TRUE SOVEREIGNTY.
ALEXANDER, the king of Macedonia, is known in history as a great robber. Before he went to Asia in order to subdue it, he sat one day lost in deep thought. Aristotle, a wise man of his time, came to him, and said,
"Why dost thou delay, O King? Thy treasury is full; thy armies are ready; everything smiles on thee."
"I was thinking," answered Alexander, "whether the bit of glory I shall gain, and all Asia which I shall conquer, be worth the trouble of taking a single step before the house here."
"Thou art, indeed, right," replied Aristotle;
"but the matter is easily set right. Since the sovereignty of the world does riot seem worth thy taking pains for it, then set before thyself a higher aim,-the sovereignty_ over thyself, and the happiness of the other life."
Alexander heard the good advice, but history shows that he did not heed it. Although he almost conquered the then known world, although he heaped up treasures and riches, and was reverenced by his soldiers as a god, yet he was not happy, because he could not rule himself. His pride and avarice were never satisfied. At a banquet, he once fell into such a passion that he killed his most faithful and trusty servant. How true it is, that "he who ruleth his own spirit, is greater than he that taketh a city"!