A Missionary Twig Part 2

"That's what Edith says," Marty remarked. "'Tisn't part of ours, is it?"

"Oh, yes it is," said Mrs. Howell, smiling a little; "though perhaps not as much as it should be. All through the Bible we are taught the duty of giving, and though, of course, those particular directions in the Old Testament were intended especially for the Jews, we may learn from them that the best way of giving is to give systematically."

"What do you mean by systematically?" asked Marty.

"I mean not giving just when we happen to feel particularly interested in some object, or when we don't want the money for something else, but having some plan about it and giving regularly, intelligently, and, above all, prayerfully."

"Tell Marty the New Testament plan for giving, mamma," Edith requested.

"St. Paul tells the Corinthians in the sixteenth chapter and second verse of the first epistle: 'Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as G.o.d hath prospered him.' You see that is somewhat different from tenths. No particular portion is mentioned, but we are to regularly set aside for religious purposes as much as we can afford, and the amount is to be increased as our means increase."

"Why doesn't Edith do that way?" Marty inquired.

"When she is older and better able to judge how much she ought to give, she may adopt that plan. But it is simpler and easier just to give a tenth, and it is well for little people who are learning to have a plain and easy rule to go by."

"And why does Edith give her tenths to foreign missionary work instead of to something else?" asked Marty.

This led to a long talk about the duty of obeying Christ's last command to carry the gospel to all nations; and Mrs. Howell explained how missionary societies are trying to obey this command, and how important it is that Christians should be very prompt and regular with their contributions, so that the good work may not be hindered.

"You see," said Mrs. Howell, "in order to send the gospel to these far-away people, we must send missionaries to them. There is no other way, while there are a good many ways in which even children may help people near by. For instance, they can persuade other children to go to church and Sunday-school. And then they can be kind to the poor, and can help them in other ways beside giving money to them. Edith mends her old toys for poor children. She keeps her bright cards and picture books as nice as possible, and when done with them carries them to the Children's Hospital or to the Almshouse; and she is very careful of her clothes, so that when she has outgrown them they will do for poor little girls. There are children now down town going to Sunday-school in her clothes. So you see that even if your money goes to the missionary work, you need not neglect other ways of doing good."

"I think it's grand!" said Marty with long-drawn breath. "I've a great mind to begin trying to do somebody some good, and not keep everything myself. I have a dime every week to do what I please with, and sometimes I get other money besides."

"I am sure you would find a great deal of satisfaction in helping others," said Mrs. Howell.

"Mrs. Howell," asked Marty, after studying the verse in First Corinthians for some time, "what does it mean about laying by in store the first day of the week?"

"The first day of the week is the Sabbath, and that is a fitting time to consider how G.o.d has prospered you and to lay aside your offering."

"I think if I had a box and saved tenths I'd like to do that way," said Marty. "I suppose papa could give me my dime just as well Sat.u.r.day as Monday. I do believe I'd like to belong to that band and give some money to send Bibles and teachers to the heathen."

"Oh! do, do join our mission-band," urged Edith. "You'll like it ever so much," and she went on so enthusiastically telling how delightful it was, that Marty at once decided, if her mamma approved, she would "join"

at the very next meeting. Of course she could not have been so constantly with Edith without already having heard much about the band, but she had never been so interested in it as this morning, and was now very anxious to go to the meeting the coming Sat.u.r.day.

"I'll run right home and ask mamma," she said.

CHAPTER III.

MARTY GETS STARTED.

"O Mamma!" cried Marty, bursting into her mother's room, "may I have--"

Then she stopped suddenly, for she saw her mother was sitting in the rocking-chair with Freddie in her arms, evidently trying to put him to sleep. He looked around when Marty came in so noisily, and Mrs. Ashford said, in a vexed tone,

"O Marty! why do you rush in that way? I have been trying for half an hour to put Freddie to sleep, and have just got him to lay his head down."

"Now I will lay my head up," Freddie announced, and sat up with his eyes as wide open as if he never meant to go to sleep in his life.

"I'm so sorry, mamma," said Marty, "but I didn't know he'd be going to sleep at this time."

"It is sooner than usual, but he seemed so sleepy and was so fretful, I thought I would just give him his dinner early, and put him to sleep before our lunch."

"Maybe he will lie on the bed with me, and go to sleep that way, as he did the other day," suggested Marty, who was always very ready to make amends for any mischief she had caused. "Wont Freddie come and lie down beside sister?"

"No, no, no!" said Freddie, shaking his curly head and pus.h.i.+ng Marty away with his foot.

"I'll tell you a pretty story," said Marty coaxingly.

"No, no," said the little boy.

"Pretty story about the three bears."

At this mention of his favorite story Freddie began to relent, and presently stretched out his arms to Marty. Mrs. Ashford put him on the bed, and he cuddled up to Marty while she told him the thrilling story of the Great Huge Bear, the Middle-sized Bear, and the Little Small Wee Bear; but long before she came to the place where little Silver Hair was found, Freddie was fast asleep.

"What were you going to ask me, Marty?" inquired her mamma, when they were seated at lunch.

"Oh, yes!" said Marty, in her excitement laying down her fork and twisting her napkin. "I was going to ask you if I might have a box to put tenths in, and if I mayn't belong to the mission-band."

"I thought you didn't want to belong to the band."

"Well, I didn't before, but I do now. I didn't know till this morning how nice it is. Mrs. Howell and Edith have been telling me all about giving money systematically, and showing me verses in the Bible; and so I thought I'd like to give some of my money, and go with Edith to the mission meeting next Sat.u.r.day, if you will let me."

"Of course you may go if you wish."

"And may I have a box to put my money in?"

"Yes."

"Where shall I get it?"

"I'll give you one," said Mrs. Ashford, laughing. "Will that cardinal and gilt one of mine be suitable for the purpose?"

"_Will_ you give me that beauty? Thank you ever so much," and Marty flew around the table to kiss her mother.

When they went up stairs Mrs. Ashford got out the pretty box, and, at Marty's desire, wrote on the bottom of it, "Martha Ashford," and the date. Marty, after excessively admiring and rejoicing over it, made a place for it in the corner of one of her drawers. Then she consulted her mother how to begin with the tenths.

"I haven't any of this week's money left," she said--in fact she seldom had any of her weekly allowance over--"but I have twenty-seven cents of my Christmas money yet. Had I better take a tenth of that, or wait and begin with my next ten cents?"

Her mother thought it would be best, perhaps, to keep the twenty-seven cents for "emergencies," and begin the tenths with the next week's money.

"But one penny will be very little to take to the meeting," said Marty.

"How would it do to put in two more as a thank-offering for something or other?"

"That is a very good idea."