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A Plucky School Girl.
During the past summer The Golden Age offered
a free scholarship to any young person who would
procure for the paper a given number of subscrib
ers, and while several hundred students entered
the field only a few successfully secured the re
quired number. Chief among them must be
mentioned Miss Eva Gordon Goss who is, at this
time, taking a course of study at Monroe College
as the result of her canvass for The Golden Age.
Miss Goss is a young woman of much personal
charm as well as of a high order of mentality. Be
fore entering Monroe College she was a student at
Gibson-Mercer Academy, where she won several
prizes for school work. She has been most espe
cially interested in music and oratory and she de
clares that the most valued scholastic honor she
ever won was the gold medal for oratory offered
by Mr. Wm. D. Upshaw, Editor of The Golden
Age.
Being a very young girl and living in a very
quiet neighborhood, the difficulties which must have
surrounded the work of Miss Goss were greater
than those usually encountered, and believing that
her experiences would bie helpful to other workers
in the future, the Editor requested Miss Goss to
give an account of her work for the benefit of oth
er icontestants. The following interesting story
is the result of 'this request and it will be read
with interest by all, for it is a beautiful record of
a trusting Christian spirit as well as of earnest
and conscientious work for a worthy end.
My Work for The Golden Age.
One night last summer as I sat by the bedside
of my sick mamma, brother handed me a letter
from Mr. Will D. Upshaw. In this Mr. Upshaw
told of his plan to help girls who want to go to
school. He sent me also a scholarship to Monroe
College with blanks to be filled by the names of
one hundred subscribers to The Golden Age. 1
realized that it meant work, but my desire to have
a college education seemed great enough, then, to
break down any barrier that might confront me in
my work. Without hesitating, I began to plan for
my work, and so soon as I could be spared at home,
I began my canvassing.
My first work was done at a Sunday school con
vention near home. There was a large crowd, ami
in it there wiere many who have known me all my
life, people whom I had numbered among my best
friends. Yet, in all that crowd, I secured the
promise of only one subscription. Notwithstand
ing the fact thiat I received words of encourage
ment, I was sadly disappointed. Nevertheless,
when I went home I prayed earnestly for help and,
if it was God’s will, for strength to win the schol
arship. Day after day I worked around home
sometimes securing only one subscriber after a
walk of three or four miles. T would not let my
self become discouraged but prayed more earnestly
that I might be guided in every word and act.
Finally, I secured six subscribers around home.
Through the kindness of my uncle, I was carried
to Athens, where I worked several days. Although
several had worked there before me, I had splen
did success. The people were so kind and atten
tive when I asked for subscriptions. They are
people who appreciate the value of a thorough edu
cation, and who are ready to encourage and help.
It is good to work among such people. From Ath
ens I went to Comer, then to Carlton. At both
these places I had very good success. The people,
as a general thing, were kind. We do not hope
to escape all contact with those who are interested
in self rather than humanity. However, but for
a steady downpour of rain, my work would have
been pleasant. Elberton, too, impressed me as a
place w’hiere a few were ready to give help and en
couragement. When I reached home, I was tired,
so tired, but I was elated over my success.
After a few days. I began my work on the line
from Elberton to Toccoa and from there to Atlanta.
Many places deserve mention for their kindness
and ' hospitality. Hartwell, especially, is full of
noble people. Sometimes I met with disappoint
ment, but usually I was greatly encouraged.
In all my work, I tried to be as thoughtful as
possible about interrupting business men, First, I
The Golden Age for December 20, 1906.
became thoroughly in love with my work, and then
tried to bring the best points in the paper before
anyone to whom I applied for a subscription. Nev
er before had such an opportunity for studying
human nature been mine. I met the indifferent, the
interested; the selfish, the liberal; the ordinary,
.'the unusual; the poor, the wealthy; the half-heart
ed, the whole-hearted—and, indeed, men of every
kind in life. In every case I felt that their inter
est would be measured by my interest. I found
that patience is required here as in all other work,
but my aim was to win all. Often I came to homes
where there were many children who knew noth
ing of reading good papers. At such places, if I
happened to linger a few minutes to rest, I talked
to them of things in which I knew they were inter
ested. Tn that way I won their confidence and
drew them toward that in which I was interested.
Whether I secured a subscription or not, if, by
reading them some good story or telling them the
life-story of our noble Editor, I caused them
to show an interest in better things, I felt
repaid. Many a time when failure seems sure you
can turn it into success by appealing to the mother’s
love and responsibility for her children. Often
people have said, “I have no one to take it for.”
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MISS EVA GORDON GOSS.
Then I persuaded them to give me a. subscription
for the first poor deserving family and in this way
sent it where it can do good every day in the year
to eager and thirsting hearts and minds.
I have written these few words hoping that my
experience may help another and that God may
strengthen and help that one as he has helped me.
The Savior’s Birth.
The jeweled scroll of Night lay wide unrolled
Above the land that knew the Savior’s birth
As into deeper shadow wheeled the earth,
How closer still did Mary’s arms enfold
The Child, whose future life should nations mold;
Whose hands should cast Hope’s flowers o’er bar
ren dearth,
Whose smile, prophetic of best human worth,
Shed sacred glory down a path of gold.
Oh, magic splendor of that hallow’d night I
Oh, radiant Star, whose glowing points, a-flame,
Led journeying Wise Men with your mystic light
Across Judean hills! Oh, joys that come
With Christ the Child, that thro’ the centuries’
flight
Still God’s great gift to erring man proclaim!
Pruella Janet Sherman.
Frank Harben’s Christmas Day.
(Continued from page 8.)
“I -want to be a true Christian gentleman like
my dear father was, Uncle Frank. Ever since he
used to read the Bible to mother and me and bow
at the family altar and pray for me so earnestly,
I have often felt that I was a sinner before God,
and at times I have tried to pray that I might bo
saved. And last year during the meeting at the
church here, when so many were converted and bap
tized, this feeling of my being a lost sinner was
greatly deepened. I tried to do right, pray and be
saved, but it seemed to do no good. Oh, that I
could be the true Christian gentleman that father
was, and die 'the happy death that he died!”
“Then, my dear boy, you can only be the truest
gentleman by being a true Christian; and you
must trust the same Savior that your father trust
ed and loved. Being merely a moral boy cannot
save you; the priest cannot save you; the churcn
cannot save you; nothing can save you but being
made as the Bible says, ‘a new creature in Christ
Jesus.’ You are weak, all human nature is weak.
Ask God to give you a new heart.”
“I know I am weak,” said Frank, “and I mean
to ask God to make me a Christian some day.”
“0, my boy, now, NOW is the day!”
“Uncle Frank, I do feel that I am such a sin
ner. Please pray for me right now.” And witn
these words Frank dropped on his knees by his
uncle’s bedside, and the dear old heart fervently
prayed that his loved nephew might be enabled to
give up every earthly trust, and yield himself into
the open arms of Christ, and thus be happy and
safe for this life, happy in the hour of death, and
happy in the world to come. When Frank rose
from his knees, his uncle said;
“My dear boy, ask God to help you believe.”
Frank looked at his uncle, raised his tearful eyes
to Heaven, moving his lips in silent prayer, a.id
in a few moments said;
“With God’s help I can, I will, I do believe an!
trust Jesus as my Savior.” And throwing his
arms about his happy uncle’s neck, exclaimed: “0,
Uncle Frank! I feel in my heart like a new boy!
I am so happy!” and falling on his breast, he wept
with a joy that only the redeemed can understand.
'When, at last, Uncle Frank could speak through
his rapturous tears, he said:
“Thank God! How beautiful and glorious that
this blessed Christmas day, the anniversary of the
birth of the Son of God, is the day on which my
Frank, the only son I have ever known, has been
born anew! ’ ’
And there was great joy in all that household,
and Joy, too, among the angels in Heaven, on that
bright, sweet Christmas day.
Tn India the manufacture of cotton dates back
to an almost prehistoric period, for it is mentioned
in old Sanskrit records nearly three thousand years
ago. The exquisite Indian muslins—tissues of un
imaginable fineness—are all woven by hand as there
has not yet been a machine invented delicate enough
to produce these fabrics.
A MODEL MAIL ORDER HOUSE.
The attention of readers of this paper is called
to the advertisement of Albaugh Bros., Dover &
Co., which appears in this issue. This is the third
largest mail order house in America. It sells at
prices considerably lower on the average than the
retail prices charged by your local dealer and at
the same time gives advertising coupons amounting
to nearly ten per cent of the value of the order,
which coupons can be used in full payment for
any selections from a large premium list. Every
purchase is guaranteed to satisfy the purchaser or
may be returned and the company will refund the
money. Albaugh. Bros. Dover & Co., is a co-oper
ative house, carrying the principles of Christian
morals ami scientific co-operation between dealer
and customer into all their transactions. A per
sonal knowledge of the methods of this house, and
personal acquaintance with all the heads of the
firm, enable us io unqualifiedly endorse and guar
antee them. Send for their free catalog.
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