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The Friend'Of Sinners.
Some of the most remarkable
truths ever uttered concerning
Jesus were spoken by his ene
mies. When he was on
the cross they wagged their
heads, and said, “He saved
others; himself he cannot save.”
Well, that was true. He could
not save himself, because at that
very moment he was giving him
self for others. When, after
Matthew’s conversion, he went
home to dine with him and his
friends, the enemies poked their
heads in the door and said, “This
man receiveth sinners.” That
was true, and Jesus did not deny
it. He said: “What man of you
having one hundred sheep, and
• one of them go astray, will not
leave the ninety and nine and
go in search of the lost one? Now
that is what I am doing. I am
seeking iny lost sheep.” To this
they could answer nothing. It
is quite remarkable that they
should .have put this distinction
upon our Lord. They might have
said other things that would have
set forth the great difference be
tween him and other men, but
not so full of blessedness to poor
sinners such as we. They could
have said, “This man is unself
ish.” He was really the only
unselfish person that walked this
earth. I wonder sometimes if
any one ever does a really unself
ish act. The mother comes
nearer to it than any one
I know. She forgets herself in
the welfare of her child. Once
I was called to the bedside of a
young man who had been badly
burned by the explosion of a
lamp, and was dying of lockjaw.
His mother was sitting by the
bed, her hands wrapped in wet
cloths. I inquired what was the
matter, and she said, “Oh, noth
ing,”and when I insisted,’ she said
she had burned her hands trying
to put out the fire on her boy,
but she regarded it all as “noth
ing,” for she was thinking of
him. Or they might have
said of him, “This man is per
fect,” and thus expressed a very
marked distinction between him
and others. They have claimed
perfection, but they have not at
tained it. Jesus was perfect,
and his enemies might well have
marked him out as such, but they
did not. Or they could have
said, “This man is divine,” and
thus singled him out as the most
remarkable of earth. “Why, we
saw him the other day standing
in the street, and a blind man
was brought to him, and he said,
‘Receive thy sight,’ and immedi
ately his sight was restored.
And he was going across the sea
of Galilee and a storm struck
them, and he just stood right up
in the boat and, spoke as if he
was talking to people, and the
w’inds went back like lions to
their dens and the waves laid
down like purring kittens at his
feet. Nor is that all. We fol
lowed him out to Bethany when
Lazarus died and was buried, and
he just stood at the mouth of
the sepulcher and called him out
just as you would call a live man
from his dwelling house.”
He is divine, they might have
said, but they did not. Oh, bless
ed truth, “This man receiveth
sinners,” and his enemies were
among the first to perceive and
announce it. God be praised! He
is the friend of sinners—your
friend, my friend—blessed be his
name!
Notice, too, what they thought
of him, and how he seemed to
them. This man. He was a
man. He looked like a man,
acted as a man, was a man in all
the true sense of the word.
Thank God for that! I have
heard it said, “Oh, I think Jesus
was a good man, but I do not be
lieve he was divine.” If he was
not divine, he was not a good
man; he was a very bad man, and
THE CHRISTIAN INDEX.
I SUBSCRIPTION, PhYb*S.-» *2.00. I
TO MINISTERS, 1.00.1
-
the Jews were right in crucifying
him. But 1 have no trouble on
that score. I have never doubted
his divinity since he saved me.
He proved that to my entire sat
isfaction when lie led me out of
darkness into light; when he
brought me up out of the horrible
pit and set my feet upon a rock,
and established my goings, and
set my heart to singing his
praises forever. Oh, no! I can
not doubt his divinity, but 1 do
sometimes forget that he is a
man subject to my- weaknesses
and fully in sympathy with me
in all my sins and sorrows. You
must suffer before you can sym
pathize. He suffered, and his
great, warm heart beats in lov
ing sympathy with every sorrow
ing child of earth. That is why
he says, “Come unto me all ye
that labor, and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest.” I can
go to him with all my cares and
burdens, and he takes them away
and sends me on home rejoicing.
Let us never forget that this man
Jesus Christ is our ever-present,
sympathizing friend, and is ready
to help us in every time of need.
“What a friend we have In Jesus,
AU our sins and griefs to bear;
■What a privilege to carry
Everything to God In prayer.
Oh. what peace we often forfeit;
Oh. what needless pain we bear,
All because We do not carry
Everything to him In prayer."
The mission of Jesus unto this
world was to save sinners. That
glorious fact is also set forth
in this remark of his enemies:
“This man receiveth sinners.”
It was the very object of his com
ing. We hear a great deal about
“receptions” these days, but here
is one of which earth and heaven
and men and angels may be glad.
People get up their little recep
tions, and who arcffinvited? The
rich and well-to-do, the select
few. Here they come, in their
finery and furbelows, liveried
coachmen, splendid horses, great
style. They are met by porters
and flunkeys, and usher into the
glittering mansion, hats and
wraps disposed of, and a few
words of flattery and other sea
sonable lies exchanged, and the
reception is well under way. A
band of music plays the finest
airs as they sit behind the ever
greens, the potted evergreens
—there are other evergreens
draped up and walking around.
The punch-bowl gets in its
work and high carnival is
held. I knew such a reception
where host and hostess were put
to bed before the guests left, be
cause it was the safest place for
them. Women went off with
each other’s coats on, and men
with seven and one-quarter heads
went off with six and three
eighths hats on and wondered
what was the matter. A man
was actually found in the bath
tub fast asleep, and thought he
had gone to bed. That is a re
ception of the kind the world gets
up. But here is a recept ion plan
ned on high and held by the King
of kings for the good of all the
world. The great friend of sin
ners has thrown wide open the
doors, and says: “Whosoever will
let him come.” I can imagine the
messengers going out with the
invitation, and can sec the guests
as they arrive. The servant goes
in and says: “Master, there is
one at the door whom I do not
think you will receive. He has
once been a member of your fold,
but has wandered away. I told
him I did not think you would
have him, but he insists upon my
telling you that he is here.” “Did
he give his name?” “Yes, sir;
his name is Simon Peter.” The
great Master of the feast goes out
and says: “Simon, do you love
me?” Tears are on the weather
beaten cheeks, but the eyes beam
with earnestness as he looks his
Savior in the face and says,
“Lord, thou knowest all things;
thou knowest that I love thee.”
“Come in, Simon; I am receiving
to-day, and you are welcome.”
Then comes the publican smiting
upon his breast. He knows
where the seat of disease is in
his poor wretched heart. And
Mary Magdalene and hosts of
other sinners come flocking to
their friend. He forgives their
sins. He puts them in better
company. The best people in
this world are the Christians.
They have their weaknesses and
follies, to be sure, but they are
the salt of the earth, the light
of the world. He then gives us
employment; the greatest work
in the world is to live as Jesus
did, for others. “Ye are my
friends,” he said, “if ye do what
soever I command you.” Are
we his friends? He has proved
his friendship for us. He died
for us. He only asks that we
live for him. In Europe there is
a beautiful and impressive paint
ing of the crucifixion. There he
is; our friend. The awful cross,
the cruel nails, the thorns, the
bitter agony. Underneath the
picture these words are written,
“This I did for thee —what hast
thou done for me?”—Mother,
Home and Jesus —Wharton.
For the Index.
Reminiscences of Georgia Baptists.
BY S. G. HILLYER
No. 13.
| REV. CHARLES D MALLARY, D.D-
The account given of brother
Mallary in the “History of Geor
gia Baptists,” contains a full re
port of a sermon preached by
Rev. J. 11. Kendrick, D.D., in a
memorial of him, soon after his
death. I do not know that I
ever read a better memorial ser
mon anywhere than is there given
us of Dr. Mallary. It presents
to us the man in all the phases of
his life and character. It is done
methodically, perspicuously, and
forcibly and exhaustively. As one
who reads it conies to the end, he
feels satisfied that there was no
need to add anything more.
1 read the sermon with peculiar
feelings.
Brother Kendrick was talking
about a man whom I had known
and loved, and with whom I had
been intimately associated in re
ligious and denominational work
for nearly thirty years. Hence
as 1 read his sermon, my memory
and my judgment confirmed the
truthfulness of his testimony. I
do not know that there is in the
sermon a single sentence that I
would care to modify. In that
sermon Charles D. Mallary stands
before us as an illustrious exam
ple of the moral grandeur to
which a fervent faith in Jesus
Christ can lift a human being.
Such a man as Mallary was can
not be developed on this earth
save by the power and grace of
the indwelling Christ. We see in
him a practical exemplification
of Paul’s words: “I am crucified
with Christ. Nevertheless I live;
yet, not I, but Christ liveth in
me, and the life which I now live,
in the flesh. I live in the faith
of the Son of God, who loved me
and gave himself for me.”. Such
a man was our beloved Mallary.
In the fate of that record, noth
ing is left for ine to do but to add
a few personal recollections that
may serve to illustrate and verify
the character so ably presented
to us by Dr. Kendrick.
HIS AGENCY FOR MERCER
When the Baptist Convention
of Georgia resolved to elevate
Mercer Institute to the rank qf_a
university, the first
needed was an endowment. Bro!
Mallary was selected as the man
to raise it. He was then pastor
of the Baptist church at Milledge
ville. So thoroughly was he in
terested in this enterprise that he
gave up his church and accepted
the agency; still, however, mak
ing Milledgeville his headquar
ters. At that time the Georgia
railroad was building. It had
hardly reached Greensboro. The
Central railroad had not reached
much farther than Millen. Hence
an agent in those days had to
rely upon private conveyance to
canvass the State. This made
the work very laborious. And
to increase the difficulty the
strength of the denomination was,
for the most part, in the country
churches. But brother Mallary,
though in feeble health, was
equal to the situation. With his
horse and buggy he went forth
on his lonely drives over all the
territory of the Convention that
he might find those Baptists who
were willing to help endow the
university. He sometimes found
them in groups, by so arranging
his movements as to be on hand
as often as possible at the con
ferences of the churches, and at
as many associations as he could
attend; but he took care to appeal
to individuals also when he had
opportunity to do it.
While engaged in this work, he
did not forget his ministry. Re
preached wherever he found an
open door. And no doubt his
power in the pulpit and the influ
ence which it gave him over the
affections of his brethren contrib
uted greatly to the success of his
agency. By the time Bro. Mal
lary had finished his work he
was widely known and greatly be
loved throughout the State.
Such was his success that he
was able in about two years to
report to the Convention an en
dowment of $65,000. All of this,
except what little cash may have
been given, was in notes bearing
interest at 8 per cent, per annum.
HE MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE PRES
IDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY.
The first Board of Trustees met
in Penfield in 1838 to organize the
faculty of the university. As a
member of the Board, I was pres
ent on that occasion. It was per
fectly manifest, in a few minutes
after the Board came together,
that Dr. Mallary was the choice
of the brethren for the presidency
of the college. I do not think
that there was a dissenting voice.
My impression is that he was
elected by acclamation; but, at
any rate, the demonstration in
ATLANTA, GA., THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5. 1896.
his favor was so. on I spoken that
brother Mallary felt it his duty
to reply 1o it. In a very feeling
speech he decisively declined the
proposed honor. He based his
decision upon the ground that his
convictions of duty would not
permit him to accept a position
that would greatly hinder his
ministerial usefulness. The breth
ren were convinced that it was
needless to press the matter any
further. The incident clearly
shows how completely this good
man had devoted himself to the
work of preaching the Gospel.
AS A PREACHER.
I heard brother Mallary preach
many times. The first time 1
ever heard him was in 1838. I
had been ordained only a short
time, and my theology was in its
formative state. He took for his
text the words of the angel to the
women at the sepulcher: “Ye
seek Jesus who was crucified; he
is not here; he is. risen as he
said; come see the place where
the Lord lay.” His theme was
the resurrection of Christ. And
his aim was to show that this
wonderful fact is the basal rock
upon which Christianity, with all
our hopes of salvation, must
stand. I can’t give all his points;
but he made the resurrection of
Christ to be the proof of almost
everything else that is taught in
the New. Testament. And he
sustained each point by appro
priate Scriptures. Every point
seemed to clothe the resurrection
of Jesus, on that Sunday morn
ing, with increased luster that
shined onward and upward to the
climax of the future glory of the
Kingdom of God. When he had
unfolded the doctrine of the sub
ject, at any point, he would recur
to the words of the angel: “Ye
seek Jesus; he is not here; he is
risen as he said; come see the
place where the Lord lay.” This
was the beautiful refrain that
ever and anon came upon the
ear like a grand chorus designed
to mingle its signiirtance with
the sublime music of the sermon.
It was then I was made to under
stand the’ resurrection of Christ
as I had never understood it be
fore. And I have never forgot
ten that sermon.
HIS SOCIAL QUALITIES.
It is simply marvelous that a
man so meek, and so
humble
*
almost
moved. And was true
of Dr. Mallary. At the risk of
a little egotism, I gladly piit on
record here that he was to me a
most interesting and instructive
and helpful companion. When
he gave up the pastorate at Mil
ledgeville I was, after a few
months, his successor. But, as
before stated, he continued for a
time to make Milledgeville his
headquarters. Hence we were
brought into close relations. I
cannot tell how much I was in
debted to his instructive conver
sation, his wise counsels, and to
his kind support with his social
influence among the brethren, for
my success as a pastor over that
people. I thank God to-day for
my association with that great
and good man.
HIS COMPA SSION FOR THE POOR
A single case will tell the story.
A poor widow, with four chil
dren, was seated at the fireside
in her humble home. She and
her children were very sad. Few
words were spoken. They had,
that very evening, eaten their last
morsel of food. They knew not
what the morrow would bring.
An hour of sadness passed by.
They could expect nothing but
downright beggary or starvation.
But hark! There is a call at
the front gate. One of the older
boys goes out to answer the call.
Presently he returns and informs
his mother that Mr. Mallary’s
wagon is at the gate loaded with
something for her.
All in that house knew Mr.
Mallary. They had known him
in better days. But the death of
the husband and father, with
other adverse conditions, had re
duced the family to deep poverty.
Mr. Mallary was then living thir
ty miles away. Little did the
poor woman dream that he was
thinking of her. But he had
known something of her trials,
and the morning of that very day
he was impressed with the fear
that she might be in want. And,
at any rate, he knew that the
supplies would be needed soon, if
not just then; so he sent them.
They came just in time to make
glad the weeping household. In
this incident we see not only the
beneficent charity of a noble
heart; but also the guiding prov
idence of the widow’s God and the
orphan’s Father.
Such acts as this, added to his
liberal gifts to every good and
noble enterprise, signalize the un
selfish benevolence of Dr. C. D.
Mallary.
563 S. Pryor St., Atlanta, Ga.
The Ministry and Consecration
PAPER READ BY REV. T. C. CARL
TON BEFORE THE ST. LOUIS
BAPTIST MINISTERS’ CONFER
ENCE, OCT. 5, 1896.
There are few, if any, persons
more self-sacrificing than minis
ters. They give more to the
world and receive less from it,
perhaps, than any other class and
that, too, voluntarily and with
out complaining. But more is
expected and required of the
ministry; and I fear that he who
holdeth the seven stars in his
right hand and walketh in the
midst of the seven golden candle
sticks, would have to say of us,
as he did to the church at Ephe
sus, “I have somewhat against
thee.”
Our deficiency, I think, is not
so much a lack of orthodoxy as a
lack of doing witli our might
what we have been called and
set apart to do. We pride our
selves on the soundness of our
creed and hurl at our erring
brethren with peculiar force the
strong words of Paul, but who of
us can say with him, “This one
thing I do,” with a healthy em
phasis on the last word?
The lives of a few men stand
out conspicuously, not only show
ing the possibilities of consecra
tion, but they challenge us to a
similar work. Perhaps some of
our own acquaintances have so
given themselves up to the work
that they have seemed almost in
spired. Spurgeon’s greatness
was not his intellectuality, not
his superior learning, not his
mastery over men; but genuine,
profound consecration. He was
wholly given up to the Lord. A
lecture bureau in the United
States offered him $50,000 to de
liver fifty lectures in this coun
try. He said: “No, I’ll stay here
and try to save fifty souls.”
Neither money, fame nor pleas
ure could tempt him away from
his work. He said at another
time, “With twelve men fully
consecrated I could take London
for Christ.” Alas, the twelve
were lacking, but without wait
ing he went to work himself to
be the twelve. He worked like a
man that believed in heaven and
hell, and in the power of the Gos
pel to gain the one and shun the
other. He corrected an evil from
which he suffered when under
conviction. For months he went
t seeking
was ifot suf
ficieniGospel in the preaching
to reveal him even to a seeker.
He determined it should never be
so in his own preaching. It is
related that a member of his
church met a man in trouble, in
vited him to the tabernacle and
the first time he ever heard a
sermon he was saved. Oh, breth
ren, soul-saving is the work of
the ministry. A Western pastor
wrote to Dr. 11. C. Fish these
words, which I commend to us
all: “We are obediently wait
ing, anxiously looking, fervently
praying, confidently hoping and
every day living for a revival of
the work of God in our church.”
I saw this notice in a recent
secular paper: “Donation on
Wheels. Seventy-five members
of the church of
participated yesterday in a
church sociable on wheels, the
first of the kind to be held in ....
The pastor of the church, Rev.
Dr conducted the affair,
and after a run of twenty miles,
provided dinner for the party
from a wagon which had been
sent on ahead. Everything per
taining to religion was tabooed.
“I don’t want any sermonizing
or psalm-singing to-day,” said Dr.
bracing run. Talk about the
scenery. Never mind theology.
“Then he distributed chewing
gum among the wheelmen.”
Brethren, this is a glaring evil
that calls for serious considera
tion and vigorous treatment. Re
ligion tabooed by Christians, and
the pastor leading it in. Are pleas
ure and religion uncongenial?
Then this pleasure is not inno
cent. Think of Christ leading
the disciples in an outing and
saying, Leave your religion at
home; the body only with its
sensual appetites is to be grati
fied to-day. It is inconceivable,
and the very thought shocks us;
then the fact of his followers do
ing so is ground for deep concern.
Christ is our exemplar, not the
erring brother referred to. He
enjoyed with his friends the mar
riage festivities, but he used the
occasion to impress upon his com
panions that he was more than a
social magnate, that he was di
vine, and that wedding festivi
ties and thoughts of God are not
inconsistent. Then while he en
joys the hospitality of Simon, he
does not think it out of place to
show pointedly to his host that
the woman that was a sinner, now
pardoned by the grace of God
and filled with the love of God, is
vastly his superior. And the
full-hearted and full-handed
worshiper was not tabooed,
because she was religious
and showed it in a strik
ing way. If we are not to be re
ligious except on Sunday and at
Hie church, we are not religious
at all in any true sense. Saving
religion doesn’t wear holiday
clothes. And a good soldier of
Jesus Christ never locks his arms
in the armory and leads his de
fenseless comrades into the ranks
of the enemy—an enemy that
never stacks his weapons—much
less locks them in an armory. He
is not a proper exponent of our
religion who ostracises religious
thoughts and feelings and ex
pressions from his pleasures. Is
he not an enemy that so blurs the
vision and dulls the hearing with
the sensual that the imprisoned,
beclouded soul does not find
“tongues in trees, books in run
ning brooks, sermons in stones
and God in everything.” Who
can say, “I want no psalm-sing
ing to-day,” because of his merri
ment and claim to be moved by
the spirit that made James to say,
“Is any merry among you, let him
sing psalms”? It was a man af
ter God’s own heart that said, “I
will bless the Lord at all times;
his praise shall continually be iu
my mouth.”
Not long since, not far away,
I was in a meeting of ministers
representing the various denom
inations of a large city, when the
principal thing that called us to
gether was a sermon by one of
the pastors of the city. The
brother didn’t appear and no
reason was given for his absence.
When the alternate came for
ward to fill the place he said,
apologetically and with some
thing of an air of remonstrance:
“I don’t see why I should be
called upon to inflict a sermon
upon you, my brethren, on Mon
day morning. I shall not preach.”
These words seemed to meet the
approval of a number of the
brethren and one enthusiastic
fellow manifested his approval
by an audible “Good.” If silence
is audible to one who listens well,
there is deep significance here to
one who reasons well. Can it
mean that the Gospel is losing
its power or its charm? Surely
not; the fault is in us; some of
us are out of sympathy with that
song of Cathrine Hankey:
“I love to tell the story,
Os unseen things above
Os Jesus and his glory,
Os Jesus and bls love.
’ 1 lo* to t.»li the I,
Because 1 know ’tls true
It satisfies iny longings
As nothing else cando.
I love to • e 1 the story,
’Tls pleasant to repeat
What seems, each time I tell it
More wonderfully sweet.
1 love to tell the story
For some have never heard
The message of salvation
Krom Goa’s own Holy Word.
I love to tell the story.
For those who know it best
Stem hungering and thirsting
To hear It like the rest.
And when In scenes of glory
1 sing the new, new song,
’Twill be he old, old story,
That I have loved so long.”
Think of an assembly of scien
tists, gathered together as such
and the body making it embar
rassing to one appointed to direct
their thinking and be helpful to
them as scientists, because for
sooth he chose to discuss the
Roentgen ray or anti toxin se
rum. Suppose a group of officers
should assemble the day after a
general battle in which they all
took part, when the enemy was
still in easy reach, and instead
of discussing the engagement or
the cause they had espoused,
they should carelessly push it
aside and choose for their discus
sion some other theme. You
would say it was a sham battle.
Brethren, have we lost relish for
the Gospel? Do we tire of it?
Is it presumption to preach it to
preachers? If it is not good for
us, and not good to us, then in
deed it is an infliction to preach
it, not only to preachers but to
any one else. In that case our
services are perfunctory and we
are mercenary, giving so much
for so much, or rather so little for
so little. We must not prefer
entertaining papers about the
Gospel to the Gospel itself.
Whitfield, lecturing to some
young ministers, said: “Young
brethren, strive not to be polite
preachers, nor to get a good par
ish, but to be great saints.” Ah,
what little saints we are! How
little we know of the Gospel!
How little we have felt of its
power to save, to comfort and to
inspire! How little do we real
ize its power to save a lost world
and our obligation to preach it
to the perishing everywhere.
There is every reason for our
being consecrated. The cause is
worthy. Co-operation with God
in saving to eternal life and bliss
immortal souls condemned to
eternal death and misery. Never
was time, and talent, and prop
erty, and life spent in nobler en
deavor. The burning words of
Poindexter are fitting here as
the language of a consecrated
soul. “Oh, it is a commission
which angels might desire to
share. To proclaim peace on
VOL. 76-NO. 45
earth, good will to men and glory
to God in the highest, through
the redemption of lost men. To
be sent forth on this errand of
love might fire the heart of a
seraph with greater ardor. Even
the archangel before the throne
is conscious of a higher joy and
greater honor when commission
ed to fly through mid-heaven,
having the everlasting Gospel to
preach unto them that dwell on
the earth. And may a poor mor
tal join in this blessed work?
Then let me proclaim salvation!
Yes, let me tell it to a world, that
Jesus died to save them! Oh,
that my voice could pierce the
ear of my most distant country
man! Oh, that I had a tongue
for the poor wandering savage
of our Western wilds! Oh, that
I had a voice for Burmah, and
for China, and for the islands of
the sea!”
“Salvatk n.oh salvation.
The Joyful sound proclaim
Till earth's remotest nation
Has learned Messiah’s Lame.”
Dr. Richard Fuller said in a
missionary speech:
“I almost think sometimes I
would not exchange places with
an angel in heaven; or if I did, it
would not be with Gabriel, but
rather with that angel whom
John saw flying in the
midst of heaven, carrying the
everlasting Gospel to every na
tion, and kindred and tongue and
people, saying with a loud voice,
Fear God and give glory to him.
Fly faster, oh angel, on thy mis
sion; sweet angel, fly faster, and
if thou canst not quicken thy
flight, go turn over thy commis
sion to Poindexter’s mighty spirit
and he shall bear the message with
more rapid wing and more glow
ing love than thou canst. He
knows a love thou canst never
know, he is now singing a song
thou canst never learn, the song
of a redeemed soul bought by
the precious blood of Christ.”
Besides the heavenly privilege
that God has so kindly given,
leading us to be consecrated,
there is duty high and holy that
urges us on. God’s command.
Our Father speaking to his child.
Our Redeemer calling upon his
ransomed, saying As my Father
sent me into the world so send I
you. The order is imperative.
Then the Macedonian cry of our
brothers in the flesh, as we con
sider their bondage, should stir
our liberated souls more than
the clanking chains of British op
pression stirred the resolute
spirits of our Pilgrim Fathers on
Boston Common.
Patriotism is noble and charity
is sweet and beautiful; but in
this duty there is a voice more
persuasive than the call of hu
manity, stronger than the call of
country. So that necessity is
laid upon us and we must say
with Paul, “Woe is me if I
preach not the Gospel.”
For the Index.
“Pray, Father.”
BY C- H. WETHERBE.
The following touching story il
lustrates anew the influence of
children over parents: “A little
Indian girl, seven years of age,
was wasting away with consump
tion. She had been failing rap
idly for several days. One after
noon, when she seemed brighter,
she begged that her father might
be called. He came. Then,
looking up to him with her bright
but sunken eyes, she said: ‘I
want to go to the brook once
more. May I go?’ Without
saying a word he folded her in
his arms and carried her down to
the brook. He sat down in the
shade, where the little girl could
see the water and the bright play
of the light and shade between
the alders. She watched them
a moment and then, turning away
her wasted face, she said ear
nestly, ‘Pray, father.’ ‘Oh, I
can’t, my darling,’ was his in
stant reply. ‘But do pray, fa
ther, do pray,’ she pleaded. ‘No,
no. How can I? No, no.’ ‘Fa
ther,’ said she, laying her little
thin hand on his arm; ‘father, I’m
going to heaven soon and want
to tell Jesus, when I see
him, that my father prays.’ The
strong man’s head was bowed,
and there went up from that
brook-side such a prayer of peni
tence and confession and suppli
cation for forgiveness as must
have thrilled with joy the courts
of heaven. He unclosed his eyes
—the little one was dead. Her
freed spirit had fled on the wings
of joy and faith to tell the Sa
vior, ‘My father prays.’ ” Chris
tian children and youth have a
great mission on earth. They are
God’s precious messengers of sal
vation, often succeeding where
adult Christians fail. Every
young Christian should, by their
example and devoted spirit, lead
the unconverted to pray. Does
your father pray? Has he ever
heard you pray?