races, horse races, and races on foot-some between runners nearly naked, others between men in heavy armour. There were also wrestling and boxing matches, and races for boys; competitions in throwing heavy weights the longest distance, and contests between singers, poets, and musicians. Ten months before the games were held, ten judges were set apart to act as umpires; and when the time for holding the games arrived, these judges, clad in purple robes, sat on raised chairs, to see that the rules were duly observed, and to decide who were the prize winners. The competitors were the champions of all Greece, and they prepared themselves for the contest with the utmost care, knowing that they should have to meet with men thoroughly trained. They had to observe the strictest temperance, and they chose such food only as made their muscles firm and tough; they also bathed frequently and rubbed their bodies with oil, to keep their joints supple. They practised the exercise in which they excelled constantly, whether it was wrestling, running, or throwing. Indeed, there was no chance of winning a prize without such constant and persistent preparation. Throughout Greece nothing was more thought of than these games. In order that the right season might be observed, wars were interrupted; long journeys were taken to see them; and a victory was one of the greatest honours a Greek could have. An enemy of the Athenians, who had five times been a victor, when taken captive, had his life spared out of respect to his prowess; and when the chariot races were won by the horses of Philip, king of Macedon, he ordered a thanksgiving to the gods to be made throughout his realm. And what was this coveted prize for which men would strive so hard? It was a green garland! A branch from a consecrated olive tree was cut off by a boy, with a golden sickle, woven into a wreath, and solemnly placed on the victor's head, amid the acclamations of the multitude. The victor's name and the names of his parents were proclaimed by a herald, and afterward all the victors feasted together at a solemn banquet. In returning to their homes they were conducted in triumph by their friends, and were met by their fellow-citizens, who sang songs in praise of their prowess; and sometimes their statues were set up in a grove of trees at Elis. The victor's wreath, when it withered on his head, was hung up in his house as the greatest glory; and at all solemn feasts and sacrifices he was privileged to wear a garland of the same kind. The Isthmian games were in most respects like the Olympian, though the interest in them was not so general; but, of course, they were the great event to every one in the city of Corinth. The crowns of the victors, however, differed from the Olympian crowns, in that they were made of fir or ivy, and not of olive. The trouble taken by these Greeks to secure fleeting earthly prizes should teach us a lesson. These men denied themselves, and lived under strict training for years, with the sole thought and object of winning a crown-and such a crown! There was only one prize; and the prize was for one alone. A little less strength, a slip, a false step, and the pains and toils of years were wasted! 66 If they, then, strove so hard, what should not we do, who may every one win a crown? And such a crown! Not a corruptible crown of olive leaves, fading before night, but a crown of life,' ," "a crown of glory that fadeth not away," shining like the stars, and to be worn for ever at that feast of joy that never ends! But to obtain that crown our heavenly Father requires that we do our best, our very utmost. Oh may we all "so run that we may obtain." LEIGH. THE GUILD OF KINDNESS. MORE TIME FOR THE THIRD COMPETITION. E think that our members might be satis Wfied with the address we give them. We have had several letters delivered to us which were addressed to other people, some to "Mr. A. C. C.," and others to "A. C. C., Esq.," whoever they are. Now how would you like yourself to be written to as somebody else? Supposing A. C. C. to be a lady, how can she like being called "Mr.," or, if not a lady, being called Mrs.," Perhaps, however, A. C. C. is nobody at all; and then, of course, letters addressed to Mr. Nobody, or to Nobody, Esq., will get deli vered to nobody, and so be both delivered to the proper person, and not delivered to anybody! However, the number 38 must, in any case, not be left out of the address. We say this because we have received several letters lately without the number so put in, all of which had written on the front, "not known without a number; and other letters similarly directed may not reach us at all. For Prize Puzzle No. 3 we have posted sixpenny illustrated copies of "Strange Dwellings," to GEORGE KYLE, senior, Alnwick, who supplied tion of a toad two weeks ago, about which several inquiries have been made. When the Guild is sufficiently numerous for the beginning of proposed outline lessons, we shall turn back and complete the scraps we are at present putting together-not without a certain plan. We hope that decided progress is being made with the formation of the Guild. Since last month we have learnt that the Guild is likely to be at once introduced into three new Sunday-schools, in three new quarters of the Connexion; and the existing bands are gradually growing in numbers. The Bands of West Kensington (49 members), and Brunswick (51 members), both in London, will hold their first public meeting jointly early in November, for the singing of chosen melodies, the reciting of chosen pieces, &c., and for the increase of their present numbers. We hope to be furnished with a full account of this meeting for next month's issue, as the account may be of service to those to whom the idea and conducting is new, of a meeting about the showing of mercy and love, both to each other, and to the animals that look to us as their lords, about the stricter following in the Master's footsteps of gentleness and peace. We shall be glad to get reports of any other meetings about to be held. We would urge upon those who are friends of the Guild the importance of the systematic and continued teaching of kindness, which can only be given by a series of meetings. While we wish our friends and future officials and honorary members to encourage the children to write numerous letters to the JUVENILE, and to think out their own thoughts on these matters in ever growing numbers in writing for the competition prizes (which will increase in number and value with increase in the number of competitors), we would recommend in addition the holding of a Guild meeting at least once a month, either in place of a purely temperance meeting (where the Band of Hope officials take part in the movement), or otherwise. We should very much like the formation of new Bands in the Guild to be pressed on before the end of the year, as we wish to announce the first list of our local "secretaries" in January, afterwards announcing names from month to month, as fresh Bands reach sufficient numbers to require a responsible head. We suggest that groups of members in connection with one Sunday-school or Chapel should have a local name, as e.g., " The Bethel Band of the Guild of Kindness," as well as a local organization. Sufficient particulars as to the forming of Bands of the Guild have been previously given; * Announcements as to honorary membership, &c., will be made in January. The spider has been quite as much abused as the toad; and, strange to say, the two creatures were formerly said to hate each other perfectly, and to fight desperately whenever they met, the fight usually ending, unless certain herbs grew near, in the toad being poisoned by the spider, and bursting in sunder. Of course you need not be told that all this was utter nonsense, although it was once believed by grown-up people. Its wonderful web, and its apparatus of spinnerets by which the web is woven, we reserve for detailed notice in the future, together with the food of flies. The spider has certainly deserved far better treatment than he has had, even from those who have written about him. Why, you remember even in the nursery tale he is the most venomous of creatures, killing Tom Thumb with his very breath, while he is putting his sword through the spider's body. John Bunyan had the same evil opinion of the spider; but you must look in Pilgrim's Progress for yourselves, and see what he writes of it in two places where he is telling of Christiana's visit to the Interpreter's House. You know already how a spider helped Bruce. The old uses of spiders in medicine and in other ways, how they helped the French to conquer Holland, &c., must also be reserved for future description; but we have room for one anecdote, originally printed in "Science Gossip," which shows the spider in a different light. A SPIDER AND HER EGGS. "One day in the autumn I captured a fine specimen of the garden spider, which was running over a flower border, skilfully conveying the precious filmy bag of eggs underneath its body, over the various obstacles which impeded its progress. It did not seem averse to the shelter afforded by a small wooden box, and remained at one end with its treasure so contentedly that I left it for a few moments, and placed it on the top of a dahlia pole. "On returning I discovered that an exploring party, consisting of four ants, was scaling the walls of the fortress. Until they were fairly within its walls the spider seemed unaware of their approach; and, in fact, until a forcible attempt was made by the intruders to grapple with the egg-bag, it remained strangely apathetic. But this insult offered to the helpless young was too much. It darted forward and assailed the foremost. It was a tough fight-four to one, but the valiant mother conquered in the end; for three of the invading force lay dead, evidently poisoned by a venomous bite, and the fourth was fairly driven off. The victor then retired with her insulted property to a corner, and I carried off the box. An untimely escape prevented the experiment I hoped to make, viz., of trying to tame this member of the usually disliked Arachnida family." Herrick, too, from whom we quoted a grace, two months ago, having a reference to the toad, has a short poem about spiders, To the Little Spinners,' ending "I call all maids to witness to What here I promise, that no broom We are very sorry for the blunder in the last number as to the date for the Third Competition. Of course it was intended to be November 6, and not October 6 (a time at which many of our members would not have received their JUVENILES). In order to remedy this mistake and to give all members a chance of competing, and as this magazine will not reach many till about the latter of those dates, we extend the time for competing to NOVEMBER 30, and restate the conditions. We invite ALL MEMBERS to compete. The prizes are given taking into consideration age, &c., so that all may win a prize, and will if they well deserve it. THIRD COMPETITION. Subject: The Sparrow. (See last month's JUVENILE and " Rhymes.") Papers may contain anything about a sparrow except merely copied matter. They may tell about its food, its nest, its habits, and so on, may tell a story about sparrows (if possible a new one, but in any case in the writer's own words), or may be written as the "life of a sparrow," and tell the queer ideas he may have of us all as he sits looking from the housetops. He is a contented little bird, and we hope that our members will remember to feed him when the coming frosts are here and he cannot feed himself. Says the sparrow: "Little greycoat, little grey coat, No one needs me, no one feeds me, Up and down the steep house roofs. Sing I, loud, and clear, and strong, Chirping cheer-up, cheer-up, twee-eet, Surely most members can write something about sparrows. Their papers must not be more than 500 words long, must be written on one side only of the sheets, and signed by their numbers and by a parent or teacher. We specially want the younger members to compete. We have been much disappointed by the small number of papers sent in for the first two competitions, and still more at the small number of prizes we have been able to give. In the Second Competition we have not been able to award a senior or junior prize, and only one of small value, after some debate in the Middle Division. A copy of "Picciola" has been sent for Elizabeth C. Holman, of the Brunswick Band, London First, from whose paper we give the following extracts as to "For what reasons may we kill animals?" "There are three principal reasons, namely, I. for food; II. for protection; III. for clothing. I. if animals were not killed people I would not be able to have meat. Some people think that it is not right because in the Bible it is said Adam and Eve lived on the fruits only, and they think it is wrong to kill animals. On the other hand some think that God sent them for food, but if this be true, he did not mean them to be put to death so cruelly as they are. Farm-house life is happier than the other life, and they are better fed. But this is of short duration. II. If we did not kill animals we should be in danger of our lives. . . III. When the bear is killed the skin is valuable for clothing. We certainly get clothing from the sheep, but we do not have to kill them for it, as there is a certain time which God has given us to shear them for their wool, and though we get it when they are dead we do not have to kill them for it." We have received a letter from one of our members about the subject of the last competition. We print it as perhaps a few others may have the same difficulty as the writer. The letter contains itself a part of its own answer; but we do not reply now, that other members or friends may answer it. The Christmas number will go to the printer almost immediately on the despatch of this; but replies (to be inserted in January) should be sent to us at once. "Dear A. C. C.,-In last month's JUVENILE the second competition was announced, the subject being For what reasons may we kill animals? undoubtedly many of those who have competed will have given, as one of their reasons, the use for food; and I should like to ask if it is right to kill them for this purpose? Have they not as much right to live as we? I maintain they have. Unfortunately public opinion does not. A very stupid fallacy sometimes used is that we should be overrun by animals, and I have heard it repeatedly asserted. This must be wrong. It is on account of the demand that the supply is so great. Cattle are bred and reared for the purpose, and after a short life are subjected to a cruel death to satisfy the fancies of men. 'I could not exist without meat,' say some. Quite two-thirds of the human race never have it. The life of the animals killed for food is, I admit, in most instances tolerable happy while being reared; but towards the close of their life there is a decided change. They are fed until to move requires a strenuous effort and great pain. Then comes the final week. They are hurried to the station, and subjected often to cruel treatment— as the letter in the JUVENILE for July so graphically told us. They are cruelly driven, as we often see, to the slaughterhouse. A blow is given with the axe, which sometimes needs to be repeated many times on the groaning ox; or the cold steel enters the neck of the sheep, and then these poor bleeding animals lie dead upon the floor. Sometimes calves are bled to death that we may have white veal, and the claws of lobsters are plugged, causing great agony and the putrefaction of the flesh. This is a dreadful termination to their short life, yet with the poet I would say: "If man's convenience or safety interfere, his right and claim Are paramount, and must extinguish theirs. "M. O." We shall be glad to hear from any of our members or friends. We thank one of our correspondents for sending, in reply to our invitation last month, some extracts concerning cats, which we shall use next month. Have no members anything to tell about their own cats? Why, we could write a chapter about our own cat and kitten-how the kitten got up on the table to steal, and dropped pieces of meat down to her more honest mother, who did not mind sharing -how one day, when the cat was sitting in the garden and taking no notice of another cat playing in the grass, her mistress went out and made a noise to frighten away the other cat, and how the cat mewed in her mistress' face and then dashed at the stranger and chased it the whole |