Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1912-08-20
A LEAF FROM
HIS NOTE BOOK.
Rev. Joseph Brown Gives an Illustra-
tion of Sabbath School as
Character ManufactorY.

Rev. Joseph Brown, who has for
many years been the pioneer in es-
tablishing Sabbath Schools and so
cieties for the Presbyterian church in
this section, has been taking leaves
from his note book and publishing
them in the Marshtield Times. AS a
sample of what he terms his best ill
ustration of the Sabbath school being
a character mandatory, he cites a
mission near Wausau and says:
"This occurred at Rib Hill. dis
trict six miles from Wauau, where a
Sabbath school was planted in needy
district where the people had been
living fer 10 years, destitute of all
means of grace and good of any kind.
Truly, the people were. in the lam
guage of Scripture, CAN tired and ly-
ing down, and in great need of a shep-
herds care" Their condition was
pltible to look upon, as we went from
house to house in our visitationS
Here one woman, Canadian, said to
me, II have not heard sermon for
fifty years" Upon our giving express
sion of establishment, she explained
how this happened by saying, as she
pointed to her husband, lying sick in
bed, 81 married that German husband,
and he has taken me from new settle
ment to new settlement, and so / have
never had chance to hear sermon"
That night when service was given,
a sermon preached and Sabbath
school was organized, the two old
people were at the meeting house door
one hour before the meeting began,
thus showing their earnest desire to
hear a sermon.
This Sabbath school was early placed
under noble superintendance from
the Wausau Presbyterian church,
which, by the blessing of God, soon
transformed the life of the whole
people, old and young, of that district.
At the end of the first summer ses-
sion forest Sabbath school institute
was held for an entire day, attended
by all the people, also large delega-
tion from Wausau with the super
intendent.
After the dinner hour, SO grandly
enjoyed by all, as we had all things in
common like on the day of Pentecost,
| was called upon to give an address.
The scholars were all seated before
me, a fine intelligent lot of people; so
my heart was drawn out to them and
to the means that wrought this
blessed change, so proceeded to test
the work. Taking a five cent piece
out of my pocket and holding it up,
j said, II will give a five cent piece to
every one of you little ones who can
repeat the Lords prayer" Sixteen
of them came forward and repeated it
perfectly, and each of the sixteen got
the promised reward. Was not that
noble as an evidence of the good work?
Next 1 took out ten cent piece and
offered it to any one who could repeat
the Ten Commandments. In mo-
ment bright girl stood up and re-
peated them without mistake.
The whole audience was pleased and
delighted at the progress made and
the blessing received from the Sab
bath school, andthus the day went
quickly past in joyous service, many
taking part in prayer, song and ad-
dresses. At the close of this happy
day, when many good-byeS were being
said, four well liked young men sig
nailed to me to come aside as they
wished to speak TO me before we
parted. And this was their message:
Next Monday we are going into the
woods to work for the winter. We
are all packed up and Bible is in
every one of our bundles, and we go
as Christian young men. 1t will be
hard for us, as you know, so we want
to ask you TO remember us in your
prayers that we all may be kept stead
fast and true in the Christian life"
Could anything be grander than
this as an evidence and confirmation
of the truth that the Sabbath school
is character mandatory? God bless
all such work in every part of our
country and make it as grand as it is
great, is my prayer and hope.
JOSEPH Brown.