THE CHRISTMAS TREE.*
(REV. xxii. 2; see also, PROV. iii. 13–18.)
THE trees of the garden
Have often been sung,
And still let their praises
Around us be rung.
The oak and the chestnut,
The pine and the beech,
And all the deep wild wood,
There's glory in each.
But chiefest among them,
And dearest, shall be
The beautiful boughs of
The fair Christmas Tree!
It blooms in the winter,

When others are bare;
Sure none in the dark days
With it may compare.
Ah! say, doth a river

Its deep roots supply
With life from a Giver
Whose source is on high?
Its leaves are" for healing,"
Its fruits ever free;
Oh, King of the trees is
Our fair Christmas Tree !

By Mr. JOSEPH FEARN, author of Rhymes on the Pentateuch," &.

REMARKABLE ELECTRICAL

DISCOVERY.

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APPLICATIONS of electricity are not only making rapid progress in every part of Europe, but also in the southern hemisphere. There come, indeed, from Otago, New Zealand, details of an invention as marvellous as any yet recorded in the annals of electrical science.

Mr. Gilbert, in a recent address, told his audience that it was now proved to be possible to convey, by means of electricity, vibrations of light-not only to speak with your distant friend, but actually to see him.

The electroscope-the name of the instrument which enabled to do thiswas the very latest scientific discovery; and to Dr. Guidrah, of Victoria, belonged the proud distinction of being its inventor and perfecter.

Mr. Gilbert stated that a trial of this wonderful instrument had taken place at Melbourne, in the presence of some forty scientific and public men, and that it had been a great success. Sitting in a dark room, they saw projected on a large disc of white burnished metal, the racecourse at Flemington, with its myriad of active beings. Minute details stood out with perfect fidelity to the original, and, as they looked at the wonderful picture through binocular glasses, it was difficult to imagine that they were not actually on the course itself, and moving among those whose actions they could so completely

scan.

BIBLE ENIGMA.

THOSE who are by Jesus fed;
What one was said to be indeed;
A place where Jesus often went ;
A tree by which sweet peace is meant;
A person whom we ought to love,
As by God's own command we prove.
My initials form an Apostle's name,
My finals also do the same.

HELEN MATHER.

A FEW WORDS TO OUR READERS, AT THE CLOSE OF THE YEAR.

EAR YOUNG FRIENDS,-We are now near the close of another year, and we present to you our last bundle of gleanings for 1883. Time is constantly rolling on, and we are being carried down the stream. Hitherto we are spared in life. Oh, that we may be found "saved in the Lord"! Many have been taken away by death, and we trust that some of our former readers, who during the year have been called to exchange time for eternity, have entered the kingdom of heaven, and are now "for ever with the Lord." Let each one ask the question, "How would the case have stood with me if I had been called to die? Am I saved? Have I been brought to repentance before God, and to exercise faith in Jesus, whose blood alone can take away my sin, and give me peace with God?" If you have been thus blest, you are in a happy case; and, if you are seeking forgiveness, and are hungering and thirsting for Christ, you are encouraged by God's Word to wait upon and for Him who has promised that all such shall be satisfied. But oh, if you are still in your sins, may the Lord in mercy quicken your soul, and bring you down at His feet a true penitent, crying, "God be merciful to me a sinner!"

We feel great pleasure in labouring for the good of our many thousands of readers, and we are glad to find that the GLEANER is a growing favourite among them. We have also been much encouraged by testimonies from some to whom friends have introduced the GLEANER and SOWER, proving how highly they are appreciated wherever they are known by lovers of Bible truth, and such as desire the good of the young and of their fellow-men.

We now ask you to help to spread both the Magazines, by letting others see them, and by presenting one where you think it

will be introducing them to those who do not read them. One friend sent us word that in almost every case where she showed the Magazines she got a new subscriber. We wish all our readers would try this plan; and any of our young friends who can succeed in obtaining a number of new subscribers, if they will communicate with us, shall obtain an acknowledgment according to merit.

We shall still labour to make the GLEANER increasingly attractive and useful, and we pray that the Lord may crown our efforts with His divine blessing. We hope shortly to give you all a New Year's greeting; and the Lord grant that we may, when life shall end, meet in heaven. THE EDITOR.

BOYCOTTING NO NEW THING.

:

"HE caused all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads and that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark” (Rev. xiii. 16, 17). As this device of Popery is not so generally understood as some others, I adduce the following authorities to prove it-The Council of Lateran, under Pope Alexander III., has a severe canon against the Waldenses and Albigenses. It anathematises any one "who should receive or cherish them in his house, or have traffic with them." The Synod of Tours, under the same Pope, commands that no one "should receive or assist these heretics, or hold any communion with them in selling or buying, that so, being deprived of the comforts of life, they may be compelled to repent of the error of their way." Also Pope Martin V., in his bull issued after the Council of Constance, enjoins upon his people that they should not allow "the heretics to have houses in their districts, or to enter into any contracts, or carry on commerce, or enjoy the comforts of humanity with Christians."

ANSWERS TO BIBLE QUESTIONS ON THE BOOK OF PROVERBS. CHAPTERS XX. TO END.

I. He that loveth pleasure (xxi. 17). 2. Wine (xxiii. 32).

3. The words of a talebearer (xxvi. 22). 4. The eye of him that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother (xxx. 17).

[Lessons and Examples from the above Questions.]

1. "Those who love pleasure spend more upon it than they can afford, and so make themselves poor." "We should not waste our time in vain amusements and pleasures, but spend it in useful employment." "Those who waste their time in pleasure never obtain the blessing of the diligent. "Idleness, selfishness, and ungodliness are the chief characteristics of a lover of pleasure." "'Tis religion that can give sweetest pleasures."-R. Chaplin, C. Parsons, E.J. Collins, W. Burton, J. Knopp, M. Knopp, A. Smith, S. J. Scott, M. W. Davies, A. E. Wright, E. Giddins.

2. "We should shun all intoxicating drinks as we would a serpent, for both leave a deadly poison when they bite." "The stings of a guilty conscience for the sin of drunkenness are like the bite of a serpent." "As the serpent caused the fall of Adam and Eve, so wine has caused the fall of many.' "It is a good thing for young people when they are kept from both the taste and sight of it." "If we never taste wine we shall never be bitten by it." "As 'wine is a mocker,' we should keep far away from it." "More have been killed by wine than by serpents." "Wine, like a serpent, often poisons the blood and destroys the life of man when it bites."-M. Knopp, C. Parsons, E. J. Collins, J. Knopp, R. Chaplin, A. Smith, S. J. Scott, E. Giddins, W. Burton.

3. We should keep from gossiping, especially about other people, for we are

281

very apt to say some things we ought not to say. We should avoid speaking evil of any one, whether it be truth or not." "We should never even whisper evil things of others.” “A talebearer is always a mischief-maker." "Talebearers are mostly story-tellers." [Talebearers are like the town dust-carts; they are filled with everybody's rubbish.]—A. M. Wright, S. J. Scott, J. Knopp, R. Chaplin, E. J. Collins, C. Parsons, M. Knopp.

"Our

4. "Disrespect and ingratitude to parents is a grievous sin, and will surely be punished." "God commands us to honour our parents, and if we despise them, we shall suffer for it." "Those who disregard their parents often come to a bad end." "God's blessing attends those that honour their father and mother." parents do much for us before we can help ourselves, and we ought to return their kindness." [Those who will not see their duty to their parents, and shut their eyes to God's commands, are often punished with mental blindness and spiritual hardness.]-M. Knopp, E. Giddins, W. Burton, M. W. Davies, J. Knopp, C. Parsons, A. Smith, S. J. Scott, A. M. Wright.

[As some of our young readers have given very good answers to many of the Bible Questions, we purpose substituting subjects for questions during next year, and we shall be pleased to insert the best papers which may be received month by month; but the writers must remember and write as briefly as possible, as the space will be very limited. We hope to give the first subject in our January number.-ED.]

YOUR character cannot be essentially injured except by your own acts.

HATH any wronged thee? Be bravely revenged. Slight it, and the work's begun; forgive it, and it is finished. He is below himself that is not above an injury.— Quarles.

AT Oswaldtwistle, a man has died penniless, who four years ago received a legacy of £1,500. He spent £8 a week in drink until his money was all gone.

MONSTER GOLDEN CARP.-A remarkable specimen of the golden carp was recently taken from the Thames at Wallingford. It was a splendid fish, measuring 30 inches in length, 22 inches in girth, and weighing 20 lb.

THE annual amount spent in drink on an average for ten years is £136,000,000, while the amount raised in connection with all the churches and chapels of the kingdom does not exceed £20,000,000 a year. The £136,000,000 spent in drink would pay, not only the rent of all the houses in the United Kingdom, from the Queen's Castle to the poor cabin of the Irish peasant, but also the rent of every farm, and would still leave £1,000,000 for other purposes.

SEVERAL months ago a Boston lady took off a number of rings, one of which was a fine diamond. After washing her hands, and returning to her dressing case, she was surprised to find the diamond ring gone. The house was searched from bottom to top, and finally the jewel was given up as lost. A few nights ago three mice were caught in an old-fashioned choke trap, and around the body of one the ring was found as bright and sparkling as

ever.

A CENTENARIAN INDEED.-The Lancet says that, at Aubérine-en-Royans, a village in the Dauphiné, situated between Valence and Grenoble, may be seen an old woman living in a hut, in a narrow street, who has reached the extraordinary age of 123 years. She has no infirmity except slight deafness, being in full possession of her mental faculties. Her age, as given above, is authentic, and, according to her marriage certificate, she completed in January last her 100th year since marriage. The old lady was a "cantinière" under the First Empire, and had two sons killed at the battles of Friedland, and in Spain. She is supported entirely on the alms given her by visitors, who go from great distances to see her as an object of curiosity, and her neighbours help her to do her household work. She lives almost exclusively on soup made with bread, to which is added a little wine, and sometimes a little brandy. Dr. Bonne, who practices in the neighbourhood, states that she is never ill. Her skin is like parchment, but she is comparatively upright, and is of scrupulously clean habits.

MR. TAPPER, of the Railway Hotel, Wimborne, has a dog named Dash, which is in the habit of carrying coppers in his mouth-when any are given him-and depositing them with the barmaid behind the counter, in return for which he receives a biscuit. The coppers thus given the dog have been put by in a box, and counted up yearly for the past five years. The fifth year was completed on Thursday, and the total amount earned by this "lucky dog" during that period is £28 12s. 6d.

WILD ANIMALS IN INDIA.-An official paper states that the number of wild animals killed in the Madras Presidency during 1882 was 2,055, which largely exceeded the number of the previous year, which was only 1,420. The items were composed of three elephants, 278 tigers, 1,208 panthers and leopards, 215 bears, 24 wolves, 289 hyænas, 41 not named. The wolves form a rather unpleasant feature in the list, as 1,714 cattle were killed by them, and the Government complains that only 24 were got rid of in 1882, against 26 in 1881. They do not, however, attack human beings, as leopards and panthers do, though in Northern India they sometimes carry off children. Elephants are not now allowed to be destroyed, except under special circumstances. One was shot in the district of Coimbatore, which had been for some time a source of danger to the villagers and their crops, and a reward of Rs.200 was granted, and the tusks allowed to be retained as a trophy. The number of persons killed by wild animals and snakes is still very largeviz., 1,195-although there is a slight diminution on the record of the previous year, which was 1,302. The number killed by elephants was five, tigers 206, panthers and leopards 28, bears 11, other animals 25, snakes 920, though there is little doubt but that the deaths from snake bites are in reality far more numerous. The number of cattle destroyed was 9,703, against 8,938 in 1881, tigers having accounted for 3,271, leopards for 3,839, and wolves for 1,714. No less than 176 persons met their deaths by tigers in the one district of Vizaga. patam, and the Government offered rewards of Rs. 100 for every tiger. The Board of Revenue is dissatisfied with the present rate of payment, and observes that, at the very moderate estimate of Rs.20 a head, the 9,703 cattle destroyed by wild beasts represents a loss to the cultivators of about two lakhs of rupees, or between four and five times as much as the Government has expended in the destruction of these animals, and this loss is calculated to be annually recurrent.