Mr. C.'s Importunity and Proposal
Mr. C.’s importunity and proposal — She consents to go to Wantage — Her journey — Reception and encouraging prospects — Pleasant location of her school-house — Deficiencies of her scholars — Sabbath desecration — Reproof — A good praj’er meeting — Establishes a Sabbath school-Difficulties — Great success — Vacates her day school.
“Well, Mary,” said my cousin, turning to me, and smiling, ‘’there is a chance for you.’ “Ah!” said Mr. C. — the drover — “are you a teacher? Then you can not do better than to go home with me. I will give you a dollar a week to teach my family, for six months, and you will find it a very healthy place.” I said but little in reply, but soon left the room, and, after having laid it before the Lord, retired for the night. In the night I awoke with these words in my mind, “Go home with that man.” This I thought was very singular, as he was a total stranger to me. I concluded that it was a suggestion of the adversary, and soon fell asleep. I was, however, again suddenly roused from my slumbers, with the same words impressed upon my mind. I then began to reason as to the propriety of pursuing such a course. “How,” thought I, “can it be a duty for me to go home with that stranger? He may be a very wicked man; and, if he is not, there may be no Church in the place; so that I might be deprived of all the privileges I have so long enjoyed.”
Still I was deeply impressed that this was my field of labor. I rose from my bed, and dressed. I again asked myself, “What will Mr. Thompson think of my going to Wantage? Will he not condemn me for such an imprudent course?” But I was again assured that the Lord would direct. As I entered the sitting-room, my cousin said, ‘’Are you going on this mission?” When she discovered that I was, indeed, seriously thinking of it, she was greatly tried with me, that I, in my feeble state of health, should think of going to a strange place, among the mountains. I told her that I felt it to be the will of God that I should go. She said no more about it, but cheerfully submitted, in view of its being the will of God.
Mr. C. still persisted in urging me to go, and I at last promised that in two weeks I would follow him. He was so anxious that I should go, that he drew up a writing, requesting me to aflSx my signature, thereby bindmg myself to be there at the appointed time.
Two weeks elapsed, and I commenced my journey in the stage, alone. I had many clear evidences that I was in the way of duty, though I deeply felt that I was called of God ‘<to go out, not knowing whither I went.” Late in the afternoon, I arrived at Mr. C.’s house. It was built of logs, and situated upon a high eminence. When I entered, Mrs. C. welcomed me, and said that her husband was so fearful that I might give it up, that he had started after me with his own horse and waoon.
She also informed me that Mr. C. had made known my engagement to come, to the neighbors, and they had decided to open the school-house, as nearly all the children in the neighborhood had been engaged for me.
On Monday I was to commence my labors. Many of the parents came to welcome me, and seemed happy to have their children instructed. The next day after my arrival I was obliged to keep my bed through the day, in order to recover from the fatigue which I had endured. Early on Monday morning I started for the school-house, which was a mile distant. As I came near I found that it was situated at the foot of a hill, shut in on three sides by dense woods. In the rear there was a beautiful spring of pure water. When I entered 1 found seventeen large scholars waiting for me, ten of whom, I afterward learned, were unable to name a single letter of the alphabet.
On the succeeding Sabbath I was roused at an early hour by the sound of the ax. I looked through the window, and saw one of the boys cutting wood for the oven. I was much surprised, and thought they must have forgotten what day it was. I took my Bible, and went into the next room. Here I found Mrs. C. kneading bread, and several of the apprentices, who had just come in from the woods, where they had been gathering nuts. “Mrs. C,” I exclaimed, “do you know what day it is!” “Why, yes,” she replied, “it is Sunday.” “Have you never read in the Bible,” I continued, “Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work. But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt do no manner of work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor the stranger that is within thy gates?” She appeared not to notice my question, but asked me if I knew how to make douo-hnuts. I told her that I did. “Well,” said she, “now just make me some. My brother and his wife are coming here to-day to see you, and I want to have every thing nice.” “I can not make them to-day,” I replied, ‘’because it is Sunday.” She looked at me rather sharply, and said, “Then / shall make them, and not let you have any.” I told her that I did not wish any, and could by no means consent to partake of food that was cooked with wood split on the Sabbath.
I found that the Sabbath in this place was regarded as a day for recreation, and even professors of religion did not seem to think it wrong — their consciences seeming to be “seared as with a hot iron.” On the Sabbath before alluded to, religious services had been suspended in the Presbyterian Church on account of the temporary absence of their pastor. I was, however, informed that the Methodists of the place were to hold a prayer meeting a short distance from Mrs. C.’s. I resolved to go, and Mrs. C. accompanied me. When I entered the room, I felt that the disciples of Jesus were there. They evidently spoke, sang, and prayed in the spirit. In rellecting upon the state of religion in this place, I concluded that visiting and working on the
Sabbath could not be more efficiently checked than by establishing a Sunday school. I made an attempt to do this, but found that I had almost insurmountable difficulties to contend with, owing to the ignorance of the people. At last, Mrs. C. gave permission for it to be held at her house. On the third Sabbath after we opened the school, the number of scholars so much increased that we decided to meet at the school-house. Many of the parents came with their children, seeking instruction. I had no assistant, and my library was limited to a few books, and a bundle of tracts, which had been given me. The children were very anxious to improve, and consequently learned very fast. I usually commenced my labors at eleven o’clock on Sunday morning, and continued till sunset. After remaining here for three months, I was obliged to relinquish my week-day school — which had increased to forty scholars — on account of the severity of the weather, and my excessive labors. I however continued my Sunday school through the winter.