AFFIRMATION VS. FALSEHOOD

Affirmations and falsehood may at times seem close to the synonymous. For this reason persons overly conscientious have been slow to engage in the practice. The claim is made that one is simply lying who affirms, "I am health," when one knows that conditions with him are otherwise. On the surface this may appear to be true. Where the object is mere repetition, it is true. But mere repetition does not embrace all that is included in affirmation. A parrot may be made to speak certain words, and the repeated utterance will leave the bird a parrot still. Unless the words are uttered conscious of their worth and with the end in view to make them living words, they were better not spoken. They must be spoken in all sincerity, and to the subconscious self, with the purpose of awakening that faculty to the performance of great and desired things.

In a sense the principle employed is the same as that employed in the education of the child and in the training of the mind to memorize. What we would have the child to receive or the memory to master may only be driven home by endless intelligent repetition. The subconscious faculty is sometimes slow to awaken and to absorb, and we must needs repeat, more or less frequently, out desires. To affirm, “I am health," is virtually to declare, "I desire and will have health," but with faith so assertive and active as to believe that we already have that for which we petition and this is scriptural. Faith, coupled with desire, is a necessary element. Without faith it is impossible to please God and to awaken the Divinity within. Affirming, "I am health," and in full confidence that the desired condi

tion will be realized, the subconscious mind will gradually harmonize with the intelligent utterances of the conscious. mind, and its creative forces will begin to build according to the plan of the perfected mental image.

THE WILL OF GOD

The universe is orderly from center to circumference, and everything is established upon the firm foundation of eternal right and universal good. There is a power that lives and moves throughout this vast immensity. All the laws and forces in existence spring from this power; it is, therefore, the center and source of all that lives and moves; and this power is the will of God. Accordingly, to do the will of the Father is to enter into harmony with the universal order and promote the great eternal plan. Whoever can say with his whole heart, "Thy will be done," has placed the whole. of his life in perfect accord with God; and henceforth he will seek to live in perfect harmony with all that is, because all is of God. To do the will of God is to be at peace with all the world and to give one's whole life to all the world. The will of God seeks eternally to give itself to things-all things; the will of man, to be in harmony with the will of God, must do the same.

Talk not of wasted affection;
Affection never was wasted;

If it enriches not the heart of another,
Its waters returning

Back to their springs like the rain, Shall fill them full of refreshment; That which the fountain sends forth Returns again to the fountain.

-Longfellow.

Y what right do we criticize the gown our brother wears, his way of observing the Lord's Supper, or how he shall lay his hands upon the sick? By what prophetic inspiration have we been assured that tomorrow will witness none of these things still abiding in the curriculum of spiritual education?

We confess sometimes to being oldfashioned. We recognize a certain conservatism which increases with age. There is something in the dignity and restraint of worship that appeals to us. We have felt humiliated at some of the "popular" efforts to gain public favor. And yet others use these methods. Others practice what we shrink from, and seem to do great good thereby. One confession we do make. Despite our age, despite our sense of dignity, we would stand on our head or blow a trombone in the street, or practice knee drill on the pavement, or even put some ruffles in the flounces of our ideas, if we believed that we could thereby win men and women to the heart of Christ. That we cannot do these things does not blind up to the fact that others can.

And here and now, once and forever, let us drive the stake to which we fasten our faith. Let him who will, do as he will, and by whatsoever way he can, turn men to holiness. Let him who can, by what he can, lift up the discouraged, bind up the wounded, win back the wanderer, establish all in righteousness. By this supreme and all-important test let us try every man's work in the ministry. Take Make no excuses. Fix at

no excuses.

tention on the center of the stage. Let the actors pass. Let them wear whatsoever costumes their temperaments demand. Let them state their message with the lisp of ephemeral fancy, or in the voice of simple, naked, noble, eteranl truth. If it but wins the hearer, that is the test and that is the supreme test.

Success, success in winning men and women to faith, hope and love, redeems the foolishness of preaching from the sting of any jibe. And no pompous dignity, no classic self-restraint, no pride of worship and no noble self-respect is other than a dismal failure if it fails to stir the blood of men to nobler thoughts. No criticism of another man's faults can be an explanation of our own impotence in the work of our Master. Each should be free to use the tools he likes. But each should be held to the judgment of permanent results for good. Beyond this let us not venture. Let us wait until the Lord reveals whether he is in this new fashion or in that old one. And in the meantime, by this shall all men know that we are His disciples, that we have love one toward another.

MEXICAN NAMES

Huerta, pronounced Wherta; first syllable like English "where." Diaz, pronounced Deeahss; accent on first syllable. Coahuila, pronounced Co-a-wee-la; accent on the "wee." Reyes, pronounced Ray-yes; accept on Ray. Vasquez Gomez, pronounced Vahskess Gomess; accent on first syllable. Zapata, pronounced Sahpahta; accent on "pah."

THE BOY WITH THE SILVER SPOON The boy born with a silver spoon in his mouth and a bag of gold in each chubby fist faces an uphill fight if he's going to be a man's man.

He has to fight the influence of a mountain of money, and that is a fight strong men have fought-and lost.

He has to fight the influence of pampering and petting by friends and relatives.

He has to fight the impulse to indulge in condescension and snobbery, which is born of the ministrations of a horde of tuft-hunting, kowtowing, palavering curry-favors.

He has to fight his environment of luxury and dependence; the languid, donothing, day-in-and-day-out existence of his "set."

He must fight these things if he would escape a supercilious, distorted, simpering maturity. He must fight for his right to democratic manhood and success by his own efforts.

He must forget, and make others forget, that he was born to money and station. Then he must plunge into the middle of the current and flounder about

with millions of others until he finds him

self and strikes out up-stream.

The son of the rich is in the minority

by accident of birth; he is out of tune with the vast majority of his fellowmen; he lacks their viewpoint of life, their viewpoint of righteousness, justice, equality, prosperity.

If he is to be anything in this world except a drone, he must work with these men. He can work as their enemy; he can work as their friend; he can, worse than either, work in the dark, not knowing his fellow-men.

The hardest battle before the rich

young man, then, is his fight to become democratic, to be born again. If he cannot win this fight his labors will be in vain, for he is laboring blindly.

Altogether the lot of the boy with a silver spoon is not an enviable one if he is to win success. He has a double task. He has to learn to climb down before he can climb up.-Washington Times.

NEW USE FOR ADVERTISING We shall see the same great forces that are now used to exploit foods, whiskies, cigars, clothes, automobiles, etc., in order to make money, turned to the service of the Good News of Truth that makes man free. And not that some one shall make money or that some personality shall get fame, but that men and women shall come to themselves, cease from making mistakes and establish heaven on the earth.

As I have raised my eyes in the street car to glance at the advertising cards that call to me, I have in vision seen other signs in their place, saying:

JUST FADED AWAY

"So you've broken off your engagement with Miss Smarte?" asked the inquisitive friend.

His victim shook his head.

"No," he replied, "I didn't break it off."

"Oh! Then she broke it off?" "No," answered the young man, enjoying his friend's growing wonder.

"But it's broken off, isn't it?" persisted the curious one.

"Oh, yes," explained the young man, gently. "She told me what her dressmaker's yearly bill was, and I told her what my income was; then our engagement gently dissolved."-Answers.

THERE FIRST

The lovely girl, having lingered a minute in her room to adjust her transformation, change the angle of her Grecian band and make sure that her skirt fitted like the peeling of a plum, descended to the parlor to find the family pet ensconced upon the knee of the young man caller, her curly head nestled comfortably against his shoulder.

"Why, Mabel," the young lady exclaimed, "aren't you ashamed of yourself! Get right down."

"Shan't do it," retorted the child. "I got here first."

AMBIGUOUS TITLE

"That's a swell umbrella you carry." "Isn't it?"

"Did you come by it honestly?"

"I haven't quite figured out. It started to rain the other day and I stepped into a doorway to wait till it stopped. Then I saw a young fellow coming along with a nice large umbrella, and I thought if he beg the shelter of his umbershoot. So I was going as far as my house I would going with that umbrella, young fellow?' stepped out and asked: 'Where are you And he dropped the umbrella and ran.”Houston Post.

KATHARINE'S KINDNESS

Katharine is two and a half years old. Her father came home one afternoon, after working three days and three nights at high pressure, with almost no sleep. He lay down with the feeling that he did not want to wake up for a week. Half an hour later, from the depths of his dreams he heard a small, clear voice: "Father!"

The sleeper stirred and turned his head on the pillow.

"Father! Father!"

He stirred again and moaned. "Father! Father!"

He struggled and resisted and floundered, and finally raised his eyelids like a man lifting heavy weights. He saw Katharine smiling divinely beside his

couch.

"What is it, daughter?"

"Father, are you having a nice nap?" -Youth's Companion.

HIS MONEY'S WORTH

A grouchy butcher, who had watched the price of porterhouse steak climb the ladder of fame, was deep in the throes of an unusually bad grouch when a would-be customer, eight years old, approached him and handed him a penny. "Please, mister, I want a cent's worth of sausage."

Turning on the youngster with a growl he let forth this burst of good salesmanship:

"Go smell o' the hook!”—New Orleans States.

A GORY MONUMENT

"What's the matter with Briggs?" "He was getting shaved by a lady barber when a mouse ran across the floor." -Life.

POOR PICKING

Uncle Ben stood at the fence watching. a lot of dilapidated sheep that ruminated in a field.

"Guess I'll have to get rid of them. They don't seem to be thriving at all," he observed.

"Get rid of what?" piped little Jimmie. "Them sheep. I'm going to sell them," replied Uncle Ben.

"All right, uncle," said Jimmie. "The next time I see the rag man passing I'll just call him in."-Youngstown Telegram.

HIS BED WAS HARD

Traveler (settling bill)-"Pardon my curiosity, sir, but what do you stuff your

beds with in this hotel?"

Landlord (proudly)-"Best straw to be had in the whole country, b'gosh."

Traveler-"Ah, that's very interesting. I know now where the straw came from that broke the camel's back."-Weekly Telegraph.

AT THE RAILROAD RESTAURANT

The Man-"Have you dusted off the pies this morning?"

The Waitress-"Yes, sir." "Sifted the sugar?"

"Yes, sir."

"Limbered up the sandwiches?" "All done, sir."

"Well, come and help me blow through this macaroni."

JOE'S HABIT

Spanker-Joe married a widow with three children."

Spinker-"Oh, well, he was always putting on heirs."-Yale Record.