power, and yet perhaps its most important. For instance, a person's thoughts may be drifting along, but the moment one exerts the power of attention on certain thoughts, all other thoughts flow on unnoticed. The child in school may be day dreaming, but at the voice of the teacher, the child's attention picks out of the stream of his mind only those thoughts which have to do with what the teacher wants.

From this may be seen how tremendously important is the power of attention, because the things that we pay most attention to determine our character. The business man pays most attention to his business, or if a man pays attention to religious things, he is by character religious, or if one pays no attention to any particular idea, one is called purposeless and of unsteady character. Here, then, we get a clue to some phases of modern life. Modern education is based on the things that the child or youth pays most attention to. such, for instance, as sports, and play, and tales of romance and heroism, and hence education recognizes that a child must have a good play-ground, must know proper games, and must have proper books to read. In the same way modern Bible

study is modern because it pays attention to the things that most interested the men who wrote the Bible. Modern Bible study does not try to make the Bible say what different people to-day wish it to, but tries to get at the things, for instance, that Isaiah and St. Paul had to say under their own peculiar conditions. Modern literature, especially the novel, is now interested not so much in the event, or facts in the lives of different characters, but in the things they pay attention to in certain situations and scenes.

This brief survey of the human mind is intended to lay emphasis on the important point that a knowledge of the human mind is now the sole guide to all educators, to all study of history and of sacred literature, to the practice of medicine and writers of literature and biography. "How does the child think?" the teacher asks himself; "how did the Jews think?" asks the student of the Bible; "What most did Mr. Cleveland pay attention to?" is the question to be asked by the man chosen to write that eminent statesman's life.

At another time other topics will be discussed; the relation between mind and medicine, the power of human will and kindred subjects.

Fables for the Day.

VENEER AND REALITY.

A brilliant Fashion Plate stood in a store Window, showing a Figure dressed in the Perfection of Style, with Hat, Tie, Suit and Gloves all of the neatest.

A Boy looking in sighed as he said to Himself, "Some day, if I Work Hard, I'll be a Man like That."

Years passed, and the Boy, Grown up, again stopped before a Fashion Plate.

"What a Weak Face the Figure has!" he thought. "I'd hate to Look like That," and he turned to the passing Stream of homeward Bound Workers to Find the Face of a Real Man.

Comment.

With this number THE PORTAL begins GREETING the third volume of its life, and from its experience in the past it greets its readers with the hope that they will more and more point it the way to champion the common interests of the community. In the first place it must be to the interest of all that a love of God and His righteousness, and a sense of responsibility for the public welfare show themselves alive in every citizen. This sense of responsibility must be all the more urgent in Logan, because for eight months of the year the city must act the host and guardian of the goodly number of students entrusted to its care and hospitality.

THE PORTAL, as usual, will discuss modern ideas of religious subjects; will deal with the best methods of civic improvement, and will urge as a matter of moral duty that the city supplement the education carried on at our institutions of learning

by housing and feeding in a generous way our student friends, and by providing them with up-lifting amusements and social advantages. If we acquit ourselves effectively along this line, we will take active part, indeed, in the welfare of State.

With these aims in mind and with earnest solicitation for active co-operation and suggestion in its endeavors, THE PORTAL lays claim again to the support of its friends.

Question is sometimes raised in reFINANCIAL gard to the financial status of THE PORTAL, and a word of explanation in

this first number may not be out of place. Needless to say the magazine is not intended to be a money-making concern; the editors have rather the desire to send it freely to all who may be interested in perusing its pages without expecting their subscriptions. No bills, therefore, are sent out in connection with THE PORTAL. Those however who are sufficiently interested to wish to help in keeping the paper going are requested to send their subscriptions to the editors without waiting for further invitation.