to the accomplishment of "his act, his strange act," long foretold by Isaiah (28: 21), and by John who wrote: "I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven,. having the everlasting gospel to preach to them that dwell on the earth."-Rev. 14:6.

The terrible thirty years' civil war involved all Europe; but our story has only to do with Germany-though like causes produce like effects, a hatred of oppression and iniquity, austerity in life, and a strictness in training of their children that had never before, nor has since obtained. All of this was a part of Heaven's thought, for out from among all nations God was to gather a people.

Among the early converts to Luther's reform movement in Southern Germany was a family whom we will name Waldville. The children of this family were born and brought up under circumstances like those we have narrated. They suffered with their brethren throughout that period of blood and strife, often knowing no home but such retreats as for the time being offered a hiding place from the faggot and the sword. No wonder that sternness and austerity should characterize the children of such training, nor that its effects should be noticed on the lives of children born centuries after. The laughter and frolic that make the period of innocent youth so sweet were unknown in the forest home of the Waldvilles. The solemn hush of those who expect evil tidings was ever present, too often fulfilled when the messenger with blanched cheeks came to tell them of some fresh victim to the stake. Then would be heard echoing from hut and cave that triumphant and prophetic song of Luther's, so often sung in those times:

"No! No! their ashes shall not die,
But born to every land;

Where e'er their sainted dust shall lie,
Up springs a holy band."

As often as they could safely do so, the hunted ones would come together to seek relief in prayer and to stay each other on the word of God, the promises of which grew more precious to them by every drop of blood consecrated to them. With loftiest faith they claimed the fulfillment of Jesus' words to Mary and Martha: "He that beleiveth on me, though he were dead, yet shall he live." Then with softened and saddened hearts, but with unfaltering trust they would sing:

"Just as God leads me I would go; I would not ask to chose my way; Content with what he will bestow,

Assured he will not let me stray. Just as God leads I am content;

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I rest me calmly in his hands;
That which he has decreed and sent,
That which his will for me commands,
I would that he should all fulfill,
That I should do his gracious will
In living or in dying.
Just as God leads, I all resign;

I trust me to my Father's will;
When reason's ways deceptive shine,
His counsel would I yet fulfill;
That which his love ordained is sight,
Before he brought me to the light,
My all to him resigning.

Just as God leads me I abide;
In faith, in hope, in suffering true;
His strength is ever by my side?
I hold me firm in patience, knowing
That God my life is still bestowing,
The best in kindness sending.
Just as God leads, I onward go,
Oft amid thorns and briars between,
God does not yet his guidance show,

But in the end it will be seen

How by a loving Father's will,

Faithful and true, He leads me still." *

Can faith and trust mount higher than this? "Blessed are they who having not seen, yet have believed."

God did not to them his guidance show, but we can begin to trace it now in letters of gold.

The intolerance of Ferdinand II. at length cost him his crown; but the work of persecution was continued by his son and successor, Ferdinand III. until, finally, peace was restored and religious toleration granted to the Protestants. But toleration, from a Catholic point of view, simply means to let alone what they can not hinder. There was no protection guaranteed, while freedom of opinion in religious matters continued to be denounced by Papists; so that the condition of the German Protestants did not improve greatly. About the year 1730 large bodies of them quitted their native land and sought a home in Pennsylvania; for they had heard that Wm. Penn's Quaker government granted civil and religious liberty to all menprinciples inborn and bred in the blood of our refugees. For thirty years the Protestants had fought for these principles in Europe, with what results we have seen; but the conflict was not yet over; it was to be resumed on this side of the water; and many of those who had borne arms in defense of them in the old countries

* Lampertus, 1524. German Trust Song.

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were the first to bear them again when those principles became the issue in the war of the American Revolution. Here, thank God, they were successful, as it was among God's purposes that those principles should be established on this land.

If the history of these United States had been chronicled with the same faith in God shown by Moses in writing the history of his people, it would have been told how the Lord prepared the hearts of the people through persecution to willingly seek a home in the land prepared by him for their reception, just as truly as were the Israelites prepared by their hardships in Egypt to brave the dreary desert for freedom and Canaan.

In one of those emigrant companies that we have mentioned, were two young men, William and Philip Waldville. They settled among others of their faith, a few miles from Philadelphia-the place is now within the city. Both were men of high piety, also of patriotism. Philip was a minister, honored and beloved, and lived to see freedom, the birthright of Americans, established. He left two sons, Maurice and Joseph, whom he educated himself, and both of whom became able ministers of the Lutheran faith. Up to this period the family boasted of pure German descent. They had been men of scholarship, and ministers in the reform. With the marriage of Maurice a new element entered the family.

Gretchen Dieman came with her parents from Holland, where she was born and brought up. Her parents were Prussians, but had lived many years in Holland. They were disciples of Calvin, and Gretchen had been trained as strictly in that faith and doctrine as had been Maurice in those of Luther. They spoke the language of the North, which is quite different from High German. The latter was as unintelligible to Gretchen as was English. Love laughs at difficulties however, and Maurice found that he could tell his love in Low German as well as in the dialect made classic by Luther's translation of the Bible; and good Gretchen was glad to make him happy on condition that he would always address her in her own tongue, and not compel her to learn his -an agreement that was faithfully kept. As for her religion, ah well! they had not thought of woman's rights then; and the married woman, especially the wife of a

German, had no individuality. She was expected to identify herself wholly with her husband; it was considered his right, and her opinions were of no account. So the numerous family born to Maurice and Gretchen were christened, i. e., sprinkled into the Lutheran, instead of the Presbyterian Church. Gretchen did not repine at this. It was to her a matter of course, and she never thought that it should be different; though I think she always remained faithful in heart to her faith; for after her husband's death and she was no longer bound by this law, though she was quite old, she returned to the Presbyterians', the religious faith of her youth. Industrious and patient, she toiled hard and uncomplainingly to help the poor minister to provide for their large family. The writer has seen the family record of this couple. It contained the names of fourteen children, written in a very neat hand in German. The twelfth name was Philip Joseph; probably named in honor of his grandfather and uncle, at any rate, he seems to have inherited all of the family predilection for books and thirst for study. The family were all educated at the English schools of the country. Young Philip was looked upon, in the family, as the probable successor of his father in the pulpit; he was a natural orator, and the pride of the family.

But the faithful father was called home while Philip was yet a lad; and the broken down mother was an invalid, which she continued to be for the rest of her life.

I do not know what minister's salaries were in those days; but the Waldvilles were very poor, and the children went out into the world to earn their own and their mother's support, Philip with the rest. He was apprenticed to a trade, and served his time, taking every opportunity for study meanwhile.

While still quite young he was offered a situation as teacher in a school. He relinquished this to seek a home in the great North-west Territory. But we soon find him teaching school a little south of Painesville, in Ohio. This brings us to about the year 1827.

We will now glance at the religious condition of the people.

It is a little over three hundred years since the beginning of the Reformation, and darkness again covers the earth, but its causes are quite different.

To be continued.

CHILDREN WHO ASK.

Mrs. Mary C. Hungerford has some wise words in Our Country Home about answering the boys. Children, both boys and girls, ask all manner of questions just because they are curious and want to know. The child that does not ask questions must be lacking in intelligence, and the gist of Mrs. Hungerford's advice is that the mother should not be ashamed to candidly own her ignorance when unable to answer some puzzling query. Evasive answers are denounced on the ground that "a child's clear eyes soon see through its mother's thinly veiled pretense of being too busy or too sick, and then he has to learn that she not only is not able to give the information he seeks, but stoops to deceit to cover her inability. The boy who finds out that his mother's lips can utter a word that is not strictly true, is to be pitied, but his mother is more to be pitied." A suggestion follows to the effect that mother might get their children to help them more at the household work, and in turn all would learn something, and an era of mutual helpfulness would set in, I cordially commend the idea. Mothers, and fathers, too, are far too much addicted to the habit of checking the wholesome spirit of inquiry and investigation in their children, which is a mark of a healthy mind. If ignorant on any point, look it up. If possible, let the child look it up with you. Then talk over the matter in the household, so that it may be permanently impressed on the minds of all. All lawful questions should be encouraged.

THE MOUNTAIN BROOK.

Away up among the mountains a tiny spring burst out. It trickled along almost silently at first, but it met another and another little spring, and, rolling together down the mountain side, they tumbled over a rock and spread into a dancing, singing, glistening brook.

Stillness and shadow around as yet, only a little nook wherein to play, the brook-spirit longed for more sunlight and wider scope. The breezes whispered to her of broad lakes embosomed among wooded hills-of deep, blue rivers flowing through wide meadow-lands-of

the vast oceans gathering them all home at last to herself. Could she do and be nothing beyond her present life? The shadows deepened and she sang less cheerily.

A robin flew down to drink of the clear water, and then, perching on a green bough above, trilled forth its happy song. Squirrels and rabbits leaped along through the rustling grass to her side, and went away refreshed and glad. The merry little minnows darted to and fro in her shallow basin, happy through her; for even their life was dependent on the home and supply she gave them.

The ferns and grasses in their fresh greenery, gold-crowned cowslips and buttercups, tiny pearlflowers and blue violets bloomed beside her, giving fragrance and beauty in return for her benison of life and growth; and the gold sun-. shine threw its mantle of blessing over one and all. It silvered her tiny waves more and more, as, flowing on contentedly, she bathed the roots of a young cherry tree.

And then the brook noted that none of these lived to themselves alone. The tree gave its fruit to the birds, and afforded quiet, shaded resting places for their nests. The birds brooded and fed their little ones. The rabbits and squirrels were busy carrying home food to their families. The elder, which bloomed beside her, gave its blossoms to make tea for a sick child, as she learned from the talk of two little girls who came for them. She was restless, they said, and it would sooth her to sleep. All were busy, all contented.

The brook had learned her lesson. She rippled gladly on, bearing health and freshness to all she touched. knowing not how beautiful was the melody she sang, but making her way more and more out of the shadows and into the sunlight. Another and another brook met her on course through rolling meadows, golden in sunshine.

Onward, ever onward, active and cheery, she flowed, bearing blessings wherever she went and reflecting the sunlight of heaven. Far back amid mountain solitudes and shady woods the little brook could still be traced; but a deep, calm, broad river rolled through meadow-lands and between shores of changing scenery-forest, field, and hill, aud happy human homes.

CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS.

Christmas stars of six points surrounded by circles; stars of eight points with tiny stars between the points, and a large central shield showing a text in greens; and stars composed of two overlying triangles with central cross are the appropriate stars for Christmastide. These may have foundations of gold or be composed entirely of greens, or greens and colored foundations. Black spruce forms handsome stars. A figure composed of a center circle, to the edges of which four triangles are attached at the apex, and between the triangles spruce boughs, the four boughs radiating from the circle, is very ornamental. A bow and quiver of spruce boughs is also a pretty wall decoration.

Dados are made of laurel leaves and lycopodium and spruce consists of festoons, each one of which contains a spruce branch pointing upwards. The festoons are bordered above and below with straight bands of the green. Spruce and lycopodium re preferable to hemlock for decorative uses, as the latter is not lasting. Long garlands of holly, bright with berries, are also beautiful for decoration.

The use of an irridescent material, called "Flitter," with wh ch sprays of ground pine, cedar, box and grasses are coated, produces a brilliant effect. This material comes tinted with crimson, purple, blue, yellow-in fact, boxes are put up containing twenty colors, bright and durable. All that is necessary in its use is to apply a thick coat of the medium, and before it has time to dry, dust it thoroughly with the flitter powder, using only one color, or mixing several to produce various tints. Sprigs of leaves and wreathes are made gay with this irridescence.

Heads of wheat and oats can be mixed with evergreens with good effect. Dried grasses can be made useful in working out some of the smaller designs. Mountain ash and bittersweet berries are charming when used in evergreen wreathing. If they are not to be obtained, the seed clusters of the sumach make good substitutes. If you have autumn leaves in considerable quantities, they will work in charmingly with whatever may be used as the foundation of your decorative work. To use nothing but evergreens gives the place you use them in a somewhat somber look, and touches of bright color are needed to produce a more cheerful tone, and one more fitting to the season. If clusters of leaves or berries are placed wherever festoons of evergreens are fastened against the walls, she general effect will be vastly more pleasing than it would be if they were not used.

For the pulpit nothing is prettier, especially by lamplight, than crystallized grasses used liberally against a background of evergreen. They sparkle like gems, and suggest natural frostwork. A most beautiful effect can be produced by making the words, "A Merry Christmas," with letters formed of these grasses against evergreen. The background can be made on a strip of cloth of whatever width is thought desirable, covered with ground pine and hemlock. These are better for such purposes than ordinary pine or

cedar. This cloth can be suspended back of the pulpit or stage, and when the light falls on the letters they will seem to be formed from bits of icicles, As the grasses are brittle and easily broken after being crystallized, it is well to make each letter on a foundation of pasteboard and put it in place after the evergreen background has been hung up.

SNOW-SHOES.

The Norwegian "ski" is a snow-shoe, or rather a snow-skate, nine feet long, used y the Norwegians to glide down the hillsides when they are covered with snow. Great fun can be had with a pair of snow-shoes made on the same principle as the Norwegian skate, and it is little trouble to manufacture a pair from two barrel staves. After selecting a couple of straightgrained staves, score one end of each stave with grooves cut in the wood, either with your knife or a small gouge, so that little diamond shapes are formed by the lines crossing. Smear the end thickly with grease and hold it near a hot fire until you can bend it upward in a small curve, and bind it in such position with a cord until the wood retains the curve imparted. Make two blocks, each one inch broad and high enough to fit under the heels of your shoes; fasten the blocks on to the snow-skates by screws; at a proper distance in frout of the blocks fasten two straps securely. By slipping the toes of our shoes through the straps and allowing the hollow of the foot to rest over the blocks so that the heels of your shoes bear against the blocks, you can keep the shoes on your feet, and with the aid of a stick to steer by, go sliding down the coasting hill among the sleds and jumpers, creating as much fun for the others in your first attempts as you do for yourself; but with practice, skill can be acquired in the use of snow-skates.

PUZZLE PICTURES

Are suitable gifts for small children and are simply made. Select two colored pictures, of the same size, containing a variety of objects, such as would please a child, and paste them, one on each side of a sheet of stout cardboard. Use thick paste made of flour, and spread it over evenly and thinly. After placing the picture on the cardboard, lay a piece of white paper or a cloth over it and rub every wrinkle out; so that the picture adheres in every part, and is perfectly smooth. Taking care that no paste is on the outside, place the cardboard under heavy pressure till perfectly dry, and then with a sharp knife and a pair of scissors cut the cardboard into small irregular shaped pieces. Pack them in a fancy little box and tie with a bright ribbon.

We give a beautiful, simple experiment which may interest the amateur with the microscope. Upon a slip of glass put a drop of liquid auric chloride or argentic nitrate, with half a grain of metallic zinc in the auric chloride, and copper in the silver. A growth of exquisite gold and silver ferns will grow beneath the eye.