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T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
June, 1939
Junior King's Business By M A R T H A S. H OO K ER
BUTTERFLIES ON THE HILLTOP B y M yrtle B urton
I E T ’S take a-trip—a really truly trip, one that is miles and miles away," we exclaimed as the summer days drew near. And at last we were on our way to the state of Montana. There in a lovely spot near the Missouri River, we.spent a wonderful week. It was like taking a trip back into history about fifty years to be there. The family we visited lived in a small house built in a valley, across the river from the highway. There was not even a bridge for several miles from the place where the house was built, and no road at all on that far side of the river. How were we to reach our friends on the far side of the river? W e stopped our car under a tree on the river bank, and began pressing our automobile horn. Soon in answer to our “Honk! Honk!” our host appeared. Getting into a small boat, he rowed across to meet us. On the first trip back he took our suitcases. When he re turned to our side of the river, we climbed in, and with strong pulls at the oars he brought us to the tiny landing. And a truly royal welcome we received from this father, mother, and the five chil dren—Maudie, Dale, Kathleen, Lerna Mae, and Nona Jane. Families did not often have guests in this part of Montana, and thus our stay in their home was quite as special an occasion for them as for us. The week that followed our arrival and welcome was filled to overflowing with good times. W e spent hours beside the river bank, and in the after noons we all went swimming. We hiked in the hills and learned many new and inter esting things about the out-of-doors. But late afternoon did not end the joys of a day in this lovely spot, for during the long summer evenings we gathered with the family in the front yard. And while we watched the glory of the mountain sunset, we sang the old hymns of the church, and told again the wonderful stories from the Word of God. How the children loved this part of the day! They were hearing for the first time these precious stories which all children love to hear. This was a family that had no opportunity to attend either church or Sunday-school, and we found that the younger children had never heard the story of David and Goliath. What was still worse, they had never heard of the angels that praised God on that glad birthday of the Lord Jesus. Very eagerly they listened, and again and again came the request, “Tell us a story, please.” And as soon as the story was finished, some one would say, "Now, tell us another story!” On the last day of our visit, the two small girls climbed with me to the top of a high hill, where we sat down to rest at a spot where I could look for the last time upon the beautiful valley of the Missouri. As we sat together on the mountain top, we talked of God who made this world,
fuzzy little things, and they’re so cute.” "And have you ever seen them spin a cocoon?” I asked. Both children were in terested now. Even Nonie knew all about how they spun the long silken thread, and then went to sleep inside the cozy nest. “And then what happens to the cater pillar?” The children were silent, but their eyes were full of eagerness and interest in knowing. "What does happen to the caterpillar?” I repeated. "I must tell you. Long, slim, and fuzzy, it spins a tomb about itself, and the caterpillar never comes out. W e never see it again. But the caterpillar’s life does not end inside the cocoon. Its life is changed, and becomes new and wonderful. Instead of crawling about on the ground, it spreads its wings of gold, and flies with the sunbeams just as this beautiful butterfly we saw a moment ago is doing. See it now flitting among the berry bushes!” I could tell by their eager faces that they understood this great and wonderful mystery as much as it is possible for chil dren to understand—that though the houses in which we live, our bodies, may die and be placed in their cocoon, the grave, yet the new life, which all receive who open their hearts and accept Christ as Saviour, never dies. In heaven we live again with the Lord Jesus Christ: “Absent from the' body, . . . present with the Lord” (2 Cor. 5 :8 ). After the Lord Jesus had given His life for us on the cross of Calvary, His body was placed in a tomb. But it did not remain there long. On the third day He came forth in His glorified, resurrected body, leaving behind the wrappings of the graveclothes. And He has told us that some day these earthly bodies of ours shall be changed, and shall become like unto His own glorious body. "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him: for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3 :2 ). The time passed all too quickly on the hilltop with the butterflies. I longed to stay there with Lerna Mae and Nonie to talk of these glorious things; but the other members of the family were waiting to say good-bye, and across the river, our car was waiting to take us away from this lovely spot back to our homes and the busy city and work. So it was that we left the hilltop and made our way down to the valley below. Few words were spoken: our minds and hearts were too full of the wondrous things we had learned on the hilltop from the but terfly. Will your body, too, be changed, and will you go to live with the Lord Jesus? He has promised that these wonderful things will happen to you, if you have let Him be your very own Saviour now.
and who loved us enough to come to earth Himself as our Saviour. And then we talked of heaven. I described the wonder ful heavenly city as best I could, quoting from the Word of God: “And the street of the city was pure gold, as it were trans parent glass . . . And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof” (Rev. 21:21, 23). “But how can we go to heaven?” Lerna Mae asked with eager interest. "How can we die, and yet be alive up there?” They were very young, these two com panions of my mountain climb, but the question was a serious one. How should I answer this question? My desire was really a prayer unspoken. With all my heart I wanted to help them understand. And then, at just the right time, God sent the answer. Softly moving toward us, on wings of gold and purple, a very part of the summer sun light, came one of the loveliest butterflies I have ever seen. At once the children no ticed it. "What a perfectly beautiful butterfly! God has sent this lovely creature to help me answer your question,” I said aloud. Then turning to the small girl by my side, I questioned, "Lerna Mae, have you ever seen a caterpillar?” “Oh, yes, lots of times," she replied. "I like to play with them, too. They’re such
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