"Well, Harry, you know how I love to surprise you at Christmas, and with your birthday presents. That is just the way God loves us. He has planned a beautiful surprise for us, to come when we get to heaven, and he says, 'Eye hath not seen, ear hath not heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love him.' God loves to give us more than we can ask or think."

The good-night kiss was very tender, and mother was herself comforted and rested by the blessing that came at the children's hour. Mrs. McVean-Adams.

A Word to Mothers.

Too much stress can not be laid on having the little ones go to bed happy. Whatever may have been done in the day, or if there is some inevitable disappointment or grief ahead, large or small, -say nothing about it at night. Except for some strong reason, let a mother put a child to bed herself; let the evening prayer be said at her side; let the hour be associated with story or song, or loving, confiding talk. For sanitary reasons, it is very important that bedtime should be happy, and the night's rest perfect-never delayed or broken by childish grief or fear. Important, too, for mental vigor, and most of all, for the soul's life. The subject can only be touched upon here-it is too vast for many words. Like that mother of long ago, let mothers now ponder these things and keep them in their hearts. The good-night kiss should never be omitted.

There are times when disobedience or deceit has occurred, that, in the sweet and affectionate evening talk, the child can be imperceptibly led to confide to the mother the whole story. This opportunity is a valuable one and should never be overlooked. But anything of the nature of punishment has no rightful place here. If it must be if there is no other way-have it over and done with before night, or deferred till next day. Not the first thing on waking, either; I should not myself have thought of that, did I not know of a family where it was a common occurrence. The child was told of it the night before! Useless and cruel.

Two summers ago, when I was boarding at the seashore, there was a little boy in the house, five years old, neither better nor worse than other children. His parents were well off and he had no lack of clothes or toys. But I pitied him. It was govern, govern, govern, all day long, and all night, with the result that might be expected-furious outbursts of temper-kicking and screaming. The certain knowledge that every one would be followed by a whipping, never seemed to make any difference. It was a rather severe whipping, too; or so it seemed to me. Twice in little more than a week, the child was whipped; the second time was Sunday night, just as he was going to bed.

A day or two afterwards, when I had a chance to see the mother alone, I ventured to remonstrate. She met it pleasantly and we

had a quiet talk. She told me that at home, when the boy was disobedient and willful, she oftenest told him that she would whip him at night. He would beg her to do it then and have it over; but she refused, on purpose that he might dread it all day. I said plainly and kindly just what I thought of such ways, though I supposed she might be offended. But the boy was not whipped again while they stayed. The evening before she left, she said to me: "You made a great impression on me. You surprised me very much in what you told me of your own boys. It never occurred to me that children could be brought up without punishment. To bring up two boys and never whip them! I don't see how you

did it. I shall not forget it."

Do you remember Fanny Fern's half whimsical, half pathetic, and wholly charming account of her efforts to control her little granddaughter. She alludes to the comments of outside people, that she was not strict enough, not stern enough, and the old saw about "spoiling a child"; and then says:

"But I stood over a little casket once that had part of my name on the lid, and somehow, that always comes between me and this governing business."

She did not let the little girl run wild-her good sense, her moral principle, her affection were all against that. She controlled her, but in gentle ways that would have left no bitterness of regret if the child had been taken first.

But as it was, the last night she lived, she said, "Put her to bed, and if I die before morning, don't let her be waked."-Mrs. Mary Johnson.

Its Own Keynote.

Each home strikes its own keynote in the training of its children. In one home, although discipline and interest may flag as regards all else, music will be upheld through thick and thin; in another, thrift will be prominent; in another, the scholarly spirit; in another, hospitality, or fashion, or church observance. Parents do not always consciously intend that this certain keynote shall be struck in the home training. While they suppose themselves to be leading the family tune in one key, their subconscious selves are sometimes carrying it strongly forward in quite another. When their conscicus and subconscious selves are both singing lustily in the same key, how mighty is the unison!

Here is an extract from a mother's letter, published in a late number of the Christian Register. It is easy to see that good character was the keynote in the home training of her boys:

"I love the shoe on my boy's foot. I kiss his empty garments. But then, I never let up on his wrongdoings. The fact is, I dare not, because then I would rather have an empty coat than himself. I have no patience with shilly-shally parents who have no government, and can stand it when their children are mean or vile or come short of manly ideals. It would kill me. What has astounded me

is the endlessness of the patience and watchfulness and the labor and the love that is required. I used to think that, 'as the twig is bent, the tree is inclined,' that what was needed would be mainly accomplished by the time the child had reached twelve or fifteen; but it seems as if the more dangerous places were just then being reached. I have to die daily, all the time,-not that I am a bit sorry, if only I can succeed. My children shall not be just common things, able to buy and sell, go into society; they shall not break the laws of social decency, and then die. I will have the world better for my children. I will not lower my ideal, and I will teach them daily to raise theirs."

Maternity.

Within the crib that stands beside my bed
A little form in sweet abandon lies,
And as I bend above, with misty eyes,

I know how Mary's heart was comforted.

Oh, world of mothers! Blest are we who know
The ecstasy-the deep, God-given thrill-
That Mary felt when all the earth was still,
In the Judean starlight, long ago.

-Anne P. L. Field.

HE twenty-fifth of December, known as Christmas, is held by the religious world to commemorate the birth of Christ, but by some merely as a national holiday, giving no thought to God, their Creator, the King of kings, the great Emperor who rules from pole to pole throughout the space of time, and who gave his only begotten Son to die for us on that cursed cross.

The tiny tots, reared in pathways of right, rejoice to receive their Christmas toys; but how much greater would be their happiness if they could comprehend the story of Christ's birth, so old, yet ever new, if they knew that the presents which they receive are emblems of the treasures brought to Christ by the wise men.

Never has there been such a Christmas of rejoicing as the first one, when the shepherds watching o'er their flocks in the valleys saw the heaven aglow with the glory of God, saw a multitude of the heavenly hosts descending, and heard them singing hosannas of "Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth peace, good will to men."

We could hardly suppose Christ to have been born on the 25th of December, as we read from the word of God that the people from about Judea had gathered at Bethlehem to pay tribute to Cæsar, and as there was no room in the inn, Joseph and Mary went to a stable for their night lodging, and during that night the child was born. If it had been during the cold month of December, they would not likely have had such a rude place for their lodging. We learn from historical facts that the rainy season of Judea was during the winter months, and the shepherds did not watch their flocks in the valleys by night. Astronomers say, from the weight of the atmosphere and the position of the earth at that time, it is more probable it was about the 6th of April.

The first traces of Christmas are found about the time of the Emperor Commodus, from 180 to 192 A. D. During the reign of

Diocletian, from 824 to 305 A. D. while the ruler was keeping court at Nicomedia, he learned that a multitude of Christians were assembled in the city to celebrate the birthday of Christ, and having ordered the church doors to be closed, he set fire to the building, and all the worshipers perished in the flames.

Among the causes that cooperated in fixing the 25th of December as being the proper period of celebrating Christ's birth, perhaps the most powerful was that almost all the heathen nations regarded the winter solstice as a most important point of the year for the beginning of the renewed life and activity of the powers of nature and of the gods.

From the ancient heathenish ways sprang the so-called "manger songs" and Christmas carols. Hence, also originated, at a later period, the Christ-tree or Christmas tree, adorned with lights and gifts. Of late years it has become a custom for friends to forward to one another gaily illuminated Christmas cards bearing Christmas greetings.

In the Roman Catholic Church three masses are performed at Christmas-one at midnight, one at daybreak, and one in the morning. The Anglo-Catholic church and the Lutheran church also observe Christmas; but the Fresbyterian churches in Scotland, and the whole of the English dissenters reject it in its religious aspect, although in England dissenters, as well as church men, keep it as a social holiday on which there is a complete cessation from all business. But within the last hundred years the festivities once appropriate to Christmas have much fallen off. These, at one time, lasted with more or less brillancy till Candlemas, and with great spirit till Twelfth Day. But now a meeting in the evening, when different branches and members of the families assemble, is all that distinguishes it from any other national holiday.

ZULA NUNAMAKER, age 13 years.

Gospel Literature Bureau Super

intendent.

Bro. Harvey Sandy, 1005 Vine street, Kansas City, Missouri, has been appointed superintendent of the gospel literature bureau to succeed Bro. Joseph Ferris, who has found it necessary to resign on account of a change in his employment. Brother Sandy is anxious to continue the excellent record made in this department, and solicits the cooperation of all the district and local superintendents as well as all others interested.

We have full faith in Brother Sandy's ability and worthiness, and bespeak for him the kindly cooperation and support to which the importance of his work entitles him.

J. A. GUNSOLLEY, President.