Anonymous

“ GEORGE AND MARY. THE Sunday-school having been successfully organized, Mr. Steele was extremely vexed, and he withdrew himself as far as possible from those who went with the missionary in the movement. He was, besides, ambitious and proud—he could not bear to think that “a traveling loafer,” as he termed the missionary, should overcome him; and, being considered the champion of the opposition, he mingled with the wicked, courting their praise, and bringing himself to their level. He was fighting in vain, for it was against God. ”

“ Truman, the defender of Temperance, were still alive, “Steadfast and unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.”
Many blessed seasons he enjoyed with them, and they were often “sitting in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” After a rest of some days, the missionary felt able to preach and lecture among the people. The opposition to Sunday-schools and the cause of Temperance had in a great measure subsided; public opinion, that great leveler of uprisings, had taken sides with the “new measures,” for the very elements of the Western character demand progress and life. ”

“ This restless spirit is the very secret of their being here. Ambitious, brave and independent minds seek their development in situations where they can ‘make a country,’ create cities, establish commerce, and lay the foundation for learning, art and science.”
“Why, indeed, Mr. Brown, you have given me a very graphic description of the characteristics of the western people, and it almost makes me afraid to risk my abilities among such,” replied the missionary.
[52] “Never mind,” said Mr. Brown, “you must become enthusiastic too; and when they see you are in earnest, they will help you.” ”

“ As they, in the fear of [50] God, intended to “move upon the enemy’s works” on Tuesday night, it would be profitable for the leader to know how the enemy was entrenched, and what forces had been employed against him; how these operated and what their success.
“What kind of people have you here in the West?” inquired the missionary with a smile.
“Well,” replied Mr. Brown, “we have what the geographer terms ‘a mixed population.’ Or, as old Peter Miller would say, ‘good, bad and indifferent.’ It is a great mistake in eastern men to suppose that the western pioneer is an ignoramus. ”

“ Brown. “It is especially so in religious matters—here they seem to have the most influence, being well-meaning, orderly and good men; but holding the idea that the old routine must be followed, they oppose any change, or any ‘new measure,’ as they call it; and being men of standing in the community, the result is, in many cases, that nothing is accomplished.”
“Are these old measure men inclined to oppose the temperance cause, prayer-meetings, revivals and Sunday-schools by any decided action?” seriously inquired the missionary. ”

“ The father’s face was flushed, and he hurried through his supper, being anxious to get away from the presence of those whom he had wronged. When he had gone out, the mother again tried to soothe the children, but their father’s absence only gave them the liberty to sob aloud; their mother, fearing that he might return and hear them, bade them go out to the barn and hunt the eggs, and be good children.
“We want to go to Sunday-school and learn to be good,” said they. Every word of this went straight to the heart of the mother. The children went and did what their mother had desired ”

“ This, to the missionary, was an omen of good; and he felt calm and strong in faith. The angry [63] scowls of the opposition made no impression upon his feelings, for he well remembered the Saviour had said: “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth; I came not to send peace, but a sword.”
As this was Mr. Steele’s meeting, he was on hand. After some delay he arose, and with a great deal of agitation said he reckoned that the time to begin had come, and he guessed he would proceed. He consequently commenced his harangue against the Sabbath-school, and those interested in its success. ”

“ Truman seemed to set everything on fire; and the Saviour’s prediction respecting a house being divided against itself, seemed to be literally fulfilled. Every demonstration of truth was met with increased hostility; and, like Herod and Pilate, even enemies were made friends in condemning Christ. This, however, only drove the faithful few nearer to the Rock of Ages, which was their “stronghold in the day of trouble;” it made them “search the Scriptures” more, and more vigilant in prayer; relying upon God for help. ”

“ Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give at that day—and not to me only, but unto all them that love His appearing.”
Compare the death of the earnest, working Christian, with that of the opposer of truth or of the cold-hearted formalist. After death comes the judgment!—and the Saviour has said, that the former shall live and reign with Him, whilst the latter shall go away into everlasting punishment. ”

“ As he entered and took his place at the desk in the school-room, a deep silence pervaded the audience. After offering up a silent prayer, he asked the people to sing a hymn, and all joined in the glorious old tune, “Coronation,” with a will. After a short, solemn and impressive prayer, he called the [58] attention of his hearers to the following portion of God’s Word: “Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in to your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. ”

“ Brown and his wife were earnest, devoted Christians, possessing liberal views, and were ever ready for any movement that could show any reasonable prospect of doing good. They never condemned what had not been faithfully tried, unless forbidden by the Word of God. Although they had never heard a temperance lecture, and, as to a Sunday-school, it was something respecting which their knowledge was very indistinct; yet, when these subjects were laid before them by the missionary, and their great importance shown, both were ready to try the experiment. ”

“ How many parents thus unwittingly take their children by the hand and lead them down to death!
“You all go to meeting sometimes, don’t you?” continued the missionary.
“Yes, sir, once in a while.”
“Don’t the preacher talk against such things?”
“Sometimes; but nobody cares. Some go [89] to the grocery and pitch horse-shoes for whisky; and some go to the tavern to play checkers or such, for a dram, or for fun,” replied the boy.
“Don’t the preacher talk against drinking liquor and lying about at the grocery on Sundays?” seriously inquired the missionary. ”

“ The ’Squire then called upon the people to decide by a vote, whether they would have a Sunday-school or not, shouting out: “All who are in favor of a Sunday-school here, rise to your feet.” Mr. Wilson and Mr. Mason sprang to their feet like heroes, their intrepidity encouraging some of the timid and wavering, who, together with their children, made quite a respectable vote. After these were again seated, all who were opposed to a Sunday-school were called upon to rise. Instantly several of the most bitter opposers, who were waiting for the word, were up ”

“ Kerr.
“How d’ye do, sir,” thundered out Mr. Steele.
“This has been a very pleasant day,” ventured the traveler.
“Yes, sir,” curtly replied Mr. Steele.
“I am very tired,” continued the stranger; “could I stay with you to-night?”
“You are the fellow who goes about lecturing on temperance, and getting up Sunday-schools, aint you?” sarcastically rejoined Mr. Steele, his face reddening.
“That is my calling,” meekly added the man of God.
“Then you don’t stay all night in my house; I don’t harbor fellows who are too lazy to work,” sneeringly answered the excited Mr. Steele. ”

“ Her mother never having been in a Sunday-school herself, scarcely knew how to explain to her daughter the difference between it and an ordinary day school. So she simply said:
“It is not a school like ours down at the ‘Cross Roads,’ but one in which we read the Bible, and sing and pray, and are taught to love the Saviour.”
“O, mother!” exclaimed the child, “then [43] I would like to go. Do tell the man to have one in our school-house. Will you mother?”
“Yes, child, I will ask him if he gets well again.”
“I hope he will get well soon,” said Eliza, and bounded off to tell Henry the news. ”

“ Kerr was at last led to the true and only source of comfort.
After uniting in prayer with the family, the missionary inquired if they had been to the Sunday-school.
“Oh yes,” heartily replied Mr. Kerr, “we were all over last Sunday, and had a delightful time.”
“No doubt; indeed, no one with proper [106] feelings, and a regard for the eternal interests of his children or the children of others, can help being benefited and highly delighted in a well-ordered Sunday-school,” said the good man with emphasis; adding, “have the books and papers for which they sent, come?” ”

“ Finding that danger was threatening in the heavens above, and lurking on the earth beneath, he was on the point of sitting down and awaiting his fate, when, suddenly, a flash of lightning revealed an opening between the tall trees, and the hope that there might be some human habitation not far distant caused him to again renew his efforts. ”

“ Steele.
The farmer was at the time unloading wood, and scarcely noticed the missionary; the latter soon broached the subject occupying his thoughts, by saying,
“My friend, could you not consent to take your children to Sunday-school once, on trial?”
“No sir!” he roared; “and I don’t want you to bother me any more about it;” and continued, “work like I do, and let your betters alone.”
“Well then,” said the missionary, “if you will not go yourself, will you not permit your children to go? ”

“ Unfortunately for such persons, in morality and religion there can be no neutral ground. Christ says, “He that is not for me is against me.”
The missionary now opened his satchel, and taking out a Sunday-school book, laid it upon the table; remarking, that instead of trying to fleece the people out of their money, he would propose to give them fifty volumes like the one before them, if they would make [66] up money to pay for fifty more, and agree to organize a Sunday-school. ”

“ They had been taught by their mother that such conduct was wrong; but the father now ruled with a rod of iron, and all were compelled to bend to his will.
The downward course is rapid; it was but a few short years before George and Mary, [138] surrounded by such influence, could mock with the mocker, at the prayer-meeting and Sunday-school.
The father, annoyed by the success of the good cause, and a consciousness of wrong-doing, sought relief in drink—hence he was thrown into the society of the worthless, vulgar drunkards, who lie around the haunts of vice. ”

“ The missionary’s preaching was especially blest to the Sunday-schools; through his efforts whole classes, with their teachers, were brought into the Church.
During one of these gracious seasons, when many were turning to the Lord, a dreadful murder was committed at one of the [148] groceries in the village. One of the Sunday-school teachers, and a noted advocate of Temperance, heard that one of his class had been persuaded to accompany a man to a grocery. The teacher resolved to save his scholar from the influence of the fiends who were aiming at his destruction ”

“ Those of the opposition, in order to fully carry out their principles, were driven to indorse and defend the lowest morality, and the coldest and most formal type of Christianity—and were compelled to yield to the caprices of the ungodly by excusing their faults. ”

“ He was prepared for the occasion, not by a written sermon with rounded paragraphs and beautifully-finished sentences, but by constant, fervent prayer, and thoughtful meditation. He had contemplated the state of the people, and the weight of immortal souls lay heavily upon his heart; and, above all, he remembered his commission and his great responsibility, for the Almighty had said: “If the watchman see the sword come and blow not the trumpet, and the people are not warned; if the sword come and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity ”

“ MR. MASON AND MR. WILSON. ANOTHER clear, calm Sunday morning dawned. All nature seemed to be at rest. The missionary had staid over night with a newly married couple. He found them kind and social, and the young man volunteered his help in the Sunday-school. The hour of ten came, and the school-house was again filled to overflowing. The children were there in full force. God bless the children! What hopes filled their little hearts! Visions of books, papers and pictures floated before their eyes. ”

“ MR. STEELE’S MEETING. EARLY on Wednesday morning, the missionary was on his way to canvass the district. He met with opposition and encouragement among the parents, but the children and most of the young people were decidedly in favor of a Sunday-school. His humility and sincerity won him many friends, and before Thursday night came he had disarmed much of the opposition. ”

“ His character, too, was assailed, and scandalous stories invented and circulated in order to ruin him; but he heeded them not; for the Saviour had said: “Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake; rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in Heaven.”
[96] Whilst the missionary was still in this neighborhood, he was called to the bedside of a dying woman. Now that the hour of dissolution was rapidly approaching, she began to have misgivings about her fitness for Heaven. ”

“ Meeting his wife at the door of his house, he handed her the fatal card.
[24] “Oh, the kind stranger gave you this!” she exclaimed with animation. “He was here this afternoon, and gave each of us one of the same kind, and left one for you. And then he prayed with us. I wish he would settle here and get up a Sunday-school, of which he talked so much. I believe he is one of the best of men.”
“I wish so too;” involuntarily broke from the full heart of the stricken man; “I believe he is a good man. He came to Mr. Steele’s a few hours ago, but was turned off.” ”