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A despnbch from Los Angeles says: Rev. Frank 'ljo Witt Talmage preach- ed from the following text: Mark xii. 84, "Thou are not. far from the kingdom of God. ' ' Today I am going to try to help some of you to overcome that sad- dest of all Words. "almost." I am going to show some of you that, like the scribe of my text. who came to question Jesus, you are "not for from the kingdom of God," but I am also going to show you that to be "almost" saved and yet not saved is to he lest completely and utterly lost. As the man whirling down the rapids of Niagara, who just misses by one inch the rope which is thran for his rescue, so you who miss by a iittle the ofi'er of redemption are as utterly lost as if you had never heard the olIer. Nay, there is in your fate the unutâ€" terable sadness of being so near sal- vation and missing it after all. The loss of your soul is like the loss bf life to the hunter whose rifle ball just' misses the heart of the tiger that is leaping upon - his defenseless body. It is to be lost just as much SADDEST OF ALL WORDS (Entered according to Act. 0! the Far- Ilunant of Canada. in the year 0'13 Thousand Nine Hundred And 1- vuur. 9y Wx_n. Bpilx. lot Toronto. M “‘3 ,,4._..u.._.. nttnw-Ll “Almost Saved,” and Yet Not Saved Is to be Utterly Lost. wvuac -., n. .- as were the poor fellows who were imprisoned a few years ago in the iron hulk of the steamers burnng at the wharfs of Hoboken, in New York Harbor. antically they stood at the barred portholes. Frantically they stretdhed forth their arms through the iron gratings. They could see the blue waters of the harbor. They could hear the calls 0! the would be rescuers hard at work. But they Were lost. entirely lost, though there was “only one step" between them and perfect safety. o! the would work. But they Were lost, entirely lost, though there was “only one step" bethen them and perfect safety. ‘ A CHRISTIAN HOME. Almost saved! Yes, you are. How do I know it? I learn how near you' have come to salvation as I look at the entries on those white pages sewâ€" ed betWeen the Old and the New Testaments of the family Bible. By this record of the family births and deaths I find your father was a Christian. Your mother was a Chrisâ€"i filled with papers. tian. Your sisters and brothers were all Christians. I find also that your parents reconsecrated their lives for God’s 'service when they held you before the sacred altar on the day you were baptized. It is a. very easy matter for you to become a. Christian, with such a family his- tory as that. The son uf a good doctor, all other conditions being equal, has at least ten tears the ml- vantage of a. young man entering the medical profession who is not the son of a physician. The child who comes from a Christian home has a, tar grealer chance of being- a Chris- tian than one who is not the son of a Christian. or than one who has never been brought by youthful as- sociation in contact with the Chrisâ€" 'tian life. " "l‘is true,’ ‘to me. “I was born in a Christian ‘home. I am not near, however, but -very. very far from the kingdom of 'God. Why, after I left my Christian ’h'ome I seemed to he possessed not -with seven devils, but seventy times seven devils. No~ sooner did I leave 'home and‘go away from mother and father and I plunged into a life of dissipation. I drank. I gambled, I blasphemed. .1' did everything I ought not to have done, and I left be rescuers uqu dh’ second week of January. . i the says some young man i ‘ the ‘ year, I can imagine a. scene in your life which brought its emptiness vividly before you. Such scenes, varying in their details, come to many a man, bidding him pause and consider [what is the true purpose of life. Let Where did this scene hap- pen? In the east. You are a weal- thy Chicago merchant. You have come out on a visit to Los Angeles. It was almost, as near as I can make out, on a Saturday night, the The fire was burning brightly on your office hearth. The table by your side was The employees. working ten hours a day, sometimes think the employer entering: his ofâ€" fice at 9 or 10 o’clock in the morn- ing has a very easy time. But long after the busy' beehive of the modern drygoods emporium has stopped its hum, and the tired little cash girls have crowded the streets, laughing, shouting, perhaps smiling at the passers by, in juvenile delight at beâ€" ing set free from toil, and the book- keepers have balanced the accounts, and the iron shutters have been pull- ed down, and the clerks have closed their counters, and the cashiers have locked their safes, and the delivery wagons have ceased their rumbling, and the worn out horses have been fed and blanketed in their stalls, and street lamps have become as multitudinous as the visible stars of the heavens, the tired merchant Works on. The wood in the fire- place crackled and laughed. The flames leaped higher and higher and sputtered more loudly as the reports of the dillerent departments reCorded business triumph of a whole Stock had been taken, for the holiday goods were all sold. Evâ€" ery promissory note had been met. There was plenty of money in the bank to clear away the remaining me see! undone everything I ought to have debit Sides of the ledger. Neuralgia of the Hear The great. majority of heart deâ€" rangemcnis are due to exhaustion of the nL‘l‘VCS and a watery condition of the blood. By overcoming these .causcs of trouble with the use of Dr. Chase's Nerve Food. the. heart will be restored to heuth and its action again become normal. An Allment Which Torrlfieo Its Victimsâ€"Indicated by Pains About the Heart and Quick, Loud Breathingâ€"Cured by It is quite natural to be alarmed when the hurt, becomes affected, but there 1': Flu reason to despair of beâ€" ing cured. Mr. J211110§ G. Clm‘k, Fosterviile. York Coumy. NIL, writes :â€"â€"“I have been a great SUUOX‘CI‘ from what the doctors said was neuralgia nf xho Heart. The pain started in the back \r' tfic neck and worked down into ‘ w. region 0! the heart. Though I ” -1 taken a. lot of medicine of one 1.. .‘d mu snooze 1 could not get "In. unuy. vn Avn‘.’ fifipartmcnt ol Agricultfi'é: ' orttaw a. DR. CHASE’S NERVE FOOD done. It is said that when Lysima- chus was fighting against the Cattle he was entrapped by his enemies in the desert sands. His thirst became so great that he ofiered his Whole kingdom for a drink of water, as, Esau sold his birthright for a. mess‘ of pottage. But no sooner hm] Lysimachus slaked his thirst than he cried: 'A'h, wretched me. '-'-‘Im I11: such a lneme'ltai‘y gratin '51."!0n sheuld have lost so great a king- dom.’ Though I have been brought up in a,Christ.iun home, for the moâ€" mentary satisfying of my evil de- sires I have stifled all those pure influences of the past. 1 am like a man who, to quench his thirst, has done more than to barter away 0. kingdom. 1 have bartered away my life. The chaliCe of sin which I have lifted to my lips was of poison. I feel it new, drilling my brain, dull- ing‘ my heart, dulling my moral senâ€" sibilities. I feel as if I were al- ready dead, for my nobler self has perished. Eternal life is lost to DONiT LIVE FOR YOURSELF. Almost saved! Yes, you are. I know by the unhappy looks that are chisled in the wrinkles of your face. When you started out in life you thought the height of a man’s hap- piness could be estimated by the length of his bank account. You thought the worldwide area of his joy could be always circumscribed only by the hemispheric spread of his fame. But now by bitter exâ€" perience you know that wealth and fame only bring added cares. You know that if a man lives for himâ€" self alone. if he does not seek the higher joys of the soul. if he does not live for Christ, seeking also the welfare of his brother man. he can find no happiness on earth at all. l “When I began this treatmcnt I could not rest in bed, except by sitt- ing upright, on account of the dread- ful pains about the heart and the quick, loud heating. The change. Iwhich Dr. Chase's Nerve Food ims' imadc in my condition is wonderful. ,It has entirely ovcrcome those symp- ‘ltoms'nnd is making me strong and‘ Avail. ll this statement will help to‘ :reIicve the suffering of others, you ,arc at liberty to use it." t I Dr. Chase's Nerve Food, 50 cents a :hox, six boxes for $2.50. at all dealâ€"l era. 01 Edmanson, Bates & Co.. ,Toronto. To protect you against. limitations. the portrait and signaâ€" lturc or Dr. A. W. Chase. the famous =receipt book‘ author, are on every lbox. anything to help me until I used Dr Chase's Nerve Food. Was not that the history, 0 rich merchant, of the first results of your mathematical calCulutions on the‘ Saturday night of the second Week‘ in last January? But what about ‘the second calculation you made that important night? As you sat there in your easy armchair you began to dream about the past. You began to wonder if all this endless strugâ€" gle for a worldly success really paid As you dreamed you thought of me many nights when, unable to sh-ep you had tossed about your hot p‘l- low and thought how the business World was trying to drive you to the financial wall, even as some man with the death marks upon his cheek in his old age may be fleeced of his all. You thought how your very best motives had always been im- pugned. And then, strange to say. instead of gloating over your past financial success as the fire flickered lower and lower an unseen power made you write upon a broad sheet of white paper this problem, "What shall it profit a man if he shall gain the Whole World and lose his own soul?" And as you studied that problem you were compelled to write after it a. word of seven letters. You ‘ wrote that one word in letters of‘ fire. “Nothing.” "Nothing." "No- thing." Am I wrong, 0 financial magnate, in stntiu' toâ€"day “Thou art not for from tie kingdom of God.-))! . WHAT SHALL IT PROFIT A MAN? Oh, rich man! I appeal to your exâ€" Derience. Have you not realized that happiness is not in Wealth? Have there not come ~times in your life when you have felt that money and honor and power alike fail to give satisfaction? You are disappointed with your life. Turn to Christ, who says to such as you, "He that drink- eth of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst again.” Come to him. Thou art not far from the kingdom of God." Sickness has been a spiritual blessâ€" ing to you, 0 man. as the palsy was to the invalid of old. It has placed you almost within touch of our Savâ€" iour and King. For years and years you. did not know what a. pain meant. When you heard people complaining about their invalidism y0u had no sympathy. You would petulantly say, "Nine-tenths of these so called invalids are mere hypochonâ€" driacs. If men and women would only get up and stop their comâ€" plaining and stop dosing themselves with medicines they would be all right." When a minister in church would preach from the text, “Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be re quired of thee,” you would settle hack in your seat and smile. You would say to yourself: “Perhaps. Perhaps not. My ancestors were all long lived. I guess I will be also.” Then you would complacently pat your chest as you expanded your lungs three or four inches, and you would say: “Well, my ancestors never had a finer breathing appara- tus than I have. Perhaps I shall die toâ€"nig‘ht. Perhaps not.” But two years ago there come that sudden attack of illness. It came almost without any Warning;r at all. You remember how'your cheek beâ€" came as white as that of a, corpse and your lips turned blue and. cold. You remember how that pneumonia stabbed at your lungs. or how that typhoid made you sink so low that for weeks and weeks you hovered be- tween life and death. You rememâ€" ber how asthma choked you until it seemed as though you would go mad with the agony. Aye, that sick- mess: made out of you a changed man. When the minister now an- nounces the text, Luke, twelfth chap- ter and twentieth Verse, “'I‘hou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee," you do not flippantly say: "Perhaps. Perhaps not.” You know it is not out of the range of possibilities that this night you may be brought face to face with God at the judgment seat of Christ. 0 man, even while I speak to-day all the good and the bad of your past life are flying swiiter than the winds through your seething brain. Aye, they are flying as swiftly as the panorama of bygone years in a secâ€" ond of time moves before the vision of a, drowning man. Your. past sickâ€" nesses have changed your feelings to- ward God. The pain at your heart is Warning you that “God shall bring every work unto judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil." This dayâ€"aye, this very minutLâ€"on ac- count of that past sick bed, “thou art not {or from the kingdom of God." Almost saved? Yes; you are. I know it. Why? The many “signs of the time" tell us that hundreds and thousands of immortal men'and wo- men are now enrolling themselves as Christian soldiers under the standard of the cross. And there is n mighty.- propelling forcc in the power of numbers. When a sinful mun knows that everywhere about him the peoâ€" ple are asking the vital question which the l‘hilippianJailer spake to Paul and Silas, “Slrs, what must I do to be saved?" he in 'spite of him- self is compelled to ask and answer in his heart the same question. We all marvel at the wonderful ability of observation to which the (rappers and the hunters of old were, able to train their Visual powers. For days and weeks the Indian scouts were able to follow their oneâ€" mies across the western prairies. By the twisted blades of grass and by other minute signs {hey were able to tell how many Indians were in the war party ahead, how many horses and ca‘ttlc and squnws and papoosos. But. though hunters and trappers have almost miraculous sce- But why talk so much about the wonderful manifestations of the Holy Spirit’s power in reference to the \vofld at large? Have not We seen that power manifested in our own church? Men and women, can you sit stolidly in your pews when hus- bands and wives and children and young men and women are seeking Jesus Christ? While so many old peo- ple and middle aged people and young people are coming? God will never give you a better opportunity to seek him than just now. “'i' you not come to the Saviour no Like King Agrippa, are you going ti be "almost persuaded” and lost? Or like Paul, the “chief of sinners,” are you to be coronated and to have a seat upon a throne in heaven withl ing poivers in reference to the natural world, it does not take an inspired vision to see that we are now living in a time. of great religious awaken- ing. Everywhere the vital question is upon every lip, "What shall I then do the Chirst?" Like Pilate before the Jewish people. you must decide the question in reference to Jesus. You must decide for Christ or against Christ. And in bringing you up to this question I cannot be far wrong in stating that “thou art not far from the kingdom of God." But. why talk so much about the wonderful manifestations of the Holy Spirit’s power in reference to the wor’ld at large? Have not we seen “-n...“ Mam:‘l\(i‘nr‘ I". AII" nuvn with Jesus, who is calledEday. faithfully, and with a perfect heart. Take courage and do. and the Lord shall be with the good" (verses 10, 11, and margin). These are Words lior us to lay'to heart, for only such. living and acting will stand in that None other can 'have His ap- proval (II. Tim. iii, 15). On theu words “Take heed" see Luke viii.. 18; Mark iv., 24, "Take h~~vl now ye hear and what ye hem." Also. Matt. xxiv., 4, “Take heed that no- man deceive you." Isa. vii., 4. "Take heed and be quiet. Fear not!" As to the Lord's hatred o! iniquity, respect of persons and taking of gifts, see Ex. xxiii., 8; Dent. x., 17; Job xxxiv'., 19; Rom. ii., 11; Eph. vi., 9. Jesus Christ? Text of â€"the Lesson, II. Chro‘i. xix., 1-11. Golden Text, II Chron. xix., 11. It is pleasant, as well as profitable, to continue meditating upon one who did right in the sight of the Lord (xx, 32), for he sought to the Lord 10d of his father, and walked in His commandments, and his heart was lifted up in the Ways of the Lord, and the Lord was with him (xvii, 3â€"6). He is said to have reigned twentyâ€"five years («xx, 31), but it is possible that three of those years were the last years of Asa, his fath- er, while he was diseased in his feet. In order to keep before us some idea of Where we are in the history of these two kingdoms, it would be well to consult 8. compare.- tive chronological table of the kings and prophets of Judah and Israel, such as may be found in the appen- dix of most of our good reference 1Bibles. In a Baxter Bible it is New iTestament, page 194. ly and love them that hate the Lord (Verse 2.) One feels like saying, Why could not Jehoshâ€" aphat let ungodly Ahab alone and continue, as he had chosen, to walk with God? But ‘is not this matter of worldly alliances the prominent sin of our own time? In marriage, in business, in religious matters, i it not seen everywhere? How few seem to give any consider- ation to II. Cor. vl.,‘ 14-18. and are there many even among God's minis- Iters who think it wrong to have {el- IOWShfip with:thbse who deny that Jesus Christ is God, or with those who deny that the blood of Christ alone, without any works of ours. can take away sin? I The manner of Jeheshaphat’s life was, as a. rule, right. in the sight of the Lord, although there were twa Ivery dark clouds in 'his clear day, 'the one we have mentioned. and lat- ‘er his alliance with Ahaziah (xx., 35- 37). But it is refreshing to see {him in the remainder of our les« son chapter, after the Lord l'oproxvcd him, going out through all the poo- pplc to bring them again to the Lord, setting judges in the land and ‘udmonishing them in such words as “"l‘ake heed what ye do. for ye judge ‘not for man, but for the Lord who is with you" (verses 5â€"7), saying alâ€" )5” to the priests and Levites: 'I‘hus shall ye do in the {car of the Lord, From this it will be seen that the twenty-two years of 'Ahab's reign in Israel were about contemporary with the first twenty-two years of Jeâ€" hoshaphat’s reign in Judah. The prophets of the time were Jehu, the son'of Hanani. in Judah, and Mic- niah and Ehjah, in Israel.' It, will help us to keep this in mind, as our next lesson concerns Ahab, and the six following keep Elijah before us. None of the prophets whose writings we have had up to this time appear- ed. Jonah, who is the first, comes later. Our lesson begins with the. return of Jehoshaphat in peace to Jerusa- lem from the battle -with the king of Syria, in which he had been an ally with Ahab and very narrowly escap- ed death. Ahab, although disguised, fell by a, God directed arrow from a bow drawn at a venture (xviii, 28â€" 34). Jehoshaphat began his reign exceedingly well and sent teachers throughout; all the cities of Judah with the book of the law of the Lord to tea‘ch the people, one result being that the fear of the Lord fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands roundâ€" about Judah, and they made no war against Jehoshaphat. The Philisâ€" tines and Arabians brought presents THE S. S. E,.ESS®N as well as tribute to him. so that he waxed great exceedingly and had riches and honor in abundance (xvii. 9â€"12). Then came his alliance with a man who did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that: were before him (xviii, 1; I Kings xvi, 323). He al- lowed his son Jelioram to take Ahab’s daughter to wife (II Kings "iii, 18). and also joined Ahab to fight against the king of Syria (chapter 18), hence the rcproof of our LordthrOUgh Jehu in our les- son, "Shouldesuthou help the ungod- INTERNATIONAL LESSON. IULY 24 As we have but one lesson on the life of this great king we must not; omit a. glance at chapter 20. and the victory which the Lord wrought for His people. Realizing their helpless- ness, they cast themselves wholly up- on Him, und the Lord fought against their enemies and made “10m to rejoice over their enemies. .d gave them rest round-about .verses 3, 4, 27â€"30). Note the king's prayer (verses 6â€"12) and 'put verse 12 with xiv., 11: “We have no might against this great company that comcth against us; neither know we what to do. But our eyes are upon Thee." These are the people whom God helps, the impotent. the utterly helpless, not those who can help themselves. Note, also. verses 15. 17, 20, 22, and learn to fear not, be- This wholehearth reliance upon the Lord made so prominent in this lesson and the last is greatly needed. 17, 20, 22, and 1 lieve and praise FROM BABY' S DIARY. 6 a.m.â€"Woke up and howled. 6.10â€"Man grunts, gets up, and carries the about room. Must. be nice for him to be able to walk so fast: 1 can’t. G.15.-â€"-Man treads on my rattle; howl. Man talks to himself. 6.16.â€"Back to bed. 8 a.m.â€"Clock makes pretty noise; chuckle. Man says something to it. Woman says, "John!" Man grunts. and gets up. 10.10.â€"Climb into coal-scuttle; happy. 3 p.m.â€"Lady calls with thing she calls a, dog. Can't find his tail; not like Tiny’s; his sticks out and wags. 3.10.â€"Find dog's tail; wish I hadn’t; howl. Dog whippol and turned out. Chuckle. Don'! likd that dog. Go and look for 'J‘iny. 10 _a..m.-;Washcd and dressed; feel miserable. 10.80.â€"Discovered and pulled out“ Got to be washed agam. ‘Horrid nui-' sauce; don’t see the good of it; only get dirty again. Don't try to steer with another man’s rudder. E 11 a.m.â€"â€"Fall down stairs; given sweets, and go to sleep. 5 p,m.â€"Man comes home with a. friend. Friend talks a lot of non- sense and tries to pat my head; Howl. 5.].Oâ€"Given bottle. Friend gets his head in way 0! bottle; chuckle. Friend departs abruptly. Do not learn the language of sor- row. Be clemi and the spirit of the eterâ€" nal truth wilLrest and abide with thee. There is no to-morrow. and it ié only a very foolish fool who worries about that which will never come. There is no person or thing in this world that gets something for noth- ing. Look and you will find the cost mark. 6 p.m.-â€"-Just 05 i0 Vbed. Beastly quiet day; hope to have some fun to-morrow. Bye-bye. The time always comes when a. grgfter gqts graftefi]. Feeding a girl chocolate creams once a week and feeding her break- fast three times 2. day are two differ- ent things. a Just {aka a; bird’s-eye View of the world. It looks better that way. When you say an unkind word or even think an unkind .thought, j_ust‘ remember that you are hurting no one but yourself‘ There are u. gredt many people who look at the world through their stomachs, and their view is accord- ing to the condition of that organ. The only difiex‘encc between a Mor- mon and the other man is that the Mormon does what he thinks and the other man thinks what he'd like to do. Soâ€"callcd friendship that is pur- chased and held by favors does the possessor no good. There is always someone who can furnish more fav- ors thw- you. “YE OLDE RED LION." 1n the middle ages the country houses of the nobility of England, when the owners.werelnbaent, were- uscd as hotels for travellers. The family arms always hung in front of, the house, and gave it a popular name among travellers, who called a.‘ lion "gulcs" or "azure" simply “red” or "blue." As these were inâ€" timations of good cheer and enter- tainment, innkeepers adopted the idea. Lions have always been, and are now, very favorite signs in Eng- land. lions white. black, red, and goldenâ€"red being the most common. Probably the Red Lion originated with the budge of John of Gaunt. Duke of Lancaster, who married the daughter of Don Pedro, King of Leon and Castile, and who adopted the lion rampant. gulcs of Leon to re- present his claim to the throne. Un- der Richard and John lions became the scttlod arms of England, and were generally used by those who could find any claim. G 00D ADVICE