Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-05-21
The Old Minister'S Dream,

ui'hiSIOi' uc WAS 50 BOOu anu hlHu'
Sometimes he used to come into the church !
before service time, and tell the different
classes stories. The children would
watch to see the old man coming, and
then some of them would run along the
shaded path that led to the church porch
TO meet him and take his hand. and beg
him to come and tell their class story. |
And the old man would pat them on the
head, and kiss the little ones, and say,
i" Well, well! Let me see; whose turn is
it now?"
One Sunday afternoon it came round to
his daughters turn to have story, and
when the boys were all around him he
leaned his chin on his cane and told them |
this story:
Zone very warm afternoon, rs l was
sitting in my study window, l heard you
children coming along to church, and l
fell asleep with your voices ringing in my
ear. I dreamed that was in boat. all
alone; the water was very rough and bois-
ferrous, and the sky was angry and stormy,
and was afraid 1 would 60 down, Sud-
denly it seemed as if some angel took |
hold of my boat, for in few minutes l
found myself in perfectly still water. l
was in coral grove; the water was calm
and blue, and could look far down into
the depths below, and see the pearl shells
down there on the reef. ] saw children
playing upon the shore; they were dressed
in white, and each one had a red sash
around his waist and silver cross around
his neck. heard bell ringing in the
distance; and saw the children going into
church. What place is this?' I asked, rs
the children came focking around my
boat on the sand. This is the Island
Home of the Good Shepherd said tall
boy named Angelo. We are all under
the care of dear teacher named Pastor.
Once we belonged to wicked master,
but our Good Shepherd died to save us
from his power, and Pastor teaches us all
about Heaven and sin and the life ever
lasting We wear this blood-red sash
because the Good Shepherd shed His blood
for us. We wear this cross around our
necks, because it is sign that we are His
faithful soldiers and servants. But here
come Pastor and Guide and Stephen, our
three teachers And I was welcomed by
them all, and went with them into the
church. Then after service they showed
me the school room, and the garden where
the children worked, and | stayed with
| LuGIu, IT'S IL ScCllttl W many bu1o'
But saw they were not all obedent
to Pastor, though Angelo, the oldest boy,
tried hard to set them good example. |
saw three boys named Hayward and
Slothful and Timid, who pouted about the
work they had to do, and spoke cross
words to Angelo when he reproved them.
I" We don't want to work; we want to
have good time; what's the use in mind
ing such hard rules? Why can't we do
as we want?'
"That's So said a voice from boat
near by, for they were standing by
curve in the shore That's so; get in
my boat and we will go a,fshing; am a
fisherman.
"'No,' said little girl named Bella,
you haven any sash, and you haven't
any cross, and Pastor told us never to
listen to any one who tempted us TO 60
away
"'Who cares for such things?' said the
fisherman. Jump in! Jump i'm
/" Let US CO. replied Hayward, and he
and Slothful put Timid and little Bella in
the boat, and they pushed of.
There was fine, large, noble-looking
boy standing near them, named Courage
When he saw what was done he ran to
the boat house, where there was a large
bell, and rang it violently with all his
might. This soon brought all the boys
together.
:" Boys cried Courage, who'll go
with me after that villain of Il fisherman?
He is servant of our old master, the evil
one; see, he is fri. htening the children
now And as he said this they heard the
black fisherman laughing and shouting,
Now l have caught you! Now | have
caught your Then he rocked the boat so
wildly they almost fell in the water. After
this he took off their silver crosses and
their red sashes and put them in his
pocket.
But none of the older boys were near
enough TO go with Courage. Angelo and
Stephen were in the garden, and the little
boys were afraid TO go. So Courage very
quickly pushed out boat for himself, and
rowed as fast as he could. In the mean
time the little boys went on ringing the
! bell, and Pastor and the teachers came
running down to the point. There they
, saw Courage, all alone, chasing the fisher
man. But he rowed so hard that he did
not see that the fisherman changed the di-
reotion of his boat. to swamp him. Sud-
denly there was a crash! Courage was
thrown backwards, the boat filled with
water and sank, and Courage was strug-
Cling alone in the water. The fisherman
. rowed forward, laughing at Courage, and
calling out to him to catch him. Way
. ward and Timid and Slothful were tied in
. the bottom of the boat, and though they
q screamed for help it was all in vain.
"'Take me, Courage! Dear Courage
take me! cried little Bella, and she jump
ed into the water.
Courage swan up to her and told he1
# to put her arms around his neck and hold
on to him, Then he began to swim back
In the meantime Stephen and Guide anc
Angelo and the boatman pulled out in the
other boats, and rowed hard and fast tC
is reach Courage. But it was too late! He
If was too much exhausted. He gave out
II He went under twice, and poor little Belli
J. fell off, but was caught by the neares
l. beatman, while Courage sank for the thlr(
# time in the water and was drowned.
J. "They found his body and brought i
u ashore, and when they were weeping
!, II loudest, and the boat house bell was toll
y ing. sighed long sigh, and-tound !
.s was only dream.
II heard the church bell ring, and hat
l. just time to hurry into service. But
8 couldn't forget about the Island Home al
i that day, and kept thinking about dear
:, brave Courage all through my sermon.
II And now. boys" said the old minis
~ ter, "your teacher will explain this stor,
u 10 you"
n n Well, it isn't hard to do this.
~ The Christian church where we ar
" taught the truth about our Savior is on
Island Home, and if we are trying to b
Christians, then we are ike the children
who had the silver crosses around thel
necks
is Remember that Satan is near you, t
d tempt you into sin. as the fsherma
tempted Hayward. Remember he find
in mischief still for idle hands to do.
lie Therefore, be lon-lke; be active; b
4 courageous; be strong in doing good; b
NJ strong in resisting temptation. Remenl
D Der that the wicked flee when no ma
of pursueth, but the righteous are bold as
IN D., No,nJa,,'e NSrIpf- fJ0fp