AN INCIDENT WITH A MORAL.
A PREACHER in a Western State, being called upon by Bishop Morris to report his missionary collection in open Conference, made this statement:— “At the last Conference I was sent to a church that had never done much for missions. All they permitted was a plate collection once a year. When I went there the church needed repairing, and the parsonage must be rebuilt; and having to raise so much money for themselves, they resolved that they must withhold their usual missionary contribution, for that year at least, and the pastor accordingly was requested not to present the cause. As they presented the case to me, it seemed almost a case of necessity. I fell into the trap, and we agreed to take no missionary collection. “The very next Sunday, as was my custom, I invited persons to come forward. Among those who presented themselves was a young girl who had been away to school, but whose mother was very sick, and had called her home to attend to her. As she handed me her certificate of membership, she asked me if we had appointed our missionary collectors for the year, saying that she had been one of the collectors in the church where she had attended school—that she loved the work, and would be glad to continue in it. I stated to her the action of the official board, and that we would not raise any missionary money this year. Her countenance fell. She was sad, and returned to her pew. Early the next morning she called on me for a collector’s book. I told her I had none—indeed, there had never been one in that church. Whereupon she wrote to her former pastor, requesting him to send her a missionary collector’s book. In due course of mail it came, and she presented it to me that I should certify to her good character, and that she was authorized to receive money for the support of missions. “The whole affair soon passed out of my mind. We repaired the church, we rebuilt the parsonage, and the bills were paid. Yesterday morning, when starting for Conference, I saw that young girl coming through the gate and up the walk to my house. As she came in she said, ‘I understand you are going to Conference.’ ‘Yes,’ was the reply. ‘Here,’ she said, ‘is a little missionary money which I have gathered during the year,’ and the faithful girl counted out seventy-six dollars which she had quietly collected in a church and community where they had never given more than twenty-five dollars under the most stirring appeals of the pastor, and when they had resolved to withhold even this amount for that year! Bishop, my missionary collection is seventy-six dollars.” This incident, adds Bishop Harris, is full of instruction and encouragement. If all our people are trained to love the cause of missions, and act for it, as was this young Christian, there is no power on earth or in hell, that can overthrow the missionary enterprise, or at all embarrass it.—225Methodist Recorder.