water there, but he seems to get along without water. I do not know how he does it. We could not do it. Chickens could not do it. Dogs could not do it. It may be that he feeds on roots—tree roots and grass roots of all kinds—and perhaps he gets enough water out of these green things to satisfy him. I have seen a picture of sixteen hun dred prairie dogs lying dead in a pile. Somebody poisoned them. They were digging up the ground and ruining the fields, so the farmers put out some poi son food and the little animals ate it and died. The Lord wants you to be as watchful as the little prairie dogs. There are wicked boys and girls who would like to make you do wrong—break into houses, tear down signs and destroy property. A few minutes of crash and bang may cause thirty or forty dollars’ worth of damage for somebody to pay. Do not destroy property. Be on guard against enemies and when somebody wants to lead you astray, go to Father and Moth er and tell them you want to stay away from wrong things. They will pray for you and help you. Believe on the Lord Jesus and live for Him, and be a fine Christian boy or girl. The Lord will keep you away from sinful people. “ Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord” (2 Cor. 6:17). Sometimes owls, weasels and rattle snakes live in the ground with the prairie dog. Prairie dogs do not want their fellowship, and would much rather that these intruders would not come to live with them. Somehow the prairie dog gets along with these unwelcome guests, but the trouble is the rattle snakes often eat the babies of the prairie dogs. Throughout your life you will be around people who will try to keep you from living the Christian life, and you will have associations that are not pleasant. Keep yourself free from them by letting the Lord Jesus be your Sav iour and your guide. “Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ” (Matt 23:10). Walk with the Lord, no matter what kind of foes are around you. The owl likes to live with the prairie dog because the prairie dog has made a pleasant home and the bird wants to share it. Some people will want to take what you have, too, but be the kind of person the Lord wants you to be, no matter what others may do or say.
P RAIRIE dogs are not dogs at all, but they live on the prairie. A gen eral name for them is marmots, as they are members of that family. They are about the size of a half- grown rabbit and are as quick as can be. They dig holes and live in the ground. They dig at a sloping angle o f about forty-five degrees and go down into the ground about five feet, then they turn and go a little way to one side. There they dig out a large room called their reception room. That is where they live and rear their babies. Of course, it is dark but they can see and smell, so they have a good time. The slogan that could apply to the prairie dog is: “ Underground to Any where.” He digs in any kind of ground but prefers sandy soil for it is easier to dig in such soil. When he wants to visit his neighbor, he simply digs through the ground to his neighbor’s house. How does he know where his neighbor’s home is? I do not know. The Lord has given these little animals a keen sense of direction and of smell. Isn’t it strange that God should make this animal with a little tail that twists and jerks like a squirrel’s tail? I do not know why God ever made that little creature. I only know that He,has won drous power. He made many kinds of animals just as He has made many types of people. God has made you boys and girls dif ferent from each other, but He wants to make each of you a Christian. No mat ter where you are or what your name is, He can make you just what He wants you to be. If you will trust the Lord Jesus and accept Him as your Lord and Saviour, He will make you the kind of boy or girl that He wants you to be, because “ he that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life” (1 John 5:12). I f you are unsaved, you have only human life, not eternal life or the Lord’s life. M A Y , 1 9 5 0
The prairie dog has strong, sharp claws on its front feet and it digs the dirt out quickly with those sharp claws and kicks it back with its hind feet. It kicks all the dirt out of the hole and makes a mound about three feet in diameter and eighteen or twenty inches high. Then the little fellow sits on top of that mound and watches wonderingly what is going on. If something disturbs him, he sits on his hind legs and looks intently to see what he can see, and if he does not like what he sees, he gives a peculiar sharp little cry and quick as a flash he goes into the hole, where he is safe. Some prairie dogs live in the desert I have seen many of them in the desert as I traveled to and from the West Coast. They live in colonies and enjoy each other’s fellowship and association. That is natural. Christians like to be with Christians. Sinners like to be with sinners. Gamblers like to be with gam blers. Drunkards like to be with drunk ards. So prairie dogs like to be with prairie dogs. They do not keep company with wolves and coyotes and dogs. They like to be with one another. If you are a real Christian, you will keep company with others who love the Lord Jesus, the Bible and Sunday school. “ Not for saking the assembling of ourselves to gether, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approach ing” (Heb. 10:25). How this little fellow lives out in the desert, I do not know. There isn’t any
JU N IO R K INGS BUS INESS
Martha S. Hooker
Page Seventeen
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