“A ll right,” said Dog. “ I will show you that those idols are only made of mud. They can’t hear or speak or think.” He found a big stick and headed for the village temple. The boys fol lowed him, calling, “ You will see. The gods will destroy you. You will see!”' Inside the temple, Dog lifted his stick and swung it. Whack! Off went the head of a frowning idol. Whack! Whack! Another ugly image fell. Whack! Whack! Whack! Three shattered heads lay on the dirt floor. Dog turned around. The other boys had all run away because they were afraid that the gods might destroy them. That afternoon five of the head men of the village went to see Dog’s mother. They were very angry. “Your son has done a very wicked deed,” the priest shouted. “Now the gods will punish our whole village. We must beat your son.” Dog’s mother did not act as if she were afraid. “ If you will go talk to the Jesus man in the town, he will explain why my son did this thing.” So the angry men marched off to see the foreigner. When they found him, they all began to shout at him. “ Please, you are all talking at once,” he said. “ I cannot understand what your problem is. Please come into my house for a cup of tea and we will talk about this.” In the missionary’s house, the lead er of the group explained what Dog had done. “ Now there is great fear in our village. Perhaps the gods will send a terrible sickness to us.” The missionary began to ask them questions. “ Didn’t you make those gods with your own hands? Didn’t you use river mud to make them? Have they ever brought happiness to you?” The men became very quiet. They could not remember any time when they had been really happy or when these idols had ever done anything for them. The missionary then told them about Jesus and His love. “The true God does not want you to live in fear all the time,” he said. “ He will make you free and happy.” By the time the sun was setting, two of the men in the room prayed and asked Jesus to be their Saviour and God. Now Dog and his mother were truly happy. Many in the village came to love Jesus and His ways, and many idols were destroyed. The boys loved to tell how Dog had be headed the three idols. “He went like this,” they would say, swinging a stick, “Whack! Whack! Whack!”
George Washington
and His Mother
by Martha S. Hooker
I n F ebruary we celebrate the birth day of two of our favorite hero- presidents, Abraham Lincoln and George Washington. We all delight in stories of their boyhood days, and learn valuable lessons from them. The following incident in the life of Washington is not well known, but it shows what kind of a boy he was even better than the familiar story of the cherry tree: When he was fourteen, George Washington loved the sea and dreamed of sailing away to some dis tant shore. He often visited in his brother Lawrence’s home and there before the fire listened to his brother and visiting officers of the colonial regiment tell of their cruises in the East and West Indies. They related thrilling tales of encounters with pi rates and of military victories on land and sea. As young George heard these excit ing tales, the desire to go to sea was deepened in his heart. But he was a shy boy and did not find it easy to express his inner desires. However, one day he mustered up the courage to say to his brother, “I want to go to sea. Do you think it could be man aged?” Lawrence had already guessed the secret longings of his young brother’s heart and promised that he would try to get him a commission as a mid shipman. Of course, George’s joy knew no bounds. After months of waiting, the com mission came with orders to leave within the week on the Drake, a sloop of war. “ Let me be the first to congratulate you, George,” said Lawrence. “ Now you are Midshipman Washington. I wish you well, my brother, and hope that some day it will be Admiral Washington.” Soon George appeared in his mid shipman’s uniform, the jaunty cap on his head. “What do you think of me, mother?” he asked. His mother did not share the pleasure of her sons. Through tears she sobbed, “ 1 cannot
let you go, George. You will break my heart if you do!” A terrific struggle took place in George’s heart. Already his baggage was on the Drake. He had on the uniform and the commission was in his hand. What should he do? Finally, he turned to his mother and in a choking voice said, “ Do not cry any more, Mother. I will obey you. I will not go.” A famous writer said of this inci dent: “George Washington was never greater than at this moment. It is no FEBRUARY ACROSTIC F-or God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16 E-nter into his gates with thanksgiv ing, and into his courts with praise. Psalm 100:4a B-ut as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. John 1:12 R-est in the Lord, and wait patiently for him. Psalm 37:7a U-nto you therefore which believe he is precious. I Peter 2:7a A-nd be ye kind one to another, ten- • der hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. -Ephesians 4:32 R-ejoice evermore. I Thess. 5:16 Y-e are my friends, if ye do whatso ever I command you. John 15:14 light thing to give up all hope of a great future spreading out before one at the request of another, even though that other be one’s own mother. He yielded to her wish though it nearly broke his heart.” The later life of George Washing ton proved that this unselfish decision was indirectly responsible for making him the mighty general, that he be came, He lost nothing but rather gained much, by heeding the Bible verse which states: “ Children, obey your parents . . . for this is right.”
FEBRUARY, 1964
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