it was never made to shake hands with, unless you
have lost the use of the right. Nor is it done by the tips of the fingers
laid loosely in the palm of another. Nor is it done with a glove on. Gloves
are good to keep out the cold and make one look well, but have them so they
can easily be removed, as they should be, for they are non-conductors of
Christian magnetism. Make bare the hand. Place it in the palm of your
friend. Clench the fingers across the back part of the hand you grip. Then
let all the animation of your heart rush to the shoulder, and from there to
the elbow, and then through the fore arm and through the wrist, till your
friend gets the whole charge of gospel electricity.

In Paul's time he told the Christians to greet each other with a holy kiss.
We are glad the custom has been dropped, for there are many good people who
would not want to kiss us, as we would not want to kiss them. Very
attractive persons would find the supply greater than the demand. But let
us have a substitute suited to our age and land. Let it be good, hearty,
enthusiastic, Christian hand-shaking.

Governor Wiseman, our grave friend at tea, broke in upon us at this moment
and said: I am not fond of indiscriminate hand-shaking, and so am not
especially troubled by the lack of cordiality on the part of church-goers.
But I am sometimes very much annoyed on Sabbaths with the habit of some
good people in church. It may be foolish in me; but when the wind blows
from the east, it takes but little to disturb me.

There are some of the best Christian people who do not know how to carry
themselves in religious assemblage. They never laugh. They never applaud.
They never hiss. Yet, notwithstanding, are disturbers of public worship.

There is, for instance, the coughing brigade. If any individual right ought
to be maintained at all hazards, it is the right of coughing. There are
times when you must cough. There is an irresistible tickling in the throat
which demands audible demonstration. It is moved, seconded and unanimously
carried that those who have irritated windpipes be heard. But there are
ways with hand or handkerchief of breaking the repercussion. A smothered
cough is dignified and acceptable if you have nothing better to offer. But
how many audiences have had their peace sacrificed by unrestrained
expulsion of air through the glottis! After a sudden change in the weather,
there is a fearful charge made by the coughing brigade. They o