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+*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44658 ***
+
+  HISTORY
+  OF
+  ORRIN PIERCE.
+
+  [Illustration]
+
+  WRITTEN FOR THE AMERICAN SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION, AND
+  REVISED BY THE COMMITTEE OF PUBLICATION.
+
+  Philadelphia:
+  AMERICAN SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION,
+  NO. 146 CHESTNUT STREET.
+
+
+_Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1847, by_ THE
+AMERICAN SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION, _in the Clerk's Office of the
+District Court of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania_.
+
+
+
+
+ORRIN PIERCE.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration]
+
+The cottage where Orrin Pierce was born stood by the side of a clear
+bright stream not far from the sea-shore. This cottage had a thatched
+roof, and was surrounded by a plain fence.
+
+Orrin's mother was very fond of flowers, and the little yard in front
+of the cottage was filled with many beautiful plants and shrubs; some
+of them were trained up about the upper window and around the door. A
+marten's house stood on a post one side of the cottage, where three
+twittering birds built their nests in safety.
+
+Everybody that passed Mrs. Pierce's house, looked at it with pleasure,
+and some even stopped to admire its neatness and comfortable appearance.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+[Illustration: Noah.]
+
+Mrs. Pierce was an excellent woman; she feared God and instructed her
+little son out of the Scriptures. Before he was old enough to read,
+she used to read to him about the creation of the world; and before he
+was four years old, he could tell a great deal of Scripture history.
+He knew about the temptation and fall of man; the story of Noah; the
+deluge; the history of Joseph; the account of the Israelites in Egypt;
+the plagues sent upon Pharaoh; the departure of the children of Israel
+out of Egypt; their journey through the wilderness, and their entrance
+into the promised land. He also could relate the story of Daniel; of
+Israel, and many other accounts from the Bible.
+
+Those who do not read the Bible are ignorant of some of the most
+interesting and important parts of the world's history.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Sometimes Mrs. Pierce would walk out with little Orrin, and she always
+used to talk with him, so as to improve his mind. She would make him
+observe the works of God, and tell him of the wonders of Creation.
+Orrin was very fond of going to the sea-shore, and when he had been
+a good boy his mother would go there with him. He always took with
+him a basket to put his shells in, for there were many shells on the
+beach. His little dog, Dash, always went with him, and when Orrin threw
+a stick into the water, Dash would plunge in, and swim after it, and
+bring it to his little master.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Often during the summer, when the evenings were mild and pleasant, she
+would walk in the fields with Orrin, and they would sit down to enjoy
+the beauty of the scene. The calm, full moon, shining above them, shed
+a soft light on all around. Sometimes a cloud would pass over it and
+hide for a moment its brightness, and they would watch for it as the
+cloud moved on, and it would suddenly burst upon their sight; on such
+occasions, Orrin used to repeat some passages of Scripture to his
+mother, giving thanks to God, who made the moon and stars to shine by
+night.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Orrin loved very much to see the different animals, that are for the
+use of man. He liked horses and cows and dogs very much, but best of
+all he liked the sheep and lambs. There was a field not far from his
+mother's cottage where a flock of sheep were often kept. He used to
+watch the shepherd taking care of the sheep, and when he noticed how
+readily they followed him, he thought of the words of Christ, "My sheep
+hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." He also remembered
+that this harmless animal was employed as a type of Christ, who is
+called "the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world."
+
+[Illustration]
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Mrs. Pierce gave her little son a place for a garden, which the
+gardener used to dig up for him. She gave him different seeds of plants
+and flowers. She bought him a shovel, a rake and a hoe, of a suitable
+size for a little boy. Here he used to amuse himself for hours. He had
+one tree in his garden which would not thrive, though he had bestowed
+much labour upon it, but finally he determined to remove it. Indeed the
+branches were many of them dead. He told his mother he was reminded of
+the passage in Luke xiii. 6, 9, for he had waited long for fruit, but
+found none, and he was going to remove the worthless tree.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+[Illustration]
+
+On a pleasant afternoon, it was very delightful to walk in Mrs.
+Pierce's garden. Orrin's garden spot was as neat and in quite as good
+order as his mother's. The roses were so fragrant, and the various
+colours of the numerous flowers so pleasing to the eye, that all
+admired who beheld them. The butterflies roamed from flower to flower
+undisturbed: the humming-birds and bees took their portion of the
+sweets, and pretty singing birds fluttered among the branches. Mrs.
+Pierce used often to point to the beautiful lilies, and say to Orrin,
+"Consider the lilies, how they grow, and remember the instruction they
+give."
+
+[Illustration]
+
+[Illustration]
+
+You may be sure Orrin was early taught to pray; and that he was careful
+never to forget or neglect this duty. He did not wait till after he
+was in bed, either, but kneeled down before he became sleepy, so that
+he might pray with the understanding. He used to pray for a new heart,
+so that he might love holiness and hate sin. He also prayed for the
+forgiveness of his sins. Sometimes he prayed when he was in the field
+or on his way to school, when he thought he should not be observed.
+He thanked God for all his mercies, but more than all for the gift of
+the Saviour; and when quite young, he could repeat many very pleasing
+verses about the love of Christ for this sinful world.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+[Illustration]
+
+One day when Orrin was on his way to the Sabbath-school, he met a boy
+going across a field with a kite in his hand. He did not know the boy,
+but he knew he was about to commit sin, so he asked him if he would
+not leave his kite and go to the Sabbath-school. He opened his book
+and showed him where the lesson was, and told him that he would be
+much happier in learning to keep God's commandments, than all his
+kite-flying could make him. The boy thought so too, and was willing to
+take advice, so he hid his kite behind the fence, and went with Orrin.
+We should try to do good to all as we have opportunity.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+[Illustration]
+
+The next day he met the same boy flying his kite. He stopped as Orrin
+approached him, and said, "I thought yesterday when you asked me to go
+to the Sabbath-school that it was a pity to give up flying my kite,
+because there was such a good wind, but to-day the wind is just as
+good, and I have had a fine time with my kite." So he lost no pleasure,
+but gained much good. Orrin stayed a while and played with this boy,
+and told him he hoped to see him again at Sunday-school; and so he did,
+for he continued to attend regularly from that time.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Orrin's mother was almost sorry when he was too old to be kept at
+home under her instruction. She felt afraid that when he began to
+be more from her watchful care he might become more like those boys
+whose company she had always directed him to avoid. He was very fond
+of study; and his teacher soon noticed him as a boy who would be an
+example to the school. He was always in his place when the bell rang
+for nine o'clock, and his lessons were well learned. His mother was
+much pleased with the accounts she received from his teacher, of his
+good conduct.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+[Illustration]
+
+When Orrin was about fourteen years old, he met with the greatest
+affliction that could have been sent upon him. This was the death of
+his excellent mother. She was sick for a long time, and had a very good
+physician, but God did not see fit to restore her to health, and she
+was quite ready to submit to His will. Her only anxiety was for her
+son, and even this care she was able to commit to the Lord, who has
+promised to be a father to the fatherless. She talked much to Orrin,
+and told him that she had trained him up thus far, in the way he should
+go, and charged him not to depart from it.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+[Illustration]
+
+A great number of friends and neighbours followed Mrs. Pierce to the
+grave. She was greatly beloved by all who knew her, but none could
+mourn for her as her poor afflicted boy did. When he saw his mother
+laid in the grave, he felt as if he had not a friend on the earth.
+True, he had neither sister nor brother. His father died when he was
+an infant, and now his precious mother was taken away. But God could
+supply to him all that he had lost, and be to him more than all earthly
+friends, even one who would never leave him nor forsake him.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Day after day, Orrin went to the graveyard, to visit the tomb of his
+beloved parent. He used to take with him the Bible, which they had so
+often read together, and read those passages which she delighted in.
+He was much comforted by these words of the Lord Jesus Christ, "I am
+the resurrection and the life. He that believeth in me, though he were
+dead yet shall he live, and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall
+never die. The hour is coming in the which all that are in their graves
+shall hear the voice of the Son of Man, and shall come forth; the
+followers of Christ to enter into heaven, and his enemies to be cast
+into hell."
+
+[Illustration]
+
+[Illustration]
+
+After his mother's death, Orrin went to live with a kind uncle, a
+brother of Mrs. Pierce, who lived a great distance off, so that Orrin
+went there in a ship. Then God raised up a friend for this orphan-boy.
+His uncle had a little daughter much younger than Orrin, whose name was
+Jane. As he never had a sister, it was very pleasant to have such a
+little companion as Jane. His aunt was very kind and affectionate to
+him, but no one was like his mother. Though he was very sad for a long
+time, he tried to overcome such feelings, and, by dutiful conduct, to
+show his kind uncle and aunt that he was grateful to them.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Jane had not received as much instruction as Orrin had, and he was very
+happy to tell her some of the things he had heard from his mother. One
+day, he and Jane were walking in the garden, and they stopped by the
+bee-hives to watch the bees go out to gather their stores, and return
+laden with sweets.
+
+Orrin told Jane many curious facts about bees, which instructed her
+very much. He told her that they were always busy, and would not
+allow an idler to live in the hive. Orrin and Jane also attended
+Sunday-school together.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Jane used to walk and play in her father's garden, but she did not
+have one of her own. Her father used to tell her she might look at the
+flowers, but that she must not pick them, as she would injure them. But
+when Orrin came he gave Jane a garden by herself in which her cousin
+worked, and they both kept it in order, and it was a great pleasure
+to her to pick flowers whenever she liked. She used often to gather a
+pretty nosegay for her mother. Orrin used to say when he looked at her
+flowers, why even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of
+these.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Many boys who have been taught by pious mothers to pray to God in
+childhood, when they become older forsake the law of their mother. They
+begin to think it is well enough for children, but not needful for men;
+but this was not the case with Orrin. He remembered what Solomon says
+of a mother's counsel: "When thou goest it shall lead thee; when thou
+sleepest it shall keep thee; and when thou wakest it shall talk to
+thee." Orrin read his Bible daily, and continued to pray to the God of
+his mother, and he kept in mind her instructions and always tried to
+act as he supposed his mother would wish.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+[Illustration]
+
+From the time he was old enough to behave properly, Orrin went to
+Sunday-school. He was in a room where only the little scholars
+attended, and they were taught by a very kind lady. She taught them
+from Scripture-cards, and they could say and sing many beautiful little
+hymns. He could also answer all the questions in a simple catechism.
+When he could read well, he went into the larger school, and was put
+into a class with some boys larger than himself. Some of them did not
+behave as well as Orrin did.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Orrin's mother loved to see her little boy play at proper times. She
+did not always require him to be studying, or reading books. When he
+went to play she was careful that his mates should be good boys who did
+not take the name of God in vain, or use coarse and vulgar language,
+or quarrel and fight. She told him always to treat his mates kindly,
+to be just and fair in his sports, and at all times to "do unto others
+as he would wish others to do unto him." She reminded him that "even a
+child is known by his ways," and that "cheating play never prospers."
+
+[Illustration]
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Wherever there is a library of useful books, a young person can gain
+a store of knowledge. Orrin was very fond of reading, and his uncle
+gave him the liberty of reading in his study, whenever he wished to do
+so. There Orrin spent many hours, gaining useful knowledge; and as he
+had a very good memory, he found, many years after, much use for the
+instruction he received in this way. Solomon says, "Get wisdom, get
+understanding, take fast hold of instruction, let her not go, keep her,
+for she is thy life."
+
+[Illustration]
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Those who have read the history of this good boy, will like to hear
+something of him as a man. He became not only a respectable, but a
+useful and pious man. He was a kind friend; he warned and reproved
+those he found doing wrong. When a man, he was as fearless in
+reproving sin as he was when a boy. If he saw a young man profaning the
+Sabbath day, he kindly warned him of his evil way and would invite him
+to go with him to the house of God. His example was, also, a silent
+teacher of all.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+[Illustration]
+
+You will not be surprised to hear that Orrin became a Sunday-school
+teacher, nor that he knew how to teach in a way to profit his scholars.
+They all loved him very much, and never were absent from school unless
+they were sick. Here he is, just returning from Sunday-school. Two of
+his scholars are with him; they have their library-books in their
+hands. How orderly they walk by his side, talking with him about the
+lesson. It is a great blessing to have such a teacher.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+[Illustration]
+
+This picture may remind us of Orrin, for we may think of him as
+walking by the water-side with a friend. Perhaps he is speaking of the
+occupation of Christ's disciples, when he called them to preach the
+gospel. They left their ships and followed him. He is pointing to
+the church amid the trees, and says "I too would preach the gospel."
+No doubt he would make a useful minister of the gospel, for from his
+youth he has known the Scriptures, which are able to make him wise unto
+salvation. He may be thinking of Christ's words, Go ye unto all the
+world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+[Illustration]
+
+After much thought upon the subject, and having taken the advice of
+friends, Orrin determined to be a missionary. He went to bid farewell
+to the scenes of his childhood. He visited the cottage where he was
+born. He stood by the sea-side, where he had gathered shells, and
+listened to his mother's instructions; he walked in the fields where
+he had seen the lambs. And as he stood thinking over his days of
+childhood tears fell from his eyes, but they were tears of gratitude to
+God, for having given him a mother who taught him to love the service
+of God.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+[Illustration]
+
+He at length goes to make known the way of salvation to those who
+never heard of a Saviour; to poor ignorant pagans, who worship idols,
+the work of their own hands. Many, like him, have gone to tell the
+perishing heathen of Jesus, who is the way, the truth, and the life.
+May all such reap a rich reward, and turn many to righteousness. May
+God incline the heathen to cast away their senseless idols, which have
+eyes that see not, and ears that hear not, and enter upon the service
+of Him who is worthy of all their love.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of History of Orrin Pierce, by 
+American Sunday-School Union
+
+*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44658 ***