THE GUARDIAN AND THE SCRIPTURE LESSONS. The "GUARDIAN" is a monthly, devoted to the highest interests of the young, at the most solemn and interesting period of their life. It offers its friendly counsels to them in an earnest, though free and cheerful way. At the same time, a portion of its pages are appropriated to the interests of Sunday-schools. Among other things, it furnishes LESSON PAPERS for Scholars, accompanied with terse and pithy comments upon the Lessons, for Teachers, all gotten up in the spirit of the Church Year. It is in all respects, a most valuable publication for the young, and Sunday school Teachers. Each number contains thirty-two closely printed double column pages, and it is published at the following rates: When the names are to be written on each copy, the rates will be the same as if charged for a single copy. For any The LESSON PAPERS are furnished separately, each containing the Lessons for one month, at 75 cents for 100 copies per month, or $9.00 per year. les number, at the rate of one cent per copy for each month. The above rates are CASH IN ADVANCE. Address, Reformed Church Publication Board, 907 ARCH STREET, PHILADELPHIA. THE GUARDIAN: A MONTHLY MAGAZINE Devoted to the Social, Literary and Religious Interests of Young Men and Ladies, and to the Sunday-School Cause. Rev. B. BAUSMAN, D. D., Editor. principle Mrs C Small the Beat THE GUARDIAN enters upon its XXVIIIth volume, on the first of January 1877. It has a -blish its character, and to show its fruits. In its al spirit, no changes are proposed. The True, Dec 77e unchangeable error and sin are always the t is committed, as heretofore, to the Rev. B. BAUSMAN, D. D., whose name, of itself, the publishers regard as the most satisfactory guarantee of the high tone and general interest which should characterize the family magazine. same. Ito THE GUARDIAN Continues to be published by the REFORMED CHURCH PUBLICATION BOARD. It compares favorably with other publications of the kind, and has earned for itself a reputation which may well be coveted. The publishers will continue to use a superior quality of paper; and do all in their power, in co-operating with the Editor, to render THE GUARDIAN acceptable to its subscribers. This Magazine will be mainly devoted, as heretofore, to the highest interests of the young, at the most solemn and interesting period of their life. It will offer its friendly counsels to them in an earnest, though free and cheerful way. It will solemnly seek to warn them against the wrong, and affectionately lure them to the right. The Editor will endeavor to make its contents true, pure, fresh, and healthy as the morning of life. It will particularly urge self-culture and early piety as of the highest importance, and cultivate the home feeling as a sacred element in social purity and peace. It will seek to move in the element of its motto:"Life-Light-Love." In addition to its usual variety of reading matter, THE GUARDIAN will hereafter appropriate at least ten pages of each number to the interests of the SundaySchool cause. It will aim to serve as an efficient helper of Sunday-School Teachers, and thus meet a want which has long been felt in the Reformed Church. THE GUARDIAN contains thirty-two pages monthly, making a handsome Volume of three hundred and eighty-four pages at the end of the year. . Pastors who receive this Prospectus are requested to hand it to some active member of the Church or of the Sunday-School, who will procure subscribers for THE GUARDIAN. We respectfully ask all Young Men and Ladies to aid us in increasing our circulation. It will be an easy thing for them to raise a club among their companions. Specimen numbers sent when requested. TERMS-ONLY $1.50 A YEAR-IN ADVANCE. The Club-rates for Sunday School Teachers, and the terms for the Lesson Leaves, are as follows: For 5 copies to one address, for one year. $7 00 The Lesson Papers will be sold separately, at 75 cents for 100 copies of a single issue. For any less number, one cent will be charged for each copy. In each case, the money must accompany the orders. Discontinuances.To insure a discontinuance, written notice must be sent direct to the publishers before the close of the year, and all arrearages paid. If the notice be received after one or more numbers of a new year have been sent, the subscriber will be charged for the full year thus commenced. ADDRESS REFORMED CHURCH PUBLICATION BOARD, Publishers, No. 907 Arch Street, Philadelphia. S. R. Holland, S. Kindt, A. G. Klein, J. S. Myers, L. Reiter, J. Rinard, W. R. Yeich, J. E. Snyder, Mrs. A. E. C. Foust, Saml. Dant, Emma Hahn, S. P. Young, Mrs. Maria Heller, E. F. Booser, Mrs. S. W. Davis, S. M. Eschbach, H. S. Geller, Mrs. E. Harter, G. Hoskins, Rev. Dr. A. H. Kremer, Rev. D. B. Lady, M. Rousch, S. Kindt, J. E. Snyder, F. W. Brown, The "Guardian" will hereafter be mailed to subscribers by means of Dick's Hence the date to which they have paid will invariably accom- pany the name. Accordingly, the acknowledgment of monies received will hereafter be discontinued. Each subscriber can know exactly how his account stands. Those who are in arrears will please forward the amount due without The Guardian. VOL. XXVIII. JULY, 1877. Bismarck's Life and Labors. BY THE EDITOR. "All the invasions of history were produced by petticoats." If I remember correctly, this is a saying of Victor Hugo, and it is surprising how much truth there is in it. If not always directly, at least indirectly, woman has had a hand in the great events of history. Excluded from your Parliament, and Congress, your Reichstag and Cortez, even from the Cabinet and the ballot-box, she sways a mighty sceptre in her own way. We have been blaming Mother Eve severely and long; but Bethlehem has more than atoned for Eden. A man discovered America, but had it not been for Isabella of Spain Columbus could not have achieved the discovery. As to the invasions of history we must for the present let Hugo be the judge. Bismarck's mother, from a boy, turned his mind to his great mission. At a very early age she awakened ambition in her sons; it was particularly her desire that the younger son, Otto, should devote himself to the diplomatic career, for which she considered him specially fitted, while the elder brother was from the first destiued for the commission of (Landrath) Provincial Counsellor. Both these aspirations were fulfilled, but not in their mother's lifetime. She had long died when her younger son entered on diplomatic life. But for the mother of Bismarck the map of Europe would not be what it is now. All the European statesmen of this century, that is the few men of mark, who stand out prominently above all others, are men of very decided and positive views. Metternich, Thiers, Palmerston, Gortschakoff and Bismarck, have led their leaders and ruled their rulers. After holding seats in some minor assemblies the latter was called to NO. 7. the United Diet in 1847. All Europe was then heaving with the throes of a revolution. This swept over the whole Continent in 1848. Kings fled for safety. A morbid untamed spirit of democracy swept away every opposing obstacle. Ă brother of William I. was on the Prussian throne. A good-meaning and pious monarch, but an incapable king. He made certain concessions to the clamors of the mob. His brother William yielded not an iota. He was a decided, outspoken monarchist, sincerely believed in the divine right of kings; and that they were the best rulers for Europe. At first their Bismarck was of one mind with him. Both were thoroughly hated at the time. William's life was in danger. The wild populace made clamorous and cruel demands on him. Bismarck became a member of the famous Diet at Frankford, chiefly composed of extreme revolutionists-rebels against the Government of God and man. thrilling speeches somewhat impressed the mind of the Pomeranian member. But he soon saw whither the wild storm of liberalism was tending. After a certain liberal speaker had descended from the tribune amidst the great applause of the assembly, Bismarck arose for the first time. It was an unpropitious time for him to make his first speech. The people had lost their calm, sober powers of reasoning. He was then young and of a noble appearance. "His stature was great, his plentiful hair was cut short, his healthy, ruddy countenance was fringed by a strong, blond beard, his shining eyes were somewhat prominent -such was his aspect. He gazed upon the simply but with some hesitation, in a strong, assembly for a moment, and then spoke sometimes shrill, with not altogether pleasing emphasis: "For me it is difficult-after a speech replete with such noble enthu siasm-to address you in order to bring before you a plain restatement.'" After speaking for a short time, he |