Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-04-30
MARROW, BLIND, SELFISH.
A sChristian" Life from which We're
barred All Divine Infiuences

A .Christian" Life from which We're
Barred All Divine Influences.
A young woman who had sprained
her ankle and could not leave her room
lay upon her lounge while her father
read the usual morning prayers. When
he said; let US learn to-day to know
Thee, the only true God" she said:
"Amen!" and after he had prayed for
the heather, she thought of her mis-
sionary box that she and other young
girls had been asked by her rector to
keep, wondering who would put any,
gift into it that day. .Tt aRBN
She was an educated girl. Her father
was wealthy. She had hosts of ac>
duaintances. Her family had been re-
ligious people for many generations.
When she was alone her ankle gave a
sharp twinge. The thought of the long,
empty, possibly painful day before her,
for the moment filed her with anger
at the "luck," as she called it, that lad
sent this accident, just as the ignorant
heather whom she was putting aside
money to. convert might beat his
wooden fetish when his head ached.
The day was cool and bright. Through
an open window she looked into o gar
den, and beyond stretched fields and
thick woods. "A voice could have been
heard by reverent mind coming
through the sunshine and the flowers
and the song of the birds, saying
"These have given thee. They tell of
Me-" @ $3.50 g
The walls of the young girls room
were lined with books that could reveal
to her some of the wonderful secrets
of the stars; show her the mysterious
life in plants and in the countless
growths before her; could tell of the
ways of the birds, and of their mar
velous lives; and place before her the
multitude of insects tluttering in the
hot sunlight, each doing the little task
set for it with strange patience and
wisdom.
Asa tick of the electric wire brings
intelligence from the other side of the
world, so each Of these little lives flashes
n message to men from the great UNI
seen center of energy and love. 4
The bright, impatient girl to whom
these should have appealed, had never
thoughtfully noticed them, nor opened
book which told of the wonders of
their creation. There were other books
full of mighty thoughts by great and
good men, but her only reading was an
occasional romance. &.NE
Beyond the fields spread out before
| her lay the town, and beyond that were
states, nations, Il teeming world of hui
man beings, each soul needing the
touch Of Kindness and of help which
Christ declares His people should give.
The young girl had never given direct
ly or indirectly to one of them that
living touch. No helpful thought for
them or their needs had entered her
mind. Now she yawned drearily.
In the afternoon the doctors wife
came to call Upon her. She listened
absently while the visitor talked, and
when she had gone the girls face
| beamed with content. |5
II thought / should have u long,
dreary day." she said to her father in
the evening, "but Mrs. Bishop was here,
and do you know, that fine New York
gown of hers is half cotton? Oh, I
know something"
She ate her supper and slept con-
tentedly. Her heather brother on the
other side of the world gnawed his bone,
regarded his bead collar with compla-
cency, and when night came slept also.
Like this young girl, we who are liv-
| ing surrounded by religious associa-
| tions and influences have descended
from generations of Christians. What
difference at heart have our centuries
Of advantage given us over our heather
| rother?-Youth's Companion.