Under th e P a r s o n a g e R o o f b y A lt h e a S. M i l l e r RESPONSIBILITY
A rdyth prayed s i n c e r e l y , “ Dear Lord, let this be the last time I don’t get on the honor roll. I made it last report time, but not today. And Mommie is disappointed. Thank you. For Jesus’ sake, amen.” On the premise that so-called “ set” prayers often lead to stilted, formal praying this method has been avoided in our family. From the time the children can lisp a word they are guided in calling on the Lord. As each child launches out in original prayer-thinking, their parents rejoice in the voluntary expressions of their hearts to the Father. Suddenly, Ardyth had arrived at that desired point in praying. But Mother was a little bothered by the general attitude of her six-year-old daughter. In our school only two “ B’s” are permitted if one desires to be on the honor roll. All other marks must be “A ’s.” “ Aren’t you putting too much re sponsibility on the Lord, little lady? It is not His fault you fell to a “ B” in conduct. I’m very disappointed. That is an easy ‘subject’ in which to get an ‘A.’ ” “Well, all I did was talk a little. Then the Lord made me get a ‘B.’ ” “ The Lord did not make you get a ‘B.’ That is of your own making.” “ Anyway, I hope He doesn’t let me get any more.” “ A man convinced against his will, is of the same opinion still.” The old adage seemed to fit Ardyth’s attitude. With considerable amusement Moth er pondered the demands of her small daughter upon God. Childish immaturity allowed her to justify such reasoning. Now the words of the Lord through James kept running through Mother’s mind. “ Submit yourselves . . . unto God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). Spiritual victory is not attained by passive living. Pos itive and negative action is required. Submission to God is the first step; saying “no” to Satan the all-impor tant second. Spiritual maturity re quires the acknowledgement that God is not the cause of our failures. “ From whence come wars . . . among you? . . . even of your lusts . . .” (James 4:1). From whence come victories? “ But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 15:57).
This is Georgia Melisova. The hovel before which she is standing is her Athenian home in Greece. Her mother occasionally works at straw chair weaving but is never able to find permanent employment. Her father just disappeared. She has four younger brothers. Georgia is amazingly, intelligent for a ten-year-old child who hasn’t had a dozen weeks in school. She should be given an education as she has great charm and potentialities. As it is, she hardly gets enough to eat. There is severe unemployment and heart breaking, harsh poverty in Greece. Even many of the children who are helped have only one meal a day and go to bed hungry every night. The bed is some old rags on the dirt floor of a bleak shanty. There isn’t much to do in the daytime except to sit and think how hungry they are. There’s no use going through the garbage cans, for too many are doing that. And for lack of funds, the relief agency doesn’t serve any meals at all on Saturdays and Sundays. Children like Georgia can be “ adopted” and properly fed, clothed and edu cated in Greece and all of the countries listed below. The cost to the con-
tributor is the same in all—$10 a month. The child’s name, address, picture and story is furnished the donor. The donor also can correspond with the “ adopted” child. Christian Children’s Fund, incorporated in 1938, with its 231 affiliated orphanage- schools in 34countries is the largest Prot estant orphanage organization in the world. It serves 22,000,000 meals a year. It is registered with the Advisory Com mittee on Voluntary Foreign Aid of the International Cooperation Administration of the U. S. Government. It is .experi enced, economical and conscientious. COUNTRIES: Austria, Belgium, Borneo, Brazil, Burma, Fin land, France, Free China, Greece, Hong K ong, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Iran , Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Korea, Lap- land, Lebanon, Macao, Malaya, Mexico, Oki nawa, Pakistan, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Syria, United States, Western Germany. — American Indians.
For Information Write: Dr. J. Calvitt Clarke CHRISTIAN CHILDREN'S FUND, INC. Richmond 4, Virginia I wish to “ adopt” a boy..........girl.......... for one year in......................................... (Name Country) I will pay $10 a month ($120 a year). Enclosed is payment for the full year ................first month................. Please send me the child’s name, story, ad dress and picture. I understand that I can correspond with the child. Also, that there is no obligation to continue the adoption. I cannot “ adopt” a child but want to help by giving $.................................. Please send me further information. Name .................................................... Address ........ ....................................... City ..................................... Zone .......... State ..................................... . Gifts of any amount are welcome. Gifts are deductible from income tax.
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