words, 'My
Son.' I was thinking of my father. I read on with delight. Having
finished the last verse I found I had been reading the third chapter of
the Proverbs of Solomon. Get a Bible and read the chapter. Then suppose
yourself in my situation--sore in body, sick at heart, and commencing
life among a world of strangers, and see if words more suitable could be
put together to fit my case. I looked upon it as a chart from heaven,
directing my course among the rocks, shoals and storms of life.... I
went forth with a light heart to work my way through the world, resolved
to keep this chapter as a pilot by my side."

The importance for to-day of the message in Proverbs 30:8, "Remove far
from me vanity and lies," is illustrated by several incidents told by
Lucy Elliot Keeler, in "If I Were a Boy:"

"The son of a distinguished American recently entered business in New
York, beginning, at his father's request, at the foot of the ladder, and
receiving the princely salary of $20 a month. At a time when his
father's name was in everybody's mouth the editor of a yellow journal
sent for the son and invited him to join the staff. 'You need not write
any articles,' he said, with a smile, 'nor do any reporting. Just sign
your name to an article which I will furnish you each day, and I will
pay you $200 a month....' The young man's reply was too emphatic to be
accurately reported here, but it was to the effect that he would rather
starve than pick untold dollars out of the gutter.

"A few years ago an American commissioner occupying a house in the West
Indies hired a man to wash the windows and another to scrub the floors.
The bills submitted were for $12 and $7, respectively. 'What does this
mean?' was the astonished query. '$12 for a day's work? Man, you are
crazy!' 'Oh,' came the soft reply, 'of course, I only expect a dollar
and a half for myself, but that was the way we always made out bills for
the Spanish officers.' 'Take back your bills,' was the American's
emphatic reply, 'and make them out honestly.'"

The wisdom of the warning in Proverbs 27:2, "Let another man praise
thee, and not thine own mouth," has seldom been more strikingly
illustrated than at a large convention when several thousand people
listened attentively as a speaker of reputation was introduced to them.
He talked fluently for several minutes, then began to ramble. He made
several attempts to regain his lost hold on his hearers, then took his
seat.

"I