The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-04-02
Eunday-SchOOl Lessons.
'sWhere Two or Three Are Met To.
gether.

When only two or three are present
is it worth while to have the meeting?
This is question VIII CHI is often asked
by the minister, or by his deacon, or BY
the two or three. and sometimes dis
couragement gets the better of faith,
and the very ones who for their loyalty
and effort ought to have been rewarded
with sermon or address, or whatever
the expected provision was to be, are
sent empty away. We believe it is al
ways best to hold the meeting that has
been appointed, even if there is only an
audience of one. Two inc dents have
lately come to our knowledge which we
proceed to narrate in illustration of this
thought.
Not many days since o missionary
meeting was appointed for one of the
wealthiest congregations of Boston's
Back Bay. A foreign missionary was
to be present and speak of his work.
The evening came. Unfortunately it
was the evening OF 8 great and over
powering attraction elsewhere, and q
congregation of only about twenty per-
sons assembled. The pastor was more
than disappointed, he was disguised.
The missionary, used as he was to i'm
pediments, would have preferred to
proceed, but the pastor had lost all
heart. 1t was no use, he said, in that
great church, to hold a missionary
meeting with only twenty persons, and
no meeting was held. The twenty peo-
pie who had come went away.
Now, among those twenty people, as
we happen to know-we cannot believe
that the minister in question knew it
were, first, lady, the near relative of
q very distinguished official who sus-
tanned very close and important rela-
tions to the foreign country represented
by the missionary who was to have
spoken, and who had come from a con-
siderable distance in order to furnish
herself with materials for exerting a
quiet influence in behalf of the MISSION;
second, the distinguished pastor of a
ueighboring church, whose congrega-
ton. Sunday or two previous, had
made an offering of between four and
five thousand dollars for foreign mis-
sions, and who certainly was i'll a posi-
ton to influence the giving of more; and
tn rdly, wealthy and liberal Boston
merchant, who, out of his own pocket
is now building church in one of the
suburbs of Boston, which is to cost
probably not less than $150.000. These
were three of the twenty people who
came to that missionary meeting, and
for whom it was thought not worth
while to hold it! Was it not an I'M
fortunate mistake? .....-......
Nho Lot piohon Randall
and more fortunate on a somewhat sim
liar occasion, which forms our second
incident He was announced to preach
in an Eastern church in behalf OF his
missionary work in Colorado. The
evening came and proved dreadfully
stormy. Only six persons appeared
For moment the good Bishop hest
tated. Finally he concluded that it wa;
his duty to carry out his appointment
the question OF congregation was none
of his business. Accordingly the serv
ice went on, and he preached his ser
mon to the six people. In the collec
ton which followed was an offering
alone of 5000. This amazed him. The
next day he received note from gen
tleman asking him to call at such al
office. The bishop responded. Il an
the one," said the gentleman. ''whC
| gave you the 5000 last night. But ate
getting home did not feel quite salts
lied with doing that. propose to make
the sum up to $1,000; and here is my
check for the balance" .i..l- b.
What Bishop Randall felt at this W.
will not venture to say, but he neve
| aftar had anu do,1bfa nc tn hiS tIItu IN
the face of a small congregation. An'
if this article should meet the eye o
other clergymen who ever have simila
doubts, we trust it may help to remov,
them. Among the two or three VIII,
gather together of stormy evening
may be the, very one to whom God ha
appointed you messenger. = Christian
| Uni9Ys. ''l" '"