“A mighty still religion.” “Good Christians is Peaceable.”
MISS MARTHA MOORE, WILMINGTON.
With a larger working force this year, we are able to do more outside work, and we find in our visits among the people plenty of poverty, misery and sin. We almost wonder if any power is sufficient to raise them from their degradation. Yet, the many noble exceptions bring to view the possibilities of the race, and encourage us to labor on.
To show how the old heathenish idea of religion seems to those who have received more light, I will copy a letter from one who, only a year ago, was led to embrace the truth and to join our church. She writes from her old home in the country, where she is spending the winter with her father. She has, as you will see, a very limited education. She writes:
“Dear Friends: I arrieved home safe found All injoying helth I went with Brother to the Sunday School But Could not Injoy it; Some had their spelling Books And Some their testaments and speled And read the lessons over and out to play. then the Church gather in to Class and in a half hour every bodys mouth was open and their was nothing to be heard But I have been redeemb. I stod aside and look at them till at last one of them Caime to me saying sister what are you doing havent you got the Spirit on yet? why, your religeon dead why what sort of Still thing is this. ha you must be up And a doing let the world no that you got the spirit on Show your light and let them see. Well I says I think that a very poor way to show the Christian light. O well if you say this a poor way you got no religeon honey; what Church you belong to. I tole them, why I never heard of that before well if they are like you I don’t no how it is but its mighty still religeon well I says Im Sorry that you all think that unless you Make a loud noise the world wont see your Light. I believe in showing the light in our walk And Conversation home and abroad not wait to go To the Church; But they say you must get the Spirit on, so you see its imposible for me to injoy their worship. I hope you will all pray for my deliverence for I do not think the lord intend to keep Me in this purgatory.
“Yours, L. S.”
We have in our night-school some who are making great efforts to improve in knowledge. It requires no little resolution, after working hard all day, to walk a mile or two and study two or three hours. A stranger came a few weeks ago, wishing, as he said, “to cultivate his brain.” There was evidently need of it, and we were glad to learn that his recent conversion had awakened him to the importance of knowing how to read for himself. He also expressed a wish to come here to church, as he had become acquainted with one of our members, who, as he said, “seemed to be a good, civil sort of Christian,” and he thought he would come and see what kind of meetings produced that effect. He had attended another church, but said he “didn’t like there, for they had some crossness, and good Christians is peaceable; they can’t help being peaceable”;—a good lesson for all who bear the Christian name.
Our Sunday-school averages about 130, and the truth seems to be gaining a firmer hold in the minds of some of the older pupils. The day-school is prospering. One of the little ones of the primary department, a bright little fellow, was yesterday laid in his grave.