Vol. 36. BATTLE CREEK, MICH , MARCH 14, 1888. No. 11. ..... ... BARLEY LOAVES. g\NLY five barley loaves! Only two fishes small! And shall I offer these poor gifts To Christ, the Ijord of all? To him whose mighty word Can still the angry sea, Can cleanse the leper, raise the dead? He hath no need of me. Yes, he hath need of thee; Then bring thy loaves of bread; Behold, with them, when Jesus speaks. The multitude are fed. "Two hundred pennyworth," Saith one, “had not sufficed.” Ah, true! What is abundance worth Unless ft Is blessed by Christ? Ouly one talent email, Scarce worthy to be named; Truly he hath no need of this; O soul, art thou ashamed? He gave that talent first; Then use it in his strength; Thereby—thou knowest not—he may work A miracle at length. Many the starving souls Needing, though knowing not their need, Of Christ, the living Bread. Oh, hast thou known his love? To others make it known ; Receiving blessings, others bless: No seed abides alone. And when thine eyes shall see The holy, ransomed throng, In heavenly fields, by living streams, By Jesus led along, Unspeakable thy joy shall be. And glorious thy reward, If by thy barley loaves, one soul Has been brought home to God. —Selected. For the Instructor. THE STORY OF PITCAIRN ISLAND.-NO. 9. 0*OON after these people came back to their own isl-and home,fivedied from disease contracted at Ta-hiti. But this was not the worst result of their visit to that corrupt community; a great change was immediately seen in their conduct. After becoming well settled in their old quarters, some of them were determined to have strong drink, and so began to distill spirits from the native Ti-root. Mr. Nobbs, their faithful teacher, remonstrated with them, but to no avail. They soon became so hardened that they cared nothing for his counsels, and declared they would no longer be bound by him, but would pursue a course to their own liking. How sad to think that the once peaceful abode of , Pitcairn should become so changed! Yet it was all brought about by a short association with those of impure life. And as it is now, so it was then; Satan took advantage of the circumstances to destroy entirely the happiness of that simple-hearted people; for just at that time there landed at the island a man by the name of Hill. He was at first so pleasant and affable that he won many hearts; but soon his purpose was manifested. By his smooth words and insinuations, he succeeded in turning the people more fully against their pastor, when he openly told them that he had been sent there by the English Government to take the oversight of their spiritual interests, and also to be governor of the colony. Under this pretense he commenced a severe persecution against Mr. Nobbs and the other two English men on the island, with the evident design of driving them into exile. Evans and Buffett ho publicly whipped and otherwise tortured. They were then charged with disturbing thftpeace of the community, and Were threatened with imprisonment unless they, left the island at the first opportunity. Soon a vessel, bound for Tahiti, called} and these three men, in order to save their lives, were obliged to leave their families and flee. Two of tljem, while waiting for justice to overtake their persecutor, went to the Gambier Islands as missionaries. Mr. Hill now had everything his own way. But under his rule the island soon fell into a bad state indeed. Where love and liiiity had prevailed, was now enmity and contention. Those who before had taken pleasure in the service of God, now lost heart, ami Ceased to struggle against the enemy of their souls, and the calm, settled peace and happiness of the people were gone. Thus Satan watches to overthrow every good work. It matters not how far removed such work may be from the great centers of population, it is all the same; he will obtrude his presence if possible. It may be, however, that the experience under Mr. Hill's government was after all profitable to the islanders. For five years the people were tyranized over by the stranger whom they had so unwisely taken into their affections. They endured his conduct until it became unbearable, and then different persons found means of sending appeals to England to be freed from his intolerance. An investigation was held, which resulted in Hill’s being taken away to Valparaiso, South America, much to the satisfaction of those who had suffered from his wicked course. They now heartily wished for the return of Mr. Nobbs and the others who had been banished, and sent for them at the first opportunity. On their return, these good men were received with demonstrations of joy, and soon Mr. Nobbs had the further pleasure of witnessing a decided change for the better in the conduct of the people. It was, however, a long time before all the effects of their reverse were eradicated. But peace was finally restored, and the old-time harmony and modest simplicity again prevailed in the island. The bitter experience of these years taught them the necessity of precaution. They found that it was no longer safefor t hem to trust the presence of every one on the island who chose to land there. So in order to protect themselves from future inroads upon their peace and prosperity, they adopted a code of laws, and chose a magistrate to enforce them. The magistrate was to be elected on the first day of January of each year. Everybody born on the island, and those who had resided there five years, and were above eighteen years of age, were privileged to vote for this officer. When elected, he became the chief authority on the island, and with the advice of his council (consisting of two other natives), must settle all differences that might occur. It also became his duty to keep a register of all complaints brought i before him, and the manner in which they were disposed of. None except those born on th*e island could hold the position of magistrate. At this time (Jan., 1839,) the colony consisted of ninety-nine persons. And as their numbers were rapidly swelling, they decided that thenceforward no one ____________should be allowed to land upon the isl- and from another country, to settle there. In order to preserve the morals of their children, they also passed a regulation that no one should be allowed voluntarily to come upon the island to. remain any length of time. This regulation was found necessary because the wicked crews of whaling vessels and others had sometimes come there and offered insults to the inhgbitgpts, _ In the latter part of the same year, Lieutenant Lowry, of the English ship Sparrowhawk, visited the island, and described the people to be as fine a race as, he ever saw. Up to that time, but one person had ever been born there with any bodily defect, and that only in one eye. He judged the island capable of supporting one thousand inhabitants. He also thought them the most exemplary people in the world. In describing their habits of life, he says: “Their manner of livingisso simple that they have but few diseases, and death rarely visits them except from old age. There are thirteen families, who live in comfortable homes constructed of wood..........The women and girls wear a loose sort of dressing gown, not confined at the waist, and coming up' close to the neck. ......When they have no visitors, they partake of meat but twice a week; there is abundance of vegetables at all times; and they drink only water and cocoanut milk.” The accompanying cut shows the village of Pitcairn, as it overlooks, from its eminence, the surrounding ocean and the little harbor of Bounty Bay. At that time all on the island could read, write, and understand arithmetic, and seemed as happy as before their unfortunate visit, to Tahiti. That experience on the whole did them some good, since it helped them to feel content with their own little paradise. They have since seemed to realize that their situation was a pleasanter one than falls to the lot of many others, and they have accordingly fostered feelings of good-will, cheerfulness, and contentment. j. o. c. For the Instructor. GERTIE’S RESOLUTIONS. “It wasn’t right, I’m sure! It was not my money, and it would have been just as well for papa to put it into the box himself; but 1 suppose he wanted me to do it. I wonder why! ” A few days before, Mr. Eldred had given his daugh--ter two and a half dollars to put into the yearly missionary fund. She was much pleased at first; but as she sat in the low rocker by the window of her room 50 THE YOUTH’S'INSTRUCTOR. Vol. 36, No. 11. that night, she was troubled with some misgivings on the subject. Gertie Eldred was an apt scholar, and knew enough of moral philosophy to reason well, and understood mathematics so as to reckon correctly. The shadows were deepening outside, yet within she saw distinctly a picture that annoyed her. “May be he thought I had earned it,” she mentally commented, “but I have not. I go to school, and do only one hour’s work in the morning for any one but myself. I help about the work on washing day, but all told it does not half pay for board, clothes, shoes, schooling, books, and everything. If I were only as good as I should be! If I were only kind, patient, careful, and prudent!” Here came a long pause. Self inspection revealed to Gertie Eldred a side to her character which she had never seen before. There was the little iron bank with its lock and key, which mamma had given her as an incentive to be saving of her money. A little had been dropped into it from time to time, but it was picked out again. Her cheeks reddened at remembrance of the failure. “It need not have been so,” she exclaimed, “had it not been for so many things I might have done without. 1 could have saved the money, and then I would have had some all my own to put into the missionary box.” Another long pause, and then—“I wonder why I cannot do it!—get up a practical problem that will come out with just as sure results as my examples in algebra do!” Then she thought of what grandma used to say, “A penny saved is as good as a penny earned.'’ Dear grandma said so many good things before the silver hair was smoothed back for the last time, and the wrinkled white hands were folded upon the quiet breast, and the lids pressed down over the gentle, loving eyes! How little Gertie had thought of her loving counsel then, or heeded it! But might she not do it yet? With her heart full of such precious thoughts, she took down from the shelf the little iron bank, brushed off the dust that had gathered on it, and locked it, putting the key where it would be no temptation to her to use it. Then she dropped into the bank three bright ten-cent pieces. But she knew that good resolutions could not be carried out without help from a higher source than her own will; so, bowing before the chair where she had been sitting, she sought pardon for all the selfishness of her life, and plead for strength to denyjier-self of those things which were only harmful, and that God would accept of the sacrifices which she might make for his sake. And as the loving Father never turns away from the cries of his weakest children for help, may we not hope he heard Gertie's prayer, and will strengthen her in her resolutions to do right? _ M. D. SPARE THE SICK MOTHER. Children do not always know how much noise they make, nor do they always seem to care; and many a noisy boy makes a sick mother’s head ache with noise and anxiety, and does not seem to think how unkind and heedless and unmanly he is. Men feel differently, for some of them know something of the worth of a mother. TheGermanBaron von Karlstine.in his book about New York, relates that on Washington’s birthday he was standing in a crowd on the corner of Fifth Avenue and Fourteenth street, waiting for the grand procession to arrive. The first drums were heard in the distance, when a young man, hatless, and in his shirtsleeves, passed through the assembled multitude, and addressed the policeman who kept the people back. “Officer,” he exclaimed, “my mother is sick in a house near Sixth Avenue; she has suddenly been taken much worse, and the doctor says that if the procession passes our house, the noise will kill her.” “0. K., young fellow,” said the policeman, and left him to run up the avenue, where he stood some twenty feet before the procession and screamed, “Halt!” holding up a light rattan cane with both hands. The word was passed along the line, an adjutant galloped forward, bent over his horse's neck, and exchanged a few words with the policeman. Suddenly the command “Forward! march!” was heard, and the immense body of men proceeded to the corner of Fourteenth street, without any music, except the lightest possible tapping of drums. Then came, “Right wheel!” and nearly fifty thousand men, whom immense crowds were waiting to see and cheer, wheeled up Fourteenth street to Broadway, and down Broadway they marched without music until they were beyond the distance at which they might disturb the sick woman. No one asked why an army of well-drilled, admirably equipped ’men, many of them battle-scarred vet* erans, turned out of their paGi at the simple request of a single policeman, armed with but a little rattan cane. It would have been but a trifling matter for them to have taken the city; but no, the general in command, when he received the young man’s thanks, reminded him that his very natural request was addressed to gentlemen and soldiers. And a gentleman, be he a soldier or not, reveres the sacred name of mothbr.—Selected. GRAVES OF THE FLOWERS. ‘/RHE woods are full of tiny graves, " " The sweet graves of the flowers. That sprang in every sheltered nook Amid the springtime hours. The buttercup lies on the slope Where first the sunlight fell; The violet sleeps beside the rill, The daisy in the dell. Upon no stone is carved the name Of April’s children fair; They perished when the sky was bright And gentle was the air. To the soft kisses of the breeze They held half-trembling, up. Full many a small, transparent urn And honey-laden cup. And when the roses budded out, Tn summer’s balmy hours, No little mound was made to tell Where slept the gentle flowers. Those early flowers—they seem to me Like little children sweet. Who smile a moment on our path, Then perish at our feet. —Louise Chitwood. "IF I WERE A EOT.” If I were a boy again, I would look on the cheerful side of everything; for almost everything has a cheerful side. Life is very much like a mirror; if you smile upon it, it smiles back again on you, but if you frown and look doubtful upon it, you will be sure to get a similar look in return. I once heard it said of a grumbling, unthankful person, “ He would have made an uncommonly fine sour apple, if he had happened to be born in that station of life!” Inner sunshine warms not only the heart of the owner, but all who come in contact with it ^Indifference begets ijidif-. ference. “Who shuts love out, in turn shall be shut out from love.” If I were a boy again I would school myself to say “No” oftener. I might write pages on the importance of learning very early in life to gain that point where a young man can stand erect, and decline doing an unworthy thing because it is unworthy; but the whole subject is so admirably treated by dear old President James Walker, who was once the head of Harvard College, that I beg you to get his volume of discourses and read what he has to tell you about saying No on every proper occasion. Dr. Walker had that supreme art of “putting things” which is now so rare among instructors of youth or age, and what he has left for mankind to read is written in permanent ink. If I were a boy again, I would demand of myself more courtesy toward my companions and friends. Indeed, I would rigorously exact it of myself toward strangers as well. The smallest courtesies, interspersed along the rough roads of life, are like the little English sparrows now singing to us all winter long, and making that season of ice and snow more endurable to everybody. But I have talked long enough, and this shall be my parting paragraph. Instead of trying so hard as some of us do to be happy, as if that were the sole purpose of life, I would. If I were boy again, try still harder to deserve happiness.—Janies T. Fields, in Journal of Education. HOME DUTIES FIRST. A girl of fourteen, who had lately been converted, asked God to show her what she should do for him, and what was her special work. After praying for some time the thought came to her mind that she could take her baby brother, only a few months old, and nurse him for the Lord. So she took the charge of the child, and relieved her mother in the work and care of the little ones. This was godly and Christlike. Home duties and fireside responsibilities have the first claim upon every child of God. We need not go abroad for work, when God places work within our reach. “The daily round, the common task,” provides ample opportunities for serving God, doing whatsoever our hands find to do.—Dr. H. Bonar. Scmp - AN AGATE FOREST. There have been exhibited lately in the well-known house of Tiffany & Co., New York City, some wonderful specimens of agate from Arizona. This agate is “petrified wood,” but like no other petrified wood previously discovered. The coloring is brilliant and beautiful; glowing red, the delicate blending and tinting of grays, blues and greens, with here and there a glistening quartz crystal, makes a rare combination. These beautiful slabs, two or three feet across, were sawn from great stone logs. The perfect likeness of the tree is there,—the concentric rings, the radiating lines, the rough, gnarled bark,—and even every knot has its fac-simile in the stone. Petrifactions in wood have been discovered before, but they have been in neutral tints; the size and richness of coloring are what render this recent discovery remarkable, for, previous to this, agates thirteen inches in diameter were considered large. The finding of this agate forest, as it might properly be termed, is interesting. When the Apache chief, Geronimo, led the frontiersmen such a lively chase in Arizona, he ran better than he knew. During the pursuit of the Indians, the heart of the Apache country was penetrated. It was on one of these wild chases that a cowboy, named Adams, found himself in the remote and before undiscovered petrified forests of Arizona.. As soon as he was able, he reported his wonderful find to the Governor of Arizona. His story was laughed at. “All right,” said the cowboy, “if my story isn't true, I’ll bear all the expenses of the journey there and back.” The story was true, and there, prone in the depths ' of the lava desert, they saw the remains of a forest, changed into brilliant-hued, translucent agate, held in form by the petrified bark, every ridge and knot perfectly translated. For ages the water, impregnated with silica, played over and amongst these forest trees, wearing the wood away, and, cell by cell, atom by atom, replacing it by the stone. It is assumed that powerful geysers may have burst forth, and with their heated waters covered this forest, and then, perhaps, after centuries, settled away, leaving as monuments of their work these agate petrifactions. Stumps, trees, twigs, fallen logs, are all represented in the beautiful stone. The cutting and polishing of these great agates is a work of exceeding difficulty. Thirty-five days were consumed in sawing across one of the stone logs. No steel instrument can make an impression, nor ewn -scratch the polished specimens on exhibition. Diamond-dust and saws with diamond teeth alone will cut them. Of course much of the work must be done on the spot. Hence a camp has been set up in the Arizona wilderness, in the midst of desolation, and here are sawn out the blocks and slabs of agate, while the workmen, fearful of the treacherous Apaches, look carefully to their Winchester rifles, which are rarely left out of reach.—Youth’s Companion. CURIOUS FACTS. Among the very first books that were printed was the Biblia Pauperum, a kind of Bible made up of pictures from wood-engravings, printed for the use of those who could not read, the title meaning “ Bible for the Poor.” Yankee Doodle was composed by Dr. Shackburg, a physician in the British army in America, and palmed off on a company of militia, about 1755. as a very celebrated air. 'Tantalize comes from the legend of Tantalus, a person who displeased the gods, and as a punishment endured perpetual thirst, standing in water his lips could not reach. Ultima Thule is a name that was given to the most northern island with which the Romans were acquainted. It is now uncertain which one that was, but it is supposed to’ be one of the Orkney or Shetland, lying north from Scotland. In the days of Rome it was customary to fashion the prows of war vessels like beaks of birds. These beaks (Latin rostra) would be torn off of captured vessels and brought to Rome as trophies, being set up on the platform of the speakers, from which comes the modern word rostrum. Bills of exchange were invented by the Jews, and brought into general use in 1307. The name Britain is thought to be a corruption of the Celtic word hrith, or brit, meaning painted, as the ancient inhabitants painted their bodies with colors. Among the Anglo-Saxons there were titled men called eorls, or earls, over whom was an officer named an ealdorman (meaning “older man,” or “senator”) —hence the modern term aiderman. The Curfew, a bell that used to be rung in England at sunset in winter and eight o’clock in summer, is really a corruption of the French convre-feu, cover fire, the intention being to guard against fire. _ W. 8. 0. There is no possibility of too much culture. The more striving there is after perfection, themore nearly is that state secured. March 14, 1888. THE YOUTH’S INSTRUCTOR. 51 |icU>6cdA - § a ti s o •s ■s cn CQ a 00 55 6 h 5 a b 5 b £ a b a b a b g § b 448 348 438 313 433 403 283 435 373 403 239 239 239 239 239 219 239 239 239 239 209 187 230 230 230 230 177 207 148 148 148 148 148 148 147 148 128 205 205 205 205 118 148 171 119 150 88 118 175 118 41 75 53 18 79 Abraham journeys through Canaan to Egypt, “ rescues Lot from captivity,.............. “ intercedes for Sodom,................. Isaac bom,.................................. Abraham tempted to oiler Isaac,............ Isaac marries Rebekah,...................... Jacob and Esau born,........................ “ buys Esau’s birthright.................. “ by a lie steals Esau’s blessing,....... “ marries Leah,.......................... Jacob’s Sons by Leah, his first wife:— Sons by Bilhah, Rachel’s hand- j maid:— I Sons by Zilpah, Leah’s han 1-maid :— Sons by Rachel, his second and favorite wife:— Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebuinn, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, I Joseph, I Benjamin, Jacob, with his family, emigrates to Egypt,. “ dies, at the age of 147 years,........ bom, Gen. 12:2-20 1918' “ 14 “ 18 1910 “ 21:1-5 1898 “ 22:1-14 1892 “ 24:67 1860 “ 25 : 24-26 1853 “ 25:29-34 1821 “ 27:6-24 17<0 “ 29 1760 1739 “ 29:32 1732 “ 29:33 1729 “ 29:34 1729 “ 29:35 “ 30:18 1716 “ 30:19 1729 1729 “ 30:6 1720 “ 30:8 1718 “ 30:11 1715 30:13 “ 30:23,24 35:18 1707 1707 . “ 46 . “ 49:33 1635 Abraham returns to Canaan and divides with Lot, < Ishmael born,................... Abraham removes to Gerar,....... Hagar and Ishmael exiled,....... Sarah dies, being 127 years of age Abraham marries Ke tn rah,..... “ dies, being 175 years of agq Isaac blesses Jacob instead of Esau Jacob goes to Laban in Baran.... “ leaves Laban,............... “ goes to Bethel, thence to Epnrath, where Rachel dies,... “ goes to Mature, lives with Isaac 13 years,............. Isaac then dies,................ Joseph sold to the Ishmaelites,. “ “ “ Potiphar,........... Gen. 13 » 14:15,16 “ 20 21:9-21 ! “ 23.1,2 “ 25:1 ■ “ 25:5-10 i “ 27:26-29 “ 29;29:1- “ 30 35:19 imprisoned,................. interprets the dreams of the chief butler and baker,....... interprets the two dreams of Pharoah,...................... is exalted to chief ruler of Egypt......................... brethren’s first visit,..... “ second visit,... makes himself known, and sends for his father,......... dies, aged 110 years........ “ 35:27 “ 35 : 28,29 “ 37:28 “ 37:36 “ 39:20 40 41:1-36 41:37-45 42 43 45 50:26 52 THE YOUTH’S INSTRUCTOR. Vol. 36, No. 11. WHO GOES A-SOWING 1 6^)HO goes a-sowlng ? Who with patient, hand Is throwing, for growing, His seed on the land— Seed to strike through, lad, To live and not die? ’Tis I, lad, and you, lad, ’T is you, lad, and I; There’s sowing, and growing, And reaping by and by. What is the seed, lad, We scatter far and wide, In walking and talking, At work and fireside’' Good seed or ill, lad ? Fair grain or weeds? Our deeds, words, and will, lad, Our will, words, and deeds; There’s rooting and fruiting, Though haply no one heeds. When comes the reaping— When each with joy or moan. Is heaping and keeping The crop that he has sown ?— The crop of joy or sorrow, The sheaves piled thick and high? One harvest’s to-morrow, And one by and by, When angels are the reapers, For the garner in the sky. —From "Little Folks." For the Instructor. GENIE'S SECRET. SECRET is something that but few persons know, and ] ought not to be told to every * one. We all have our secrets and if we don’t want everybody to know them, we have to be very careful to whom we tell them. It is only to our truest friends that we tell our secrets. The little girl in the picture is telling hers to grandma. With a face beaming with happiness, she ran into the room saying,— “0 grandma!” “■What is it, dear?” said the lady. “I’ve something so good to tell you, if you’ll promise never to tell —till I say you may.” “ Of course any secret that is left with grandma is good enough to keep, and so Genie Stevens put her mouth close to grandma’s ear, and whispered the whole story. Genie and Georgia Stevens were the only children of kind parents. They were good little girls, and because papa and mamma made them such a pleasant home, they, in turn, tried to please their parents. It wastheirdelighttoplanpleasantsurprisesfor them. They loved to do up their own work sooner than it was expected of them, and then, unbeknown to papa and mamma, perform some of their duties; and in many other ways they were on the lookout to bring pleasure into the family. Genie’s secret was a surprise that she and Georgia had planned for mamma’s birthday. Papa had been let into the secret, and now that they had told grandma, and the thing pleased her, there was to be a busy time at the home of the Stevens family. Papa was to take mamma away on the cars to be gone over uight juid until noon the next day, when he was to come home and find all the family friends seated at the table, to celebrate mamma’s birthday. The little girls, with grandma's and auntie’s help, had planned and made all the preparations, not forgetting to twine an extra garland of flowers about mamma’s place at the table. As mammaentei ed theroom upon her return, and saw all that had been done during her short absence, and learned how it all came about, she was indeed surprised. But what surprised and pleased her most was to read the pretty note attached to a small box that lay by the side of her napkin. These are the words: “Dear mamma, please accept this trifling gift as a token of your daughters’ best affections. A more costly gift we might have bought with money saved from our allowance of spending money; but the Lord has the first claims upon us, and, as you have instructed us, we have reserved the greater part for him.” Mamma assured her loving daughters that the richest gift money could bestow would not make her so happy as the wise course they had pursued in making her a birthday gift. Do you, little friends, like Genie and Georgia, sometimes make happy surprises for papa and mamma? It is right to trust such secrets with grandma, or some other good and wise 'person who will advise you and help you; but aside from this, nothing should be kept from your parents. Much evil has been the result when little boys and girls have kept secrets from parents and guardians. And it most always happens, too, that, when it is too late, these boys and 1 girls are sorry for having done so. They have fre-pquently been heard to say, ‘Ohl if father and mother ’ had known all, I should have been saved this trouble.” “If I had told them my secrets, and followed their advice, I need not now be so miserable.” To listen to the secret of another, when it is what would make you blush to tell father or mother, is an evil practice too. Those who would “keep themselves pure,” as Timothy advises, should listen to no secrets that they would be ashamed to tell their parents. But however much one may hide from his parents, there is One from whom he can keep nothing secret; for “the eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good; ” and he has said, “ There is nothinghid, that shall not be known; ” and that he will “bring into judgment every secret thing.” So, as we can keep nothing secret from the Lord, let us have no secrets that will cause us to blush if repeated in presence of our purest-minded friends. M. J. C. AIL FOR THE LORD. ‘^"’O little eyes to look to God; Two little ears to hear his word; Two little feet to walk his ways; Hands to serve him all my days; One little tongue to speak his truth; One little heart for him now in my youth;— Take them, Jesus, let them be Always willing, true to thee. Cora L. Lewis sends a letter from Alexandria Co., Va. She says: “Since I wrote my last letter, we have moved.to within about five miles of Washington, D. C. When I wrote last, 1 was thirteen years old; now I am fifteen. We did not have any Sabbath-school but a family school until we came here, but now we have a school of about thirty or thirty-five members. We attend every Sabbath when the weather is good. I study in Book No. 3. I like my teacher very well. I am glad we are where we can attend Sabbath-school and meetings. I like to read the nice pieces in the Instructor. We live about half a mile from day school, where I went until it got so muddy we could not go. My sister teaches at home now. I have been keeping the Sabbath with my father and mother about ten : years. From where we live we can see the Capital of the United States, the Washington monument, and । the Potomac River. I am glad we are so near the city. I have been in the President’s house, but I have never seen the President. I have been way up in the top of the Capitol building. I think it is so pretty there. I hope you will pray for hie. that I may be saved when Jesus comes.” Alice M. Houslor, of Cameron Co., Pa., writes: “I have often thought I would write to the Budget. For many years I have been parted from my mother, have not lived with her since I was fifteen months old, till I came to live with her last April, lam now fourteen years old. Ibelieved the Methodist faith until I came here; but now I have found the truth, and want to keep it, God helping me. I hope all the other boys and girls will too. I am trying to lead others in the right way. I believe the Lord brought me here, where I might learn his truth. There are only six members in our Sabbath-school. Ma is a Sabbath-keeper, but pa is not.” The next letter is from Grundy Co.. Mo., and reads: “I am a little girl ten years old. My name is Eno Bowles. I have no sister. I have one brother, but he is married, and lives on a farm. We live in town. I keep the Sabbath, and go to Sabbath-school regularly. I study in Book No. 3. Mamma gave me an old hen and nine little chickens. I hope to earn some money with them, and then I am going to givesome of it to the missions. I take the Instructor, and like it much. I love to read the letters. I am trying to be a good girl, and hope to be saved.” Eleanore and Louisa KinDiG, aged ten and eight years, write as follows from Chicago: “We redd the Instructor every week, espe-i cially the letters. Our mamma goes with us to Sabbath-school every , week. We study in Book No. 3. We did some missionary Work before Christmas. We made some ironingholders, and crocheted some dollies’ sacks and caps, and then we went around and sold them, and ________________ in this way we made $3.35 for the African Mission. We are trying to be good girls, so we can meet you all in the new earth.” The next letter was written at the Greeley, Colorado, camp-meeting, last fall, by William Barrensheen. He says: “I am twelve years old. I go to the Sabbath-school which is held at our camp-meeting. We all enjoy the meeting. There is a large crowd of interested people out every night. I live in Arapahoe Co. I have a brother ten years of age, and we both study in Book No. 4. We are all trying to obey the commandments, so we may have a home in the new earth.” We ¥euTjr$ Wwcwi? IS PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY THE S. D. A. PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION, Battle Creek, Mich. Mrs. M. J. CHAPMAN, Miss WINNIE E. LOUGHBOROUGH, EDITORS. The Instructor is an illustrated, four-page sheet, especially adapted to the use of Sabbath-schools. Terms always in advance. Single copy, .... 75 cts. a year. 5 copies to one address, . . . 60 cts. each. 10 or more copies to one address, 50 cts. each. Address, YOUTH’S INSTRUCTOR, Battle Creek, Mich., Or, PACIFIC PRESS, Oakland, California.