March, 1940
TH E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
98
Elsa stood with her hands clasped behind her, her eyes watching eagerly that tiny bit of sky. She began to sing softly to a little tune of her own, “I am with thee, I will keep thee, I will bring thee again.” She did not notice the long pause of the man who had locked the door behind her nor his careful steps down the hall, nor the murmur of voices in the office. She did not even know he had been listening to her. She was alone in the darkness but not alone, for the God of the beautiful world was her Father, and the Lord Jesus was with her. It seemed a‘ very long time she stood there. She was growing stiff and tired when there came the sound of a distant door creaking open, a flicker of light, and footsteps. Before she quite realized it, she was in the outer room, and, oh, unthinkable bliss! She was in the arms of a very pale Mütterchen—her own dear mother. As the little grey figure came out of the blackness of the long hall, the little mother felt she belonged to that com pany who had received their dead raised to life again. She bent low to search out the look of terror she expected in those dear blue eyes, but a look of steadfast, happy faith flashed out, out to her, out to the big soldiers who turned away, rumbling strange words to each other. Quickly *the two were out in the dark ness, stumbling over the uneven road, laughing, slipping, with little sobs of joy tucked in. And then they were all to gether in the dear cottage, Freda and Carl excited and happy; and Elsa, warmed and comforted in her narrow white bed, told them all about it. Un noticed, the faintest light touched the eastern sky, and then, startling the little family into silence, came the sud den clamor of bells. “Why, it’s the Easter bells! It is Easter morning!” they exclaimed. The two little ones settled sleepily down on their pillows as they listened, but Elsa held her mother’s hand, her blue eyes shining like stars. “Mütter chen,” she said softly, “I can never weep for our dear Lord Jesus on the cruel cross. He was not afraid. The Father had promised that the Lord Jesus would come again from the dead, and Jesus knew our Father would bring Him safe out of the darkness just as He did for me. I understand it now, Mütterchen. He always keeps His word, Mütterchen, always.” The little mother gravely kissed the tired eyes that were closing, and she softly whispered, “Thank God for the faith of the Son of God living in the heart of a child.” New K. V. B. C. Members The names of new K, Y. B. C. mem bers will be found this month on page 115.
Easter Puzzle Each of the 20 words described be low has six letters. When rightly guessed and written in order, the ini tial 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 (2 Ki. 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 m o u n t a i n where Jesus ascended (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 (1 Ki. 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 (2 Ki. 19:2). 19. The “strong man” of Israel (Judg. 16:6). 20. The city where Paul was bom (Acts 21:39). —Bertha Pentney. Memory Work: The Christian’s Resurrection Hope. C hristian L ife S eries * Discussion: Briefly tell the steps of Christ’s resurrection. Consider the mes sage of Christ’s resurrection for each in dividual believer. Question; What does God’s Word say concerning the Christian’s resurrection? Answer: “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live’’ (John 11:25). "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Cor. 15:22). “Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” (1 Cor. 15:51, 52K “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you” (Rom. 8:11). v *For a complete list of Scriptures for memory work in the Christian Life Series, see previous copies of T he K i n g ’ s B u s i n e s s .
Where it entered the shade of Grey- wood’s trees, Elsa rejoiced that no soldier’s presence barred the way, and she kept close to the trickling little stream, occasionally breaking into the thin ice along its edge by a misstep until her whole little body ached with the cold. “I am with thee, and will keep thee . . . and will bring thee . . .” Like a little song the words rose in her heart. Almost home—the edge of Grey- wood, the wide meadow and the hill; then the big farm, then the little farm —home! But now the little stream was wider and deeper. It would be very hard to wade it in the dark, for the early twi light had fallen, and the moon was hid ing behind the clouds. There was no wind and every step made leaves rustle and twigs snap. More softly, more slowly; dared she cross the little bridge? Shadows everywhere. That tall black shadow across the bridge—did it move ? It was all still, so still—“I am with thee, and will keep thee”—the song sang on in her heart. Almost over—oh, that shadow! IT MOVED! Steel glit tered in the pale moonlight that fell through shifting clouds; a hand like iron grasped the child’s tender shoulder. Elsa’s teeth chattered like a little squirrel’s, and sobs shook .her small body. A deep rumble out of the soldier’s throat sounded like, “Who sent you?” Then an impatient shake, a louder rumble, “Who sent you?” Elsa stopped crying; her teeth stopped chattering. She braced her thin little body and with all her might called out her answer: “God sent me.” • “Gott,” exploded the deep rumble again. Then silence and the iron hand led her stumbling, running, past the wide meadow, up the hill, past the big farm but away, away from the little farm. Elsa’s heart broke as she saw the light shining out of home windows, and she sobbed bitterly for a moment. Now a door opened, and there was an other soldier. Elsa found herself stand ing on the cold stones of the jail. “Who sent you?” the strange soldier said. Her sobs- stopped. “God did, my Father God,” she repeated, and added, for they did not seem to understand. "He said, ‘I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land.’ ” A warm glow spread through her body. She was no longer afraid. But the two men scowled at her and muttered, and a little man came quickly forward and led her down the long dark little hall. A key rasped in a lock; a door swung open and she was inside— locked in. Stone walls, an iron door, one little window high in the wall, barred; but beyond the bars the clouds piled white, and then the tip of the crescent moon shone clear.
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