{"collection":"scripture-revelation","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_57670/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_57670","id":"gutenberg_57670","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/57670","summary":null,"tags":["Category: American Literature","Category: Novels","Category: Religion/Spirituality","Christian fiction","Christian life -- Fiction","Missionaries -- Fiction","Sunday schools -- Fiction","Temperance -- Fiction","West (U.S.) -- History -- 19th century -- Fiction"],"text":"Produced by Richard Hulse, David E. Brown, and the Online\nDistributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This\nfile was produced from images generously made available\nby The Internet Archive)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTRANSCRIBER'S NOTES:\n\n\n  Italicized text is surrounded by underscores: _italics_.\n\n  Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.\n\n  Inconsistencies in hyphenation have been retained.\n\n  Archaic or alternate spelling which may have been in use at the time\n    of publication has been retained.\n\n\n\n\n  SCENES IN THE WEST,\n\n  OR\n\n  The Sunday-School\n\n  AND\n\n  TEMPERANCE.\n\n  [Illustration]\n\n  BY A MISSIONARY.\n\n\n  PHILADELPHIA:\n  LUTHERAN BOARD OF PUBLICATION,\n  42 NORTH NINTH STREET.\n  1873.\n\n\n\n\n  Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1873, by the\n  LUTHERAN BOARD OF PUBLICATION,\n  in the Clerk\u2019s Office of the District Court of the United States in\n  and for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.\n\n  Lancaster, Pa.:\n  INQUIRER PRINTING AND PUBLISHING COMPANY,\n  Stereotypers and Printers.\n\n\n\n\nPREFACE.\n\n\nThe author of this volume has brought together a few incidents in\n_real_ life to illustrate the power of godliness in the individual, and\nthe blessings of the Sunday-school, the influence of the prayer-meeting\nand the cause of temperance in the church and in the community.\n\nThat the God of all our mercies may bless this little book to the\nreader, is the prayer of the author.\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration: CONTENTS]\n\n\nCHAPTER.                                                          PAGE.\n\n      I. THE MISSIONARY                                             13\n\n     II. MISFORTUNES                                                27\n\n    III. RELIEF OBTAINED                                            39\n\n     IV. AN APPOINTMENT                                             45\n\n      V. THE MISSIONARY PREACHES                                    56\n\n     VI. MR. STEELE\u2019S MEETING                                       62\n\n    VII. MR. MASON AND MR. WILSON                                   69\n\n   VIII. MISSIONARY VISITS                                          78\n\n     IX. OPPOSITION                                                 84\n\n      X. SUNDAY-SCHOOL ORGANIZED--LOCAL PREACHER                    92\n\n     XI. MR. KERR AND HIS FAMILY                                    98\n\n    XII. THE TEMPERANCE CAUSE                                      109\n\n   XIII. MR. TRUMAN--MISSIONARY\u2019S DEPARTURE                        118\n\n    XIV. WORKINGS OF THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL AND TEMPERANCE SOCIETY      123\n\n     XV. GEORGE AND MARY                                           134\n\n    XVI. MR. BROWN\u2019S FAMILY                                        140\n\n   XVII. MISSIONARY AGAIN VISITS THE WEST                          145\n\n  XVIII. DEATH                                                     152\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nSCENES IN THE WEST.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER I.\n\n_THE MISSIONARY._\n\n  \u201cThe melancholy days had come,\n  The saddest of the year.\u201d\n\n\nAll nature seemed to be resting in a quiet dreamy slumber. The bee\nhad well nigh laid up its winter store, and many of the birds were\npreparing to leave for more genial climes in the sunny south. All these\nwere but the harbingers of the cold storms that were lingering behind\nthe snow-covered mountains of the north. Indian summer, the season of\nromance, like the life of a humble Christian, leaves its loveliest\nscenes to its departing hours. It was in the midst of these balmy days\nthat you might have seen a traveler with a worn satchel in one hand\nand a staff in the other coming up a narrow lane leading to the home\nof a prosperous Western settler. He walked slowly, for he had left\nbehind him many weary miles; his countenance, though calm, was pale and\nlanguid; yet his eye seemed to bespeak the hope that here he might find\nthe much-needed rest.\n\nTwo men were standing beside the gate at the end of the lane when the\nstranger came up. The one was a kindly disposed person with but little\nforce of character, and deficient in moral courage, whom we shall know\nas Mr. Kerr. The other, whose name was Steele, was the owner of the\npremises.\n\nHe was a large man, selfish and resolute, a conceited formalist,\nbigoted, exceedingly headstrong, and greatly prejudiced against all\nChristian zeal.\n\nNo sooner did Mr. Steele notice the approach of the stranger than he\nturned to Mr. Kerr and exclaimed: \u201cThere, I\u2019ll bet you, comes that\nSunday-school, temperance loafer I\u2019ve heard so much of lately. I reckon\nhe expects to get in here; but I tell you, sir, my \u2018shanty\u2019 don\u2019t hold\nthe like of him, while I\u2019m boss here, \u2018that\u2019s said!\u2019\u201d This was uttered\nwith emphatic bitterness. To this passionate outburst Mr. Kerr ventured\na little palliation by the remark that he had heard that in the other\nsettlement the people seemed to like the missionary very well.\n\n\u201c_You_ would have nothing to do with his nonsense, would you?\u201d retorted\nMr. Steele with a look of scorn.\n\n\u201cNo,\u201d feebly and insincerely muttered Mr. Kerr, \u201cwe have got along\nso far without it, and I guess we can get along without it a little\nfurther.\u201d\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s my ticket,\u201d sharply added Mr. Steele.\n\nBy this time the stranger had reached the gate. A calm, pleasant smile\nlit up his pale countenance; and he accosted them with,\n\n\u201cGood evening, friends.\u201d\n\n\u201cGood evening, sir,\u201d responded Mr. Kerr.\n\n\u201cHow d\u2019ye do, sir,\u201d thundered out Mr. Steele.\n\n\u201cThis has been a very pleasant day,\u201d ventured the traveler.\n\n\u201cYes, sir,\u201d curtly replied Mr. Steele.\n\n\u201cI am very tired,\u201d continued the stranger; \u201ccould I stay with you\nto-night?\u201d\n\n\u201cYou are the fellow who goes about lecturing on temperance, and getting\nup Sunday-schools, aint you?\u201d sarcastically rejoined Mr. Steele, his\nface reddening.\n\n\u201cThat is my calling,\u201d meekly added the man of God.\n\n\u201cThen you don\u2019t stay all night in my house; I don\u2019t harbor fellows who\nare too lazy to work,\u201d sneeringly answered the excited Mr. Steele.\n\n\u201cBut I am very tired, and my head aches badly; I\u2019ll pay you well.\u201d\n\n\u201cCant help it. The sooner you make tracks the better,\u201d retorted the\nunfeeling man.\n\n\u201cI am afraid it will storm to-night,\u201d continued the missionary,\npointing to a dark cloud which was looming up in the west.\n\n\u201cYou might have stayed at home and minded your own business, instead\nof minding other people\u2019s, and kept out of this trouble,\u201d replied Mr.\nSteele, with a look so severe that the poor wanderer lost all hope of\nany comfort or favor from this seemingly inhospitable dwelling; so he\ninquired how far it was to the next house.\n\n\u201cThat depends entirely upon which way you go,\u201d mockingly answered the\nhard-hearted man, with a wink to Mr. Kerr, and a conceited smile at the\nunfeeling wit he had displayed.\n\n\u201cI expect to continue my labors westward,\u201d gently added the missionary.\n\nHis soul was grieved at the hardness of this man\u2019s heart, and for a\nmoment he felt like looking upon his persecutor with anger. But he\nremembered that even his Lord and Master was mocked and derided; that\n\u201cwhen He was reviled, He reviled not again; but as a lamb before his\nshearers is dumb, so He opened not his mouth.\u201d And the humble follower\nof the Man of Sorrows in silence offered up the prayer, \u201cFather,\nforgive them, they know not what they do.\u201d\n\nThe door of common humanity being closed against him, he made up his\nmind to continue his journey, let the dangers and privations be what\nthey might. An angel seemed to whisper, \u201cI will lead thee in the way in\nwhich thou shalt go;\u201d so he took courage.\n\nBeing thirsty, he ventured to ask for a drink of water.\n\n\u201cYou can go to the spring,\u201d was the abrupt answer, and the cruel man\nturned upon his heel, and in company with Mr. Kerr passed on to the\nbarn, leaving the suffering one standing by the gate alone.\n\nBut George, a lad of about ten years, and Mary, a little flower of\nseven summers, had looked on and listened with the curiosity common\nto children. Their hearts were filled with pity toward the poor man;\nand, when even a drink of water was denied him, the inherent kindness,\nimplanted in all our natures, was instantly awakened.\n\nIn a moment, as the missionary turned the corner of the yard, the two\nchildren met him each with \u201ca cup of cold water.\u201d \u201cHere is good fresh\nwater, please drink,\u201d said the little ones. His heart was melted at\nthis unexpected exhibition of kindness; and invoking a blessing upon\nthe dear children, he raised the cup to his lips and was refreshed.\nHe then opened his satchel, and gave each child a picture card and\nSunday-school paper, also cards for the men, together with a neat\nlittle tract for their mother. Bidding them good-by, he with a sigh\nresumed his lonely journey.\n\nThe children, happy in having done a kindness, hurried to their\nmother, and were soon showing and admiring the papers and cards; she,\nmother-like, very naturally shared their pleasure, but thought of the\nstranger with a pang of regret, for she feared that he would take the\nroad leading into an unsettled region, infested with wild beasts and\nroving Indians. After admiring the pictures, she told the children all\nshe knew of the Sunday-school, for which these beautiful things were\nmade, at the same time hoping that her husband\u2019s opposition to them\nmight be removed.\n\n\u201cI wish there was Sunday-school here,\u201d said George.\n\n\u201cWon\u2019t there be Sunday-school here, mother?\u201d exclaimed both at once.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m afraid not,\u201d said their mother, sorrowfully, knowing the hostility\nof many of the neighbors toward anything of the kind.\n\n\u201cWhy not, mother?\u201d innocently asked the children.\n\nThis was one of those questions children often ask, and which it is so\nhard to answer.\n\n\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d she replied, evasively, adding, \u201cgo give your father\nand Mr. Kerr their cards. They are at the barn.\u201d\n\nHurrying out, their noisy delight soon arrested the attention of the\nmen.\n\n\u201cWhat in the world is up now?\u201d wondered their father.\n\n\u201cSee here, father, see here!\u201d exclaimed the children, holding out the\ncards.\n\n\u201cWho gave you these?\u201d said he, reaching out his hand for the gifts, and\nsuspecting the source.\n\n\u201cThe man at the gate; we gave him a drink, and he gave us these\n(showing their cards) and a little book for mother, and this one for\nyou and that one for Mr. Kerr.\u201d\n\nLooking for a moment at the engraving, he read, \u201cFor I was an\nhungered, and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I\nwas a stranger, and ye took me in.\u201d\n\nInstantly the terrible reproof, associated with these words, awakened\nthe man\u2019s slumbering conscience. Writhing under its force he tried to\nconstrue the innocent gift into an insult; then flinging it to the\nground he stamped his foot upon it.\n\nAt this exhibition of anger all the joy of the children vanished.\n\nMary began to cry, and George wondered what there was about the card to\noffend his father.\n\nIn the meantime, Mr. Kerr had read his card. The words were, \u201cAnd\n_these_ shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous\ninto life eternal.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat have you got?\u201d sneeringly asked Mr. Steele, of his companion. Mr.\nKerr read the text with some emotion.\n\n\u201cJust what I expected! he thought to give us a cut,\u201d said the angry\nman, at the same time adding many abusive words.\n\nMr. Kerr tried to assent to the remarks, but the words upon the card\nhad touched his heart; and he felt like hating himself for having\nyielded, against his convictions, to the unreasonableness of his\nneighbor toward an unoffending stranger. Putting the card in his\npocket, he was compelled to be an unwilling listener to the tirade of\na would-be Christian (for Mr. Steele was a member of church) against\nprayer-meetings, temperance societies and Sunday-schools.\n\nAs soon as practicable, Mr. Kerr left for home; his conscience still at\nwork, accusing him of cowardice, and partaking of another\u2019s sin. \u201cAnd\nthese shall go away into everlasting punishment,\u201d like a poisoned arrow\nwas festering in his heart, until his guilty imagination conceived that\nthe card contained his eternal doom.\n\nMeeting his wife at the door of his house, he handed her the fatal\ncard.\n\n\u201cOh, the kind stranger gave you this!\u201d she exclaimed with animation.\n\u201cHe was here this afternoon, and gave each of us one of the same kind,\nand left one for you. And then he prayed with us. I wish he would\nsettle here and get up a Sunday-school, of which he talked so much. I\nbelieve he is one of the best of men.\u201d\n\n\u201cI wish so too;\u201d involuntarily broke from the full heart of the\nstricken man; \u201cI believe he is a good man. He came to Mr. Steele\u2019s a\nfew hours ago, but was turned off.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhy didn\u2019t you bring him home with you?\u201d she asked.\n\n\u201cWell, I know I ought to have done so; but I was afraid of Mr. Steele,\nwho you know hates all such people.\u201d To avoid any more questions on\nthe subject, he asked to see what the man had left for him. The card\nwas soon handed him, and he read: \u201cFear not them which kill the body,\nbut are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to\ndestroy both soul and body in Hell.\u201d\n\nThis was another arrow from the quiver of the Almighty. His wife\nsoon detected the change that had come over him, and with becoming\nsolicitude endeavored to find out the cause; but in this her efforts\nwere evaded.\n\n\u201cI was afraid of Mr. Steele,\u201d thought he, \u201cwho would not even dare\nto kill my body--whilst I did not fear Him who is able to destroy my\nsoul.\u201d Leaving him in his sorrow, we will return to Mr. Steele.\n\nThe children, mortified and discouraged, had left the barn, and gone to\ntheir mother for consolation in their disappointment. This was always\nafforded them; for never was a mother more kind to her little ones, and\nyet more decided in her endeavors to train them in the right way.\n\nMr. Steele, being conscious of having done wrong, tried to rid himself\nof his unpleasant feelings, by bustling about, doing first this, then\nthat, for relief. It was late before he entered the house, and lest he\nshould be suspected of regretting what he had done, he confronted his\nwife with, \u201cI wonder what kind of trash that loafer left here with you\nand the children to-day? I guess he wants to set up an agency here.\u201d\n\n\u201cThey are in the bureau drawer, there,\u201d said his wife, \u201cshall I get\nthem for you?\u201d\n\n\u201cNo, I don\u2019t want to see any more of the trash;\u201d and, going into\nanother room, he sat down to read a political speech. But it failed\nto interest him. The coming darkness, the looming up of heavy clouds\nin the distance, the stranger out in the pathless wilds, the abused\nprivilege of doing good to--perhaps, after all--one of the followers\nof the Redeemer; the text on the card with its indirect reproof, were\nthoughts which crowded themselves upon his mind. For a moment he wished\nthat he had given the stranger shelter; but prejudice had too long held\nsway to be thus easily set aside. He had taken a stand, and he would\nmaintain it, let the consequences be what they would.\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nCHAPTER II.\n\n_MISFORTUNES._\n\n\nOur traveler, after leaving Mr. Steele\u2019s, unfortunately took a road\nleading from the inhabited portion of country. Night was approaching,\nand the last sounds of human habitations had long since ceased to greet\nhis ear; he still walked on, however, hoping that some dwelling would\ncome into view.\n\nThe sun had set behind the great mountain of storm clouds in the west,\nand twilight was drawing a curtain of darkness around. The clouds rose\nhigher and higher; the heavens began to be overspread with long masses\nof floating vapor, and the distant gleam of lightning could now be\ndistinctly seen. He now encountered a steep hill in his march; his\nlimbs could scarcely bear his body along, but he knew that he must go\non. There were but few trees on the hill, and their absence enabled him\nto see his way more clearly in ascending, but the valley beyond seemed\nshrouded in midnight darkness.\n\nThese wild regions were infested with wolves and other ravenous beasts,\nand our hero being unarmed, his life became hourly more endangered.\nAfter struggling along under accumulating difficulties, in utter\nloneliness and discouragement he sat down on a log to rest. It was\nto him an hour of trial; and his patience almost failed him. But the\nremembrance of God\u2019s promise, \u201cBehold, I am with thee and will keep\nthee,\u201d cheered him. A clap of thunder warned him of the approach of\nthe storm, and aroused his enfeebled energies to their task. But where\nshould he go? The darkness, if possible, had increased; not a ray of\nlight remained, excepting when the electric fluid for a moment lit\nup the heavens with its lurid blaze only to leave it still darker. An\neffort to secure shelter must be made _at once_.\n\nAs he was anxiously hurrying on among the weeds and fallen timber, a\nhuge rattlesnake that had coiled itself under some rubbish suddenly\nsounded its \u201cdeath-rattle.\u201d Finding that danger was threatening in\nthe heavens above, and lurking on the earth beneath, he was on the\npoint of sitting down and awaiting his fate, when, suddenly, a flash\nof lightning revealed an opening between the tall trees, and the hope\nthat there might be some human habitation not far distant caused him to\nagain renew his efforts.\n\nMoving cautiously forward, he succeeded in crossing a stream of water;\na short distance beyond was an old, broken-down fence. The glimpse\nwhich the lightning gave him of this, the work of man, sent a thrill of\njoy to his desponding heart.\n\nHe anxiously watched for the electric lamp to reveal the place of\nhabitation. Now and then a large drop of rain fell, and presently a\nfearful blaze of lightning illuminated the whole heavens, followed by a\nclap of thunder that seemed to shake the earth to its very foundation!\nThe rain was now descending upon the distant hill. Aroused to a full\nsense of his danger, he commended his soul to God, expecting to be\ncrushed beneath the falling timber, which could plainly be heard above\nthe roar of the elements.\n\nAs we all shrink from imminent danger, he instinctively looked around\nfor some protection. Near by, in a clump of trees, he espied, when it\nagain lightened, something like a roof. What a thrill of joy entered\nhis heart! Groping his way forward, he found a little hut with door\nwide open as if to welcome him; he needed no invitation, but rushed in,\nfor the storm was bursting upon him.\n\nAll within was dark and silent save a rustling in one corner and the\nflitting of a bat overhead. The chilly dampness which pervaded the\nroom, and the musty smell that came up from the floor, made the first\nimpression far from agreeable. The roof leaked and the windows were\ngone. In one corner he found a dry spot; here he nestled down, awaiting\nthe fury of the descending storm.\n\nThe elements were now raging with irresistible power. The very earth\nseemed to tremble under the contending forces that were hurling\ndestruction all around. Part of the shattered roof came down, the trees\nwere torn up by the roots and the cabin was almost lifted from its\nfoundation.\n\nHappily the winds hurled the rain against the corner in which he\nhad taken refuge, and the logs, chinking and daubing that remained,\narrested the water, so that the place which he occupied was\ncomparatively dry, whilst all the rest of the inside was deluged with\nthe dashing rain.\n\nMusing for a time upon his lonely condition and his prospects for the\nfuture, he fell asleep, and did not awake until it was quite day. He\narose, and kneeling down in that deserted cabin, he brought all his\nsorrows before God, and asked in great humility for His guidance and\nprotection.\n\nThe storm had passed, and the sun rose in a serene and cloudless sky.\nAfter his communion with God, he came out of his retreat to view his\nsurroundings.\n\nThe ground was literally covered with pools of standing water, fallen\ntimber and fragments of vegetation. The cabin in which he had slept had\nbeen long since deserted, and the place looked mournfully desolate,\nwild and forsaken.\n\nAs the lowlands were now full of standing water, and the creek so\nhigh that to return by the way he came was impossible, he took up his\nsatchel and staff, and proceeded westward in search of a settlement.\n\nAfter wandering on for several hours he came to a large swamp covered\nwith reeds, tall grass and spaces of open water; in some places the\ncovering was a beautiful carpet of green moss, upon which one could\nstand, but the least movement would shake the frail moss bed for rods\naround; under this treacherous cover there appeared to be a great depth\nof quicksand and water. A path made by wild animals along the margin of\nthe swamp somewhat relieved the irksomeness of passing through it.\n\nAs he was traveling on he discovered the footprints of a bear which\nhad been turning over some old logs in search of worms and insects. An\nencounter with Bruin was something for which he was wholly unprepared.\nSitting down to consider which course he had better pursue, his\nattention was attracted by a noise among the bushes behind him. He had\nalready passed the monster and might have escaped unnoticed had he not\nsat down!\n\nThe bear, seeing him, came out of the bushes toward him. As our hero\ndid not show any signs of retreat the bear stopped and sat upon his\nhaunches, ready for a fight. The worn-out missionary did not feel like\naccepting the challenge, but was rather inclined to a purely defensive\npolicy. The bear remained stationary for some time, waiting, no doubt,\nfor a demonstration of the purposes and ability of the stranger. They\neyed each other until that indescribable superiority implanted in the\neye of man made the huge beast quail, and he sullenly retreated into\nthe thicket.\n\nThe way being now clear our traveler again started on. The marsh was\nat length passed, but another difficulty now presented itself in the\nshape of an abrupt bluff; too much fatigued to ascend it, he changed\nhis course by its base, still, however, designing to go westward. A\nbeautiful spring that gushed out from among the rocks at the side of\nthe hill invited him to rest. Whilst laving his sore, feverish feet in\nits cool waters, he noticed the movements of a little squirrel as it\njumped from tree to tree, gathering nuts for the coming winter. Here he\nlearned a lesson which would enable him to appease his hunger.\n\nHaving eaten his frugal meal, and being somewhat refreshed, his step\nwas lighter. Another stream impeded his progress, so he again changed\nhis course, following its windings among the valleys and hills.\nThroughout his whole course he had as yet seen no indications of the\npresence of man.\n\nThe sun was again setting, and as the shades of night increased and no\ndwelling appeared he began to look about for some place of shelter.\nAs he was hastily ascending a ridge, a pack of wolves commenced their\ndiscordant yelps and howlings right in his front. Turning around he\nwended his way up a ravine, walking as fast as possible. Another pack\nof wolves then set up a howl to his left; this seemed to enrage the\nothers, so that their hideous noise could not but chill the heart of\nthe defenseless wanderer.\n\nTo climb a tree and rest among its branches for the night, was his\nfirst thought. A spreading beech, with branches almost reaching the\nground, offered its accommodations. After choosing his position in\nthe tree, and fixing himself, as he supposed, for the night, he very\nsoon found his limbs cramped and his hold unsafe. Becoming satisfied\nthat to remain where he was would be risking his life, he immediately\ndescended. The darkness, when off the tree, seemed much more dense;\nand being now within reach of the wolves, made him almost regret\nhaving left it. \u201cOh, that I never had been called to this sacrifice,\u201d\ninvoluntarily burst from him. A voice whispered: \u201cThe foxes have holes\nand the birds of the air have nests, but the _Son of Man_ hath not\nwhere to lay His head.\u201d These words were not without effect, for they\nled him to say, \u201cif the Lord of Lords suffered thus before me, why\nshould I murmer at my lot?\u201d and he again \u201cthanked God and took courage.\u201d\n\nAt length he succeeded in finding a hollow tree which answered his\npurpose. Feeling that he was in God\u2019s hands, it was not long until\n\u201ctired nature\u2019s sweet restorer\u201d came to his relief.\n\nIt is well that God conceals from us the rod with which He intends to\nchasten us; were it not so, our prospective trials would seem greater\nthan we could bear. The trials encountered by His servant in this\npeculiar case, were but the beginning of those in store for him.\n\nHaving changed his course so often, he lost all idea of the points of\nthe compass. The consequence was that he spent two days and a night\nlonger wandering in this wilderness. At the expiration of that time\nhe found himself at the very old hut in which he had spent the first\nnight; which proved to him that he had been traveling in a circle.\nUnder the circumstances, he was very glad to again avail himself of the\nprotection thus afforded.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nCHAPTER III.\n\n_RELIEF OBTAINED._\n\n\nThe night having passed, in the morning the missionary felt satisfied\nthat he could not find his way back to the settlement which he had\nleft. For a time he tried to find the old road by which he had come;\nbut failing in this, he directed his steps eastward. His bewilderment\nhaving entirely left him, his heart was joyous and his step light.\nAlthough the people of the settlement to which he was returning, were\ncomparatively strangers to him, he felt assured that many of them were\nChristians more than in name, and others who did not bear that name\nwere kind-hearted and charitable. Here was a work for him to do.\n\nThe day was rapidly advancing; and the elastic step of the morning had\nslackened to a laborious effort to reach his destination.\n\nHark! What sound is that? The tinkling of a bell! He now knew that he\nwas nearing the settlement. Pushing on, he saw to his right several\nopenings, and beyond smoke curling up. He at length reached the gate\nleading into the yard in front of a farm-house. Everything had a neat\nand comfortable appearance. That he might here obtain relief, was now\nhis ardent desire.\n\nA dog that lay before the door, observing the stranger at the gate,\noffered a decided resistance to his entrance. The attention of Mr.\nBrown, the farmer, was thus attracted, and coming out of the house to\nsee what was the matter, he was struck with the forlorn appearance of\nthe stranger; and with feelings of pity invited him in. The kind look\nand cordial welcome touched the missionary\u2019s heart, and it was with\ndifficulty that he kept back the tears. Taking up his satchel, Mr.\nBrown led the way into the house, and introduced him as \u201ca suffering\nstranger.\u201d\n\nAfter a few remarks respecting his present situation, he commenced to\nrelate what had befallen him during the past few days. The whole family\ngathered round to hear his pitiful story; and all were greatly moved by\nthe recital of his sufferings.\n\n\u201cYou must now lie down and rest,\u201d kindly insisted Mrs. Brown. \u201cI have a\ncomfortable bed prepared for you in the adjoining room. Henry, my boy,\nwill you show the way?\u201d\n\nHenry was a lad about ten years old. A look at his open, honest face at\nonce prepossessed you in his favor. He immediately did what his mother\ndesired.\n\n\u201cMother,\u201d said little blue-eyed Eliza, as soon as the stranger had\ndisappeared, \u201cwho is this sick man, and what has he got in his satchel\nthere in the corner?\u201d\n\n\u201cWhy, my dear child,\u201d replied her mother, \u201cyou should never ask two\nquestions at once. Answering your last question first, I do not know\nwhat is in the satchel, nor should my little girl be curious about that\nwhich does not concern her. As to the man, he is the missionary who\ntraveled through here last week, trying to get up a Sunday-school in\nour neighborhood.\u201d\n\n\u201cA Sunday-school, mother! School on Sunday! Why he must be a wicked man\nto keep school on Sunday! I don\u2019t want to go.\u201d\n\nHer mother never having been in a Sunday-school herself, scarcely\nknew how to explain to her daughter the difference between it and an\nordinary day school. So she simply said:\n\n\u201cIt is not a school like ours down at the \u2018Cross Roads,\u2019 but one in\nwhich we read the Bible, and sing and pray, and are taught to love the\nSaviour.\u201d\n\n\u201cO, mother!\u201d exclaimed the child, \u201cthen I would like to go. Do tell\nthe man to have one in our school-house. Will you mother?\u201d\n\n\u201cYes, child, I will ask him if he gets well again.\u201d\n\n\u201cI hope he will get well soon,\u201d said Eliza, and bounded off to tell\nHenry the news. He saw her coming, and as her manner showed that she\nwas greatly pleased, he called out in one breath,\n\n\u201cWhat have you got? Who gave it to you?\u201d\n\n\u201cI have nothing,\u201d she replied; \u201cnobody gave me anything.\u201d\n\n\u201cYes there did,\u201d said Henry.\n\n\u201cNo there didn\u2019t,\u201d curtly answered Eliza.\n\n\u201cWhat tickles you so then,\u201d rejoined Henry in a milder tone.\n\nBy this time Eliza\u2019s ardor was quite dampened by Henry\u2019s manner, so she\nmerely replied:\n\n\u201cI will tell you to-morrow,\u201d and then left him.\n\nBut Henry did not feel like waiting. No sooner was she gone than he\nagain sought her, more anxious than ever to know what had so excited\nher.\n\n\u201cI will tell you,\u201d she said, \u201cif you won\u2019t be so cross to me next\ntime,\u201d evidently feeling that she had the advantage of him.\n\n\u201cI wasn\u2019t cross. I\u2019ll always be good and nice,\u201d said Henry, glad to\ncome to terms, for he felt very curious.\n\nEliza then sat down and told him all that her mother had said about the\nSunday-school, occasionally adding an exclamation of her own to make it\nseem more important.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nCHAPTER IV.\n\n_AN APPOINTMENT._\n\n\nMrs. Brown, knowing that the missionary had been deprived of the proper\nkind of food for such a long time, thought it best that he should\nnow take it in small quantities and at short intervals, and for this\nreason desired her husband to rouse him, that he might again partake\nof refreshment. It was now night, and, after a season of devotion, all\nretired.\n\nThe sun had again risen. Hearts had wakened; some to joy and hope,\nothers to sorrow and despair. The missionary had rested well. Although\nhe still looked pale, he had in a great measure recovered from his\nfatigue. The hospitality of this most excellent family, to whom\nProvidence had directed his steps, was shared with feelings of the\ndeepest gratitude.\n\nMr. Brown and his wife were earnest, devoted Christians, possessing\nliberal views, and were ever ready for any movement that could show any\nreasonable prospect of doing good. They never condemned what had not\nbeen faithfully tried, unless forbidden by the Word of God. Although\nthey had never heard a temperance lecture, and, as to a Sunday-school,\nit was something respecting which their knowledge was very indistinct;\nyet, when these subjects were laid before them by the missionary, and\ntheir great importance shown, both were ready to try the experiment.\n\n\u201cWe will make an appointment for you at the school-house as soon as you\nwill be able to fill it,\u201d said Mr. Brown, \u201cand then you can explain the\nwhole matter to the people, and we will try what we can do.\u201d\n\n\u201cI am ready, with God\u2019s help, to commence the work to-morrow,\u201d said the\nmissionary.\n\n\u201cNot to-morrow,\u201d replied Mr. Brown; \u201cyou must not disregard your health\nwhen duty does not demand the sacrifice. As this matter has not been\nmuch agitated here, and no appointment is out, a few days rest until\nyour strength is sufficient to carry on the work when commenced, will\nnot be a neglect of duty. As the young people have singing-school\nin our school-house to-morrow after noon, we will send and have an\nappointment given out for you on Tuesday evening. We will also have\nthe announcement made at the other school-house; then the people will\nhave a little time to think and talk the matter over, and have their\ncuriosity aroused, and we will have a good turn-out.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs you seem to understand matters so well, I will leave all to you,\u201d\nsaid the missionary.\n\nUnder the kind care of Mrs. Brown, our traveler improved rapidly, and\nhis wonted cheerfulness was gradually returning.\n\n\u201cDo you know what is in that bundle there in the corner?\u201d inquired\nEliza of her brother Henry, in a loud whisper, and pointing toward the\nstranger\u2019s satchel.\n\n\u201cI guess the stranger has his \u2018things\u2019 in it,\u201d answered Henry, looking\nin the same direction.\n\nThe missionary, hearing their conversation, and wishing to gratify\ntheir curiosity as well as please them, asked them to bring the satchel\nto him.\n\nAfter showing them a book full of pretty pictures and a Sunday-school\npaper, he allowed them to look at a great many beautiful cards, upon\nwhich were printed hymns and prayers. He explained the use of these\nthings, and gave each of them a card and paper. To show \u201cmother\u201d what\nthey had received was of course the next thing to be done, and they had\nalmost forgotten to thank the missionary in their hurry and glee. The\nmother was almost as much pleased as the children, especially with the\npapers. After admiring them again, the children asked her to lay them\naway that they might not become soiled.\n\nSunday-school scholar, do you prize your cards and papers as these\nchildren did? Or do you carelessly soil and lose them--or perhaps tear\nthem up without reading them?\n\nIf you have thus indifferently treated them, think of these little\nchildren, and, like them, place your Sunday-school gifts among your\nprecious treasures. When you are grown to manhood and womanhood, and\ncalled upon to battle with life, you may look upon these mementoes of\nchildhood and youth with sad but sweet recollections.\n\nThe next day being Sunday, after the morning duties were finished, this\nfamily, with the missionary, enjoyed a season of devotion and Christian\nfellowship. As they, in the fear of God, intended to \u201cmove upon the\nenemy\u2019s works\u201d on Tuesday night, it would be profitable for the leader\nto know how the enemy was entrenched, and what forces had been employed\nagainst him; how these operated and what their success.\n\n\u201cWhat kind of people have you here in the West?\u201d inquired the\nmissionary with a smile.\n\n\u201cWell,\u201d replied Mr. Brown, \u201cwe have what the geographer terms \u2018a\nmixed population.\u2019 Or, as old Peter Miller would say, \u2018good, bad and\nindifferent.\u2019 It is a great mistake in eastern men to suppose that the\nwestern pioneer is an ignoramus. You will find some of the sharpest,\nbest educated and most energetic men of this continent here in the\nWest. A great many have the \u2018bump of go-aheadativeness,\u2019 as Fowler\nwould say, \u2018largely developed\u2019.\u201d\n\n\u201cMethod or system is not so much looked upon as \u2018will it go?\u2019 \u2018will\nit pay?\u2019 \u2018how long will it take?\u2019 The masses are what some term\n\u2018fast men.\u2019 Money must be made at once! Fortunes acquired in a day!\nCircuitous approaches are inadmissible. \u2018Straight through and go ahead\u2019\nis the cry. \u2018Young America\u2019 here is impatient of delay; and if one\nway does not at once succeed, another is tried; and if speedy results\nare not seen, a new location or a change of business is contemplated.\nHence, \u2018fogyism\u2019 is generally discarded, and which ever way they move\nthey tend toward the extreme. This restless spirit is the very secret\nof their being here. Ambitious, brave and independent minds seek their\ndevelopment in situations where they can \u2018make a country,\u2019 create\ncities, establish commerce, and lay the foundation for learning, art\nand science.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhy, indeed, Mr. Brown, you have given me a very graphic description\nof the characteristics of the western people, and it almost makes me\nafraid to risk my abilities among such,\u201d replied the missionary.\n\n\u201cNever mind,\u201d said Mr. Brown, \u201cyou must become enthusiastic too; and\nwhen they see you are in earnest, they will help you.\u201d\n\n\u201cBut are there not some \u2018old fogies\u2019 mixed up among the crowd, who\nwould oppose radical measures of any kind?\u201d mildly suggested the\nmissionary.\n\n\u201cPlenty of them,\u201d quickly replied Mr. Brown. \u201cIt is especially so in\nreligious matters--here they seem to have the most influence, being\nwell-meaning, orderly and good men; but holding the idea that the old\nroutine must be followed, they oppose any change, or any \u2018new measure,\u2019\nas they call it; and being men of standing in the community, the result\nis, in many cases, that nothing is accomplished.\u201d\n\n\u201cAre these old measure men inclined to oppose the temperance cause,\nprayer-meetings, revivals and Sunday-schools by any decided action?\u201d\nseriously inquired the missionary.\n\n\u201cSome will, and carry others with them, who otherwise might be made\nactive members in the Church; as they are, you cannot tell them from\nnon-professors,\u201d rejoined Mr. Brown.\n\n\u201cAre these leading men hard to win over?\u201d\n\n\u201cNo, not all,\u201d answered Mr. Brown; \u201cthey are mostly well-meaning, and\nif you can convince them of a more effective way, they will go with\nyou; but some are very bigoted.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat arguments do they generally use against our reformatory\nmovements?\u201d continued the missionary.\n\n\u201cThey generally rely upon the supposition that our forefathers lived\nand died without any of these \u2018new-fangled doctrines,\u2019 and if they went\nto Heaven without them, we can too.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhy, don\u2019t they see,\u201d queried the missionary, \u201cthat the Bible is full\nof temperance, (Acts xxiv. 25; Gal. v. 23; 2 Pet. i. 6; 1 Cor. ix. 25;\n1 Titus i. 8); of revivals (Acts ii. 2), and prayer-meetings (Acts i.\n13, 14; xvi. 13; xii. 12; Luke xxii. 39-46)? There are also evident\ncommands for teaching the Scriptures to the children, as is done in the\nSabbath-school (Gen. xviii. 19; Deut. xxxii. 46; xi. 18, 19; 2 Tim.\niii. 15). I do not think they would call these things new, if they\nwould prayerfully study God\u2019s Word.\u201d\n\n\u201cI wish you would take up these points at the proper time, and give\nthem a full Scriptural illustration,\u201d replied Mr. Brown. \u201cI think it\nwould be acceptable to the people.\u201d\n\n\u201cI will do so; but on Tuesday night I will dwell entirely upon the\nutility of Sunday-schools.\u201d\n\nThe hour for singing-school had arrived, and the children had gone,\ntaking with them an \u201cAppointment\u201d written by the missionary, to be\nhanded to the teacher; and they had not forgotten their cards and\npapers, which they intended to exhibit.\n\nAfter the singing was over, the teacher read, \u201cGod willing, the\nSunday-school missionary will deliver a lecture on the subject of\nSunday-schools, and, if practicable, organize a school here next\nTuesday evening, at early candle-light.\u201d\n\n\u201cWho is it?\u201d \u201cWhat is a Sunday-school like?\u201d were questions asked all\naround, but were left unanswered. In the meantime, Henry and Eliza\u2019s\ncards and papers had been going the rounds from hand to hand. A general\nconfusion and excitement ensued, ending in a resolve that they must all\ncome on Tuesday night.\n\nThe news of the appointment spread like wildfire; the children were\nexcited by the exaggerated descriptions of the cards and papers, and\nwere unanimous in their desire for a Sunday-school.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nCHAPTER V.\n\n_THE MISSIONARY PREACHES._\n\n\nOn Tuesday, a beautiful evening closed the day. At an early hour, the\nparents, together with quite a number of children, also the youth\nof this and other neighborhoods, were on their way to hear what the\nstranger had to say; some having made up their minds for, and others\nagainst the Sunday-school.\n\nThe old school-house was crowded with expectant ones, awaiting the\narrival of the \u201cGreat Speaker,\u201d as he had been reported.\n\nThere was a little grove in a ravine behind the barn at Mr. Brown\u2019s;\nthis secluded spot the missionary sought before starting to fill his\nappointment. Here he laid his case before God, asking for preparation\nof heart, for wisdom, for strength, for words, and, above all, for the\npower of the Spirit and the ensealing of the truth upon the hearts of\nhis hearers.\n\nDo you wonder that his lecture on that night was endued with power from\non high?\n\nMr. Brown offered to take him to the school-house in his wagon, but as\nhe preferred walking, he went in company with the children, one on each\nside of him. Their prattling conversation made his heart glad, and he\nlonged to lead all the little ones to the Saviour.\n\nAs he entered and took his place at the desk in the school-room, a deep\nsilence pervaded the audience. After offering up a silent prayer, he\nasked the people to sing a hymn, and all joined in the glorious old\ntune, \u201cCoronation,\u201d with a will. After a short, solemn and impressive\nprayer, he called the attention of his hearers to the following\nportion of God\u2019s Word: \u201cTherefore shall ye lay up these my words in\nyour heart and in to your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your\nhand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. And ye shall\nteach them to your children, speaking of them in thine house, and when\nthou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest\nup.\u201d Deut. xi. 18, 19.\n\nHe treated his subject so simply that the children could understand,\nand with an earnestness that commanded the attention of all. After\nshowing the imperative duty of teaching the Scriptures to our children,\nand that some _could_ not, and others _would_ not, thus properly\nteach them, he said that it was the duty of all Christians to see\nto it that they were taught. To gather them together on Sunday for\nreligious instruction, was the most appropriate and feasible method.\nHe appealed to the minds and hearts of his audience in such a way\nas to force their assent to the truth of his propositions; and that,\ntoo, from persons who had come with feelings of determined hostility.\nAfter another prayer, and the singing of a hymn, he exhibited his\nSunday-school books and papers, picture cards and prize tickets, giving\nto each in turn a proper explanation of its uses, and closed with an\nappeal to the people to organize a Sunday-school at once.\n\nUpon this, a man arose and said, with considerable faltering, that\nhe objected to any such \u201csnap judgment\u201d being taken; that this\nSunday-school fuss was got up by a set of loafers, who were too lazy to\nwork, to swindle their living out of the earnings of honest people. And\nhe, for one, was not going to be led by them. Having thus made known\nhis opinion, he sat down. This man was no other than Mr. Steele, with\nwhom we are already acquainted.\n\nThe missionary did not think it prudent to cast pearls where they\nwould be trampled under foot, so he left the future action to the\npeople.\n\nThe short speech of Mr. Steele encouraged those who were prejudiced\nagainst any \u201cinnovations,\u201d and some confusion ensued. Mr. Brown arose\nand said that he was sorry that the gentleman who had just taken his\nseat had thrown out such unwarranted insinuations; and as he did not\noffer the slightest evidence to sustain his assertions, he did not feel\ninclined to give this speech the least credit, and would therefore\nmove that the gentleman, Mr. Steele, be requested to prove the charges\nmade against those who, with the present lecturer, are endeavoring to\norganize and establish Sunday-schools. This was seconded by three or\nfour, and almost unanimously carried. The time of meeting determined\nupon was the following Thursday night.\n\nThe excitement now became general; there being a division of\nsentiment among the people, and as this was leading to confusion\nand impropriety, the meeting was dismissed; but this only gave more\nliberty, and instead of a calm discussion of the question, extravagant\nassertions were made, and hasty, inconsiderate conclusions formed,\nleading to angry words.\n\nA number sought acquaintance with the missionary, and the result of the\nmeeting was that he had warmer friends and more determined enemies than\nbefore.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nCHAPTER VI.\n\n_MR. STEELE\u2019S MEETING._\n\n\nEarly on Wednesday morning, the missionary was on his way to canvass\nthe district. He met with opposition and encouragement among the\nparents, but the children and most of the young people were decidedly\nin favor of a Sunday-school. His humility and sincerity won him many\nfriends, and before Thursday night came he had disarmed much of the\nopposition.\n\nThe time for Mr. Steele to prove his charges having arrived, the house\nwas filled; indeed many were unable to get in. This, to the missionary,\nwas an omen of good; and he felt calm and strong in faith. The angry\nscowls of the opposition made no impression upon his feelings, for he\nwell remembered the Saviour had said: \u201cThink not that I am come to send\npeace on earth; I came not to send peace, but a sword.\u201d\n\nAs this was Mr. Steele\u2019s meeting, he was on hand. After some delay\nhe arose, and with a great deal of agitation said he reckoned that\nthe time to begin had come, and he guessed he would proceed. He\nconsequently commenced his harangue against the Sabbath-school, and\nthose interested in its success. But being ignorant of the merits of\nthe subject he had undertaken to discuss, he, of course, failed to\nconvince any one. As to his proving his charges, he did not even make\nthe attempt. Even his friends felt that the effort was a total failure,\nand he sat down without a single expression of applause or commendation\nfrom those present.\n\nSome one here asked him what he proposed doing in the matter.\n\nHe replied that every one might do as he pleased, but as to himself\nhe would never pay a cent toward the thing, nor ever enter one, nor\nallow any of his family to be taught in such a shabby concern as a\nSunday-school.\n\nA slight effort at cheering, by a few worthless fellows, was made\nat this boasting declaration, and he felt as though he was of some\nimportance, and took his seat with a smile of complacency.\n\nMr. Brown was deeply wounded by the uncharitable remarks of Mr. Steele,\nand he now arose to speak. Every eye was upon him. He commenced by\nreferring to the arguments advanced by the missionary in favor of\nSunday-schools; speaking of the positive duty devolving upon all\nChristians to teach their children the Scriptures, and appealing to the\njudgment of the whole audience whether any one of the statements made\nhad been refuted by Mr. Steele. He also alluded to the great utility of\nsuch an institution, and commented upon the abuse received by persons\nparticularly interested in the cause; he also quoted from Paul, that we\nshould \u201cprove all things, and hold fast that which is good,\u201d and not\nlet our prejudices condemn, and our bigotry abuse every one and every\nthing that is new.\n\nAlthough there was little expressed sympathy with Mr. Steele and\nhis remarks, it was evident that quite a number could not overcome\ntheir prejudices, and stood upon what some termed \u201cneutral ground.\u201d\nUnfortunately for such persons, in morality and religion there can be\nno neutral ground. Christ says, \u201cHe that is not for me is against me.\u201d\n\nThe missionary now opened his satchel, and taking out a Sunday-school\nbook, laid it upon the table; remarking, that instead of trying to\nfleece the people out of their money, he would propose to give them\nfifty volumes like the one before them, if they would make up money to\npay for fifty more, and agree to organize a Sunday-school.\n\nThe night being now far spent, Mr. Brown proposed to have another\nmeeting on Sunday morning at 10 o\u2019clock, with the object of organizing\na Sunday-school. This was agreed to, and the people separated.\n\nA good old Christian, by the name of Law, took the missionary along\nwith him. He was one of those who had long desired a better state of\nthings in the community. The missionary explained to him all that he\nwished to know, and his already favorable opinions of the Sunday-school\nwere greatly strengthened. From Mr. Law\u2019s the missionary went to the\nnext neighbor, who was one of those who professed neutrality in the\nmatter. He appeared to fear the missionary, and did not give him a\nvery warm reception. He said \u201cyes\u201d to everything the missionary said,\nbut was really in doubt as to whether he did not mean \u201cno.\u201d Convinced\nagainst his will, he hid his convictions by making a doubtful show for\nthe other side. He was left neither cold nor hot; and his hesitating\npromise that he would come and bring his children to the meeting, was\nscarcely to be interpreted at all.\n\nLeaving here, the missionary went to Mr. Adams. He was one of the\nopposition; but he was a frank man, and possessed a superficial\nknowledge of the Scriptures. He invited the missionary in, intending to\n\u201cgive him a short battle.\u201d\n\nAfter some preliminaries, the objector brought forward his charges,\nwhich were about the same as those advanced by Mr. Steele. The\nmissionary answered these one by one, and so plainly showed the utility\nof the Sunday-school, that Mr. Adams would gladly have escaped from the\nmissionary\u2019s presence, and from the conviction forced upon his mind by\nthe truth. His sense of politeness alone prevented him from leaving the\nhouse.\n\nAs he was a professed Christian, and indeed a leading member of the\nchurch, the missionary asked the privilege of praying with the family;\nthis, upon the same principle of courtesy, could not be denied. The\nmissionary had done all that he could in his weakness, and he now laid\nthe case before God; asking for His blessing, His spirit and convincing\npower. What arguments failed to do, sincere and earnest prayer\naccomplished.\n\nSunday-school Agents, Leaders in the Church, Ministers of the Gospel,\ndo you ask God in earnest prayer to bless your labors? Are your efforts\nmade to do good, or to be heard and seen? In the fear of God; in view\nof the final judgment; examine yourselves in this matter.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nCHAPTER VII.\n\n_MR. MASON AND MR. WILSON._\n\n\nAnother clear, calm Sunday morning dawned. All nature seemed to be at\nrest. The missionary had staid over night with a newly married couple.\nHe found them kind and social, and the young man volunteered his help\nin the Sunday-school. The hour of ten came, and the school-house was\nagain filled to overflowing. The children were there in full force. God\nbless the children! What hopes filled their little hearts! Visions of\nbooks, papers and pictures floated before their eyes.\n\nThe missionary was called upon to conduct the exercises. After singing\nand prayer, he took as the basis of a few remarks, the words: \u201cJesus\nsaith to Simon Peter, Simon son of Jonas, \u2018lovest thou me more than\nthese?\u2019 He saith unto Him, \u2018yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee.\u2019\nHe saith unto him, \u2018_feed my lambs_.\u2019\u201d What he said was to the point,\nand disarmed all open opposition. A vote was taken on the question:\n\u201cWill we now organize a Sunday-school?\u201d This was carried by a handsome\nmajority. When the chairman said: \u201cAll who are opposed rise to your\nfeet,\u201d Mr. Steele and a few others did so, but the odds against them\nbeing so great, they were ashamed, and soon left.\n\nA superintendent was now elected, and happily the choice fell upon\nMr. Brown. The subordinate officers were chosen in like manner. A\ncollection was then taken up, which proved to be a liberal one.\n\nThe children were formed into classes, and volunteer teachers\nappointed. A Bible class for adults was also formed, and a short lesson\nassigned for the following Sunday. The doxology was sung, and the\npeople were dismissed. Thus the good cause seemed to be triumphing over\nopposition.\n\nA man who lived in an adjoining settlement had come to this meeting,\nand being favorably impressed with the appearance and manner of the\nmissionary, and the Sunday-school movement, he invited him to pay a\nvisit to the settlement in which he lived, and endeavor to organize a\nschool there.\n\n\u201cI will come,\u201d was the laconic reply to the man who gave the\ninvitation. \u201cI will be there by Monday evening.\u201d\n\nAfter obtaining proper directions for finding the place, he took\nleave of this friend and returned with Mr. Brown. The remainder of\nthe afternoon was employed in giving the superintendent of the newly\norganized school all needful instructions as to its management, and the\nbest methods of teaching. They both felt happy over the prospects of\nthe enterprise.\n\nAgain we find the devoted laborer in the vineyard of the Lord, acting\nupon his Master\u2019s command. He is now on his way to the neighboring\nsettlement. His journey lay through wood and valley, over hills and\nprairies--the latter, however, not very extensive. Reaching the\nsettlement, he, in due time, arrived at the house of his friend, where\neverything had been made ready for his reception. A meal was prepared\nin a short time, and the missionary partook of it with a decided\nrelish. The long walk and the cordial welcome tended greatly to sharpen\nhis appetite.\n\nThe reader will pardon a slight digression. We have followed this\nservant of God through shadow and sunshine, in his efforts to promote\nthe interests of Christ\u2019s kingdom. Let us compare his lot with that of\nmany ministers of the Gospel. Alas! how many are there who, because\nthey cannot possess life\u2019s luxuries as well as its comforts, abandon\na field in which they might do good! The master has said: \u201cHe that\ntaketh not his _cross_ and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.\u201d\nComing back to our missionary, we find him chatting with the children.\nThey were at first rather shy, but his gentle, winning manner soon\nbrought them to his side, and in a very short time they were most\nexcellent friends. In the meantime their father, Mr. Mason, had\nreturned (having been necessarily absent), and welcomed the missionary\nto his home. As soon as the chores were done, they sat down by a bright\nfire and entered into conversation. They did not discuss the various\ntopics of the day, nor dissect the characters of their neighbors for\nthe purpose of whiling the time away; but Christ\u2019s cause was their\ntheme.\n\n\u201cAre the people here generally in favor of Sunday-schools?\u201d inquired\nthe missionary.\n\n\u201cI do not think they are,\u201d frankly answered Mr. Mason. \u201cFew of them\ncare much about anything religious.\u201d\n\n\u201cHave you preaching or prayer-meetings?\u201d continued the missionary.\n\n\u201cSometimes prayer-meetings are started, but they die out directly.\nPreaching is kept up most of the time by this, that, or the other\ndenomination, but it seems to amount to but little. There is no\nincrease or life about the Church; and you can scarcely tell a member\nfrom a non-professor. Indeed, Christianity has fallen into disrepute,\nand Christ and His cause are brought to an open shame.\u201d\n\n\u201cHow sad!\u201d replied the missionary, much moved.\n\n\u201cYes,\u201d said Mr. Mason, \u201cit is a great pity; but there seems to be\nlittle help for it. Several have _tried_ to do something, but all to no\npurpose. Somehow or other there was no life in it, and Satan, with a\nfew rowdies, defeated every attempt.\u201d\n\n\u201cAre all the people so indifferent?\u201d asked the missionary, with great\nanxiety.\n\n\u201cI do not know that they are; but the exercises were so cold and\nlifeless that the people had no faith in them; and the conduct of many\nof the members was so bad, that their influence rather tended to drive\nmen from the Church than lead them to the Saviour.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat are the morals of the children, as a general thing?\u201d\n\n\u201cOf course, where the church members do not perform their duty, their\nchildren are neglected; and when they fail to do right we can hardly\nexpect anything better from worldlings and sinners. Lying, cursing,\nfighting, disobedience and Sabbath-breaking are common sins among the\nchildren. The youth drink, gamble and frolic, and some are guilty of\nheinous crimes. But, thank God,\u201d added Mr. Mason, \u201cthere are some noble\nexceptions both among the children and youth.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe must pray God to help us to reform this awful state of morals and\nreligion. We must labor and pray until a great revival is brought about\nin the Church and among the people,\u201d said the missionary, earnestly.\n\n\u201cIf you talk of a _revival_ here they will be down on you, both in and\nout of the Church,\u201d said the deeply-interested man.\n\n\u201cWe will exercise prudence, and call our effort by a more acceptable\nname; we will call it a _protracted prayer-meeting_,\u201d added the\nmissionary, smiling.\n\n\u201cThat will be equally obnoxious; the professors generally say, \u2018we pay\nthe preacher to do the praying for us, and that is enough;\u2019 and the\nirreligious, of course, have little interest in such things.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat do you think they would say to a temperance meeting?\u201d queried the\nmissionary.\n\n\u201cThat will bring down upon you all the loafers, tipplers and\nrumsellers; indeed nearly all the church members \u2018take some,\u2019 and they\nwould all unite in opposition to you,\u201d sadly rejoined Mr. Mason.\n\n\u201cAll these things must be overcome. And if we are faithful in using\nthe means God has given us, the work will be accomplished. I do not\ndespair,\u201d added the missionary.\n\n\u201cMay God help us to do our duty!\u201d said Mr. Mason, as he laid the family\nBible on the stand for evening devotion.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nCHAPTER VIII.\n\n_MISSIONARY VISITS._\n\n\nThe missionary started on his visiting tour among the people of the\nsettlement on Tuesday morning. The first house to which he came\nindicated a good share of worldly comfort. He met the owner repairing\nthe garden-gate, and accosted him with, \u201cGood morning.\u201d The man\nlooked at him as if hesitating whether or not to reply, and said,\n\u201cHow d\u2019ye do.\u201d The missionary, still undaunted, made some remarks of\na commonplace nature, which were answered in monosyllables. As the\nmissionary felt that he had no time to waste, he came at once to the\nsubject of his mission.\n\n\u201cSo you\u2019re the fellow getting up Sunday-schools. I thought you were by\nyour looks; but let me tell you at once that \u2018you\u2019re barking up the\nwrong tree here,\u2019 and the sooner you \u2018play quits\u2019 the better. I have no\ntime to fool away in talking about such nonsense.\u201d\n\n\u201cBut pray tell what objections you can have to teaching the young the\nHoly Scriptures?\u201d mildly interposed the missionary.\n\n\u201cI just now told you that I had no time to waste in talking to idlers,\nand I expect you to take the hint,\u201d sharply retorted the unreasonable\nman.\n\nFinding that there was no chance at present to do anything with him,\nthe missionary bid him \u201cGood-day,\u201d and started. The man replied with\na triumphant \u201cGood-bye, sir,\u201d at the same time casting toward him a\nsneering look.\n\nAs the missionary was passing the barn, he met a little girl, to whom\nhe gave a card for herself and another for the family.\n\nOn crossing a little stream he met a young lady on horseback; to her he\nhanded a tract, entitled, \u201cAre you Saved?\u201d A slight tremor was visible\nwhen she read this; the question demanded an answer. Seeing how the\ntitle affected her, he prayed God to bless the words to her salvation.\n\nHe did not go far until he came to a place where two roads crossed at\nright angles; so he sat down a moment to rest and consider which road\nto take. Whilst sitting, a man with a wagon and a fine span of horses\ncame along. His countenance bespoke a kind heart, and the missionary\nrose to salute him. He responded with a hearty \u201cGood-day,\u201d and an\ninvitation to take a ride, if the stranger were going his way. The\nmissionary had to confess that he did not know where he was going, and\nunfolded his object in visiting the settlement.\n\nThe man said that he had heard of a Sunday-school being organized at\nClear Creek, but he was not up when the meeting was held, and knew but\nlittle of the nature of the institution. Still he would be willing to\n\u201cgive the thing a trial,\u201d if it did not _cost too much_.\n\n\u201cAs to the cost,\u201d said the missionary, \u201cthat will depend upon the\nnumber of books, papers, maps and other helps you get. But I will agree\nto donate to your school, if you establish one, half of a good library.\u201d\n\nThis opened the eyes of the man to their utmost extent, and he\nexclaimed:\n\n\u201cWhy, you don\u2019t say! That don\u2019t look like speculating or swindling\npeople out of their money, as they say of you around here. I never\ndid believe the half I heard; it didn\u2019t seem reasonable to me. But,\u201d\ncontinued he, \u201cI don\u2019t believe that we can make it go. Everybody I have\ntalked to is down on it.\u201d\n\n\u201cWould you be willing to assist me, and bring your family long enough\nto test the matter?\u201d inquired the missionary.\n\n\u201cI\u2019ll do my best, if things are as you say. I believe the children\nought to be instructed in the Bible the moment they are capable of\nunderstanding it.\u201d\n\n\u201cAre there any others that you think would join us in the work?\u201d\n\nThe stranger, Mr. Wilson, hesitated, and then said; \u201cPeople here seem\nto be dead in regard to anything of this kind. Whether we succeed or\nnot, a general fight over the question will, if it can possibly stir\nthem up, be of some use. Make the appointment, and I\u2019ll stir them out.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhen shall it be?\u201d inquired the missionary.\n\n\u201cPut it on Friday night; there is spelling-school in our school-house\nto-morrow night, and I\u2019ll go down and have it given out, and the whole\nneighborhood will know it,\u201d said Mr. Wilson, with great animation.\n\n\u201cProvidence permitting, I will be there,\u201d said the missionary.\n\n\u201cAnd give us a speech, telling all about the Sunday-school,\u201d suggested\nMr. Wilson.\n\nAs the missionary was about to offer his hand and say good-bye, Mr.\nWilson said:\n\n\u201cWon\u2019t you go with me and stay until Friday? I can accommodate you.\u201d\n\n\u201cI thank you, but I will not visit the neighborhood until Friday, and\nthen I will come to your house and we will go to the meeting together,\u201d\nreplied the missionary.\n\n\u201cWell, perhaps that will be best,\u201d rejoined Mr. Wilson, and passed on.\nCalling back, he said: \u201cTake the road up the hill; it will lead you\nthrough the most thickly settled portion of this neighborhood.\u201d The\nmissionary nodded his head and took the road as directed. He met with\nvarious successes in his itinerancy until Thursday evening, when he was\nshamefully treated by a man known as \u2019Squire Hunt, one of the leading\nmen of the settlement. The missionary bore the insults meekly, but\nupheld the cause of Christ manfully.\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nCHAPTER IX.\n\n_OPPOSITION._\n\n\nAccording to promise, the missionary was at Mr. Wilson\u2019s house, and\nhe, together with the family, went to the school-house. The words of\nhis text were, \u201cTrain up a child in the way he should go, and when\nhe is old he will not depart from it.\u201d Prov. xxii. 6. He approached\nhis subject with caution, for the people before him were restless and\nexcited; but he gradually unfolded the solemn truth contained in the\ntext. He addressed himself to the parents, especially to the mothers.\nHis apparent sincerity and great earnestness overcame the prejudices of\nmany, but still a large majority were opposed, or cared little about\nthe matter.\n\nThe \u2019Squire got up and denounced the speaker, Sunday-schools and\nTemperance societies. He was frequently cheered; and those who had been\nwon by the earnest eloquence of the speaker, were now carried away by\nthe majority, and were inclined to \u201cfollow the multitude to do evil.\u201d\nThe \u2019Squire then called upon the people to decide by a vote, whether\nthey would have a Sunday-school or not, shouting out: \u201cAll who are in\nfavor of a Sunday-school here, rise to your feet.\u201d Mr. Wilson and Mr.\nMason sprang to their feet like heroes, their intrepidity encouraging\nsome of the timid and wavering, who, together with their children, made\nquite a respectable vote. After these were again seated, all who were\nopposed to a Sunday-school were called upon to rise. Instantly several\nof the most bitter opposers, who were waiting for the word, were up;\nothers, soon followed, while the \u2019Squire was urging the fearful and\nlukewarm with, \u201cUp! up! I know you are opposed; show your colors!\u201d\nand in this way succeeded in getting many to rise, who did not really\nintend to have anything to do with the matter. He then declared the\nmajority opposed, and in triumph took his seat.\n\nMr. Mason arose and asked the majority to concede to those who\ndesired it the privilege of holding Sunday-school in the school-house\nundisturbed.\n\nThis very reasonable request was opposed by the \u2019Squire; but upon the\nvote being taken, the privilege was granted. This was something gained,\nand the missionary was thankful for it, although he and his little band\nwere openly subjected to sneers and abuse. But they had the comforting\nassurance that \u201call things work together for good to them that love\nGod.\u201d\n\nOn Saturday morning, the missionary started for Clear Creek Settlement.\nOn his way he met a little boy and two little girls.\n\n\u201cHow do you do, my young friends?\u201d kindly began the missionary.\n\nThey all smiled pleasantly, but did not say anything.\n\n\u201cHow old are you, my son?\u201d continued he, addressing the boy.\n\n\u201cTen, next Christmas; my birthday comes day before Christmas,\u201d\ningenuously answered the boy.\n\n\u201cThese little girls are your sisters, I suppose?\u201d\n\n\u201cYes, sir,\u201d responded the boy.\n\n\u201cCan you read?\u201d\n\n\u201cYes, sir, I can read in the \u2018Introduction,\u2019 very well; my sister Jane\ncan read too; and little Betty can spell and read easy words,\u201d answered\nthe boy, with some feelings of pride.\n\n\u201cDid you ever go to Sunday-school?\u201d inquired the missionary.\n\n\u201c_No, sir!_\u201d answered the boy, emphatically. \u201cWe don\u2019t go to school on\nSundays; we go on week-days.\u201d This direct answer caused the missionary\nto smile; he continued, however, with the question, \u201cWould you like to,\nif there were a Sunday-school?\u201d\n\n\u201cNo, sir!\u201d again replied the boy. \u201cWe play ball, pitch horse-shoes, or\ngo a fishing on Sunday, and I like that better than going to school.\u201d\n\n\u201cDon\u2019t you think it is wrong to do such things on Sunday?\u201d\n\n\u201cNo, sir,\u201d again responded the boy, \u201cfather and all the neighbors do\nthat on Sunday.\u201d\n\nThe parents then were the examples; and the children followed. How many\nparents thus unwittingly take their children by the hand and lead them\ndown to death!\n\n\u201cYou all go to meeting sometimes, don\u2019t you?\u201d continued the missionary.\n\n\u201cYes, sir, once in a while.\u201d\n\n\u201cDon\u2019t the preacher talk against such things?\u201d\n\n\u201cSometimes; but nobody cares. Some go to the grocery and pitch\nhorse-shoes for whisky; and some go to the tavern to play checkers or\nsuch, for a dram, or for fun,\u201d replied the boy.\n\n\u201cDon\u2019t the preacher talk against drinking liquor and lying about at the\ngrocery on Sundays?\u201d seriously inquired the missionary.\n\n\u201cNo, sir, _he likes it himself_.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt is a bad thing to drink whisky,\u201d said the missionary.\n\n\u201cYes, sir,\u201d quickly responded the boy; \u201clast night they had a spree at\nthe grocery, and Bill Jones liken\u2019d to\u2019ve killed Tom Miller with his\nknife; and Ace Ross knocked Old Butt\u2019s eye out. Father says they have a\nlaw suit to-day.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat a pity!\u201d said the missionary, shaking his head. \u201cDo you live far\nfrom here?\u201d\n\n\u201cAbout a mile,\u201d answered the boy.\n\nThe missionary then gave each of the children a card, and explained\nto them, as far as they were capable of understanding, what a\nSunday-school was like; and they then said that they would like to go\nto such a school. He told them of an appointment for Sunday afternoon\nat 3 o\u2019clock, in the school-house near Mr. Wilson\u2019s, and invited them\nto come and bring their parents along; he then said \u201cGood-bye,\u201d and\nleft them.\n\nHaving detained himself longer than he supposed, he was compelled\nto hurry on, as he had quite a distance to go before he would reach\nMr. Brown\u2019s. As he was passing through a lane, after coming within\nthe bounds of Clear Creek Settlement, he found two men lying in a\nfence-corner, drunk! He tried to rouse them, but failed in so doing,\nfor they were past consciousness. Continuing on, he soon came to\nthe grocery. Happily for the missionary, the crowd within was all\nexcitement over a \u201cdrinking game;\u201d that is, several engaged in playing\ncards for a treat of the whole company. Before he had passed out of\nhearing, a great shout and uproar at this den of sin, told him that\nthe game was up, and the treat was being given. In his heart he then\nresolved that a Temperance society should be established in that place,\nand he prayed God to help him in the undertaking. After arriving at\nMr. Brown\u2019s, he could not but compare the revolting scenes he had left\nbehind him, with the pleasant, social intercourse he was now enjoying.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nCHAPTER X.\n\n_SUNDAY-SCHOOL ORGANIZED--LOCAL PREACHER._\n\n\nAt the appointed time, on the Holy morning, the missionary and Mr.\nBrown were in the Sunday-school, ready for action. A number had already\ncollected, and after the opening exercises, the missionary delivered a\nshort and impressive address, in which he exhorted the teachers to aim\nat the conversion of those placed under their instruction, to be always\npunctual, to set a godly example, and, finally, not to grow weary in\nwell-doing, but continue the work through evil as well as good report;\nand reminded them of the reward on the final day of reckoning.\n\nEverything passed off well; the children were pleased, and the parents\ngreatly encouraged. The opposition could see nothing to condemn, but\nMr. Steele and a few others laughed at the \u201csimple thing,\u201d and hooted\nat the idea of sending their children.\n\nAccording to arrangement, Mr. Mason came with his horses and wagon for\nthe purpose of taking the missionary to the other settlement. It had\nbeen announced to the people that an effort to organize a Sunday-school\nwould be made on the afternoon of this day. By 3 o\u2019clock many had come\ntogether; some for the purpose of taking part in the enterprise, and\nothers merely to look on. The school was started, though under less\nauspicious circumstances than the one at Clear Creek; yet it was a\nbeginning. The result was in God\u2019s hands.\n\nDuring the week that followed, the missionary visited the families\nof the settlement, urging the parents either to take or send their\nchildren to the Sunday-school. His kindness and persuasive address won\nhim more friends than promises. The force of public opinion against\nthe school made many fear to take part in it; the most of the people,\nhowever, began to treat him with respect.\n\nOn Thursday evening he again preached. He was prepared for the\noccasion, not by a written sermon with rounded paragraphs and\nbeautifully-finished sentences, but by constant, fervent prayer, and\nthoughtful meditation. He had contemplated the state of the people, and\nthe weight of immortal souls lay heavily upon his heart; and, above\nall, he remembered his commission and his great responsibility, for the\nAlmighty had said: \u201cIf the watchman see the sword come and blow not\nthe trumpet, and the people are not warned; if the sword come and take\nany person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his\nblood will I require at the watchman\u2019s hand.\u201d\n\nThe opponents found that they had an earnest man to contend with; a\nman with the whole armor on, and one who could wield the \u201csword of the\nspirit\u201d with power; that he was not only \u201cmighty in the Scriptures,\u201d\nbut \u201cfull of the Holy Ghost;\u201d and they saw that if they did not\nimmediately \u201cdo something,\u201d he would be \u201cmaster of the situation.\u201d\n\nSo they went to work, as is usual in such cases, to misrepresent\nhis language and misconstrue his meaning; to change the truth into\nfalsehood, by adding, distorting and detracting. His character, too,\nwas assailed, and scandalous stories invented and circulated in order\nto ruin him; but he heeded them not; for the Saviour had said:\n\u201cBlessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you, and say\nall manner of evil against you falsely for my sake; rejoice and be\nexceeding glad, for great is your reward in Heaven.\u201d\n\nWhilst the missionary was still in this neighborhood, he was called\nto the bedside of a dying woman. Now that the hour of dissolution was\nrapidly approaching, she began to have misgivings about her fitness for\nHeaven. She had been in the Church for a number of years, but was not\na lively stone in the building. After conversation and prayer with the\nmissionary, her faith was strengthened, and she felt ready to go at the\nMaster\u2019s call. Thus did this servant of God do good upon every possible\noccasion. Having learned that a local preacher, who lived a few miles\ndistant, was opposed to Sunday-schools, he determined to call upon him\nand talk over the matter.\n\nThe missionary, upon reaching the home of the preacher, found him ready\nto start out to fill an appointment at a place about six miles distant.\nHe treated the missionary coldly, and boastingly told him that he and\nhis people had gotten along for many years without Sunday-schools, and\nhe guessed they were as good as those who had them, and reckoned they\ncould still make out without his services; and to tell those who sent\nhim \u201cto attend to their own business and let other people\u2019s alone.\u201d Not\nwaiting for a reply, the preacher gave his horse a cut with the whip,\nand was off. There was consequently no alternative left the missionary\nbut to retrace his steps. This he did, and attended to the duties set\napart for the day.\n\nNotwithstanding opposition, the work went on; and the friends of the\nSunday-school became daily more respected by its enemies.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nCHAPTER XI.\n\n_MR. KERR AND HIS FAMILY._\n\n\nUpon one occasion, as the missionary was passing through the western\nportion of Clear Creek Settlement, he called at a house whose\nsurroundings seemed familiar. The man of the house, too, appeared to\nhim as one he had seen before, but he could not remember exactly where.\n\nAfter some general remarks, he said to the man, \u201cI almost fancy that I\nhave seen you before to-day.\u201d\n\n\u201cI suppose you have,\u201d the man replied, with considerable agitation; and\ncontinued, \u201cDo you not remember some time ago, standing at a gate and\nrequesting a farmer to allow you to stay all night, and being refused,\nand that there was another man there beside the owner of the place?\u201d\n\nThe missionary said he did.\n\n\u201cAnd you remember, also, that you gave a little boy and girl some\npicture-cards and tracts?\u201d\n\n\u201cI do,\u201d said the missionary.\n\n\u201cAnd one for each of the men at the barn?\u201d\n\n\u201cYes, I well remember that.\u201d\n\n\u201cI was that man,\u201d said he, somewhat confused, \u201cand when Mr. Steele\nrefused to let you stay, I, like a coward, approved of it. Don\u2019t you\nremember?\u201d\n\n\u201cYes, I believe you did,\u201d gently replied the missionary.\n\n\u201cYes, I did that very wicked thing, and now ask your pardon. I have had\nno rest since, on account of it,\u201d said the man with emotion.\n\n\u201cI have long since forgiven you,\u201d calmly replied the missionary. \u201cSuch\nthings do not move me; I count them as nothing.\u201d\n\n\u201cIf you had suffered what I did from them, you would count them a good\ndeal. I heard you preach last Sunday, and if I had not been ashamed,\nI would have made a public confession of my wickedness. I thank God\nthat you have come this way,\u201d continued the humbled man with faltering\nvoice, and stretching out his hand for reconciliation and forgiveness.\n\nJoyfully the servant of Christ gave Mr. Kerr (whom our readers must\nhave recognized) his hand, and their friendship was sealed.\n\nMrs. Kerr, who had been absent at the time of the missionary\u2019s arrival,\nnow came in. She recognized him at once, and welcomed him with\nunfeigned kindness.\n\n\u201cWhere in the world have you been since you were here last month?\u201d\ninquired the free-spoken woman. \u201cI wondered and wondered,\u201d she\ncontinued, \u201cwhat had become of you in the big storm. I expected nothing\nelse than to hear that you got killed in that dreadful rain. It was\nawful! I declare I thought our house would go!\u201d\n\n\u201cOh,\u201d pleasantly replied the missionary, \u201cI put up without \u2018leave or\nlicense,\u2019 at a hut out on Walnut Creek, where I was taken care of.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhy, nobody lives out there that I know of,\u201d said Mr. Kerr. \u201cLet me\nsee; was it about due west from where you left us?\u201d\n\n\u201cVery nearly, I think,\u201d said the missionary, at the same time smiling.\n\n\u201cWell, sir, I know of but one family that ever lived in that swampy,\nsickly, mosquito hole, and two or three of them died there and the rest\nmoved away long ago,\u201d replied Mr. Kerr, instantly adding, \u201cWhat is the\nman\u2019s name that lives there?\u201d\n\n\u201cIndeed I cannot give the name,\u201d answered the missionary, with such\na look of mischief that Mrs. Kerr declared that he was only joking.\n\u201cIt was at the place you mention, no doubt, that I staid. There were\ntwo graves on a hill near the house, which was in a very dilapidated\ncondition, and the yard was overgrown with weeds and briars; indeed,\neverything presented the appearance of having been long deserted.\u201d\n\n\u201cThat was Mr. Kelly\u2019s home once, but the mosquitoes and chills drove\nhim out. It was well he left, or the whole family would soon have\nperished there. It is a poor country compared with this,\u201d explained Mr.\nKerr.\n\n\u201cBut you said that you were well taken care of; I\u2019d like to know who\ntook care of you,\u201d said Mrs. Kerr, with a mischievous twinkle in her\neyes.\n\n\u201cThe Lord took care of me,\u201d he replied.\n\n\u201cOh, yes, I did not think of that;\u201d said she. \u201cDid you keep dry in the\nold hut in that dreadful storm?\u201d she added; and in the same breath\ncontinued, \u201cDidn\u2019t you think the whole thing would blow down over your\nhead?\u201d\n\n\u201cI was pretty well sheltered from the wind and rain, but I really did\nthink more than once that all would go down.\u201d\n\n\u201cI was sure our house was gone,\u201d earnestly resumed Mrs. Kerr, \u201cand I\nexpected nothing else than the death of all of us.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhen we are ready,\u201d he replied, \u201cdeath is no evil.\u201d\n\nThis practical reply rather embarrassed her, and for a moment she was\nat a loss to know what to say next; so he continued:\n\n\u201cTo crush the body is a matter of little consequence; but the soul, the\nimmortal being that inhabits this house of clay, is of immense value.\nCould we fully realize the fact that nothing dies but the clay we\ninhabit, we would not dread the change.\u201d\n\nMrs. Kerr listened attentively, but made no reply.\n\n\u201cWill you be so kind as to give us an account of your troubles on that\ndreadful night?\u201d asked Mr. Kerr.\n\n\u201cCertainly,\u201d said he, and he related to them the long list of trials,\ndangers and privations through which he had passed.\n\nTears more than once filled the eyes of the eager listeners. \u201cAnd now,\u201d\nsaid Mr. Kerr, after the missionary had finished, \u201cI must give you\nsome of my experience since we parted. If you remember one of the cards\nyou gave the children, read, \u2018And these shall go away into everlasting\npunishment, but the righteous into life eternal;\u2019 _that_ fell into my\nhands. When I read those words the irresistible conviction struck me\nthat _I_ would be one of \u2018_these_,\u2019 and a fearful looking for judgment\nto come took hold of me. All the way home I seemed to hear the words,\n\u2018And these shall go away into everlasting punishment.\u2019 I wished again\nand again that I had only taken you with me; or at least have defended\nyou against the unreasonableness of Mr. Steele. But that was now too\nlate, and I groaned under the lashes of my guilty conscience. Upon\nreaching home, my wife told me that you had been here and prayed with\nthe family. I suffered greatly, and was at length compelled to \u2018own up\u2019\nto my wife, who soon discovered that all was not right with me--and she\nstrongly condemned my action.\u201d Mr. Kerr did not cease speaking until he\nhad made a full confession of the humiliation he had experienced from a\nguilty conscience.\n\nThe missionary could not but be moved at the penitent recital; yet he\nrejoiced that Mr. Kerr was at last led to the true and only source of\ncomfort.\n\nAfter uniting in prayer with the family, the missionary inquired if\nthey had been to the Sunday-school.\n\n\u201cOh yes,\u201d heartily replied Mr. Kerr, \u201cwe were all over last Sunday, and\nhad a delightful time.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo doubt; indeed, no one with proper feelings, and a regard for the\neternal interests of his children or the children of others, can help\nbeing benefited and highly delighted in a well-ordered Sunday-school,\u201d\nsaid the good man with emphasis; adding, \u201chave the books and papers for\nwhich they sent, come?\u201d\n\n\u201cThey have,\u201d rejoined Mr. Kerr, \u201cand I verily thought the whole\nschool would go wild when the box was opened. Indeed, I was myself\nconsiderably excited; and when each one received a book and a paper,\nI really could not refrain from shedding tears, in witnessing the\nuncontrollable delight that filled every heart; and I reproached myself\nwith bitterness for having been so cowardly as not to defend this noble\ninstitution, when you and it were assailed by Mr. Steele. To-day, I\nthank God for the Sunday-school! and I know that every family that\nattends it thanks God for it.\u201d\n\n\u201cMay God, the Divine Author of this institution, foster and bless it to\nthe salvation of all who attend it, or are within its holy influence!\u201d\nsaid the delighted missionary; adding, \u201chow is that gentleman who was\nwith you at the gate getting along?\u201d\n\n\u201cOh, pretty well; but he doesn\u2019t take any stock in Sunday-schools--he\nis very angry at me for attending, and won\u2019t speak to me.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe must pray God to give us grace to bear with him, and try to gain\nhim to our confidence,\u201d said the missionary.\n\nThe day was passing, and the good man would have gone on, but Mr. Kerr\nand his wife would not hear to it, insisting that he should remain, at\nleast over night; so he consented to remain until morning.\n\nBy the side of the looking-glass, in the room which he occupied, he\nfound hanging a framed card, containing the text, \u201cAnd these shall go\naway into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal.\u201d\nUnderneath was written in a plain hand, \u201cSaved by grace, through this\nlittle card. James Kerr.\u201d\n\nHere was a secret. Mr. Kerr attributed his conversion to the teaching\nof this silent monitor. What a momentous result can hang upon an\ninsignificant cause! It is said, that \u201cthe obstruction of a straw at\nthe fountain-head, may change the channel of a mighty river.\u201d Never\nshould we despise the day of small things.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nCHAPTER XII.\n\n_THE TEMPERANCE CAUSE._\n\n\nThe missionary, after bidding farewell to the kind friends with whom he\nhad spent the night, again went on his way, \u201cSeeking the lost sheep of\nthe house of Israel.\u201d He had not gone far before he met two children,\nwho proved to be Mr. Steele\u2019s. Upon entering into conversation with\nthem, he found that they remembered him. Their bright, intelligent\nanswers to his questions, led him to regret more deeply that they were\nkept from the influence of the Sunday-school. The innate kindness of\nheart manifested by these children made him feel that, if properly\ntrained, they would become useful members of society and the church;\nso, with a view to using all possible influence in their favor, we\nagain find him an unwelcome visitor on the farm of Mr. Steele.\n\nThe farmer was at the time unloading wood, and scarcely noticed\nthe missionary; the latter soon broached the subject occupying his\nthoughts, by saying,\n\n\u201cMy friend, could you not consent to take your children to\nSunday-school once, on trial?\u201d\n\n\u201c_No sir!_\u201d he roared; \u201cand I don\u2019t want you to bother me any more\nabout it;\u201d and continued, \u201cwork like I do, and let your betters alone.\u201d\n\n\u201cWell then,\u201d said the missionary, \u201cif you will not go yourself, will\nyou not permit your children to go? I know that the school would be a\ngreat benefit to them, and\u201d----\n\n\u201cI don\u2019t want to hear any more of your nonsense--just \u2018git,\u2019 you lazy\nloafer,\u201d retorted the angry man.\n\nThe missionary having failed to accomplish the object of his visit,\nleft with feelings of sadness; he went on his way, however, doing with\nhis might whatsoever his hand found to do, and he had the pleasure of\nseeing the schools increasing in numbers and influence. This increase\nwas secured only by hard work--the various difficulties attending all\nmovements aiming at changing fixed customs had to be overcome. One by\none, these _were_ overcome; and although many opposed the work, and\nothers were indifferent and careless, most of the best men and women\nof the settlements were in favor of the schools. Nor were they afraid\nto give their money in support of the good cause, nor unwilling to\nsacrifice ease and pleasure, if necessary; for they well knew that even\nin this world they would receive tenfold reward, and in the world to\ncome, everlasting life.\n\nParents, come with your children to the Sunday-school; it is the\nnursery of the Lord, in which plants are reared for the garden of\nHeaven--the Paradise of God!\n\nYoung man, wend your way to the Bible-class, and thereby shun the\ntemptation of the Sabbath-breaker and the snares of the transgressor!\nAnd you, young woman, blooming in all the loveliness of life\u2019s early\ndream, shun the society of those who mock at religion, and the\nteachings of the Holy Word, and fly for your life to the place where\nprayer is wont to be made--where the better qualities of your nature\nwill be fostered, and your heart taught to love the Saviour!\n\nThe missionary felt that the time had now come for him to attempt to\nestablish a Temperance Society among these people for whom he had been\nlaboring. This was a hazardous undertaking, where the habits of the\npeople were so firmly fixed in favor of using intoxicating liquors as\na common beverage. But a meeting for that purpose was appointed and\nthe whole country was aroused. Those favoring the cause, though few\nin number, were willing to take the responsibility, and the missionary\npromised to do his best; he was aware that those of the opposition were\npowerful, having on their side _appetite_, _self-interest_, _custom_\nand _public opinion_; but he was not in the least dismayed; he knew in\nwhom he had believed; and although the gates of Hell should oppose, yet\nthey could not prevail.\n\nThe time for the meeting having arrived, after singing a hymn and\noffering a prayer, the missionary called the attention of his large\naudience to the following words:\n\n\u201cWho hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contention? who hath babbling?\nwho hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? They that\ntarry long at the wine! They that go to seek mixed wine! Look not thou\nupon the wine when it is red, when it giveth its color in the cup, when\nit moveth itself aright; at last it biteth like a serpent and stingeth\nlike an adder!\u201d Prov. xxiii. 29-32.\n\nHe then demonstrated by example and facts, the truth of the answer\ngiven to these questions. Taking up the last part of his subject in the\nwords, \u201cAt last it biteth,\u201d &c., he gave a most fearful description\nof the effects of spirituous liquors upon the human system and the\nimmortal soul--depicting with great force the awful condition of the\npoor rum-enslaved, soul-degraded drunkard, both in body and mind. He\nheld up to their gaze the emaciated form of a heart-broken wife, and\nthe half-famished images of her little ones.\n\nHe also stated that intoxicating liquors were the parent of\nevery conceivable sin, and had extended the catalogue of crimes\nuntil language could scarcely furnish a name for the atrocious\niniquities--that they filled the jails and poor-houses, at the expense\nof the industrious and good, and also furnished subjects for the\ngibbet.\n\nHe alluded also to the groceries, declaring them the prolific schools\nin which the young were taught the rudiments of sin, in idleness,\nvulgarity, profanity and drinking--thus preparing the way for infamy\nand crime, and daily training the mind for the service of Satan.\n\nHe then enforced the command in the text, not even to look upon\nit--saying that the apostle had commanded to \u201cAbstain from all\n_appearance_ of evil.\u201d\n\nHe also declared that there was no neutral ground between virtue and\nvice--between supporting and opposing this source of evil; that we must\nbe either for or against it.\n\nHe concluded with an appeal to the people to save themselves and those\naround them from the fangs of the serpent and the sting of the adder,\nand to organize at once an army to fight unto death this monster,\nIntemperance.\n\nA pledge was written and laid upon the desk; after it was read and\na few words of explanation given, all who wished to join the society\nwere requested to rise and give their names. Quite a number of men,\nwomen and children instantly responded to the call; among them were\nseveral tipplers and two hardened drunkards, whilst the moralist\nand the moderate drinker refused to aid in the work of reformation.\nThere can be no doubt that these persons were \u201cstumbling-blocks in\nthe way of sinners;\u201d and the position taken by them sealed the fate\nof more than one poor soul. And there were also elders and deacons,\nclass-leaders and gray-headed Christians, unwilling to deny themselves\nof the \u201clusts of the flesh,\u201d but went with the \u201ccustoms and maxims of\nthe world\u201d--taking their morning dram, their favorite bitters, and with\nthemselves, training their families in the way leading to drunkenness\nand death!\n\nAfter the people had been dismissed, those who had given their names\nsigned the pledge with their own hands, and organized a society, by\nelecting officers and framing a constitution for the government and\npermanent efficiency of the same. Upwards of sixty put their names to\nthe \u201cDeclaration of Independence\u201d of the tyrant, \u201cKing Alcohol!\u201d\n\nThis was a glorious beginning--and the wives and children of those\ntipplers and drunkards who joined, shed tears of joy, and their hearts\noverflowed with thankfulness to God and His messenger.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nCHAPTER XIII.\n\n_THE MISSIONARY\u2019S DEPARTURE._\n\n\nThe missionary was loth to depart from this interesting field of\nlabor, but he was called, and must obey. He \u201cthrew his mantle\u201d upon\nthe shoulders of a noble young man, whose name was Truman; he was a\nfluent speaker, and an enthusiast in whatever he believed to be right;\na giant in courage and bodily strength, and above all, a conscientious\nChristian; to him was consigned the care of this noble enterprise.\n\nThe rum-sellers, with their dupes, were now aroused to a full sense\nof the power arrayed against them; they justified their conduct, by\nholding up that of the ministers and leading men in the Church, and\nthe latter would quote Paul\u2019s advice to Timothy, where he says, \u201cDrink\nno longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach\u2019s sake, and\nthine often infirmities.\u201d Tim. v. 23.\n\n\u201cHere,\u201d they boastingly said, \u201cwine is commanded as a drink;\u201d and dared\na refutation.\n\nBut Truman showed them that this passage did not only _not_ prove that\nwine should be used as a common drink, but _proved_ that it should only\nbe used as a medicine. He showed them, too, that Paul was a Temperance\nLecturer, and not afraid to reprove rulers before whom he \u201creasoned of\nrighteousness, _temperance_, and judgment to come.\u201d\n\nThe argument that Christ _turned water into wine_ was also brought\nforward; the reply to this was, that there was no evidence that the\nmiraculous transformation contained a single particle of intoxicating\nmatter; whilst every rational supposition, based upon the holy\ncharacter and pure doctrines of the Redeemer, would most emphatically\ndeclare that there was not.\n\nSuch was the acute and powerful reasoning of this young man, that\nminister and deacon were silenced, if not convinced. Mr. Truman having\nbeen himself snatched from the very vortex of ruin, his experience in\nthe dens of infamy, and knowledge of the workings of the whole traffic,\nenabled him to bring the truth home to the hearts of his hearers in a\nvery effective manner.\n\nAs the faithful missionary could delay no longer, he appointed the\ntime to preach his farewell sermons in the two settlements. The first\nmeeting was to be held in the Clear Creek school-house immediately\nafter Sunday-school. The day was pleasant and the school well attended;\nthe exercises of the same having been completed, order was called,\nthat all might have the benefit of the missionary\u2019s parting advice.\nHe made a short address, and then desired each child to come to him,\nthat he might shake hands and bestow a trifling gift by which he\nmight be remembered. He would live in the memories of all, however,\nwithout anything of this kind. A half hour after the dismissal of\nthe Sunday-school, the people had assembled to hear the \u201cfarewell\nsermon.\u201d The text was, \u201cAnd now, brethren, I commend you to God and\nto the word of His grace, which is able to build you up, and give you\nan inheritance among all them which are sanctified.\u201d Acts xx. 32. The\nsermon which followed was adapted, in every respect, to the occasion.\n\nAs all earthly ties must sooner or later be sundered, this shepherd\nand his flock were compelled to part. It is needless to say that the\nseparation was sorrowful on both sides.\n\nAfter leaving Clear Creek Settlement, the missionary filled his\nappointment at the other place; and the parting which took place here,\nwas but a repetition of the first one. We now find him on his way to\na work among strangers in a strange land: he knew what would probably\nbefall him, but he had counted the cost, and, like Paul, was willing to\nendure hardships as a good soldier.\n\nHere, for the present, we will leave this noble, earnest and devout\nChristian.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nCHAPTER XIV.\n\n_WORKING OF THE SABBATH-SCHOOL AND TEMPERANCE SOCIETY._\n\n\nIt will now be our purpose to follow some of the results of the\nmissionary\u2019s labors among these people. In our present narrative we can\nnotice but comparatively few incidents among the many interesting ones\nthat transpired, and bring before our reader but few of the characters\nconnected with the development of the various plans.\n\nIn addition to there being two Sunday-schools and one Temperance\nSociety firmly established, the Christian Church under various\nnames was most effectually aroused--many of its members being\nabundantly blest and their spiritual strength renewed; backsliders\nwere reclaimed, and sinners awakened and converted: there were also\nprayer-meetings held in the different houses among the people.\n\nA general contest, however, was kept up between those opposed to these\ninstitutions, and their defenders. As soon as it was generally known\nthat the missionary had left, the rum-sellers and their adherents\nbecame bold in their opposition; they appeared to think that, if the\nshepherd had gone, the sheep would be scattered. Even some of the\nministers would not come out boldly on the side of this reformation.\n\nWell did Isaiah prophesy, \u201cFor the leaders of this people cause them\nto err; and they that are led of them are destroyed. Therefore the\nLord shall have no joy in their young men, neither have mercy on their\nfatherless and widows: for every one is a hypocrite, and an evil doer,\nand every mouth speaketh folly.\u201d\n\nThe Temperance Cause met with the most opposition; and some who\nstood faithfully by the Sunday-school could not give up old habits;\nalthough they did not particularly oppose the Cause, their support was\nweak and doubtful. Those who took no interest in the Sunday-school\nwere decidedly against temperance. Thus the people became more and\nmore divided--and the stinging truths of Mr. Truman seemed to set\neverything on fire; and the Saviour\u2019s prediction respecting a house\nbeing divided against itself, seemed to be literally fulfilled. Every\ndemonstration of truth was met with increased hostility; and, like\nHerod and Pilate, even enemies were made friends in condemning Christ.\nThis, however, only drove the faithful few nearer to the Rock of Ages,\nwhich was their \u201cstronghold in the day of trouble;\u201d it made them\n\u201csearch the Scriptures\u201d more, and more vigilant in prayer; relying upon\nGod for help. Hence they maintained their ground, and in time were\nable to make inroads into the enemy\u2019s country, taking captives and\nplucking brands from the eternal burnings. Those of the opposition,\nin order to fully carry out their principles, were driven to indorse\nand defend the lowest morality, and the coldest and most formal type\nof Christianity--and were compelled to yield to the caprices of the\nungodly by excusing their faults.\n\nIn order more fully to impress the truth upon the heart, we will\nnow give a brief narrative of the characters and lives of two\nfamilies--representatives of the parties formed through the labors of\nthe missionary. The circumstances bringing him to our notice, also\nintroduce us to the family of Mr. Steele--the other family is that\nof Mr. Brown, of the same neighborhood. Through the former will be\nillustrated the effects of opposing religious training as carried on in\nthe Sunday-school; and through the latter will be shown the inestimable\nblessings resulting from such training, and the value of vital\ngodliness.\n\nMr. Steele, as we are already aware, had two children, George and\nMary--also a wife, who was naturally a most excellent person; but the\ninfluence of her cold-hearted husband was not without its effect upon\nher life. He claimed to be a church member, but he had only a \u201cname to\nlive.\u201d After years of constant association with such a person, we need\nnot wonder that she quietly submitted to him.\n\nMr. Brown and family, also consisting of a wife and two children, had\nalways been on terms of intimacy with Mr. Steele\u2019s family. On Saturday\nafternoon, previous to the opening of the Sunday-school at Clear Creek\nSettlement, George and Mary Steele went to Mr. Brown\u2019s on an errand,\nand received permission to spend an hour with their friends, Henry and\nEliza; the Sunday-school was the all-absorbing topic of conversation,\nand although George and Mary knew that their father was opposed to\nanything of the kind, they still hoped that they would be allowed\nto go on the following day. No sooner had they reached home, than\nthey began to tell their mother, in a very excited manner, about the\nSunday-school. Just as their excitement was about at its height, their\nfather entered the room, and in a very gruff manner asked, what \u201call\nthis fuss\u201d was about. As the song of the robin ceases at the crack of\nthe rifle, so suddenly ceased the story and the joy of these children.\nThey looked to their mother for help; she had no hope of a patient\nhearing, so she merely said:\n\n\u201cThe children were telling about the Sunday-school, and\u201d----\n\n\u201cSunday-school! yes, they were over there at Brown\u2019s, and have had\ntheir heads filled with nonsense--have they?\u201d\n\nThe mother\u2019s lips were sealed. The humility and silence that greeted\nhim only vexed him the more; so, seeing no opposition offered, he\ncommenced again on the aggressive. Addressing his wife in tones of\nhaughty reproach, he said:\n\n\u201cI\u2019d like to know whether you and these little brats are going to side\nwith every whining loafer that comes about?\u201d\n\nThen turning to the children, who were crying, he said:\n\n\u201cI\u2019d like to know what you are bawling about? If you don\u2019t soon shut up\nyou\u2019ll wish you had.\u201d\n\nThe children again looked at their mother; but as she was still silent,\nGeorge stammered out, \u201cWe want to go to Sunday-school, father.\u201d\n\nLittle Mary, with her eyes sparkling in tears, now ventured with,\n\n\u201cDo, father, let us go--won\u2019t you, father?\u201d\n\nThis was said with such a beseeching voice and hopeful look, that\nfor the instant the storm was lulled; and had the mother joined her\nchildren in their petition, perhaps a limited privilege might have\nbeen obtained for them. But she failed! The precious moment went by\nunimproved, and all was lost!\n\nThe father would not listen to what his better feelings suggested;\nso he told the children decidedly that they should not go to the\nSunday-school, and if they did not stop crying he would punish them\nseverely. After he left the house, their mother endeavored to console\nthem; but they felt that they had been unjustly treated, and wished\nto know _why_ they could not go to Sunday-school. Their mother did\nnot attempt to give the reason; for she, too, felt that they had been\nwronged.\n\nSupper-time came, but the children\u2019s grief had taken their appetite,\nso their mother excused them from coming to the table. Their father,\nfinding that they were not coming, and knowing the reason, whipped\nthem severely and forced them to come; they sat down and tried to eat,\nbut every mouthful seemed to choke them. The mother\u2019s eyes were dim\nwith tears, and the meal was eaten in silence. The father\u2019s face was\nflushed, and he hurried through his supper, being anxious to get away\nfrom the presence of those whom he had wronged. When he had gone out,\nthe mother again tried to soothe the children, but their father\u2019s\nabsence only gave them the liberty to sob aloud; their mother, fearing\nthat he might return and hear them, bade them go out to the barn and\nhunt the eggs, and be good children.\n\n\u201cWe want to go to Sunday-school and learn to be good,\u201d said they. Every\nword of this went straight to the heart of the mother. The children\nwent and did what their mother had desired; as they staid out longer\nthan she thought necessary, she became troubled and started in search\nof them. Hearing George\u2019s voice, she listened and found that he was\npraying, and Mary was repeating the words after him. A consciousness\nof having failed in the performance of her duty filled her heart with\nanguish, and she went into the barn and joined them in prayer; but her\nfaith was weak--she feared her husband more than God. She resolved,\nhowever, to make the attempt to plead in behalf of the children; going\ninto the house, she found her husband trying to find something to\ninterest him in an old newspaper. Her heart beat between hope and fear;\ntaking a seat she commenced her petition.\n\n\u201cIs your head turned too?\u201d he sneeringly asked. \u201cI guess, the next\nthing I know, you\u2019ll have an agency and the pretty loafer lounging\naround here. But let him come,\u201d he continued; \u201cjust let soap-stick\ncome; I\u2019ll kick him out of my house so quick, that he won\u2019t know what\nhurt him.\u201d\n\nThe wife\u2019s heart was too full for utterance, so she said nothing.\nConstruing her silence into contempt, he resumed fiercely.\n\n\u201c_You\u2019ve_ been poking this stuff into the children\u2019s heads yourself,\nhave you? I\u2019ll beat it out of them, mind you!\u201d said he, shaking his\nfist in the air. The mother\u2019s resolution was gone, and she meekly\nreplied, \u201cNo, I have not said anything.\u201d She yielded all for the sake\nof appeasing her husband. After berating the missionary and making some\nthreats about \u201cthis fuss in the family,\u201d Mr. Steele went to bed.\n\nHad this father but consented to \u201cprove all things,\u201d as the apostle had\nrecommended, all of the unhappiness now existing in his family might\nhave been avoided.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nCHAPTER XV.\n\n_GEORGE AND MARY._\n\n\nThe Sunday-school having been successfully organized, Mr. Steele was\nextremely vexed, and he withdrew himself as far as possible from\nthose who went with the missionary in the movement. He was, besides,\nambitious and proud--he could not bear to think that \u201ca traveling\nloafer,\u201d as he termed the missionary, should overcome him; and, being\nconsidered the champion of the opposition, he mingled with the wicked,\ncourting their praise, and bringing himself to their level. He was\nfighting in vain, for it was against God.\n\nA few more weeks passed away, and it having been quite a while since\nGeorge and Mary had seen their friends, they asked their mother if\nthey might make Henry and Eliza a visit; she referred them to their\nfather for permission. George persuaded Mary to ask, for he knew that\nhis little sister\u2019s winning manner would be more likely to accomplish\nthe object; watching her opportunity, she climbed upon her father\u2019s\nknee, and putting her arms around his neck, kissed him; she had done so\nbefore, but not for some time. The caress pleased him, and he returned\nthe kiss. Not thinking of anything in particular, he said, \u201cWell, what\nelse do you want, my little pet?\u201d\n\n\u201cYou wouldn\u2019t give me what I wanted, anyhow, would you father?\u201d\n\n\u201cCertainly, anything you ask;\u201d and he gave her another kiss, adding,\n\u201cWell, pet, what is it?\u201d\n\n\u201cGeorge and I would _so_ much like to go see Henry and Eliza--may we?\u201d\n\nFor a moment he was in doubt, the nature of the request being so\nunexpected; but for once he allowed his better nature to have sway, and\nconsented on condition that they would come home early. They were soon\non their way, as happy as the birds on a sunny morning.\n\nHenry and Eliza were delighted to see them, and entertained them by\ngiving a minute account of all that transpired in the Sunday-school;\nthey also gave them some of the cards and papers which they had\nreceived there.\n\nGeorge and Mary kept their promise to \u201ccome home early.\u201d Whilst they\nwere showing their mother the Sunday-school cards and papers, their\nfather entered the room. He became very angry upon being thus reminded\nof the subject so disagreeable to him; so, seizing the children\u2019s\ngifts, he tore them into pieces and then threw them out the window,\nand declared that the children should never go to Mr. Brown\u2019s again.\nThe result of such a course on his part, was that the hearts of his\nchildren were hardened against him; they felt that they had been\nunkindly and unjustly treated, and they very soon became irritable and\npeevish in disposition. Their father soon discovered the change, and\nknowing the cause, he determined to restore them to their usual spirits\nby affording them amusement; so he induced them to seek new playmates,\namong those who did not attend Sunday-school. They obeyed; but, at\nfirst, such company was exceedingly disagreeable to them, for the\nchildren with whom they associated were profane and vulgar and did not\nregard God\u2019s Holy day. They had been taught by their mother that such\nconduct was wrong; but the father now ruled with a rod of iron, and all\nwere compelled to bend to his will.\n\nThe downward course is rapid; it was but a few short years before\nGeorge and Mary, surrounded by such influence, could mock with the\nmocker, at the prayer-meeting and Sunday-school.\n\nThe father, annoyed by the success of the good cause, and a\nconsciousness of wrong-doing, sought relief in drink--hence he was\nthrown into the society of the worthless, vulgar drunkards, who\nlie around the haunts of vice. Insensibly, he was drifting down to\nirretrievable ruin!\n\nHe never expected to be a drunkard--not he! No, he could drink when he\npleased, and let it alone when he pleased. He would show \u201cthat crazy\nTruman,\u201d that a man could _govern_ his appetite, and that he did not\nspeak the truth when he said that confirmed whisky-drinkers would fill\ndrunkards\u2019 graves.\n\nHe found out to his own sorrow who spoke the truth; for the time came\nwhen he was compelled to give up his comfortable home to satisfy\nthe tavern-keeper\u2019s demands. His wife, through disappointment and\nabuse, lost her health and died broken-hearted, before her husband and\nchildren had run their whole course of sin.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nCHAPTER XVI.\n\n_MR. BROWN\u2019S FAMILY--MR. STEELE._\n\n\nWhilst the Steele family was descending deeper and deeper into sin and\ndegradation, the family of Mr. Brown was advancing in virtue, honor and\nholiness. Henry and Eliza were faithful members of Christ\u2019s visible\nChurch--they had been taught to love the Saviour in the Sunday-school;\nthey were now teachers in the same, and by their love and practical\ninstructions, their humble piety and fervent prayers, they led more\nthan one to the Fountain of Life.\n\nHenry, like his father, was a noble-looking man, of very prepossessing\nappearance. His taste for the beautiful and true increased with\nhis years, and his knowledge of many subjects became extensive and\nthorough--thus was he fitted for almost any position of honor and trust.\n\nEliza\u2019s naturally amiable disposition was developed to advantage\nunder Christian influence, and she married a man whose high moral\nand religious excellence made him eminently worthy of her. Living in\nanticipation of joys to come, she could not help being happy.\n\nPassing over a few more years, we will look, for a time, at the little\nMary of other days. In a forlorn old hut, far away from any other\nhouse, we find her crouched upon the floor, shivering with the cold,\nand in almost a starving condition; her father had left her some weeks\nprevious, under the pretence that he was going in search of work; her\nbrother had long since gone from the place, with little or no purpose\nin view; she knew nothing of his whereabouts, and it seemed to her\nthat she was now utterly forsaken, for she had received no word from\nher father during his absence. She wished that she might die--not\nthinking or caring what the consequence would be. As she sat thus,\nmusing over her sad lot, Providence seemed to direct the steps of Mr.\nBrown, whose business called him to that part of the country, to the\nold hut; his heart was touched at the sight of her sufferings, and it\nwas not long before he made arrangements for her removal to his own\nhouse; and he and his wife exerted themselves to win this wandering\nchild to the straight and narrow path. Although it took a long time\nfor her to break up her old habits, she at length became a follower of\nthe meek and lowly Jesus. Mr. and Mrs. Brown were father and mother to\nher, and she endeavored in every possible way to show her gratitude for\nkindness so freely bestowed.\n\nTime passed on, and Mary, not hearing anything of her father, grieved\nfor him as dead; although she never knew to any certainty that such was\nthe case.\n\nOn a clear, cold morning, about a year after Mr. Steele had left his\ndaughter, as a party of hunters were crossing a prairie many miles\ndistant from Clear Creek Settlement, they found the body of a man who\nhad evidently been frozen to death. Any one could see at a glance\nthat he had been a drinking character, and most probably under the\ninfluence of liquor at the time of his death. The hunters took the body\nto the nearest settlement, and made inquiry as to who it might be;\nnone knew excepting a grocer, who came forward and stated that this\nman had chopped wood for him on the day previous, and, according to\nhis own request, took his pay in whisky; after this no one remembered\nhaving seen him, but it was supposed by those present at this time,\nthat he had become intoxicated, and after wandering on for some\ntime, had fallen down in a drunken stupor, from which he never awoke\nin this world. Whether or not the grocer, who had been an actor in\nthis tragedy, had any compunctions of conscience at this time, we are\nunable to say; he interested himself, however, in procuring a rough box\nin which the remains of Mr. Steele (for it was he), were placed, and\nburied by those who never had known him in life. Thus ended the career\nof one who depended upon his own strength to resist temptation, and\nset himself up in opposition to the means employed for the furtherance\nof God\u2019s cause. This may be an extreme case, but it is not the first\ninstance in which God has visited retribution in this world.\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nCHAPTER XVII.\n\n_THE MISSIONARY AGAIN VISITS THE WEST._\n\n\nIn that beautiful season of the year in which the missionary first\nvisited the West, he was again on his way thither, but not with his\npilgrim-staff--that was now laid aside. He could no longer travel\nhundreds of miles on foot as he once did--he was now in a carriage with\nthe venerable Mr. Mason.\n\nHe had written to his people in the West, promising to visit them if\nthey would send a conveyance for him, as he was no longer able to walk,\nand was too poor to go by stage. Yes, he was poor in this world\u2019s\ngoods, but rich in Christ--an heir of Heaven!\n\nNo sooner was his letter received, than it was read in the churches\nand Sunday-schools, and a liberal collection was soon taken up, to\ninsure every convenience necessary for his accommodation; and Mr.\nMason volunteered to bring him out. The journey proved to be a great\nadvantage to his failing health.\n\nThe appearance of things was very much changed to him, for eighteen\nyears had elapsed since he first came to this place. The little ones\nhad grown up, the youth were heads of families, and the locks of the\nolder persons were turning gray, and many had gone the way of all\nthe earth. Many new settlers had come in, the little hut villages\nhad become towns, the trails and wood-paths were now highways and\nstage-routes, the log school-houses had become substantial frame\nchurches, and the wilderness in which the missionary had suffered was\nnow being settled and covered with new farms. His friends in the cause\nof Christ, Mr. Brown and Mr. Wilson and Mr. Truman, the defender\nof Temperance, were still alive, \u201cSteadfast and unmovable, always\nabounding in the work of the Lord.\u201d\n\nMany blessed seasons he enjoyed with them, and they were often \u201csitting\nin heavenly places in Christ Jesus.\u201d After a rest of some days, the\nmissionary felt able to preach and lecture among the people. The\nopposition to Sunday-schools and the cause of Temperance had in a great\nmeasure subsided; public opinion, that great leveler of uprisings,\nhad taken sides with the \u201cnew measures,\u201d for the very elements of the\nWestern character demand progress and life. The missionary\u2019s preaching\nwas especially blest to the Sunday-schools; through his efforts whole\nclasses, with their teachers, were brought into the Church.\n\nDuring one of these gracious seasons, when many were turning to the\nLord, a dreadful murder was committed at one of the groceries in the\nvillage. One of the Sunday-school teachers, and a noted advocate of\nTemperance, heard that one of his class had been persuaded to accompany\na man to a grocery. The teacher resolved to save his scholar from\nthe influence of the fiends who were aiming at his destruction; he\nsucceeded in getting the boy to leave the place. They had taken but a\nfew steps, when some one rushed up behind the young man, and stabbed\nhim in the back under the shoulder blade, piercing his heart. The knife\ndid its work effectually, for he expired in almost a moment\u2019s time.\n\nThe excitement following this event was intense. There were several\npersons present, who held the murdered young man in high esteem; these\narrested the murderer and held him secure. In the meantime, the news of\nthe atrocious deed spread all over the country, and hundreds gathered\nto the scene of blood. Had it not been for the high state of religious\ninterest prevailing, lynch law would have been executed upon the\nheartless criminal, by hanging him to the nearest tree; but an officer\nwas allowed to lead him away to a place of confinement.\n\nThe young man\u2019s body was conveyed to his father\u2019s house amid weeping\nand lamentations. This was too much for some of the people; and, as if\nactuated by a sense of justice, they went back and demolished the den\nas a common nuisance. All the liquors were destroyed and the owners\nprosecuted. This was summary work; but the general temperament of the\nWestern people is such, that they not unfrequently take the law into\ntheir own hands, when they fear that justice will be tardy or uncertain\nfrom the courts.\n\nOn the day appointed for the funeral of the young man, hundreds were\nearly at the house of the dead. The Temperance Societies were all\npresent in mourning. Many who, through his instrumentality, had been\nled to Christ were there, and shed tears of genuine grief over his\nremains; aged Christians groaned in their sorrow. Indeed, there was\nscarcely one present who was not moved to tears.\n\nThe missionary preached the funeral sermon from John xi, 25:--\u201cI am\nthe resurrection and the life; he that believeth in me, though he were\ndead, yet shall he live.\u201d He alluded to the consolation afforded in\nthe sentence referring to eternal life. He exhorted all to prepare\nfor death, and dealt the rumsellers a blow, which, connected with the\ncircumstances that brought them together, led them to think, at least,\nof what they were doing. He concluded with a reference to the exemplary\nChristian character of the deceased, and exhorted all to follow him, as\nfar as he had followed Christ.\n\nSeveral other ministers were present, who also delivered short\naddresses of a very impressive character. These were followed by Mr.\nTruman, who made one of the most eloquent and masterly appeals in\nbehalf of the Temperance cause ever made in that country. An aged\nminister then led in prayer, after which the painful exercises were\nclosed.\n\n[Illustration]\n\n\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nCHAPTER XVIII.\n\n_DEATH._\n\n\nThe murderer had been taken to the county jail to await his trial.\nIn the meantime, suspicion was aroused that the prisoner was George\nSteele, but he steadily denied it, and insisted that he was John Pogue.\nThe rumor coming to Mary\u2019s ears, she at once feared that it might be\ntrue; and to relieve her mind of the dreadful suspense, she resolved\nto know the worst, and hence obtained permission to enter his cell.\nWhen the door was opened, there, in chains, sat George! Although she\nhad felt that it would be so, she was nevertheless shocked at the sight\nbefore her. He tried to evade the recognition, but his heart failed;\nungovernable emotions unmanned him, and he wept like a child.\n\n\u201cGeorge, my brother, my dear brother, how could you do that thing?\u201d she\nexclaimed, and her whole frame shook as she spoke. After a while she\nbecame more calm and asked the keeper to allow her to be alone with her\nbrother for a short time; he consented, and she sat down on the bed,\nclose beside her brother, as she did years ago, when they played under\nthe elm-tree at their dear old home. He told her all--\u201cBut,\u201d said he,\n\u201cI was in liquor, and a fiend seemed to drive me to the awful deed! I\nwas not to blame so much; I did not use to be so, did I, Mary?\u201d\n\n\u201cNo, George,\u201d she gently replied, \u201cyou were once a good boy;\u201d and then,\nafter hesitating a moment, she said, \u201cdo you pray now, brother?\u201d\n\nHe looked at her in a dreamy way, and said, \u201c_I_ pray! I cannot pray!\u201d\nthen his eye kindled, and he continued, \u201c_I_ am not to blame; when you\nand I wanted to be good father would not let us, but taught us that\nSabbath-breaking, swearing, dancing and drinking were only amusements\nthat everybody should enjoy; and we soon learned to like these things,\nMary--and where am I now?\u201d She leaned her head upon her hands and\nsighed; then rousing herself, said hopefully, \u201cIt is not too late yet,\nGeorge; God has been merciful to me, and has pardoned all my sins;\nif you repent as I did, He will not cast you off; but you must pray,\nGeorge, with all your heart.\u201d\n\nLooking into her eyes, he replied by saying, \u201c_You_ pray for me, Mary.\u201d\nKneeling down, she brought her poor, sinful brother\u2019s case before the\nMercy-seat; but there was no godly sorrow for sin in his heart--the\nfear of death made him wish for prayers. Had he been at liberty, he\nwould have been as bad as ever; and no wonder pardon was not granted.\nAfter Mary rose from her knees, she had some further conversation with\nher brother, and then took leave of him with a heavy heart. This was\ntheir last meeting. The time for George\u2019s trial arrived; the court-room\nwas crowded with curious and idle spectators; the prisoner was brought\nforward to answer the charge of murder; he pleaded \u201cNot guilty.\u201d A plea\nof insanity was set up by his counsel, and an artful defense made for\nhim; but the case was clear, and the testimony against him overwhelming.\n\nThe Judge of the district was Henry Brown. The prisoner was directed\nto stand up; the Judge asked him if he had anything further to say,\nwhy sentence of death should not be pronounced; he shook his head and\nfaltered, \u201c_No_.\u201d After receiving his sentence, he desired to see the\nJudge. They met. Neither could speak--a convulsive pressure of hands\nwas all that passed between them.\n\nWhat a contrast is here! Both men occupied the same social position in\nchildhood; yet a difference in training and associations brought about\nthe present result. May God help us to take warning!\n\nThirty days were given the prisoner to prepare for the eternal future.\nHis jailer was kind to him, and offered to get him any religious advice\nhe desired; at first he refused to see any one, but as the time of\ndeath drew nearer, he consented; the missionary to whom he had given a\ncup of water in his boyhood was ready and anxious to go to him; and no\nsooner had he received George\u2019s permission, than he was at his side,\nendeavoring to shed light upon his darkened understanding; but the good\nman\u2019s prayers and advice seemed to produce little or no impression upon\nthe mind and heart of George. He felt that there was no hope for him,\nand as the missionary left him he requested him to preach his funeral\nsermon, and in doing so, warn others not to follow the example of one\nwhose earthly career was short, and ended in death and everlasting\nmisery.\n\nWe will now draw a veil over the closing scene in the life of this\nyoung man. In doing so, we would say to the Sunday-school scholar, bear\nin mind your great privileges--do not abuse them--do not consider it\na task, but a pleasure, to prepare the lessons given you--keep ever\nbefore your mind the fact, that it is your soul\u2019s eternal interest, and\nGod\u2019s glory, for which you must work.\n\nThe missionary lived several years after his return to his Eastern\nhome; and, like Paul, he would frequently write an epistle to his\nbrethren in the West--thus could their hearts still commune with each\nother. But the time came when this laborer in the Master\u2019s vineyard was\ncalled to rest. The close of his life was as calm as the summer evening\nupon which he was called. With the apostle he could say, \u201cI have\nfought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.\nHenceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the\nLord, the righteous Judge, shall give at that day--and not to me only,\nbut unto all them that love His appearing.\u201d\n\nCompare the death of the earnest, working Christian, with that of the\nopposer of truth or of the cold-hearted formalist. After death comes\nthe judgment!--and the Saviour has said, that the former shall live\nand reign with Him, whilst the latter shall go away into everlasting\npunishment.\n\nReader, to which of these classes do _you_ belong?\n\n\nTHE END.","title":"Scenes in the West; or, The Sunday-School and Temperance","tradition":"scripture-revelation","translated_text":null,"word_count":21000}