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PART II Along the winding woodland path beneath the deep shadows of the pines, Helen Mason walked homeward with a puzzled heart. Early thdt morn ing she had knelt at her window looking out toward the distant- corn fields with their little shanty homes. She had prayed that she might see an Easter miracle—the love of the Lord Jesus shining into some dark little heart. Had it really happened to Sally? What did the child’s last words mean? • 1 Six months before, Helen Mason had left her happy northern home and had come, touched with the need of the little untaught, dark-skinned children of the sunny South, to* live among them, believing that somehow she could bring them the Saviour who had made her own life So bright. They had been long, lonely months. The people had not yet learned to trust her, and so few seemed to really understand that loving Jesus truly meant living for Him. In the dewy, fragrant sunrise hour, Sally looked mournfully back at the little old grey board cabin, the only place she had ever known as home. What a home ’ it was with its three bare, dirty rooms; its sin and drunkenness; its cruel father with his moonshine whisky, its timid mother who had gone so suddenly to another Home, OF Granmammy with her ready stick, and Ol’ Granpappy with his banjo and his evil words and ways. And then there was Clarissa, too, with her three black babies with tight lit tle pigtails sticking out all over their -heads, loud-voiced sister Mollie, and big, rough brother Jim. Sally had said something to each one of them, earnestly. But now she said( to herself, “Effen they won’t RUN wid me, I mought as well be goin’.” She s^iid the* words mournfully, for she saw that all her pleadings had been in vain. Her family had refused to run with Her to tell others that Jesus was alive and that heaven was waiting—for all. ^er father had an swered her with a curse; Molly laugh ed at her, and Granmammy shook her big stick. 1 «Early in the morning, Sally slipped out to begin her journeying alone. She would be like Jesus! friends; she would tell others that they should run, as she had, to Him ,tq have their sins .forgiven, and then they should run to tell others about Him and the won derful heavenly home. Sally did not know that it was “very early in the morning, the first day of the week,” and that this was Easter Sunday. To her all days were alike, but she knew that now. there was just one thing she needed to do— to run with the glad news about Jesus, and somewhere, In the dim future.
sharing of the good news started with the Easter lily that God had started growing in our garden. Here’s Your Answer The answer to last month’s “Search the Scripture” puzzle is John 11:25. “Jesus said uhto her, I 'am thé resur rection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.” Easter Acrostic E “Enter into his gates with thanks- ™ giving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name” (Psa. 100:4). A “ As in Adam all die, even so in * * Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Cor. 15:22). E “Since by man came death, by ^ man came also the resurrection of the dead” (1 Cor. 15:21). TT “Thanks be to God, which ..giveth * us the Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 15:57). E “Every man in his own order: “ Christ t h e firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his com ing” (1 Cor. 15:23). B “Remember how he spake unto ■* you when he was yet in Galilee, saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. And they re membered his words” (Lk. 24:6-8). The next Sunday was to be Easter— a glad day for boys and girls who know Jesus, but for Sally, a poorly clad little colored girl living in the South, it was just another lonely day. Sally's "Maw" had disappeared. Some one said she was "daid," but no one could tell Sally where people went when they died. Good Friday found Sally crying for her mother as she sat in the corn field. Suddenly there appeared d“ beautiful white lady with shining hair, and love in her face. Was she an angel? Once again Sally asked the question concerning her mother, "Whar is she?" To answer this, the young missionary. Miss Helen Mason, told Sally the story of Jesus. She -told of His death. His resurrection, and how those who saw Him first RAN to tell others that He was alive. Light—more glorious than the sun's —began to steal across Sally's shiny; black face. But the next moment brought a shrill voice calling, "Sal- le-e-e," and Sally jumped to answer her Granmammy. As she raced to the house, she suddenly stopped, and call ed to Miss Mason with a beaming smile, "I'll sho ’RUN.'" What did Sally mean? Had the Easter miracle really happened? RUNNING FOR JESUS By FRANCK NOBLE PHAIR Synopsis of Part I
We asked her a question, “Why do you want our Easter lily?” “ It is for Saint Peter.” - It was the time of the annual fair in our town honoring Saint Peter. To these people, Saint Peter is the town’s patron saint. Saint Peter is not just a name to them. He is an image in the Catholic church. He hangs on a wooden cross, head downward, for we are told that the Peter of whom the Bible speaks met death this way. Good Indians place white flowers in front of this image. They believe that they receive special blessings by placing Easter lilies there. Indians earn only eight to twelve cents daily. This sum must support large families, and a bit must be saved to pay taxes. But good Indians save from it, also, a few pen nies for flowers for the images that they call “the saints.” They do it be cause they think they will receive the saints’ help in planting corn, har vesting crops, or making safe journeys. We asked our visitor, “Does Saint Peter save you from your sins?” 1 “Oh, yes,” she' answered. “Every year at this time Saint Peter comes down from heaven to help us.” And she really believed that he does come down! As the Indian woman and h e r ' friends had come we had been think ing: Can we give our beautiful Easter lily when we know it w ill be placed before an image that has no power to help anybody? This woman like all the others does not know about the living, true God. Her god is an image.in the church. She thinks that by offering flowers and by repeating many old prayers she w ill receive help and blessing. She thinks that offering flowers is the way to worship* her god. But worship of Peter or of any other so-called “ saint” cannot save from sin. Our God does not ask for offerings like this. He asks only for the offering of pne’s heart to Him —that He may make it clean and pure. If we give the lily to this woman, - , it w ill not.help her to think of Christ, the Saviour, but only of the old evil •custom of hej people. No, we cannot give the lily to her. But we can, and we will, offer her something far better. And so we told her the “ old, old story, of Jesus and His love.” We told her about God who had made the Easter lily. We told her about His Son who came to earth to save sinners; how He died, and arose again. The woman was astonished! When we finished talking with her, some Indian friends who were helt>- . ing us to write the New Testament *n her language, spoke with her, too. fina lly she went away. She did lust what all our Indians do when they . hear something new—she told her family, and they in turn told others. We do not know how far that gospel story traveled or how many heard and , believed It. But we know that all this
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