Sharp County record., 1885-06-18
BEGINNING AT ONCE.
How George Began Learning to Do Mis-
siOnary Work at Home.

How George Began Learning to DO Mis-
siOnary Work at Home.
Rap, rap, rap!
1t was Uncle George Watkins pound
inc on the sole of a shoe he was mend
ing, and it was young George Watkins
who, on his way to school, halted, one
noon, at the little shop where his uncle
presided. Uncle George was funny
looking shoemaker. The top of his head
was bald, and it shone as if it had been
polished. At the sides were two tufts
of gray hair that stuck out like little
wings. He always wore spectacles
when at his work. They were gold
bowed, and had been given him by his
Bible class.
you don't often see a shoemaker s
eyes in gold-bowed spectacles," Uncle
George had said; land they may think
Pm millionaire shoemaker, but they
are all I've got Fact is, though wear
ing gold bowed spectacles, | can't af-
ford to buy silver ones. So | must
wear what I've got.
Uncle George had a shaven face, and
clear, fresh, youthful complexion; and
altogether, when you saw the shining
gold, the little wings, the round face,
detafh9eaP here 81 aft6rh 6haf III hs hat It had been
and had grown BIT old. And wasn't
Uncle George a good man! | do be-
lieve the cherub was inside. though
only shoemaker was outside.
"Well, George, are you gong to school
this morning."
Eyes, uncle.
"When you get all through studying,
and are grown up, what are you going
to do them"
Il think I'll be a missionary. |
would like to be one now, and 90 off, "
said George in a tone of great humility
and self-sacrifce. This was one of his
fancies. He had wondered his mother
had not seen it, and sometimes re-
marked Il think my son will be a
missionary to China.
"Well, if you were going off tO-mor-
row, would your missionary work at
home be all done 50 that you could
go?"
MY missionary work'?'
Yes"
Il don't know
didn't l see your mother bringing,
this morning, wood from the shed?"
"Well, she said she would.
"Did you take your fathers dinner
to him at noon?'
Mother said it was only across the
street, and she could 90.
"Did YOU get the MALI"
"The post-Oflice is only at the corner,
and she thought she could run there"
"And the groceries, did you order
them for home?
''She didn't ask me-"
"You must not wait to be asked. You
must offer to do. Missionaries don't
wait till people beg them to act. Only
think of missionary waiting to be
askedr'
when | come to think of it, uncle,
I remember mother thought she could
do it tonight just as well. "
Your sister Nelly is sick. Did You
90 upstairs to see if she wanted any
thino?"
"Mother-said she was going in a
minute.
"Seems to me that those who mean TO
be missionaries must show mission
airy, self-sacrificing spirit, and help at
home all they can. | call that one kind
of missionary work. Why, those who
are missionaries are really helpful at
home"
81 don't know but that out West"
continued Uncle George, "the mission
aries do the washing for their wives.
Some OF them, poor fellows! scrub
round fearfully. Boys that are going
to be missionaries ought to help at
fO11c al tf-cy cssff; fsfaes
they cam"
Rap, rap, rap!
The would-be missionary left his
uncle's shop with q humiliated ar
George was sensible boy. He knew
what his uncle meant He was well
aware that he had been selfish at home.
He was not naturally a very generous
boy, but then he had conscience.
Tharo arn two kinds of oenororlS npOOlp