The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1907, Page 69

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The Lutheran Pioneer.

69

The Little Harvester.

“I help to gather in the wheat,”

The reaper’s daughter said,

With dimpled smile and accent sweet
And toss of golden head.

The child was young and very fair,
Her
Her
Her

cheeks were all aglow;
eyes like purple pansies were,
teeth a shining row.

“You help to gather in the grain?
You are too young, my child!

You could not fill the creaking wain.
Why speak a thing so wild?”

“Tam a harvester, I say,

And papa says so, too;

| bear his dinner every day

‘To yonder shady yew.

“And though I cannot cut the blade,
Nor fill the creaking wain,

I do my part,” she gently said,
“Toward gathering in the grain.”

Yo do her part, what more could she?
Could you or | do more?

‘The lesson still abides with me,

1 con it o’er and over.

Oh, rich would be the golden yield,
If each would do his part

Upon the mission harvest field,

With brave and earnest heart.
Sel.

——— + -—

“To-Day.”’

Rao was’ the name of a Hindu who had often
listened to the message of the missionary, and who
had time and again said, “It is all true and correct.”

“But why will you then not believe and become
a Christian?” asked the missionary.

“T will think over the’ matter,”, was Rao’s per-
sistent reply; “Jesus Christ was a good man, a
great man, perhaps even the Son of God. Your
religion is a good religion, and it may be that I shall
accept it, but it takes time, much time.”

Time passed on. ‘The missionary told Rao that
time is precious and that it is dangerous to put off
repentance, yea, that it may become fatal to delay
accepting God’s message of grace.

“Now I don’t like to hear you any more,” said
Rao; “I have time enough, I never do anything in
haste. God is gracious and merciful, He will surely

_ hot have anything against my considering the mat-

ter well; He also is not in haste.”
Again time wore on. One night a messenger

came to the missionary with the news that Rao was
sick and wished his friend to come and see him.
“But quick, quick,” said the messenger, “time is
precious.” The missionary went to Rao, who lay
upon his couch pale and trembling with fear.

“Give me something that can make me well,”
he begged. “Dear Missionary, help me; I must
not die just now.”

“Life and death are.in God’s hands,” replied
the missionary, who was also a physician and who
examined the sick man. “I will do what I can to
kelp you. But results are with God, not with me.”

The Hindu looked at him very anxiously.
“T would like so much to live,’ he said, “I do not
like to die at all.”

The missionary left, taking with him a servant
who was to fetch the medicine which he intended
io prepare for Rao. As he prayed for the poor
heathen, a thought suddenly came into his mind.
He filled a bottle, put a label on, and gave the
medicine to the servant, saying: “Take this to
Rao.”

On the label the missionary had written this
direction: “A tablespoonful to be taken for the
first time a year from to-day.”

“A year from to-day!” exclaimed Rao as his
feverish hands, which had reached out for the medi-
cine in trembling haste, sank upon his coverlet.
“A year from to-day! That must be a mistake.
Quick, quick! Run back and ask for medicine’
which is to be taken right away, just now. I can-
not wait till a year from to-day. I might die in
the mean time.”

Again Rao got a bottle from the missionary,
but with this. direction: “To be taken a month
from to-day.” :

Cold sweat ran down the sick man’s face as he
again and again read the direction without com-
prehending its meaning.

“Away! Away!” he cried. “Tell the missionary
that he is mistaken. I am dying. I want help
immediately, just now. Who knows where I shall
be a month from to-day !”

“Ts it now all right?” asked the messenger, as

he brought Rao a new bottle, on which was written:

“Po be taken to-morrow.”

“No!” cried the Hindu in despair. “No!
What good will the medicine do me which I am to
take to-morrow? Now I am sick; now it is a
question of life and death. Go and ask the wise
teacher to come to me himself; I must speak
with him.” ‘