W.H. Thrall, Amour, Dak.
* * * * *
Not many weeks since, the Congregational Sunday-school of Ithaca, N.Y.,
sent us forty-five dollars towards the education of an Indian girl at
Santee Agency, saying "we expect to make it seventy dollars." The story
"How I Became A Golden Missionary," tells how they did it. It is a clear
case of evolution. If any of our young people do not know what evolution
is, they can learn how to start one by reading
HOW I BECAME A GOLDEN MISSIONARY.
My birthplace was in a very Superior region, as for millions of years I
had dwelt near Lake Superior. My superior quality almost defied the arts
of man. I first became conscious of existence when being liberated from
my copper prison. I was, as I heard men say, ninety per cent. pure
copper. Up to this time I had never been disturbed, but now sounded
sharply the click of the hammer upon the cold chisel that rudely
separated me from all that had been most closely associated with me. I
heard men say that I was to be made over; and I was transported far away
to a place where I was exposed to fierce fires, and without suffering I
was made to assume a liquid form. I was then poured into a mold from
which I came out, verily, a new creature. I was very bright and
beautiful, shining and glowing, as if still retaining in myself the
fires that had transformed me. I now discovered that I had a new name,
for they called me "One Cent," and gave me this motto, "In God we
trust."
I heard it said that I was a tool to assist in civilization, and I soon
found myself aiding men in commercial transactions. I had manifold
experiences and, like most useful people, found that while age increased
my usefulness it subdued my glitter. At last, after many, many years, I
fell into the hands of a Sabbath-school Superintendent with a missionary
spirit, and by him was distributed with many of my companions to the
children of his Sabbath-school, with the injunction to multiply. I fell
into the hands of a boy who undertook to help me in a business way
which should tend to my rapid increase. At the end of a fixed period I
and my companions were to be returned to the Superintendent with our
respective gains; and then, after relating our experiences, we were to
be sent forth as missionaries to the Indians. Before this, my aims had
been simply to aid in commerce, with no definite plan before me, and
like all who have no fixed purpose, I drifted here
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