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perfect. Every language used by these dealers has its word meaning, "judged by the sun." Greek merchants, in New Testament times, advertised "sun-judged" cloth in all the market-places. (Text.)

Paul uses this practise as a figure of speech in Phil. 1:10. To be "sincere and without offense," means to be able to pass severe tests like the sun test.

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The Chautauquan gives an account of Greek coins from which is taken the following extract:

In spite of the guarantee that might be afforded by the mark of a state or a prince, we find the Greeks applying certain tests to determine the genuineness of the currency offered to them. Plating was easily detected by jabbing the suspected coin with some sharp instrument. At other times the touch-*stone was used. One which was known as the "Lydian stone" was supposed to reveal a proportion of foreign metal as small as a barley corn in a stater. Another test, in the case of silver, was to polish the coin, and then breathe on it. If the moisture quickly disappeared the metal was pure. Yet another way to detect alloy was to heat the coin, or coins, on red-hot iron. If the metal was unalloyed it remained bright; if mixt with other substances, it turned black or red according as it was more or less impure. (Text.)

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See.

TESTS OF FITNESS

When the Rodah Bridge at Cairo was practically finished as far as the structural work itself was concerned, it was put to an official test. The testing was minute, complex and severe in character. Dead weights of sand and steel rails were piled up on each pier in succession, exerting a pressure of 1,000 tons. Subsequently live weights of steam-rollers, tramcars, loaded with sand and water-carts filled with water were run on the bridge while an immense pressure was brought to bear on the bridge. If no fault or strain was visible in the material, then it was ready for use.

Happy is the man who will cheerfully bear every burden he is called upon to bear, knowing that he is being made ready for usefulness.

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TESTS, PERSONAL

General Nelson A. Miles, when head of the army, used to be continually besieged by cranks with pneumatic rapid-firing guns, dirigible war balloons, and other martial inventions. But the general would weed these cranks out with admirable speed. An inventor, quoted in the New York Independent, says:

"I sat in his office with him one day when a servant brought in a card. 'Oh, send him in,' said General Miles. 'His business won't take more than a minute or two.' So in came a wild-eyed, long-haired man, twisting his soft hat nervously in both hands. 'General,' he said, 'I have here'—and he took out a small parcel—'a bullet-proof army coat. If the Government would adopt this—' 'Put it on. Put it on,' said General Miles, and he rang the bell. The servant appeared as the inventor was getting into the coat. 'Jones,' said the general, 'tell the captain of the guard to order one of his men to load his rifle with ball and cartridge and—' 'Excuse me, general, I forgot something,' interrupted the inventor, and with a hunted look he disappeared."

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Text Finding—See.

TEXT, POWER OF A

The effect which the Word of God sometimes has is illustrated in the following incident related of Robert Moffat, missionary in Africa:

In the large kitchen, where the service was to be held, stood a long table, at the head of which sat the Boer, with his wife and six grown children. A large Bible lay on the table, and underneath it half a dozen dogs. The Boer pointed to the Bible as the signal for Mr. Moffat to begin. But, after vainly waiting for others to come in, he asked how soon the working people were to be called. "Work-people?" impatiently cried the farmer; "you don't mean the Hottentots—the blacks! You are not waiting for them, surely, or expecting to preach to them; you might as well preach to those dogs under that table!" A second time, and more angrily, he spoke, repeating the offensive comparison.

Young as Mr. Moffat was, he was disconcerted only for a moment. Lifting his heart to God for guidance, the thought came into his mind to take a text suggested by the rude remarks of the Boer. So he opened the