American literature -- 19th century -- Periodicals; Sunday schools -- United States -- Periodicals
"How should she get a nail to put in the new Sunday-school room? It
ought to be a _very_ big nail, Robbie," she explained. "Because, you
see, I should want it to help hold something; and I should want it to
hold real hard, or else I would be ashamed of it."
Robbie agreed, but was too busy with his wheel to say much. "And where
do you s'pose I could get one?" said Faith. "If I only had some money I
could buy a great big one; but I haven't a single cent."
It took days of thinking and planning, and hunting, but at last, oh,
joy! Faith found the object of her desire; a great big nail! Very
rusty and a trifle bent, but so large that it filled her heart with
delight. Never was a happier maiden than the one who carried the
precious nail to her teacher, all neatly wrapped in paper. Some of the
scholars laughed, and said it was not good for anything; but that was
because they did not know any better. That blessed superintendent did
not laugh. He received the gift with smiles and thanks, and he took
it down town and had it straightened, and covered with gold; so that
the unsightly rusty thing glowed with beauty, and then it was used to
hold the motto; and is to fill its place in Bethany Chapel so long as
the building stands. Will anybody say little Faith did not do what she
could?
But I want to tell you about the meeting. There were many speeches and
much singing. When Doctor Hays began to speak, all the little children
straightened themselves and made ready to listen; there was something
in his voice which made them think he was worth listening to.
"Children," he began, "how many know what I have in my hand?" Hundreds
of voices answered that he had a watch.
"Is there anything about it in the Bible?"
This they did not know; so he told them he wanted them to be sure to
remember his text, for it was that one word, "Watch," and they would
find it in Mark, thirteenth chapter and last verse. He had quite a
time getting them to remember where it was, and they laughed a little
at their mistakes; but at last I think every boy and girl there could
give it correctly. He had a good deal to say about a watch; how the
"little fellow" inside of it worked away all day and all night, and day
after day, never stopping to fret because it had so much to do; never
resolving that it would begin to-morrow morning and do great things,
and being content because of that resolve to do nothing, for awhile;
it just worked away, a tick at a time. Then he said there were three
things he wanted to tie to their memories by the help of that watch.
First, they were to watch for scholars for their Sabbath-school. Every
boy and girl there ought to be on the watch for those who went nowhere
else, and nab them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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