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Doing Something
Helping Someone
Cutting Somewhere
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■ LEGEND Of tHE ROBIN.
By Lena Carolyn Ahiers.
. If you were an Indian child, you
might hear a pathetic tale about the
birth, of the robin that we love sO
well- Nearly all Indians believe in
foisting, so one day an old Indian
chief sent hisyoung son to the woods
to. go.^for. many days without food
ihe longer an Indian can go without
* food, the braver and better warrior
the other Indians think, he will make;
so there is much competition among
the young folks in starving them
selves. Day after day the Indian boy
wandered through the , forests with
out eating, getting weaker every day
and seeing strange visions, but he
refused to take any food. His father
wanted- him to be a great warrior,
and he wished to please the old chief.
At last he grew so weak that he
could no longer walk about, so he
sat still under a large tree, and the
voices he had been hearing grew
stranger land nearer. The boy grew
still weaker and had to lie down,
but still he would not eat, and at last
he died. Then in gratefulness for the
indomitable spirit that thie little
. Indian boy had shown the Great Spir
• it turned his soul into a robin, and
away flew the bird, joyously singing:
♦'Cheerily, cheer up; cheerily, cheer
up.M 1
The children in Austria hear a
beautiful legend of the robin which
probably refers to the robin red
breast so often mentioned in English
poetry. This is a smaller bird than
the American robin and has more
brilliant plumage and belongs to the
warbler family instead of the thrush
family as our robing do. All Austri
ans believe that hawthorne and
blackthorne were used to make the
* wreath of torture worn by Christ on
the cross. In the spring the haw
thorne is so thickly covered with
white blossoms that the long, cruel
spikes can hardly be seen, but they
make terrible wounds. As Christ
was carried on the cross of Calvary
with the crown on his head a little
gray bird fluttered down to him and
pulled out the. thorn that was stick
ing Him in the brow. The great thorn
pierced the breast of the bird, ting
ing itg feathers with) red, and that
is why the robin has worn its red
breast ever since.
No bird is more loved by the poets
than the gentle, joyous robin, and
Saany poems have been dedicated to
him. In a census taken by the United
* States government it was found that
there are even more robinsi that
English sparrows in this country.
They have made a wide range, breed
ing from Mexico to Alaska, and win
ter migrations take them as far soutl
&g Gautemala. If food is plentiful anc
the weather not too rigorous, the:
are permanent residents; otherwis*
March, October, and November seen
to be thieir favorite months of migra
tion. They are among the first birdi
to come back to the north in th<
springtime and among tbe very las
to leave.
Robing received their names in quit,
a' strange way. It is said that tb
early colonists named them after th
cnly family described in tbe “Babe
in the Wood," one of their favorit
ctories at that time. John Burroughs
the great naturalist, called the robii
) “the most native and democratic” o
■* American birds,' No bird has lea
>, airs, more social ways, and such j
cheerful nature as the robin. Hov
air and Whole but of doors* vi
brates with his whole-souled joyous
neas, especially in the springtime!
- •
The American robin averages ten
inches in length, measued from beak
to tail. The males have attractive
crange-red breasts), which, contrast
nicely with their olive-gray upper
parts brownish wings, and black
heads. White markings on the throat,
tip of the tail, and below the tail
give the added touches of dainty
trimming. At all seasons except the
fall* the female weara, a duller col
ored garb, but in autumn the birds
are dressed exactly alike. In Sep
tember robins molt, and then for a
short time' thdj* are ^Bngless and in
active. But soon they come back in
their new clothes happier and more
active than ever. At all times rob
ins are voracious eaters, but most
of their food is made up of wild
fruit, insects, worms and other de
structive bugs and larvae- Few birds
are a greater help to the farmer, so
the robin would be strictly protect
ed.
While Mr. Robin Is nearly bursting
his throat with his beautiful song of
'’Cheerily, cheer up; cheerily, cheer
up” both birds build the nest, usually
in the crotch of a tree. Apple trees
seem to be their favorite nesting
places, and the little home is made
in a cup-shaped form of straw, rags,
paper and so forth, cemented togeth
er with mud. George Cooper has de
scribed the building of a robin’s nest
very beautifully:
‘ How do the Robins build their neats ?
Robin Redbreast told me.
First a whisp of amber hay
In a pretty round they lay,
Then some shreds of downy floss,
Feathers too and hits of moss
Woven with a sweet, sweet song •
This way, that way, and across.
That’s what Robin told me.”
Unlike most families bf birds, both
parents share in the hatching of the
three to five blue-green eggs, and
both feed and take care of the young
birds. It is surprising how hungry the
babies always appear to be, but they
eat such a great amount of food that
in twelve days they are nearly as
large as the parents. For the first five
or six days! the ugly downy-covered
babies have their eyes closed tight.
The youngsterg learn to fly very
soon, long before they have tails, and
the large babies look funny following
their parents still begging for food.
Two and even three broods are rear
ed in a year, so Mr. and Mrs. Robin
have little leisure, but they always
seem happy.
Stronghurst, 111.
CHURCH PAYS OFF MORTGAGE.
By Mrs. L. D. Ferguson.
I have been reading of the great
v/ork bf our Zion churches and what
they are doing. I wish to say some
thing of our church which is Hourse
phapel. We have been pasttored by
some of Zion’s best men, such as
Revs. J. S. Nelson, C. M... Joshua,
D. W. Tillman and others); and have
been many years burdened with a
mortgage, yet our faithful members
stuck together trying to get rid ol
this burden. Shortly after General
. Conference our pastor was transfer
red. We were surprised and wonden
ed, what we should do. We heard
[ one saying, “work on, I will be witl
r you all.” There words were earnest
5 ly spoken by Rev. C. H. Edward
t and our faithful Christian member,
. with their leading captains put oi
, lalles, raised and paid the balanc<
, clue on the mortgage. We are cryinj
t out, the-mortgage is paid. We hav<
fought a good fight, and now we ar<
looking forward to raising our gen
' eral claims, and to entertain our nex
annual conference. Under the leader
' ship of Bishop B. G. Shaw we ar<
3 bound to succeed in Florida.
« Pensacola, Fla.
r , :
E Guide us in Thy way, O Lord
} and mercifully show the fountain o
| wisdom of oar thirsting minds; tha
_ we may be free from sorrowful heav
. Iness, and may bring in the sweet
ness of life eternal.
■- 1 ’ — -*—
World of Women.
Edited By Miss Mary. L. Mason.
HAGAR UNBOUND. T,
As • marvelous as are radio, aero
planes movies and a thousand other
latter day inventions which ! might
name, none of these can equdl one
which nature freely bestowed upon
each normal individual, the marvel
ous 'faculty of imagination. By
mean® of it let Us journey back to a
remote age, and an ancient civili
zation. Stand with me where the
fertile plains of Mamre border the
arid desert, and behoid silhouetted
againstt the glowing colors of a gor
geous oriental sky, the figure of an
African slave woman, bearing a jar
of water, on her head, a loaf under
one aria and tenderly Clasping the
hands of a lithe, dju^-eyed, £oy. Seer
bef*\urn* 't»lowl7 away from the fer
tile fields and the happy tents to
ward the arid desert, with its bound
less freedom and its unspeakable
privations. It is Hagar, eternal type
of the bondwbman,—devoted, ex
ploited, abandoned.
We tarry not; painful sympathy
wings pur departure. Swiftly across
the centuries we fly to a new age
and a' new clime, where men dream
cf a new and happier social order.
But a new Hagar is here also; far
from home and loved ones, dumb
with the anguish of a severe bond
age among bard taskmasters, who in
the language and customs are well
nigh incomprehensible.
But she struggles on and up to a
kind of bodily freedom bought with
Mood and tears t until within the last
decade she has found herself stand
ing beside her fairer sister on the
threshold even of political opportu
nity.
China—Her Womanhood.
China is now in the spotlight of
nations. A great nation, comprising
one fourth of the world's population
is at war. The destinies of the larg
est group of women In the world is
at stake. What a spectacle they pre
sent,! These women who. perforin as
laborers and stevedores Home of the
hardest work in the world; who rear
the largest families; wjho' usna^y
have no happiness in th$Ir marriag
es; who look forward to becoming
mothers-in-law and rulers in ti e
households of their sons before as
serting. any individuality.
What will they do when women of
the world begin to find them among
the active factors in the life of their
country and the world?
Already they have organized to
fight for the young China movement;
they, are studying in the world’s fore
most universities; they have become
skilled medical practitioners. They
have demanded to be the one wife of
one husband. Keep your eye on the
womanhood' of China.
Astounded ^America, holding ajai
the door of larger opportunity to
woman, gasps—the white woman may
enter, ye3( but this Hagar—shaU
she too enter? 13 she worthy?
In subsequent passages of this se
ries we shall consider her claims
under the title of HAGAR UN
BOUND.
Washington, D- C.
BISHOP JONES IN GEORGIA.
_,—--i
By MP«. O. L. Burk*.
Dr. E. D. W. Jones recently vis
ited the South Georgia conference
The members and friends of Jone;
chapel A. M. B. Zion 6hurch o
Harlem, Ga., were highly favorec
with hi8 presence Thursday night
Sept. 18th, accompanied by the pre
siding elder, Rev. J. S- Campbel
■ of the Athens district and also Rev
1 T. H. Huff of the Baptist church
1 Bishop Jone8 preached an excellen
1 sermon which was highly ajpprecial
1 ed and enjoyed by'all.
• He made a lasting impression o:
! all both Methodists and Baptists
s Remarks were made by the presidin
elder. A small douation was give
b to the bishop as an appreciation
‘ Bishop Jones then gave a Ipcture o
5 the need of the Church work in Ge<
gia. He has won the love and n
spect of all the people in this stat
-where he has been.
He is the right man in the rig!
I> place; and we pray for God’s bem
diction to resit upon him and hi
1 family wherever he may go. An
‘ tfe hope that he will be with us agai
•ftta very early dat^s •
Harlem, Ga.
m
REVERENCE
Planted in Childhood
will
Bear Fruit in Manhood j
in
BETTER LIVES
i NOBLER aTIZENS |
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON.
Edited By Dr. 1. Frauds Lea.
LES80N IV—Oct. 26, 1624.
THE 8TILLING OF THE 8TORM
1. Golden Text: Wlio then is this,
♦hat even the wind and sea obey
him? Mark 4:41.
2. Memory Verse: Even the wind
and the sea obey him. Mark 4:41.
3. Time: A.. D. 31.
4. Place: The Lake of Galilee.
5. Leading Thought: Who stills
the tempest in our lives?
6. Historical Background: *
There were, while Jesus was on
earth a thousand opportunities to
show his real character to those
whom he sought to hold and train;
and Jesus made the beat of them
from time to time.
And how on the Lake of Galileo
while the disciples are rowing over,
with Jesus in the boat asleep, thfere
arises a mighty storm. The disciples
rowed a little with all skill at their
command. But fa the teeth cd the
storm they mads no progress,.
Remembering: that Jesus was
aboard, they sought help of him.
And as one Master of the raging
storm, he rebuked, and a calm fol
lowed . .
7. Topical Outlines.
I. The disc'pies’ departure, v. 35
3G.
II. The storm at sea, v. 37-38.
IH. Jesus rebukes the storm, v.
S9-41.
The Lesson Exposition’
A. Tne Di8cipfes? Departure.
Perhaps after tlie feeding, the
Master is anxious to avoid the mul
titude; and so in order to escape
them, he leaves the place and goes
across the sea; or at least directs
his disciples. Being weary of the
journey, he falls asleep in the boat;
thus his human nature gave away
as in the rest of his brethren.
B. The Raging Storm. Matt. 8:
23-27; Luke 8:22-25.
Storms at sea are natural, and es
pecially so in Palestine. It is said
that often a storm arises in a very
moment and sweeps with fury across
the lake.
Having done their best, having
exhausted every means at their com
mand, and having failed to bring the
3hip to land, they seek Jesus., Master,
carest thou not If we perish? He re
buked the wind. No mere man could
have assumed such a task, and cer
tainly no mere man would have en
deavored to calm the sltorm, com
manded the &ea to cease its roaring,
and bade it to be peaceful. Peace,
be still. And there was a calm. No
mistake could have been made by
the writer; for. he got his informa
tion, no doubt from Peter, for whom
Mark wrote the thrilling story of the
life of Christ. And was great calm.
We must ri*k in this case, the cor
rectness of the statements made, or
human testimony, the testimony pf
those who were eye-witnesses of the
incident. Peter was in the crowd,
and perhaps, told it to Mark, Who
made this record.
C. Rebuking the 8torm.
Thus; the Master rebuked the storm,
and there came, as reported by Peter,
and recorded by Mark, a calm. Why
are ye so fearful? Notwithstanding
the presence of Jesus, the disciples
were fearful. There is always some
awful dread in the elements of na
ture, water, wind, fire; these wild el
ements oftentimes overawe ns and
frighten us, even as they did the dis
ciples 'at sea. And as they did, we
jamiiy
ALTAR
too, often forget the presence of
Jesus,.
How is that ye have no faith. In.
these words Jesus gives the ground
ctf their flight; they were lacking in
faith and this is the cause of their
fear. They feared exceedingly. The
incident added confusion, and while
they are now out of the storm, they
have more concern now than while
in the storm. Perhaps their fright is
founded upon conscious unworthi
ness; for these sinful men felt them
selves in the presence of the God,
for they exclaimed: What manner of
man is %Hs, thht eVSn the sea obey
him?
THE WASHINGTON DI8TRICT
CONFERENCE.
Rev. W. M. Spaulding
The Washington district confers
ence, W. H. and P. M. and V. C.
E. Societies, of the North Carolina
conference WaB highly entertained by
the.good people of Hookerton circuit
(N. C.), September 17-19. These
people lived up to their former repu
tation as entertainers. They were
marshaled by that wide awake pas
tor and presiding elder, Rev. T. S.
Msultsby. j ,
Revs. W. J. P. Moore, T. W.
Thurston, W- M. Spaulding, J. G.
Colling, and T. S. Maultsby delivered
sermons during the conference.
More time than usual was given over
to Institute work, in which the local
preachers and young pastors were
helped to solve their problems.
In a lengthy discussion on the pres,
ent day Class header, the sentiment
prevailed that be is largely respon
sible for spreading or retarding the
Ckureh. The complaint was made
that the present day class leader,
generally does not function as in the
days of old, and where this condition
prevails; the spirit and customs of
Zion Methodim are passing away.
Ministers and laymen alike were
urged to keep the law of the Church,
as handed down to us by the fathers
and revised by the General Confer
ence.
In the discussion on “Methods of
Evangelism,” it was admitted that
there is' a place for the evangelist,
who “brings them in” in large num
bers hut a larger per cent of those
who “stay” are brought in by pastor
evangelist, who “brings them in”
one by one’ through personal touch
and contact.
Dr. ¥m. Sutton, the famous
“Trenchman,” president of the
Eastern N. (C. I. Academy and pre
siding elder of the New Bern dis
trict, was1 there and told us about
“The Church School and Religious
Education.”
The Pall t^rm Is now open, with a
large enrollment. Students going
from this school to college, have no
trouble in getting credit for work
done here.
The churches in thiei district
were reported to ,be in fine shape.
Dr. J. C. Henderson is putting in a
new heating plant at Washington,
N. C.
Rocky Mount is looking forward
to a new church. At Tarboro, Dr.
T. W. Thurston is still following
up the Daapy Memorial Institutional
Church idea. This? church will bo
modern and ^suitable for the new Re
ligious Educational program, which
is destined to be the plan of opera
ton in the next generation.
Dr. J. S. Shaw is in the base
ment of a large brick edifice at
Greenville, N. C., and expects to
entertain the annual conference “TJp
Stairs” in November.
The circuits! are doing well and
are having good revivals.
An Unsolved Problem.
The committee oh Church Exten
sion wag asked for a plan to build
up Zion in a score of towns and vil
lages within the bounds of the con
ference where we have no church
Solving thisi problem will be our Con
ference Program” for the next year.
Dr- Lord and Mr. W. C. Redding
are the delegates to the. annual con
ference.
Rocky Mount N. C.
> 5atsk..!.
I