,collections1 ,university ,libraries1   
,ball ,state ,university and the ,online
 ,distributed ,proofreading ,team at    
http3_/_/www4pgdp4net            ,jno4  
#c3af4          ,jno4 #c3af4            
,,our       ,missionary ,reading        
,circle4    ,,short ,,course ,,of       
,,missionary   ,,reading ,,for ,,common 
,,people   ,,young ,,and ,,old4         
,what is said of it by many3            
,it will be very beneficial1          ,i
 would heartily recommend it1           
,i am glad my children are taking it up1
          ,i consider the books first   
class1          ,it's just what ,i've   
been looking for1          ,can safely  
recommend the books to all1          ,i 
wish you ,god-speed1          ,the idea 
is a good one4      ,for books1 address 
the ,librarian1      ,for plan and      
methods1 address ,secretary4    ,,jas4  
,m4 ,,neff1 ,lib41      ,,edith ,r4     
,,newcomer1 ,sec41   ,covington1 ,ohio4 
,waynesboro1 ,pa4       ,,charlie       
,,newcomer    ,,by   ,,wilbur ,b4       

,,stover    ,,jas4 ,m4 ,,neff1          
,,publisher   ,,librarian ,,of ,,our    
,,missionary ,,reading ,,circle         
,,covington1 ,,ohio   #ahid             
,,preface4   ,i knew ,charlie ,newcomer1
 and ,i loved him4 ,to me he seemed to  
have a bright future4 ,and that other   
children may be led to take his good    
example in uniting with the church while
 they are yet children1 ,i take pleasure
 in telling the story of his life4 ,i   
have told that story often from the     
pulpit1 in children's meetings1 and ,i  
tell it now1 in this way that a larger  
congregation may be reached4  ,in the   
home of ,charlie and ,bessie's parents  
at ,ringgold1 ,i wrote every word of    
this sketch4 ,it is with considerable   
hesitancy1 too1 that the parents allow  
the facts to be told1 since it enters   
right into their home life1 and since   
some might misjudge their intention     
concerning their children4  ,may his    
heart's desire now be realized--to be a 
missionary4    ,w4 ,b4 ,s4    ,edgemont1

 ,md41 ,feb4 #b1 #ahid4     ,,charlie   
,,newcomer     ,,chapter ,i4  ,,at ,,the
 ,,ringgold ,,school4   ,hurry up       
,charlie1 for as soon as we get our     
dinner over1 we want to play base-ball1 
and you're on our side1 you know1 called
 one of the scholars of the ,ringgold   
school to ,charlie ,newcomer1 as he was 
going home at noon for his dinner4      
,charlie's home was only a few rods from
 the school house1 and on the same side 
of the road4  ,all right1 boys1 ,i will1
 he answered in return1 and in a minute 
more he was home4  ,dinner was not ready
 when he reached home1 for his mamma had
 been putting out her washing that      
forenoon4 ,so he brought the water and  
then went to the cellar for the bread   
and butter while his mamma made the     
gravy1 and dinner was soon on the table4
 ,while they were eating1 ,charlie said1
 ,do you think1 mamma1 ,i can get up    
head this afternoon8 ,i've studied my   
lessons very well4  ,i don't know1      
indeed1 said his mamma1 you cannot      

unless some one above you should make a 
mistake1 and the other scholars are as  
anxious to stand well as you are4       
,they're awful hard lessons1 and surely 
some one will miss1 and ,i'm just       
waiting for a chance like that4 ,you    
know ,i hate to be foot1 he continued1  
and if ,i hadn't 'a' missed that day    
three weeks ago1 ,i would have been head
 now4  ,he had finished his dinner      
before his mother and little sister1 and
 was off to school while they were yet  
at the table4  ,the boys in the play    
ground had changed their minds about    
playing base-ball1 from the fact that   
some wanted to begin playing right away1
 while others wanted to wait for the    
return of those who had gone home for   
dinner4 ,some wanted to choose new      
sides1 and others wanted to remain as   
they had been the day before2 and yet   
others1 as they said1 didn't want to    
play anyhow1 and in the midst of so many
 voices1 they all went to playing ,drop 
the handkerchief1 girls and boys        

together4 ,charlie was especially fond  
of playing ,drop the handkerchief1 and  
when he saw it was that game instead of 
ball1 it did not take long until he was 
at it with all his might4 ,adding his   
kerchief to those already afloat1 he ran
 around the large circle never faster4  
,grown up people sometimes wonder how it
 is that children are willing to play   
until they are all in a perspiration1   
but children just as well wonder at     
grown up people for working with the    
same result4  ,the ringing of the school
 bell brought the game to a close4      
,nearly all of the scholars went at once
 into the house1 while a few lingered on
 the porch to get a drink of water and  
cool off a little before going in4  ,how
 quiet it seems just after all the boys 
and girls are called from the           
play-ground to their books4  ,the school
 building at ,ringgold is at one end of 
the town1 and the town is a little1 long
 one1 right on the top of a large1 long 
hill4 ,on either side you can see the   

mountains1 and from ,ringgold to the    
mountain eastward1 even away up on the  
side of the mountain1 are thousands and 
thousands of peach trees4               
,illustration3 ,,the ,,ringgold         
,,schoolhouse4  ,within the school house
 is work4 ,class after class is called  
up to recite1 and in some of them not   
many changes are made as to the standing
 of the pupils4 ,in most of the classes 
the method of trapping is used4         
,whenever any one mis-spells a word or  
makes a mistake on a problem1 the next  
one below him has a chance at it2 if he 
misses1 the next has a chance1 and so on
 until the one is found who can make    
right the error1 then that one traps and
 goes up above all who have missed4     
,ever since ,charlie had been absent    
that one day1 he had been working       
especially hard to win his accustomed   
place at the head of his classes1 for   
whoever missed a day had to go foot4    
,that afternoon because the lessons were
 rather difficult1 he hoped to get near 

to his old place1 if not to reach it    
altogether4 ,when the first class was   
called1 his heart beat just a little    
faster than while he was preparing his  
lesson4 ,as he arose from his seat to   
go1 he breathed a little prayer to ,god1
 that he might remember well what he had
 just been learning4  ,several problems 
were missed and as many times somebody  
trapped up4 ,but not every problem that 
others had mistaken reached ,charlie4   
,one time he thought he would now trap  
three1 when he himself missed1 and      
another got it4 ,in trapping1 however1  
the close of the recitation found him   
third but not first4 ,and so the class  
was dismissed for that day4  ,the last  
in the afternoon was the spelling class4
 ,the teacher frequently began to       
pronounce the words on the lower part of
 the page first4 ,tournament was the    
first word to-day4 ,the next was        
constitute4 ,coadjutor was ,charlie's   
first word to spell4 ,inaugurate was    
mis-spelled near the foot of the class4 

,sumac was missed1 and the scholars     
below were eager4 ,ducat enabled the one
 above ,charlie to trap two4 ,joust was 
spelled correctly4 ,oolite and vocable  
were missed several times4 ,the lesson  
was almost closed4  ,compass1 said the  
teacher4  ,fortnight4  ,revolt4 ,that   
was ,charlie's4  ,caoutchouc4           
,c-a-o-u-t-c-h--c-h--can't spell it1    
said the little man next below ,charlie4
  ,next1 said the teacher4              
,c-a-o-u-t-c-h-o-u-c-e4  ,next4         
,c-o-o-c-h-o-o--o-o--4  ,next4          
,c-h-o-o--  ,next1 and ,charlie began to
 wish he had been foot now1 so he could 
get up more than one at a time4         
,k-a-u-o-t-c-h4  ,next1 and all eyes    
began to look toward the head of the    
class1 for the unfortunate word was sure
 to go there4  ,caoutchouc1 again       
pronounced the teacher1 clearly4 ,the   
bright little girl at the head of the   
class was a good speller1 but hearing so
 many efforts1 she became confused with 
the word1 and although spelling slowly  

at it1 she missed it4  ,next4           
,caoutchouc1 is it1 teacher8  ,yes1 sir4
  ,c-o-u-t-c-h-o-u-c4  ,next4           
,c-o-u-t-c-h-a-o-u-c4  ,next1 and every 
kind of a way was given to spell that   
word4 ,it passed on down the class to   
,charlie4 ,he was waiting1 not a little 
anxiously for it4  ,c-a-o-u-t-c-h-o-u-c 
caoutchouc1 and he marched up head with 
a smile that showed gladness for        
himself1 and love for those in the class
 at the head of which he now stood4     
,some words more and the lesson was     
recited4  ,charlie1 said ,earl ,rinehart
 after the bell rang1 and they were     
passing out of the door1 ,i was glad you
 got that word right4  ,why so1 ,earl8  
,because ,i'd rather have you head than 
any one else1 even if ,i do have to be  
second or third4  ,and having crossed   
over the stile1 five of them joined in a
 row and ran a footrace down the little 
hill1 past ,bell's and ,newcomer's1 on  
down the road1--save one1 who turned off
 to the right quickly and hurried into  

the house to tell his mamma of his good 
fortune in the spelling class4          
,,chapter ,,ii4  ,a ,,sunday ,,at       
,,welty',s ,,church4   ,the sun was     
shining brightly on ,sunday morning1 and
 all was still and quiet in ,ringgold   
and the country round about4 ,charlie   
had buttoned his sister ,bessie's shoes1
 and they both were now sitting on the  
back porch of their home1 talking4      
,their papa was in the front room       
reviewing his ,sunday school lesson1 and
 their mamma was re-arranging some      
things in the kitchen4 ,it was not time 
to go yet1 but the carriage was standing
 at the gate and the horse was in the   
stable1 harnessed4  ,bessie1 said       
,charlie1 don't you wish you were going 
to be baptized to-day6  ,why1 ,charlie1 
you know ,i'm too little1 said ,bessie4 
,how old do you think you ought to be   
first1 anyhow6  ,oh1 ,i don't know4  ,i 
was just thinking about how nice        
everything is this morning1 and ,i      
wonder how it was in the garden of      

,eden4  ,children1 are you ready for    
,sunday school8 ,papa is hitching up4   
,all right1 mamma1 we're coming1 they   
answered1 and were off together very    
soon4  ,on the way to church1 no one had
 much to say4 ,charlie was sitting on   
the front seat with his papa1 and he was
 the driver too1 while ,bessie and mamma
 sat on the second seat4  ,the church is
 down in the valley between the long    
,ringgold hill and the mountain to the  
east1 and by the time they reached it1  
several other carriages were already    
there4 ,the superintendent of the       
,sunday school had just gotten there a  
short time before1 and all who were     
there were gathering in to spend a      
little while in singing before time for 
,sunday school to begin4 ,the first hymn
 they sang that morning was      ,jesus1
 when he left the sky1     ,and for     
sinners came to die1     ,in his mercy  
passed not by       ,little ones like   
me4  and all the other verses4  ,after  
they sang them they all kneeled down and

 the superintendent led in an earnest   
prayer4 ,then they read the lesson1     
verse about1 and the teachers began work
 with their classes4  ,grown-up people  
sometimes think the ,sunday school is   
just for the children1 and even here at 
,welty's there were some who seemed to  
think that way1 and the ,sunday school  
consisted mostly of children4           
,illustration3 ,,welty',s               
,,meeting-,,house4  ,charlie's teacher  
took his class to the one end of the    
church1 into an adjoining room1 where   
they could learn so much better1 not    
being annoyed at all by the talking of  
the other classes4 ,here in this little 
room1 teacher and class regularly study 
the ,word of ,god for a half hour every 
,sunday4  ,a half hour seems but a short
 time1 and indeed it is1 but that is    
only the recitation period1 and that is 
long enough for such as have studied the
 lesson well4 ,it takes a good while to 
tell what we don't know1 but not very   
long to tell what we do know4  ,sunday  

school was over and five minutes later  
church services began4 ,nearly all the  
scholars remained for church4 ,several  
ministers were there1 and the one who   
preached talked about the love of ,god  
for everybody4 ,he said ,god loved boys 
and girls as well as men and women4 ,he 
loved bad people and good people4 ,he   
even loved heathen people1 and ,he wants
 every one everywhere to love ,him in   
return4 ,he said ,god wants all of us to
 serve ,him1 and if we do not serve     
,him1 we can not love ,him4 ,he said1   
too1 that the more we serve ,him1 the   
happier we are1 and the less we do for  
,him1 the more unhappy we are4  ,he     
talked about prayer1 too4 ,he said some 
,christians pray and some ,christians do
 not1 and how that the best ,christians 
always pray the most4  ,the preacher was
 an old man whose beard was already gray
 with the labors of many years1 and     
everybody said it was a good sermon4    
,after the meeting there was no haste to
 go home4 ,every one seemed desirous of 

staying there and shaking hands and     
talking a while4 ,the superintendent    
nearly always tried to get several to   
accompany him home1 so that they might  
spend the afternoon together4 ,all the  
members of that church did in the same  
way4 ,the children were out on the grass
 talking with each other and waiting    
until parents and friends were ready to 
start for home4  ,charlie was among the 
last to leave1 and as he and his papa   
walked out to the carriage1 where mamma 
and ,bessie were waiting for them1 he   
said1 ,i don't know why ,i like church  
so well1 papa1 ,i just wish it would    
last all day4  ,his papa said1 ,before  
you could walk we always took you with  
us to preaching4 ,i'm glad you did1     
answered ,charlie1 as he ran to untie   
the horse before his papa was quite     
there4     ,,chapter ,,iii4  ,,trying   
,,to ,,find ,,something4   ,one day a   
little fellow was seen walking back and 
forth on the road from the store to his 
home1 looking serious1 and with eyes    

close upon the ground4 ,a wagon going   
by1 the man called out1 ,charlie1 what  
are you doing8  ,oh1 ,i lost something1 
and ,i'm just trying to find it4  ,and  
he kept hunting a long while between his
 home and the store to find whatever it 
was he had lost4 ,his mamma had sent him
 to the store to get some groceries for 
her4 ,he received the change into his   
hand1 a nickel1 and coming home he lost 
it4 ,his mamma thought he could not find
 it1 but he continued seeking until he  
did4  ,mamma1 ,i found it1 he came in   
saying1 ,i knew ,i could4 ,you thought  
,i couldn't1 now you might give it to   
me4 ,his mamma laughed and then asked   
him to bring in some water4 ,after he   
had set the bucket of water on the table
 he said1 ,what do you think ,i was     
thinking about when ,i was hunting for  
that five cents8  ,i can't tell1 son4   
,well1 mamma1 he said1 ,i would like to 
be a ,christian1 can't ,i8 ,i would like
 to be baptized soon4  ,his mamma always
 prayed that her children might grow in 

grace as they grow in years1 but this   
was unexpected4 ,she answered3 ,i am    
glad you think about that1 ,charlie1 but
 you are too young now4  ,how old must  
one be first8  ,well1 that varies a good
 deal1 ,i know4  ,i'm nine years old4   
,yes1 ,i know4  ,ain't nine old enough8 
,but you must think about it more1      
,charlie4  ,more6 ,i've been thinking   
about it a long time a'ready4  ,well    
,i'll talk to papa about it1 and we'll  
see what he says4 ,you know we want you 
always to do right1 said his mamma1 and 
he got his magnet1 and put pins together
 and magnetized a needle1 and made it   
swim1 and point north and south4  ,that 
night after both children were asleep1  
their parents talked a good deal about  
what ,charlie had said4  ,charlie wants 
to unite with the church4  ,he does8    
,when did he say so8  ,just to-day1 and 
he is in deep earnest about it1 too4 ,i 
don't know what to think1 hardly4  ,i   
hardly think he realizes fully1 what he 
wants to do4  ,poor little fellow1 what 

do you think ,i had better tell him8  ,i
 don't know4 ,suppose he should come and
 then not hold out4 ,you see that would 
be bad4  ,yes1 and then1 papa1 what     
wrong has he done8  ,that's so4  ,but   
you remember four years ago when a      
certain lady was here on a visit1 how   
she happened to express her unbelief in 
,god4 ,no one thought the children heard
 a word of it4 ,charlie was gone in a   
moment1 we thought to play1 when he     
brought in the ,bible and laid it on her
 lap and said1 ',read that1 it will tell
 you what to do4' ,i always did think   
,charlie would be a ,christian very     
early in life4  ,yes1 ,i am glad for it1
 too1--but ,i guess we'd better wait a  
while anyhow1 and see if he really wants
 to come1 said his papa1 and the matter 
was dropped1 and other things were      
talked about4  ,several days passed by  
till the subject was brought up again4  
,then ,charlie said3  ,nine years2 old  
enough to go to school1 old enough to do
 work1 old enough to do good or bad1 and

 not old enough to be baptized4 ,mamma1 
,i do wish ,i could4  ,charlie1 you     
never did anything bad4  ,must ,i do    
something bad before ,i can join the    
church8  ,no1 no1 but you're so young1  
you don't need to yet4  ,well1 ,i can't 
see-- he said1 and then1 with tears in  
his eyes1 he took ,bessie by the hand1  
and went down across the lot to the old 
apple tree1 where they had a swing and  
spent often many happy hours4  ,in a day
 or two after that1 ,charlie mentioned  
at the table1 his desire to be a child  
of ,god4 ,i am sure ,i would hold out1  
he said1 and if ,i couldn't ,i'd be just
 where ,i am now4 ,but ,i could1 for    
,jesus helps1 don't ,he8  ,then nothing 
more was said for several months about  
his becoming a child of ,god4 ,it seemed
 as if he had forgotten his desire to   
find something of heaven so young4  ,the
 summer was over4 ,all the peaches on   
the side of the mountain and in the     
valley had been gathered4 ,the leaves of
 the trees were yellow and golden1 and  

many had already found their resting    
place upon the ground4 ,charlie and     
,bessie had both been going to school   
for six weeks already4 ,it was          
,saturday4 ,there was to be preaching at
 ,welty's that day1 and a love-feast in 
the evening4 ,charlie had been thinking 
about the thirteenth chapter of ,john   
and the fifteenth1 and when all were    
about ready to go to the meeting he     
said1 ,now1 if you had let me join the  
church last summer1 when ,i wanted to1  
,i could have enjoyed this meeting4     
,why1 my dear boy1 said his mamma1 you  
can enjoy it anyhow1 can't you8  ,no1   
said he1 not as ,i'd like to4  ,and they
 all four got into the carriage and     
started off to the meeting1 not saying  
very much4     ,,chapter ,,iv4          
,,questions ,,and ,,answers4   ,services
 continued longer one ,sunday than      
usual1 and after the meeting was over   
quite a number of those who had come a  
distance1 upon invitation1 decided to   
stop with others who were not so far    

from home4 ,two carriages drove over to 
the big spring4 ,the ,newcomers went    
with the ,sunday school superintendent1 
and others went elsewhere4  ,this manner
 of visiting after the meeting on       
,sunday1 is sometimes a good thing and  
sometimes it is not4 ,it is good if the 
occasion is used for the spiritual      
benefit of those concerned4 ,sunday is  
the ,lord's day4  ,in the afternoon1 at 
the superintendent's house1 the         
conversation drifted about on the       
various phases of religious life1 church
 work1 ,bible study1 educational work1  
the conversion of children1 missionary  
work1 books1 papers1 and present day    
life4  ,the little folks were out       
somewhere1 engaging themselves as they  
saw proper4 ,sometimes they came into   
the room and remained a short time1 then
 out they would go all together4        
,charlie remained1 however4 ,there may  
have been two boys who preferred to stay
 in the house4  ,toward evening ,charlie
 came to one of those who had been      

talking with the rest1 and leaning over 
on his knee1 he wanted to ask some      
questions4 ,he had been hearing and not 
saying anything1 and now he wanted some 
things explained4  ,tell me1 he said1   
how old is old enough to join the       
church4  ,that varies1 ,charlie1        
according to the intelligence and       
teaching of the child4 ,some are more   
fit when they are ten years1 than others
 at twenty4  ,well1 but1 am ,i old      
enough8  ,i think so1 don't you8  ,yes1 
,i do1 but another thing4 ,does an      
education make a person good8  ,no1 it  
will make you better if you are good1   
but if a bad man gets education1 that   
doesn't make him good4  ,then is it any 
use to study so hard to get a good      
education8  ,why certainly4  ,tell me4  
,education1 ,charlie1 is just           
development4 ,you know what development 
means8  ,yes sir4  ,well1 development   
gives strength4  ,you have noticed that 
large tree out in the orchard4 ,it was  
only a chestnut once1 but now it is     

developed4 ,that tree is only an        
educated chestnut4 ,which is            
stronger1--the chestnut tree or the     
little chestnut8  ,the tree1 of course1 
said he1 but ,i heard some one say1 ,i  
think it was just last ,sunday1 that    
education spoils some people4  ,the     
right kind of an education will never   
spoil any one4  ,i'm going to get a good
 education4 ,papa and mamma said they'd 
help me1 but ,i want to earn the money  
myself1 and then go a long time4  ,and  
then you'll be a missionary won't you8  
,could ,i8  ,you can if you choose4     
,what must ,i do8  ,you must be a good  
,christian at home1 and do all you can  
for ,jesus now4 ,whoever is not good at 
home is the same away from home4 ,do    
things so people will all love you4 ,if 
your associates and acquaintances do not
 love you1 it is not likely the heathen 
will1 and love is a great deal of the   
missionary's preparation4 ,and give4 ,if
 you have not much1 give a little1 and  
if you have more1 give proportionately4 

,but it is not all in giving4 ,there is 
more even in living for the ,lord1 and  
just letting one's self be all ,his4    
,charlie seemed to be thinking of       
something else then1 and he spoke out in
 earnest3  ,doesn't the ,bible say we   
ought to send missionaries everywhere in
 the world8  ,it says we must ',go'1    
yes4  ,were there heathen fifty years   
ago8  ,yes4  ,well1 then why didn't we  
send lots of missionaries fifty years   
ago8 ,i wish ,i could go4  ,do you want 
to know1 ,charlie1 how you can tell if  
you can be a missionary when you are a  
man8  ,yes sir1 said ,charlie4  ,be a   
little missionary now4 ,be a ,christian4
 ,get new scholars to come to ,sunday   
school4 ,live for other people all you  
can4 ,one little person quit eating     
candy1 and gave the money for the ,lord1
 another bought a dozen eggs and raised 
chickens and sold them for the ,lord4 ,a
 little farmer boy raised potatoes on a 
little corner of land his papa said he  
could have1 and then sold them for      

missionary money1 and there are many    
other ways4  ,oh1 ,i know1 ,i know what 
,i'll do6 said several at once4 ,i'm so 
thirsty4  ,so am ,i4 ,no1 wait4 ,come   
on4  ,we can all do something1 then1    
can't we8 ,i'm dry too4  ,and the one   
who was answering questions1 together   
with for six little people1 who had     
gathered around him1 went out under the 
grape arbor1 and down by the row of     
evergreens to the spring1 and they all  
drank heartily from the old tin cup4    
,an hour later all the visitors had     
their faces turned toward home1 and the 
children were thinking about being      
little missionaries at home4            
,,chapter ,v4  ,a ,,child ,,of ,,god4   
,a good many months had passed since    
,charlie lost the nickel between the    
store and his home4 ,he had often spoken
 about his desire to be a real          
,christian4 ,he was going to school     
every day1 and had more than the average
 of school-boy-liveliness4  ,several    
years had passed since he and one of the

 little ,sunday school girls swinging in
 the shade of the old apple tree1 had   
each promised the other to begin to be a
 ,christian while they were young in    
years4 ,the little girl was first to    
fulfil her promise1 and was now an      
active little member of the church1     
praising ,god by her daily life4 ,he    
thought more of her for her decision1   
but he himself was not yet a member of  
the church1 and was already twelve years
 old4  ,brother ,early had been         
preaching every night in ,waynesboro for
 several weeks4 ,a good many people1 who
 lived not too far away from            
,waynesboro1 often drove in to attend   
the meetings4 ,charlie was usually on   
hand1 an attentive listener4  ,on the   
way home one ,sunday night ,charlie     
broke the monotonous rumble of the      
carriage by asking1 ,mamma1 do you think
 ,i'd be saved if ,i'd die8  ,and his   
mamma answered1 ,well ,charlie1 indeed  
,i don't know what to tell you1 and no  
one said anything further for a moment1 

which seemed ever so long4  ,what do you
 say about it1 papa8 continued ,charlie 
in a very earnest1 pleading tone of     
voice4  ,you have asked a pretty hard   
question1 said his papa4 ,just at this  
time of your life we cannot know4 ,god  
is just1 and may be you'd be saved--may 
be not4 ,after several minutes1 which   
seemed almost like hours1 as the        
carriage moved slowly up the hill1 his  
mamma1 ever anxious about her boy1 as   
all mammas are1 said1 ,why do you ask   
such questions1 ,charlie8  ,well1 mamma1
 he answered1 ,i can't stand it any     
longer4 ,my heart pretty near breaks    
when we are at meeting4 ,i do wish ,i   
could join the church4  ,now1 his       
parents had talked the matter all over  
by themselves1 and they had decided to  
allow ,charlie to come at this time1 if 
he really wanted to1 and they would also
 encourage their son4 ,when he had thus 
spoken1 they told him the words that his
 boyish heart had been aching to hear   
for already so long a time1 that he     

should come now1 if he wished4  ,the    
next evening ,charlie lost no time in   
publicly coming out on the ,lord's side4
  ,brother ,oller1 said he1 ,i'm coming4
 ,it's decided4 ,i want to be baptized  
and live a ,christian4  ,the aged elder 
stooped to the eager boy before him1 and
 tenderly answered1 ,well1 ,charlie1 the
 ,lord bless you4 ,the lambs are always 
welcome in the flock4 ,i hope you will  
be able to be a valiant soldier for     
,christ4 ,the ,lord bless you1 my dear  
boy4  ,on the way home that night1      
,charlie's heart was glad within him4   
,how different it was from the night    
before4 ,he was soon to be a soldier for
 ,jesus4 ,it did not seem to take long  
at all to go home1 and the hills did not
 seem so steep1 and the night did not   
seem so dark4 ,he could now see the     
bright side of life1 better than ever   
before4  ,while his papa was out at the 
barn1 putting away the horse and        
carriage1 ,charlie was talking to his   
mamma in the house4  ,i wish now we had 

family worship4 ,mamma1 why don't we    
have family worship1 anyhow8  ,well1 ,i 
don't know1 ,charlie1 just why we don't1
 said mamma4  ,well1 mamma1 papa ought  
to have it4 ,other members do1 don't    
they8  ,i guess papa feels a little     
timid about leading in prayer1 said his 
mamma4 ,that's all the reason ,i know4  
,well1 ,i tell you1 ,i'll do my part4   
,i'll take my turn always1 if we just   
can have family worship every day4      
,won't you ask papa8 ,i think he will4  
,sunday was the day for baptism4 ,two of
 the brethren came on a visit to examine
 those to be baptized1 before the day   
for baptism1 to learn if they were ready
 for the holy ordinance1 and if they    
were willing to take the ,new ,testament
 as the rule of faith and practice1 and 
to walk in harmony with the church4     
,illustration3 ,,the ,,stream ,,below   
,,the ,,bridge4  ,charlie's answers were
 clear and well-defined4 ,the brethren  
had quite a pleasant visit with him1 and
 they went away feeling that children   

were very fit subjects for the church1  
for of such is the kingdom of heaven4   
,there were thirteen baptized that day1 
and a large number of people witnessed  
the scene4 ,it seemed1 as we read about 
it in the ,bible1 like apostolic times1 
as one after another was led down into  
the stream of water near the bridge1 and
 was there buried in baptism4  ,when    
,charlie arose from his knees1 while    
they were yet in the water1 the         
minister1 ,brother ,price1 greeted him  
with a kiss4  ,after the baptisms1 all  
the people soon went away to their      
homes1 but of all that number1 thirteen 
went away feeling the joy of having     
entered into a blessed experience1 which
 they had not known before4  ,that      
,sunday night the voice of prayer was   
heard in the home of the ,newcomers4    
,family worship was a daily service     
there from that time on4 ,every evening 
before going to bed the little family   
would sing a hymn1 read a portion of    
,scripture1 and then all kneel down     

together and pray4 ,and ,charlie1 true  
to his promise1 and but a boy1 yet a    
,christian boy1 would always take his   
turn1 in reading1 in leading in prayer1 
and in closing with the ,lord's prayer4 
,,chapter ,,vi4  ,a ,,saturday ,,at     
,,home4   ,after we are once six years  
old1 the most of us have to spend more  
days1 as children1 in the school than   
out of it2 and whether ,saturday does us
 very much good1 ,i do not know4 ,the   
lessons are nearly always not as well   
prepared on ,monday as on other days1   
for too much time to prepare is about as
 bad as too little4 ,and then1 too1 we  
sometimes forget over ,sunday1 what we  
have studied for ,monday2 but1 it is    
better not to know the lessons on       
,monday1 than to study them on ,sunday4 
,sunday is the ,lord's day4 ,the best   
way of all1 however1 is to study on     
,friday and ,saturday nights1 and then  
get up a little earlier on ,monday      
morning and review before school time4  
,saturday is an off day generally4      

,girls have a good deal of work to do   
about the house and boys have a good    
deal to do about the barn1 and sometimes
 they have to work pretty hard4         
,charlie had finished his chores as soon
 as he could that day and was in the    
house4  ,bessie was very busy fixing her
 dollies' dresses1 for she had five     
dollies1 and they always were so hard on
 their clothes4  ,boys will be boys1    
grown up people often say1 and ,charlie 
oftentimes would give vent to his boyish
 nature by just teasing whoever would be
 teased4 ,he teased ,bessie a good deal1
 and mamma too4 ,he made ,dash1 his dog1
 stand in the corner4  ,he would hide in
 the evening when his papa came home1   
until he would hear what he would say   
upon missing him1 then come out from    
behind the stove1 behind the door1 or   
under the table1 laughing heartily4  ,on
 this particular ,saturday1 ,charlie was
 through with his work1 and while he was
 helping his mother a good deal in the  
house1 he took to teasing her4          

,presently she said1 ,charlie1 don't do 
that1 for it is not right4  ,he said    
nothing to this correction1 but went    
quietly out of the house4  ,after a     
little while he came hurriedly in again 
saying3 ,mamma1 you said ,i was doing   
wrong4 ,i went out to the barn1 and     
crawled up into the hay mow1 and ,i     
prayed to ,god to forgive me1 for ,i    
don't want to do wrong4 ,will ,he       
forgive me1 mamma1 and will you8        
,certainly ,i will forgive you1         
,charlie1 and ,god will too4 ,try not to
 do it any more1 answered his mother1 as
 she was wondering if she had not spoken
 too harshly to her boy4  ,some         
schoolmates came in then and they all   
went down to the swing under the apple  
tree1 where they had a good time        
together4  ,after they all had a turn   
swinging1 they played catcher around the
 house1 and hide and seek1 and other    
games as all children know4 ,at about   
five o'clock the little visitors all    
went home4  ,some men passed along the  

road talking very loud and swearing4    
,one of them had been drinking4 ,charlie
 and ,bessie were looking at their      
mother as she was doing some evening's  
work when1 in a very thoughtful mood1   
,charlie said3 ,mamma1 don't you wish   
you'd 'a' never had any children8  ,no1 
,charlie4 ,why8 said she4  ,well1 so    
many people are so bad1--swearing and   
getting drunk4 ,suppose ,i should turn  
out that way4 ,really1 ,i wish ,i'd die 
while ,i'm little4  ,so do ,i1 said     
,bessie4  ,why children1 children1 you  
must not talk that way4 ,what would your
 papa and ,i do8 said their mother1     
almost choking on her words1 for        
,charlie had said that a number of times
 before4 ,who made you8 she asked4  ,god
 they answered4  ,well then1 continued  
their mamma1 you ought to want to live  
as long as you can1 so you could serve  
,him more4 ,he wants us to do all the   
good we can4  ,both children went into  
the sitting room1 and ,charlie got his  
little account book and figured up how  

much money he had on interest1 and how  
much the interest was1 and counted how  
much he had in his bank1 and then added 
it all up together4 ,bessie he said1    
when ,i get big ,i'm going to go to     
college and pay my own way4 ,see if ,i  
don't4 ,then they played together till  
they got into a little difficulty1 and  
both ran out to tell mamma all about it4
  ,that night ,bessie did not go to     
sleep as soon as usual4 ',twas the same 
the night before4 ,she seemed troubled4 
,her mamma thought she was sick4        
,presently ,charlie suggested1 ,mamma1  
,i'll bet ,i know what's the matter with
 ,bessie4  ,well1 why don't you tell me1
 ,charlie8 ,i do want to know1 said     
their mamma4  ,bessie wants to join the 
church1 he replied1 and his little      
sister began crying in earnest1 and soon
 cried herself to sleep4     ,,chapter  
,,vii4  ,,charlie',s ,,last ,,days4     
,they who seek the throne of grace      
,find that throne in every place2       
,if we live a life of prayer1     ,god  

is present everywhere4   ,that much     
dreaded disease1 scarlet fever1 was the 
unwelcome visitor to many homes4 ,bessie
 was taken by it4 ,while she was ill1   
,charlie was kept from school1 lest     
other children should take it of him4   
,often he would steal over to the school
 house during school hours1 and peep in 
at the window1 unobserved1 to learn who 
stood first in his classes4 ,he often   
watched the spelling class as they stood
 up in recitation1 could tell each      
pupils' standing1 but he himself dared  
not enter4 ,those were long1 long weeks 
for ,charlie1 that ,bessie's illness    
continued4 ,she grew very1 very sick4   
,sometimes it seemed her little life was
 suspended on a silken thread1--a touch 
might cause it to snap1 and she would be
 gone forever4  ,children converted are 
children still4 ,charlie was a boy1     
although a ,christian4 ,often he came   
softly into the house1 and when he would
 meet his mamma out of the sick room1 he
 would say1 ,don't you wish you had left

 ,bessie be baptized when she wanted to8
 ,suppose she should die4 ,and his poor 
mother1 almost broken down with care for
 her little girl1 was made sick at heart
 by questions like that4  ,on the       
doctor's daily visit ,charlie met him at
 the gate1 and would tie his horse for  
him1 and then come with him into the    
house4  ,bessie had lain ill already    
four weeks4 ,on ,tuesday morning the    
doctor tied his horse himself and came  
in alone4 ,charlie was sick4 ,the doctor
 said to him1 ,well1 ,charlie1 you've   
got it now4 ,does it scare you8  ,no    
sir1 it don't scare me1 he said1 but ,i 
hope ,i won't have to be sick as long as
 ,bessie4  ,both were soon hanging in   
the balances1 ,bessie in one room1      
,charlie in another4 ,charlie wanted to 
be taken over into ,bessie's room1 that 
they both might be sick together4  ,day 
and night the two little patients were  
closely watched4 ,charlie was heard     
making a noise1 and they listened to    
catch the voice4 ,he was suffering great

 pain but humming the tune in the       
hymnal1 number #aah1--not saying the    
words1 but just humming the tune4 ,often
 he would ease his pain with this heaven
 medicine4 ,twice he was heard to speak 
distinctly4 ,once he said ,lord and     
again it was heaven4 ,his lips would    
move but no sound was heard4 ,the sound 
was heard in heaven1 ,i suppose4 ,angels
 responded to the call of that little   
child of ,god4 ,on ,friday morning1 even
 before the rays of morning light began 
to come1 his spirit was borne away to be
 with ,jesus in the heavenly land4  ,in 
the morning ,bessie's papa was sitting  
by her bedside1 looking sadly on the    
little form of his only child4 ,papa1   
she said why don't you have the door    
open in ,charlie's room8 ,he'll be so   
lonely with the door shut4 ,but he made 
no reply4 ,papa1 she continued why do   
you stay here with me8 ,take care of    
,charlie4 ,i'm afraid he's going to die4
  ,little by little her papa told her   
then1 all about it1 and she bathed her  

fevered pillow with her tears4  ,the    
doctor came4 ,he knew the fact without  
being told1 and he sat down and wept4   
,sunday1 ,charlie's little form was laid
 away to rest in the cemetery at        
,waynesboro4 ,and at the same time when 
that sorrowful little company were      
journeying thither1 the little readers  
of the ,young ,disciple were reading his
 letter all over the land4 ,the letter  
is given below1 but we will add the     
date1 not the date that it was written1 
but the date it was read1 the date of   
his burial4  ,his life is closed in this
 world1 but the influence of it will go 
on forever4 ,three dates will tell the  
story of that life4          ,birth1    
,march #ca1 #ahhj4        ,second       
,birth1 ,nov4 #bg1 #ahib4      ,borne to
 glory1 ,march #aj1 #ahic4   ,,the      
,,letter4    ,ringgold1 ,md4    ,march  
#ab1 #ahic4      ,our family consists of
 a dear kind papa and mama1 sister      
,bessie     and myself4 ,we all attend  
church and ,sunday-school regularly4    

,our     ,sunday school has closed for  
this season1 but will open again in     
the spring4 ,papa and mamma and myself  
are members of the ,brethren     church4
 ,i am twelve years old4 ,i am studying 
hard to get a good     education1 and ,i
 hope to grow up to be a good man2 and  
when ,bro4     ,w4 ,b4 ,stover goes to  
,india1 ,i feel as though ,i would like 
to go     out to him in his missionary  
work4 ,i will close now by asking an    
interest in the prayers of all the      
faithful4    ,charlie ,martin ,newcomer4
     ,,chapter ,,viii4  ,,bessie4       
,four weeks after the close of the life 
of her little brother1 ,bessie was able 
to be out of bed and around about the   
house once more4 ,with the return of her
 health grew her anxiety for the church4
 ,and in a comparatively short time1    
,bessie was received into the church by 
baptism4 ,she was but a mere child1 'tis
 true1 and that is what she is yet4 ,but
 what is to be done with the children8  
,is the church not for them8 ,did       

,christ not die for them8 ,does all the 
world exclude children8 ,what does in   
signify1 in bringing up children in the 
,lord8 ,what does come mean1 when the   
,savior says ,suffer the children to    
come unto me1 and forbid them not8 and  
what is the meaning of those last three 
words8  ,in the ,antietam church were a 
good many good ,christians who looked   
rather doubtfully on the question of    
children in church4 ,the little girl    
spoken of in the beginning of chapter   
five was the first of the children in   
that congregation to join the church4   
,others followed1 and when ,charlie died
 in the church1 all were so much        
rejoiced in his triumphant faith1 that  
the matter was practically no longer a  
question at all4 ,very many little      
,christians now bring blessing to the   
congregation1 and they are often the    
best in the family to which they may    
belong4  ,i questioned ,bessie the other
 day to learn more of her present       
position1 now that she is in the church4

 ,i will give to all1 the benefit of her
 good answers4  ,how old are you1       
,bessie8  ,ten years4  ,some people     
think ten years is too young to be a    
member of the church4  ,i don't think   
so4  ,why8  ,because ,i think they can  
do right just as good as older people4  
,when were you baptized8  ,last summer  
in ,july4  ,how do you know that you    
love ,jesus8  ,because1--well1 ,i just  
know it4  ,suppose sometime you should  
sin1 then what8  ,i'd just pray to ,god 
to forgive me4  ,are you sure ,he'd     
forgive you8  ,yes sir4 ,the ,bible says
 so4  ,how does it come you did not want
 to wait till you grew up1 like many    
others do8  ,because ,i might die and   
not be saved4  ,suppose at school some  
of the other scholars tease you1 then   
what8  ,i wouldn't say nothing4  ,how   
long did you want to join the church    
before last summer8  ,o1 ,i often       
thought about it4 ,i was under          
conviction a good while4  ,what does it 
mean to be under conviction8            

,well1--and ,i saw that ,i had asked a  
harder question than ,i thought4 ,after 
thinking a moment she said1 ,i just feel
 like crying all the time4  ,what about1
 ,bessie8  ,about things ,i done wrong4 
,what things8  ,o well1 little things in
 school4 ,i'd get angry sometimes1 and  
do wrong things at home1 and ,i was not 
very good1 and-and--,i wanted ,jesus to 
forgive me4  ,what did you want to be   
baptized for8  ,for the remission of my 
sins4  ,how did you learn to give that  
for the reason8  ,i read it in the      
,bible4  ,are you sure1 ,bessie1 you    
realize what you're doing8  ,yes sir4   
,how often do you pray8  ,every evening 
and often in the day time4  ,do your    
parents have family worship8  ,yes sir4 
,what part do you take8  ,we all read   
verse about1 and then papa and mamma    
take turn about in leading in prayer1   
and ,i always close with the ,lord's    
prayer4  ,didn't any body coax you to   
join the church8  ,no sir4 ,charlie and 
,i used to talk about it a good many    

times when we were by ourselves4 ,that  
was before either of us was converted4  
,now1 then1 are you happy1 ,bessie8     
,yes sir4  ,what are you going to do    
when you grow up8  ,be a seamstress1 ,i 
guess4 ,i'd like to be a missionary if  
,i could4  ,do you realize a change of  
heart8  ,yes sir4  ,how does it seem8   
,it seems nice4  ,but1 think well1 and  
tell me several points wherein you are  
different now from what you were before 
you became a ,christian4  ,i feel more  
happier1 and--and--,i love ,jesus more1 
and--,he loves me more1 and--and--,i    
don't want to do any wrong things1 and--
  ,what would you be willing to do for  
the ,lord8  ,most anything4  ,suppose   
the church should ask you to do         
something you did not want to do8  ,i'd 
just do it4  ,what part of the ,bible do
 you like the best8  ,the ,new          
,testament4  ,why8  ',cause it tells    
more about ,jesus4  ,then ,bessie added 
that she likes that about green         
pastures1 and at once repeated the      

entire twenty-third psalm4  ,children in
 the church is no late idea4 ,children1 
,i mean1 not babes nor infants4         
,polycarp1 who afterward was bishop of  
,smyrna1 and a martyr1 was converted in 
the year #hj1 when he was nine years    
old4  ,justin ,martyr says many1 in     
early days1 became disciples in         
childhood and were uncorrupted all their
 lives4  ,matthew ,henry1 whose         
commentary is so highly regarded by all 
,bible students1 was converted in his   
eleventh year4  ,isaac ,watts1 whose    
hymns abound in all hymn books1 was     
converted in his ninth year4  ,bro4     
,james ,quinter was converted when he   
was #ag years old1 and was called to the
 ministry at #bb1 and the present       
secretary of our ,general ,mission      
,board was converted at the age of #ab4 
,and ,i doubt not1 many among our best  
workers were converted very early in    
life4  ,yesterday ,i received a letter  
from a little child just entered upon   
her ninth year4 ,she says3--,dear       

brother ,stover1 ,i can answer your     
letter and say ,i am on the ,lord's     
side4 ,how happy ,i am1 how ,i would    
like for you to have been here when ,i  
was baptized4 ,i could hardly wait till 
the time came4 ,i have got what ,i have 
been wishing for two years1 and that is 
to work for the ,lord4 ,i go to prayer  
meeting1 and always try to have a verse4
    ---- ----4  ,children1 too often1 do
 not receive all the credit they deserve
 in some directions4 ,in a little book  
on the ,conversion of children the      
following incident is given4 ,a father  
was reproving his son for not giving    
attention to the sermon4  ,father1 ,i   
heard all the minister said4  ,i do not 
believe it4 ,you were gazing all over   
the church during the service4  ,but1   
father1 ,i heard all the minister said4 
,i cannot believe it1 for it seemed to  
me you hardly looked at the preacher2   
your eyes were oftener fixed upon the   
rafters than the pulpit4  ,but1 father1 
,i did hear all he said1 and ,i can tell

 it to you4  ,let me hear you try it4   
,he then began and astonished his father
 by giving the text1 the heads of the   
sermon1 and much that was in it4  ,i    
declare1 you did hear the sermon after  
all4  ,i told you ,i did1 father1 and   
now ,i can tell you exactly how many    
rafters there are in the roof1 for ,i   
counted every one of them during the    
sermon6  ,the ,lord ,jesus told ,peter  
to feed ,his sheep1 but before that ,he 
said1      ,,feed ,,my ,,lambs4   ,,the 
,,end4     ,transcriber's ,note     99  
,spelling and punctuation errors have   
been corrected4    99 ,text enclosed    
between equal signs was in bold face in 
the   original 7bold74