King's business - 1943-03

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TH E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S

cause' she was “ a right smart youn’ un.” And being smart, Sally reasoned that an ángel might protect one if he needed it. However, she was not sure riie wanted to see an “ anjul,” what­ ever that was. But now she had no choice, Tor it seemed to her that she was looking into the face of one right then! Sally thought Miss Mason looked like the lady'on the picture card. To be sure there were no wings, but Sally was not thinking about wings. There was the1sunny hair, the white dress, and above all, the love in the fair face bénding over her. âo, slowly, between sóbs, she asked again her Questions, ‘‘Whar’s Maw? Why’s she ‘daid’ ? . Whar IS she?” Miss Mason drew the child gently to a big log. “Sally,” she said, “to answer you I will have to begin with a story first to help you understand.” Sally’s eyes seemed to grow even larger and darker and she rolled them from the stranger before her to the. familiar but distant figure of OP Joé at thé far end of the corn patch, but she obediently sat down on the log. Breathing a ■Swift prayer as she looked into the dark little face before her, Miss Mason pointed to the top of the big sweet gum tree swaying grace­ fully in the breeze and asked, “What makes the top of the tree move like that?” ' "De win’,’’ answered the child promptly. “ Did you ever see the wind?” “No—o,” said Sally a little doubt­ fully. ’ “But you are sure it is up there?” •The little black head nodded de­ cidedly. -“Yassum!” she said. “Well, Sally dear, there is a won­ derful ONE we cannot see. But we know He lives. We call Him God. He is very strong—so strong. He made this great world we live in: the moun­ tains, the trees, the animals, and the first man—whose children we all are. ^ “And He is very loving. He loved rúen and women and boys and girls so much that many years ago He sent His dear Son, who was just like Him­ self, down to earth as a little baby. HIS name is JESUS. . “When Jesus grew up to be a man, He, too, was very strong. And He was very loving. He took little children ipto His arms. He told men about His Wonderful Father who wantéd them all to be His children and so become brothers and sisters in one big fam- x ily Where they might love each other. “But most men did not want to be like God, and have their hearts full of love and kindness. They wanted to lie and steal and get drunk and beat little children and do many, many wicked things. They hated Jesus so much, because HE was good and THEY were bad, that at last— they killed Him! And though He was so strong, He let them «kill Him, for

Junior K ing 's Business By MARTHA S. HOOKER Member of Faculty. Bible Institute of Los Angeles

only by dying could He show men how much He loved them. And be­ cause He died, God forgives our sins. “Yes, He was really dead, and His friends did not see Him again for three days.” There was a moment’s pause as the speaker wàtched the little face op­ posite her, filled with intense inter­ est. Then she continued slowly, “But the third day He came alive out of His grave and those who saw Him first ran to tell others, artd then they ran to see Him, “Soon He led them out to a little hill and said good-bye, and they watched Him as He left this earth and went up, up. into the sky, back to His Father and the beautiful place we call 'heaVén, which is His home and the place all those who love and follow Him will go some day. There the angels, the beautiful heavenly creatures who are very different from men and women we see on earth, are singing His -praises all the time.” ■ Again the speaker paused. What thoughts lay behind those great, dark eyes? Had any ray of light còme into the dense darkness of the child’s mind? Sally leaned forward eagerly and rolled her eyes toward the Blue sky, pointing there with her finger. She asked breathlessly, “Is Maw there?" The question she dreaded yet hoped for’ had come! Slowly, earnestly, the woman answered, “There'is only ONE who can answer yóur question, Sally, and that One is Jesus. I know He lovèd your- dear mother and did thè very best He could for her.” Then, looking again toward the tree- tops, she' continued, “You told me the wind is up there. But isn’t it down here, top? I feel it on 'my cheek.” Sally nodded. Miss Mason continued, “It is strong up there; it is gentle down here. But it is the same wind. Jesus is living, strong, and beauti­ ful up there in His Father’s Home, and because He loves us, He comes, too—very quietly, very gently—ifttq the heart of any one who asks Him to come in and live there. He takes away all sin and darkness.” Silent, with a hushed awe, the woman watched the face of the child turned toward the treetops. The words written so long ago flashed into her mind about a time of great darkness. “. '. . and the Spirit of God moved . . . and God said, Let there be light: and there was light.” Was the same Creator working? Was that light,

shining in the face of Jesus Christ the risen Lord, falling into the dark heart of a little girl this beautiful Good Friday afternoon? Helen Mason almost held her breath. Softly she spoke again: “Only Jesus can tell you about your dear mother, Sally, but if you will ask Him to come into your heart, He can tell you what you need to know.” The child’s eyes sought her face. There was a hurt look in them. “I’se sho pow’ful bad,” she said in a low voice. “Bad people—sinners—are the only kind of people Jesus came to save, Sally. He died to take away our sin. He is waiting for you to ask Him to do. it for you." Sally was looking at the treetops again, and now the strained, anxious, hurt look was gone. There was peace in the little face. Helen Mason bowed her head in worship and praise. Then,1oh so suddenly, it was all changed! ' From the little shanty on the hill came a shrill voice—shrill even though so far away—calling, “Sal- le-e-e.” The child jumped up. “Granmammy is sho pow’ful mean wid the stick effen I don’ cum fas’,” she said, and she started swiftly toward the corn patch. As suddenly she stopped, whirled around, her eyes shining, her white teeth showing in a wide smile. “ I’ll sho ‘RUN,’ ” she said. What did she mean? [To Be Concluded ] Search the Scripture« Write out the alphabet, placing a number under each letter. By locating the correct letters in the following, You will be able to read the verse of Scripture. What do you suppose it says? “10, 5, 19, 21, 1 9 ------ 19, 1, 9, 4 [Continued on Page 118] Hew te Join the K. Y. B. Club T o become a m em ber of the K n o w Y o u r Bible Club, read through the Qospel accord­ ing to John, u sin g either y o u r ow n Bible or a Gospel of John w hich w ill be sent upon request. W h e n the Gospel has been read and a statem ent to th is effect, signed by parent or Sun d ay-sch ool tdapher, h a s been sent to the Ed itor of the Ju n io r K in g 's B u s i­ ness, a K. Y. B. C. pin w ill be mailed. S u n ­ d ay-school classes or clubs desirin g to order ten or m ore Gospels or pins m ay w ish to share the cost of these supplies, as the Lord directs; Gospels, postpaid, five cents each — in quantity, three cents; pins, w ithout postage, tw o cents each. H ow ever, no one is to do w ithout a Gospel or pin because of lack of m oney. A d dre ss: Ju n io r K in g 's B u s i­ ness, 558 S. H ope St., L o s A ngeles, Calif.

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