King's Business - 1940-06

316

T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S

June, 1940

'“ They gave him some, I suppose.” “ Oh, no, Sir, they didn’t.” “Why didn’t they?” “ Because they didn’t have any.” “ Poor fellow, he was out of luck that day, wasn’t he?” “Oh, no, he wasn’t,” continued Penny. “He had the m o s t wonderful luck! Only I guess we shouldn’t call it luck, either. Luck is something that just happens, but God had a hand in this.” “ Do tell me,” said the Rich Young Man. “You have me all enthused.” “Well, it was like this—when the ,ame man started begging, Peter looked at him and said, ‘Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.’ " “And did he?” asked the Rich Young Man. “Oh, yes, Sir—the Bible says, ‘And he leaping up stood, and walked, and en­ tered with them into the temple, walk­ ing, and leaping, and praising God.’ ” “It sounds too good to be true. It must be another fairy story,” said the Rich Young Man. Peter looked distressed. “Oh, no, Sir, you shouldn’t speak that way of the Bible. Every word of it is true.” “Well, if it’s true, the day of miracles must be over, then. Things like that just don’t happen to me.” “They couldn’t, Sir, of course, unless you believed,” said Penny. “ The Bible says the lame man looked at Peter and John expecting to receive something from them.” “You seem to know your Bible pretty well. How come ?’ “Well, we do know this story pretty well, Sir,” sa.d Peter, “because our class is going to quote the Scripture story for Children’s Day and try to give the words the same meaning that they had when they were spoken the very first time. Won’t you come? It’s a week from Sunday.” “I’m afraid not,” replied the Rich Young Man. “I don’t go in much for church. I like to sleep Sunday morn­ ings.” “It was lucky for that other lame man that he didn't sleep that morning, wasn’t it? He would have missed a real blessing,” said Penny. “ You better try to come, Sir. My brother will be Peter.” “I thought he was Peter already,” laughed the Rich Young Man. “ Oh, yes, of course, Sir. That’s why they chose him, I guess. That—and be­ cause he speaks so loudly. Will you come ?” •Til think it over,” and the Rich Young Man moved slowly away, lean­ ing upon his crutches. “Poor man,” said Penny. “He’s so nice. I wish he didn’t have to walk that way.” “He’s got something the matter with him that’s worse than his legs,” ob­ served Peter.

Junior Ki ng' s Bus i ness By MARTHA S. HOOKER Member of Faculty . Bible institute of Los Angeles

GOD’S LAME MAN By H elen F razee -B ower

P ETER and Penny sat on the edge of the canal swinging their legs and watching an old mother duck in the water below. "Aren’t they cunning?” laughed Pe­ ter. “They’re just precious,” said Penny. "Mother says when she looks at ducks she knows God has a sense of humor. What’s a sense of humor, Peter?” “Why, it’s being able to see a joke. Girls don’t know much, do they?” “I’m not so sure. If you know so much, what do you think we’ll get for Children’s Day?” “What do you mean — Children’s Day?” “Why, don’t you know, the thing we’re practicing for. Miss A n t h o n y called it Childrens Day. Isn’t it?” “Why, yes, but what made you think there would be presents?” “Well, didn’t we give Mother presents on Mother’s Day and Father presents on Father’s Day? I thought this would be our day tor presents.” Peter threw back his h e a d a n d laughed. “Well, girls c e r t a i n l y are dumb! Children’s Day isn’t for pres­ ents. It’s the day when the children take over the services and give a dem­ onstration of their work in the Sunday- school. It comes once a year!” Penny looked crestfallen. “Then I guess I might as well say good-by to my shut-eye doll. I’ve been hinting to Mother all week about it. I thought maybe I’d get it for Children’s Day. I don’t care—it doesn’t seem quite fair not to have a day for children as well as for mothers and fathers. When I grow up I think I’ll start one.” “I guess our folks think every day is children’s day, we cost them so much,” observed Peter, tossing a stone into the canal and watching the ducks dive to see about it. ; Just then the Rich Young Man from Mrs. Ellison’s boarding house hobbled by on his crutches and stopped to speak a few moments with the children. Pen­ ny moved over and offered him a seat beside ner Wistfully she looked at his crutches. “How are the legs today?” she asked politely. “You must get very tired walk­ ing with those things.” “It is a bit tiresome,” he admitted. “But I’m afraid it will be a long time before I can discard them. The doctor

said 1 might have to walk with crutches for six months yet. However, this good air in your village is putting some pep back into my veins. Maybe, I’ll recover from my accident, sooner.” “I do hope so, Sir,” said Peter. Penny looked thoughtful. “Have you tried prayer?” she’ asked. “It’s very good for things like that.” “You don’t tell me!” said the Rich Young Man, looking at her quizzically. “And how would a young lady like you be knowing?” Penny blushed. “I’m ten, Sir,” she said, with some pride, "and I’ve known about prayer for years.” The young man shouted! “For years and years, I suppose.” Then, somewhat bitterly, “No, I haven’t tried prayer. I don’t go in much for religion.” “That’s too bad, Sir.” said Peter. “You should. But maybe you are right about the religion part of it. Our min­ ister says it isn’t religion we need— it’s Jesus Christ. Do you read the Bible much?” “I’m afraid not, Son.” Penny’s face broke into smiles. “Then of course you don’t know about your story in there!” “My story? What do you mean?” queried the Rich Young Man. “Why, the story oi the lame man at the Beautiful Gate, you know. And Peter and John who were going up to the temple to pray. There sat the poor lame man, asking for money from ev­ ery one wh(^ came past. When Peter and John came by, he reached out his hand to them and asked them for some, and—what do you think happened?”

and her seven little ducklings swimming

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