THE boys who lived in England fifty years ago, I do not think were half as rich in toys and picture-books as most of my young friends are now.
Lessons, too, were not made so interesting as they are at present, when puzzle maps, and play grammars may be found on the shelves of almost every nursery bookcase.
Still there were many good schools, and though the law of England did not then, as it does now, provide a fair amount of education for every British child, yet it was beginning to be thought a disgrace, even for poor people to allow their children to grow up without knowing how to read and write. But things in Persia were far worse than this; there was not a single girls' school to be found all through the country. Perhaps you will ask how was that, did not the girls do lessons at home? No, for I regret to have to tell you their mothers were quite unable to teach them, being themselves very ignorant.
But how did they spend their time?
I will tell you. The women and girls worked in the fields or vineyards, looked after the sheep and cows, carried heavy loads, and did all kinds of rough out-door work.
Many of these poor people were Christians in name. They did not worship idols like the heathen, nor kneel down and say prayers before images or pictures of the Virgin Mary, or Peter, or Paul. But they had no true knowledge of God or of Christ.
For some years kind Missionaries had been preaching the Gospel among them, but they had not seen much fruit of their labors. A few boys had been taught in the Mission schools, but most of them after leaving school and choosing wives from among the poor neglected girls of whom I have been telling you, seemed to forget all they had been taught. One of the Lord's servants, feeling it was time something should be done for the girls, wrote to a friend in America asking him if he knew of a christian lady who, from love to Christ, was willing to leave her pleasant home and all her friends, take a long journey by sea and land to Persia, and open a school, where those girls might hear of the Lord Jesus and His love.
The letter was put into the hands of FIDELIA FISKE, and her whole after life was her answer to it.
From first reading it, the Lord put a great desire into her heart to work for Him among the women and girls of Persia. She was quite willing to leave the happy home and go to live among strangers, but one thing stood in the way. Her mother was a widow, and Fidelia was the only child. Could she spare her much-loved daughter? Would she say, Yes, when her consent was asked? At first the thought of parting from Fidelia was a great trial, but before long she was able to smile through tears and say, "Go, my child: and may the Lord bless and keep you.”
When Miss Fiske arrived in Persia, she set to work, before attempting to teach others, to learn the Persian language. Soon after she wrote to a friend in America: "I cannot tell you that I am getting on very fast, but I know a few words. The first Persian word I learned was daughter, then I learned the verb, ‘to give:' and so I began by asking the people to give me their daughters, and I am praying that God may make them willing to let their little girls come to our school. So I hope soon to be able to tell you I am really at work among the girls of Persia.”
Miss Fiske's was to be a boarding-school. The scholars were to live entirely with their teacher; only removing to their own homes for the holidays.
At last the day fixed for opening the school came. Miss Fiske, you may be sure, was ready in good time; but at nine o'clock not one girl had arrived. Miss Fiske felt very disappointed, but she just told the Lord all about it, asking Him to send her some scholars, and before long one of her friends was seen crossing the school-yard with a little girl in each hand.
Miss Fiske went out to meet them with a bright face, and words of welcome for her pupils; the man who had brought them said, "Take these two girls and begin your school, let them be your daughters and teach them all that is good for women to know.”
So Miss Fiske's school was begun, but before the end of the first week, six girls had been brought to her, and others soon followed.
Poor Miss Fiske, I think she must often have felt very sad and lonely during the first year of her SCHOOL KEEPING IN PERSIA; for her little scholars were often very naughty and trying. We must remember they had not been taught in their homes to be obedient or kind to each other. Indeed, at first they hardly seemed to know how wrong it was to tell untruths or to steal, and when their kind teacher told them how displeasing to God such conduct was, they would answer, "In our country everybody tells lies, and we know they steal, why should not we?”
All this grieved Miss Fiske deeply, for she really loved her scholars, but it led her to pray much that the Holy Spirit might shine into their dark hearts, showing them their need of a Savior. One morning Miss Fiske put some black pins she had brought from America, on a cushion in her room. Before evening they were all gone. Miss Fiske felt quite sure no one but her girls had entered the room, so calling the scholars together, she told them of her loss, asking them not to add to their fault by hiding it. She then questioned them one by one. But all said they had not taken or even seen the pins and one little girl was even bold and naughty enough to say, "God knows we have not taken your pins.”
Miss Fiske was much grieved, but said gently, I think God knows that you have taken the pins, now I wish all of you to kneel down while I ask God to show me where they are. Perhaps, added the kind teacher, "God may not see it best to show me now, but I feel sure He will some day.”
Without a word the children knelt down, and Miss Fiske prayed; as she rose from prayer, it came into her mind to search for the pins in the small cloth caps, or turbans, all the girls wore. She told them her intention of doing so, when one little girl, holding her cap very tightly with both hands, cried out, "Do not look in my cap, no, not in mine!”
Of course, hers was the first searched and the pins found in her cap so nicely hidden away that only their black heads could be seen.
This was the last serious case of theft in Miss Fiske's school, for after that, if a new-corner stole anything, her companions would say to her, "Run, Saetie, or run, Kera, and put that in the place you took it from, or God will tell our teacher you have stolen it.”
And as the little offender always took the advice of her companions and restored the stolen property, cases of dishonesty soon became a thing unknown among Miss Fiske's scholars. The little girl who had taken the pins from her teacher's cushion, was one of the first to give her young heart to the Lord Jesus, and grew up a happy Christian girl, and a great help to Miss Fiske in the school.
From the time that her pupils began to show any real interest in the word of God, Miss Fiske was often asked to go to their homes and tell the sweet story of a Savior's love to their mothers and elder sisters. Her own account of some of these visits is very interesting. Perhaps I may tell you about it in my next chapter.
As Mary sat at Jesus' feet,
To learn His sacred will,
We in the Savior's presence meet,
To hear His doctrines still.
Oh for that meek attentive mind,
Which happy Mary show’d;
May we that "one thing needful" find,
That was on her bestow'd.
'Tis here we learn the glorious Name,
Of God who reigns above;
And while we read the sinner's shame,
Are taught the Savior's love!
Lord I while we thank Thee for the grace
That sends this happy news,
We still would sit in Mary's place,
That "better part" to choose.