you will be good enough to act 
 the whole transaction out before my eyes, I shall 
 attain unto a more definite conception of the case. 
 Do you, Mr. Tiger, show me just how you 
 approached and entered the cage; and then do you, 
 Mr. Bramin, show me how you liberated him; and 
 I shall be able to render a proper decision." 
 
 They assented, for the fox was solemn and oracu- 
 lar. The tiger walked into the cage, the spring- 
 door fell and shut him in. He was a prisoner 
 inside. 
 
 The judicial expression faded from the fox's 
 
34 THE INTERMEDIATE 
 
 countenance, and, turning to the Bramin, he said; 
 "Now you are all right, you silly Bramin. I advise 
 you to go home as fast as you can, and abstain in 
 future from doing favors to rascally tigers. Good 
 morning, Bramin; good morning, tiger." 
 
 THE ALOE. 
 
 The science of botany is a delightful study; it 
 makes the student of it acquainted with the 
 nature and qualities of herbs, plants, trees and 
 everything belonging to the vegetable kingdom. It 
 brings him in contact and makes him familiar 
 with the form and gradual development of flowers, 
 and cultivates within him a love of the beautiful, 
 thus helping to refine, exalt and purify his nature, 
 and hence it is a study that cannot be persevered 
 in without benefit. 
 
 We present our readers with an engraving of the 
 American aloe, a simple-looking plant, but withal a 
 singular, beautiful and useful member of the vege- 
 table kingdom. 
 
 We would wish that our brief sketch of the aloe 
 might help to bring out, in some of our readers, a 
 taste for the study of botany — a study useful as 
 well as agreeable; and you know that useful 
 knowledge acquired and retained is better than 
 great riches. 
 
 The aloe is a native of the American tropic^, 
 and there it grows luxuriantly; in temperate 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 
 
 35 
 
 regions, such as England, France and some por- 
 tions of the United States, it is cultivated in 
 greenhouses for ornament, it being considered, 
 when in bloom, a choice and beautiful exotic. 
 
 For fear that you should not understand the 
 word "exotic," we will say that it means some- 
 thing that is foreign. Thus, a flower that is a 
 native of any country in Europe, if brought to 
 
36 THE INTERMEDIATE 
 
 this country, and planted and cultivatied until it 
 will grow here, would be called an "exotic . " So 
 much for the explanation. Now we will proceed 
 and tell you something more about the aloe. 
 
 There is a saying about this plant that it only 
 flowers once in a hundred years. This saying is not 
 true, but it is true that an aloe plant only blooms 
 once and then dies. The long stem, which you 
 see in the picture, never grows until the bottom of 
 the plant is fully matured, that is, until it is full 
 grown, or ripe. The length of time required for 
 this ripening process varies very much, according 
 to the climate in which the plant is grown. In 
 the most favorable climates it ripens in ten years, 
 in the least favorable climates it will not mature 
 in less than seventy years. When it has attained 
 maturity, the slender stem immediately begins to 
 shoot up, and before it stops it sometimes reaches a 
 height of forty feet. This stem grows very straight, 
 and, as you see, sends forth numerous branches in 
 very regular order, the end of each being ornament- 
 ed with a bunch of greenish-yellow flowers. These 
 flowers continue in bloom for several months, 
 when the seeds they contain are scattered, and the 
 plant withers and decays. 
 
 In some of the countries to which the aloe is 
 indigenous, that is, native and grows without 
 cultivation, the people turn it- to great use. Of 
 its sap the Mexicans make two kinds of intoxicat- 
 ing drink. The fibres of the leaves are used as 
 a coarse kind of sewing thread ; the dried stems 
 of the flowers make asplendid thatch, or covering 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 37 
 
 for the roofs of dwellings, rendering them com- 
 pletely waterproof. An extract is made from the 
 leaves of the plant, which is formed into balls, 
 and answers the same purpose as soap. The juice 
 of the plant is also used for various purposes in 
 medicine, the value of the preparation varying 
 considerably, according to the country in which it 
 is grown. 
 
 You thus see that the aloe, simple as it looks, 
 is a very useful plant, and if you remember 
 the short account of it here given, it will add to 
 your store of knowledge, and that addition, small 
 as it is, may some time prove useful to you. The 
 vegetable kingdom contains thousands of different 
 members, every one of which has a history about 
 as interesting as the aloe. The Swedish natural- 
 ist, Linnseus, devoted his life to the study of plants, 
 flowers, etc., reduced botany to a science, and 
 secured for himself a name that will never die. 
 Not one of you may ever become celebrated on 
 account of your knowledge of botany; but as it is 
 one of the most important branches of natural 
 history, it cannot be studied at all industriously 
 without the student being well rewarded for his 
 labors. 
 
38 THE INTERMEDIATE 
 
 LIVING FOR OTHERS. 
 
 Would you have a thread of beauty 
 
 Running thro' your happy days, 
 From the rosy glow of morning 
 
 To the twilight's purple haze? 
 Would you have your golden noontide 
 
 Crowned with blessings bright and pure? 
 Would you garner up a treasure 
 
 Which forever shall endure? 
 
 Oh, then early heed the lesson, 
 
 "No one liveth to himself: " 
 And the soul needs better riches, 
 
 Than earth's fleeting, sordid pelf. 
 Gentle words and deeds of kindness, 
 
 Are sweet blossoms that will cast 
 An undying, precious fragrance. 
 
 O'er the pathway of the Past. 
 
 Hearts that thrill with earnest yearning 
 
 For the noble and the true; 
 Hands that shrink not from the labor 
 
 Which God giveth them to do; 
 Feet that never tire or falter, 
 
 Tho' life's rugged hill they climb — 
 These can make the trivial duty 
 
 And the lowly fate sublime! 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 39 
 
 THE WHITE SPARROW. 
 
 FliOM THE GERMAN. 
 
 "Sleep is the worst of thieves — 
 He steals away half our lives. ' ' 
 
 In most parts of Germany there passes current 
 among the people this proverb — 
 
 "He that would thrive, 
 Must the white sparrow see." 
 
 The meaning of the proverb is not at first sight 
 so apparent as that of some others that circu- 
 late among us, such as "Early habits make the 
 man," and "Honesty is the best policy," etc., but 
 the moral significance it is intended to convey is 
 not less true and important. I will, therefore, 
 here relate the Story connected with its origin, 
 as I received it mj'self from the lips of an old 
 and valued friend. 
 
 There was an old farmer with whom everything 
 appeared to grow worse from year to year. His 
 cattle died one by one, the produce of his land 
 was not half what it ought to be; in fact, all his 
 property was, to use a very familiar expression, 
 "going to the dogs ! " In short, scarcely a week 
 passed by that either the tax-gatherer or the pawn- 
 broker did not come to his window, and, address- 
 ing him with a courteous bow, say — 
 
 "I am really very sorry, Herr Ruckwart, to be 
 
40 TEE INTERMEDIATE 
 
 compelled to put you. to inconvenience, but I am 
 obliged to do my duty." 
 
 The old friends of Herr Ruckwart also tried to 
 do their duty to him. They advised, they en- 
 treated, and they helped him, but all in vain, and 
 so one after another gave him up in despair, de- 
 claring with a sigh that as for poor Ruckwart, there 
 was no use in trying to help him — he was past 
 being helped. 
 
 He had one friend, however, whose heart was 
 in the right place, and who was not only a good 
 man, but a very clear sighted one. This friend 
 thought he would not give Herr Ruckwart up 
 altogether, without making one more attempt to 
 save him. So one day he led the conversation, as 
 though accidentally, to the subject of sparrows, 
 relating many anecdotes of those birds, and observ- 
 ing how greatly they had multiplied of late, and 
 how very cunning and voracious they had be- 
 come. 
 
 Herr Ruckwart shook his head gravely in 
 answer to this observation, and said : 
 
 "They are, indeed, most destructive creatures. 
 For my part, I have not the slightest doubt that it 
 is mainly owing to their depredations that my 
 harvest of late years has been so unproductive." 
 
 To this conjecture his old friend made no re- 
 joinder; but after a moment's pause continued the 
 conversation by asking — 
 
 "Neighbor; have you ever seen a white sparrow?" 
 
 "No," replied Ruckwart; "the sparrows that 
 alight in my field are all the common grey sort " 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 41 
 
 "That is very probable, too," rejoined his friend. 
 "The habits of the white sparrow are pecuhar to 
 itself. Only one comes into the world every year; 
 and, being so different from his fellows, other spar- 
 rows take a dislike to it, and peck at it when it 
 appears among them. For this reason it seeks its 
 food early in the morning, before the rest of the 
 tribe are astir, anS then goes back to its nest, 
 where it remains for the rest of the day. " 
 
 "That is very strange!" exclaimed Ruckwart. 
 "I must really try and get a sight of that sparrow, 
 and if possible, I will catch it, too." 
 
 On the morning following this conversation, the 
 farmer rose with the sun and sallied forth into his 
 field. He walked around his farm, searched his 
 farmyard in every corner, examined the roofs of . 
 liis granaries and the trees of his orchards, -to see 
 whether he could discover any traces of the beau- 
 tiful white sparrow. But the white sparrow, to 
 the great disappointment of the farmer, would 
 not show itself or stir from its imaginary nest. 
 
 What vexed the farmer, however, still more, was 
 that though the sun stood high in the heavens by 
 the time he had completed his round, not one of 
 the farm laborers was astir — they, too, seemed 
 resolved not to leave their nests. Meantime, the 
 cattle were bellowing in their stalls with hunger, 
 and not a soul was near to feed them. 
 
 Herr Ruckwart was reflecting on the disadvant- 
 age of this state of things, when suddenly he 
 perceived a lad coming out of the house carrying 
 a sack of wheat on his shoulders. He seemed to 
 
42 THE INTERMEDIATE 
 
 be in great haste to get out of the precincts of the 
 farm, and Herr Ruckwart soon noticed that his 
 steps were not bent towards the mill, but towards 
 a public house, where Caspar had, unhappily, a 
 long score to pay. He hastened after the aston- 
 ished youth, who had believed his master to be 
 still in the enjoyment of his morning nap, and 
 quickly relieved him of his burden. 
 
 The farmer next repaired to the cow-house, and, 
 peeping to see whether the white sparrow had 
 taken refuge there, he discovered to his dismay, 
 that the milk-maid was handing a liberal portion 
 of her milk through the window to her neighbor, 
 to mix with her morning cup of coffee. 
 
 "A pretty sort of housekeeping this is;" thought 
 _the farmer to himself, as he hastened to his wife's 
 apartment and roused her from her slumber. "As 
 sure as my name is Ruckwart," he exclaimed in 
 an angry tone, "there must be an end to these 
 lazy habits. Everything is going wrong for the 
 want of somebody to look after it. So far as I am 
 concerned," thought the good farmer to himself, 
 "I will rise every day at the same hour I did this 
 morning, and then I shall get my farm cleared of 
 those who do not intend to do their duty properly. 
 Besides, who knows but some fine morning or 
 other, I may even succeed in catching the white 
 sparrow ! " 
 
 Days and weeks passed on. The farmer adhered 
 to his resolution, but he soon forgot the white 
 sparrow, and only looked after his cattle and his 
 corn fields. Soon everything around him wore a 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL- READER. 43 
 
 flourishing aspect, and men began to observe that 
 Herr Ruckwart (Backward) now well deserved to 
 be called Herr Vorwart (Forward). 
 
 In due course of time, his old friend again came 
 to spend the day with him, and inquired in a 
 humorous tone : 
 
 "Well, my fine fellow, how are you getting on 
 now? Have you succeeded in catching a glimpse 
 of the white sparrow ? " 
 
 The farmer only replied to this question by a 
 smile, and then, holding out his hand to his old 
 friend, he said: 
 
 "God bless you. Harder, you have saved me and 
 my family from ruin. " 
 
 Often, in after years, when Herr Ruckwart was 
 a prosperous man, respected by his household, he 
 was wont to relate this history of his early life, 
 and thus by degrees the saying has passed into a 
 proverb — "He that would thrive, must the white 
 sparrow see." 
 
 THE CYPRESS. 
 
 We have here the picture of a Turkish ceme- 
 tery. In front is a female mourner, sitting 
 near the grave of some departed loved one, her 
 face carefully veiled, as is the custom in the far 
 eastern Asiatic lands. In the distance is a Mo- 
 hammedan city, its walls, its mosques and mina- 
 rets and flat-roofed houses being quite distinguish- 
 able. In front is a beautiful grove of cypress 
 
44 
 
 7HE INTERMEDIATE 
 
 trees, their straight slender forms and dense foliage 
 presenting a very agreeable picture, one bespeak- 
 ing shade and repose. 
 
 It is a common custom in eastern countries to 
 plant groves of cypress trees in cemeteries; the 
 
 branches of these trees were also anciently used 
 at funerals. From this cause, this tree has' come 
 to be considered an emblem of mourning for the 
 dead, as the laurel has been chosen the emblem of 
 victory, and the palm that of triumph. 
 In ages long since past, the remains of the 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 45 
 
 heroes of Greece, and the embalmed bodies of 
 Egypt's great ones were placed in cofl&ns or cases 
 of cypress wood, on account of its great durability. 
 Many believe that the gopher wood mentioned by 
 Moses as being the substance of which the ark 
 built by Noah was framed, was cypress wood, 
 but we think this is very doubtful. They draw 
 their conclusion frqpi the fact that cypress trees 
 abound in the neighborhood of Mount Ararat, 
 where the ark rested after the flood, but they know 
 nothing of the trees that grew in the land where 
 the ark was constructed. They fancy this was 
 somewhere in Asia Minor or in the regions round 
 about. But God has revealed in these days that 
 the people who lived before the flood, dwelt on 
 the land we now call America. 
 
 The cypress is a native of warm climates, but 
 has long since been transferred, on account of the 
 beauty of its evergreen foliage, to the gardens of 
 the rich in colder climates. In Assyria, especially 
 about Babylon, cypress trees still greatly abound. 
 
 TRUE COURAGE AND BENEVOLENCE. 
 
 On a warm summer afternoon a lazy breeze 
 stole through the windows of a hot district school- 
 house, lifting the white curtains, and rustling the 
 leaves of the copy-books that lay on the desks. 
 Thirty or forty scholars of all ages were bending 
 over their writing, quiet and busy; the voice of 
 the master, as he passed about among the writers. 
 
46 THE INTERMEDIATE 
 
 was the only sound. But though silent, this little 
 hot school-room had its heroes and heroines as 
 certainly as the wider sphere of life. 
 
 The bell rings for the writing to be laid by ; and 
 now comes the last exercise of the day, the spell- 
 ing, in which nearly all the school join. At the 
 head of the class is a delicate little girl, in a blue 
 dress, whose bright eyes and attentive air show 
 that she prizes her place and means to keep it. 
 
 Presently a word, which had passed all the 
 lower end of the class, came to Eunice. The word 
 was privilege. "P-r-i-v-priv, i-privi, 1-e-g-e-lege, 
 privilege," spelled Eunice. But the teacher, vexed 
 with the mistake at the other end of the class, 
 misunderstood her, and passed it. The little girl 
 looked amazed; the bright color came into her 
 cheeks, and she listened eagerly to the next person, 
 who spelled it as she had done. 
 
 "Right," said the teacher, "take your place." 
 
 "I spelled it so," whispered Eunice to herself, 
 tears springing to her eyes as she passed down. 
 But, too timid to speak to the master, she re- 
 mained in her place, inwardly determined to get 
 up again. 
 
 But her trials were not yet over. Many ex- 
 pedients were tried in the school to keep out 
 the arch-enemy of the schools — whispering. At 
 length the following was adopted: The first 
 whisperer stood upon the floor in front of the 
 teacher's desk. Here he acted as monitor ; when 
 he detected another, he took his seat, and the next 
 offender kept a sharp look-out to find some one to 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 47 
 
 take his place ; for at the close of the school, the 
 scholar who had the whisperer's place was pun- 
 ished very severely — as the school phrase was, 
 "took a feruling ! " This plan appeared to operate 
 very well, everyone dreading to be the last on the 
 floor; but, though it secured an orderly school, 
 many parents and scholars doubted its justice. 
 
 The boy who w^s on the floor when Eunice lost 
 her place, was an unruly, surly fellow who had 
 smarted for his faults often before; and as school 
 drew near its close he began to tremble. The 
 instant Eunice's whispered complaint reached his 
 ear, his face brightened up; he was safe now. 
 And when the class was dismissed he said, "Eunice 
 whispered, sir." 
 
 Eunice rose, and in a trembling voice related 
 what she had said ; but the teacher saw no excuse 
 in it, and she was called to take the place of the 
 ungenerous boy who told on her. 
 
 Books had been put away, and the waiting 
 school looked on in sorrow as Eunice left her seat 
 to take the dreaded punishment. She was one of 
 the best scholars, bright, faithful, sweet-tempered 
 and a general favorite. Everyone felt that it was 
 unjust, and many angry glances were directed at 
 the boy who was mean enough to get a little girl 
 whipped. Overcome with shame and fear he 
 stood up by the desk, crying bitterly, while the 
 teacher was preparing to inflict the punishment. 
 
 At this moment a tall boy stepped out of his 
 seat, and going to the desk, said: 
 
 "Are you going to whip Eunice, sir?" 
 
48 IHE INTERMEDIATE 
 
 "Yes, I never break my rules," the teacher said. 
 
 "We will not see her whipped!" said the boy, in 
 an excited voice. "There is not a boy here, but 
 one, that would see her whipped. Whip me, sir, 
 and keep your rule if you must, but don't touch 
 that little girl." 
 
 The master paused; the school looked on tear- 
 fully. 
 
 "Do you mean to say that you will take the 
 punishment?" asked the teacher. 
 
 "I do, sir," was the bold reply. 
 
 The sobbing little girl was sent to her seat, and, 
 without flinching, her friend stood and received 
 the punishment that was to have fallen on her. 
 The school was dismissed, and the boys paid him 
 in admiration and praise for all he had suffered, 
 while the grateful little girl blessed him from her 
 heart for a noble and generous boy, who had 
 saved her from the greatest shame and suffering. 
 
 I said the little school had its heroes, and this 
 was one of them. Do you not think his conduct 
 admirable? 
 
 Now for the moral. 
 
 The punishment received by this noble boy was 
 Christ-like; it was one of suffering from his own 
 free will, the punishment that was to have been 
 borne by another. 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 49 
 
 LINES ON LIFE. 
 
 Whate'er our rank, the ups and downs 
 
 Of life we all must know ; 
 Both fortune's«smiles and sorrow's frowns 
 
 Are needed here below ; 
 And such is life that what we crave, 
 
 If placed within our power, 
 Would make us oft the hapless slave 
 
 Of passion's evil hour. " 
 
 Some pow'r, infinite fraught with grace. 
 
 Rules man, whate'er his mood ; 
 Restraining him to fill some place 
 
 Assigned for common good. 
 And oft when he would turn aside. 
 
 Some influence seems to say, 
 "Stop! See the wreck on sin's dark tide! 
 
 Cast not thyself away." 
 
 Life at its best is checkered, brief. 
 
 As years and trials prove; 
 Yet all may find some sweet relief 
 
 In deeds of truth and love. 
 Hope lights their path, in weal or woe ; 
 
 Those days are wisely spent. 
 Which furnish those who mourn below 
 
 The keys of sweet content. 
 
50 THE INTERMEDIATE 
 
 And what if we should suffer here 
 
 Man's sneer, or angry threat; 
 If God be near we need not fear, 
 
 Nor have a sad regret. 
 Then man and steer the craft of Right, 
 
 And strongly ply the oar ; 
 Eternal gain — your beacon bright^ — 
 
 Shines on the other shore. 
 
 A CHILD IN COURT. 
 
 THE POWER OF TRUTH. 
 
 A LITTLE girl, nine years of age, was offered as 
 a witness against a prisoner who was on trial for a 
 felony committed in her father's house. 
 
 "Now, Emily," said the counsel for the prisoner, 
 upon her being offered as a witness, "I desire to 
 know if j'ou understand the nature of an oath?" 
 
 "I don't know what you mean," was the simple 
 answer. 
 
 "There, your honor," said the counsel, addressing 
 the court ; "is anything further necessary to dem- 
 onstrate the validity of my objection ? This wit- 
 ness should be rejected. She does not comprehend 
 the nature of an oath." 
 
 "Let us see," said the judge. "Come here, my 
 daughter." 
 
 Assured by the kind manner and tone of the 
 judge, the child stepped toward him, and looked 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 51 
 
 confidently into his face, with a calm, clear eye, 
 and in a manner so artless and frank that it went 
 straight to the heart. 
 
 "Did you ever take an oath?" inquired the 
 judge. The child stepped back with a look of 
 horror, and the blood mantled in a blush all over 
 her face and neck as she answered: 
 '"No, sir." 
 
 She thought he fntended to inquire if she had 
 ever blasphemed. 
 
 "I don't mean that," said the judge, who saw 
 her mistake; "I mean, were you ever a witness 
 before?" 
 
 "No, sir; I never was in court before," was the 
 answer. 
 
 He handed her an open Bible. 
 " "Do you know that book, my daughter?" 
 
 She looked at it and answered : 
 
 "Yes, sir; it is the Bible." 
 
 "Do you read it?" he asked. 
 
 "Yes, sir; every evening." 
 
 "Can you tell us what the Bible is?" inquired 
 the judge. 
 
 "It is the word of the great God," she answered. 
 
 "Well, place your hand upon this Bible, and lis- 
 ten to what I say;" and he repeated slowly and 
 solemnly the oath usually administered to witnesses. 
 
 "Now," said the judge, "you are sworn as a wit- 
 ness ; can you tell me what will become of you if 
 you do not tell the truth?" 
 
 "I shall be shut up in States Prison," answered 
 the child. 
 
52 THE INTERMEDIATE 
 
 "Anything else?" asked the judge. 
 
 "I shall never go to heaven," she replied. 
 
 "How do you know this?" asked the judge. 
 
 The child took the Bible, and turning rapidly 
 to the chapter containing the commandments, 
 pointed to the injunction, "Thou shalt not bear 
 false witness against thy neighbor." 
 
 "Has any one talked to you about your being a 
 witness in court in this case?" inquired the judge. 
 
 "Yes, sir," she replied. "My mother heard that 
 they wanted me to be a witness, and last night she 
 called me to tell her the Ten Commandments, and 
 then we kneeled down together, and she prayed 
 that I might understand how wicked it was to 
 bear false witness against my neighbor, and that 
 God would help me, a little child, to tell the truth 
 as it was before Him. And when I came up here 
 with my father, she kissed me and told me to 
 remember the ninth commandment, and that God 
 would hear every word that I said." 
 
 "Do you believe this?" asked the judge, while a 
 tear glistened in his eye, and his lips quivered 
 with emotion. 
 
 "Yes, sir," said the child, with a voice and man- 
 ner that showed her conviction of its truth was 
 perfect. 
 
 "God bless you, my child," the judge said; "you 
 have a good mother. This witness is competent," 
 he continued. "Were I on trial for my life, and 
 innocent of the charge against me, I would pray 
 God for such a witness as this." 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 53 
 
 COAL. 
 
 No doubt all of our little readers have seen and 
 handled coal. You also know some of the uses to 
 which it is put. 'Sni did you ever ask any person 
 where and how it is obtained? You have perhaps 
 never heard of the danger there is attending those 
 who work in mines where this useful article is 
 found. 
 
 Coal exists in layers beneath the surface of the 
 ground. It is said to be formed from wood and 
 vegetable remains, which have undergone a great 
 change. Some pieces of coal look a great deal 
 like wood, excepting in the color. This valuable 
 article is found in different parts of the globe, and 
 were it not for the large coal beds of England, 
 that country would not be as wealthy as it now is. 
 There, many million tons of coal are burned every 
 year in the great manufactories; and if they had 
 only wood to burn, their forests would soon be used 
 up. 
 
 In order to get the coal out of the ground, deep 
 holes are dug, into which the miners go and loosen 
 the coal. It is then placed in buckets or boxes, 
 and, by means of machinery made for the purpose, 
 is raised to the surface of the ground. As the coal 
 is taken out, timbers are generally placed in the 
 mine to keep the ground from caving in on the work- 
 
54 
 
 THE INTERMEDIATE 
 
 men. But sometimes these timbers^become rotten, 
 or in case of fire are burned, when thq earth falls 
 and buries, in many instances, those who are 
 working below. In the picture we see some 
 
 
 laborers running away from the broken timbers 
 and falling earth. How frightened they look, and 
 well they may, for if once covered by the huge 
 mass of earth above them, their death is almost 
 certain ! 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 55 
 
 In England many of the Saints work in the 
 coal mines. On one occasion, some years ago, a 
 brother was in one of these mines when a cave 
 occurred in which he was crushed to the ground. 
 When he was uncovered, it seemed as though every 
 bone in his body was broken. The docters said 
 he could not live longer than a few minutes. But 
 one of the Elders of this Church, who had great 
 faith in God, came along, and, after anointing the 
 injured brother with oil, administered to him. As 
 he did so, the broken bones came together with a 
 cracking noise, and he was made sound and well. 
 Thus was the power of the Lord shown when the 
 skill of man had failed. 
 
 Explosions occasionally occur in the coal-beds 
 from what is called fire-damp. This is a 
 kind of gas which has neither taste, smell 
 nor color, but when set on fire, it burns with a 
 pale, white flame. When a great quantity of fire- 
 damp gathers in one place and then comes in con- 
 tact with fire, it explodes, and often causes great 
 loss^of life. 
 
 These are some of the dangers, children, to 
 which those brave men are exposed who obtain 
 from the bowels of the earth the coal for us to 
 burn. 
 
56 THE INTERMEDIATE 
 
 A CHILD'S FAITH AND CONFIDENCE 
 IN GOD. 
 
 "Oh, mother! what will you do?" said a bright 
 little maiden of twelve years, as she came tripping 
 into the house after carrying home some work her 
 mother had finished that morning. "Mrs. Smith 
 says she cannot let you have the flour she promised 
 you, for, if she does, her own family will be short. 
 I told her if she could only spare you a little, you 
 would be glad, for father and brother had gone to 
 the field without breakfast; but she said, no, she 
 could not let you have it." 
 
 "Well, my dear," said her mother, "did you go 
 to the other places I told you of ?" 
 
 "Yes, mother, but they are all entirely out of 
 flour. The mill is broken, and grinding cannot 
 be done for some time, so what will pa do when he 
 comes for his dinner?" 
 
 "I do not know what to do," said the mother, "if 
 I cannot get it where it is owing to me." 
 
 "Oh ma!" cried out little Jane, three years 
 younger than her sister; "I know what you can do." 
 
 "What?" asked her mother. 
 
 "Why," said Jane, "you can do as you have 
 done before. You can ask our Father in heaven 
 to give us some. You know He always does, when 
 you ask Him." 
 
 "Ess," cried little baby Johnny, three years old, 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 67 
 
 "ess, mamma, let's say pay's (prayers) and Dod will 
 send some flour." 
 
 How the mother's heart rejoiced, as she clasped 
 her children to her bosom, and thanked God for 
 the precious gift of faith He had bestowed on her 
 babes. 
 
 She then took her children by the hand, and 
 knelt down and prayed to her Heavenly Father to 
 give them that day their daily bread, and to let 
 peace rest down on their father's heart, for he was 
 troubled. 
 
 The children, though hungry, rose from their 
 knees with cheerful faces. 
 
 "There," said Jane, "you will have flour in a 
 short time, ma, for you always do when you ask 
 our Father for it. He does not say no like some 
 people do." 
 
 The father of the children, Joseph Hall, was an 
 industrious, hard-working farmer; but he had lost 
 all he owned, team, cows, crops and everything he 
 possessed of farm property, in an Indian war; and 
 he had struggled hard for several years to support 
 his family, and to replace his team, that he might 
 be able to raise another crop. His wife was always 
 delicate in health; but being a milliner, shestrove 
 by working with her needle as much as possible 
 to assist her husband in providing for her family. 
 Her children being all small at the time of his 
 losses, and requiring a good deal of attention, she 
 was often obliged to sit up at night, after the rest 
 had gone to bed, to finish her work. At such 
 times, being over fatigued, her spirits would be- 
 
58 THE INIERMEDIATE 
 
 come depressed, and she would sometimes be led 
 to exclaim, "Why am I called to pass through 
 such trying scpnes of poverty, while my relatives 
 are enjoying the luxuries of life?" 
 
 Such had been her thoughts on the morning in 
 question ; but when her husband came in to kiss 
 the little ones good-bye before going to work, and 
 she saw him look discouraged at not having been 
 able to get them flour, she bade him good morning 
 with a cheerful smile, and told him to come home 
 early and she would have a nice dinner ready for 
 him ; but, having sent home her work, we see how, 
 for the time being, she was disappointed. 
 
 After lifting her heart in prayer to God, she 
 again took up her needle, while her little girls 
 washed the dishes and swept the floor; but scarce- 
 ly had she done so, when little Jane again came 
 running into the room, crying out: 
 
 "Oh, ma! .come and see; there is a girl coming 
 up the garden with a big pan of flour! Didn't I 
 tell you our Father would send some, ma? We 
 must thank God for that." 
 
 Going into the kitchen, Mrs. Hall found one of 
 the neighbor's children that wanted to get some 
 fruit for flour. She gave the child the fruit, and 
 took the flour with a thankful heart, realizing that 
 what she had thought a trial was indeed a rich 
 blessing, for it had taught her children a lesson of 
 faith and confidence that they would not forget as 
 tljey grew older. But that was not the end of their 
 blessings, for, shortly after, two ladies who were ow- 
 ing Mrs. Hall for work, came and asked her as a 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 59 
 
 favor if she would take flour for her pay, as they had 
 been disappointed in getting her the money. She 
 told them she would. 
 
 When her husband came home at noon, she 
 told him to look at the sack in the corner. He 
 asked what was in it. She replied, "Flour." 
 
 "Whose is it?" he inquired. 
 
 "Ours." 
 
 "Why, mother," said he, "where did you get it?" 
 
 She told him all the events of the morning, and 
 of Jane's faith and confidence in God. Mr. Hall 
 asked if it was not about ten o'clock that she got 
 the flour. She told him it was; "but why did he 
 ask?" 
 
 Because, he told her, about that time he was so 
 depressed in spirits that he could not work, and 
 he prayed fervently to God that He would open 
 the way that they might be able to get such things 
 as they needed, and he said, "a spirit of peace 
 rested on me from that time, and I knew that my 
 prayers were answered." 
 
 They shed tears of thankfulness together, and 
 acknowledged the truth of the words of the psalm- 
 ist David, when he said: "I have been young, and 
 now am old ; yet have I not seen the righteous for- 
 saken, nor his seed begging bread." 
 
60 IHE INTERMEDIAIE 
 
 ANGEL WATCHERS. 
 
 It was evening, and the children, 
 Two bright, happy, laughing boys, 
 
 Were reminded it was bed-time — 
 They must cease their sport and noise. 
 
 Then a gentle, sweet-souled maiden. 
 Called the boys to be- undressed ; 
 
 And I heard her talking to them. 
 While preparing them for rest. 
 
 "You must let me wash your faces," 
 (Words she murmured such as these); 
 
 "So that while the angels watch you, 
 They can kiss you if they please." 
 
 Angel watchers kissing children : 
 Beautiful and happy thought! 
 
 Which the rosy, guileless cherubs. 
 Loving, trusting, quickly caught. 
 
 Silently they pondered o'er it, 
 
 Slily into bed they crept; 
 And with smiles their faces dimpled, 
 
 Angels watched them while they slept. 
 
 In the morning "mamma" found them. 
 Still so fresh, and sweet, and bright. 
 
 That it seemed the angel watchers. 
 Must have kissed them in the night. 
 
 'M 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 61 
 
 NATURAL BRIDGE IN VIRGINIA. 
 
 Foe beautiful scenery and natural curiosities 
 the continent of America undoubtedly surpasses 
 any other portion of the world, as much as it does 
 for the richness and'variety of its climate and re- 
 sources. Its extraordinary gold and silver depos- 
 its, its extensive coal fields, its mammoth caves, 
 its boiling springs, its giant waterfalls, its buried 
 cities, its subterranean lakes and forests, its enor- 
 mous rivers, its lofty mountains, its great variety 
 of climate, all combine to make it without an 
 equal on^any other portion of the globe ; and year 
 after year, owing to the extension of its railroad 
 system, and the roaming disposition of a large 
 number of its population, its natural wonders are 
 becoming more widely known, and are beginning 
 to attract more of the attention of travelers and 
 pleasure seekers, with whom it was formerly the 
 fashion to visit only, or almost exclusively, the 
 romantic and classic portions of the eastern hem- 
 isphere — Greece, Italy, Switzerland, etc. 
 
 Since the arrival of the Pioneers in the valleys 
 of Utah, the "Great American Desert," as it was 
 called, has been almost all explored, and most 
 of it settled; and the romantic scenery of the 
 Great West has attained a world-wide celebrity. 
 But this is not confined to the West, for in almost 
 every section of the country, to the extreme limits 
 
62 
 
 THE INTERMEDIATE 
 
 of the north, south, east and west, there are sights 
 and scenes among nature's works which can scarce- 
 ly be equalled, and which well repay a visit from 
 the pleasure seeker and traveler. 
 
 Formerly, the great sight in this country for for- 
 
 eign travelers was the Falls of Niagara ; but while 
 these are still regarded as one of the grandest sights 
 in America, and without an equal in the world, they 
 have now many rivals, and scenes and sights in 
 other sections are nearly as celebrated now as 
 Niagara. We present you, in the above engrav- 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 63 
 
 ing, with an illustration of one of these — namely, 
 the Natural Bridge in the State of Virginia. 
 There are several bridges of this character in this 
 country, two in California, one or more in New 
 York, in Alabama and other localities, but this in 
 Virginia is considered the most celebrated. It is 
 in the south-eastern corner of Rockbridge County, 
 and is regarded as one of the most singular nat- 
 ural curiosities of which the country can boast. 
 By what force this peculiar formation was made is 
 a matter that cannot be explained ; but it is believed 
 to have been caused by earthquake or the action 
 of water. One side of the arch is two hundred 
 feet high, the other side is two hundred and forty; 
 the space between the two is nearly a hundred 
 feet. The breadth of the bridge proper, or the 
 roadway connecting the two sides of the arch, 
 is sixty feet. The structure is of hard, solid 
 limestone, and unless demolished by an earth- 
 quake or some other convulsion of nature, bids 
 fair to stand and endure for many ages. 
 
 The Natural Bridge of Virginia has been a 
 favorite resort of the great men of the nation 
 many of whom are said to have visited it, and 
 left their initials on its rocky sides. Among others, 
 it is said that the initials of the father of his 
 country, George Washington, are carved thereon, 
 showing, if true, that that great man, at some 
 period of his busy and eventful life, found time 
 to visit this natural curiosity of his native State. 
 
64 THE INTERMEDIAIE 
 
 NEVER SATISFIED. 
 
 A MAN in his carriage was riding along, 
 A gaily-dressed wife by his side; 
 
 In satin and lace she looked like a queen, 
 And he like a king in his pride. 
 
 A wood-sawyer stood on the street as he passed: 
 The carriage, the couple, he eyed. 
 
 And said, as he worked with his saw on the log, 
 "I wish I was rich and could ride." 
 
 The man in his carriage remarked to his wife: 
 "One thing I would do if I could — 
 
 I'd give all my wealth for the strength and 
 the health 
 Of the man who is sawing that wood." 
 
 A pretty young maid with a bundle of work. 
 Whose face as the morning was fair. 
 
 Went tripping along with a smile of delight, 
 While humming a love-breathing air. 
 
 She looked at the carriage — the lady she saw. 
 
 Arrayed in apparel so fine; 
 And said,' in a whisper, "I wish in my heart 
 
 Those satins and laces were mine." 
 
 The lady looked out on the maid with her 
 work, 
 
 So fair in her calico dress. 
 And said, "I'd relinquish position and wealth, 
 
 Her beauty and youth to possess." 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 65 
 
 Thus it is in this world : whatever our lot, 
 Our mind and our time we employ 
 
 In longing and sighing for what we have not — 
 Ungrateful for what we enjoy. 
 
 -0- 
 
 GOD'S POWER. 
 
 The children of the Latter-day Saints are often 
 told that the Lord hears and answers the prayers 
 of those who have faith in Him. Persons who 
 pray to God, gain strength to not only overcome 
 their own weaknesses, but also to overcome the 
 evil spirits that surround them here on the earth. 
 
 An incident occurred in England some years 
 ago, in which the power of God was shown in 
 answer to silent prayer. An evil spirit was sub- 
 dued, and that, too, at the request of a humble 
 Elder of this Church. The circumstance is, in 
 substance, as follows: 
 
 About the time that the principle of tithing was 
 introduced to the Saints in Europe, and they were 
 enjoined to perform their duty in this matter, a 
 poor shoemaker, with his large family, resided 
 there. He had been a faithful member of the 
 Church for several years. His income from his 
 daily labor was very small — barely sufficient to 
 keep want away from his door. His faith in the 
 doctrine of tithing was possibly not as strong as it 
 afterwards became, and when some of the Elders 
 visited him and pressed him rather strongly to pay 
 his tithing, he became somewhat discouraged, and 
 
66 TEE INTERMEDIATE 
 
 requested one brother to erase his name from the 
 records of the Church. The traveling Elder of 
 whom this request was made, did not, however, 
 comply, but told his friend that he would make a 
 trip around his district before taking action in the 
 affair, and would thus give him time for reflection. 
 
 During the interval which elapsed between the 
 visits of the traveling Elder, the Spiritualists came 
 into the neighborhood and began to hold meetings. 
 The wife of the shoemaker, who, with her children, 
 had been desirous of retaining her standing in the 
 Church, attended one of these meetings. She had 
 not been there long before the table near which 
 she was sitting began to move around the room. 
 Some of those present began to ask questions and 
 receive answers from the unseen spirits. The sis- 
 ter was also finally induced to make inquiries in 
 regard to many things, and, to her astonishment, 
 received correct answers to the same. 
 
 The poor shoemaker afterwards attended one of 
 these meetings, but he could not feel contented in 
 the place, because he knew the spirits present were 
 not of God. He therefore silently prayed to God, 
 while the table was being moved around by the 
 evil spirits, craved forgiveness for his weakness 
 in desiring excommunication, and then, in his 
 mind, he rebuked the power of Satan and com- 
 manded it to leave the room. Instantly the table 
 ceased to move, and all efforts to again set it in 
 motion or receive answers from the spirits were of 
 no avail. 
 
 This circumstance caused the heart of this hum- 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 67 
 
 ble brother to swell with joy, and by the time that 
 the traveling Elder again visited him, he was ready 
 to pay his tithing and to heed all counsel which 
 the servants of God gave him. 
 
 This man is now a resident of Utah, and a faith- 
 ful member of the Church. He has grown up sons 
 and daughters in full fellowship. He, doubtless, 
 often recalls this instance where the power of God 
 was exhibited at his humble and silent prayer. 
 
 PAUL THE APOSTLE. 
 
 The history of the Apostle Paul is one of the 
 most interesting and thrilling that was ever writ- 
 ten. The life of this noble man after his baptism 
 was one continual scene of adventure and excite- 
 ment. Scorned by those who formerly were proud 
 of his society, hated by those who had been his 
 co-religionists, he sought in the labors to which his 
 Redeemer had called him, that peace and joy which 
 the world denied him. 
 
 Paul, who previous to his conversion to the 
 gospel was called by the Hebrew name, Saul, was 
 a native of Tarsus, which was the metropolis of 
 Cilicia, and situated about three hundred miles 
 distant from Jerusalem. It was the custom in 
 those times for the inhabitants of Tarsus to send 
 their children to some other city for learning and 
 improvement. Thus it happened that Paul was 
 sent to Jerusalem and studied in the school of the 
 
68 THE INTERMEDIATE 
 
 eminent rabbi, Gamaliel. He was undoubtedly a 
 very diligent pupil, for as a Latin and Hebrew 
 scholar he gained great distinction, and his super- 
 ior knowledge of the law of Moses was recognized 
 even by his most bitter opponents. 
 
 It was the usual, practice among the Jews at 
 that early period to teach their children some 
 trade, so that in case of necessity each child could 
 sustain himself by the work of his own hands. 
 Hence it was that this great apostle learned how 
 to make tents, by which employment he was 
 enabled at times in his ministerial labors to provide 
 himself with the necessaries of life. 
 
 The first action in which Paul was engaged, as 
 recorded in holy writ, is where he and his coun- 
 trymen consented to and were present at the 
 martyrdom of Stephen. How far he was concerned 
 in the cruel death of this just man, we are not 
 informed, further than that "the witnesses laid 
 down their clothes at a young man's feet whose 
 name was Saul." We are told, however, that the 
 young man "made havoc of the Church, entering 
 into every house, and haling men and women com- 
 mitted them to prison." Led by Satan, he allowed 
 no opportunity to pass unnoticed of doing the 
 work of God injury, until arrested in his reckless 
 course by the revelation of Jesus to him as he was 
 on his way to Damascus. 
 
 This was the turning point in his career. From 
 this time on, his whole energy was devoted to the 
 building up of that which he formerly sought to 
 destroy. That he had sincerely believed he was 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 69 
 
 doing God's will in persecuting the Saints, his 
 subsequent labors amply prove. 
 
 Henceforth he was very zealous in his preach- 
 ing, and his extensive knowledge of ecclesiastical 
 law and his acquaintance with former prophecies 
 enabled him to briug arguments in defense of the 
 position he had assumed which were irrefutable. 
 This irritated the J6ws to the highest degree. 
 They sought in every way to injure him. Finally, 
 after he had labored some two or three years in 
 Damascus, the Jews prevailed upon the governor 
 to consent to his death. But now they could not 
 capture him, as his friends, of whom he ha"3 a 
 great many in 'the place, were careful to conceal 
 him; and after finding that the gates of the city 
 VFere guarded tp prevent his escape, they let him 
 down over the wall in a basket. 
 
 His subsequent labors extended over a large 
 tract of country. In a short article like this, it 
 would be impossible to follow this true disciple in 
 all his travels, or describe the labors which he per- 
 formed. Suffice it to say that he was always ready 
 to perform the will of his Father, and even the 
 prospect of death did not cause him to hesitate one 
 moment in the performance of the duties assigned 
 him. 
 
 While visiting the Saints at Jerusalem, Paul 
 was accused before Felix of sedition, heresy and 
 the profanation of the temple. Tertullus, his 
 accuser, made a short speech against him, and 
 then permission was granted Paul of replying to 
 the accusation. This he did in such a manner as 
 
70 lEE INTERMEDIAIE 
 
 to cause Felix to suspend judgment for the time, 
 and thus an opportunity was afforded Paul of 
 defending himself and bearing testimony of the 
 truth before higher officers of the government. 
 
 o 
 
 MURMUR NOT. 
 
 Murmur not, although the sunshine 
 May not light thy path of care; 
 Murmur not, for know that always 
 Gloomy clouds are "here and there;" 
 Murmur not, for clouds will scatter 
 Rain upon the thirsty soil. 
 And without these blessings, labor 
 Would be vain, with all thy toil. 
 
 Murmur not, but work with patience, 
 Soon the gloom will pass away ; 
 Murmur not, and soon the sunshine 
 On thy path will shed a ray; 
 Murmur not, though gloomy shadows 
 Load thy weary heart with care. 
 But remember that forever 
 There is sunshine, "iiere and there." 
 
 Murmur not, but work with willing 
 Hands and heart, and steady brain; 
 Murmur not, but fight to conquer 
 On life's hard-trod battle plain. 
 Murmur not, though on life's journey, 
 You must pass o'er rugged hills ; 
 Murmur not: the only pleasant 
 Murmur comes from brooks and rills. 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 71 
 
 HOW MY PEAYER WAS ANSWERED. 
 
 When I was a little boy like many of my 
 readers, my parents were very kind to me and 
 taught me correct j)rinciples, that I might grow up 
 to be a good man. One of the many things they 
 taught me was to pray every night before going to 
 bed. This I did, and many times I have had my 
 prayers answered. I write this piece to show how 
 the Lord answered my prayers at one time. 
 
 Often on nice moonlight nights in the summer, 
 I could hear boys like myself playing and laugh- 
 ing ou the streets, and on the Sabbath I saw boys 
 going fishing instead of going to Sunday school. 
 Sometimes I felt that I would like to join them in 
 their sports, but my parents would not allow me 
 to do so. 
 
 I thought they were too strict, and at times I 
 would pout around for an hour at a time. I was 
 also cross, and would not answer anyone in a pleas- 
 ant manner. To make a bad matter worse, I some- 
 times told my mother she was cross and unkind. 
 Once I told her I wished she was as good to me as 
 J — 's mother was to him. This made her feel bad — 
 to think that she had done everything she could 
 for my comfort, had cared for me in times of sick- 
 ness, had done all in her power to make me happy, 
 and these were the thanks she was to receive! 
 
 She told me the result of such a course, and 
 begged me to do better ; to be kind to my parents, 
 
72 THE INTERMEDIATE 
 
 brothers and sisters, thus making them happy as 
 well as myself. 
 
 Her talk had but little effect upon me. Instead 
 of getting better I became worse, until it was quite 
 uncommon to hear me speak pleasantly. 
 
 One night, as usual, I knelt down by my bedside 
 to pray. In my prayer I asked the Lord to help 
 me to be a better boy. 
 
 Some time after this, I dreamed that I was called 
 to my mother's room. My father, brothers and 
 sisters were all there crying. I soon saw the cause 
 of it. My loving mother, who had been so kind 
 to me, and whom I had treated so badly, was dead. 
 
 All I had said and done fiashed through my 
 mind in a moment. Throwing my arms around 
 her neck, I kissed her and wept bitterly. For the 
 first time in a long while I could appreciate a 
 mother's love and kindness. I was sorry for the 
 course I had taken, and said if she was alive again 
 I would do all that I could to make her happy. 
 
 My own cries and sobs woke me up. Imagine 
 my feelings, if you can, when I found I had been 
 dreaming ; that my mother was not dead, and that 
 I would have the chance of doing what I thought 
 in my dream I would do if she were alive. 
 
 I have tried to keep the promise that I made 
 in my dream, and have been happy in doing so. 
 
 The Lord answered my prayer by sending me a 
 dream which made me a better boy. 
 
 I hope my young readers will remember this 
 and be kind to their parents, for we do not know 
 at what time they may be called to leave us. 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 73 3 
 
 KEEP. 
 
 Keep to the right, the law directs, 
 Keep from the world thy friends' defects. 
 Keep all thy ftioughts on purest themes, 
 Keep from thine eyes the motes and beams. 
 Keep true thy deeds, thy honor bright. 
 Keep firm thy faith in God and right. 
 Keep free from every sin and stain, 
 Keep from the ways that bring thee pain. 
 Keep free thy tongue from words of ill, 
 Keep right thy aim and good thy will. 
 Keep all thy acts from passion free. 
 Keep strong in hope, nor envious be. 
 Keep watchful care o'er tongue and hand. 
 Keep firm thy feet, by justice stand. 
 Keep true thy word, a sacred thing, 
 Keep from the snares the tempter brings. 
 Keep faith with each you call a friend, 
 Keep full in view the final end. 
 Keep from all hate and malice free. 
 Keep strong the love of liberty. 
 Keep firm thy courage, bold and strong. 
 Keep up the right, keep down the wrong. 
 Keep well the words of wisdom's school. 
 Keep warm by night, by day keep cool. 
 
74 THE INTERMEDIATE 
 
 THE QUAKERS. 
 
 Most of our readers have doubtless heard of a 
 religious sect of people called Quakers. The 
 founder of this religious order was George Fox, 
 the son of a weaver, and himself an apprentice to 
 a Nottingham shoemaker. His master owned 
 sheep and George was set by him to watch them. 
 He passed much of his time in early youth in 
 prayer and reading the Bible, and fasted fre- 
 quently to know the right way. He sought for 
 knowledge among the various sects; but became 
 convinced that they were all wrong. What to do 
 he did not know, and many nights he walked all 
 night long in the fields by himself, in misery too 
 great to be declared. He was almost tempted to 
 become an infidel, to deny the existence of a God, 
 and to adopt the idea that "all things come by 
 nature;" but a true voice arose within him, and 
 said, "there is a living God." The clouds of dark- 
 ness rolled away; his soul was cheered and filled 
 by light from heaven ; he enjoyed the sweetness of 
 repose, -and from that time forward he never 
 doubted. He came to the conclusion that the 
 truth was to be sought by listening to the voice of 
 God in the soul, and he went about preaching and 
 proclaiming unto the people against the many 
 sins that prevailed. 
 
 On one occasion, a preacher to whom he listened, 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 75 
 
 took for his text the words of Peter: "We have 
 also a more sure word of prophecy." The 
 preacher told the people that this meant the scrip- 
 tures. George Fox cried out, "0 no I it is not the 
 scriptures; it is the Spirit." For his zeal in preach- 
 ing and attacking religious sects he was cast into 
 prison, and greatly persecuted, and even threat- 
 ened with deatB; but preach he would, and 
 nothing but death could stop him. Fox was very 
 severe upon the hireling ministry; he did not 
 believe that any man should preach for money, 
 but that ministers should not be employed, and 
 that men should speak as the Spirit moves them. 
 To this day, the Quakers have no ministers; they 
 go to meeting and sit in silence until some one, 
 either male or female, is moved upon to speak ; 
 and when the time comes to dismiss, they walk 
 away, not unfrequently without a word having 
 been said in the whole meeting. 
 
 At one time a doctor of divinity had finished 
 preaching from the words: "Ho, every one that 
 thirsteth, come, buy without money!" George Fox 
 felt moved to say to him: "Come down, thou 
 deceiver! dost thou bid the people come to the 
 waters of life freely, and yet thou takest three 
 hundred pounds a year of them? the Spirit is a 
 free teacher." 
 
 The Quakers quote the scriptures to prove that 
 the patriarchs were men who tended flocks; that 
 the prophets were mechanics and shepherds; that 
 the apostles were fishermen ; that John the Bap- 
 tist was clad in a rough garment of camel's hair, 
 
76 THE INTERMEDIATE 
 
 and that Jesus Himself was reared under the roof 
 of a carpenter, and the messengers of His choice 
 were rustics. Fox taught true republicanism. He 
 taught his followers to let their communication be 
 yea, yea ; nay, nay. They were not to swear ; they 
 were not to go to war; they were not to enslave 
 their fellows ; they were not to use titles, but when 
 they spoke to each other, to address by the title of 
 "friend," and to use the pronouns '>thou" and "thee," 
 instead of the plural pronoun "you;" to be very 
 plain in their dress and in their food. These are 
 peculiarities which still exist among the Quakers. 
 Among other things they refuse to put oif their 
 hats; they regard all men as being created equal, 
 and, therefore, wear their hats in the presence of 
 kings, judges and all dignitaries, as an evidence of 
 equality; and they think that they ought not to do 
 homage to their fellow men, but to bow to God 
 alone. 
 
 In the middle of the seventeenth century, Quak- 
 ers were called in the province of Massachusetts, 
 "the accursed sect;" and the people who enter- 
 tained them were fined. For being a Quaker, on 
 the first conviction, the man or woman would lose 
 one ear; for the second, the other ear; for the 
 third, the tongue was bored with a red hot iron. 
 This law, however, was soon repealed, and was 
 never printed; but a penalty was imposed upon 
 every person who should be present at a Quaker 
 meeting, or who should speak at such meetings. 
 Quakers were banished from the jurisdiction, and 
 if they did not leave, they were to be killed. Three 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 77 
 
 of them were executed for this cause. Afterwards 
 a man named William Leddra was put upon trial 
 for not leaving the colony. While the trial was 
 proceeding, Wenlock Christison, who had been 
 banished on pain of death, entered the court. 
 The judges were struck with dismay at seeing him ; 
 for they found their threatenings could not frighten 
 the Quakers. They desired Leddra to accept his 
 life and leave the colony. He refused, and was 
 hung. Christison was then brought up to receive 
 the death sentence. He demanded of the judges by 
 what law he was to be put to death. They replied : 
 "We have a law, and by it you are to die." Wen- 
 lock said : "So said the Jews to Jesus Christ ; but 
 who empowered you to make that law?" They 
 answered: "We have a patent, and we make our 
 own laws." He again inquired : "Can you make 
 laws repugnant to those of England?" They 
 replied, "No." Then said he: "You have gone 
 beyond your bounds; I demand to be tried by the 
 laws of England, and there is no law there to 
 hang Quakers." The magistrates were divided in 
 pronouncing sentence, the vote was put the second 
 time, and there appeared a majority for the doom 
 of death. Wenlock asked them: "What do you 
 gain by taking a Quaker's life? If you have 
 power to take my life, God can raise up ten wit- 
 nesses in my stead." The magistrates finally 
 became convinced of their error. Wenlock Chris- 
 tison, with twenty-seven of his friends, was dis- 
 charged from prison and the persecutions against 
 the Quakers ceased. 
 
78 lEE 1NTERMED1A2E 
 
 It is the occasion of the trial of Christison which' 
 the engraving represents. The Quaker's questions 
 were highly exasperating to the court, yet not 
 
 more so than his defiance in persisting to wear his 
 hat, which he refused to doff even to the repre- 
 sentatives of his king. 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 79 79 
 
 LITTLE THINGS. 
 
 A little thingl How oft that word 
 
 We hear from young and gay; 
 Events which fill our daily lives, 
 
 Are "little things," they say. 
 Ah, did we know the weary pain 
 
 A little fault might bring ; 
 We'd pause a moment, ere we dared 
 
 Call i^i a little thing. 
 
 It may be but a hasty word, 
 
 A cross or angry tone. 
 The little woe that prompted it, 
 
 Ere it is spoke is gone ; 
 But to the loving heart it wounds, 
 
 The sorrow long will cling, 
 The pain your thoughtless words impart 
 
 Is not a little thing. 
 
 Remember, too, the loving Lord 
 
 Looks ever calmly down 
 To give each action and each thought 
 
 His blessing or His frown. 
 That hasty word recorded is 
 
 Where holy angels sing. 
 Their sinless hearts are pained by it. 
 
 Is that a little thing? 
 
80 THE INTERMEDIATE 
 
 A mother's kiss, a sister's smile, 
 
 A golden summer's day, 
 Appear but little things to us. 
 
 To cheer our onward way; 
 But love and joy and thankfulness. 
 
 These gifts were meant to win ; 
 Your Heavenly Father sent you each, 
 
 Not as a little thing. 
 
 Oh ! who can tell the wondrous chain 
 
 Which on each day may hang ; 
 Reaching from when their morning hymn 
 
 The stars of morning sang. 
 Through countless ages, till the time 
 
 Of which the angels sing! 
 Can any link of this great chain 
 
 Be called a little thing? 
 
 Know that each hour of life is fraught 
 
 With endless good or ill, 
 No act but with its consequence 
 
 The universe may fill; 
 Then, till with angel vision clear 
 
 We with the angels sing, 
 Let us not dare to say of aught, 
 
 "It is a little thing." 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 
 
 81 
 
 THROWING A CHILD INTO THE 
 GANGES. 
 
 Here we have a beautiful engraving represent- 
 ing a most barbarous and unnatural practice, once 
 very common among the natives of Hindostan — 
 
 namely, a mother throwing her infant into the 
 Ganges. Children reared in Christian lands can- 
 not think of anything more cruel than infanticide, 
 or the killing of newborn, or very young, helpless 
 children; and yet, in India and China, and per- 
 haps other Asiatic countries, this has long been 
 practiced. 
 In so-called Christian countries infant murder 
 
82 THE INIERMEDIATE 
 
 is not uncommon ; but public sentiment is strong 
 in its denunciation, and its perpetrators, when 
 discovered, are severely punished. But this has 
 not been the case in India, for there it has been 
 sanctioned by public sentiment, and this consti- 
 tuted one of the main features of its terrible enor- 
 mity. 
 
 Female children were those most commonly 
 slain, for women, in some of the countries of Asia, 
 are treated with so little respect, that the birth of 
 a daughter has been regarded almost as a re- 
 proach or disgrace, and countless numbers of them 
 have been killed at their birth, or very soon after. 
 
 You are all aware, probably, that the natives of 
 Hindostan are what Christians call idolators, or 
 Pagans; they do not believe in Jesus Christ as the 
 Son of God, or the Savior of the world. They 
 also have various gods — images — which they wor- 
 ship. The river Ganges, the largest stream of water 
 in India — is regarded by them as sacred, and its 
 water is often carried long distances, the natives 
 believing that it possesses wonderful virtues. So 
 great has been the superstition of the people in 
 this respect, that formerly it was not an uncommon 
 occurrence for people who had been long married 
 without having children, to dedicate their first- 
 born to some imaginary personage, whom they 
 regarded as the god or presiding deity of the 
 river. This dedication consisted in throwing the 
 child into the Ganges, as you see in the engraving, 
 where it was almost sure to' be drowned, or de- 
 voured by the crocodiles plentiful in its waters. 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 83 
 
 How fearfully unnatural and cruel for parents 
 thus to serve their helpless offspring! It was in 
 Rajpootana, formerly a powerful nation in Hindos- 
 tan, that the murder of the female children was 
 most common. Parents would consign their un- 
 fortunate little daughters to the dark waters of the 
 river to save the exj)ense of rearing and providing 
 for them. But Rajpootana is now under British 
 rule, and that government, being Christian and 
 civilized, would not tolerate the practice of infant 
 murder among its subjects, and for years this cruel 
 custom has been prohibited by law. 
 
 The conquest of Hindostan by the British is 
 one of the most remarkable military achievements 
 recorded in history. In the seventeenth century, 
 a small company of English merchants obtained 
 permission from one of the Indian rulers to estab- 
 lish a trading post in his possessions, and in about 
 a century and a half from that time, the work 
 commenced by those traders culminated in the 
 subjection to British rule of a hundred and fifty 
 millions of people, comprising many different 
 nations, with different customs and religions; and 
 now Hindostan is the most populous and wealthy 
 portion of what are called the British possessions, 
 in all the world. 
 
 The British rulers of Hindostan, in the exercise 
 of their power over the various nations once exist- 
 ing within its borders, have wisely refrained. from 
 forcibly interfering with the religions and customs 
 of the natives, except where the absolute commis- 
 sion of crime was involved therein. The murder 
 
84 2 HE INTERMEDIAIE 
 
 of infants, whether as sacrifices to the heathen 
 gods or deities of India, or otherwise, being not 
 only cruel, but awfully criminal, has been pro- 
 hibited by law ; and if infant murder is practiced 
 at all now, it is with as much secrecy as in Chris- 
 tian lands, and they who are guilty of it, if dis- 
 covered, have to endure the penalty of the law 
 for the crime. 
 
 This is one great reform wrought among the 
 Hindoos by their British conquerors; many others 
 have been effected, one of which is the abolition 
 of "suttee," or the burning of widows with the 
 bodies of their dead husbands, regarded by the 
 Hindoos as a very sacred religious rite. 
 
 THE LETTER OF LIFE. 
 
 Youth is the page on which we write; 
 
 Oh! let our words be few and firm. 
 Our acts replete with conscious right, 
 
 Our thoughts, of honesty the germ. 
 
 Maturity completes the verse 
 
 Of our brief correspondence; then. 
 
 Better the page be blank, than worse; 
 So, wisely let us wield the pen. 
 
 Old age the "postscript" adds at last, — 
 May memory broach no slighted debt: 
 
 No dark reproach upon the past 
 
 May conscience bring, nor one regret. 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 85 
 
 WINNING HIS PLUMES. 
 
 A CIVILIZED young gentleman considers the 
 time when he first adopts the coat and hat of man- 
 hood, an important Bne. As far as outside appear- 
 ance goes, it shows that he, at least, thinks he is 
 no longer a boy, and he expects to be treated as a 
 young gentleman. The young Indian is not par- 
 ticularly troubled about hat and pantaloons, yet 
 he has his peculiar way of showing his claim to 
 be considered a young warrior — which, among the 
 Indians, is the same as a young gentleman. So, 
 instead of going to the tailor or hatter for the 
 emblems to show that he has left the state of boy- 
 hood, he puts on eagles' feathers. You think that 
 it would be an easy enough matter for the young 
 Indian to shoot an eagle and secure the feathers. 
 So it would be, but that is not the way it is done. 
 Feathers obtained in this way will not pass muster. 
 Custom requires that the young savage shall, if 
 he would claim a place among the " big Injuns," 
 pluck his feathers from a living bird — in fact, win 
 his plumes in a personal struggle with their right- 
 ful owner — the eagle. The Indian is allowed no 
 advantage over the bird, but each must fight with 
 the weapons nature gave him. As the eagle has 
 great strength, sharp claws, and a formidable beak, 
 it will be seen that the young Indian has no slight 
 task before him. The first point is to get at the 
 
86 THE INTERMEDIATE 
 
 eagle; to do this, the savage finds k hollow place 
 in the ground, or makes one, large enough to hold 
 him. The top of the hole is covered with sticks, 
 so that he is completely hidden. A rabbit, which 
 serves as a bait, is fastened upon the sticks; when 
 the eagle sees the rabbit, and comes swooping 
 down after his prey, he is caught by the legs by the 
 concealed Indian. Then comes the struggle. It 
 is not easy to see how, with one hand required to 
 hold the claws, and the other to defend himself 
 from the beak, the young warrior is to get the 
 much coveted plumes. We may think that feath- 
 ers from a dead eagle would answer just as well; 
 but the Indians look upon it differently, and hold 
 that the youngster who wishes to be considered a 
 warrior, must first show his strength and courage. 
 If a set-to with a full grown eagle will not test these, 
 we do not know what will. 
 
 A LESSON ON ORDER. 
 
 I EEMEMBEK whcn I was a little ten year old 
 girl, putting things to rights for my grandmother 
 in her bedroom. A few moments afterwards, I 
 was sitting with my hands folded, in a thoughtful 
 way, when the good old lady said : "Don't you feel 
 well to-day, dear?" 
 
 "Not very; I feel downhearted," I said, looking 
 up into her cheery face. 
 
 "Well, I can tell you- what's the matter," said 
 the shrewd little diplomat ; "I wasn't going to tell 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 87 
 
 you, but I'd better do it than have you sick. I 
 observed in my bedroom that you folded a couple 
 of quilts and some sheets and my plaid shawl, and 
 piled them on the trunk at the foot of my bed, 
 and none of them were folded evenly, and that's 
 what ails you. My mother told me when I was a 
 little girl, if I did such work in a careless, slovenly 
 way, I would feel laadly until they were folded 
 right, and I always found her words to be true. 
 It may be that this is hereditary in our family; I 
 don't know, it seems like it." 
 
 I sprang to my feet and went to work and 
 folded every quilt and sheet just as evenly as the 
 edges could lie, and piled them up until they 
 fitted together as snugly as a pile of books. Sure! 
 I felt well enough after that ! My thoughts were 
 as calm and snug as the bed-clothes were. 
 
 Oh, I was so glad grandmother had told me; I 
 thought if she hadn't, I might have gone on feel- 
 ing "downhearted," may be for weeks and months. 
 
 Well, the habit of folding quilts, sheets, blank- 
 ets, table linen, shawls, wraps and such things, 
 even and nicely, became fixed so firmly, and fol- 
 lowed me up to womanhood so persistently, that 
 to-day, if I fold my shawl carelessly, I feel annoyed 
 until I go and remedy the delinquency. I can see . 
 now the motive my sly little grandmother had in 
 holding up before my youthful imagination the 
 enormity of this fault, and I do most cordially 
 thank her for it. 
 
TEE INTERMEDIAIE 
 
 I WILL TRY. 
 
 There is a society in London known as the 
 "Society of Arts." Its object is the encouragement 
 of talent in the department of art. Prizes are 
 awarded by the Society, sometimes to painters for 
 their pictures, and sometimes to humbler artisans 
 for improvements in weaving, or in the manufac- 
 ture of bonnets, lace, etc. 
 
 More than a half century ago, a little fellow 
 named Willie Ross, not twelve years of age, was 
 talking with his mother about au exhibition of 
 paintings at the Society's rooms. William was very 
 fond of paintings, and could himself draw and 
 color with remarkable skill. "Look you, William," 
 said his mother, "I saw some paintings in the ex- 
 hibition which did not seem to me half as good as 
 some of yours." 
 
 "Do you really think so, mother?" asked Wil- 
 liam. 
 
 "I am sure of it," she replied. "I saw some 
 paintings inferior, both in color and^ drawing, to 
 some that are hanging in your chamber." 
 
 William knew that his mother was no flatterer, 
 and he said, "I have a mind to ask permission to 
 hang one or two of my paintings on the walls of 
 the next exhibition." 
 
 "Why not try for one of the prizes?" asked his 
 mother. 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 89 
 
 "0 mother, do you think I should stand any 
 chance of success?" 
 
 "Nothing venture, nothing have," said his 
 mother. "You can but try," 
 
 "And I will try mother, dear," said William. 
 "I have a historical subject in my head^ out of 
 which I can make a picture." 
 
 "What is it, William?" 
 
 "The death of Wat Tyler. You have heard of 
 him. He led a mob in the time of Eichard the 
 Second. He behaved insolently before the king 
 at Smithfield, and was struck down by Walworth, 
 mayor of London, and then dispatched by the 
 king's attendants." 
 
 "It is a bold subject, William ; but I will say 
 nothing to deter you from trying it." 
 
 "If I fail, mother, where will be the harm ? I 
 can try again." 
 
 "To be sure you can, William. So we will not 
 be disappointed should you not succeed in winning 
 the silver palette offered by the society for the best 
 historical painting." 
 
 Without more ado, little William went to work. 
 He first acquainted himself with the various cos- 
 tumes of the year 1381; he learned how the king 
 and the noblemen used to dress; and what sort of 
 clothes were worn by the poor people and work- 
 men, to which class Wat Tyler belonged. He also 
 learned which sort of weapons were carried in 
 those days. 
 
 After having given some time to the study of 
 these things, he acquainted himself thoroughly 
 
90 IHE INTERMEDIATE 
 
 with the historical incidents attending the death 
 of the bold rioter. He grouped, in imagination, 
 the persons present at the scene — the king and his 
 attendants, Walworth, the mayor, Wat Tyler him- 
 self, and in the background some of his ruffianly 
 companions. 
 
 The difficulty now was to select that period of 
 the action best fitted for a picture, and to group 
 the figures in attitudes the most natural and ex- 
 pressive. Many times did little William make a 
 sketch on paper, and obliterate it, dissatisfied with 
 his work. At times he almost despaired of accom- 
 plishing anything that should do justice to the 
 conception in his mind. But after many failures, 
 he completed a sketch which he decided to trans- 
 fer to canvas. 
 
 He now labored diligently at his task, and took 
 every opportunity to improve himself in a knowl- 
 edge of colors and their effects. At length the 
 day for handing in pictures arrived. He then had 
 to wait a month before there was any decision as 
 to its merits. On the day appointed for the an- 
 nouncement of the decision, many persons of dis- 
 tinction were present, including some ladies. The 
 meeting was presided over by the Duke of Norfolk. 
 
 William's mother was present, of course. She 
 sat waiting the result with a beating heart. What 
 a gratified mother she was, when, after the trans- 
 action of some uninteresting business, it was an- 
 nounced that the prize of a silver palette for the 
 best historical picture was awarded to the painter 
 of the piece entitled, "The Death of Wat Tyler." 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 91 
 
 When it was found that William Ross was the 
 successful artist, the applause of the audience 
 broke forth with enthusiasm. To see such a little 
 fellow gain a prize over competitors of mature age 
 was a novelty and surprise. William was sum- 
 moned with his picture to the Duke's chair, and 
 he received such counsel and encouragement as 
 were of great service to him in his future career. 
 He became at length Sir William Ross, miniature 
 painter to the queen, having risen to fortune and 
 fame, by carrying out with determination and per- 
 severance, his simple promise to his mother of "I 
 will try." 
 
 
 
 THE "NAKED TRUTH." 
 
 'TwAS just past noon, one summer's day. 
 
 When Truth was plodding on his way 
 
 To the next town, to see a friend, 
 
 And there a party to attend. 
 
 Leisurely he walked along, 
 
 Listening to the bird's sweet song, 
 
 And to the murm'ring stream that flowed 
 
 Along beside the dusty road. 
 
 " This sun is very warm !" quoth he, 
 
 "I'll take a seat beneath this tree. 
 
 Its pleasant shade I can't resist, 
 
 Inviting me to take a rest." 
 
 So, prone upon the ground he sat, 
 
 And fanned himself with his straw hat. 
 
 He had not thus been sitting long 
 
 When Falsehood chanced to come along. 
 
92 THE INIER MEDIATE 
 
 And, seeing Truth, beside him sat; 
 
 And straight the two began to chat. 
 
 " 'Tis very warm, I do declare ! 
 
 And, if the time you can but spare, 
 
 We'll have a bath," Falsehood. proposed, 
 
 " That is, if you feel so disposed." 
 
 "Agreed!" cried Truth; "in this clear stream 
 
 Is just the place to have a swim!" 
 
 Each strips himself of all his clothes. 
 
 And in the placid water goes. 
 
 "How cool this is!" cried Truth with glee. 
 
 And straight across the stream swam he: 
 
 But, looking back, to his surprise. 
 
 Saw Falsehood — could he believe his eyes? — 
 
 Upon the other shore, and dressed 
 
 In Truth's own clothing of the best. 
 
 In vain did Truth the scamp demand 
 
 To leave his clothes upon the sand. 
 
 He would not listen to a word, 
 
 No more than if he had not heard, 
 
 But finished dressing and went on 
 
 The road until he reached the town. 
 
 Disguised as Truth, Falsehood went out. 
 
 Deceiving many thereabout; 
 
 While honest Truth, ashamed to wear 
 
 Falsehood's clothes, of course went bare. 
 
 And now, you see, my smiling youth. 
 
 Whence came the saying, " Naked Truth." 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 
 
 93 
 
 JOSEPH, AS A SAVIOR. 
 
 "Where there is no vision the people perish." 
 Men appear to have recognized the importance of 
 revelation from the earliest ages, and they have 
 accepted dreams and visions as premonitions and 
 warnings from the Gods. When Pharaoh awoke 
 from his dreams he does not appear to have had 
 a doubt as to their importance. The narrative 
 tells us "his spirit was troubled." The fact that 
 Joseph had been an interpreter of dreams to the 
 officers of Pharaoh, while they were in prison, was 
 welcome news when made known to the king. 
 He was in trouble, and had no one to help him. 
 "Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph." 
 
 k great national calamity was at hand. Al- 
 though the king did not comprehend its nature, 
 he, as the head of the nation, felt the full force of 
 it pressing upon his spirit. The God of all the 
 earth knows how to teach lessons to the proudest 
 monarchs, by methods peculiarly His own. 
 
 When Joseph was called, he soon made known 
 to the king who was dealing with him : "God hath 
 showed Pharaoli what he is about to do.' And 
 how plainly were the impending calamities in the 
 future history of Egypt shown ! And how meekly 
 stood the savior of that nation before Pharaoh and 
 his court, to reveal to the monarch the methods 
 by which salvation could be obtained for the peo- 
 ple 1 No wonder the king was filled with admira- 
 
94 
 
 THE INTERMEDIATE 
 
 tion, and the court with wild enthusiasm. What 
 a moment, too, for "the magicians of Egypt, and 
 all the wise men thereof," who had failed to inter- 
 
 
 I 
 
 
 f ^'^v^^i*'* 
 
 pret Pharaoh's dream! What a humiliation to 
 them to hear their master declare to Joseph, "For- 
 asmuch as God hath showed thee all this, there is 
 none so discreet and wise as thou art." 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 95 
 
 Joseph was invested with all the insignia of of- 
 fice as a ruler, with all the pomp and display of 
 eastern courts. The proclamation was made with 
 trumpets and cymbals, as shown in the picture; 
 and "Pharaoh said unto Joseph, see, I have set 
 thee over all the land of Egypt." 
 
 Of the great importance of the services rendered 
 by Joseph to the Egyptians as a nation, the king 
 was evidently sensible; the offices conferred upon 
 him by Pharaoh proved this. He took off his 
 ring from his own hand and put it upon Joseph's 
 hand, and caused the gold chain of office to be 
 placed upon his neck. This was the ordinary 
 mode of investiture, in those days, of a grand 
 vizier, or superior officer, as it is now in many 
 eastern countries. But this was not all ; he made 
 Joseph ruler over all the land of Egypt, and created 
 for him a special office, and gave him a name in- 
 dicative of the powers he held, in a manner that 
 must have shown to the whole people the high es- 
 timation in which Joseph was held. We are told 
 "Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnath-paan- 
 eah." Now the writer of the narrative does not 
 tell us what that name meant, but other writers 
 do. It was an Egyptian name, which means sal- 
 vation, or "the savior of the world." By "the 
 world," the Egyptians meant their own nation, for 
 they were a proud people, who considered that out- 
 side of Egypt the whole world was barbarian. 
 But the Lord had intentions in relation to Israel, 
 some of which were exhibited during the life and 
 reign of one of the successors of the Pharaoh 
 
96 THE INTERMEDIATE 
 
 who thus honored Joseph. God had not forgotten 
 His promise to Abraham: "In thee and in thy 
 seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." 
 
 THE ALT AH OF THE "UNKNOWN GOD." 
 
 We call those nations heathen who worship idols 
 or images. The heathen nations worship things 
 that cannot hear and see and speak, and instead of 
 serving the living and true God, who made the 
 heavens and the earth, they worship gods of wood 
 and stone. Some worship the sun and moon, and 
 some worship animals. 
 
 The ancient Greeks and Romans had a god or 
 goddess for every season of the year, and for almost 
 every occasion. For instance, Vertumnus was the 
 god of spring, Flora the goddess of flowers, Som- 
 nus the god of sleep, Aurora goddess of the morn- 
 ing, Mars the god of war, etc. 
 
 In Rome, a long time ago, there was a large 
 building called the Pantheon, which was said to 
 contain thirty thousand deities or gods, at one 
 time. The people must have been very attentive 
 to even learn the names of such a multitude of 
 gods and goddesses. But this was the business of 
 priests — it is not probable that the people had much 
 to do with it. 
 
 The incident I am going to relate happened a 
 little more than eighteen hundred years ago, in 
 Athens, the great city of ancient Greece. At that 
 time the people were in the constant habit of offer- 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 97 
 
 ing sacrifices to their imaginary gods. Their sac- 
 rifices were placed on altars, which were made for 
 that purpose, and kept in an enclosure. Each altar 
 was dedicated to a particular god. 
 
 The morning was the time for the priests to oflFer 
 sacrifice, and the sheep that were to be offered 
 were turned into the enclosure where the altars 
 were, each night be^re they were to be offered in 
 the morning. 
 
 It is natural for sheep when they lie down, to 
 get close to something against which to recline 
 when they sleep; and the sheep that were turned 
 in among those altars would gather around, and 
 each one select for itself an altar, beside which to 
 repose. The priests, not knowing which of their 
 numerous gods required sacrifices, took it for 
 granted that each sheep should be offered to that 
 god at whose altar it had lain during the night; 
 and wherever they found the sheep lying in the 
 morning, there they sacrificed it. The fact that 
 the sheep had chosen the altar, was considered a 
 proof that the god to whom that altar was "dedi- 
 cated, claimed the offering. 
 
 It happened, one morning, that when the priests 
 went forth to offer the morning sacrifices, thej'^ 
 found one sheep lying at a distance from all of the 
 altars. It was a new and strange occurrence, 
 and the priests were greatly alarmed and did not 
 know what was to be done with that sheep. They 
 were afraid that there was one god of whom they 
 had not heard, and that he wanted that sheep 
 sacrificed to him. They did not know anything 
 
98 THE INTERMEDIATE 
 
 about him, and how could they build an altar to 
 his name? 
 
 Fearing the displeasure of the unknown being, 
 after consulting together they at last hit on the 
 following ingenious measure, which was speedily 
 adopted. 
 
 They erected an altar directly over the place 
 where they found the lone sheep lying, and dedi- 
 cated it to the " Unknown God," and put this singu- 
 lar inscription on it, and offered the sheep upon 
 the altar. 
 
 That very altar is the one mentioned in the 
 New Testament, in the Acts of the Apostles, chap- 
 ter 17, commencing at verse 22, where the apostle 
 Paul in preaching to the Athenians said: 
 
 "Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things 
 ye are too superstitious. For as I passed by, and 
 beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this 
 inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom 
 therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I 
 unto you." 
 
 The apostle described the living God to the 
 people, telling them that He was the great Creator 
 of heaven and earth — that He made of one blood 
 all nations of men to dwell on the face of the 
 earth — that they were His offspring, and they 
 should worship Him instead of worshiping what 
 was made of gold and silver, wood and stone. He 
 preached to them about Jesus and the resurrection 
 of the dead. 
 
 Some of the people that heard him preach, made 
 light of it and mocked, while others believed and 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 99 
 
 were baptized for the remission of their sins, for- 
 saking the altars and senseless worship of imagin- 
 ary gods that neither hear nor see, for the worship 
 of Him, who will call all men to judgment and 
 reward them according to their works. 
 
 USEFULNESS. 
 
 The little laughing stream that strays 
 So merrily down the mountain ways, 
 
 Has its own work to do. 
 Its burden of fresh and fragrant earth. 
 To strengthen the spent soil and feed its dearth: 
 
 To its mission it is true. 
 
 But if the little stream should say— 
 "I will not throw my wealth away; 
 
 Here will I pause and rest; " 
 No longer pure, no longer true, 
 It could not mirror heaven's blue 
 
 On its dark and sluggish breast. 
 
 thus, if we our lives employ 
 In giving unto others joy, 
 
 Then, singing as we go, 
 Our lives shall flow in melody, 
 Unto the deep heart of the sea, 
 
 Whither all fountains flow. 
 
100 IRE INTERMEDIATE 
 
 JUDGING FROM APPEARANCES. 
 
 "Hello, Limpy, the cars will start in a min- 
 ute; hurry up, or we shall leave you behind." 
 
 The train was waiting at the station of one of our 
 western railroads. The baggage-master was busy 
 with his checks. The men were hurrying to and 
 fro with chests and valises, packages and trunks. 
 Men, women and children were rushing for the 
 cars, hastily securing seats, while the locomotive 
 snorted and puffed. 
 
 A man, carelessly dressed, was standing on the 
 platform of the depot. He was looking around 
 him, and seemingly paid little attention to what 
 was passing. It was easy to see that he was lame, 
 and at a hasty glance one might have supposed 
 that he was a man of neither wealth nor influence. 
 
 The conductor gave him a contemptuous look, 
 and, slapping him familiarly on the shoulder, 
 called out: 
 
 "Hello, Limpy, better get aboard, or the cars 
 will leave you behind." 
 
 "Time enough, I reckon," replied the individual, 
 and he resumed his seemingly listless air. 
 
 "All aboard !" cried the conductor. "Get on, 
 Limpy I " said he, passing the carelessly dressed 
 man. 
 
 The lame man made no reply. 
 
 Just as the train was slowly moving away, the 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 101 
 
 lame man stepped on the platform of the last 
 car, walked quietly in, and took a seat. 
 
 The train had gone a few miles, when the con- 
 ductor appeared at the door of the car where our 
 friend was sitting. Passing along, he soon discov- 
 ered the stranger whom he had seen at the station. 
 
 "Your ticket, quick I " 
 
 "I don't pay," replied the lame man quietly. 
 
 "Don't pay?'^ 
 
 "No, sir." 
 
 "We'll see about that; I shall put you oiF at the 
 next station;" and he seized a valise which was 
 over the head of our friend. 
 
 "Better not be so rough, young man," returned 
 the quiet stranger. 
 
 The conductor released the carpet bag for a 
 moment, and seeing that he could do no more 
 then, passed on to collect the fare from the other 
 passengers. 
 
 As he stopped at a seat a few paces off, a gentle- 
 man who had heard the conversation just men- 
 tioned, looked up to the conductor and asked : 
 
 "Do you know to whom you were speaking?" 
 
 "No, sir." 
 
 "That is Peter Warburton, the president of this 
 road.". 
 
 "Are you sure? " asked the conductor, trying to 
 conceal his agitation. 
 
 "I know him." 
 
 The color rose a little in the young man's face, 
 but with a strong effort he controlled himself, and 
 went on collecting his fares as usual. 
 
102 IHE INTERMEDIAIE 
 
 Meanwhile, Mr. Warburton sat quietly in his 
 seat; none of those near him could unravel the 
 expression of his face, nor tell what the next 
 movement in the scene would be. 
 
 And he; of what thought he? He had been 
 rudely treated ; he had been unkindly taunted 
 with the infirmity which perhaps had come 
 through no fault of his. He could revenge him- 
 self if he chose. He could tell the directors the 
 simple truth, and the young man would be de- 
 prived of his place at once. Should he do it? 
 And yet, why should he care? He knew what he 
 was worth. He knew how he had risen to the 
 position he now held. When a little orange ped- 
 dler he stood by the street crossings, he had had 
 many a rebuff. He had outlived those days of hard- 
 ship ; should he care now for a stranger's roughness 
 or taunt? 
 
 Those who sat near him waited curiously for 
 the end. Presently the conductor came back. 
 With a steady energy he walked up to Mr. War- 
 burton's side; he took his books from his pocket, 
 the bank bills and the tickets he had collected, 
 and laid them in Mr. Warburton's hand. 
 
 "I resign my place, sir," he said. 
 
 The president looked over the accounts for a 
 moment, then motioning him to the vacant seat, 
 said: 
 
 "Sit down, sir; I would like to talk with you." 
 
 As the young man sat down, the president 
 turned to him a face in which there were no 
 angry feelings, and spoke to him in an undertone: 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. ]03 
 
 "My young friend, I have no revengeful feelings 
 to gratify in this matter, but you have been im- 
 prudent. Your manner, had it been thus to a 
 stranger, would have been injurious to the com- 
 pany. I might tell the directors of this, but I will 
 not. But in the future, remember to be polite to 
 all you meet. You cannot judge a man by the 
 coat he wears, and even the poorest should be 
 treated with civility. Take up your books, sir. I 
 shall tell no one of what has happened. If you 
 change your course, nothing that has passed shall 
 injure you. Your situation is continued. Good 
 morning, sir." 
 
 "HE THAT IS WITHOUT SIN." 
 
 We know of no man whom the Lord has 
 appointed to tempt his fellowmen. That is the 
 devil's work, not ours, and he who aids the devil 
 in his work, may expect to share his condem- 
 nation. 
 
 This, however, was not the doctrine or practice 
 of the scribes and Pharisees in the days when 
 Jesus dwelt on the earth. They seemed to regard 
 it as their especial mission to tempt the Savior to 
 say or do anything by which they might accuse 
 Him, either of disregarding the law of Moses, or 
 being disloyal to their Roman masters. In their 
 councils they plotted and planned so cunningly 
 that they often imagined they had set the trap so 
 adroitly that there was no way in which He could 
 escape their snare. But they as often discovered 
 
104 
 
 THE mTERMEDIAIE 
 
 that the wisdom of God was far above all their 
 craft and deceit, and there were ways of making 
 manifest their folly, that they had never dreamed 
 of or considered. 
 
 Our engraving illustrates one of these occasions. 
 It is narrated by the apostle John in his gospel. 
 It appears that early one morning Jesus went in 
 the temple at Jerusalem, and there the people fol- 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 105 
 
 lowed Him, and He sat down and taught them. 
 By and by the scribes and Pharisees brought 
 unto Him a woman whom they found committing 
 so grievous a sin that, according to the law of the 
 Lord, given through Moses, her punisliment would 
 be death. The man that sinned with her, they, 
 after the way of the world, had permitted to go 
 unrebuked. Theo they placed the woman in the 
 midst of the temple, before all the people whom 
 Jesus was teaching, and said unto Him : Master, 
 this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act; 
 now Moses in the law commanded us that such 
 should be stoned; but what gayest thou? This 
 they said, tempting Him, that they might be able 
 to accuse Him. 
 
 But Jesus stooped down, and with His finger 
 wrote on the ground, as though He heard them 
 not. So when they continued asking Him, He 
 lifted up Himself and said unto them. He that is 
 without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at 
 her. And He again stooped down and wrote on 
 the ground. Now, when the accusers of the 
 woman heard these words, they were convicted by 
 their own consciences, each one knowing that he 
 was guilty of sin, even of this same sin of which 
 they accused her. And one by one they went out, 
 beginning at the eldest even unto the last; and 
 Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in 
 the midst. 
 
 When Jesus had lifted up Himself and saw 
 none but the woman. He said unto her, Woman, 
 where are those thine accusers? Hath no man con- 
 s 
 
106 THE IN1ERMEDIA2E 
 
 demned theeV 8he said, No man, Lord. And 
 Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: 
 go and sin no more. 
 
 As Jesus spake unto this poor sinful woman, so 
 does His gospel cry unto all of us, "go and sin no 
 more." This is the pith and essence of repent- 
 ance. If we have done wrong let us do so no 
 more. If we, as children, have disobeyed our 
 parents, have broken the Sabbath, have taken the 
 name of God in vain, have abused anyone or done 
 aught else that is sinful, let us pray to the Lord 
 to forgive us, and ask Him for strength that we 
 may not commit the same evils again. If we 
 make an effort to do this, He will hear us, 
 grant our request and strengthen us to do His 
 will. 
 
 There is another lesson taught by our Savior in 
 the words^ "He that is without sin among you let 
 him first cast a stone at her." It is, that those 
 who are sinners should not be too ready to accuse 
 others. These Pharisees came to Jesus, confident 
 that they were about to entrap Him. They were full 
 of self righteousness. "I am holier than thou," 
 waff the expression each carried on his face. But 
 what was the truth? Each one had sinned, each 
 one had forfeited his life by the express conditions 
 of that very law which they hypocritically pretend- 
 ed to live by, to uphold, and by which they judged 
 others. But Jesus, by these simple words, made 
 them accusers of themselves. Their sin was as 
 manifest as that of the woman, and one by one 
 they withdrew in shame from His presence, and 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 107 
 
 from the confines of the holy temple which they 
 desecrated. 
 
 Again, there is one thing that must be remem- 
 bered. It is, that though Jesus did not condemn 
 this woman, still we, from that fact, have no lib- 
 erty given unto us to sin. The law of God is 
 righteous, and Jesus, if it had so pleased Him, 
 could have asseifted to their statement that the 
 woman was worthy of death. But He chose 
 rather to make manifest the still greater wicked- 
 ness of those who tempted Him, and sought there- 
 by to accuse Him and accomplish His destruction. 
 
 WORK AND THINK. 
 
 Hammer, tongs and anvil ringing. 
 
 Waking echoes all day long, 
 In their deep-toned voice are singing 
 
 Thrifty labor's iron song. 
 
 From a thousand fly-wheels bounding, 
 From a thousand humming looms. 
 
 Night and day the notes are sounding 
 Through the misty factory rooms. 
 
 Listen, workmen, to their play ; 
 ■ There's advice in every clink ; 
 Still they're singing, still they're singing : 
 "Whilst you labor, learn to think 1" 
 
108 THE INTERMEDIAIE 
 
 Think what power lies within you, 
 For what triumphs you were formed, 
 
 If, in aid of bone and sinew, 
 Hearts by emulation warmed, 
 
 Mighty thoughts ye woo and cherish. 
 What shall hold your spirits down? 
 
 What shall make your high hopes perish? 
 Why shall ye mind fortune's frown ? 
 
 Do ye wish for profit, pleasure? 
 
 Thirst at Learning's fount to drink ? 
 Crave ye honor, fame or treasure? 
 
 Ye the germs have — work and think! 
 
 Think ! but not alone of living, 
 Like the horse, from day to day; 
 
 Think ! but not alone of giving 
 Health for pelf, or soul for pay ! 
 
 Think! Oh! be machines no longer, 
 
 Toiling ju&t for daily food. 
 Think ! — 't will make you fresher, stronger. 
 
 Link you to the great and good! 
 
 Thought exalts and lightens labor; 
 
 Thought forbids the soul to sink ; 
 Self-respect and love to neighbor 
 
 Mark the men who work and think. 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 109 
 
 A TEMPTATION. 
 
 In 1856, there were about twenty-four Elders 
 from Utah on missions in the Sandwich Islands. 
 With the exercise of severe economy, the abilities 
 of the Saints and their own faith were often taxed 
 for the necessary means to accomplish their labors. 
 
 Four of the Elders— Joseph F. Smith, F. M. 
 Young, George Spiers and myself — at the time the 
 following events took place, were laboring on the 
 island of Hawaii. The time for our next general 
 conference was approaching. It was to take place 
 on the small island of Lanai. 
 
 To reach there, it was necessary for us to raise five 
 dollars each to pay our passage by sea. We had 
 about one hundred and fifty miles to travel on 
 foot, on the island of Hawaii, to reach the little 
 hamlet of Upolu, on. the northern coast, where we 
 were to embark for Lahaina, on the island of Maui, 
 from which place we would complete our journey 
 of' sixteen miles in an open boat. 
 
 It was expected that the Elders laboring in the 
 ministry, and especially those from Utah, would 
 attend these conferences. These reunions were 
 sources of great pleasure and profit. After them, 
 we always resumed our labors among the people 
 with an increase of faith, and a renewal of our 
 spiritual strength. 
 
 It was at this time a matter of serious considera- 
 
no THE INTERMEDIAIE 
 
 tion how to raise the necessary funds to attend this 
 conference. 
 
 Our route across the island of Hawaii would 
 take us through a number of small branches of 
 the Saints, where our necessities with regard to 
 food would be supplied ; but they were poor, and 
 for this reason our chances for raising funds among 
 them for our sea voyage were very meagre. 
 We preached to the people, and made -known our 
 necessities. 
 
 These poor Saints would show their desire to as- 
 sist us by donating some article that would bring 
 a little money, when we could find a market for it. 
 Most generally the donation consisted of a goat 
 skin, worth about twelve cents and a half. These 
 we packed up and carried with us on our backs, 
 until we could dispose of them. 
 
 Part way on our journey was the house of one 
 of the brethren, where we sometimes rested in our 
 travels. This house was about three miles from 
 the foot trail we were traveling, and on a wagon 
 road which led from the interior of the island to 
 a landing place on the sea-shore, where the natives 
 marketed their produce. 
 
 At this house, some of us had previously left 
 some books and light articles, which we were 
 desirous of taking with us. I was selected by the 
 brethren to go across the country to the wagon 
 road, get oar things and return to the trail. 
 
 After arriving on the road I found a man's coat, 
 which had evidently been lost by some one in go- 
 ing to or from the landing. In it I found a pock- 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. Ill 
 
 et-book, and, what surprised me, just the amount 
 of money necessary to pay our expenses to the 
 place where the conference was to be held. 
 
 The first thought was, that it was a God-send — 
 a kindly providence — to assist us in our emergency. 
 I looked around to see if any person could have 
 seen me pick up the coat. I thought of turning 
 back and not going to the house after the books, 
 which was still farther on the road towards the 
 landing. 
 
 Under these impulses, I started across the coun- 
 try, to overtake the brethren. On the way, there 
 were plenty of rocks under which I could bury the 
 coat without any chance of its ever being found. 
 I had not gone far, when the query came into my 
 mind : "Perhaps this money, instead of being a 
 God-send, has been thrown in your way for a 
 temptation." 
 
 For a time, I was operated on by these two in- 
 fluences. Under one influence I would start to go 
 to the brethren, then the other would come over 
 mo, and I would return. I finally decided that 
 the Lord would not assist us, as His servants, in 
 taking advantage of the misfortunes of another. 
 
 This impression was effectual in deciding my 
 course. I returned to the road, and went on to 
 the house where we had left our things. I found 
 the name of the owner of the coat on some papers 
 in the pocket-book. I found the mistress of the 
 house at home, and related the circumstance to her. 
 
 She informed me that the man who owned the 
 coat lived about fifty miles from there, that he was 
 
112 THE INTERMEDIAJE 
 
 below at the landing, and would probably pass 
 there that day on his way back. I counted the 
 money to the woman, wrote a note to the owner, 
 took the things for which I went, and, without any 
 more hesitation, traveled on to overtake the breth- 
 ren. 
 
 At first, I told them how I had found the money 
 that would take us to our destination. Their first 
 impression was the same as mine had been; but 
 when I related to them the circumstances, they all 
 decided that what I had done was right. 
 
 We continued on our way, rejoicing, and with 
 much faith that the Lord would bless our efforts 
 to get to Lanai. When we arrived at the landing- 
 place, on the sea shore, we learned that it would 
 be a week before the vessel in which we expected 
 to sail would arrive. 
 
 Living about twenty-five miles from the landing, 
 was a man who had often befriended the Elders, 
 and who was also possessed of considerable means. 
 We concluded that while waiting for the vessel, we 
 would make him a visit. We did so, and were 
 kindly received. 
 
 In the course of our conversation with him, we 
 stated the object we were endeavoring to accom- 
 plish, and our lack of funds. He gave us ten dol- 
 lars, one half the amount we needed. This made 
 us feel very thankful to the Lord, and increased 
 our faith that we should raise the balance of the 
 money needed. 
 
 We succeeded in finding sale for the goat skins, 
 etc., donated by the Saints, and accomplished our 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. UZ 
 
 object in meeting with our brethren from Utah 
 and the Saints generally in conference. 
 
 This meeting, and the consciousness that we 
 were laboring diligently to fill the mission that 
 had been assigned us, repaid us many fold for all 
 our anxieties and privations. 
 
 -0-- 
 
 THE CAMEL. 
 
 Among the most valuable gifts that our Father 
 in Heaven has bestowed upon man, are the various 
 animals which, as beasts of burden, conduce to his 
 happiness and lighten his toil. The Esquimaux, 
 in his frozen home, relies on his teams of many 
 dogs to convey him and his goods from place to 
 place. The Laplander has his reindeer which 
 swiftly draw'their master's sleigh over the ice and 
 snow of their native land. We, in these temperate 
 climes, are greatly blessed in this respect; we have 
 the stately horse, the sure- footed mule, the patient 
 ass, the plodding ox to do our bidding and carry 
 our loads. The inhabitant of Peru and Bolivia 
 owns his flocks of lamas to pack his burden over 
 the almost inaccessible sides of the Andes. The 
 East Indian boasts the huge elephant as his ser- 
 vant; while the Arab is blessed with an animal 
 just suited to his wants to cross the burning sands 
 of the great desert amid which he dwells. We 
 mean the camel, a picture of several of which, 
 with their masters, we present on the next page. 
 
 The camel has been well named "the ship of the 
 
114 
 
 THE INTERMEDIATE 
 
 desert." Without it, it would be almost impossible 
 to cross the terrible wastes of waterless deserts that 
 cover a large portion of Arabia and northern Africa. 
 This beast carries his food and water with 
 him. In the first place it has an extra cavity in 
 
 "III I Hi iilirniiiiiiii|Mi!iiii<iiii 
 its stomach, designed to receive water, whenever it 
 can be procured, and capable of retaining it un- 
 changed for a long time. Thus it can go without 
 water for seven or eight days together without in- 
 jury. But, stranger still, it is provided with a 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 115 
 
 storehouse of food, from which it can draw sup- 
 plies when it can find no grass or herbs around. 
 This store-house consists of-one or two large humps 
 on its back. When the camel is in a fertile region 
 these humps become large and plump; but after 
 a long journey in the wilderness, they become 
 shrivelled and small; the camel has been drawing 
 all the fat out of «them. Is not this wonderful, 
 children? Does it not manifest to us the kindness 
 •of God toward all His children in providing an 
 animal so strangely adapted to these arid, barren 
 deserts? 
 
 There are two kinds of camels. Those with two 
 humps are generally called camels: those with one 
 hump are styled dromedaries. The native land 
 of these useful creatures extends from Morocco all 
 along the northern parts of Africa and eastward 
 through Arabia, Palestine, Persia, Mongolia and 
 Tartary as far as China. 
 
 The camel possesses greater strength and activ- 
 ity than most beasts of burden. It is docile, 
 patient in hunger or thirst, and contented with a 
 very little of the coarsest food. But we cannot say 
 it is very beautiful. The humps on its back do 
 not look very graceful ; but when we remember 
 the good purpose for which God has placed them 
 there, we forget their ugliness. Its body is stout, 
 its neck long and crooked, its limbs slender. To 
 the Arab and other wanderers in the desert, it is at 
 once wealth, subsistence and protection. Its milk 
 forms a large portion of their food, and the flesh 
 of the young camel is a great treat. Of its skin 
 
116 THE INIERMEDIATE 
 
 they form tents, or manufacture it into saddles, 
 harness, shields, pitchers and many other articles. 
 The hair or wool from its back is made into cloth. 
 So, you see, in life or death it is very valuable to 
 its masters. 
 
 The camel is taught when very young to carry 
 small loads. This load is gradually increased as 
 it grows stronger and bigger, until, when they are 
 full grown, they will carry six hundred to one 
 thousand pounds, thirty or thirty-five miles a day, 
 according to their strength and size. Those trained 
 for swiftness will travel seventy or eighty mil^s 
 a day ; but of course with only a light load. It is 
 said the camels know quite well when enough is 
 put on their backs, and that they will not move 
 an inch when they think they have too great a 
 load, until enough is taken off to satisfy them. 
 
 The Arabs ride on their backs on a saddle hol- 
 lowed out in the middle. You see what they are 
 like in the picture. Perhaps some of you would 
 like to ride on the back of a camel. At first you 
 would think it was rather a dangerous mode of 
 traveling, as the camel goes at a high and swing- 
 ing trot which at first feels very unpleasant; but 
 when one gets used to it enough to feel safe he can 
 enjoy it. When a caravan of camels arrives at a 
 resting or baiting place, they kneel, and the cords 
 sustaining the load being untied, the bales slip 
 down on each side. They generally sleep on their 
 bellies, crouching between the bales they have car- 
 ried ; the load is, therefore, very easily replaced. 
 The average length of a camel's life is forty to 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 117 
 
 fifty years. The camel appears to have been used 
 as a beast of burden from the earliest times. They 
 are very often mentioned in the Bible, from the 
 age of the patriarchs to the days of Christ, and 
 are referred to as being used in war by the armies 
 of the various nations who from time to time in- 
 vaded Canaan and afHicted its people. 
 
 TO WHOM SHALL WE GIVE THANKS? 
 
 A LITTLE boy had sought the pump 
 
 From whence the sparkling waters burst, 
 And quaffed with eager joy the draught 
 
 That kindly quenched his raging thirst; 
 Then gracefully he touched his cap — 
 
 " I thank you, Mr. Pump," he said, 
 "For this nice drink you've given me I" 
 
 (Thi^ little boy had been well bred.) 
 
 Then said the pump: "My little man, 
 
 You're welcome to what I have done ; 
 But 1 am not the one to thank — 
 
 I only help the Water run." 
 "Oh, then," the little fellow said, 
 
 (Polite he always meant to be) 
 "Cold Water, please accept my thanks. 
 
 You have been very kind to me." 
 
 "Ah," said Cold Water, "don't thank me; 
 
 Far up the hillside lives the Spring 
 That sends me forth with generous hand 
 
 To gladden every living thing." 
 
118 IHE INTERMEDIATE 
 
 "I'll thank the Spring, then," said the boy. 
 And gracefully he bowed his head. 
 
 "Oh, don't thank me, my little man," 
 The Spring with silvery accents said ; 
 
 'Oh, don't thank me — for what am I 
 
 Without the Dew and summer Rain? 
 Without their aid I ne'er could quench 
 
 Your thirst, my little boy, again." 
 "Oh, well then," said the little boy, 
 
 "I'll gladly thank the Rain and Dew." 
 "Pray, don't thank us — without the Sun 
 
 We could not fill one cup for you." 
 
 "Then, Mr. Sun, ten thousand thanks 
 
 For all that you have done for me." 
 "Stop!" said the Sun, with blushing face, 
 
 "My little fellow, don't thank me; 
 'T was from the Ocean's mighty stores 
 
 I drew the draught for thee." 
 'Oh, Ocean, thanks!" then said the boy — 
 
 It echoed back, "Not unto me. 
 
 "Not unto me, but unto Him 
 
 Who formed the depths in which I lie. 
 Go, give thy thanks, my little boy. 
 
 To Him who will thy wants supply." 
 The boy took off his cap, and said. 
 
 In tones so gentle and subdued : 
 "Oh, God, I thank Thee for this gift. 
 
 Thou art the Giver of all good." 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. ]]9 
 
 HANNA.H. 
 
 In this age of infidelity, there is a tendency to 
 forget that our holy religion is based upon the 
 same grand principles of truth that have char- 
 acterized true religion in every age of the world. 
 Men, now-a-days, would laugh at the idea of a 
 woman going into the temple and asking a favor 
 of the Lord of hosts, as we read in the first chapter of 
 Samuel, that one of the wives of Elkanah, a Levite, 
 did. There is something inexpressibly touching 
 in the narrative, to every one who can enter into 
 the spirit of the proceedings of this daughter of 
 Israel conversing with the God of Israel. It is 
 true, the great high priest who at that time stood 
 at the head of the Priesthood, did not comprehend 
 the doings of this woman. The scripture says: 
 "Now Hannah she spake in her heart; only her 
 lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore 
 Eli thought she had been drunken." 
 
 But the Lord knew the nature of the prayer, 
 although no speech was heard; and when an 
 explanation was given to Eli, he knew that Han- 
 nah had been praying to the Lord, and with that 
 authority which belonged to his high and holy 
 office, he said to her, "Go in peace: and the God of 
 Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked 
 of Him." 
 
 What a privilege it is to have a priesthood on 
 
120 TEE INTERMEDIAIE 
 
 the earth to minister in the things of God ! And 
 what a consolation it is to know that however 
 much men may deride those who possess the 
 simple child-like faith, such as that manifested by 
 Hannah, that faith has power to reach the ears 
 of the God of Israel., 
 
 And what a striking display we have in this 
 scripture narrative of the dealings of God with 
 His people! The sons of the great high priest 
 Eli, we are told were at that time in Shiloh. Their 
 names are placed on record as "priests of the 
 Lord." What a connection there is between the 
 prayer offered by Hannah, the blessing promised 
 her by the high priest Eli, and the future of these 
 men ! Who would have thought that the sons of 
 so good a man as Eli, and, as such, heirs to the 
 priesthood — favored children by birth, were "sons 
 of Belial"? Yet we read that such was the case. 
 And, while the sons were working unrighteousness, 
 the Lord had raised up a youth among them, the 
 very child that had been prayed for by Hannah, 
 who was Samuel, destined to become the prophet 
 and ruler of Israel. 
 
 Truly might it be said that "God's ways are not 
 as man's ways." We, as Latter-day Saints, may 
 profitably read the great results wrought out by 
 the Lord in answering the prayer of Hannah, and 
 at the same time providing for the future safety of 
 His people Israel. 
 
 This is why it is good for us to become ac- 
 quainted with the doings of Deity in our midst. 
 God loves to bless His people. Hannah was the 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 121 
 
 wife of a man who honored the patriarchal law — 
 he had two wives. Men now-a-days would de- 
 nounce such a man and such a woman, though 
 virtuous as angels. We know this, practically, 
 painfully. Men, who honor the laws of truth 
 and righteousness, and avow themselves Latter- 
 day Saints, are deemed worthy of derision and 
 death. This is why, we should know the ways of 
 God, as made known to us in the Scriptures of 
 truth, and by the revelations of Jesus Christ, that 
 we may be prepared to do the will of God by 
 exercising faith in Him, knowing that He will 
 work out our salvation if we are faithful. 
 
 THE LORD'S PRAYER. 
 
 Our Father in heaven, 
 We hallow thy name, 
 May thy kingdom holy 
 On earth be the same. 
 give to us daily 
 Our portion of bread. 
 It is from thy bounty 
 That all must be fed. 
 
 Forgive our transgressions, 
 And teach us to know 
 That humble compassion 
 Which pardons each foe : 
 Keep us from temptation, 
 From weakness and sin ; 
 And thine be the glory. 
 For ever. Amen. 
 
122 IHE INTERMEDIATE 
 
 FRED DANIELSON'S LESSON. 
 
 "Ma, may I go over to the swing?" asked little 
 Fred of his mother one evening just at dusk. 
 
 "No, my son, there are naughty boys there, be- 
 sides it will soon be dark and time little boys 
 were in bed," said she. 
 
 "Why, ma, there is Willie Brown over there 
 now," said he, looking wistfully toward the grove 
 where the boys had put up a swing. He then con- 
 tinued absently : "Willie told me the other day 
 that his ma never made him stay at home of 
 nights, nor go to bed till he got ready." 
 
 "Is Willie a good boy ? " asked his mother. 
 
 "He was not at Sunday School last Sunday ; but 
 he always went before that, He goes out every 
 night now, and I think I might go part of the 
 time, as well as he can all the time." 
 
 "Well, my son," said his mother, "if you will 
 stay at home, there are the chips your father piled 
 up last night, you may burn them, if you wish." 
 
 "Oh, all right!" cried Fred, forgetting for the 
 moment his mother's refusal. 
 
 The chips were set on fire and a nice blaze they 
 made. Fred was delighted. The flames were 
 applauded by Fred and his little sisters till dark, 
 when they were called into the house and soon 
 were in bed. Soon after he had got to bed, a noise 
 was heard at the chip pile outside, and Fred knew 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 123 
 
 that the boys from the swing had come over to 
 the fire to play. From what could be heard by 
 those in the house, the boys were "drawing cuts" 
 for something. 
 
 "You know it is my first draw," said one. 
 
 "Not much, my pal, I'm the oldest, you know," 
 was the answer. 
 
 It was evident from the conversation that the loser 
 was to steal from a neighboring lot some corn and 
 potatoes to be roasted for the crowd. The cuts 
 were drawn, and the young thieves started; but 
 Fred's father now went out, and the boys ran 
 away as fast as they could. 
 
 "I did not know Willie Brown was that kind of 
 a boy," said Fred to himself; and then, after a 
 pause, "he has got that way just lately, I know." 
 Fred was soon asleep. 
 
 It was Fred's morning task to water a lamb, 
 given him by his father. Soon after dressing 
 himself, therefore, he proceeded to take his pet 
 down to the creek to water. As he was passing 
 the pile of burning chips on his way, the lamb 
 started for the fire, taking Fred along, in spite of 
 his almost frantic tugs at the cord about its neck. 
 It appeared determined to go into the fire, and 
 Fred, seeing this, began crying for help. His 
 mother appeared upon the scene. Remembering 
 the conversation of the previous evening, she ap- 
 proached the place where Fred had pushed the 
 lamb against the fence, and was holding it fast. 
 
 "Why do you not let it go, my son?" said she, 
 "is it not able to take care of itself? " 
 
124 IHE INTERMEDIAIE 
 
 "No, ma," said Fred. "If I should let him go, 
 he would go right into that fire." 
 
 "But it should know what is best, should it 
 not?" continued his mother. "If it should go in- 
 to the fire, it would come out before it was burned 
 much." 
 
 "Well, it would get burned some, and it would 
 get blacked up, too. I have kept it so clean; look 
 here." And he stroked its snow-white fleece. 
 
 "Yes, it is white; that is because you have taken 
 care of it. I have a lamb, too," continued she, 
 with earnestness, "that I have kept clean and 
 white. If I should let it go where it pleased, it, 
 too, would get scorched and blackened, if not se- 
 verely burned. I am older and know what is for 
 its good, more than it does. No later than last 
 night, my lamb wished to go into the fire, or what 
 is as bad — into bad company; but I, knowing the 
 consequences, detained it. Now, Freddie, you are 
 my lamb. If I had allowed you to go to the swing 
 last evening, you would there have found bad 
 company. You saw no harm in that, any more 
 than the lamb saw danger in going into that 
 fire. The boys that we heard here last night were 
 once as white as your lamb. They have been in 
 the fire. They are scorched and burned. Their 
 guides have not directed them in the right path. 
 They have in the past allowed them to do as they 
 wished." 
 
 She turned and entered the house. Although a 
 little boy, Fred saw the force of the comparison. 
 As she went away, he muttered to himself: 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 125 
 
 ^' My parents will advise me for the best." 
 Whenever asked to go out at night, or tempted 
 
 to do wrong after that, he remembered this truth, 
 
 and took his parents' counsel. 
 Ho, now an old man, advises all boys to do the 
 
 same. 
 
 THE LAST SUPPER. 
 
 "Verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall 
 betray me!" 
 
 Such were the solemn words of the Son of God 
 to the twelve whom He had chosen out of the 
 world. One of those twelve was to betray Him I 
 How awful the thought that of those chosen few, 
 who should have been His truest friends, one was 
 a traitor ! 
 
 When Jesus uttered these sad words. He and 
 His apostles were gathered in an upper room in 
 Jerusalem, partaking of the last supper the Re- 
 deemer of the world tasted before His death. On 
 the morrow He was crucified. The thought that 
 there was one among them so accursed that he 
 would deliver their dearly-loved Master into the 
 hands of the wicked, filled them with horror. 
 With one consent they inquired, "Lord, is it I? " 
 Jesus remained silent. Peter, unable to control 
 his impatient nature, made a signal to John, who 
 leaned on the Savior's breast, to inquire who it 
 was. John did so. With a low voice he said: 
 "Lord, who is it?" The answer was given appar- 
 
126 lEE INTERMEDIAIE 
 
 ently in a like low voice, so that only he could 
 hear. 
 
 It is the custom in Eastern lands for all the 
 guests at a meal to eat out of one common dish. 
 
 It is polite and customary for one guest to take 
 a piece of bread, dip it in the dish and hand 
 it to another. Jesus handed to Judas a "sop" of 
 this kind. Such an act would excite no notice; 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 127 
 
 but it was the sign unto John that he to whom it 
 was given was the one who should prove false to 
 his friends, his religion and his God. The Savior 
 then uttered the terrible words: "The Son of 
 Man goeth, as it is written of Him : but woe unto 
 that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed ! 
 It had been good for that man if he had not been 
 born." 
 
 Judas also inquired, "Master, is it I?" He 
 was answered, "Thou hast said!" And when he 
 had eaten the sop, Satan entered into him. He 
 was ready for the shameful deed that envy and 
 avarice, hatred and ingratitude inspired. "What 
 thou doest, do quickly," added the Savior. Judas 
 knew what those words meant, he felt their force, 
 arose from the table and quitted the holy feast. 
 The other apostles possibly thought that he had 
 been bidden to go out and make some purchases 
 for the morrow's passover, or give something out 
 of the common store to the poor; for Judas was 
 the treasurer of the quorum. So, from the pres- 
 ence of the Lord, from the blessed company, from 
 the sacred pleasures of that ever-memorable ban- 
 quet, he went out of the lighted room into the 
 darkness, for "it was night." 
 
 But the darkness of that night was nothing 
 compared to the darkness which setttled on the 
 soul of Judas. We can only imagine his feelings 
 — the storm of contending emotions that raged in 
 his heart. But evil predominated. For thirty 
 pieces of silver he sold his Savior, and plunged 
 himself into unutterable woe and irretrievable 
 
128 THE HSiTERMEDIAlE 
 
 ruin.- With- a motley crowd, armed with swords 
 and staves, he led the way to where the Lord 
 could be found. With a kiss, which has ever 
 since been the type of the foulest hypocrisy, he 
 made known who it was they sought. The rest is 
 well known. Before the next day's sun had set, 
 Jesus had atoned for tlie sins of the world. And 
 Judas, what of him? His time on earth was 
 short. Remorse seized him too late. He took the 
 accursed blood money and threw it at the feet of 
 those from whom he received it, and then went 
 out and hanged himself. 
 
 WAR HILL. 
 
 Traveling through the State of North Carolina, 
 I met with many reminiscences of President 
 Jedediah M. Grant, who performed a mission there 
 many years ago, making a vivid impression on 
 the minds of the people, and converting quite a 
 few to the truth. 
 
 An old gentleman, who is not a member of the 
 Church, but who was a warm friend and ardent 
 admirer of Elder Grant, relates a graphic and 
 interesting account of a debate that the latter held 
 with some ministers, in what is now Surrey County. 
 
 Upon the advpnt of the " Mormon" preacher into 
 that particular locality, a minister of one of the 
 denominations challenged him to debate, which 
 challenge was promptly accepted, and the neces- 
 sary preparations were immediately made. A 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 129 
 
 chairman and judge were selected, rules adopted 
 to govern the discussion, and the well-known local- 
 ity of Boone's Hill was chosen as the place to hold 
 the debate. It was the birthplace and former 
 home of Colonel Daniel Boone, the first white 
 settler of Kentucky, and the building located there 
 was known far and near as Boone's Hill Church. 
 
 After the preliminaries had been arranged, the 
 minister appeared to have become a little nervous, 
 and requested the privilege of bringing in a friend 
 to assist him. 
 
 Elder Grant's reply was, " Yes, as many as you 
 wish." 
 
 The result was that when the day came, he found 
 seven sectarian preachers pitted against him. 
 
 He claimed and obtained the privilege of reply- 
 ing to each speakeT consecutively. 
 
 The church proved much too small to accom- 
 modate the people; so a platform was erected at 
 the rear of the building, and the people seated 
 themselves under the shade of the trees. 
 
 The discussion opened; and the polemical battle 
 waxed hot and hotter, as hour after hour of debate 
 went by. The Elder followed them whithersoever 
 they saw proper to lead, and, with Bible quota- 
 tions and historical facts, struck blows so rapid 
 and so strong that his opponents became demoral- 
 ized on the second day, and posted off a runner on 
 horseback eighty miles to bring to their assist- 
 ance a noted divine. By a rapid journey, this 
 theological Hercules soon reached the appointed 
 
130 THE INTERMEDIATE 
 
 place, and by his presence revived the drooping 
 spirits of his friends. 
 
 But the Elder, after four days of continuous 
 debate, only seemed to have got fairly into a con- 
 dition to talk well, and doubly astonished the 
 priests and people by the hurricane of thought, 
 truth and logic that came rushing through his 
 lips with such force as to sweep away their argu- 
 ments and sophistry, holding spell-bound the audi- 
 ence while he contrasted the man-made system of 
 modern theology with the grand and glorious 
 truth of God's revealed religion. He portrayed 
 the sublimity of holy writ in its forecast of the 
 glorious work of the latter days; the restoration 
 of the gospel; the visitation of angels; the be- 
 liever blessed with the gifts and signs following; 
 the building up of the kingdom of God; the 
 redemption of the human family and of the earth; 
 until, at last, turning to the crowd of ministers 
 who had been opposing him, he called upon them 
 to turn from their erroneous doctrines and aid 
 him in the promulgation of the true gospel, that 
 must "be preached in all the world for a witness." 
 He promised that if they would do so they should 
 reap eternal life. Raising his hands toward 
 heaven, he declared that he had spoken the truth 
 to the people; that his hands were washed clean 
 of their blood, and that his testimony was recorded 
 in the archives of heaven, to be brought forth on 
 the great day of God's judgment; and said, "you 
 ministers, and you people, will meet it there that 
 day." 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 131 
 
 At the close of this remarkable scene the men 
 who had been opposing him began hurriedly 
 leaving the platform. So excited were they in 
 their movements, that the leading one of them left 
 his Bible, cane and hat behind him. 
 
 Noticing these articles left behind, Elder Grant 
 called and requested some one to carry them to 
 the absent-minded owner, and one of the bystand- 
 ers did so. 
 
 Elder Grant then dismissed the congregation, 
 and from that day to this, Boone's Hill has been 
 called War Hill, in memory of the religious battle 
 fought there. 
 
 ONLY. 
 
 Only a seed — but it chanced to fall 
 In a little cleft of a city wall. 
 And, taking root, grew bravely up. 
 Till a tiny blossom crowned its top. 
 
 Only a flower — but it chanced that day 
 That a burdened heart passed by that way. 
 And the message that through the flower was sent 
 Brought the weary soul a sweet content; 
 
 For it spoke of the lilies so wondrously clad, 
 And the heart that was tired grew strangely glad 
 At the thought of a tender care over all. 
 That noted even a sparrow's fall. 
 
132 THE INTERMEDIATE 
 
 Only a thought — but the work it wrought 
 Could never by tongue or pen be taught: 
 For it ran through a life like a thread of gold, 
 And the life bore fruit — a hundred-fold. 
 
 Only a word — but 'twas'spoken in love, 
 With a whispered prayer to the Lord above, 
 And the angels in heaven rejoiced once more. 
 For a new-born soul " entered in by the door." 
 
 MOUNT TABOR. 
 
 Our little friends who read the Bible (and we hope 
 they all do) no doubt feel a deep interest in the 
 land which the Lord gave to Israel. That land 
 which God promised to His servant Abraham for 
 an everlasting covenant when He called him from 
 the idolatrous house of his fathers. The land to 
 which Moses guided the wanderings of the He- 
 brews, when, by the power of Jehovah, he deliv- 
 ered them from the bondage of Pharaoh. The 
 same land where Saul and David reigned, where 
 Solomon built that glorious house of the Lord, 
 where the high priests ministered in holy things, 
 and the prophets proclaimed the future history 
 of the world. Above all that, the land where 
 Jesus, our Savior, was born, to whose people He 
 declared the words of life, and outside the wall 
 of whose chief city He was offered a sacrifice for 
 the sins of the world. 
 
 In the course of its long history, this land has 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 133 
 
 been known by many changing names. To the 
 Hebrews, toiling beneath their inhuman task- 
 masters in Egypt, it was the land of promise. To 
 Joshua and his invading hosts it was known as 
 Canaan; some of the children of Canaan, the son 
 of Ham, having settled in that country. In the 
 time of our Savior it was divided into Judea, 
 Samaria and Galilee of the Gentiles. To the Cru- 
 saders, who, twelve hundred years afterwards, 
 sought to wrest the possession of its soil from the 
 Saracens, it became the Holy Land, in which every 
 mountain and valley, grove and city was a sacred 
 spot, and Jerusalem its Holy of Holies. To-day 
 we term it Palestine, and acknowledge it as part 
 of the possessions of the Sultan of Turkey. For 
 at this time strangers sit in the gates of its favored 
 cities, and the Gentiles rule where once Israel 
 reigned. Will this be always so? No; God gave 
 this land to Israel for an everlasting possession 
 iiad His promises will not fail. The day draws 
 nigh when His chosen people will again inhabit 
 their ancient homes; when they will rebuild the 
 waste places, and the now desert land will regain 
 its ancient fertility. Its fountains of water will 
 burst forth and its streams increase, while its hill 
 sides will grow rich with the vine, and its valleys 
 white with grain. 
 
 Mount Tabor is, in many respects, the most 
 remarkable in Palestine. It stands alone on the 
 north-east border of the plain of Jezreel or 
 Esdraelon. The former being the Hebrew, and 
 the latter the Greek name for the plain. It is 
 
134 
 
 THE INTERMEDIATE 
 
 about 1800 feet high, and from its summit can be 
 obtained a very extensive and most beautiful view 
 of this surrounding country. It is climbed through 
 thickets of oak brush and thorns, among which 
 
 on its level summit are open grassy glades, "among 
 whose thick, flower-spangled herbage, coveys of 
 partridges nestle and gazelles browse." This 
 summit is an oval plain, about a quarter of a mile 
 extent, partly covered^ with the substantial 
 
 in 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 135 
 
 remains of ancient fortifications and other ruins. 
 Seen from the north-west this mountain resembles 
 a dome; seen from the east it looks like a long 
 arched mound. 
 
 Mount Tabor was imagined by some to be the 
 "high mountain" on to which Jesus took Peter, 
 James and John when He was transfigured before 
 them. But Tabar's busy summit was then no 
 place for such an endowment; as a walled city 
 covered its level area both before those days and 
 long afterwards. Jesus chose some place, where 
 in the midst of solitude, where no human eye 
 could discover, or footsteps disturb, He could- con- 
 fer the mysteries of the kingdom upon those three 
 apostles. Still, long after His day, churches and 
 convents were built there, and pilgrimages made 
 to this holy mountain, and few doubted that 
 this was the place of that glorious appearing. 
 
 On the plain below, sometimes in the shadow of 
 this mount, were many, of the greatest victories 
 gained and defeats suffered by Israel. It was the 
 natural battle ground of the swarms of invaders 
 who came from the nations of the east to swallow 
 up the Hebrews. Here Barak fought . the great 
 battle which inspired the triumphal hymn of 
 Deborah. Here the hosts of Midian fell beneath 
 "the sword of the Lord and of Gideon." A^lmost 
 on this same ground Saul and Jonathan fell, when 
 Israel was discomfited by the armies of the Phil- 
 istines. And so on down to the present day, when 
 Napoleon led the legions of France past this plain 
 in his vain attempt to subdue Syria. 
 
136 THE INTERMEDIATE 
 
 ■ This plain has also other associations beside 
 that of being a great battle field. Many of the 
 now squalid and half-ruined villages are full of 
 interest to Bible readers. A few miles to the south 
 of Tabor lies Endor, known as the place where 
 Saul, bereft of the Spirit of God, sought to pry 
 into the future through the medium of a woman 
 known in the Bible by the name of the witch of 
 Endor. Here the Prophet Samuel revealed to him 
 his defeat and death at the hands of the Phil- 
 istines on the morrow. Near by is -Nain, at whose 
 gate Jesus met the sorrowing widow bearing 
 her only son to the grave. Here Jesus stopped 
 the sad procession and told the dead youth to arise 
 and live; to comfort with his life the heart of his 
 widowed mother. And to the north-east of Tabor 
 lies Nazareth, the home of Joseph the carpenter, 
 and his wife Mary, the mother of Jesus; in which 
 city the Savior, amidst the rest of the family, spent 
 His boyhood days. 
 
 -0- 
 
 AN INTERESTING INCIDENT. 
 
 While laboring as a missionary among the 
 Creek Indians in the Indian Territory, I made it 
 a practice to inquire for those who had some knowl- 
 edge of the English language. 
 
 Some time during the month of January, 1856, 
 I heard of a town chief by the name of Jack Ran- 
 dall, who was pretty well advanced in years, and 
 well respected by his people. I was told, however, 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 137 
 
 that he was not a religious man ; that he invaria- 
 bly declined to associate himself with any of the 
 leading sects, then doing quite a work among the 
 Creek Indians, and that it would be useless for me 
 to teach him our principles. I went, however, and 
 found him somewhat unwell, reclining on his bed. 
 I told him my business and asked permission to 
 communicate to him some of the principles of our 
 religion. Hesignined that he was willing to listen, 
 and I proceeded to lay before him, in as simple 
 language as I could, some of the leading doctrines 
 of our faith. 
 
 He listened with marked attention, and while I 
 was speaking his eyes sparkled with delight, and 
 he seemed to receive my message with great satis- 
 faction. 
 
 I stayed with him over night and on parting the 
 next morning he asked me to call again at my 
 convenience. The followii^g summer I returned 
 to that part of the territory, and gave him another 
 call. 
 
 It was in the evening when I reached his house, 
 and I found him and his wife engaged in his gar- 
 den, hoeing potatoes. He requested me to go into 
 the house, stating that he would be there himself 
 soon. 
 
 As soon as he reached the house, his first words 
 were : "I want you to baptize me." 
 
 I was quite surprised, and told him that I would 
 attend to the ordinance in the morning, as it was 
 then sundown, and the nearest place to water was 
 about two miles distant. 
 
138 THE INTERMEDIATE 
 
 He responded, however, "I do not want to wait 
 until morning, I might be dead then." 
 
 Seeing his faith, I gladly attended to the holy 
 ordinance that night. 
 
 This chief subsequently related to me the fol- 
 lowing: 
 
 "Many years ago I had a vision of a young man 
 who came to me with a message of the gospel, de- 
 claring to me in great plainness many glorious 
 principles, all of which I fully believed and have 
 cherished ever since. When the Presbyterians, 
 Baptists and Methodists came with their different 
 creeds and earnestly sought my conversion, I found 
 they differed so materially from the teachings I 
 had received from the young man in the vision 
 that I could not be persuaded by any of them to 
 join their churches. But finally, when the gospel 
 in its fullness reached me through the instrument- 
 ality of a young man, I recognized at once the 
 teachings received in the vision, and consequently 
 was so quickly resolved to be baptized.' 
 
 Brother Randall brought quite a number into 
 the Church, was ordained an Elder and became 
 president of a branch. 
 
 It was at his house that a conference of the 
 branch of the Church in the Creek nation was 
 held on the 6tli of April, 1857, at which time we 
 were favored with the presence of Apostle 
 Parley P. Pratt. It was the last conference he at- 
 tended in the flesh. He appeared to be much de- 
 pressed in spirit, and evidently had forebodings of 
 his approaching end. 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 139 
 
 Brother Randall proved himself faithful to the 
 end of his days ; but after laboring about two years 
 for the cause of Christ, he was gathered home with 
 his fathers to continue his labors in the spirit world. 
 
 I take pleasure in stating that I have officiated 
 for him in the temple at St. George, and trust that 
 he has received the benefit of my labors in his 
 behalf. 
 
 After his death quite a number of those whom 
 he had brought into the Church became cold, and 
 returned to their old habits and traditions. 
 
 A FEW SENTIMENTS. 
 
 The way the gospel is received among mankind 
 is often well illustrated in families. Some sons 
 seek after the association and counsels of their 
 father. Others |^do not wish to hear anything 
 father has to say. They feel that they have 
 already received enough of his counsel and need 
 no more. They believe their own wisdom amply 
 sufficient for their guidance. 
 
 We may safely assert that, in every age, there 
 have been a few who have longed for something 
 better than that which the generation in which 
 they lived were permitted to enjoy. 
 
 As the latter-day gospel has been preached, it 
 has found a few'who were of this class. They 
 were desirous of knowing more of their Heavenly 
 ■Father than had yet been revealed to them. The 
 idea that the ancient gospel had been restored— 
 
140 THE INIERMEDIATE 
 
 that they could learn the will of God concerning 
 themselves, filled what had ever before been a 
 void in their- souls. 
 
 When they heard the gospel, they accepted it 
 without any reservation. Such will be likely to 
 ever keep the testimony of the Spirit with them, 
 and not fail or fall out by the way. 
 
 When the Lord began to work with the Prophet 
 Joseph Smith, He enlightened him by His Spirit, 
 so that he could see the confusion of Christianity. 
 The next impression made upon his mind was to 
 appeal to the heavenly powers for the knowledge 
 of a more perfect way to salvation. 
 
 In his earnest desire for more revelation from 
 the Lord he stood alone. Those around him did 
 not want anything more from their Heavenly 
 Father. 
 
 The devil inspired their hearts with the fear 
 that if the Lord spoke, He would ulter something 
 that they did not wish to hear; that He would 
 want them to change their ways; to do things 
 different from what tradition and custom had 
 taught them. 
 
 They believed that they had sense and reason to 
 guide them about right without any further reve- 
 lation from God. They wanted nothing more 
 than the shadow of the gospel which they already 
 possessed. They wanted no more revelation ; no 
 more prophecy; no Holy Ghost to take of the 
 things of God and show unto them. Such prefer 
 darkness to light, and therefore they must be left 
 to themselves and go down to death. 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 141 
 
 MAHOMET'S CALL TO PRAYER. 
 
 Mahomet, whom the Arabians honor as a proph- 
 et, was in doubt as to the best method of summon- 
 ing the believets in his doctrine to prayer and to 
 worship. Some thought that the Jewish trumpet 
 would be the best means of calling the people 
 together. Others advocated the Christian bell ; but 
 neither was grateful to Mahomet's ear. He had 
 some thoughts of adopting the gong, but neither 
 did this please him. Tradition says that the 
 matter was under discussion when one of 
 Mahomet's followers dreamed that he met a man 
 clad in green raiment carrying a bell. This fol- 
 lower, Abdallah by name, sought to buy it, saying 
 that it would do well for bringing together the 
 assembly of the faithful. 
 
 "I will show thee," replied the stranger, "a 
 better way than that; let the crier call aloud, 
 'Great is the Lord! Great is the Lord! I bear 
 witness that there is no God but the Lord: I bear 
 witness that Mahomet is the prophet of God. 
 Come unto prayer: come unto happiness. God is 
 great: God is great! There is no God but the 
 Lord!" 
 
 Awaking from sleep, Abdallah proceeded to 
 Mahomet and told him his dream. The prophet 
 accepted it as a vision from on high, and forthwith 
 commanded his negro servant to carry out the 
 
U2 IHE INTERMEDIAIE 
 
 divine behest. Ascending to the top of a lofty 
 house while it was yet dark, this negro servant, 
 who was noted for his powerful voice, watched for 
 the break of day. On the first glimmer of light, 
 with his far-sounding voice he startled all around 
 from their slumbers, adding to the call, "Prayer is 
 better than sleep! Prayer is better than sleep!" 
 Every day at the five appointed times the well 
 known cry summoned the people to their devotions, 
 and the successors of this servant of Mahomet's, 
 from the minarets of the Mahometan mosques 
 throughout the world to this day follow his example. 
 
 In the days of Mahomet the Koran was com- 
 mitted to memory, more or less, by every one of Lis 
 adherents, and the extent to which it could be 
 recited was one of the chief distinctions of nobility 
 in those early days. The Koran is a book of 
 revelation which Mahomet professed to have 
 received from heaven. Thus among the heap of 
 warrior martyrs he who had been the most con- 
 versant in the Koran was honored with the first 
 burial. The person who in any company could 
 most faithfully repeat the Koran was of right enti- 
 tled to conduct the public prayers (a post closely 
 connected to that of government) and to pecuniary 
 rewards. Thus, after the usual distributions of 
 the spoils taken on the field of battle shortly after 
 Mahomet's death, the residue was divided among 
 those who knew the most of the Koran. 
 
 So carefully has the Koran been preserved that 
 there are no variations of importance amongst the 
 innumerable copies of it which are scattered 
 
SUNDAY SCHOOL READER. 143 
 
 through the vast bounds of the Mahometan domin- 
 ions. Contending and embittered factions, many 
 of which took their rise a quarter of a century 
 from the death of Mahomet, have ever since rent 
 the Mahometan world. Yet but one Koran has 
 always been current among them, and they all use 
 at the present day the same version. There is, 
 probably, in the world no other work which has 
 remained twelve centuries with so pure a text. 
 The cause of this, probably, is that an awful 
 reverence for what they considered the word of 
 God was deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. 
 The Koran itself contains frequent denunciations 
 against those who should presume to " fabricate 
 anything in the name of the Lord" as well as con- 
 ceal any part of that which He had revealed. 
 Such an action was represented as the worst 
 description of crime. 
 
 We often think that if the Latter-day Saints 
 would follow the revelations which the Lord has 
 given unto us in the Bible, Book of Mormon and 
 Doctrine and Covenants it would be much better 
 for us. Mahomet never claimed to have received 
 the priesthood. He doubtless had some portion of 
 the prophetic gift, being himself, probably, a 
 descendant of the prophets ; but notwithstanding 
 the impure character of his revelations, the care 
 which has been bestowed by his followers in 
 studying the Koran has been a cause of great 
 strength to Mahometanism, and it is rarely, if 
 ever, we hear of Mahometans being converted to 
 so-called Christianity. 
 
144 THE INIERMEDIAIE READER. 
 
 KIND THOUGHTS. 
 
 Let us cherish a memory for pleasant things 
 
 And let all the others go. 
 
 It is never by giving "tit for tat" 
 
 That vire touch the heart of a foe. 
 
 It is not by dwelling on fancied wrongs 
 
 That we feel their sting grow less ; 
 
 And malice once entering the heart is sure 
 
 To crush out all tenderness. 
 
 Forgive, forget, though the wrong be great, 
 
 And your heart be stricken sore ; 
 
 For thinking of trouble makes it worse. 
 
 And its pain is all the more. 
 
 Do kindly things to your neighbors, e'en 
 
 Though they do not so to you ; 
 
 Though they be wrong, unjust, unkind. 
 
 Keep your own heart ever true. 
 
 The heart is a garden ; our thoughts the flowers, 
 
 That spring into fruitful life: 
 
 Have care that in sowing there fall no seed 
 
 From the weed of cruel strife. 
 
 Oh! loving words are not hard to say, 
 
 If the heart be loving too. 
 
 And the kinder the thoughts you give to others. 
 
 The kinder their thoughts of you. 
 
Cornell University Library 
 BX8610 .161 
 
 olin 
 
 3 1924 029 473 737 
 

 li' 
 
 i 
 
 ll-