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TWO PICTURES
FROM LIFE.
I.
A
black-eyed baby lay moaning its young life away on the brick bed of a
dreary mud house in Pekin, China.
The
feeble voice, growing weaker and weaker, was now and then drowned in
the sobs and groans of the young mother, who gazed in despair upon her
dying child. She longed to press it to her aching heart, but she had
always heard that demons are all around the dying, waiting to snatch
the soul away, and so because it was dying she was afraid of her own
baby!
"It
is almost time," said the mother-in-law, glancing at the slanting
sunbeam that had stolen into the dismal room through a hole in the
paper window; and she snatched up the helpless baby with a determined
air. The mother shrieked, "My baby is not dead yet! My baby is
not dead yet!"
"But
it has only one mouthful of breath left," said the old woman;
"the cart will soon pass, and then we shall have to keep it in
the house all night. There is no help for it; the gods are angry with
you."
The
mother dared not resist, and her baby was carried from her sight. She
never saw it again.
An
old black cart drawn by a black cow passed slowly down the street; the
little body was laid among the others all ready gathered there, and
the carter drove on through the city gate. Outside the city wall he
laid them all in a common pit, buried them in lime, and drove on.
No
stone marks the spot; no flower will ever bloom on that grave.
The
desolate woman wails, "My baby is lost; my baby is lost; I can
never find him again."
The
black-eyed baby's mother is a heathen.
II.
A
blue-eyed baby lay moaning on the downy pillows of its dainty crib,
and it was whispered softly through the mission, "Baby is
dying."
.
With sorrowing hearts we gathered in the stricken room, but the
Comforter had come before us.
"Our
baby is going home," said the mother, and, though her voice
trembled, she smiled bravely and sweetly upon the little sufferer.
"We
gave her to the Lord when she came to us. He has but come for His
own," said the father reverently, as he threw his arms lovingly
around his wife.
As
we watched through our tears the little life slipping away, some one
began to sing softly:
"Jesus,
lover of my soul,
Let me to Thy bosom fly."
The
blue eyes opened for the last time, and with one long gaze into the
loving faces above, closed again, and with a gentle sigh the sweet
child passed in through the gate to the heavenly fold.
"Let
us pray," said a low voice. We knelt together, and heaven came so
near we could almost see the white-robed ones and hear their songs of
welcome.
There
are no baby coffins to be bought in Pekin, so a box was made; we lined
it with soft white silk from a Chinese store. We dressed baby in her
snowy robes and laid her lovingly in her last resting place. We decked
the room with flowers, and strewed them over the little one.
The
next day we followed the tiny coffin to the cemetery.
With
a song of hope and words of cheer and trust, and a prayer of faith, we
comforted the sorrowing hearts.
Now
a white stone marks the sacred spot where we laid her, and flowers
blossom on the grave that is visited |
often and
tended with loving care.
"The
Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the
Lord," says the baby's father, while baby's mother answers,
"Our baby is safe; we shall find her and have her, some glad
day."
The
blue-eyed baby's mother is a Christian.—Clara
M. Cushman, in Gospel in All Lands.
CONGRATULATORY.
The
following are a few of the unsolicited words of commendation received
in favor of The Missionary
Monthly: Rev. W. E. Strete says of it: "I am more than
pleased with the Monthly. It exceeds my expectations and I am sure it
will meet a long felt want." Mrs. Mary Williams writes: "I
have received The Missionary
Monthly and am well pleased with it. I trust it will have a
hearty support; it certainly deserves it, as it is brimful of
information, just such as we need." Miss M. M. Titus, president
of the W. M. A., writes: "We have received the Magazine and are
well pleased with it. The arrangement and matter are very good."
Mrs. L. M. Tweedy writes: "I am pleased with our long hoped for Missionary
Monthly. How I wish it could be put into every United Brethren
home in America." Mrs. J. P. Sisler writes: "The first copy
of The Missionary Monthly
has been received. I am very much pleased with it. I thank the Lord
for it." Mrs. Lottie Robinson writes: "The
Missionary Monthly was welcomed to our home this week. The
contents is interesting and instructive, and we pray its friendly
visits may inspire courage and new resolves for the cause of missions
in many homes throughout this broad land." Mrs. Anna Allebaugh
says: "I trust our people will be sufficiently interested in this
grand, good Magazine to read it and then put into practice its
suggestions." Rev. A. J. Bolen at some length dwells upon the
contents of the Magazine in words of commendation and then adds:
"Now these contributions with the many good things said by others
make it a grand missionary paper—so
much so that it ought to have a place in all our United Brethren
homes. One brother said to me, ' Why, this one number is worth more
than the fifty cents, and we are getting twelve of them during the
year for that amount;' God bless its editors." Mrs. W. E. Mosier
writes: "We all like the first number very much. Even one who is
not very full of words, says, 'Well, they have made a good start;'
another said, 'Why it is larger than we hoped.' It is bright and clean
and ought to be helpful." Rev. Geo. M. Freese writes: "My
copy of the Magazine at hand. It is a gem and a daughter of need. I
hope it will be well fed, thus grow larger and still more efficient in
doing work for God and humanity!"
MISSION
FIELDS—ITEMS.
Rev.
L. F. Clark states that a communion service held January 2nd and 3rd
closed an eight weeks' meeting. Seventeen professed conversion and
four united with the church.
Mrs.
McKay writes from Richmond, Oklahoma, that religious interest is good,
and that there are a number of children who cannot attend Sunday
school because of insufficient clothing. They have a society called
"Workers for Christ," who make over garments and give to the
needy. If good second-hand clothing and garments partly worn that
could be made over, were sent them, they would be very thankfully
received. They can be shipped to Woodward, Oklahoma. When sent give
notice to Mrs. H. McKay, Richmond, Oklahoma.
Rev.
Bolen writes that the Sunday school at Westfield is building up. At a
recent Sabbath morning service two additional members were received
into the church and the entire work is moving on nicely. The recent
meeting at New Goshen held by Rev. McMunn, resulted in two
reclamations, nine conversions and seven additions to the church.
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