USA > Ohio > The Western Reserve of Ohio and some of its pioneers, places and women's clubs, Vol. I > Part 14
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"What help would that be?" said Mrs. Rose. "Oh, it settles one's brains they say. It was in daylight, so there were no stars to guide him. People do not know what they are coming to when they settle on a claim."
"Will they stay there?" she asked. "They are the kind that don't move around. She has nice furniture in the house. Her husband is going to get a railroad to come that way, so as to have neighbors."
Mrs. Rose said: "I was once in the gallery of the United States Congress and it was 'District of Columbia Day,' and a charter was asked for a street car to some place and they argued: 'People would not go where it was not convenient to live. The street car would bring the people; they must have a street car first.' The other said: 'Get the people and have them ask for a street car, for after we give the franchise the people may not go.' That is your case it seems."
"Yes, it is; it takes heroic people to settle the West. Many a woman grows so homesick for society she really dies." "Have you heard of the postoffice mission?" said Mrs. Rose. "No, what is it?" she replied. "I was in Boston three winters and boarded where the family of the superintendent of the Sabbath School of Rev. M. J. Savage were, and the wife of the superintendent was sending magazines to all whose names and addresses she could find. It is a charity of Unity Church. There was a stall on the street where for five cents you could buy magazines that were sold for thirty-five when new. These she would buy and send West to those who needed good reading.
"Let me tell you one circumstance. A paper said: 'Some of the hop-gatherers were living in the big trees. I have seen
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them, they are big enough for a good sized room.' They sent that family some literature.
"She soon got a letter from a German. He wrote: The family of hop-gatherers have moved out and I have taken pos- session. I do not know where they are so I will keep the liter- ature sent and I shall enjoy it.'
"When Christmas came she sent him a mince pie and Christmas pudding, besides more magazines. I read his reply. It was: 'I cannot eat your mince pie and pudding because it has brandy in it. I forego all intoxicants. Nor could I conscien- tiously give them away. I am a refugee, and after exhausting my means, took up the work of a hop-gatherer. We got fifteen cents a bushel and then the price of hops was raised but not on wages. I wrote to a paper of San Francisco saying, when the price of the goods went up the laborer should receive his pro- portion. The proprietors found out I wrote it and now I have to leave. I am going to Mexico. I think I can make a better living there, but I do not know my destination. So thanking you for your kind intentions, I say goodbye.' "
"Oh, dear," said the lady, "greed, greed, greed, the world over. I shall go back to Galena, thankful the world goes as well with me as it does." She bade goodnight and took her sleeper berth.
When in Chicago, after a breakfast at the depot, she at- tempted to find the three Christian Scientists whose addresses her niece had given her. One had come from England with President Charles G. Finney. He was out of the city. She then went to see a couple who had written a book called "The Right Knock." She bought the book of them. She then went to see Mary Hopkins, on Indiana Avenue, noted for her deep piety and success in pointing out the narrow way.
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A number of persons were in a side room waiting her pleasure, but as soon as the letter of introduction of Mrs. Rose was read, she asked to have her come in. Seated at a table, with a desk on another side, she said: "Tell me about yourself, for with all your getting you must get understanding." Mrs. Rose then related her experience in Denver with her sprained ankle and how, with consecration of its use to the Lord, it was healed. She said: "I can do nothing for you; go right on as you are doing and your work will be made clear to you."
"Is this all?" said Mrs. Rose. "That is all."
She passed out bewildered. "Why did I not wait to hear from her? How I plunged into that story to let her know I could have faith in God. Oh, well, I will forget all about it," and as she saw a pile of books for two cents each, she purchased a whole series, called the Elvizer Library, and enjoyed reading them from that time to this.
When in Boston the following winter her niece made her a subscriber to the Christian Science Monthly. It was published on the same street on which she lived. She passed the place every time she went to the sub-station postoffice. Some of the articles were very clear and analytical, therefore she thought she would call on them and learn more of this mysterious cult.
When she rang the bell, an elderly man appeared and she gave him her card and told her errand. He said: "Madame, those ladies with the initial you speak of have been in a sani- tarium and I could not give you their addresses. It is useless for you to try to see them. I am going to quit my paper. When I do, I will send you what is your due." Which he did after one more number.
Mrs. Eddy was advertised to speak in a hall on Tremont street. Mrs. Rose attended. The house was about half full.
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Mrs. Eddy read the scripture and a Rev. Coleman from Iowa delivered the sermon. She had on a dress of jet.
The sermon was on the punishments we inflict on criminals. The padded cell is worse than the tortures of the Spanish In- quisition. he said "I went to a prison cell and told the attend- ant to let me be in one, fifteen minutes only. The darkness was appalling. I lost my bearings immediately and waited with baited breath until he should open the door. It seemed as if every act of my life passed before me. When he did open the door I said 'Why did you forget me?' and he showed his watch: it was but fifteen minutes."
Father Chinechy of the Romanist Church was at A. J. Gor- don's Conference, and gave a talk in which he said: "The time is ripe for a Reformed Catholic Church. After I was made a priest, I told the Bishop that I could never hear the confes- sional; none but God was able to hear it or direct anyone in his life. And he said: 'I was that way at first, but you will get over it in time.' "
"Then I said: 'I got some of those servant girls to make me wafers, and told them this is the very body of Christ. Now, Bishop, you know we do not believe it. What is the use of saying so? It is a symbol, and that satisfies the human mind.' He did not agree with me. There are two hundred priests that have come out with me and we will stand together and have a Reformed Romanist Church."
He sold his book for a dollar. Mrs. Rose was sorry she did not buy it, but she did not have the money with her. She al- ways gave to the lady of the boarding house her check from home, and got of her when necessary.
Joseph Cook was president of this convention. His monthly lectures in Tremont Temple were largely attended. The "Al-
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trurian," published by him in Springfield, O., has made the lib- eral sentiment of that place. He said that day: "I was a skep- tic or Agnostic; I wanted a sign that there is a God. I went into the fields and said: 'Oh, God, if there is a God, I will give my life to thy service if thou wilt manifest thyself to me; forgive my sins for I do sincerely repent of them. I will be led by Thee. Deliver me from evil; forbid that I should be led into tempta- tion,' and such a peace as came into my soul and has remained with me ever since. I could not believe it, if I had not experi- enced it. If we will let him, God will plan our life and give us his truth, to proclaim to the world."
Dr. A. J. Gordon gave his experience, and Mrs. A. J. Gor- don told of a visit they made in Edinburgh, Scotland, and were entertained by a lady whose daughter was a returned mission- ary from China, and she said to Mrs. Gordon: "I long to go back to China; a woman is treated as an equal in the church there. She can rise to any office and she can fill it satisfactorily. Here you feel your inferiority, you are expected to have thoughts, but never mention them, and the conventions are stilted and unin- teresting. Is it selfishness or fear that puts this ban on the church? The Gospel translated in the language of those people has the freedom of the apostles, and it will be the converts from those nations that will convert the world in a way it will stay converted."
Dr. A. J. Gordon had a large class of Chinamen taught in his church Sabbath afternoons. They desired to learn the lan- guage as well as know the doctrine of Christ. Each scholar had a teacher. These Chinamen were well behaved, had American dress and but a few had on the queue. They were laundrymen or barbers, and it is these men in our cities who have written home of the advantages of American civilization, that has changed the sentiment of China.
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Thomas Babington Macauley was the first one to see the handicap of that nation in its caste system. He, in 1852, wrote out a new criminal code and wanted England to enforce it. As it then was, the coolies, or work people, had to endure the most severe punishments, while the Brahmins, because of their caste, were not punished, only fined.
Macauley, also, while there as an ambassador, proposed that the English introduce the English language into the colleges of Calcutta and other cities, for, said he, they would then stand on a footing with our own schools. Now their classics or myth- ology is most absurd. Heaven is first surrounded by a sea of molasses and then by a sea of milk. Nervana, or absorption into God, is the future of all souls.
The -Life and Letters of Thomas Babington Macauley are full of his efforts to give them broader views of life. He said: "I am writing not for 1852, but for 1952, a thousand years hence." What may we not see accomplished? "Men now run to and fro in the earth," carrying the news of what has been suc- cessful to the race. That is what is said by one of the prophets.
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE IN DENVER, COLO
Christian Science has taken a deep hold on Denver. It be- gan in this way. A lecturer on the subject went to a lead- ing woman and said: "If you can restrain your lost boy and re- turn him to you through 'absent treatment,' would you be willing to learn, through my lectures, how to do it?"
One, who had a son, she knew not where, said: "Yes, that is proof it is of some worth." Therefore a course of lectures was given and before they were finished that woman's lost boy returned home. He said: "I do not know why it was, but I could not keep my parents and home out of my mind. I knew mother was sorrowing for me, and so I came to tell her I was all right."
Another, whose husband had learned the love of liquor, or rather its stimulant, said: "If you can help him overcome the habit I will believe; he learned it when he was a chaplain in the army."
His church was open to all classes and that Sunday a lady preached in his pulpit. He was beloved by everybody; he was saved from the love of strong drink by this "absent treat- ment." Another said: "My husband was given chloral and whis- key by a physician to make him peaceful under reverses in busi- ness, but he hated it; he knew it would lead him to perfect lack of self control." He said to his wife: "Are there any men, who are Christian Science doctors? If so, send me one." He gave him "absent treatment" and he was better, but as his fortune seemed slipping away, his wife feared he would take it again. They were invited to a dinner in compliment to Mrs. Rose. The
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business man refused to go. Mrs. R. said to his wife: "Get your science doctor to give him 'absent treatment.'" "Now? It is no use, it is time to start." But she said: "I will go, it is not far away, I will be back in a minute." She went and met the young lady at the porch; she looked at her watch and said: "Ten minutes of six; I will begin right away."
The next morning he said: "I had to wait in a chair for the barber to be through with a customer and thought 'I must go to the drug store; it is ten minutes of six and the dinner is at six-thirty,' and then such a sweet sleep seemed to envelop me I just could not go." The next day he resumed his business as usual.
"It is these things," said Mrs. Chevelier, who was there to Sunday dinner, "that has spread the belief in Christian Science. I want you to go to our meeting at three, Sunday afternoon." She went.
There were about twenty present. After singing a familiar hymn, each rose and gave some reason for the faith that was within him. On going home Miss Chevelier said: "What do you think of it?" She replied: "It is an old fashioned Holiness meet- ing; I have been in them several times." Miss C. remarked: "I gave my heart to God for three years before I really did it. There was always a little reservation that God would not ask me to do anything peculiar. I wanted to be like the people around me. I had a man-fearing spirit."
That is the way of us all. Even when Moses led them away from idolatrous nations they wanted to go back to Egypt. The very humility of a Christian prevents him being a leader. And the rich give to be seen of men and to be voted into office by men. It is very discouraging to God Almighty. He must see the soul is worth saving or he would not have patience with its back- sliding and its love of the world.
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Miss C. said : "When I once gave up all for Christ to be led by his Holy Spirit, such freedom came to me I wanted all the world to know it. It is delightful to have all your work planned for you. Your opportunities and how to fill them. Christ went into the Mount, and opened his mouth and the Word spoke the beatitudes through him. If he had not been willing to open his mouth, even the Heavenly Father could not have spoken it to the world.
"Do you notice how Moses was told to 'Say unto the children of Israel?' He was the mouthpiece for the great Jehovah. God appeared as an angel to Abraham and had walked with Adam as a man in the Garden of Eden, and if he had not sinned, it might have continued until this day."
Mrs. Rose said: "It seems strange so few enter into this rest. So few let God have his way with them. So few have the experience that leads them, not to trust in themselves, but in God. That slaying of the Egyptian by Moses led him to see how his temper might lead him to commit murder and made him humble."
"Did you ever read the life of Madame Guyon?" said Mrs Rose. "No, I have not," said Miss C. "I have just come in pos- session of her book called Torrents, where she says, some are so in earnest in this consecration to God they sweep by every ob- stacle, they rush like torrents into the sea, and are, as Christ says, 'I and my father are one, his will is my will.' Others are like mountain streams that slip into some shady nook or into some lake and are used for ships of merchandise. They are the secular church, good to promote its finances, through labor of their hands, but know nothing of letting the God of harvest provide the funds through thank offerings for benefits received."
L
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Let me tell you a little about this book "Torrents." When in Boston I attended the Kneeland Street mission and sent some books to our little church. A lady said: "They are giving away books because of removal. I got 'Power through Repose,' by Anna Payson Call. She went to the store and was told they were all gone, except that of Madame Guyon's "Torrents." She took twelve. Her trunk had gone on the train, so she put them on the seat beside her in the car.
At Binghamton, those in her car were put in another, where were a company of soldiers. She took out one of the books, it had a yellow cover, and was reading, when a soldier opposite asked for one of the books. Then all asked for one. She gave them away until but two were left. The conductor took one. He said: "Madame, these are religious books. I want to tell you a story. I have been on this train many years. There was often an accident. I came near losing my life once and I was awfully profane. I could not help it. It was a habit. They called me 'swearing Joe.'" The soldiers came as close as they could to hear him.
"I thought I would go to a little red schoolhouse in Ver- mont, where I used to live, and get converted. So the next vaca- tion I started and Sunday night I went in there, where were not more than a dozen people, and I said: 'I want you to pray to God for me. I want Him to forgive my sins and help me to serve Him.' They prayed and I prayed and I felt my sins for- given. I came back to my train. I did not have any inclination to swear. I talked to the men and one big fat conductor said: 'Joe, what if I should die suddenly, where would my soul be?' I told him to give himself to God 'But I cannot. The words I say, but I do not do it.'
"One morning his train hit a frog out of place, the car was
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turned over and he was thrown to a distance. I ran to him and he said: 'Joe, what shall I pray, tell me, my soul is leaving me.' And I said: 'Say this, 38th Psalm, 21st verse, Forsake me not, Oh, Lord; Oh. my God, be not far from me.' It was all I could think of. Do you not believe God received his soul?" said the conductor.
The soldiers returned to their seats, except two. One said: "We have many books in the soldiers' barracks. I do not know of any religious books except the New Testament. We are going to St. Louis to take the place of soldiers ordered to the far West."
When they left the car at Hornelsville, every soldier was on the platform to bid goodbye to us, with a lifted hat. May God bless that little book of Torrents to them. The loneliness of a soldier would be overcome with this faith and true happiness would result, but too often he is made to think that liquor, gambling and wine will bring relief and he finds to his sorrow they do not.
I was once at a Soldiers' Home in Washington and waiting in front of it in a carriage, I said to the sentry: "Do you some- times wish you were at home or could see your mother?" He replied: "I have no home but this one. I have no mother. I have no wife or children." But she did not want to say: "Who are you?" The Hessians that are brought up like that are the sons of soldiers called illegitimates, though they are true to one girl.
In one city in Europe there are 65,000 born every year and are put in orphanages and in hospitals, if need be, where stu- dents can have practice without being interfered with. What a desolate life is the soldier's; if for no other reason, we should have arbitration and abolish the standing army.
FIRST M. E. CHURCH, COR. EUCLID AVENUE AND EAST 9TH STREET
AID SOCIETY EXCURSION TO LONDON, ONTARIO
When Mr. Rose was mayor he and wife were invited to spend the evening with Mr. and Mrs. William Bowler. They had as guests the mayor of London, Ontario, Mr. Beltz, a mer- chant of that town, and their wives.
When leaving, the mayor said: "We will give you a ride at 10 o'clock tomorrow and show you the sig ts of our city." The great avenue so famous for its yards and palatial resi- dences, they had already seen, so they visited the reservoir, the water works and the Rogues' Gallery. Mrs. Rose was curious about this latter; it was a new phase ( f life and she called at- tention to the lack of symmetry in the faces, the squint eyes, the protruding jaws, the thick neck and said: "These fellows are not normal. We should have a school of manual training and books, and send them to it, for first offences or for those under twenty years of age. It is a pity they must carry the memory of a jail with them all their lives."
This was before the time of a Juvenile Court. When about to bid goodbye at the curbstone of the City Hall, Mrs. Rose said to them: "Our First Methodist Church has planned an Aid So- ciety excursion to your city. We can cross the lake on a little steamer and have a day there." This had been proposed and the president had consented, as they wished something new. The Aid Society had earned $6,000.00 for the new church, mostly by giving dinners at the State Fair.
In a week they had a letter from Mayor Lewis of London, Ontario, saying: "Our people will give you a royal welcome when your Aid Society visits our city. Let us know a few days before hand." She hastened with the letter to the president,
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Mrs. Cook, and said: "Oh, it was given up; I meant to have told you; there might be a storm on the lake, but I will give the let- ter to our pastor and he will see what the rest of the people say." The next Sabbath, after benediction, Rev. Mr. Brooks, the pastor, said: "I wish you would stay and hear this letter that has been written to us." He read it to a houseful. Im- mediately Jacob Lowman said: "I move we accept the invita- tion." It was seconded and passed by a unanimous vote.
"When shall it be?" said the pastor. "Two weeks from Wednesday next," said some one, who was then in consultation with others.
"All in favor of two weeks from next Wednesday, rise." The whole house rose. Then the pastor said: "A committee to get rates and give tickets had better be stated now." They were named; one was the president of the Ladies' Aid Society, Mrs. W. P. Cook.
"The Saginaw" was a small steamer that ran out to Port Stanley every evening, leaving at three o'clock. When the day arrived a heavy thunderstorm prevented many from going, for it occurred about noon. Even then 250 were on board and also many who had not attended that church, but wanted to see Lon- don, Ont. One of the prominent citizens said to those who sat in the cabin: "You are seasick. They say to dance helps seasick- ness." He went through the forms but the rest giggled and soon all retired to their staterooms, except those who had to have cots placed on the cabin floor.
When they arrived next morning at Port Stanley, two gentlemen were on the dock. Mrs. Rose recognized them at once as Mayor Lewis and Mr. Beltz, the merchant. They came on board and she introduced them to the Superintendent of the Sabbath school, who took them in charge and went the length
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of the car, introducing them to everyone. (Mayor Rose was in Europe ) .
When at London they formed in procession and marched to the church for breakfast. There was never so good a break- fast. Four long tables in the Sabbath school rooms; a lady to, wait on every ten, seated. Every kind of warm meat, and hot, bread, tea, coffee and vegetables, pie, cakes and cheese.
When it was finished, they were seated in a large auditor- ium and had a welcome from every church of the town for all were invited to this conference; our own pastor and lawyers were surprised. Just then, one and another came to Mrs. Rose and said: "Who shall go to Mayor Lewis' for luncheon? We have that at private houses." She gave first one name and then another and they would return and say "They are engaged." At last she said: "Take this one in front of me, and his daugh- ter; he is wealthy and good, but don't talk much." This they did and soon they took carriages.
Mr. Beltz's house, where lunch was served for them, was a dream. As you entered, four rooms were seen, red, green and white were the colors. Carpet of white, covered with vines of green and flowers of red; all rooms with the same carpet. The paint was a white enamel, the wall paper a pink with border of red roses. The long table, in view from the front door, was also in white and red, red cherries, red tomatoes sliced, at each plate, red geraniums in silver-and-white vases and the whole was cheerful to a great degree. The young folks who went with us called attention to all the decorations and wauld say, "How pretty; we must do like this some time," and so on, for an hour.
We went into the garden and there, against the yellow brick wall of the house and barn, were frames of window-sashes reaching to the roof, with white grapes hanging in clusters on
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vines under them, not ripe, of course, but would be, if you gave them time. They, then, took a carriage for sight-seeing, past the college and to the home of a member of the Canadian Par- liament, Mr. Carlin. This was a bungalow in a forest with lawn at the side, a low one-story house, with wide porch full of settees and large pretty cushions.
They went down to the golf grounds and tennis court and found, alas, that to leave on the 5 o'clock boat they must not stay for a game. It was a most cordial greeting and every one felt, "What can we show them when they return this visit?"
When they reached the church the procession had formed, each had a bouquet and had a lunch. After a hasty one, our company joined the crowd and at parting said to them, "It was the best outing they ever expected to have."
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