W’S
O V
.s. H o o k e r
Martha
D O YOU want pop or ice cream, Karlyn?” “ I want ice cream—one dip of chocolate and one of vanilla.” “But that costs a whole dime!” “Well, Robin Burton, you’ve got a whole quarter there to spend.” “Oh, all right—you girls always win. What’s a fellow to do? I had my eye on one of those new tops over there—only fifteen cents.” “Where?” Karlyn wanted to know. Robin pointed, and they raced over to the singing tops. Fourth of July was so much fun! Robin and his mother and father got up early that morning to be over at Karlyn’s house in time for break fast. And what a breakfast Aunt Bernice prepared! Uncle Bill was as jolly as ever and Grandma, well she was loved by everybody. Best of all, Uncle Tom was home from Bible School! After breakfast they all went to the parade. Robin even followed the bass drum for ten blocks. Then there was the big picnic dinner in the park, followed by the baseball game between the East and West Sides. It was during the second inning of the game that Grandma said she’d like to go sit in the car, so young Uncle Tom went with her and then sat down near by under a tree and began to read. During the third inning, Robin and Karlyn begged their mothers to let them go ex ploring in the park. So Mrs. Burton gave them twenty-five cents with orders to be back at four o’clock. Now they were on their way to the singing tops. After thorough examination of them, they agreed on ice cream, after all. On the way back to the car, they decided that the Fourth of July was about the most fun of any day in the whole year. Suddenly, Karlyn gave a little squeal. “ Robin, there’s Tom. Tom!” “Uncle Tom, to you, young lady.” Uncle Tom was trying to be stern, but Karlyn and Robin saw the twinkle in his brown eyes. "Just be cause I still go to school you think I’m not old enough to be called your uncle, don’t you?” He pulled one of Karlyn’s pigtails, and gave Robin a poke in the ribs. Robin was used to this and tackled Uncle Tom. In no time they were flat on the ground, really tussling. Before Karlyn could decide for whom to cheer, the antics were over, and they were up again. JULY, 1947
first started,” Karlyn remembered. “ Fine. Remember in the Bible we read of God’s chosen people, the Jews, being under the rule of the Egyp tians for four, hundred years? They had a terrible time and wanted free dom. God listened to their prayers and raised up Moses to deliver them1 out of Egypt. Then God’s people were free and could have a nation of their own. Wasn’t that like our first thirteen colonies being freed from British rule to form their own government? The leaders of our country gained our independence by being victorious in war. Would you like to hear just how the Israelites “Well, it was just by obeying God. On the 14th day of April they had what God had told them would be called the Passover. The head of the family killed a lamb while the sun was setting. Then he took the blood in a basin and put some of it on the two side posts and the lintel of the door. After this, the lamb was roast ed and eaten. And that very night God freed His people from the rule of the cruel Egyptians by taking them out of that country, and, later, into one which they could call their own. You see, their Passover to them was the same as our Fourth of July. “You wanted to know what God said to me today when I read His Word; well, He made me remember that another Lamb was killed one day at Calvary and He was the Lord Jesus Christ, our Saviour. I don’t think I’ll ever have another Fourth of July without remembering what Jesus did for me.” "Sure, Uncle Tom, I see what you mean. I don’t think I’ll ever have another Fourth of July without re membering that, too.” “ Fine, Karlyn—what about you, Rob?” "I was just thinking—when I was saved last summer, my Sunday school teacher told me that God would free me from the bondage of sin. That’s what this story means, isn’t it?” "Yes, Rob, and we must make sure that we thank God for this salva tion and make it known to others, too!—Say, it’s five minutes to four, right now. I’ll wait with Grandma. You run along and meet your folks.” "Thanks, Uncle Tom,” said Karlyn starting off with Robin “for telling us about the Passover.” "Thanks a lot!” joined Robin. PAGE TWENTY-NINE secured their freedom?” “Oh, yes, Uncle Tom!”
“Well, as I was about to say, Mr. Tom Burton,” Karlyn was trying to be dignified, “why were you sitting here studying? I thought you studied all year at Bible School. Do you study in vacation, too?” “Karlyn, when It’s God’s Word you’re studying, you never finish,” answered Uncle Tom. “I could spend the rest of my life reading it and yet every time I open it, I see some thing new.” “But Tom,” interrupted Robin, Palestine’s
Fourth of July By Nancy A . Woo lnough Biol* *47
“sometimes I read a story book through twice and then I just can’t stand to read it any more. Is it dif ferent with the Bible?” “Yes, Robin, and I’ll tell you why. The Bible is a living Book; it never dies or gets old. God wrote it and He’s alive today. When we read it, we are letting Him tell us all of its wonderful treasures.” “But God doesn’t talk to us, does He, Tom?” “He talks to you through His Holy Spirit. He’s the One who came to earth when Christ went to heaven.” By this time Karlyn was sitting cross-legged in front of Uncle Tom by the tree, listening hard, and Robin was stretched out comfortably on the grass. "Why don’t you explain what you mean, Tom? How did God talk to you today while you were reading?” inquired Robin. "All right, I will. Today I have been reading in Exodus. Did you know that God’s people in those days had sort of a Fourth of July?” “Really?” Karlyn asked. "Do you' know why we have been celebrating today?” “ Sure!” They answered in chorus. Then Robin explained eagerly, “We studied it in school. Everyone knows that on July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was signed.” “That’s when the United States
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