Part 16

It was only a smile as the Hymn-book and Psalter were offered; it did not cost the young man anything, but it gave us, the recipients of his courtesy, pleasant satisfaction. We did not feel as if the books were grudgingly given, but rather that a sympathetic bond had united us, that we would like to know this cordial generous young fellow, and thought if this were a sample of the people in that church, we would like to make it our home. The entire service was so heightened by the incident that we scarcely missed our old familiar surroundings, and really had almost forgotten that we were strangers, so one with us the people appeared; and when the preacher later gave for his text the words, “The greatest of these is Love,” it seemed only natural that this should have been the thought selected.

By contrast, we felt severely the difference which the following Sabbath brought. It was again the early service, and we sat strangers in another city church. The opening hymn, which was not a familiar one, was announced, and an old man sitting in a pew behind gave us his book. Two young men occupying the seat with him each had a hymn-book with notes, but instead of looking on the same book, so having one to spare, they each selfishly kept their own, neither offering one to the old gentleman who, I later learned, had gone without for our sake, nor giving a book to two ladies who were in the pew with me, and were strangers like ourselves. As a result, we all felt uncomfortable; the clergyman’s sermon, excellent though it was, did not meet with proper response. Our thoughts were divided, the atmosphere was unpleasant, we claimed that the church seemed very cheerless, that even the lighting of it was not satisfactory, and, indeed, we were so unhappy by the ungracious action of the two young men back of us that we were glad when the benediction was pronounced, and we could, borrowing an illustration from the time of the Apostles, shake the dust off our feet, and turn toward home.

The question is sometimes asked, Why are there so many vacant pews in our churches? And the blame is laid on the hard-working minister. Well, his shoulders are broad and accustomed to carrying burdens. All the sorrows and annoyances of the people become a part of his daily load. But stop. Let us put the answer to this question where it belongs, not on the minister, but nine-tenths of the time on the congregation. “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers,” are the words of the Bible, and we cannot go to a better book for advice. “Be courteous,” are also two words found there.

A young man, not a church-goer, once said to me, “I wandered into Dr. L.’s church the other morning, and I was shown into one of the very best pews. Later the family came, and they gave me every attention. When the service was over, the gentleman who sat at the head of the pew allowed his family to pass out, and waited for me. Then offering his hand, said he was very glad I had been put in his pew, and he hoped I would come to church again very soon, every Sunday if I would, and then he added, ‘Young man, don’t ask an usher for a seat, come right in here with me any time.’

“Now,” continued this young gentleman, “that’s what I call business. I enjoyed the service that morning, was not made to feel as if I was an offscourer, but as if I was welcome. I’ll go again soon; that’s the right kind of a church. The singing was beautiful, and I’m fond of music; the sermon, too, touched the right place, but I think what had more to do with it than anything else, was that courteous family and the hearty hand-shake afterwards.”

We, neither of us, can weigh the influence we have on our neighbor. Perhaps it is better for our own peace we cannot. But we must remember a smile may save a soul. “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these, ye have done it unto me.”

A BRAVE BOY.

“How shall our class raise one hundred dollars for the benefit of the church-debt fund?” was a question recently put to eight young girls by their Sunday-school teacher.

“Have a fair in the early fall; we will work for it all summer,” was the first answer.

“No; that might interfere with the ladies’ fair, which comes during December. It is to be a mammoth one this year, and we must not anticipate the event nor risk retarding its prosperity, but rather do our part to push it forward.”

“Suppose, then, we have a cake sale,” was the suggestion by the eldest one of the party. That was at once vetoed, as more properly belonging to our mothers and grandmothers.

“I tell you what, girls!” ejaculated Jessie, “let us make candy; get all the orders we can and supply our customers. We can make lots of money that way.”

“Yes, if we can get the customers,” added Hattie, “_I_ thought maybe we could get up an entertainment, and so I brought a book containing a colloquy in three parts, which will just take in all of us. There are eight characters, so it would fit exactly.”

“Good for you, Hattie,” was the quick reply, and the bright eyes and excited manner of each of the scholars showed that such enthusiasm could not fall to result in success.

Later a satisfactory programme was arranged, consisting of music, recitations, tableaux and the above-mentioned colloquy. The entertainment was to be given in the parlors of one of the scholars, and the tickets for young and old were to be offered for the sum of twenty-five cents each.

My! how the girls worked, not alone in the necessary preparation for their part of the programme, but in the sale of tickets, which were disposed of rapidly.

At last the much-looked-for night had come, and never did stars seem more brilliant, or moonlight more beautiful. Such a crowd! Long before the time for showing the tableaux, which were to open the entertainment, the parlors and halls and even the stairs were full. A man was stationed at the door to receive the tickets and any money which might be offered.

But was it any wonder that little Theodore Vandervoort, who is connected with one of the younger classes of the Sunday-school, found himself surrounded by so many bigger and older people, that he was not seen? or that the money he had expected to give at the door should not be taken?

What a temptation this now presented! His father and mother would never know. The twenty-five cents would buy a great deal of candy, or the new ball he wanted so much, or a box of figs, or several bananas, of which he was very fond. But no, Theodore was an honest boy and would therefore scorn to use money which was not his own. This twenty-five cents had been given to him to pay for the entertainment he was now enjoying, and he would not expend it for any other purpose. So the following morning, before he entered school, he paid his debt, personally going to the house of the teacher who had charge of the entertainment and, with a few words of explanation, leaving the money.

And so Theodore Vandervoort proved himself a hero, an example to many an older boy, as well as to many fathers and mothers.

Even in a small boy we see the future man, and if God wills that Theodore Vandervoort shall grow to manhood, we are not afraid to predict great things of him, to prophesy that he will be a man above reproach, a king among his fellows.

May the boys who read this story beware of falling into temptation, or doing the first dishonest act; but rather let them be brave, noble and upright, as was little Theodore, and so receive not only peace of conscience in the present life, but the joy which is eternal.

As for the entertainment, it met with the success that generally attends zeal and hard work, and so overflowing was the treasury that the girls scarcely needed the added twenty-five cents. Yet honest Theodore, in taking his first opportunity to get out of debt, which is out of danger also, had set for all who read these words an excellent example.

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Transcriber’s Notes:

Obvious punctuation errors repaired. Varied hyphenation retained.

Page 18, “carboard” changed to “cardboard” (a square of cardboard)

Page 23, “varities” changed to “varieties” (think what varieties of)

Pages 25, 149 “where-ever” split over two lines was changed to “wherever” (Girl runs wherever) (may put them wherever)

Page 57, “though” changed to “through” (through which he has)

Page 57, “andthis” changed to “and this” (and this game should)

Page 91, “fete” changed to “fête” (the popular _fête_)

Page 96, “matinee” changed to “matinée” (occasional matinée performance)

Page 97, “mad” changed to “made” (be made of white)

Page 162, “fastents” changed to “fastens” (instantly fastens itself)

Page 184, “couse” changed to “course” (course, the pansy-leaf)

Page 189, “maccaroni” changed to “macaroni” (but not macaroni)

Page 194, “urdona” changed to “urdon” (own esog urdon)

Page 194, “Mda” changed to “Nda” (Nda lilst i okwn)

Page 194, “aec dn” changed to “aecdn” (Het iteesvf aecdn)

Page 194, “f’tfrdnei” changed to “fetfrdnei” (Os fetfrdnei rmof)

Page 196, “eyes” changed to “hair” (hair was so brown)

Page 199, “tlp” changed to “tip” (tip of nose)

Page 199, “smilar” changed to “similar” (similar to example)

Page 200, “wth” changed to “with” (with pots, pans, dishes)

Page 235, “similiar” changed to “similar” (similar ludicrous blunders)

Page 240, split across two lines, “forget-getting” changed to “forgetting” (the trouble, forgetting)

Page 249, “the” changed to “this” (negligent this time)

Page 255, “immates” changed to “inmates” (difficulty the inmates of)

Page 316, paragraph break introduced after the line ending, “with me anytime” as the quotation pattern seemed to suggest it.

Page 319, “eharge” changed to “charge” (charge of the entertainment)