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righteous father, that wrought the good thing, one may not know: but turn away from the evil course he did; and now our chief concern is to know what "commandments," that is, what counsels would a father give to such a son, just snatched as a brand from the burning.

First of all, he begins by setting before Corianton the enormity of his sin; yet he approaches the subject skilfully, like the great teacher he is. His tone is gentle, for he is in sympathy with the young man, however much he may despise his sin

I have somewhat more to say to thee than what I said unto thy brother [Shiblon]: for behold, have ye not observed the steadiness of thy brother, his faithfulness, and his diligence in keeping the commandments of God? Behold, has he not set a good example for thee?

A noble exordium this, and worthy the matter to follow. Here we have a gentle reproof for the past, and an object lesson pointed out in the steadfastness of the elder brother; and when Alma exalted the quality of "steadfastness" as exhibited in the noble character of Shiblon, he probed to the very bottom of the weakness in Corianton's character. The father continues:

Thou didst not give so much heed unto my words as did thy brother, among the people of the Zoramites. Now this is what I have against thee; thou didst go on unto boasting in thy strength and thy wisdom. And this is not all, my son. Thou didst do that which was grievous unto me: for thou didst forsake the ministry, and did go over into the land of Siron, among the borders of the Lamanites, after the harlot Isabel; yea, she did steal away the hearts of many; but this was no excuse for thee, my son. Thou shouldst have tended to the ministry wherewith thou wast entrusted. Know ye not, my son, that these things are an abomination in the sight of the Lord; yea, most abominable above all sins, save it be the shedding of innocent blood, or denying the Holy Ghost? For behold, if ye deny the Holy Ghost when it once has had place in you, and ye know that ye deny it, behold, this is a sin which is unpardonable: yea, and whosoever murdereth against the light and knowledge of God, it is not easy for him to obtain forgiveness; yea, I say unto you, my son, that it is not easy for him to obtain a forgiveness. And now, my son, I would to God that ye had not been guilty of so great a crime. I would not dwell upon your crimes, to harrow up your soul; if it were not for your good. But behold, ye cannot hide

your crimes from God; and except ye repent, they will stand as a testimony against you at the last day. Now my son, I would that ye would repent and forsake your sins, and go no more after the lusts of your eyes, but cross yourself in all these things; for except ye do this, ye can in no wise inherit the kingdom of God. Oh, remember, and take it upon you, and cross yourself in these things.

This is a masterly probing of the young man's sin. No trifling here, yet how full of love is this "I would not dwell upon your crimes, to harrow up your soul, if it were not for your good"! And then the justification of this thoroughness of treatment"Ye cannot hide your crimes from God; and except ye repent, they will stand against you at the last day." What's the use of shuffling then? Be sure of it, God will not be mocked. A man's sin will find him out, here or hereafter, and if unatoned for, or unrepented of, the sinner must face and answer the just demands of God's moral law; there's no escape. "Some men's sins go beforehand to judgment, and some men they follow after," but come to judgment they will.

The whole of the father's indictment against the son, however, is not in yet. There are other evils and faults of character to be dealt with. This slip with Isabel is but an incident in his life-scarlet it may be, and a blotch that will remain a blotch, for what deep wound ever healed without a scar? Still, it is but an incident; and there yet remained in the young man the characteristics capable of producing another such incident, and yet another, until adown the steep sides of demoralization the young man might plunge to his utter ruin. The inclination to pride, selfsufficiency, arrogance, love of luxury which riches bring all this must be corrected, and hence, Alma continues:

And I command you to take it upon you to counsel your elder brothers in your undertakings; for behold, thou art in thy youth, and ye stand in need to be nourished by your brothers. And give heed to their counsel; suffer not yourself to be led away by any vain or foolish thing; suffer not the devil to lead away your heart again after those wicked harlots. Behold, O my son, how great iniquity ye brought upon the Zoramites: for when they saw your conduct, they would not believe in my words. And now the Spirit of the Lord doth say unto me, Command thy children to do good, lest they lead away the hearts of many

people to destruction; therefore I command you, my son, in the fear of God, that ye refrain from your iniquities; that ye turn to the Lord with all your mind, might, and strength; that ye lead away the hearts of no more to do wickedly; but rather return unto them, acknowledge your faults, and retain that wrong which ye have done; seek not after riches, nor the vain things of this world, for behold, you cannot carry them with you.

Are these principles of moral conduct, and these admonitions only truisms? Doubtless; but how forcibly are they here put! The multiplication table is a series of truisms, but what mighty results in calculations may be brought out by its employment! The daily bread is commonplace, but it nourishes the daily life and preserves it. I have no patience with those who seek to discount the value of moral precepts and the force of godly admonitions by the air-sniffing, sneering expressions-"platitudes," "commonplaces." Let not the youth of Zion who read these words allow such comments to rob the advice of Alma to Corianton of its beauty or its value.

(TO BE CONCLUDED IN SEPTEMBER ERA.)

A GENTLEMAN AND A SCHOLAR.

BY LEVI EDGAR YOUNG.

Yield thou not to adversity, but press on the more bravely.—Virgil.

True worth is in being not seeming,
In doing each day that goes by
Some little good-not in dreaming
Of great things to do by and by.
For whatever men say in blindness,

And spite of the fancies of youth,
There's nothing so kingly as kindness,
And nothing so royal as truth.

Alice Cary.

Ralph Waldo Emerson tells us that it is natural to believe in great men. This we cannot doubt. The lives of Luther, Caesar, Washington and Lincoln always inspire me to loftier thoughts and ambitions; and nowhere could we find a school boy who could not tell you of some one, or perhaps all, of these. Every one must have an ideal of some sort, be it high or low. Great men become our heroes and our stars to which we attach our energies. This is good. But few of us realize that we have. Washingtons, Lincolns and Luthers right about us, and never know it. It is very much like the school boy who is studying botany. He becomes acquainted with the scientific names of flowers found in the Mississippi valley or in some foreign part; yet he never sees the trees, plants and flowers of his own yard. Many people get the idea that greatness lies outside the circle of their friends; and unless they can become Washingtons, Deweys or Sampsons, they have but a small place in the world, and their personal influence will

be for little. True, each one is but a tiny atom in God's great world of society, and:

The gay will laugh

When thou art gone, the solemn brood of care

Plod on, and each one as before will chase

His favorite phantom.

But one thing is sure; each has his place in the world, each one can be a hero.

Some time ago, I became acquainted with a man who seemed to be my ideal. I think he must have been nearly sixty years of age. In physique, he was large, but for twelve years he had been an invalid through rheumatism. His hair and beard were snowy white, and often on my way to school, as I saw him by the window, he looked like some angel come to earth to soothe the cares of people. This man was a college graduate, having come out of Dartmouth in 1854. For many years he was a professor in one of the leading institutions in New England. During the last twelve years of his life, he was an invalid under the patient and loving care of his wife.

There was something divine in this man's nature. When one sat down with him, his influence was as sweet and gentle as a woman's. His was a polished character; but not given to formalities. His humbleness and simplicity in every word and act made an atmosphere of sweetness. In his "good-days," or in the shake of his hand, there was a sublime lesson of sincerity. When he spoke, he never upbraided Providence for his lot in life .In fact, I heard him speak but once of his affliction and that was when he told me of his life's history. His conversation was always affable and pleasant. He was an ideal scholar, and studied, and thought, and acted because he loved to do so. Not once did he question the world's opinion of him. History, science and art all formed subjects for conversation. And yet how happily he could laugh at real wit and humor! I have been told that he had many diplomas and college degrees, but he never flaunted these in the face of his friends, nor did he ever speak of his own learning. This man never prayed in public, nor did he ever cry aloud repentance and baptism, but his quiet unassuming way won souls unto Christ. One

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