Children -- Conduct of life -- Juvenile fiction; Children's stories; Christian life -- Juvenile fiction
There are many children as destitute as these little girls, and many,
very many, who have not even a feeble mother to care for them. Many
poor children are sent out to gather the coal from the streets, or
bits of wood where new buildings are being erected, and their bread
they beg from door to door.
In some of our cities benevolent people have opened schools for these
miserable children, where they are taught to sew and read, and to
observe to some extent the decencies and proprieties of life. In some,
a dinner is given to its pupils, and, where it is possible, a home for
the homeless in the country.
Children often save a part of their money for missionary or other
benevolent purposes. I cannot conceive a more suitable object for
their benefactions than other children who are poor and destitute. "It
is more blessed to give than to receive," the Bible tells us.
I hope you do not forget to thank God for the comforts and happiness
of home, which you enjoy; and I hope, also, that you will not forget
that we have the poor with us always, and must do them all the good in
our power.
"Have pity on them, for their life
Is full of grief and care;
You do not know one half the woes
The very poor must bear;
You do not see the silent tears
By many a mother shed,
As childhood offers up the prayer,
'Give us our daily bread.'"
LITTLE CHARLEY.
Charley was a sweet little babe. It was a pleasure to kiss his plump
cheek, and pat his fat and dimpled arms. He was a dear babe, and we
all loved him, and our blessed Saviour loved him even more than we
did.
Before Charley was two years old, he became ill. All that physicians
could do was done for him, but he daily grew more and more feeble. The
bright blue eyes lost their brilliancy, and became faded and dim. The
plump and rosy cheek became hollow and pale. The fat and rounded limbs
grew thin and weak, and we all felt that little Charley would soon be
taken from us.
The same sweet smile lingered about his mouth, although pain and
suffering had saddened that baby-face. He no longer tottered about the
floor, but was confined constantly to his bed. Not there even was he
to remain more than a few short weeks. The angel of death came, and
bore him to the Saviour's bosom. His friends looked at the beautiful
casket, and felt that the spirit which had inhabited it, and made it
precious, was no more there. They committed it tearfully to the grave,
and, lonely and sorrowing, returned to their desolate home. The crib
was vacant--the tiny shoe had no owner--the rattle lay neglected.
There was no need of the noiseless step lest the sleeper should be
awakened. Little Charley slept in death.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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