In order more fully to impress the truth upon the heart, we will now give a brief narrative of the characters and lives of two families—representatives of the parties formed through the labors of the missionary. The circumstances bringing him to our notice, also introduce us to the family of Mr. Steele—the other family is that of Mr. Brown, of the same neighborhood. Through the former will be illustrated the effects of opposing religious training as carried on in the Sunday-school; and through the latter will be shown the inestimable blessings resulting from such training, and the value of vital godliness.
Mr. Steele, as we are already aware, had two children, George and Mary—also a wife, who was naturally a most excellent person; but the influence of her cold-hearted husband was not without its effect upon her life. He claimed to be a church member, but he had only a “name to live.” After years of constant association with such a person, we need not wonder that she quietly submitted to him.
Mr. Brown and family, also consisting of a wife and two children, had always been on terms of intimacy with Mr. Steele’s family. On Saturday afternoon, previous to the opening of the Sunday-school at Clear Creek Settlement, George and Mary Steele went to Mr. Brown’s on an errand, and received permission to spend an hour with their friends, Henry and Eliza; the Sunday-school was the all-absorbing topic of conversation, and although George and Mary knew that their father was opposed to anything of the kind, they still hoped that they would be allowed to go on the following day. No sooner had they reached home, than they began to tell their mother, in a very excited manner, about the Sunday-school. Just as their excitement was about at its height, their father entered the room, and in a very gruff manner asked, what “all this fuss” was about. As the song of the robin ceases at the crack of the rifle, so suddenly ceased the story and the joy of these children. They looked to their mother for help; she had no hope of a patient hearing, so she merely said:
“The children were telling about the Sunday-school, and”——
“Sunday-school! yes, they were over there at Brown’s, and have had their heads filled with nonsense—have they?”
The mother’s lips were sealed. The humility and silence that greeted him only vexed him the more; so, seeing no opposition offered, he commenced again on the aggressive. Addressing his wife in tones of haughty reproach, he said:
“I’d like to know whether you and these little brats are going to side with every whining loafer that comes about?”
Then turning to the children, who were crying, he said:
“I’d like to know what you are bawling about? If you don’t soon shut up you’ll wish you had.”
The children again looked at their mother; but as she was still silent, George stammered out, “We want to go to Sunday-school, father.”