Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1864-04-07
A Word in Season.

ME Sanders as she returned, one after |
noon, wearied in mind and body, from
her labors at the Sunday School ; and
shutting her room door, she sunk into
chair, with her face buried in her
hands. --o wcI u 3-s
"The children are all hard and cold
as stones. | am like the man in the
parable: sLo! these three years have
sought fruit, but found none | will
give it up, it is- wasting my strength
fer nought. What | teach on Sunday
is lost in the contaminations of the fac
tory and at the home on a week day.
Yes" said she, continuing herrefections
aloud, 81 will resign my post to-mof-
row"
She forgot, alas! to take her trial TO
her God in prayer; she forgot how her
own heart had been from infancy like
the unfruitful vine, and yet the mercl-
full Lord had spared, and pruned, and
watered it with the showers of his
blessings, and called her in early wo-
manhood, into the fold Of Christ.
Refreshed by an hours rest and a
quiet cup of tea, Annie attended the
evening service ather usual place of
worship. Oppressed in spirit, shescarcely
enjoyed the devout prayers. The pull
pit was filed by an earnest and faith
ful servant Of God, the first words of
whose text rivettcd Annie's attention,
and reused her from her lethargy.i They
were accompanied with the power of the
Spirit to her heart, and she listened with
deep emotion to the message sent from
God. The passage Of Scripture was
LUKE v: 6. After applying the subject
to ministers of the gospel at home and
abroad, the preacher continued
sThere is another class Of fishermen
to whom | would especially address my
self tonight mean Sunday School
teachers. Ny dear fellow laborers, yours
is work Of faith; and often your faith
| is weak, discouragements are many, and
you see no fruit Of your labors, and
perhaps, are ready to say, 1T is working
against wind and tide; | will giye-it up.
You, like Peter, have toilcd all night,
and have taken nothing. Week after
week rolls ont maybe, year after year,
and your Gospel net is still empty. Let
me implore you to change your resolve
into that Of Simon, Nevertheless, at thy
command, | will let down the net
You have the command; act firmly,
prayerfully on it, and leave events to
God, who has said, Cast thy bread up
on the waters, for thou shalt'-(you see
the promise is positive)-thou shalt find
it after many days.
With quivering lips and streaming
eyes did Annie Sanders drink in this
heaven-sent message. Frequently and
gratefully did she resolve that light, IN
the strength Of the Lord, to go forward.
''NEvERTHELEss" became her motto and
watchword !; and until in the providence
Of God, removed from that sphere Of Ia
Dor to another, she never felt an incli-
nation to slacken her hand in what she
knew was emphatically the work Of the
Lord. And He blessed her labors.
One girl, the child of abandoned pa
rents, the most hardened in the class
blessed God ON her carly dcath-bed for
Instructions which had led her soul to
Christ. Returning to the place after
some years absence, she was gratified
by hearing that by far the larger por-
portion of her former scholars were walk
ing as consistent Christians.
| Our little narrative is strictly true. 1t
is transcribed in the hope that the Lord,
who thus signally blessed word in
season to his Responding servant, may
make it the means of lifting up the
weak hands and confirming the feeble
knees of some Of his people in similar
circumstances. -TAe Sunday ct Home.