one knew, but the next morning they were gone. Mary Louise knew, for she walked just far enough down the street to see. All that took place in the big house the morning the lilies were discov ered, no one ever knew — but the lilies knew— and I think they might have heard Mrs. Gregg speaking right out loud between sobs of joy. “ Though — he were dead — yet — shall—he live— and I shall see them again—my own dear John and Baby Marie — changed into His likeness, more beautiful than the fairest lily.” As for Mary Louise and her moth er, they knew that the Lord would speak through His Word and the missionary lilies. TO A BIRO IN FLIGHT Don't be afraid to fly alone Unaided in the sky We live alone, And we die alone And only God knows why. But He holds you up And a|so gives A place to rest when you're tired. It isn't hard to fly alone When with His zest you are fired
little brown bulbs,” said Mary Louise as she put them away in a dark closet to sleep awhile. “ Grow tall and beau tiful and b l o s s o m for sad Mrs. Gregg.” Never were b r ow n lily bulbs tended more carefully, nor watched with more love and interest. All the while, too, as they slept in the dark closet, and even after they were brought out to the light, Mrs. Brown told Mary Louise the loveliest stories o f God’s plan in changing ugly brown bulbs into the most beautiful of flow ers. Never had Mary Louise so un derstood the meaning o f the resur rection. Surely He who could bring about such a beautiful transforma tion would do more for those who were His own children, for whom the Lord Jesus died. Every day there was something new to discover about the little brown bulbs — first a tiny green shoot, then the tall, beautiful blades, until the brown ugly bulbs were quite forgotten. So Mary Louise and her mother prayed and watched and tended, and the lily plants grew and grew. The days quickly passed, and Easter was near. Would there be blossoms? Mary Louise never doubted, fo r were not her bulbs to be missionary lilies ? And her faith was rewarded for, during the week before Easter, she found the first tiny bud. This discov ery caused a real time o f rejoicing in the Brown household. “ I knew my m i s s i o n a r y plant would bloom,” Mary Louise said over and over. Soon other buds appeared and Mary Louise’s heart fairly sang for joy. Of course, the buds quickly opened— the ugly brown bulbs had been changed into the most beautiful lilies, shedding t h e i r f r a g r a n c e throughout the whole house. “ Now they are ready, Mother, ready to go on their missionary jour ney,” said Mary Louise, and Mrs. Brown knew that the little girl was right. The daintiest, prettiest card was chosen, and Mary Louise wrote in her very best writing: “ For Mrs. Gregg, with love from Mary Louise Brown.” Then, at Mrs. Brown’s suggestion, she copied the lovely verse: “ I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.” A fter special prayer for the mis sionary journey, the beautiful lilies were carried over to Mrs. Gregg’s porch, right near the milk bottles, which stood not far from the large door. How long the lilies stayed there no
Mary Louise asked her mother one day as they walked by the big house and tried to look beyond the closed window for a glimpse of the sad lady. “ I do wish she would come, dear. We will have to ask our Heavenly Father to find a way." That night as Mrs. Brown and Mary Louise had their prayer time, a special request was made for Mrs. Gregg. “ Please, dear H e a v e n l y Father, make Mrs. Gregg want to go to Your house,” Mary Louise prayed. A few days later, Mrs. Brown and EASTER PUZZLE Each of the 20 words described be low has six letters. When rightly guessed and written in order, the initial letters will spell the reason that we celebrate Easter. 1. The oldest son of Jacob (Gen. 29:32). 2. A beautiful queen (Esth. 5:2). 3. Joseph's brother who was impris oned in Egypt (Gen. 42:24). 4. A king of Judah (Isa. 6:1). 5. A puzzle (Judg. 14:12). 6. The sixth New Testament book. 7. The miracle-working prophet (II Kings 8:5). 8. The land where Abram went in faith (Gen. 12:5). 9. The disciple who doubted Jesus' resurrection (John 20:27). 10. Jacob's new name (Gen. 32:28). 11. The mountain where Jesus as cended (Acts 1:12). 12. The "mighty hunter" (Gen. 10:9). 13. Tertullus was an — (Acts 24:1). 14. A loving name for God (Matt. 6:9). 15. The mountain where Elijah met the prophets of Baal (I Kings 18:19, 20 ). 16. The language of the Jewish people (Acts 21:40). 17. The wife of Jacob (Gen. 29: 28). 18. A great prophet (II Kings 19: 2 ). 19. The "strong man" of Israel (Judg. 16:6). 20. The city where Paul was born (Acts 21:39). — Bertha Pentney her little girl were busy planting lily bulbs. “We must have lilies fo r Easter,” Mrs. Brown said. In the midst o f the planting o f the brown ugly bulbs, Mary Louise’s face suddenly shone with joy as she came to her mother with a plan: “ Mother, may I plant some bulbs ‘special’ fo r Mrs. Gregg?” “ Why, indeed you may! I believe our Heavenly Father Himself gave you this lovely idea.” So the prettiest bowl was chosen, and five brown bulbs were placed carefully and prayerfully within. “ You are to be missionary lilies,
The bird in the sky Against the clouds Of an early dawn flies sure; Oh give me the strength to fly like that. And my anxiousness, Please cure. To know and to love Are the sureties That help me in this life; Let that be enough No more to seek And thus will end my strife.
— Mary Daniel And this was how it came about that Mrs. Gregg was in church on Easter Sunday, sitting close to Mrs. Brown and Mary Louise. The shades in the old home were up that day, and the door ajar, folk said, but best o f all, the door o f Mrs. Gregg’s heart had been opened wide, and resurrec tion hope through faith in her Sav iour’s promise had come in to stay. The missionary lilies had accom plished their mission.
Answer to Easter Puzzle Reuben Esther
1. 2 . 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8 . 9.
13. Orator 14. Father 15. Carmel 16. Hebrew 1 7. Rachel 18. Isaiah 19. Samson 20. Tarsus
Simeon Uzziah Riddle Romans Elisha Canaan Thomas Israel Olivet Nimrod
10. 11. 12.
Resurrection
of Christ
43
APRIL, 1966
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