by Martha S. Hooker
N in e - y e a r - old Jimmie Mayes was a faithful member of a home Bible class held each Wednesday right after school at Mrs. Stewart’s home. Miss Louise was the teacher, and how the children loved to hear her tell stories from God’s Word! God’s way of salvation from sin was always made plain, and many of the children had accepted the Lord Jesus as their Sav iour, among them Jimmie Mayes. Jimmie declared many times that he would never forget the day which he called his “ second birthday”— the day he was “ bom again”—when with bowed head and a sincere heart he had earnestly prayed, “ Come into my heart, Lord Jesus; come in to be my Saviour. Wash away all my sins, and make me Your child.” And the Lord Jesus “ came in” that day to Jimmie’s heart just as He had said in His Word that He would: “ Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come into him (Rev. 3:20). The change in Jimmie’s life was evident right away, not only to Jimmie, but to his friends as well. From that day, Jimmie carried in his pocket a Gospel of John which he not only read himself but which he also used in telling others of the Lord Jesus. Miss Louise was constantly urging the children in the class to tell the “ good news” to others, and Jimmie was quick to want to do his part. At one of the children’s meetings, Miss Louise had told the children about a new mission building which had just been completed in the neigh borhood, and she asked for the help of the boys and girls in inviting people to attend. She explained that the meet ings at the mission would be some thing like church services, but would be held every night in the week. Jimmie was one of the most enthusi astic volunteers. Up one street and down the other the eager children went, inviting the neighbors to attend the new mission. They were received for the most part kindly and pleasant ly—all except Jimmie. Jimmie, at the time, felt very much disappointed when he knocked at the door of a certain house and a lady appeared who was decidedly antagon istic toward anything that had to do with the Lord Jesus or His people. Jimmie sensed this when he first glimpsed her hard, cold face, but even this did not daunt him. Rather timid
ly, yet politely, he extended the invi tation to the new mission. The woman offered no pleasant smile or kind words in response to the child’s invitation, but rather a tirade against all churches and ministers. Apparently forgetting it was only a child to whom she was speaking, she exclaimed with a great degree of sar casm: “ All Christians—most of them, anyway—are just hypocrites.” Poor Jimmie didn’t know what a “hypocrite” was, but judging from the expression on the woman’s face and the tone of her voice, he concluded that it must mean something dread ful. At first he was at a loss to know how to reply. He would have liked to run away as fast as his little legs could carry him, but then he remem bered the precious Gospel of John which he carried in his pocket. Tak ing it out hastily, he extended it toward the woman, and said, “Well, ma’am, if you don’t like to go to church, maybe you’ll take this Gospel of John. You can read it at home.” Without waiting for an answer, he pushed the little Gospel into the astonished woman’s hand, turned, and ran down the street as fast as he could go, fearing lest he might be overtaken and the little red Gospel returned. It was a truly surprised and some what disturbed woman whom Jimmie left behind, for as Jimmie sped down the street, the woman just stood in her open doorway, the Gospel in hand. Realizing the kind intent of the child, and her own unkind reply, she felt quite ashamed of herself. She wished she might call the lad back and apolo gize for the disagreeable speech, but by this time Jimmie was quite out of sight. The door closed, and back in the house she placed the little red Gospel upon a table and continued the kitchen tasks which had been inter rupted by Jimmie’s knock. But it was not easy to finish the work; she kept thinking of the lad’s invitation and the little red book. Her work finally completed, she sat down to rest near the table where the little red Gospel rested. Picking it up she began read ing. The words gripped her from the first. On and on she read the wonder ful story of a wonderful Saviour. Finally she laid the little book down with a sigh that expressed the deep longing of her heart to know more about Him. Sitting alone in the quietness of her THE K IN G 'S BUSINESS
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