_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.
The missionary was called upon to conduct the exercises. After singing
and prayer, he took as the basis of a few remarks, the words: “Jesus
saith to Simon Peter, Simon son of Jonas, ‘lovest thou me more than
these?’ He saith unto Him, ‘yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee.’
He saith unto him, ‘_feed my lambs_.’” What he said was to the point,
and disarmed all open opposition. A vote was taken on the question:
“Will we now organize a Sunday-school?” This was carried by a handsome
majority. When the chairman said: “All who are opposed rise to your
feet,” Mr. Steele and a few others did so, but the odds against them
being so great, they were ashamed, and soon left.
A superintendent was now elected, and happily the choice fell upon
Mr. Brown. The subordinate officers were chosen in like manner. A
collection was then taken up, which proved to be a liberal one.
The children were formed into classes, and volunteer teachers
appointed. A Bible class for adults was also formed, and a short lesson
assigned for the following Sunday. The doxology was sung, and the
people were dismissed. Thus the good cause seemed to be triumphing over
opposition.
A man who lived in an adjoining settlement had come to this meeting,
and being favorably impressed with the appearance and manner of the
missionary, and the Sunday-school movement, he invited him to pay a
visit to the settlement in which he lived, and endeavor to organize a
school there.
“I will come,” was the laconic reply to the man who gave the
invitation. “I will be there by Monday evening.”
After obtaining proper directions for finding the place, he took
leave of this friend and returned with Mr. Brown. The remainder of
the afternoon was employed in giving the superintendent of the newly
organized school all needful instructions as to its management, and the
best methods of teaching. They both felt happy over the prospects of
the enterprise.
Again we find the devoted laborer in the vineyard of the Lord, acting
upon his Master’s command. He is now on his way to the neighboring
settlement. His journey lay through wood and valley, over hills and
prairies--the latter, however, not very extensive. Reaching the
settlement, he, in due time, arrived at the house of his friend, where
everything had been made ready for his reception. A meal was prepared
in a short time, and the missionary partook of it with a decided
relish. The long walk and the cordial welcome tended greatly to sharpen
his appetite.
The reader will pardon a slight digression. We have followed this
servant of God through shadow and sunshine, in his efforts to promote
the interests of Christ’s kingdom. Let us compare his lot with that of
many ministers of the Gospel. Alas! how many are there who, because
they cannot possess life’s luxuries as well as its comforts, abandon
a field in which they might do good! The master has said: “He that
taketh not his _cross_ and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.”
Coming back to our missionary, we find him chatting with the children.
They were at first rather shy, but his gentle, winning manner soon
brought them to his side, and in a very short time they were most
excellent friends. In the meantime their father, Mr. Mason, had
returned (having been necessarily absent), and welcomed the missionary
to his home. As soon as the chores were done, they sat down by a bright
fire and entered into conversation. They did not discuss the various
topics of the day, nor dissect the characters of their neighbors for
the purpose of whiling the time away; but Christ’s cause was their
theme.
“Are the people here generally in favor of Sunday-schools?” inquired
the missionary.
“I do not think they are,” frankly answered Mr. Mason. “Few of them
care much about anything religious.”
“Have you preaching or prayer-meetings?” continued the missionary.
“Sometimes prayer-meetings are started, but they die out directly.
Preaching is kept up most of the time by this, that, or the other
denomination, but it seems to amount to but little. There is no
increase or life about the Church; and you can scarcely tell a member
from a non-professor. Indeed, Christianity has fallen into disrepute,
and Christ and His cause are brought to an open shame.”
“How sad!” replied the missionary, much moved.
“Yes,” said Mr. Mason, “it is a great pity; but there seems to be
little help for it. Several have _tried_ to do something, but all to no
purpose. Somehow or other there was no life in it, and Satan, with a
few rowdies, defeated every attempt.”
“Are all the people so indifferent?” asked the missionary, with great
anxiety.
“I do not know that they are; but the exercises were so cold and
lifeless that the people had no faith in them; and the conduct of many
of the members was so bad, that their influence rather tended to drive
men from the Church than lead them to the Saviour.”
“What are the morals of the children, as a general thing?”
“Of course, where the church members do not perform their duty, their
children are neglected; and when they fail to do right we can hardly
expect anything better from worldlings and sinners. Lying, cursing,
fighting, disobedience and Sabbath-breaking are common sins among the
children. The youth drink, gamble and frolic, and some are guilty of
heinous crimes. But, thank God,” added Mr. Mason, “there are some noble
exceptions both among the children and youth.”
“We must pray God to help us to reform this awful state of morals and
religion. We must labor and pray until a great revival is brought about
in the Church and among the people,” said the missionary, earnestly.
“If you talk of a _revival_ here they will be down on you, both in and
out of the Church,” said the deeply-interested man.
“We will exercise prudence, and call our effort by a more acceptable
name; we will call it a _protracted prayer-meeting_,” added the
missionary, smiling.
“That will be equally obnoxious; the professors generally say, ‘we pay
the preacher to do the praying for us, and that is enough;’ and the
irreligious, of course, have little interest in such things.”
“What do you think they would say to a temperance meeting?” queried the
missionary.
“That will bring down upon you all the loafers, tipplers and
rumsellers; indeed nearly all the church members ‘take some,’ and they
would all unite in opposition to you,” sadly rejoined Mr. Mason.
“All these things must be overcome. And if we are faithful in using
the means God has given us, the work will be accomplished. I do not
despair,” added the missionary.
“May God help us to do our duty!” said Mr. Mason, as he laid the family
Bible on the stand for evening devotion.
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