THE missionary, after bidding farewell to the kind friends with whom he had spent the night, again went on his way, “Seeking the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” He had not gone far before he met two children, who proved to be Mr. Steele’s. Upon entering into conversation with them, he found that they remembered him. Their bright, intelligent answers to his questions, led him to regret more deeply that they were kept from the influence of the Sunday-school. The innate kindness of heart manifested by these children made him feel that, if properly trained, they would become useful members The farmer was at the time unloading wood, and scarcely noticed the missionary; the latter soon broached the subject occupying his thoughts, by saying, “My friend, could you not consent to take your children to Sunday-school once, on trial?” “No sir!” he roared; “and I don’t want you to bother me any more about it;” and continued, “work like I do, and let your betters alone.” “Well then,” said the missionary, “if you will not go yourself, will you not permit your children to go? I know that the school would be a great benefit to them, and”—— “I don’t want to hear any more of your nonsense—just ‘git,’ you lazy loafer,” retorted the angry man. Parents, come with your children to the Sunday-school; it is the nursery of the Lord, Young man, wend your way to the Bible-class, and thereby shun the temptation of the Sabbath-breaker and the snares of the transgressor! And you, young woman, blooming in all the loveliness of life’s early dream, shun the society of those who mock at religion, and the teachings of the Holy Word, and fly for your life to the place where prayer is wont to be made—where the better qualities of your nature will be fostered, and your heart taught to love the Saviour! The missionary felt that the time had now come for him to attempt to establish a Temperance Society among these people for whom he had been laboring. This was a hazardous undertaking, where the habits of the people were so firmly fixed in favor of using intoxicating liquors as a common beverage. But a meeting for that purpose was appointed and the whole country was aroused. Those The time for the meeting having arrived, after singing a hymn and offering a prayer, the missionary called the attention of his large audience to the following words: “Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contention? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine! They that go to seek mixed wine! Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth its color in the cup, when it moveth itself aright; at last it biteth like a He then demonstrated by example and facts, the truth of the answer given to these questions. Taking up the last part of his subject in the words, “At last it biteth,” &c., he gave a most fearful description of the effects of spirituous liquors upon the human system and the immortal soul—depicting with great force the awful condition of the poor rum-enslaved, soul-degraded drunkard, both in body and mind. He held up to their gaze the emaciated form of a heart-broken wife, and the half-famished images of her little ones. He also stated that intoxicating liquors were the parent of every conceivable sin, and had extended the catalogue of crimes until language could scarcely furnish a name for the atrocious iniquities—that they filled the jails and poor-houses, at the expense of the industrious and good, and also furnished subjects for the gibbet. He then enforced the command in the text, not even to look upon it—saying that the apostle had commanded to “Abstain from all appearance of evil.” He also declared that there was no neutral ground between virtue and vice—between supporting and opposing this source of evil; that we must be either for or against it. He concluded with an appeal to the people to save themselves and those around them from the fangs of the serpent and the sting of the adder, and to organize at once an army to fight unto death this monster, Intemperance. A pledge was written and laid upon the After the people had been dismissed, those who had given their names signed the pledge This was a glorious beginning—and the wives and children of those tipplers and drunkards who joined, shed tears of joy, and their hearts overflowed with thankfulness to God and His messenger. |