The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1861-02-27


meeting with extreme reluctance, and pre.
pared the necessary lesson ungrsciously,
the more particularly, because il took his
Wednesday afternoon, which was ha Il holi
dsy. School was not in session now how.
ever, but Mrs. Chase resolved not TO insist
upon bis going. About the middle of the
forenoon, happening to pass through the
sitting room, he saw his two sisters with
Bibles and Commentary with their lesson
for the meeting.
"Getting the Sunday School lesson 7"
said he. 30, know, it's the day for that
old 'ternal melting Well! suppose I've
got to get 1t too, them" and he muttered
some uncomplimentary things about the
good sisterhood who composed it, .
His mother heard him from the store room
where she was at work, and opening the
door she said lin her quiet wsy. "You
need not get the lesson my son, shall not
require you to attend the meeting.'
"Good good hurrah p shouted Fred ;
and bounding out of the house, he performed
one or two summersets on the grass in front
of the wood pile, where he took up hatch
ct and began to hack log. but with little
alacfty.
81 wonder what's come over mother I" he
said to himself. "She used to be 80 deter
mined that | should 60, if teased ever so
hard to let me stay Oway. suppose have
troubled her by acting 80 about going. I've
a good mind to get the lesson and 60, jus
10 please her-and I'll surprise her too."
Dropping the Ratchet he ran to the house,
and having extorted promise of secrecy
from his sisters, he ascertaiDed where his
lesson was, and he stole up to his room and
having soon learned the lesson, he dressed,
and came down, and mounting the boughs
of an apple tree in the front yard, he remain
ed until his mother made her appearance,
and, to her surprise, he jumped down beside
her, saying with on arch look, II am going
to the meeting with you mother.'
He would have given anything just then
for smile or a loving caress but his
mother only said in her quiet grave wsy,
"May the Lord bless it to the salvation of
your SOUL"
Fred was little chilled, but he thought,
'Well, know she is glad any way" and
consoled himself with that.
The next week Mr.. Barry went to house.
keeping in the old parsonage the garden
was a waste of woods, but the minister was
bent on reclaiming it., and he knew of no
one whose company he should batter enjoy
in the work than Fred's whose heart. ne eded
cultivation of the right sort, quite as much
as the parsonage garden. The boy entered
with delight into the pastors plan, and daily
they were together for hours. Every little
opportunity for putting trust and confidence
in Fred was improved by Mr.. Barry, and
soon he was entirely won. He would have
learned the whole of the Westminster cate.
chism or the two books of Chronicles il ne C.
essary, to please his friend, so loyal was his
attachment; and SO day by day, good seed
was sown, which met with no opposition,
and while the boy was pleased with the idea
that he was helping his pastor, the latter
was no less pleased to observe the gradual,
but certain change going on in the mind of
his young parishioner. Lod, instead Of be-
ing driven, he soon began to think, and his
keen and active mind found delight in con-
sideriog topics under his friends judicious
guidance which had once been his aversion.
Honest doubts were treated with respect,
child though be was, and questions, which,
had he proposed them to his parents, would
have been rebuffsd as atheistc, were kindly
answered, and the beauty of serene faith
shown him in contrast, not by exhortatioD
but benignant example.
The years glided on, and the once wild
erratic boy, was Cumunicant at the Lord
table, then student Of the PASTORS study
the sympathy between the two deepened in
to profound and lasting friendship, ant
after his college course was ended, he re-
turned thither to pursue his theologicn
studies.
The good deacon had long since gone Il
his reward, and the praying mother exchaug
ed her tears for songs of praise but the bo
who was the trial OF their earlier years
lives an active, honcred and beloved pastor
whose energies are unaagging. and whose
courage is dauntess in doing his masters
work.