Part 4

The Twenty Minutes a-Day Working Society originated, we believe, in England, where it appears to be accomplishing great good. Its characteristic features are found in other associations among English ladies, who seem to have a special liking for being bound together by aim and rules without organization or meetings. But the idea has been adopted in some of the churches of our country also, and, it is said, with admirable success.

The following are the rules by which the members of this society bind themselves:

1. To work twenty minutes a day, or two hours a week, according to convenience.

2. Each lady to furnish her own materials, and make such articles as are suitable either for home missionaries and their families at the West, or for distribution among the colored people.

3. To contribute at least one book a year, not necessarily new.

4. To contribute fifty cents a year for the purpose of defraying expenses of transportation, &c.

5. To pray each day for those to whom these gifts are sent, and also for the prosperity of our organization.

6. Articles made are to be sent twice a year to the rooms of the Woman’s Home Missionary Association, at such times as shall be designated by the committee.

For further information apply to the Secretary of the Woman’s Home Missionary Association, 20 Congregational House, Boston.

The interest roused by the late Home Missionary Convention at Chicago shows how real and earnest is the purpose in the hearts of many of our people to undertake with new determination and zeal the task of keeping and of recovering this land for a true Christianity. Every day exposes anew to us, if our eyes are open, the monstrous and fatal dangers which threaten our Republic. But do we consider, does each Christian reflect, that not one of these evils, not one evil, would endanger our beloved country, if the good news brought by Christ were accepted and worked out in every home and every life?

“Ten times one is ten;” yes, there is well unfolded the secret of Christian life and strength, and of the coming millennium. Let each of us now say: “I have been saved by the knowledge of Christ; to how many can I convey this knowledge the coming year? Can I send it to ten more? to one more? It is not for me to wait to see what ten others will do. What can I do, and now, to help recover what is lost, to keep what is yet ours in our dear land?” Oh, let us try it. We are not doing enough, and our time of working may be short, if we let the enemy come in like a flood; but let us work, each work, alone, together; work and pray, for we have already seen something of what God’s power and goodness can do in multiplying single-handed and feeble (?) efforts made in His name.

A word more to the children about the Sunday-school papers. A generous response has come in, but still the Secretary has a large number of names of schools ready to receive above the number of those ready to give. Are there not other Sunday-schools with papers to send? Is there not some girl or boy ready to undertake to collect the same? Do not be afraid to send a few, if you have not many, only send them regularly and with prayer. Do not forget to be “ready to distribute, willing to communicate.” This is your opportunity as well as that of your father and mother, and the work is great. Write to the Secretary of the Woman’s Home Missionary Association, 20 Congregational House, Boston, Mass., and she will send you the name of a school where the boys and girls will be, you can hardly think how, eager and glad to get your papers.

Receipts of Woman’s Home Missionary Association from May 31 to June 27, 1881:

From auxiliaries $169.92 ” life members 20.00 ” annual members 2.00 ” donations 52.50 —————— $244.42

Boxes and barrels:

From W. Newton, Aux. to Mrs. Babcock, valued at $30.00 ” Son of Rev. Mr. Alvord, Nashua, to Miss Wilson. 50.00 ” Miss. Sunbeams, Phillip’s Ch., South Boston, to the West 15.00

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CHILDREN’S PAGE.

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GRACIE’S MISTAKE.

MRS. HARRIET A. CHEEVER.

“Just think, mamma! grandpa Gray gave me a five dollar bill just as he was getting into the cars to go home, and said I might do just what I pleased with it; wasn’t that splendid?”

“Yes, Gracie, what shall you do with it?”

“Don’t know yet, shall have to think;” and Gracie flattened her nose against the window-pane one short moment, the next she exclaimed:

“Oh, see, ma, there goes one of those colored students; do you suppose they ever learn much?”

Something in the child’s tone pained Mrs. Gray, and she answered seriously:

“Just as much as any others; my little girl has yet to learn that any difference in young men that is only skin deep is a very slight difference, and none whatever in the sight of God.”

“Well,” replied the petted child, “I like white folks best, and _always shall_;” and she gave her pretty head with its fair hair a smart little toss. Before her mother could reply, she asked hastily:

“May I run across the bit of woods and see Jennie Hale a little while?”

Her mother said yes, and the next moment Gracie was skipping along through the “bit of woods” towards the home of her little friend, when all at once she struck her foot against a little stump, bounded into the air for an instant, then fell heavily. There she lay moaning in dreadful pain.

“Oh, dear!” she cried, “I’ve broken my ankle, I know I have, and that horrid Dr. Stuart will have to set it, and he sha’n’t, he sha’n’t! I’ll die if he does! Oh, dear, what shall I do!”

Dr. Frank Bates, a colored student in the medical department of the college for freedmen, close by, was walking slowly along with a book in his hand—a way these students have, somehow, of improving every moment—when he thought he heard a moan. He listened, and sure enough it _was_ a moan, very near, too, and putting the book in his pocket, he soon reached the spot where Gracie was lying.

He was a very tall, strong young man, but tender-hearted and gentle as a woman could be. He knelt beside Gracie, who cried with pain when he tried to lift her.

“There, there,” he crooned pityingly, his great, soft eyes full of compassion; “wait a moment, and Dr. Frank’ll make it all right for poor sissy;” and seeing at once what was the real trouble, he fortunately found a little board, and tearing his bright Madras handkerchief into strips, with what skill he could carefully splintered and bandaged the broken limb; then lifting her firmly in his strong arms, he carried her steadily and safely along to her home.

Grade’s mother, in all her distress at her little girl’s pain, did not forget to thank him warmly for what he had done. Then she added. “Now we will send for Dr. Stuart, and soon have you comfortable, poor little Gracie.”

But to Mrs. Gray’s surprise, Gracie cried out: “Oh no, no, mamma, let Dr. Frank stay; I know my limb is broken and must be set all right; he told me so; but I want Dr. Frank; I’ll be good, only let him stay.”

Turning to the young giant who stood quietly by, Mrs. Gray asked if he dared undertake the case, and understood properly what must be done.

And he proved he did understand perfectly, for not even the famous Dr. Stuart could more carefully or skillfully have done what was needed than did Dr. Frank.

Such friends as they grew to be—the dark-skinned, intelligent young student, and his fair little patient!

One day Gracie said to her father, “Papa, sha’n’t you pay Dr. Frank just as much for what he has done for me as you should any one else?”

Mr. Gray thought a moment, then replied:

“Yes, Gracie, I certainly shall; it is only right; he has earned it as fairly certainly as any one else could have done.”

And what a help and encouragement it was, the handsome sum which Gracie’s grateful papa paid to Dr. Frank one day. But one other day, the great tears stood in Dr. Frank’s fine dark eyes, and he couldn’t say a word for a long time, when Gracie made him a present of her five dollar bill “to buy a book with, to remember her by,” she said child-like; but when he could find his voice again, he said so sadly, that Gracie will never forget it:

“No fear that Dr. Frank will ever forget the first dear white child who ever gave him kind words and dared trust him. I am very, very grateful for dear little sissy’s dollars; but oh, the kind words are the sweetest sounds Dr. Frank has ever heard yet.”

One day Gracie asked her mother if she remembered how proudly she said she should _always_ like white folks best.

“Yes, I remember,” replied her mother.

“So does God,” said Gracie very gently; “but I’ve been praying Him to remember it no more, for what _should_ I have done without my good, kind Dr. Frank?”

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RECEIPTS FOR JUNE, 1881.

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MAINE, $147.08.

Augusta. Benj. Spaulding $5.00 Bangor. Hammond St. Sab. Sch. 11.00 Blanchard. “D.B.” 10.00 Brunswick. J. W. Perry, _for Wilmington, N.C._ 5.00 East Union. David Fowler 5.00 Ellsworth. Mrs. L. T. Phelps 10.00 Gorham. Cong. Ch., Bbl. of C. and $2.50 _for freight, for Selma, Ala._ 2.50 Machias. Centre St. Cong. Ch. 5.11 North Yarmouth. Cong. Ch. _for Student Aid, Selma, Ala._ 27.45 Portland. Ladies’ Aux. H. M. A. of Williston Ch., Box of C. and $1.52 _for freight, for Wilmington, N.C._ 1.52 Saint Albans. Rev. W. S. Sewall 6.50 Winterport. Mrs. Dr. E. Manter, _for California Chinese M._ 52.00 York. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 6.00

NEW HAMPSHIRE, $136.39.

Amoskeag. Mrs. Henry B. Stearns, $2; Mrs. N. Stearns, $2 4.00 Dover. S. H. F. 0.50 Exeter. Second Cong. Ch. Sab. Sch., _for Student Aid, Fisk U._ 20.00 Franklin Falls. J. B. H. 1.00 Gilsum. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 24.50 Goffstown. G. P. 1.00 Hampstead. Ann M. Howard 5.00 Hanover. Dartmouth College Ch. and Soc. 22.00 Hollis. Cong. Ch. 6.19 Mason. Cong. Ch. 4.75 Meriden. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 25.00 Nashua. Lavinia Albert, _for Wilmington, N.C._ 2.00 Stoddard. Rev. B. Southworth 5.00 Troy. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 13.45 Wakefield. Rev. Nathaniel Barker 2.00

VERMONT, $318.03.

East Hardwick. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 16.00 Fayetteville. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 5.17 Dummerston. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 10.15 Jericho Centre. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 15.25 Manchester. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 45.60 McIndoe’s Falls. Dea. W. R. Monteith 5.00 Newport. M. Benton Hall 2.00 Newbury. Mrs. D. J. 1.00 New Haven. Cong. Ch. and Soc., $20.47; Rev. S. Knowlton, $10 30.47 North Clarendon. Mrs. Wm. D. Marsh 5.00 Norwich. Cong. Ch. and Soc., $10; Mrs. B. B. Newton, $5 15.00 Richmond. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 27.24 Saint Albans. Mrs. M. A. Stranahan’s S. S. Class, Cong. Ch., $50; Young Men’s Bible Class, $10, _for Student Aid, Fisk U._ 60.00 Saint Albans. Class in First Cong. Sab. Sch. 25.00 Sheldon. Cong. Sab. Sch. 20.00 Shoreham. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 3.23 Underhill. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 3.00 Vergennes. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 20.00 Windham. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 8.92

MASSACHUSETTS, $6,403.46.

Amherst. W. S. Clark, _for repairs, Talladega C._ 50.00 Andover. Chapel Ch. and Soc. 93.92 Andover. Ladies’ Benev. Soc., by Mrs. J. C. Dove, $55, _for Student Aid, Talladega C._; Sab. Sch. of Free Ch., $10, _for Student Aid, Fisk U._ 65.00 Ashburnham. M. W. 1.00 Ashfield. Cong. Ch. and Soc., $41.54, to const. REV. J. WADHAMS, L.M.; B. Howes, $1.30 42.84 Attleborough. Second Cong. Ch. and Soc. 93.44 Ayer. Mrs. C. A. Spaulding 46.00 Bedford. Cong. Ch. and Soc., to const. MRS. MARY W. HANAFORD, L. M. 39.66 Beverly. Dane St. Ch. and Soc. 83.03 Boston. “Wilberforce.” 2,014.00 Boston. Immanuel Cong. Ch. and Soc. $100; Central Cong. Ch. (ad’l), $20; “W. E. M.” $10 130.00 Boston. Ladies, _for Washington, D.C._ 7.00 Brocton. “A Friend” 10.00 Brookline. “S. A. C.” 10.00 Cambridge. Children’s Doll Show, _for Student Aid, Fisk U._ 5.00 Charlestown. Ivory Littlefield 50.00 Chicopee. Second Cong. Ch. and Soc., $31.28; Third Cong. Ch. and Soc., $11 42.28 Chelsea. Mrs. E. C. 0.50 Conway. Cong. Ch. (ad’l) 22.00 Dedham. First Cong. Ch. and Soc. 182.56 Easthampton. Mrs. Emily G. Williston 150.00 East Medway. Mrs. E. D. 1.00 East Weymouth. Cong. Ch. and Soc., to const. REV. J. W. MALCOLM, L. M. 53.00 Framingham. “A Friend.” 5.00 Globe Village. Mrs. T. M. 1.00 Groton. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 63.65 Ipswich. First Cong. Ch. and Soc. 26.66 Haydenville. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 11.31 Holyoke. Second Cong. Ch. and Soc. 20.26 Housatonic. Housatonic Cong. Ch. and Soc 52.85 Hyde Park. Cong. Sab. Sch., _for Athens, Ala._ 25.00 Hubbardston. Cong. Sab. Sch., _for Tougaloo U._ 9.00 Lynn. First Cong. Ch. and Soc. 17.36 Lynnfield Centre. Cong Ch. and Soc. 5.57 Linden. Young People’s Soc., _for Student Aid, Talladega C._ 6.00 Long Meadow. Ladies’ Benev. Ass’n. 15.80 Malden. First Cong. Ch. and Soc. 35.64 Mansfield. W. J. T., 75c.; S. E. S., 25c 1.00 Mattapoisett. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 15.00 Millbury. Second Cong. Ch., _for Student Aid, Atlanta U._ 25.00 Mittineague. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 13.46 Monson. Mrs. C. C. Chapin and her S. S. Class, _for ed. of an Indian boy, Hampton N. and A. Inst._ 12.00 Montville. Sylvester Jones 2.00 New Bedford. North Cong. Ch. 96.78 Newbury. First Cong. Ch. and Soc. 26.00 Newburyport and Amesbury. Ladies, _for Washington, D.C._ 6.50 Newburyport. Belleville Cong. Ch., $57.11; P. H. Lunt, $25 82.11 Newburyport. Miss Mary Couch, _for Student Aid, Fisk U._ 5.00 Newton Centre. Ladies of Mrs. Furber’s Bible Class, $50; Mrs. M. B. Furber, $25, _for Student Aid, Atlanta U._ 75.00 Newton Highlands. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 60.98 Norfolk. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 3.04 North Brookfield. Miss A. W. Johnson, $5; Miss A. W. Johnson and Friends, Bbl. of C., _for Student Aid, Fisk U._ 5.00 North Weymouth. Cong. Ch. and Soc., to const. DEA. DAVID PRATT, L. M. 30.00 Norton. Trin. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 59.00 Oakham. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 64.93 Orleans. Cong. Sab. Sch. 5.00 Paxton. “Friends,” by E. L. Rowell, _for rebuilding, Tougaloo, Miss._ 4.00 Peabody. Prof. J. K. Cole, _for Student Aid, Straight U._ 10.00 Peabody. Thomas Stimpson, _for Student Aid, Atlanta U._ 5.00 Petersham. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 2.50 Reading. Bethesda Cong. Ch. and Soc., $52.79; Mrs. W. W., 50c 53.29 Rockville. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 5.00 Salem. Tabernacle Ch. and Soc. 278.25 Sherborn. Pilgrim Cong. Ch. and Sab. Sch. 30.00 Shirley Village. L. Holbrook, $5; L. F. L., 50c 5.50 Somerset. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 12.00 South Hadley. Cong. Ch. and Soc., M. C. Coll. 16.00 South Hadley. Teachers and Pupils of Mount Holyoke Sem. (40c. _of which for rebuilding Tougaloo, Miss._) 14.90 Springfield. “M.” 1000.00 Springfield. Olivet Cong. Ch. and Soc., $31; “A Friend,” $1 32.00 Springfield. Olivet Cong. Sab. Sch. _for Indian boys and girls, Hampton N. and A. Inst._ 23.22 Sturbridge. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 51.82 Tolland. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 4.93 Townsend. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 23.75 Uxbridge. Mrs. Charles Ellis 2.00 Wakefield. “Mission Workers” of Cong. Ch., $15; Three Classes in Cong. Sab. Sch., $13, _for Student Aid, Atlanta U._ 28.00 Walpole. Rev. H. L. Kendall 10.00 West Barnstable. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 10.00 Westhampton. Cong. Ch. 12.23 Wellesley. Sab. Sch. of Cong. Ch., _for Student Aid, Fisk U._ 20.00 Westport. Pacific Union Sab. Sch. 3.56 West Somerville. Cong. Ch. and Soc. 4.00 West Springfield. Park St. Ch. and Soc. 44.54 West Springfield. Mission Band of Cong. Ch. _for Student Aid, Talladega C._ 30.00 Worcester. Union Sab. Sch. $35, _for furnishing room, Stone Hall_, and $15 _for Student Aid, Talladega C._ 50.00 Worcester. Cent. Cong. Ch. Sab. Sch., _for Student Aid, Straight U._ 25.00 Winchendon. Atlanta Soc., _for Student Aid, Atlanta U._ 22.00 Winchester. N. W. C. H. 0.50 Yarmouth. Ladies of Cong. Ch., Bbl. of C., _for Charleston, S.C._ —— “A Friend” 10.00 ———————— 5,919.12

LEGACY.

Danvers. Estate of Mrs. Jonas Fiske, by Ebenezer Peabody 484.34 ———————— 6,403.46

RHODE ISLAND, $89.26.

Central Falls. Cong. Ch. 84.26 Providence. Ladies, _for Washington, D.C._ 5.00

CONNECTICUT, $4,358.30.