Untitled article by Mrs. L. D. Avery-Stuttle

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Jan 17, 1906

EDUCATION IN THE HOME. NO. 33.

By Mrs. L. D. Avery-Stuttle

(Concluded.)

"CONCLUDED?" I imagine I hear some of my readers exclaim, who have patiently followed me thus far. "Aren't we going to have any more Bible studies at Brother Hartman's? I'd like to hear whether these readings were productive of any real good. In fact I'd like to know the come out of it."

Would you! Don't you know that the real "come out" of anything can never be fully and truly known in this life? It is "over there" that we get settlement "in full" for our work for Christ. However, I am sure you will be glad to know that the Bible studies continued at Brother Hartman's for a long time, and that many others came in, one by one, to enjoy them. They carefully studied such subjects as "The Home of the Saved," "The Earth Made New," "The Tithing System," "Justification through Faith," "The Love of God," "The Origin of Sin," and the "History and Destiny of Satan."

"But," says one; "does the Bible tell about such strange subjects as some of these?"—Reader, study it well, and see. I promise you it will pay you as well as it did the family and neighbors at Brother Hartman's. God has promised a rich harvest, so be not discouraged if the seed spring not up at once.

It was many long years before the growing church in the village of D— of which Brother Hartman's family were members, felt that their numbers demanded that a meeting-house be built. Shall I tell you about it?—Very well. Then I must ask you to pass over, in your minds, at least ten years of the joys and sorrows, disappointments and victories, of Brother and Sister Hartman's family and friends. How well we remember the last evening we met with them. We have not forgotten that the study was concerning the future punishment of the wicked. Nor have we forgotten how clear the precious truth of God shone out from His Book, on this eventful night. The heathen dogma of an ever-burning hell, with its suffering and immortal torments, was proved by the infallible testimony of God's Word to be but an invention of the fiends of darkness,—for we learned that whosoever believeth on the Son—only—hath everlasting life.

I say it was an eventful evening,—eventful, because decisions were formed that night, and influences brought to bear upon some of the members of that little circle, the effect of which would reach into eternity. On this night, Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur were deeply convicted by the Spirit of God. The solemn truths which they had so long been studying were being impressed upon their hearts; and the blessed seed which had been sown, was about to bear fruit also in other lives.

Come; let us make the family of Brother and Sister Hartman one more visit.

They are just as old-fashioned as ever, and they still study the same old-fashioned Book.

We pass through the familiar streets of the little village of D—, over the hills and away toward the pleasant, rambling old farmhouse in the midst of the same thrifty orchard as of yore. It is a pleasant Sabbath evening in late October. The red and yellow and russet leaves of the old maples behind the barn are witnesses that Jack Frost has already paid his annual visit. Hark! where have we heard that sweet song before? A young woman is seated at the old organ singing a familiar melody in which other voices take part. While we are trying to call up some half-forgotten memory of the past, the young woman turns her face full toward us,—and we are sure this must be the little Beth, of long ago. One by one we recognize the singers. Elsie and Mattie, and—yes—that fine young man with the noble forehead and the earnest eyes, is certainly John. He has just returned from his labors for the Master, in the islands of the sea, for a short visit to his old home. Brother and Sister Hartman both join in the singing, but we do not see the sweet, white-haired grandmother in her accustomed place,—and we rightly guess that she is sleeping the blessed sleep of the just; only waiting for the sound of the voice of the Archangel and the trump of God. Ah, it is her favorite hymn which the family are singing:

"Mark that pilgrim lowly bending,"

and our eyes are wet as well as those of the singers, as we think of the hallowed memories of the past.

The sun is setting behind the hills, and the Sabbath is almost gone. In the distance we see the tall spire of the new church, and from its white finger pointing skyward, we hear the clear echo of the bell calling the worshipers together to the dedication services of the first Seventh-day Adventist Church ever built in the village of D—, now almost a city. The program is to be an interesting one to-night, for the services are to be conducted by an eminent young evangelist and his able co-worker, a musician of rare talent and deep devotion from the C— mission.

"Come," said Beth, rising from the organ at last, "come; it is quite time we were starting for church—it's a good half mile,—and we must not be late; I'm so anxious to hear the sermon—"

"And the music," added Mattie.

"Yes," declared Elsie, "but it makes me feel sad to realize that our dear John is so soon to leave us again, for his far-away field of labor."

"But let us thank God and take courage," interrupted Sister Hartman, wiping a tear from her eye, as the family wended their way down the grassy walk toward the brilliantly-lighted church already half filled with worshipers.

Let us follow them, reader, as they pass down the pleasant aisle and seat themselves in one of the front slips. We look about us with great interest. Just at the right, we recognize the genial faces of our old friends, Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur, and we wonder where the daughter Josie has hidden herself, for we do not see her. At the left are Mr. and Mrs. Jones, a trifle older and more serious looking, but otherwise unchanged; while sitting well up in front, close by the altar, we notice the bright, expectant faces of Mr. and Mrs. Gray. A young man is just seating himself at the organ. His thick, wavy hair is brushed carelessly back from the broad forehead, and the deep blue eyes beam with intelligence as he scans the faces of the congregation for a moment; and as all unite in singing the grand old "Coronation, " it is the superb voice of the organist which is clearly heard above all the others. We wonder if it can be possible that—yes, we are certain, now, that the singer is our long-ago friend Billy Black! and as this consciousness comes to us, our voice trembles with gladness as we, too, sing:

"All hail the power of Jesus' name."

The young minister's countenance also affords us quite a study. We feel sure that we have seen him sometime before—but where? At the conclusion of the song, he quietly descends from the pulpit, and taking Mrs. Gray by the arm, he leads her to an easier seat, still nearer the pulpit. Something in his tender, dutiful manner suggests to us that this dark-bearded minister can be none other than her son Walter, whom we remember had been determined to be a preacher of the Word, ten years ago.

We listen to the sermon with intense interest. The speaker briefly reviews the past few years,—years filled with evidences of the loving care of God and His wonderful providences:

"It is about ten years ago, I think," he said, "while I was yet a mere lad, that I had my attention first called to the nearness of the second coming of our Lord, the sacredness of the true Sabbath of Jehovah, the sleep of the dead, and kindred truths which are so dear to us as a people. I see that Brother and Sister Hartman are here to-night. I have not seen them in a number of years, my work, as you know, being in a distant state, but I wish to say to them, and to you all, that we owe the prosperity of our cause and our church in this place, more, under God, to the family Bible readings held in their house so many years ago, than to anything else. How many times have I found parents depending upon the church-school teacher entirely to educate their children in the things of God. And I have said: 'O for more Brother and Sister Hartmans!' I say as does the inspired apostle: 'Honor to whom honor is due.' O for more parents who believe that the training of their children for God and His church is the first business of life, and who act upon the belief.

"But some have said to me: 'I am a poor teacher; I do not understand the Bible very well myself, how can I teach it to my children?' To such I say in God's name: 'Become acquainted with His precious Book. Make less provision for the outward man, and provide more of the meat which perisheth not, for the soul.'"

"I am glad to recognize in the congregation to-night" he continued, "many old friends; among them, Brother and Sister Wilbur, whose daughter is now a missionary in India, and Brother Jones and wife; who, with my parents and myself, attended these early Bible studies at Brother Hartman's, those precious lessons which were the beginning of a great revival of God's truth in this place, and the influence of which will live on forever. My dear friend and associate, Brother Black, to whose sweet songs many thousands have listened, and whose God-given talent is being used daily for the Master, received his first religious impressions at these same Bible studies at Brother Hartman's."

"And now, as we solemnly dedicate this pleasant house of worship to the service of Almighty God, let us remember that He has commanded that we teach His precepts to our sons and our daughters when we go out and when we come in, when we rise up and when we sit down. And may we all be ready to go

up to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, in the earth when it shall be made new and beautiful, from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another."