By Rev. J. H. VINCENT, D.D., Superintendent of Instruction C. L. S. C.

Readings for the month: “Easy Lessons in Vegetable Biology,” by Dr. J. H. Wythe; “Canadian History;” Chautauqua Text-Book No. 24; “Biographical Stories,” by Nathaniel Hawthorne; Required Readings, in The Chautauquan.

Memorial Day, Sunday, December 9, “Milton’s Day.” See “Memorial Days,” Chautauqua Text-Book, No. 7. Monday, December 10, may be used if preferred.

Remember the 5 p. m. Sunday “Chautauqua Vesper Service.” Observe the hour personally or as local circles. Now and then a brief public service at this hour may be very profitable.

There can be no substitute accepted for the “Preparatory Latin course in English.”

One of our faithful members—a member of the class of ’84—on the first day of October sent this pleasant greeting to the Superintendent of Instruction: “My Dear Doctor—This is opening day. I must send you a line just to keep it—and the Lord keep you!”

The Sacramento Circle last year answered in writing over 1,000 questions, besides having prepared sixty-two original papers.

A young lady who has charge of a Young Ladies’ Seminary in Washington, D. C., recently remarked that she had adopted the Chautauqua Text-Books on History as an auxiliary in her school, as they are so condensed and so carefully arranged. She said that at the last examination of her graduating class the influence of the little Text-Books was visible in the remarkable proficiency of the pupils.

Each C. L. S. C. Local Circle in the study of Biology should secure the services of a local microscopist, if possible. Without the microscope, Biology is like Hamlet with Hamlet left out.

In one of the leading churches of one of the leading denominations in one of the leading cities of the United States, a strange thing has happened. The president of the local circle of the C. L. S. C. made application for the privilege of holding bi-monthly meetings in a room in the basement of the church, so many of the members of the circle being members of the church. The matter was referred to the president of the board, a leading lawyer, who refused the application. When asked why he should exclude such an auxiliary of the church, and especially a circle containing so much of the religious element, he responded that it “could not be a religious organization, because they were studying biology.” This is very hard to believe if it were not well vouched for. If the church had been a Methodist Episcopal Church, the editor of this column would have felt at liberty to make a few direct remarks; but, as it refers to another very respectable and very orthodox branch of the Holy Catholic Church, he must content himself with this general announcement. What would this leading lawyer have said to the wise man who said: “Go to the ant, thou sluggard, consider her ways and be wise;” or to that wiser teacher who commanded his disciples to “consider the lilies.” Biology zoÖlogical and biology botanical being commended in the Bible, and the study being necessary to the fullest interpretation of the Bible, we commend our legal friend to a little more biblical study.

Apropos to the above item is the following communication from an earnest New England member: “At a certain Sunday-school convention this question was given me to answer: ‘What is the effect of the Chautauqua course of reading on Christian zeal? Does it tend to increase one’s interest in Christian and Church work?’ I answered in substance as follows: ‘I am very glad of the opportunity for saying, and saying confidently, that, judging from what experience and observation I have had, as also from the nature of the case, just as whatever is calculated to enlighten and invigorate the mind, deepen, broaden, elevate and strengthen character, to enlarge the soul and warm and ennoble the heart, must tend to intensify Christian zeal, so the Chautauqua course of reading and study, when conducted or pursued in accordance with the projector’s idea, can not but tend to have this effect—to deepen and to invigorate, by enlightening, piety. Precisely what we need in our day is a more intelligent piety—a broader and stronger Christian manhood. Our piety generally is too narrow, or superficial, or feeble. We are apt to build up too much on some one side. We are one-sided, unsymmetrical, sanctified in spots only, as it were. We want to be built out more on all sides, that we may be thoroughly furnished unto every good work—that we may be fruitful in all directions. Meantime, if the cultivation of such a thoughtful, intelligent, reverent piety as the prayerful study of the works and Word of God is calculated to promote, is not calculated to intensify one’s interest in and zeal for Christ’s cause, it would be interesting to know what could.’ Subsequently I dropped a line to one of the members of a circle which I organized a year ago—a bright, Christian young woman, who, though an operative in the mill, yet clearly grasped the Chautauqua Idea, and who, together with as fine a company of young men and women as were ever grouped together for any cause, has most enthusiastically and successfully pursued that idea for a year:—to this young lady I dropped a line, submitting the question: ‘Do you find the C. L. S. C. helpful, or otherwise, to Christian piety?’ Permit me to quote from her reply: ‘Do I love my Savior, or his church, any less for what I have learned the past year? No. A thousand times no. Jesus seems ever so dear to me, as I look up into the starry heavens, and try to recall something I have learned about those wonderful worlds. And when I think of him who created, and who, by his almighty power and wisdom controls and keeps them all in place; when I think of him as my own kind Heavenly Father, though I am poor, and lowly, and ignorant, and weak, and sinful, my heart throbs with gratitude, love and praise—for he owns me as his child! O! I wish I could tell you how happy I feel to-night, my Savior seems so near and dear to me. My heart is full of love to him and to his people; and I do want to do something to help on his glorious cause. I am praying day by day that he will show me my duty, and help me to do it; and I know you will pray for me that I may be faithful and true.’ Does not this testimony have the true ring in it? Does this look much as though the C. L. S. C. had secularized the writer’s mind, or diverted her energies from church channels? This lady, together with several other members of that circle, is a devoted Sunday-school worker. What is more, not a little of the glowing, enthusiastic zeal expressed above, has been kindled and developed during this very past year of C. L. S. C. reading and study.”