The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-12-29
The Little Cross-Bearer.

deny himself, and take up his cross and
follow me, said the teacher. Through
the half-opened window came warm,
sweet breaths of early spring, while gay
little sunbeams danced into the Sunday
School room through the clefts of the
blinds, now gliding the top of Efie's
feather, now sparkling into Jeannie's
bright eyes when she moved, now kissing
little Grace's golden hair, or ripping over
the superintendent dark, old desk, made
sort of Jacobs ladder with golden rods.
Outside, where the sunbeams had their
own way, no blinds to shut them out, nor
leaves enough on the trees to make a
shadow, every thing seemed to rejoice in
its own brightness and life, and the birds
were greeting the coming spring in their
own joyous way. Let him deny him
self and take up his cross, said the teach
er again.
Take up his cross" JEANNE won
dered how often the teacher said that
during the half-hour, and how pretty
Efie s feather would look if only it could
keep its tip of sunshine, and how sweet it
was outdoors, and why Miss Barnes kept
saying that; and she was just going TO
steal a furtive look at the clock when one
of the merry sunbeams fell on Miss
Barnes face, and JEANNE saw with sur
prise there were tears in her eyes. "My
little girls, she was saying, "you all
want to follow the dear Lord Jesus-to
be his children. And to each one of you
he gives some cross to carry-something
either to do or bear for his sake. You
may not know Just now what it is, but if
you are In earnest about following him
you will find out what it is; and do not
turn away from it, and think THIS |
cannot do, but remember his words:
Take up thy cross and follow me-
Then the bell rang, and soon after the
children came trooping out of the door
way to greet the robins and the sunbeams.
But JEANNE did not heed them now
deep in her little heart had fallen the
words, Take up thy cross, take up thy
cross" What did it mean for her? Z" m
sure | haven't got any trials to bear, she
thought. Perhaps if I had to wear
calico dress with big patch on it to
Sunday School, as Kathrine Miller does,
why, that would be a real cross-or holes
in my shoes" and she glanced down with
satisfaction at her pretty dress and tidy
boots "And 1 don't have to work in
the mill, and | haven't got sick mother,
nor lost any little brother, nor anything.
There can't be any cross for me, anyway"
Sunday evening was always the most
delightful time of all the week at Jean
MES home, for then papa was at leisure,
and the children were allowed to sit up
longer than usual, and have him all to
themselves
JEANNE, said Rob that evening, in
a pause In one of papa's most delightful
stories of when he was little boy, II
do wish sometimes you would let me sit
by papa; you will always get one side of
him, and Dottie the other, and l can
only sit in front of him and look at his
old boot"
1t isn't old at all, " laughed JEANNE,
a." and it's beautiful black, and shiny;
besides, you can sit in higher chair, and
then you needn't look at it at alll'
WELL !" said Rob ruefully, you've
sat there every Sunday evening always,
and I'm the youngest and you ought to
sometimes give up to me.
No" answered JEANNE, "boys ought
to give up to girls, and beside" :" Take
up thy cross" What brought flush of
color over the little girls face as she
jumped from her chair, saying, Here,
Rob, take it; believe 1 have sat here
long enough - Was that a cross p? Such
an easy thing to do The color deepened
in her face as she thought, II am
ashamed to call that cross, Just to give
up chair; I would rather do something
harder for Christ's sake" But the in
terest in papa's story brought other
thoughts, and the Sunday School lesson
was again forgotten.
But the next morningl Why does
" get-up" time always come soon to the
childish sleeper after the good-nigbts
are said ? JEANNE had Just turned over
for little more sleep when the familiar
voice called her in the morning. She
wouldn't hear it quite yet, Just a
minute longer in her soft, little nest 80
she slipped again into her dream. Was
mamma calling again2 It must be
mistake; she would wake up soon, but
not-quite-ye-e-e-tl "Jeannie, Jean
ME, do get up" called mamma; you
are always so late to breakfast" "Take
up thy cross, take up thy cross" seemed
whispered in Jeannie's ear as she bound
ed out of bed, now quite awake. Was
that a cross, getting up when mamma