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THE K I NG ’ S BUSINESS
July, 1942
day-school. I’m glad for her, and I think you should be,: too.” But Marcia’s disappointment was still evident, and through the after noon she remained very quiet. Finally, Father said, “ Let’s play a game with thoSe verses of yours, Marcia. Give Mother the Bible, and let’s see who knows more, you or I.” That sounded like fun, so Marcia got her Bible. The marker was still in it at Exodus 20, so they started in on the Ten Commandments. Father said the first verse, Marcia the sec- ond, and so on, and neither of them' made a mistake until— Verse 17 was Father’s. He started out: “ ‘Thou shalt not covet thy neigh bor’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s prize—*" “Oh, you made a mistake!” cried M a r c i a . “That word is 'wife/ not 'prize*!" “Qh, excuse me,” said Father, smil ing a little. “Those words do sound .alike, don’t they? Very well, then, . . . 'wife*, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neigh bor's.". He gave the last six words more slowly and with some emphasis but made no comment. Marcia Wondered about it afterward. Why did he make such an odd mis take and Say, “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbors prize"? It kept run ning through her head. Neighbor’s prize . . . neigh bor's prize . . . i The m o r e s h e
Junior King's Business By MARTHA S. HOOKER Member of faculty , Bible Institute of bos Angeles
THY NEIGHBOR'S PRIZE By B ertha H . P entney *
a UST.AS Sunday-school began, a new girl came into the Junior Department and sat down almost was interested, of course, as were all the other girls, for a new member in Sunday-school might mean a new playmate and a new friend. After the first song was finished^ Miss Martin said: “Boys and girls, we have a new friend with us this- morning. Her name is Jane Liggett, and she has recently come f r o m Lewistown to make her home here. Her new home is on Warren Street, and I hope some of you girls will find time this week to go to see her and get acquainted.” Marcia looked more Closely, at the stranger, for Warren Street 'was not far from her home. She noted the brown curls, neatly brushed, and the blfie dress which was .very clean but a bit faded. Looking from behind, she could not see the bright smile and eager eyes of the new girl. But the interest in the new girl was practically forgotten with the importance of what Miss Martin was saying next. ■ “ . . . and don’t forget that the Sunday before school starts, will be our m e m o r y contest, and that is just three weeks from today. We have learned the Ten Commandments this summer as well as some single mem ory verses, and you know a prize is Waiting for, the boy or girl who can say the most of them on the Sunday of the contest.” Marcia smiled with a feeling of pleasant anticipation, for she felt sure she could win that prize. She mem orized things rather easily, she liked to do it, and, it must be admitted, she was somewhat proud of her ability. At the dinner table at home, Marcia reported the interesting events of Sunday-school. She described the memory contest in detail, with a great deal of emphasis on the prize offered. She also mentioned the coming of Jane Liggett, with'the brief comment, “I don’t think she’s very pretty, and her dress looked old.” For the next three weeks Marcia
studied memory verses. She carried a Bible around with her with a mark er at the twentieth chapter of Exodus nd practiced saying the Ten Com mandments to any one who would listen. To the sympathetic ears of Boxer, the dog, she talked much about the coming c o n t e s t and the prize which she was quite sure: would soon be hers. There seemed to be no time to visit with anybody: in fact, between Sundays she forgot about Jane Lig gett entirely. Finally the contest Sunday came, and Marcia started off to Sunday- school in a high state of expectancy. But after Sunday-school was over, a pair of heavy feet carried Marcia to church where she sat through the service and thought much about a prize which she had hot received. Walking home after church between Father and Mother, Marcia expressed her disappointment. . “I don’t see how I happened to make so many mistakes. I knew most of t h o s e verses yesterday. And Jane Liggett just stood up there and said every one of them! And she got the most beautiful book for a prize.” “Jane Liggett? Isn’t she the new girl who moved here about a month ago? I think it’s fine that a new comer shows that much interest in a new Sunday-school. If she is that eager to learn Bible verses, she must love the Bible itself. She must be a girl worth knowing, Marcia. Did you tell her that you were glad she won?” Marcia could not conceal her a s tonishment. “Why, Mother! Didn’t you want me to win?” , “I’m always pleased when you do your best, dear, whether you win any thing or not. After all, a prize isn’t the biggest thing in life. It is worth . a lot to be a good loser, and some
ift front of Marcia Turner. Marcia
thought a b o u t it, the more she won dered,, u n t i l she went to the book case, pulled out the dictionary, and sat down on the floor to s e a r c h in it
times it is worth a great deal to see some one else win. Jane is new here, and I think this has been a very «good chance for her to enter into the work of the Sun
Marcia pulled opt the dictionary a n d t a t down on the floor to hunt f o r that word.
*Member of Faculty, Bible Institute of Los Angeles,
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