land is located, and at the expiration of said period, the United States will convey the same by patent to the said Indian or his heirs as aforesaid, in fee discharged of said trust and free of all incumbrance whatsoever, and no contract by any such Indian, creating any charge or incumbrance thereon or liability of said land for payment thereof shall be valid." RICHARD T. BENTLEY.

Sandy Spring, Third mo. 5th, 1883.

A conference on education was held at Lombard Street Meeting House, Baltimore, Third month 10th, 1883, called by the Yearly Meeting's Committee on Education at its late meeting at Waterford, Virginia. The attendance was not large but a lively interest in the subject was manifested by those present, and the assurance was given that in nearly every part of the Yearly Meeting, active measures are being taken to promote the cause of education as comtemplated by the appointment of the committee.

Wm. W. Moore, suggests that some plan be adopted by which Friends in the different neighborhoods could obtain information as to the best mode of erecting school buildings. Friends at Sandy Spring are about to build a school-house, but find themselves embarrassed by a want of information on the subject of school architecture.

J. Edward Walker approved of the suggestion and thought we should have some central place where we could look for such information, and also for information concerning teachers, and thought perhaps Friends' Book Association, Philadelphia, might be made the headquarters for such purposes.

Eli M. Lamb said it required much experience and tact to conduct the work proposed, and described at some length the plan of operations of the Schermerhorn Agency.

Benjamin H. Miller thought Friends' Book Association might undertake the work as it appeared to be a matter of business for which adequate charges were made.

Joseph J. Janney suggested that the Central Committee be instructed to open correspondence with the Book Association to learn what can be done toward accomplishing the object desired.

Thomas H. Matthews favored this course and thought they should give their earliest attention to the matter. These subjects were accordingly so referred to the care of the Central Committee.

Shepherd Wood remarked that teachers who are Friends are in demand outside of our Society as well as in it, and that the demand is much greater than the supply.

Eli M. Lamb said he had tried to get teachers who were members of our Society to fill every

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position in his school, but thus far had been unable to do so, and that recently he had been applied to for aid in procuring three principals for Friends' schools and quite a number to fill subordinate positions. Some of these applications came from within Baltimore Yearly Meeting, and some from beyond our limits.

A valuable essay by J. Edward Walker, was read, and the united feeling was that itcontained too much of importance to allow it to rest with the comparatively small numberwho were present to hear it. A proposition was accordingly made to refer it to the Central Committee for revision and publication in pamphlet form for general circulation among the members of the Yearly Meeting.

Robert S. Haviland, of Chappaqua, New York, being present, remarked that he was glad to see the general interest on the subject. of education, which seemed to prevail within the limits of Baltimore Yearly Meeting, and that he was especially interested in the essay just read, which he would like to see circulated among their people where they perhaps needed some stirring up on this subject. He spoke of the Chappaqua Institute and other valuable schools among them, but said that the subject of education was not at present under the active care of their Yearly Meeting as it is with some others. He had noticed that in many cases where the children of those not members had attended Friends' schools they had become attached to Friends and their principles and often frequented their meetings. He thought the perpetuation of our Society depended largely upon our drawing others to us, for if we lack this power even our birth-right members will be attracted elsewhere.

The Conference then adjourned subject to E. B. the call of the Central Committee.

THE following is extracted from a letter written by the late David J. Griscom to his sister-in-law, when she was about leaving John Jackson's boarding school in 1843.

Thou art approaching now an important period of thy life; one at which thou art entering, as it were, on the wide world, to become responsible for thy own actions both to thy Creator and to thy fellow-beings. Heretofore much of the responsibility thou wert under to society rested on thy parents and sisters, but now thou art arrived at an age when it must be assumed by thyself. And as the All-wise Ruler of the universe has made nothing in vain, so He has allotted to thee a station of usefulness which He designs thee to fill, and which it now becomes thy duty to seek out. In order to do this thou must

Thy brother, D. J. G.

SCRAPS

search thy heart carefully, in doing which | finding it, and occupying it well. Thou rethou wilt find a monitor there that will direct memberest the parable of the servants to thee in the way thou shouldst go. It will whom were committed the several talents, lead thee, I believe, to consult thy parents and that to the faithful the blessings were and sisters as to the disposal of thy time and awarded; it is of universal application. If I the talents thy Creator has conferred upon am earnest, dear sister, in this matter, it is thee; and then it will shew thee a necessity because I am deeply impressed with its imto seek for a qualification to perform thy portance, and likewise deeply concerned for duties, altogether higher than any that natu- thy welfare. If thou wert a stranger to me, ral abilities, however cultivated by education, the mere circumstance of thy just entering can possibly furnish; this comes from above, among the busy scenes of life in the responand can only be obtained by petitioning Him sible character of a woman would be sufficient who rules on high, and who always gives to make me feel an interest in thee. With freely to those who ask aright. If thou dost true regard and affection, resolve on making this principle the guide of thy life, yielding implicit obedience to it, thou needst entertain no fear of earthly evil, nor ever doubt but that the arm of Omnipotence is outstretched for thy protection. It will secure to thee the friendship of One who will never forsake thee, and who will lead thee safely through the wilderness of this world, and give thee an inheritance in that which is beyond the grave. This is the secret of obtaining those treasures which "neither moth nor rust can corrupt nor thief break through and steal." Thou wilt be led by it step by step in the path of self-denial, and for every cross it imposes on thee, if thou shalt bear it faithfully, it will give thee a heavenly crown; it may sometimes require of thee what may seem difficult or painful to perform, but it will never require aught that it will not furnish thee strength to accomplish. But one thing I would impress on thee, when thou seest the path of duty plainly opened before thee, enter on it with a good will, and never doubtingly or with a faltering step. Nothing is so hard as to serve two masters, and the half-way Christian has the most difficult path in the world to tread; hence, whatever thou dost, do it with thy might; when thou puttest thy hand to the plow never look back at the consequences, but press onward to the mark ahead. Now, my dear sister, I feel deeply interested in thy starting aright from this new point in thy life, and would have thee consider it as that at which life's most important labors begin, do not be satisfied without making a proper use of thy talents and acquirements, such studies as may prove useful to thee in after life, pursue diligently, even after thy school term has expired. Having consulted with thy parents and sisters as to the proper use of thy time, take up the good resolution of performing thy part in the great human family, let that part be what it may, for as I have before said, beyond all doubt there is a place assigned thee in the providence of the great Ruler of the world, and thy earthly and heavenly happiness are dependent on thy |

FROM UNPUBLISHED LETTERS. OH! how hard it is to give all up, to deny ourselves, our friends, the world, for the sake of acknowledging Him, who is to be unto us in the place of every other treasure; but hard as it is, there will come to us a time when it must be done; the ways of the Most High are equal with all His children. In the days that are past He required it of our fathers that they should leave all to follow Him, and in these latter days, He does not require less of us. We are scarcely aware, I suppose, how little we know of the government of the Prince of Peace, how habitually we yield ourselves to the government of that power that is altogether of this lower world, and that has no kind of fellowship with the Gospel of Christ. These two powers are as distinct as light and darkness, and we must come to know them apart with the same certainty and if we would only give up more frequently to quietness and reflection, with hearts sincerely seeking to be taught of the Lord, we should soon experience our eyes to be opened and this important lesson learned. I believe there are few or none of us who may not remember seasons wherein we were made sensible that the Spirit of the Lord was upon us, when our confidence in our own strength and wisdom was entirely broken up, and we were prepared even more to renounce the world, and covenant to follow this Spirit wherever it would lead us.

As I look back over the past, sometimes I feel in very truth like a traveler on the road of life, as one that was to find no restingplace until he came to the end of his journey, to whom the things of life were like wayside objects that might be gazed at in passing, but not stopped by to enjoy. It is a comforting reflection when taking such a 'view of onr situation, that a Friend always accompanies

vider.

us, who under all circumstances will act as a | are not the experience of persons generally. sure guide and perfect protector and pro- Among thoughtful religious people we find an earnest desire to do the right on all occasions, not for the approbation of the world, but from the love of right and truth, and whose daily lives are kept pure by habitual aspiration to the Source of all good. Yet these cannot point to a time when they first experienced the second or spiritual birth.

FRIENDS' INTELLIGENCER. PHILADELPHIA, THIRD MO. 17, 1883. CORRECTION. In the notice of the last meeting of the Educational Committee under the head of "Local Information," the paragraph in reference to the action of Abington Meeting should read "Abington Monthly,' instead of "Quarterly Meeting." The mistake was made by the friend who reported the proceeding. Abington Quarterly Meeting has assumed no official responsibility whatever in the matter.

THE NEW BIRTH. A correspondent (S. Y. W.), whose essay is scarcely in shape for publication, comments upon the wellknown declaration of Jesus to Nicodemus: Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." The writer believes that an unwarranted application of this saying has, in individual cases, done harm, causing the zealous and self-confident who believe they have passed through the new birth to think themselves better than they are, while to the humble and self-distrustful, who have always endeavored to do the best they can, but who cannot believe that they have ever known the condition represented by a "new birth,” its effect is discouraging and depressing; the more so as this class of minds especially needs consolation and encourage ment. The obvious meaning of Jesus in using the figure of a "birth," was to teach Nicodemus that, as at birth he had been endowed with five senses, by which he could apprehend outward objects, so, if he would understand spiritual things, his spiritual faculties must also be made alive or born.

We presume the simple meaning of this text has, like other declarations of the Master, been obscured by being converted into a dogma. It is supposed to have reference to some miraculous change by which the individual is converted from a sensual or thoughtless course of life to a religious one. That such changes (apparently sudden) do take place, there is sufficient evidence, but they

Our friend alludes to some of the experiences of those who constantly endeavor to walk in the path of daily duty; that these are sometimes favored to feel their minds warmed and quickened by Divine Love, and in a sense of its pure and satisfying nature desire to dwell there continually. But this is not in the order of Divine Wisdom.

As

the night succeeds the day, and winter the summer, so these changes of feeling come and go without apparent cause. But the light and knowledge given for our guidance remains for us to attend to, and this should be the aim of our lives; and for refreshing seasons we must wait and trust the Highest Power.

Our friend would say to those who are cast down, and who think themselves of but little consequence, and yet with a desire to rise out of this state, that they turn their minds from all doctrines that bewilder, and that are inconsistent with right reason, and endeavor to form clear and cheerful views of life; that they cease looking for some new experience, but endeavor to have their wills regulated, and all the faculties of the mind rightly employed; to cultivate good thoughts, and to guard against a murmuring and complaining disposition, which if indulged in may cause despair of the goodness and mercy of God. The main cause of depression of mind is fear: "In fear there is torment;" therefore we should do the things that strengthen love in those about us, and with whom we meet, and we shall be strengthened to perform all the duties of life with cheerfulness and alacrity, and fear will leave us; for "perfect love casts out all fear.”

SOWING THE SEED.-Men have become very wise in the selection of seeds. Those plants which bring forth useless fruits are

worthless in the fruitage. Each heart knows, as the mature years bring the fruit, whether the seed was wisely selected, and each day's sowing should improve, that the gardening of the more thoughtful period of our lives may show an advance in all that is good. What a harvest an unkind act or an evil thought brings, sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly, but always surely, and we find by experience that whatsoever we plant, that we shall certainly reap.

carefully shunned, and if by chance, a passing bird carries into the well-cultivated garden the seeds of a plant which is worthless for man's use, how quickly the young shoot is exterminated, before it has an opportunity to bear fruit, lest it fill the ground with noxious weeds. Then after the seeds are planted, the watchful gardener seeks to bring all the favoring conditions about his tender plants, that they may, in the fullness of time, yield plentifully, according to their kind, for the sustenance of man. We are not so wise in the cultivation of our mental and spiritual estate; each one has a garden to dress and to keep, and like that of the diligent husbandman, it should only be allowed to produce those plants which are valuable for the higher life. Looking again at the outward, we find that plants are brought to the condition of service for man by cultivation, and that each generation is helpful to the following, by all it does toward improving the quality or the productiveness of vegetable life. It has been said This work is based upon the admirable that the man who makes two blades of grass" Manual of Mollusca " of the late S. P. Woodgrow where but one grew before, is a benefactor to his country, so the man who can make the soil of his heart bring forth more tenderness and goodness, more love for his fellow-being taken to preserve its conservative spirit man and for his Creator, blesses himself and makes it more possible for others to do as he has done. No effort to improve the condition of the race can be lost when the great sum of goodness is added up; let it be done in ever so remote a corner, it must help others beside the one who does it. John Woolman little knew, when he devoted his life to cultivating the seeds of pure goodness, how much he would do to further the cause of truth in the earth. A true life is so beautiful; to be honest to one's best self makes the most favorable condition for the growth of the seed which, when it matures, yields heavenly peace. In the parable of the sower, the seed was the same in every case, but only when the ground was suitable could it grow. Is there an abundant sowing of that good seed in our hearts? Perhaps we find that the tares have been sown there also, then must we cultivate the good seed with all diligence, that we may secure a plentiful harvest, even though some ground has been occupied by that which is

STRUCTURAL AND SYSTEMATIC CONCHOLoOGY.-George W. Tryon, Jr., Conservator of the Conchological Section of the Philadelphia Academy Natural Sciences, whose name is so well known to naturalists, not only as the author of the excellent "Manual of Conchology," but also of numerous other works upon this branch of natural science, has prepared an introduction to the study of the mollusca under the above title.

ward, incorporating with it the numerous important acquisitions made by Conchological Science during the past twenty years, care

as far as practicable. It includes the Anatomy and Physiology of the Mollusca, their Geographical and Geological Distribution, Hints for Collecting and Preserving Specimens, Nomenclature and Classification, followed by succinct accounts of all the Recent and Fossil Genera and Subordinate Groups, and two Indices.

The work corresponds in size and style with the author's Manual of Conchology, and will be comprised in three octavo volumes of about 300 to 350 pages each, illustrated by 128 plates, containing nearly 3,000 figures of the genera, anatomy, etc., and a map.

The first volume, which treats of anatomy, geographical distribution, habits, and methods of collecting and arranging specimens, contains 312 pages of text and 22 plates, illustrating the anatomy. It has been issued in four styles or editions, the ordinary one being put at the low price of three dollars per volume, unbound, while the finer editions range from $5.00 to $7.50 per volume, accord

LIVEZEY.--On Third mo. 8th, 1883, Jason C. Livezey, aged 84.

SIDES.-On Third mo. 12th, 1883, in Downingtown, Pa., Ralph H., only child of Howard B. and Clara M. Sides, in its 3d year.

MILLER.—On Third mo. 7th, 1883, Mary W., wife of the late Captain Alexander Miller, and daughter of the late Israel and Louisa Gatchel Eastlack, aged 45 years; a member of the Monthly Meeting of Philadelphia.

For Friends' Intelligencer.

PROHIBITION.

led to the sale of rum and brandy, and who will say that Iowa with her large amendment majority, will not be able to enforce it, when they arise in their moral might and show the enemies of the home, that they are not the owners of the State.

In Cecil county, Maryland, the Grand Jury reports the cider clause as the great obstacle to the enforcement of Local Option in that county; thus proving that the legal sale leads directly to the illegal. Now, the traffic, with all its attendant crime and woe, is right, or it is wrong; if right so be it, let all man's puny efforts to change the unalterable decrees of the Eternal, subside into repose and reverent submission, but if wrong, let it not be crystallized into law, let the people, who are the law-making power, withhold their sanction, as they do in regard to other crimes, such as selling diseased meat, gambling, prostitution, etc., from which they not only withhold their sanction, but legally prohibit. What would be thought of that policy which would recommend high license in order to crush out these dens of iniquity and shame. The higher the license the greater the disposition to evade. And the facts of history abundantly prove that the efforts to suppress drunkenness and crime have been a failure, all the more so because we have legalized the primal cause. By moral means we have lifted many from the lowly haunts of vice, and then, as if to undo all our work, we, deliberately, through our bona fide agents, the saloon keepers, again lure them to the renewal of a life of shame. Then what shall we do? The answer is a plain one; do all the moral, re

The article in the Intelligencer, under the caption of "John G. Whittier on the Temperance Question," needs some review, lest it should cool the ardor of temperance workers in the State of Pennsylvania, who are now working so earnestly to secure a Constitutional amendment, prohibiting the manufacture and sale of intoxicating beverages. I have no idea that The Christian Union or Whittier intended to put a damper on the prohibition movement, or to cheer the desponding hopes of the liquor interest, which is ready to catch at every straw that will keep them from sinking, but nevertheless, it will have that effect.ligious and social work that has been recomThe liquor leagues, in their pretended interest in the promotion of temperance and morality in the community advocate precisely the same thing; they know full well that license has always been a complete failure; and they are assured of another fact, that prohibition does prohibit, or else why their persistent opposition to it? This fact the representative men of the Union, or many of them, at least, entirely ignore. Their recommendation to enforce the laws we have before asking for more stringent laws, in the shape of total prohibition, shows that they have overlooked the fundamental difference between license and prohibition. The one makes the sale and use of intoxicating beverages legal, honorable, and respectable, and makes the State a party in the traffic, by the license fee. The other makes them illegal, dishonorable, and disreputable, and no blood money goes into the coffers of the State.

The fact is patent, that the illegal sale is a legitimate outgrowth of the legal. In Iowa the license of a few mild fermented liquors,

mended-educate the people, train the children to habits of total abstinence, teach the nature of alcohol in our schools, but, above all, bring home to the moral sense of our people, their own individual responsibility in regard to the enactment and continuance of bad law. The means used in high places to evade the penalties of law, as in the case of the star-route thieves, and the oil-monopoly, as much suggest the propriety of the repeal of law in such cases on account of the failure to enforce it, as the difficulty to enforce the liquor laws, brought about by unprincipled men, should be considered an objection to the adoption of more stringent law. But all the talk about making law in advance of public sentiment vanishes into thin air, when we remember that in Republics the majority make the laws, and that majority composed as it would be in this case, of the intelligent, the virtuous, and moral, it is not only their right, but their duty, to exercise the power inherent in them to protect the home from the blighting curse of strong drink.