The Choctaw Freedmen Part 24

The following beautiful tribute to the Bible, printed by Soper and Son, Detroit, was pasted on the inside of the front lid of every Bible presented to the students.

This Book contains the mind of G.o.d, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable.

Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practise it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you. It is the traveler's map, the pilgrim's staff, the pilot's compa.s.s, the soldier's sword, and the Christian's charter. Here Paradise is restored, heaven opened, and the gates of h.e.l.l disclosed, Christ is its grand subject, our good its design, and the glory of G.o.d its end. It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently, prayerfully.

It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure. It is given you in life, will be opened in judgment, and be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibility, rewards the greatest labor, and condemns all who trifle with its sacred contents.

A FOUNTAIN OF BLESSINGS

The Bible is an infallible revelation from G.o.d in regard to his own character, will and works. One result of a practical faith in it is the development of an heroic missionary spirit. The n.o.blest heroisms that mark the history of the human race have had their inspiration in implicit faith in the Bible. "Men in whom life was fresh and strong, and women, the embodiment of gentleness and delicacy, have met the martyrs death of fire, singing until the red-tongued flames licked up their breath."

It is the fountain from which have come the principles of a pure morality and "all sweet charities." It has been the motive power that has effected the regeneration and reformation of millions of men. "It has comforted the humble, consoled the mourning, sustained the suffering and given trust and triumph to the dying."

Rational minds will ask for no higher proof, that the Bible, as a revelation from G.o.d is reliable, than the nature and results of the faith that is based upon it. The results include the n.o.blest phenomena of human experience, the richest fruitage of our christian civilization.

The Bible is the one great regenerative and redemptive agency in the world, and this soon becomes apparent, whenever it is read in the homes of the people.

UPLIFTING POWER IN NEW HEBRIDES' ISLANDS

A very interesting ill.u.s.tration of this fact has been narrated by John Inglis a Scottish Missionary to the New Hebrides. On going there about the middle of the last century, he selected for his abode an island occupied by cannibals. Among the things he took with him was a mason's hammer. When he began to dress and square the hard rocks of the neighborhood to build the chimney of his house, the novelty of the operation drew a crowd of the natives around him. They looked on in wonder, and were surprised to see the hammer break in pieces and bring into shape those hard stones, which no one had before attempted to break.

Missionaries, like philosophers sometimes find "sermons in stones," as well as "good in everything." On this occasion, he took the stones and the hammer as his text and gave them a short practical sermon as follows:

"You see these stones and this hammer. You might strike these stones with a block of wood till you were tired and you would not break off a single chip; but when I strike with a hammer you see how easily they are broken, or cut into needful shapes. Now G.o.d tells us that our hearts are like stones, and that his Word is like a hammer. Some white men came among you before the arrival of the missionaries, and you continued as much heathen as ever. But when the missionaries came and spoke to you, you gave up your heathenism, began to keep the Sabbath day, to wors.h.i.+p G.o.d and to live like christians. What caused this difference? The words of the missionaries were not any louder or stronger than those of the other white men. The difference was merely this--the other white men spoke their own words; they spoke the words of men; and that was like striking these stones with a piece of wood. But the missionaries instead of speaking to you their own words read to you the Words of G.o.d; and that was like this hammer striking, breaking and bringing into shape your stony hearts."

This ill.u.s.tration took hold on their imagination; the sermon on the stones and the hammer was not soon forgotten. Many years afterwards, some of the older natives when leading in prayer in the church would offer the pet.i.tion, "O Lord, thy word is like a hammer, take it and with it break our stony hearts and shape them according to the rule of Thy holy law."

There were 3,500 natives on this island. Through the influence of G.o.d's Word, for no other means were employed save the human voice to make it known, all of them were led to abandon heathenism and place themselves under Christian instruction.

These people had no money but they could gather and prepare arrowroot.

They were encouraged to bring this to the missionaries, in order to secure a supply of Bibles for the island, with the result that in a few years they sent $2,500 to the British and Foreign Bible society, London, for copies of the New Testament and Psalms; and a few years later $3,500 to pay for the printing of the Old Testament in their own language.

There is no instance on record of a like number of heathen people, so poor, being persuaded to contribute so much money to obtain any other book; and why not? It is because the Bible alone is divine and this divine power has subdued human hearts. "Is not my word like as a fire?

saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?"--Jer. 23. 29.

The Bible is the Book of the Lord, a "sure word of prophecy, whereunto we do well to take heed, as unto a light that s.h.i.+neth in a dark place."

It challenges us to "prove all things and hold fast that which is good."

XXIII

DECISION DAYS

CHRISTMAS.--WAs.h.i.+NGTON'S BIRTHDAY.

"How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be G.o.d follow him."--Elijah.

Every new student at the time of his enrollment was requested to state whether or not he was a member of church. If a negative response was received, he was kindly informed it would be regarded as a serious disappointment, if he did not become an active Christian worker, during the period he enjoyed the privileges of the Academy. As a means of enabling every one to manifest their decision to live a Christian life, Decision days were held frequently during the term. The first one always occurred at least one week before Christmas; and the others about the Day of Prayer for Colleges, Easter and Memorial Sabbaths. When advantage could not be taken of a voluntary visit on the part of a neighboring pastor the co-operation of one of them was always solicited.

On the first occasion Rev. William Butler was present, Feb. 11, 1906, and took for his theme in the morning, the Good Shepherd, and in the evening, the New Heart, his own heart was gladdened by seeing twenty-three young people come to the front in response to his appeal and pledge themselves to live a Christian life. A month later the pastor's heart was gladdened anew by receiving fourteen of them into the members.h.i.+p of the church and administering baptism to ten of them. Two years later, as the result of an evangelistic meeting held on the evening of the closing day of the Farmers' inst.i.tute, January 1, 1908, Mr. Butler, who was one of the speakers at the inst.i.tute, had the pleasure of seeing twenty-one other students manifest a decision to live a Christian life. Rev. Wiley Homer, T. K. Bridges and Samuel Gladman, a.s.sisted and with encouraging results on other decision days.

In 1910, Was.h.i.+ngton's birthday, Thursday, was observed by a patriotic and evangelistic meeting at which impressive addresses were delivered by Rev. W. J. Willis of Garvin and Rev. A. B. Johnson of McAlester. Among those present were thirteen that had not previously manifested a decision. In response to the appeal of Mr. Willis, every one of these thirteen voluntarily arose, came forward and gave their pledge to live a Christian life. The attainment of a voluntary pledge from every student in attendance at that time made this an eventful occasion. It was also deeply impressive. Every one joined in the joyful congratulatory procession.

As it was the last glad and happy decision day before the loss of the Girls' Hall, which occurred on the second Sabbath following, it has been commemorated by an engraving from a photo, thoughtfully taken before hand by Miss Mary Weimer, in which may be seen David Michael, Livingston Brasco, and William Shoals, who have just returned from the timber with vines and white flowers to decorate the chapel for this meeting.

XXIV

THE SELF-HELP DEPARTMENT

FOOLISH NOTIONS.--A PROMISING GIRL.--THOUGHTLESS BOYS.--THOUGHTFUL YOUNG PEOPLE.--VACATION WORKERS.--JAMESTOWN COLLEGE.--SUPPORT OF SELF-SUPPORTING STUDENTS.--HOW IT WORKS.--ENLARGEMENT AND PERMANENT IMPROVEMENT.--SELF-SUPPORT MEANS INDEPENDENCE.--PARK COLLEGE.

"If any would not work, neither should he eat."--Paul.

The unexpected disappointments experienced in establis.h.i.+ng the self-help department are worthy of a brief mention. They serve to ill.u.s.trate some foolish notions that prevailed among some of our first patrons, and prepare the way for a good suggestion.

The aim of this department is to enlarge the scope of the training work of the inst.i.tution by the employment of students, as far as possible, to do the necessary work during vacations as well as the ch.o.r.es during the school-terms; and by this means, reducing the number of hired helpers, afford lucrative employment to the greatest number of students, as a means of self help.

In view of the needy and helpless condition of the people in their new homes, and the urgent prospective demand for more teachers, one would naturally suppose every family would be eager to take advantage of such an opportunity. The scheme however was a new one and it was regarded with suspicion and disfavor. The effort to have leading families, those that seemed to stand in the nearest relation to it by having previously enjoyed its privileges most freely, co-operate in the establishment of this plan, by permitting one of their children to remain at the academy during the vacation period or even do extra work a part of the day during the term, and thereby be able to continue and complete a course of study that would fit them for teaching, proved a complete disappointment. This disappointment was the occasion of two earnest appeals before two different meetings of the Presbytery, but neither of them received more than a respectful hearing, no favorable response.

Some, whose children had been previously carried from year to year gratuitously, no doubt, regarded it as the innovation of a stranger, who was adroitly depriving them of their former rights and privileges; while others seemed to view it as a discovery to their neighbors, that they were not able to pay for the education of their children. Some of the larger girls at the academy, when requested to arrange to do some extra work at the school declined, saying they had homes of their own and did not have to work for others away from home.

A PROMISING GIRL

That this was not the sentiment, however, of all the larger girls appears in the following incident. A very promising girl of sixteen came to the school of her own accord. She was animated with the desire to become a christian teacher. About the middle of the term, a younger brother called with the request from her mother, that she return home.

No reason was a.s.signed and she knew of no good one. She sent her mother word that she desired to remain, and resumed her studies. Two weeks later an older brother called with a pre-emptory demand that she return home with him. The reason a.s.signed by her mother for this unexpected and arbitrary request was, "Daughter can get along without school as well as her mother." It seems scarcely necessary to state that this promising and aspiring young lady was not permitted to return.

THOUGHTLESS BOYS

The first to acquiesce in the arrangement to pay a part of their term expense by working at the academy during the vacation were some boys, who had not learned to work; and it seemed impossible for them to conceal the fact that they did not want to work. They were not old enough or did not know enough to appreciate the privileges accorded to them; and as many as three of them ran away, when most needed.

The work deserted by two of these boys was undertaken by a third one, not then a student. He was a willing worker and at the end of the summer found that his job at the academy was his best one during the season. He ill.u.s.trated the difference between the worthy and the worthless. The worthy achieve success where the worthless make a miserable failure.

THOUGHTFUL YOUNG PEOPLE

It was left for some thoughtful young people living at a distance to come, take advantage of the opportunities thus afforded and make this self-help or industrial department a real, visible and practical success. While deriving a life-long benefit for themselves, they have conferred a lasting benefit to the inst.i.tution by remaining long enough to reach the higher grades. Their efficient service in various lines of work has served to show that the varied and thorough training given during recent vacations has been very valuable to them.

The vacation period has afforded the best opportunity for instruction and practice on the organ, for reading the many good books in the library and for special training in farming, carpentry and in the various kinds of work, like canning fruit or the manufacture of sorghum, that require attention only during the summer months. It has. .h.i.therto seemed to be the golden period of the year when the personal responsibility and general efficiency of the student has been most rapidly developed, a fact no doubt due to the freer daily a.s.sociation with the superintendent and teachers. The full course of training provided at the inst.i.tution can be fully enjoyed only by those who remain during the summer months.