The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-07-14
MISSIONS.

MISSIONS,
The following essay on Missions wai
read by Mrs. NJ. G. Harley before tine
Woman's Mission Society Of the Ander.
son Baptist church at its late meeting
and is published at the request Of the
Society
IT'S said that among the ancient
Greeks WIS q renowned society, whose
number A distinguished stranger seek
ing admi,tnnce, he was handed a goblet
filled with water ~ significant token
plicants. Quick as thought lie detached
a petal from rose in his hand and plac-
ing it on the crystal surface it floated in
safety, while not one drop of water was
displaced. This atratagem WAS complete /;
he was admitted to the mystic circle.
Now, dear sisters, your request is be-
Is not the goblet already iuli? Is there
and months and years 1 have striveu by
the spirit Of Missions into every reader
tie Ones are MOI forgotten, but are urged
in the dawning of lie to commence this
great work which 80 filled the heart of
our Saviour Nevertheless, following
the example Of the stranger, cast this
"rose.leal" on the water.
Jesus WAS the first Missionary lie
left His home in glory and came down
TO this sin-curscd earth TO save men; 20
tIo f,f
the great Adversary. But for this we
must have perisIl.d forever. lie is our
excmplar. Can we be like Him. if wc
are not imbued with this same missionary
zeal? Dare wc cuim to be His followers
aud yet neglect the hcnthen-our broth
ers after the flesh who nre pcrishing
without the gospel, going down to the
darkness Of eternal night? Mothers,
think Of It. you who gather your little
ones around your knee aud tel them the
sweet story Of the Babe Of bethlehem,
from the munger to the cross. How
glndy you welcome the falling tear that
tells the heart hns been touched, that the
Spirit with its power is pressing home
the truth, that your children nre awak-
ening to the claims Of the Gospel And
then, should one Of those little ones fall
he taken from the mothers warm en-
brace and laid in the churchyard mould
be, cath tue daisies, what can 80 sO0thr
be, bursting heart ~ the remembrance
that 1T is well with the chic ?"-that
He who took the little ones in His arms
and blessed them, has already taken her
babe to his loving embrace; that it ia
indeed Safe in the arms Of Jesus
Contrast the condition of tho hcathen
mother. Her babe-part Of her own
liie-is just rs dear TO her as yours 10
you, Christian mother. Whit must be
the Igony Of her soul when she secs the
wa:el lids close over the blue eyes in
The long drenmless sleep of death, the
eli g.ng fingers that so oft cnresscd her
loo &c their hold and, like chisclcd mar.
BILE, 9 cold and still befnre Eer? Her
idol has turned to clay and crumbled into
dust; the dark, damp grave, eternal death,
closes the sccnc. She is without God,
and without hope; no rain.bow spans
that dark cloud no rift through which
che can catch Il glimpse of the Heaven
beyond no sta. 10 break the midnight
gloom. Darkness, Death, Despair The
grave has ci1Sed on her darling babe, and
hidden it forever from her eyes; her soul
hungers for its love; the mother heart
within her is ready to burs; with grief,
repenting the sud wall which comes down
20 us through tho centuries, Rachael
weeping for her children, refusing To be
comlorted because they arc not" She
cannot turn away from that little mound
which covers her precious babe. 1Aatis
all Of earth tc her, and she clings to it in
her despair. Beside her loved form the
gentle Missionary kneels and in loving
tones tells Of Him who is mighty to
save" of Him. 'lhc Good Shepherd"
who .enderly folds the little lambs 10
His breast; Jesus, the Saviour, who
cals the little ones to Him, softly ro.
penting, Suffer the little children 70
come unto ME, and forbid them not, for
Of such is the Kingdom of Heaven"
The mothers attentiun is caught. IL
her babe still! living? W;ll the kind
Master keep it for her? IL there hope
of meeting beyond the Dark River?
''Teu IL again; Tell il again;