Anecdotes & Incidents Of The Deaf And Dumb Part 9

BUXTON.

The Entertainments given on Tuesday in the Pavilion by Deaf and Dumb children from the Inst.i.tution at Derby drew large audiences. The children looked bright and happy, and their personal appearance was a sufficient indication that they were taken good care of at the Inst.i.tution. Mr. Roe gave some interesting ill.u.s.trations of teaching the dumb to speak on the oral system by placing the youngest girl on a chair and explaining how sounds were produced. Mr. Roe asked various questions as to names and objects orally, to which answers were instantly given in the same way. The Inst.i.tution at Derby is an excellent one, and the Committee of management deserve the warmest thanks for what has already been achieved, and we hope will be materially a.s.sisted in north Derbyshire by all christian people who have at heart the welfare of an afflicted cla.s.s of society.--_Buxton Advertiser_, Sept., 1884.

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One of Her Majesty's Inspectors of Schools recently visited the Inst.i.tution for the Deaf and Dumb at Derby, and says the children wrote some texts which pertinently answered some questions on religion which were given to them. In answer to the question "Who made the world?" a little girl at once wrote on the blackboard "In the beginning G.o.d created the heaven and earth." The second question was "Who are sinners?" One of the boys wrote "All are sinners and have come short of the glory of G.o.d." A little Irish girl was then asked "How do you hope to be saved?" The child wrote "This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ came into the world to save sinners." In answer to the question "What does the Bible say about the righteous?" a little girl wrote "The righteous are as bold as a lion." The last question proposed was "How can you show your love to Jesus?" when one of the pupils at once wrote "He says if ye love me keep my commandments."

HER LATEST AND BEST.

A little girl was admitted to a Deaf and Dumb Inst.i.tution, and in due course, before she had obtained a thorough knowledge of language, learned "Little Jack Horner." Two nights afterwards, when the deaf and dumb pupils were kneeling at prayer, they were surprised to see this little girl kneel down and earnestly repeat "Little Jack Horner." It might be said she was offering the latest and best thing she had.

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THE LITTLE DEAF AND DUMB PREACHER.

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In a small town in Germany lived a locksmith and his wife, to whom G.o.d had given one child, a girl, who rejoiced the hearts of her parents as she grew up strong and happy. But the father longed for a son, and G.o.d heard his prayer, and a boy was born to him. Now indeed there was joy in the home; but their happiness was soon saddened, for the child was found to be deaf and dumb. He was otherwise a beautiful boy, with large blue eyes. What could they do for him but pray?

"Ah, if only the Lord Jesus was here now," spoke the father once, "how would I seek Him, and bring our child to Him; how would I pray Him to lay His hand on our dear child, too, and give him hearing."

"And I know He certainly would," the mother answered.

"But the Lord Jesus is with us, though we see Him not; let us entreat Him for our child."

At length the boy was three years old. His eyes were full of intelligence, and he seemed to understand everything around him. The G.o.d-fearing habits of his parents had a great influence over him. At family prayer the mother held the little one on her lap, his hands clasped together, and when the father asked a blessing on their frugal meal, the little child would also stand behind his stool, and would never taste a morsel before it was asked.

It was advised that the boy be placed under the care of a famous physician in a neighbouring town. The father would leave untried nothing possible for the welfare of his boy, and so very soon set out on his journey. The sun was already set when they reached their destination.

Then the father took the boy's hand, and they went together to a relative's who lived in the town. But what a different home from that which the boy had left: the relative did not believe in the Word of G.o.d, but only thought of pleasure and doing according to his own wisdom. So long as the father was with him the child was content. He would not move from his side, and at night slept locked in his arms. But the father could not stay long; pressing business compelled his return home. His departure was very sorrowful for the child, and the father felt it no less.

At length the dinner time came. All was prepared, and the family gathered round the table, and with a good appet.i.te began the meal. But the dumb child sat not; he stood behind his chair and waited. The others told him to sit and eat, but he understood not. His lips were speechless, but he made signs that they should pray. The people understood him, but would not show they did. Then the child ran to each, and, with a supplicating look, tried to clasp their hands together. A feeling of shame came over them. They wished to quiet him, but dared not try. Should they pray? They had never done it, but the child waited.

At length the wife stood up, then the husband, and then all the others, for they did not know what else to do, and the wife prayed, with trembling voice, "Lord Jesus, come to our meal and bless it, and grant us Thy mercy."

Thus did the dumb child become a holy messenger, and, though he was speechless, witness for G.o.d where He was entirely forgotten.

But how was it with the child? Was his coming so far any use? Was he cured? No; the doctor could do nothing for him, and he remains speechless still. But later he attended a deaf and dumb inst.i.tution, where he learnt reading, writing, and arithmetic, and many other useful things. Above all, he has learnt to know for himself the Lord Jesus, and to be resigned to the affliction G.o.d has laid upon him. He still lives, and is a G.o.d-fearing young man, and the joy of his old parents. He has learnt the trade of bookbinding, and can well support himself. Speaking with his sister of the old times, he said in the deaf and dumb language, smiling, "Ah, G.o.d has made me deaf and dumb that I should preach of the holy Jesus."

A NAVAL CHEF D'EUVRE.

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Gervase Murray, a deaf and dumb young man, the son of a poor widow living at Balbriggan, has just completed a miniature merchant ship, which in mechanical structure, symmetrical build, and neatness of finish, is not probably surpa.s.sed by anything of the kind to be seen in Ireland. It has been minutely inspected by competent judges, who a.s.sert that its _tout ensemble_ a more perfect piece of ingenious workmanship they have never seen; nor could the most experienced ship carpenter do more justice to the various compartments, appendages, and riggings than has its mute architect, with but very indifferent apparatus--a penknife, a file, and a bradawl being the princ.i.p.al instruments employed in the work. It measures exactly six feet from the figure head to the helm, and is precisely the same extent in height from the top of the mainmast to the keel, the width being of proportional dimensions. The materials are all of the best description, are tastefully polished or painted where necessary, and are so exactly fitted in every part as to baffle the detection of any conspicuous fault whatever. It is fully manned with a crew of little wooden men, and officers in uniform, and completely equipped with boats, capstan, blocks, hawsers, cables, davits, cat-heads, bars, bolts, buckets, chocks, compa.s.ses, and even three bra.s.s cannons; in short with everything that may be seen in a large ship. She bears the significant name of "The Star of the Sea." Had he been able to exhibit it, as he intended, at the late Dublin Exhibition, there is no doubt that it would have attracted considerable attention, which perhaps might have led to a substantial recognition of merit having been awarded to a poor dumb youth, the chief support of his widowed mother, as a well-deserved recompense for the patience and native talent displayed in the construction of this tiny chef d'euvre of naval art, which must have given him an immense amount of trouble and anxiety during the two years he has been engaged in building it.--_Irish Journal._

ALEXANDER FERGUSON, THE FAMOUS DEAF AND DUMB SWIMMER.

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Alexander Ferguson, a dock mason of Dundee, (though now in employment at Irvine), has rescued forty-seven persons from drowning--one paper says fifty-one--in the Tay, Forth, Clyde, Dee, Tyne, Mersey, Wear, Ayr, Irwell, Calder, Humber, and other rivers in England, Scotland, and Ireland. He is thirty-nine years of age, and made his first rescue when about ten years old. We have before us accounts cut from the newspapers and other publications, from which we give the following particulars of some of the rescues and swimming feats:--

At Troon Dock. One Sunday a boy, who was playing with his companions at the quay, missed his footing, and fell into the harbour. Alexander Ferguson, observing the occurrence, pulled him out in a very exhausted condition. A purse of 15 was presented to him.

At Ayr Harbour. A boy named William M'Lean, aged 12 years, fell into the water and was just disappearing when A. F. leaped into the water and rescued him.

At Androsan Harbour. A boy named Robert Bodman, aged 10 years. He was rewarded with the sum of 16 by merchants and gentlemen.

At Llanelly Harbour. A boy named Francis Cornwall, 10 years old.

At Towey Dock. Richard Pearce, 11 years of age.

In the Camperdown Dock, Dundee. Alexander Yule, 10 years of age.

At King William Dock, Dundee. James Anderson, a bricklayer.

At Devonport Dock. A girl named Victoria Napier, 10 years of age.

At Dundee Pier. A boy named Alexander Robertson, 10 years old, for which he received the rescue medal of the Forth Swimming Club and Humane Society (1864.)

At Falmouth Dock. Sarah Armstrong, 11 years of age.

At Lime Dock. Oliver Markham, 7 years old.

At Maldon Dock. A girl named Jessie Brown, 12 years of age.

At Camperdown Dock. Mr. Alexander Doig, merchant of Forfar.

At Swanage Dock. A girl named Catherine Bruce, aged 14 years.

At Portcawl Dock. A boy named Albert Jones.

At Exmouth Dock. A girl named Alexandrina Nelson, 14 years old.