The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1889, Page 43

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

The Lutheran Pioneer. 43

(For the ‘‘Lutheran Ploneer.’’)

it ' Some one in the United States had been for
Any in Heaven, too?”

years contributing twenty dollars annually for
the support of this young Hindoo girl, but the
donor was-unknown. Rev. Dr. Poor, a mis-
sionary in Ceylon, visiting America about that
time, longed to ascertain who was the faithful
sower and report the wonderful harvest.

Finding himself in Hanover, N. H., preach-
ing to the students of Dartmouth College, he
happened in conversation to hear some one
speak of Mrs. Peabody, and repeated ‘‘Pea-
body; what Peabody?” ‘‘Mrs. Maria Pea-
body, who resides here, widow of a former Pro-
fessor,’ was the answer. “Oh! I must see
her before I leave,’’ said the earnest man,
about to continue his journey.

The first words after an introduction at her
house, were: ‘‘I have come to bring you a
glad report, for I cannot but think that it is to
you we in Ceylon owe the opportunity of edu-
cating one who has proved as lovely and con-
sistent a native convert as we have ever had.
She bears your name.”

“Alas!” said the lady, “although the girl
bears my name, I wish I could claim the honor
of educating her; it belongs not to me, but to
Louisa Osborn, my poor colored cook. Some
years ago in Salem, Mass., she came to me,
after an evening meeting, saying, ‘I have just
heard that if anybody would give twenty dollars
a year they could support and educate a child
in Ceylon, and I have decided to do it. They
eay that along with the money I can send a
name, and I have come, mistress, to ask you
if you would object to my sending yours.’ At
that time,” continued the lady, “‘a servant's
wages ranged from a dollar toa dollar and a
half a week, yet my cook had been for a long
time contributing half a dollar each month for
foreign missions. There were those who ex-
postulated with her for giving so much for one
in her circumstances, as a time might come
when she could not earn. ‘I have thought it
all over,’ she would reply, ‘and concluded I
would rather give what I can while I am earn-
ing, and then if I lose my health and cannot
work, why, there is the poor house, and I can
go there. You see they have no poor house in
heathen lands, for it is only Christians who
care for the poor.’”’

The missionary learned that the last known
of Louisa Osborn, she resided in Lowell, Mass.
In due time his duties called him to that city.
At the close of an evening service before a
crowded house’ he related among missionary
incidents, as a crowning triumph, the story of
Louisa Osborn and Maria Peabody. The dis-
interested devotion, self sacrifice and implicit
faith and zeal of the Christian giver in favored
America had been developed, matured, and
well-nigh eclipsed by her faithful protege in
far off benighted India. His heart glowing
with zeal, he exclaimed: ‘“‘If there is anyone
present who knows anything of that good
woman, Louisa Osborn, and will lead me to
her, I shall be greatly obliged.” ~ The benedic-
tion pronounced and the crowd dispersing,

Dr. Poor passed down one of the aisles, chat-
ting with the pastor, when he espied a quiet
little figure apparently waiting for him. Could
it be? Yes, it was a colored woman, and it
must be Louisa Osborn. With quickened step
he reached her, exclaiming in tones of sup-
pressed emotion: ‘‘I believe this is my sister in
Christ, Louisa Osborn?”’ ‘‘ That is my name,”
was the calm reply. ‘Well, God bless you,
Louisa, you have heard my report, and know
all, but before we part, probably never to meet
again in this world, I want you to answer me
one question. What made you do it?” With
downcast eyes, and in a low and trembling voice
she replied, ‘‘ Well, it was my Lord Jesus.’

They parted only to meet in the streets of
the New Jerusalem, for the missionary re-
turned to his adopted home, where ere long the
loving hands of his faithful native brethren
bore him to his honored grave. The humble
handmaiden of the Lord labored meekly on
awhile, and ended her failing days not in a
poor house, verily, but, through the efforts of
those who knew her best, in a pleasant, com-
fortable Old Ladies’ Home. ‘‘ Him that hon-
oreth Me I will honor.’’

Shall we, to whom so much of privilege and
bounty is granted, lay down this marvelous
story of self-renunciation, and let its lesson be
lost on our own lives? To whom much is given,
of them much also is required.— Christian Giver.

The earnestness of children often gives to
their words and acts a power that wins atten-
tion, when the words of those older in years
are unheeded. This is shown in the following.

Little Jane was sitting with her uncle one
afternoon. Her uncle told her to be quiet, as
he had some accounts to look over; so Jane
busied herself with a picture book. For an
hour all was still, then Jane heard her uncle
say: ‘‘There! I have quite a nice little sum
laid up against a time of need.”

“What are you talking about, uncle?” asked
Jane.

‘About my treasures, that I have laid up.”

“Up in Heaven?”’ asked Jane.

“OQ, no, Jane; my treasures are all on earth,
some in banks and some in other places,’’ an-
swered her uncle.

“But ain’t you got any in Heaven, too?’
asked Jane.

“Well, I don’t believe I have,’’ said her
uncle thoughtfully. ‘‘But run away to your
mother now, for I am going out.’’

Jane’s uncle went out and was gone a good
while, but all the time he was thinking that,
after all, perhaps, he was not so well off if he

had no treasure Jaid up in Heaven, to be ready
for him when he left this world and his money
behind him. He was so impressed by what
Jane had said, that he began to lay up treas-
ures in Heaven. How is it with you, dear
reader, are you laying up treasures in Heaven?
FL,

A Dying Man’s Testimony in Behalf of
Missions.

——_——— o~=ae

Louisa Osborn and Maria Peabody.

One day a pastor was summoned to the dying
bed of a member of his congregation. The
sick man addressed the preacher in the follow-
ing words: ‘‘My dear pastor, if it should please
God to raise me up from my bed of sickness
and restore me to health, truly, I would lead
quite a different life. I assure you, it would
then be my most sacred purpose to aid the
cause of missions with all my power.”

The pastor inquired what had caused him to
have such thoughts. He replied: ‘During
the past night I awoke about midnight from a
light slumber. I opened my eyes and looked
around to see whether any one were awake.
My two faithful sons sat at my bedside, the
one on my right hand, the other on my left.
As soon as I moved, they drew nearer with
loving concern, inquiring whether I wished
anything. Immediately it occurred to me,
what I had heard recently at a missionary
service about the Hindoos, that they let their
old parents famish and die in neglect or drown
them, in the river. And I could not repress
the thought, How does it come about that I
am not in a similar situation? Why don’t my
sons carry me out and throw me into the water?
Why do they wake with me during the night
and watch my every breath? Am I not in- ~
debted to the Gospel for all this attention?
Truly, if the Lord should spare my life, I will
be more concerned about the salvation of the
poor heathen.”

In the beautiful island of Ceylon, many years
ago, the native Christians decided that they
must have a church built for themselves. En-
thusiastic givers were each eager to forward
the new enterprise. But, to the amazement
of all, Maria Peabody, a lone orphan girl, who
had been a beneficiary in the girls’ schools at
Oodooville came forward and offered to give
the land on which to build, which was the best
site in her native village. :

Not only was it all she owned in the world,
but far more, it was her marriage portion, and,
in making this gift, in the eyes of every native
she renounced all hopes of being married. As
this was regarded os an awful step, many
thought her beside herself, and tried to dis-
suade her from such an act. ‘‘No,” said
Maria, ‘‘I have given it to Jesus, and as He
has accepted it, you must.”

And so to-day the firat Christian Church in
Ceylon stands upon land given by a poor or-
phan girl. '

_ The deed was noised abroad, and came to the
knowledge of a young theological student, who
was also a beneficiary of the mission, and it
touched his heart. Neither could he rest until
he had sought and won the rare and noble
maiden, who was willing to give up so much in

her Master's cause.

*