April, 1945 135 i UN I O R KING'S BUS I NESS
How Jack Became
A NEW BOY A True Story By BETTY SCHARP
listened so closely that he forgot all about the other children sitting around him. He liked the part of the story which tells about the small boy whom the Lord’s disciple, Andrew, took right up to Jesus so he could give the Lord his lunch of bread and fishes. "Why, that boy could look right up into Jesus’ face and hear His voice,” Jack thought. “I wish . . . ” But just then the teacher dismissed the class. All the children said “goodbye” to the lady and skipped happily away—all except Jack. He stayed right there in his seat. Presently the lady came over to where he was sitting. “Tell me more about Jesus,” Jack said eagerly,and then his new friend talked a long time to him about the Lerd Jesus. After that, Jack came many times to the lady’s house. He learned many truths about the Lord Jesus, but the most wonderful of all was that Jesus loved him. That made Jack’s heart warm and happy, and when the lady told him about Jesus’ words, “Behold I stand at thé door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in,” Jack gladly said, “Come into my heart, Lord Jesus, and be my Saviour.” Jack’s mother and stepfather were not happy about Jack’s having given his heart to the Lord Jesus, and they were very unkind to, him—so cruel were they to him one day that he had to be taken to the hospital. There the kind lady, his true friend, found him. How glad Jack was to see her; but he was happier still when, a few days later he was able to go home with the lady to live. Now, he attends Sunday school and church every week, and he is always happy to tell other boys and girls about the Lord Jesus. Jack is a brand new boy.
Then the lady came and opened the door. Jack was surprised to find so many boys and girls in the class. He was embarrassed, too, for his clothes were soiled; but .more than that, his heart was soiled and black with sin. All o f the boastfulness he usually dis played to his gang left him. He felt very small and uncomfortable as h e sat among those clean and happy boys and girls. Songs were sung, Bible memory verses repeated; and then the lady told a most wonderful story. It was a Bible story—the story of the Lord Jesus feeding the five thousand people. Jack
" Jesus loves me, this I know For the Bible tells me so ; Little ones to H im belong They are weak, but H e is strong.” T HESE ARE the words oi the never before heard such sweet music nor had he ever heard of anyone's loving him. Who could it be? Who was singing, this . beautiful song? Wh a t could it mean? Jack was puzzled as he stood in the narrow back alley and listened. ■ • . . . Jack was twelve years old, yet in all'his life he had never been to Sun day school or church. He,knew noth ing of the Heavenly Father’s great love for him, nor did he know of the Lord Jesus, the Saviour of boyfe and girls, and men and women. You see, Jack’s mother did not know the Lord Jesus as her Saviour, and sometimes she acted as if she did not love Jack very much. Many times when his stepfather was drunk, he was very unkind to Jack. In f a c t , Jack’s home was such an unhappy placé that he did not like to stay in it for long. Some nights he stayed on the streets and in the alleys until very late, and sometimes he got into mischief. Jack was a very unhappy boy. The next day Jack thought about the song very often, and late in the afternoon he walked down the alley again. As he passed the very place where he had heard the lovely music, a window opened and a kind voice called, “Would you like to come to a class for boys and girls this afternoon - right hère at my house?” Jack was amazed at such kindness» ‘T don’t mind,” he replied shyly.
song which iell on the ears of Jack Faye and caused him to stop and listen. He thought he h a d
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