SUNDAY READING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9503, 5 May 1894, Page 4 (Supplement)

SUNDAY READING.

"GOD HATH CHOSEN THE WEAK THINGS." [BY HARRIET B. HASTINGS.] When I was about thirteen years old I went to live in a family of a distant relative, to assist in doing the work about the house. The man was well-to-do in this world, but wicked and profane, and his interest was in anything rather than the religious training of children. The work was hard, and the prevailing irreverence and the profanity were harder still to Lear; but I was needed there, and so endeavoured to fulfil my appointed ;duties faithfully. One Lord's Day morning I heard that there was to be a religious meeting some three or four miles away, and my heart was set upon attending it. But how could 1 go? Would they give their consent? I feared not, as they might think it too far for me to walk, and their horses would be too tired to be driven such a distance. What could L do I had not yet learned the way of salvation, and knew not how to trust in God as in after years; yet I was religiously inclined, and I believe the sweet Spirit of Christ was already at work upon my heart; and His still small voice seemed to whisper, "All. tilings, whatsoever "ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive" (Matt. xxi. 22). ON THE MOUNTAIN-SIDE. I had from childhood been taught to pray, and. following the convictions of my heart, -I left the house without saying anything to anyone, and ran up a little path which led me into a secluded spot upon the mountainside, where there was a rock which seemed to be made on purpose for me, and where I often used to go and pray. The man with whom I lived, mistrusting my object, followed stealthily up the mountain, and hid on the other side of the rock to listeu to what I had to say. 1 opened my dear little Bible and read: " For if ye live after the flesh ye shall die, but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God (Rom. viii. 13, 14). - I was ignorant of the {scriptures, but I firmly believed that this passage was put there for me. and that I had some cross to take up, and though I knew not that it could be, yet I thought I must do something that would "mortify" me; and I inquired, *" What can I do to 'mortify the deeds of the body ?'" I was young, and had no mother near to advise me, nor any Christian friend to whom I could go for instruction. I was entirely alone, as far as religious matters were concerned, and so I asked God to show me what X could do to "mortify the deeds of the body." . 1 wanted to attend the meeting that day, and desired that the Lord would influence my relatives to let me go; and though the distance was so great that I was fearful I could not gain their consent, yet I thought I would tell the Lord about it, and He might possibly open a way for me to go. Then the question arose again, How could I "mortify the deeds of the body?" The passage was a mystery to me; I did not understand it. But after a little I thought I had found the key. My mother had made for me a long calico apron, which came down to my feet, to wear when washing dishes, and to do housework in. I always 'hated that apron: it was so much longer than my dress, and of a very homely colour, ami it always mortified me to wear it. It almost made me cry every time I put it on. There was nothing in the world that I disliked as I did that apron; and I concluded that this was my cross, and that there was nothing I could do to '* mortify the deeds of the body" like putting on that apron, and wearing it to meeting ! Like many another devotee who has thought to gain the . favour of God by doing some disagreeable work, or suffering severe penance, 1 felt thai this was my way of obtaining His blessing; and, as I felt great need of help, I fell upon my knees and asked the Lord to put it into the hearts of my relatives to permit me to go the meeting, and if they consented I would wear my long" apron. . After I. had done praying .about it, on rising, whom should I see but the man with whom I lived, who had been concealed over the other side of the rock, and who, having heard all that I had been saying, came out from hia hiding-place, and started for the house, shoutiug and laughing at my foolishness. Of course, I knew what to expect; and went down the hill with a trembling heart, wondering if they would let me go, and thinking if they did I must be true to my promise, and wear the apron! THE REQUEST GRANTED. When I reached the house my relative began to laugh at me, and' make fuu of my f)rayers. I said nothing, but finally asked >im if I could go to the meeting. He laughed, and said: . " Yes, if you will' mortify the deeds of the body.'" ■ So I prepared myself, and, secreting the long apron under my shawl, started for meeting. . There was a small river which I had to cross, either by wading or going over in a I-boat. I was somewhat afraid, as the water was quite high, but I finally got into a boat— same old boat which had once carried me down stream when a little child —and rowed across. When.over the river I knelt' again in prayer, to thank the Lord that ' I was so far safely, on my journey, and I then put on the long apron. I thought at first of gciug" directly by the road to the meeting, but afterwards concluded 1 would not, for I wore a short dress, and over this the apron, which came down to my fe^t; and to go along the public road in this.costume was a little too much for my courage so 1 went around through the fields, dodging among the trees and' woods and a stumps and fences, some of the time coming out into the highway, and then going back into the pastures and over the hills to avoid passing any houses, or meeting anyone on the rood. At length I came within sight of the school house where the meeting was held, and I saw that the house was crowded with people, outside and in, old and young, most of whom were my acquaintances. As they looked out from the corner of ■ the schoolhouse' and .saw me coming in my long apron I could see them laughing and pointing at me, "and 'I was too sensitive to face their mirth. .> With a trembling heart I turned back to a convenient place, and quickly removed the troublesome apron, hiding it under the fence, wishing my mother had never made it, and feeling sorry that I had ever promised the Lord to wear it. " I' started on again; and came to a little stream of water which lav between me and the schoolhouse, over, which a .beam was thrown'•■for foot-passengers to cross. As I was crossing the stream I looked down into .the..water, .and thought of Christ and His words copuaanding us to "repent and be

baptised," and of the baptism with which He had been baptised for us; 'and I thought within myself. Since Christ done so much for me, could I not be willing to do so little a thing as I thought I was called to do tor Him ? These words' came: also to .mind - " Whosoever, therefore, shall be ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed when He cometh in the glory of His father with the holy angels" (Mark viii. 38). • My heart was filled with sadness. How wretched I was ! I had never openly professed my faith in Christ, nor had. I learned the way of peace; but I felt a love for the Lord and a desire to do His will, and the Lord pitied me in my ignorance and my honesty of purpose and desire. ' A JOYFUL VICTORY. . , . I turned back again to the place where the apron was hidden, and knelt upon it to seek help from.the Lord; and while I was praying the Lord seemed ' very near to strengthen and encourage me. "It seemed as if the angels of. the Lord were round about me, and I received such joy and courage from God that I felt I could anything for Christ no matter what it might be.- So I put on my | apron which I had taken off, and started again for the meeting. Ad I approached the schoolhouse the people began to laueh. With a firm step and a determined will I piessed my way through the crowd of boys and girls who were holding* their mouths to keep from laughing and disturbing- the meeting. I thought I would take a back seat, tut the schoolhouse was filled, and the only seat I could find was in front, where the litt.le folks usually sat, and where I was expose I to the gaze of all the people. My presence ana strange dress, ol course, created quite a sensation among both old and young in the house, and at snort intervals ,some of the younger folks outside would pub their heads inside the door, and then draw back laughing; I well knew what it was for. The mirth produced was, of-course, annoying to the preacher, who was an old, grey-haired gentleman, who seamed to be much broken down and discouraged. He said he had been there three weeks labouring with the people, and not. a soul had been converted, and he had concluded that it was of little use to dp any more in that place, and it was probably the last time they would ever hear his voice, as that was the closing meeting. He soon concluded his remarks, and sat down, giving others opportunity to follow him in testimony or exhortation as the Spirit should give them utterance. "a little child shall lead them." The sadness and discouragement of the old preacher touched my heart, and after he concluded I arose, and in my childish way told my simple story about my prayer by the rock and about the long apron, and the reason why I put it on, that I might " mortify the deeds of the bodyhow my courage failed, and I had taken it off; and how I had piayed to God for strength to bear the scoffs and taunts of my acquaintances, and had determined to do right and serve the Lord, and not to be ashamed of His words, believing that the Lord would take care of me, and how He had blessed, strengthened, and comforted me in my determination to do His will. ' . The effect of the simple story was remarkable. The power of the Spirit of God seemed to rest upon the congregation. Both old and young were bathed in tears. The greyheaded minister buried his face in his hands' and wept aloud, and, rising, said: "This little child has condemned us all. She has been willing to take up her cross, and has done it with such courage it ought to be a lesson for us all." The congregation were greatly affected; those outside crowded to the doors ana the windows to look in, and before the old minister had concluded every eye filled with tears. They were sobbing all over the house, and those who had been making sport of the long apron were weeping with the rest. Curiosity, mirth, and laughter had changed to solemn tboughtfulness. One after another broke down in penitence and confessed their faults; sinners voluntarily arose to ask the people of God to pray for them, confessing with sorrow their wickedness and their abuse of the Lord's goodness and the precious privileges they had enjoyed; and I the most powerful revival ever known in that neighbourhood commenced with that meeting. The prophet once, reproved those who despised the day of small things. God's ways are not as our ways. He knows the hearts of all men, and can use the feeblest instruments to accomplish His work. Small things may be used by Him to accomplish great results, and matters which may seem too trivial or absurd for our notice may yet be blessed of God, and result in great good. • • • • I went home a happier child ; and I think the Lord then and there called me to His service. This was my first effort in public confession of Christ before men ; and though I was young, and did not understand the ways of the Lord, nor know how I could follow out the teachings of Scripture, yet the Lord understood my motives, and I was blessed, and taught that the Lord uses the weak things of this world to confound the wisdom of the wise. I have since seen many instances where the Lord has blessed the ignorant and lowly on account of their humbleness . and submission, rather than those whose ways have been more in accordance with the thoughts and desires of men.

The long apron passed from sight years ago, and is probably forgotten by all except the one who wore it; out the power that filled and encouraged the heart of the despondent old preacher, and which so strangely moved the feelings of the people and changed the whole spirit of the meeting, might be traced .back not to the long apron, which had no more value than the long robes and sacerdotal trappings with which some professing Christians now array themselves, but to the public confession of Christ by a young disciplc, and to her broken, childlike prayer by the old rock on the hillside in Vermont; yea, farther still than that, to the presence of the Comforter who is sent into the world to abide for ever, no* only to comfort the children of the Lord, but also to convinoe the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. I am convinced that the Spirit of God often makes impressions on the minds of little children as well as older persons, and that parents and grown people think too little of these things. God may call little ones to do errands for Him; and if Christian parents had more confidence in the Lord, apd would teach their children to watch the leadings of His Spirit, and believe in His providential guidings, they would be better prepared to serve their Master, and endure the temptations which surround them. Little Samuel heard the call of God, and gave heed to His command, and so other children may be called to do something in the Lord's cause. If any of my readers are tempted to disobey the Divine call let thorn bow the knee and ask the , help which God alone can give, and so find strength to bear each cross and do the work which God requires. Oh, let Him guide your feet aright, And He will keep you in His fear; Trust Him, and serve Him with your might, And you shall tind Him ever near.