The Charleston advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1894-189?, 1894-07-01
country of Brazil in general.-Youths Comp1n-
ion,
A CONVERT TO HOME MISSIONS.

"Well-good sermon, wasn't 1t? Sound ana
strong end right to the point. liked him i'm
mensely didn't you, Margaret"
"Lked him Why, look at his clothes !
remember my grandfather had suit of the same
kind"
"Well we'll I really don't know what kind
of clothes he wore. 1 was 80 taken with what he
said. Even if his clothes were old, he looked
neat and clean and every inch a man, as we'll as
a capital good preacher"
81 suppose he will just suit our missionary Ia
dies. You said he was from away West some
where, 1 believe, and had a small charge. de
looked like it. But we don't want that kind
here. He will do for Western missionary. 50
let him alone there, and don't put the fancy OF
big church and large salary into his head, and
make him disconnected. But perhaps will like
him better this evening at least, will 60 and
&c.,"
"Talking of missions and missionary work,
Margaret have often wished you would join
the ladies In that work. 1t seems such power,
and Is doing grand things for the church"
"No no that will do don't believe In 1t,
and half they do is just folly. Let people work
for what they get. And do think that the vim
and boldness with which some Of our women ask
us for donations would lead you to think that
they, instead of God, we're going to convert the
hesthen and clothe our home men. So, MIR,
Ferris, don't mention again to me our ladies
missionary society. won't even join it, to speak
nothing of working in it."
This conversation between Mr.. Ferris and his
wife took place in their beautiful dining room,
while they we're eating bountiful dinner from
the best the market could provide, cooked to
nicely by an old Virginia cook The minister In
question was, IS Mr.. Ferris remarked, mission
ary, and had been invited to fill the pulpit Of q
city congregation, they being without pastor
He had hesitatsd about accepting the invita-
ton. Not that he could not preach Christ, fol
he was his inspiration, his strength, his sure
foundation. And how he loved him How near
he was to him when he seemed most alone
How in sickness, and even when his heart was
ready to die within him, as he stood with his pa
tient, loving wife at the grave of their precious
boy-the last of three beautiful ohiidren'taken
by that dread disease, diphtheria-he had heard
the voice "Tis I {; be not afraid" How desc
late was their home But for all the sunshine
taken out had come threefold and more by the
strong faith and deeper love He had besto owed on
them.
No, 1t was not that not that he could not tell
the old, old story. But-must he confess it even
to himselfp-he knew his best suit was old, and,
with the feeling we all have, he wanted to ap
pear we'll. Not false pride in any one and less
in minister, who Is Gods representative, Gods
messenger, speaking to men of his fair robe OF
righteousness. If in worldly affairs servant
dresses to show his masters rank and position,
should not Christ's servants be clothed out
wsrdly in garments be fitting their high calling
However, he would talk 1t over with his wife.
And woman like" Yes, little binding
would make the coat look better" She would
do it, and sponge off the COLLAR. "New buttons
would do it a world of good, too" But where
were the buttons to come from? She had it-off
her winter coat She did not need It, and they
had to come off anyway, for she wanted to put a
piece down the front to cover the worn places,
and by tho time she wanted it she would manage
for buttons. For binding, she had piece of
black silk sent to her by friend to make a
shopping bag, and this, out bias, would just an
swer. She did want him to 60, for, as she said
to herself, "Who knows? they might want him
to 20 there! Oh, what good he would be able
to do then aud could pay to the missionary
society and to the church collections, like other
women" And while she planned she dreamed
of many, many things.
Tho evening discourse was more of talk than
q sermon, an account Of the work and the many
hardships endured by home missionary. In
pathetic tones he told Of the great destroyer
- Mil La. x-kI L.