then exclaimed impulsively: “ Oh, I wish I could play the piano the way you do!” “Are you a piano student too?” asked Mary. “Yes,” said Terry, “ but I hate to practice!” “ So did I,” confessed Mary, “ but now I am so glad my folks made me. My twin and I can travel with them in the summers and some day I want to do this work all the time.” Terry nod ded, resolved not to complain any more about having to sit on that piano stool an hour a day. By this time Harry and Jim were comparing notes about their musical ins t rument s . “ Boy, those double stops!” said Jim, admiringly, “ how long have you studied violin?” “ Oh, since I was five years old. My Dad was a violinst but he lost two fingers so he trained me to take his place— he and about half-a-dozen other teachers. Believe me, it’s been work! But it’s no greater than all that triple-tonguing you trumpeters do!” Terry was excited. “ Maybe you and your brother can come over-to our house for lunch. I’ll ask my mother!” Startled, Jim took her arm and hurried her away. “ Terry, it’s late! We must hurry!” By running to the corner, they caught their bus. On it were many of the young peo ple who had been in the service, laughing and talking. Terry’s eyes were shining with happiness but Jim was very quiet. Terry looked at her brother. “ Is something wrong?” she asked. “No, no!” answered Jim, “I ’m just thinking. Did you really know what you were do i ng tonight?” Terry flushed, but she looked her brother right in the eye. “ I certain ly did, Jim James. Now I am a Christian, and I am going to live for the Lord,” she said with conviction. “ So am I,” said Jim, “ I am going to start reading this tonight.” He held up the red Gospel of John which Mr. Gray had given him. “ Then why are you so sad?” persisted Terry. “ I’m not sad. I am just wondering what Dad and Mom will say and what I’ll say to them. Here’s our stop. Let’s run!” As they ran the half block to their home, the thought of that “ third C” came to Jim’s mind. “You need courage to be great for God,” Mr. Gray had said, “ Some times your own family will not un derstand when you follow Christ. But stick to your decision. It is the best one you ever made.” “ Double stops and decisions!” said Jim to himself as he and his young sister turned into the walk which led to their house which was blazing with light although it was eleven o’clock. Even more astounding was the police ambulance standing in the street, its red light turning, turning, turning. (concluded next month)
People and things will try to turn you away from your purpose,” he declared. That made sense to Jim. Even young Terry understood what he meant. He illustrated each point with the story of some famous man or woman who became great because they followed this formula. Then suddenly he made a sudden switch. Turning to Mark 8:36, he read: “ For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” He said no greatness of this earth meant anything if you were not saved. Simply, in terms his young listeners could understand, he preached the Gospel, describing the way of salva tion provided through the death and resurrection of Christ. Urging girls and fellows to give their hearts to the Lord, he said, “ You can then use all of these principles of great ness. Consecrate your life to Him, concentrate upon His will, and He will give you courage to live and to speak for Him.” He followed with a warm, loving invitation, while Mrs. Gray sang softly, “ Come to Jesus,” as the twins played a muted accom paniment. “ Come forward and make your decision now,” he pleaded. Jim had not missed one word of the message. Although he was sur prised at the turn the argument had taken, his heart and mind responded. Inside he knew this was what he really wanted to know. Many young people were making their way up the aisle and he too felt he must get to his feet. He looked at his sister and saw she was crying. Well, he felt like crying too. He was sorry for some things in his young life of which he was not proud. But Mr. Gray had said God would forgive and cleanse because Jesus had died to take away our sins. In a choked voice, Jim whispered to Terry: “ I want to go up there. You wait for me here.” Her brown eyes full of tears, his sister shook her head. “No, I want to go too.” “ All right,” Jim said, and hand in hand, they moved up the aisle. About fifty young peo ple stood at the front. After dis missing the crowd, Mr. Gray talked to them, gave each a little booklet and then assigned workers who had come from the choir to talk to each girl and boy personally. As Terry knelt with the others, a girl put her arm about her. Looking up, Terry was astonished to see that it was Mary Gray herself. The older girl helped Terry to form a brief prayer. When they rose from their knees, Terry had another surprise. Her brother and Harry Gray were going over some Bible verses to gether. After Mr. Gray gave a final benediction, Terry thanked Mary,
clothes, there certainly was about their music. First came some lively singing from the choir, led by Mr. Gray, ac companied by daughter Mary. Then the audience joined in a Gospel song after which Mrs. Gray, in a sweet contralto voice sang “ Tell Me His Name Again,” for which Mary also played. After some announcements about the week’s meetings and the offering, the real feature occurred. The Tuneful Twins, Harry and Mary Gray, began with Intermezzo and then played half-a-dozen old hymns, closing wi t h “ The Old Rugged Cross.” So skillfully and beautifully was it done that there was no other sound in the room. Terry practically held her breath. Jim was awed. While Mary was a perfect accom panist, her brother was the real vir tuoso (Jim knew that word from his own music teacher). “ Wow! dou ble stops like Heifitz and Stern!” he said under his breath. He had never heard any boy who could play like that. It was something more than good music though. It seemed to go right through your heart, especially that last hymn. When the young musicians finished, their father held up his hand to stop the applause which was sure to burst forth from those enthusiastic young people. He prayed as if he were actually talking to the Lord in person. Then Mr. Gray began his message. He did not have a “ preachery” way about him at all. Beginning with a sly joke which put them all in good humor, he asked, “ I wonder how many of you fellows want to be great men? Of course, I don’t mean you girls. You just want to marry great men.” This b r ough t a delighted laugh. Jim leaned back, relaxed. “ This is just the greatest. I’ll bet he’ll tell me just exactly what I want to know.” Speaking in a bright conversa tional tone, in language boys and girls and youth could understand, Mr. Gray at once had the full atten tion of his audience. “ If you want to be great, you will have to know the three Cs,” he said, “ I don’t mean low C, middle C or even high C; I refer to Consecration, Concentration and Courage. Now two of those are pretty big words, but I will explain exactly what I mean by them.” And he did. He said, first of all, you had to have something worthwhile to which to consecrate or dedicate your self. (At once Jim thought of his father.) “ Then you must concentrate on it; make it the center •about which everything else in life re volves ; finally, you top it off with courage without which you will not stick to either of the other things.
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NOVEMBER, 1965
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