Conducted byR. M. Alden.
small fairy in chariot with pansy wheels pulled by two butterflies on the top of a globe
We have to thank many of our readers, this month, for helping us in this Department. Let others follow their example, and begin this part of the winter’s work. Address everything for us to R. M. Alden, Box 17, Winter Park, Orange County, Florida.
We have to thank many of our readers, this month, for helping us in this Department. Let others follow their example, and begin this part of the winter’s work. Address everything for us to R. M. Alden, Box 17, Winter Park, Orange County, Florida.
Wehear from the Secretary of a Band in India of how they are educating two Mexican girls, whom a missionary has taken to educate for teachers. Who knows what great food this seed may start?
A Mission Bandin Brighton, Massachusetts, made over one hundred dollars in a fair held last May. There were fancy articles and refreshments sold. Twenty dollars were voted to the “Fresh Air Fund,” and twenty more to some home missionaries in the West. [We are indebted to Miss Bessie Cotton for the report.]
Havethe readers ofThe Pansyheard of the natives of the Charlotte Islands, ignorant and benighted, who gave, one Sabbath, one hundred of their blankets, valued at one dollar and twenty-five cents each, toward the erection of a new church? If we consider the resources and ideas of this people, it was truly a great gift, and a good example for any Americans. [We have to thank Adella F. Coy for calling our attention to this most interesting item.]
AtNolo, Iowa, there is a very busy mission band, of nine members, which is making up a box for a hospital in Council Bluffs. They are earning money in various ways. Some gather eggs and have one out of every dozen, some have raised chickens, one little pigs. One boy’s father offered him ten cents apiece for all the squirrels he would catch on the farm. But so many poor nut-crackers became prisoners that the price came down to two and one half cents. The Band held a Lawn Festival, at which they sold various refreshments, and made thirteen dollars. They are knitting stockings, hoods, and mittens, dressing a doll and piecing a comforter. Success to all who “are not weary in well-doing.”
Inthe streets of large mission stations of Japan, there are rooms open all day, in charge of the missionaries, where the heathen may learn of the true religion. A countryman entered one of these stations and had a long talk with one of the missionaries,—whom it was our pleasure to meet this summer. When he went home he was a Christian. Some weeks afterward the missionaries received a letter from him. He wrote: “We have here a church, Sabbath-school, prayer-meeting, etc., all composed of one member. I get along nicely, except for the Communion Service. And if you could send me by mail a bit of the bread you use could I not have a service all by myself?” The bread was sent, and some time later the convert wrote back how much he enjoyed the Communion Service, all alone, with Jesus.
Theyoung people of a certain church in the West, had a chance not long since to give an object lesson and did it well. One of their number who had been long absent from home, soon after her return, made an entertainment for her friends; delightful music was to be expected, and some other enjoyments of a special character. The invitations were sent out for Friday evening; to the lady’s disappointment, one, and another and another, of those whom she specially wanted, politely declined the invitation; they were sorry not to be with her; under other circumstances nothing would give them greater pleasure, but for that evening they had a previous engagement. On being pressed as to what it was, they explained that it was the evening for their regular young people’s prayer meeting! Their friend was so astonished at this reply, that she took some trouble to learn whether the young ladies had known of one another’s intentions in declining her invitation, and found that each had acted without knowing what the other meant to do. Don’t you think she must have decided that in the minds of some people the prayer meeting was an important place, and the engagement to attend it was not to be lightly broken?
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