The Iola register., 1901-11-29

duced me TO a lot Of people VINO work
with their hands in making an hon
est living. That isn't the best So
oiety' you know in Crawford"
Barbara looked at him humorously.
Remarks like that do not frighten
me any more," she said. "The best
society to me is made up of people
who have begun to learn the lesson
of Divine service for human needs"
The young people arrived little
later. They were young men and
women whom Ralph and barbara had
met and drawn into the circle of
their companionship in service. There
were eight or ten girls who were out
at service and had been trained in
| the school as Rarbara's own pupils.
There were three or four girls from
Bordman's, who were trying to live
in little apartments, in one or two
cases, to Barbara's own knowledge,
in terrible danger Of losing their vir-
| tue on account of their surroundings.
The careless-looking girl was there,
the one whom Barbara had actually
saved from the pit; and with the
| light of life in her transformed face
| she was living n useful life as man
ager Of temperance restaurant in
the city. She was engaged to one of
the clerks in Bondman's, and they
were to be married soon and begin
little business of their own in con
| nection with the restaurant As Bar
bara watched them talking together
with her husband she said to her
self: "It is worth all it cost to save
her" and only God and Barbara will
ever know how much il cost, and
they will never tell.
Then there were half dozen
| young men from various places in
the city, all of whom had no homes
and had been saved by Morton from
an aimless or sinful life Nearly all
of the young people were among the
| wage-earneTs.
There were light refreshments
passed after an evening of animated
talk, intcrspersed with much good
music and several games, in which
Mr.. Morton surprised even Barbara
with his good spirit and an ability
| like genius in setting everybody at
ease.
About ten o'clock the minister
called the guests attention TO the
hour, and said, quietly: "Wenl have
our usual service to close with"
Most of them seemed familiar with
the custom at the parsonage, and
the company was soon quietly seated
in the two large rooms.
Ralph turned TO Matthew's Gospel
and read the passage in which Jesus
Christ, the Son of God, defines the
term "brotherhood." while He was
yet speaking to the multitudes, be-
hold, His mother and His brethren
stood without, seeking to speak to
Him. And one said unto Him, Be-
hold, Thy mother and Thy brethren
stand without, seeking to speak to
Thee. But lie answered and said
unto him that told him, Who is my
mother? and who are my brethren?
And He stretched forth His hand to-
wards His disciples, and said, Be
hold my mother and my brethren,
For whosoever shall do the will OF
my Father which is in Heaven, he is
my brother and sister and mother"
He commented on it briefly, and then
read the other passage which CON
tains the mHtchless statement of
service az given by Jesus again: "For
the Son of man came mot to be min
istered unto but to minister and to
give His life ransom for MANY"
"The world will solve all hard aues-
tions II it only brings enough love
fn haar
out earnestly at the silent, eager
young life in the circle. Love can
do all things. II only we learn that
service is Divine, we can learn how
to make better world and redeem
our brothers and sisters"
He offered a brief prayer that the
Father would bless all the lives pres
ent and all dear to them, and give
them strength for another days |
work after a nights peaceful rest;
and after the prayer the guests quiet
ly went away after a strong hand |
shake and hearty "God bless you"
from the young preacher and his
wife. All, Ralph and Barbara, only
the judgment will reveal the number
of jewels in your crown. For you
have saved souls from death here and |
despair hereafter.
When Mrs. Dillingham; went out
as she walked along with Mrs. Vune
and the Wards, for they lived only a
short distance from the parsonage, |
she said: "Well, there was a time
when no one could have made me |
believe in the sort of evening / have |
spent tonight. l rubbed my eyes |
several times, thinking maybe was
resurrected, living in another world" |
81 don't think the millennium has |
come quite yet" said Mr.. Ward, mot
even in Crawford. And yet Barbara |
and Morton seem to have made a lit |
tie one of their own around them"
Perhaps that's the way the big |
one is going to begin" suggested |
Mrs. Vane, wisely.
When all the people had gone
Ralph Morton and Barbara reviewed !
the evening"