%images;]> LCRBMRP-T1213Little Dansie's one day at Sabbath school.: a machine-readable transcription. Collection: African-American Pamphlets from the Daniel A. P. Murray Collection, 1820-1920; American Memory, Library of Congress. Selected and converted.American Memory, Library of Congress.

Washington, 1994.

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 91-898186Daniel Murray Pamphlet Collection, 1860-1920, Rare Book and Special Collections Division, Library of Congress. Copyright status not determined.
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Little Dansie'sOne Day atSabbath SchoolByMrs. Gertude B. MossellPhil. 1902

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Copyright Applied for.

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MRS. N. F. MOSSELL.

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THIS little story is printed with the desire that it may teach some lesson of patient waiting and loving sacrifice.

The story is the outgrowth of the impression made upon the author by a sermon preached by Bishop Abram Grant, D. D., at Union A. M. E. Church, Philadelphia, May, '94, during the pastorate of Rev. J. Albert Johnson, now pastor at the Metropolitan Church, Washington, D.C. It has always proved of interest to the little ones at home, and to their playmates also. It of interest to the little ones at home, and to their playmates also. It is now given to a wider circle of little Sabbath School pupils with the hope that it may carry blessing with it.

Mrs. N.F. Mossell.

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CHARLES HICKS BUSTILL.

DEDICATED to the memory of a dear, loving father, the kindest and gentlest of men, who gave a life-time to the rearing of his two motherless little girls, and whose most earnest desire was that they should become loving, christian women, writing some word that might prove helpful in Sabbath School work.

By his loving daughter,Mrs. N.F. Mossell.nee GERTUDE E.H. BUSTILL.

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Little Dansie's One Day at Sabbath School

Out on a great cotton plantation a few miles from Atlanta, Ga., our little heroine first saw the light of day. Her parents tried to give her the advantages they had not enjoyed in their youth. One of the bright girl teachers at the academy who had been reading a French story at the time of her birth begged the privilege of naming the little new-comer Dansie, after some quaint personage that lingered in her memory.

The little girl lived a long way from church, but at last the morning came when Dansie was to go to Sabbath school for the first time. The sun never shone so brightly, the birds never sang so gladly their joyous notes as on that sweet May morning, Dansie entered the school room with a great deal of misgiving.

Would the children laugh at her poor clothes and at the little that she knew; would the teacher even be glad to see such a poor ignorant little girl as she was. All 00072, these thoughts chased swiftly through the little girl's mind, but at last she was seated in her place, and her troubles were ended, such a kind, pleasant greeting as she received made her feel quite at home.

A gentleman from a distance was speaking to the school from these texts, "Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends" and "Peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die." To some of the little pupils coming to Sabbath school was irksome, they had grown tired of the routine of even these slight Sabbath duties, but little Dansie was in the seventh heaven of delight, the kind faces, the bright pictures, the sweet music, but above all the kind voice of the pastor had charmed our little girl. The words he had chosen were so simple that she had understood them all. The illustrations of Jesus' love for sinners, the love of Jonathan for David, the friendship of Damon and Pythias, John Brown dying for the slave, all of these were recalled and fully explained to the earnest little hearers until poor Dansie's heart was full to overflowing with this lesson of loving kindness. Soon came the bustle of dismissal, the good-bye at the door of the little meeting house, and then the kind pastor took Dansie by the hand and went along with her to visit her father at his home. When she knelt by her little bed at night she asked Jesus to at his home. When she knelt by her little bed at night she asked Jesus to make her like those of whom 00083the good pastor had spoken, willing even to die for Christ. Dansie found, while listening to the conversation between her father and the gentleman, that her new friend had met with a great affliction, that although his voice still charmed the listener he was himself fast becoming powerless to hear the sweet music of loved voices around him. This thought pained our little girl greatly, but his loving spirit of resignation to the Master's will taught her a great lesson of patience and humility.

It was the morning of the Sabbath school's annual woods meeting. On this morning all the pupils were on hand promptly. Many before the opening hour were peeping in at the door with merry faces and wistful eyes.

This season they were to go to Chamounix. What a sweet name, thought little Dansie. Her whole life was so sweetly ordered that her very soul was attuned to the sweet sounds that came to her.

At last all, both teachers and pupils, parents and friends were on hand. The tickets had been given out, every arrangement had been made for the refreshment and amusement of the children, all was settled, the train was ready for its load of human freight, brimming over with happiness. Dansie saw Mr. Ellsworth talking to one of the teachers and smiled at him, but 00094was too shy to go forward and speak to him. Just then the bell rung. "All aboard," sang out the trainsmen. Such scrambling and jumping! The older ones tried to look carefully after their little charges, but so eager were the little ones that this proved quite a task. At last all were on board and Mr. Ellsworth waved his hands to the little flock and stepped across the track to speak to a friend upon the platform. He is returning to the excursion train, all are busy inside, but little Dansie is looking shyly at her new teacher when, with the quick eye of love she sees a train approaching rapidly from the opposite direction. Dansie sees it first of all. Mr. Ellsworth has his back turned toward the approaching train, and because of his affliction does not hear it moving toward him.

Quick as a flash the little girl leaps from the train, grasps his hand, pulling him forward, then he sees his awful danger and leaps aside, dragging Dansie with him. But alas! the little girl stumbles and falls, her dress catches upon the wheels of the swift flying engine, a cry of horror rises upon the air. It seems but an instant before the train is stopped, but poor little Dansie lies in the arms of her new dear friend, quiet and pale, the little form is all bruised and bleeding.

Strong arms carry the little sufferer over to the nearby hospital. It was a long time before consciousness 00105returned, and then all they could hear was the sweet voice murmuring "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life"--

All night long in the surgical ward of the great hospital Dansie lies moaning and tossing with pain, the faithful doctor sits by her side, the kind nurses move noiselessly about the long ward. The little sufferer grows more restless as the hours drag slowly by. Her kind friend, with his heart almost breaking with sorrow for the suffering of the dear little lamb, sits by her side hoping against hope that she may be able to recognize him, and that he may be able to say some word of comfort to her. As day dawns Dansie's eyes open wide. It seems to Mr. Ellsworth as if she must know him at last. "Dansie," he calls softly. She looks at him earnestly for a long time, and again the little hands begin to toss and the lips to murmur "Peradventure, peradventure," as if she were trying to make certain of its meaning. "Peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die." Then the sweet voice ceased, and the child lay in a soft slumber.

Before the evening came again it was all over, and the sweet child was in the arms of the Greatest Friend known to all human family.

It was Sabbath again, bright, beautiful and sunshiny, as it was the week before, but Dansie was not 00116in her little seat wondering how she would be treated, but still and beautiful she lay with the charm that comes to some faces even in death. Not a trace of pain is left, the same sweet smile of life. Down in her little coffined bed she lies, surrounded by the sweet flowers she loved so well, with a beautiful white dove with its wings outstretched, hovering over her, the grand tones of the organ swelling and falling, the voices of the little ones singing, "Yes, Jesus Loves Me," and then Mr. Ellsworth came and stood by the side of the little sleeper. His text was "And a little child shall lead them." His theme, "Little Dansie's One Day at Sabbath School." He showed to his hearers how this dear little girl had improved this one great opportunity to hear of God's love, how she had learned the lesson of self sacrifice; how she had learned the lesson of giving all for others, even her own beautiful life. He dwelt upon the patient, loving spirit, the bright receptive mind, and talked of the glorious resurrection morn of the beautiful, glorified spirit that they all knew so surely had gone forever to its God. And then he appealed to his hearers to take the lesson into their own hearts, give all for Christ, who lived and died for them. There was not a heart in the house that did not respond to his words, and when after a space of silent prayer he asked the unchristian ones present to come forward and test the love of this 0012Friend, who had lain down His life for them, the response was overwhelming, and such a revival as was begun then and there was never heard of before in that community.

Out in the prettiest corner of "God's Acre," in that little hamlet, they laid Dansie to rest, and carved deep in the beautiful marble pillar above her head were these words: "Dansie," and beneath it "Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends."