In the parlor the older people were conversing on somewhat similar
topics: first discussing plans for the entertainment and gratification
of their children and other young relatives, during the approaching
holidays, then of the needs of the poor of the neighborhood, and how to
supply them; after that they talked of the claims of Home and Foreign
Missions; the perils threatening their country from illiteracy, anarchy,
heathenism, Mormonism, Popery, Infidelity, etc., not omitting the danger
from vast wealth accumulating in the hands of individuals and
corporations; also they spoke of the heavy responsibility entailed by
its possession.
They were patriots and Christians; anxious first of all for the
advancement of Christ's kingdom upon earth, secondly for the welfare and
prosperity of the dear land of their birth--the glorious old Union
transmitted to us by our revolutionary fathers.
It was a personal question with each one, "How can I best use for the
salvation of my country and the world, the time, talents, influence and
money God has entrusted to my keeping."
They acknowledged themselves stewards of God's bounty, and as such
desired to be found faithful; neglecting neither the work nearest at
hand nor that in far distant lands where the people sit in great
darkness and the region and shadow of death, that on them the "Sun of
righteousness might arise with healing in his wings."
It had been expected that the guests would stay at Ion till bedtime, but
a thaw had set in and ice and snow were fast disappearing from the
roads; therefore all departed for their homes directly after an early
tea.
Lulu was very quiet during the homeward drive; her thoughts were full of
Maud's surprising assertion in regard to her father's wealth.
"I wonder if it is really so," she said to herself. "I'm tempted to ask
papa; but he might not like it, and I wouldn't want to do anything to
vex or trouble him,--my dear, dear kind father!"
An excellent opportunity for a private chat with him was afforded her
shortly after their arrival at home. The little ones were fretful and
Violet went to the nursery with them; Max hastened to his own room to
finish a composition he was expected to hand to his father the next
morning, Gracie, weary with the excitement of the day, and the long
morning drive, went directly to her bed, and having seen her in it, and
left her there with a loving good night, the captain and Lulu presently
found themselves the only occupants of the library.
Taking possession of a large easy chair, "Come and sit on my knee and
tell me how you have enjoyed your day," he said, giving her a fond
fatherly smile.
"Very much indeed, papa," she answered, accepting his invitation,
putting her arm round his neck and laying her cheek to his.
His arm was around her waist. He drew her closer, saying softly, "My
dear, dear little daughter! I thought you were unusually quiet coming
home: is anything amiss with you?"
"Oh, no, papa! I've had a lovely time all day long. How kind you were to
give us all a holiday and let me go along with the rest of you."
"Good to myself as well as to you, my darlings; I could have had very
little enjoyment leaving you behind."
"Papa, it's so nice to have you love me so!" she said, kissing him with
ardent affection. "Oh, I do hope I'll never, _never_ be very naughty
again!"
"I hope not, dear child," he responded, returning her caresses. "I hope
you feel ready to resume your studies to-morrow, with diligence and
painstaking?"
"Yes, papa, I think I do. It's almost a week since you have heard me
recite; except the Sunday lesson yesterday."
"Yes," he said gravely, "it has been something of a loss to you in one
way, but I trust a decided gain in another. Well to change the subject,
are you pleased with the prospect of spending the holidays at Ion?"
"Yes, papa; I think it will be lovely; almost as nice as having a party
of our own, as we did last year."
"Possibly we may add that--a party here for a day or two--if Grandma
Elsie does not use up all the holidays with hers," he said in a half
jesting tone and with a pleasant laugh.
"O papa, do you really think we may?" she cried in delight. "Oh you are
just the kindest father!" giving him a hug.
He laughed at that, returning the hug with interest.
"I suppose you and Eva and the rest were laying out plans for Christmas
doings this afternoon?" he said inquiringly.
"Yes, papa, we were talking a good deal about games and tableaux, and
about the things we could buy or make for gifts to our friends, and what
we would like to have given us."
She paused, half hoping he would ask what she wanted from him, but he
did not. He sat silently caressing her hair and cheek with his hand, and
seemingly lost in thought.
At length, "Papa," she asked half hesitatingly, "are you very rich?"
"Rich?" he repeated, coming suddenly out of his reverie and looking
smilingly down into her eyes, "yes; I have a sound constitution,
excellent health, a delightful home, a wife and five children, each one
of whom I esteem worth at least a million to me; I live in a Christian
land," he went on in a graver tone, "I have the Bible with all its great
and precious promises, the hope of a blessed eternity at God's right
hand, and that all my dear ones are traveling heavenward with me; yes, I
am a very rich man!"
"Yes, sir; but--I meant have you a great deal of money."
"Enough to provide all that is necessary for the comfort of my family,
and to gratify any reasonable desire on the part of my little girl. What
is it you want, my darling?"
"Papa, I'm almost ashamed to tell you," she said, blushing and hanging
her head; "but if I do, and you can't afford it, won't you please say so
and not feel sorry about it? because I wouldn't ever want you to spend
money on me that you need for yourself or some of the others."
"I am glad you are thoughtful for others as well as yourself, daughter,"
he said kindly; "but don't hesitate to tell me all that is in your
heart. Nothing pleases me better than to have you, and all my dear
children do so."
"Thank you, my dear, dear papa. I don't mean ever to hide anything from
you," she returned, giving him another hug and kiss, while her eyes
sparkled and her cheek flushed with pleasure. "It's a diamond ring I'd
like to have."
"A diamond ring?" he repeated in surprise. "What would my little girl do
with such a thing as that?"
"Wear it, papa. Maud Dinsmore has such beautiful one, that a rich aunt
sent her the other day," she went on eagerly; "there's a large diamond
in the middle and little ones all round it, and it sparkles so, and
looks just lovely on her hand! We all admired it ever so much, and I
said I'd be wild with delight if I had such an one; then Sydney said,
'Why not give your father a hint that you'd like one for Christmas?' and
I said I was afraid you couldn't afford to give me anything that would
cost so much; but Maud said I needn't be, for you were worth millions of
money. Can you really afford to give it to me, papa? I'd like it better
than anything else if you can, but if you can't I don't want it," she
concluded with a sigh, and creeping closer into his embrace.
He did not speak for a moment, but though grave and thoughtful his
countenance was quite free from displeasure,--and when, at length, he
spoke, his tones were very kind and affectionate.
"If I thought it would really be for my little girl's welfare and
happiness in the end," he said, "I should not hesitate for a moment to
gratify her in this wish of hers, but, daughter, the ornament you covet
would be extremely unsuitable for one of your years, and I fear its
possession would foster a love of finery that I do not wish to cultivate
in you, because it is not right, and would hinder you in the race I
trust you are running for the prize of eternal life.
"The Bible tells us we can not serve both God and Mammon; can not love
him and the world too.
"'If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.' God
has entrusted me with a good deal of money, but I hold it as his
steward, and 'it is required in stewards, that a man be found
faithful.'"
"I don't know what you mean, papa," she said, with look and tone of keen
disappointment.
"That I must use the Lord's money to do his work, daughter; a great deal
of money is needed to help on the advancement of his cause and kingdom
in the hearts of individuals, and in the world at large. There are
millions of poor creatures in heathen lands who have never so much as
heard of Jesus and his dying love; and even in our own favored country
there are thousands who are sunk in poverty, ignorance and wretchedness.
Money is needed to feed and clothe them, to send them teachers and
preachers, and to build churches, schools, and colleges, where they can
be educated and fitted for happiness and usefulness.
"Suppose I had a thousand, or five thousand dollars, to spare after
supplying my family with all that is necessary for health, comfort and
happiness; could my dear eldest daughter be so selfish as to wish me to
put it into a diamond ring for her at the expense of leaving some poor
creature in want and misery? some poor heathen to die without the
knowledge of Christ? some soul to be lost that Jesus died to save?"
"Oh no, no, papa!" she exclaimed, tears starting to her eyes, "I
couldn't be so hard hearted. I couldn't bear to look at my ring if it
had cost so much to other people."
"No, I am sure you could not; and I believe you would find far more
enjoyment, a far sweeter pleasure, in selecting objects for me to
benefit by the money the ring might cost."
"O papa, how nice, how delightful that would be if you would let me!"
she cried joyously.
"I will," he said; "I have some thousands to divide among the various
religious and benevolent objects, and shall give a certain sum--perhaps
as much as a thousand dollars--in the name of each of my three children
who are old enough to understand these things, letting each of you
select the cause, or causes, to which his or her share is to go."
"Which are the causes, papa?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with
pleasure.
"There are Home and Foreign Missions, the work among the freedmen, and
for the destitute in our own neighborhood, beside very many others. We
will read about these various objects and talk the matter over together,
and finally decide how many we can help, and how much shall be given to
each. Perhaps you may choose to support a little Indian girl in one of
the Mission schools, or some child in heathen lands; or a missionary who
will go and teach them the way to heaven."
"Oh I should love to do that!" she exclaimed, "it will be better than
having a ring. Papa, how good you are to me! I am so glad God gave me
such a father; one who tries always to teach me how to serve Him and to
help me to be the right kind of a Christian."
"I want to help you in that, my darling," he said; "I think I could do
you no greater kindness."
Just then Max came into the room, and his father called him to take a
seat by his side, saying, "I am glad you have come, my son, for I was
about to speak to Lulu on a subject that concerns you quite as nearly."
"Yes, sir; I'll be glad to listen," replied Max, doing as directed.
The captain went on. "The Bible tells us, 'If any man have not the
Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.' If we are like Jesus in spirit, we
will love others and be ready to deny ourselves to do them good;
especially to save their souls; for to that end he denied himself even
to the shameful and painful death of the cross.
"He says, 'If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take
up his cross, and follow me.... Whosoever doth not bear his cross, and
come after me, cannot be my disciple.'
"That is we cannot be his disciples without doing something to bring
sinners to him that they may be saved; something that will cost us
self-denial; it may be of our own ease, or of something we would like to
do or have.
"And it must be done willingly, cheerfully, from love to the dear Master
and the souls he died to save, and not as the way to earn heaven for
ourselves.
"We can not merit salvation, do what we will; we must take it as God's
free, undeserved gift."
There was a moment of thoughtful silence; then Max said, "Papa, I think
I am willing if I knew just what to do and how to do it. Can you tell
me?"
"You have some money of your own every week; you can give what you will
of that to held spread abroad the glad tidings of salvation; you can
pray for others, and when a favorable opportunity offers, speak a word
to lead them to Christ. Ask God to show you opportunities and give you
grace and wisdom to use them. Try also, so to live, and act, and speak,
that all who see and know you will, take knowledge of you that you have
been with Jesus and learned of him."
"Papa," said Lulu, "won't you tell Max about the money you are going to
give in our names?"
"No, I will let you have that pleasure," the captain answered with a
kindly look and tone, and she eagerly availed herself of the permission.
Max was greatly pleased, and Violet, who joined them just in time to
hear what Lulu was saying, highly approved.
"But you will understand, children," the captain said, "that this
involves your gaining a great deal of information on the subject of
missions, and other schemes of benevolence, and in order to help you in
that, we will spend a short time each evening, when not prevented by
company or some more important engagement, in reading and conversing on
this topic."
"I wish I could earn some money to give," said Lulu. "I'd like to carve
pretty things to sell; but who would buy them?"
"Possibly papa might become an occasional purchaser," her father said,
stroking her hair and smiling kindly upon her.
"Or Mamma Vi," added her young step-mother.
"And I have another offer to make you both," said the captain; "for
every day that I find you obedient, pleasant-tempered and industrious I
will give each of you twenty-five cents for benevolent purposes."
"Thank you, papa," they both said, their eyes sparkling with pleasure;
Max adding, "That will be a dollar and seventy-five cents a week."
"Yes; and for every week that either one of you earns the quarter every
day, I will add another to bring it up to two dollars."
"O papa, how nice!" exclaimed Lulu. "I mean to try very hard, so that I
may have enough to support a little Indian girl. And is Gracie to have
the same?"
"Certainly; and I shall not be greatly surprised if Gracie's missionary
box fills faster than either of the others."
"I am almost sure it will," said Lulu, sobering down a good deal; "and
Max's will be next. But I do mean to try ever so hard to be good."
"I am quite sure you do, dear child," her father responded in tender
tones. "I know my little girl wants to improve, and I shall do all I can
to help her."
"Papa, is that quarter a day for good conduct, to be in addition to our
usual pocket money?" asked Max.
"Certainly, my son; your pocket money is your own, to use for your
pleasure or profit, except what you feel that you ought, or desire to
give of it; but the quarter is expressly, and only for benevolent
purposes."
"When may we begin to earn it, papa?"
"To-morrow."
"I'm glad of that," said Lulu with satisfaction, "because I want to earn
a good deal before Christmas."
Then she told of Evelyn's suggestions in regard to gifts for the poor in
their immediate neighborhood.
"A very good idea," her father said, "and I think it may be carried out
in a way to yield enjoyment to both givers and receivers."
"I hope it will be cold enough at Christmas time to make ice and snow
for sleighing and sledding," Max remarked; "for we boys have planned to
have a good deal of fun for ourselves and the girls too, if it is."
"You mean if there is sleighing and sledding," his father said with an
amused look. "It might be cold enough, yet the needed snow or ice be
lacking."
"Why, yes, sir, to be sure, so it might!" Max returned, laughing good
humoredly.
"What kind of fun is it you boys have planned for us girls?" asked Lulu.
"Never you mind," said Max; "you'll see when the time comes; the
surprise will be half of it you know."
"My dear, you seem to me a very wise and kind father," Violet remarked
to her husband when they found themselves alone together, after Max and
Lulu had gone to their beds. "I very highly approve of the plans you
have just proposed for them. Though, of course the approval of a silly
young thing, such as I, must be a matter of small consequence," she
added, with a merry, laughing look up into his face.
"Young, but not silly," he returned, with a very lover-like look and
smile. "I consider my wife's judgment worth a great deal, and am highly
gratified with her approval. I am extremely desirous," he went on more
gravely, "to train my darlings to systematic benevolence, a willingness
to deny themselves for the cause of Christ, and to take an interest in
every branch of the work of the church."