NOVEMBER: COURAGE

Tell the story of the first Thanksgiving, and of the first winter of the settlers in Massachusetts Bay. Read the letters of John Winthrop to his wife.

Tell the story of Abraham and Isaac, dwelling on the faith and fearlessness of Abraham and the words: "God will himself provide a sacrifice."

GRENFELL

Dr. Wilfred Grenfell was born in 1865, in England. He was an energetic boy. He and his elder brothers made a flat-bottomed canoe, and in it they explored the river near their home, sometimes sleeping out all night in order to be ready early to shoot wild ducks. Soon he became interested in the study of zoology, and by and by he learned to stuff heads of moose, caribou, walrus, and polar bears, white seals and Arctic foxes. When he grew up he decided to be a doctor, and went to the part of London where very poor people live, to study and to help them. One day he was attracted by a huge crowd going into a large tent. There were sounds of singing, and he went in to find out what it was all about. It was a church for poor people, and the preacher gave a splendid talk to them. As Dr. Grenfell came out he thought: "My own religious life is a humbug. I will either give it up or make it real. Religion is not a thing. to be played with or taken lightly."

The time came soon after this for Grenfell to decide whether he'd "go into practice and make a lot of money or try to do what good he could do." After he'd met the great preacher Moody, he decided that he'd rather do the latter. And just then Sir Frederick Treves, who

was both a surgeon and a daring sailor, invited Grenfell to go to Labrador and fit up a hospital ship to help the fishermen and their families who live on that stormy and desolate coast eleven hundred miles long.

Within three months Grenfell had nine hundred patients. He found the people of Labrador desperately poor; so he raised money and started not only a hospital ship but a saw-mill, a seal boot factory, and wellrun trading-posts. Dr. Grenfell himself traveled in the winter of 1905 fifteen hundred miles with his dog-teams and twice as far in summer in his boat. He is not only a doctor and a minister to the people; he is a carpenter, a navigator, and a judge.1

Tell the story of Adrift on an Icepan, by Wilfred Grenfell (Houghton Mifflin Co.).

DECEMBER: BEARING ONE
ANOTHER'S BURDENS

Write a Christmas story telling of an act of great generosity, or of some present that really cost a great deal to the person who gave it.

Read: "Little Gottlieb," by Phoebe Cary.

Learn: "The Pilgrim Fathers," by Felicia Hemans. Learn:

THE CAPTAIN'S DAUGHTER 2

BY JAMES T. FIELDS

We were crowded in the cabin,

Not a soul would dare to sleep,

1 Further details can be found in Grenfell of Labrador, by James Johnston, and in Labrador: the Country and the People, by Wilfred T. Grenfell (Macmillan). This last book has many good photographs.

2 From Whittier's Child Life (Houghton Mifflin Co.).

It was midnight on the waters,
And a storm was on the deep.

"T is a fearful thing in winter
To be shattered by the blast,
And to hear the rattling trumpet
Thunder, "Cut away the mast!"

So we shuddered there in silence,-
For the stoutest held his breath,
While the hungry sea was roaring,
And the breakers talked with Death.

As thus we sat in darkness,
Each one busy with his prayers,
"We are lost!" the captain shouted,
As he staggered down the stairs.

But his little daughter whispered,
As she took his icy hand,
"Is n't God upon the ocean,

Just the same as on the land?"

Then we kissed the little maiden,
And we spoke in better cheer,
And we anchored safe in harbor
When the morn was shining clear.

THE LEGEND OF ST. CHRISTOPHER1

There was a mighty man living in the land of Canaan. He was so strong and could carry such heavy loads that he was called Offero, meaning the Bearer. Offero was proud of his strength, and said he would serve no one but the greatest king on earth. So he found a rich and 1 Adapted from The Book of Legends, by Horace E. Scudder (Houghton Mifflin Co.).

JARY

powerful king and served him. But one day he saw the king tremble at the name of Satan. Offero asked the king why he trembled.

"I tremble," said the king, “because I fear Såtan. I make the sign of the cross that he may have no power over me, for he is as wicked as he is strong."

"Dost thou fear him?" asked Offero. "Then I will leave thee and seek him, for I can serve no master who is afraid of a greater.'

Then Offero left the king and sought Satan; and Satan welcomed Offero into his service.

"Come with me," said Satan, "and thy service shall be easy and pleasant."

By and by they came to a place where four roads met, and by the wayside stood a cross. When Satan saw the cross, he turned in great haste and led his army away.

"What is this cross?" asked Offero, "and why dost thou avoid it? Tell me or I will leave thee.'

Then Satan said: "I fear the cross because upon it Christ hung, and I fly from it lest he destroy me."

Then Offero left Satan and went in search of Christ. After many days he came upon a holy man and asked him where he should find Christ. The holy man said:

“Thou art right. Christ is the greatest king on earth or in heaven. But it is no light thing to serve him. He will lay great burdens on thee. And first thou must fast."

"I will not fast," said Offero, "for my strength makes me a good servant, and if I fast I shall be weak."

"Besides thou must pray."

"I know not how to pray, neither will I learn," said the proud giant. Then the holy man said:

"Wilt thou use thy strength? Find out some broad, deep river with a swift current, so swift that men cannot cross it."

"I know such a stream," said Offero.

"Then go to it and help those who struggle with its waters. Carry across on thy broad shoulders the weak and the little one. This is a good work and it may be that. Christ will be pleased."

Offero was glad to be given this task. He built a hut on the bank of the river, and whenever any one tried to cross the stream Offero gave him aid. Truly he was The Bearer, for he carried many across on his shoulders, so that not one was lost. For a staff he used a great palm tree which he had plucked up by the roots.

At last one night as he was resting he heard a voice like that of a weak child saying,

"Offero, wilt thou bear me over?"

He went to the bank of the river, but he could find no one. He went back to his hut and lay down. Again he heard the same voice. Then he lighted a lantern and went out to search the country about. Now he came upon a little child who begged him: "Offero, Offero, bear me over to-night."

He lifted the child up and placed it on his broad shoulders; he took his stout staff and began to cross the flood. But all at once the winds blew, the waves rose, and there was a roaring in his ears as if the great ocean were let loose; the weight on his shoulders bore him down more and more until he feared he should sink. But he held firmly to his stout staff, and at last reached the other bank and placed his burden safely on the ground.

"What have I borne?" cried Offero. "It could not have been heavier if it had been the whole world."

Then the child answered: "Thou didst wish to serve me and I have chosen thee as my servant. Thou hast borne not the whole world, but the king of the whole world on thy shoulders. Thy name shall be Christoffero, the Christ bearer.'