come in.’ Yes, He is faithful who prom ised. He will come in to be your Saviour, to wash away all of your sins and make you His own forever. Marjorie has opened her heart’s door and received Him; will you others do the same—to day— this first Sunday •of the new year?” There was a pause, and the girls, realizing that Miss Day was speaking to each one personally, gave a personal response. First, Barbara arose and said from her very heart, “ Come in, Lord Jesus, come in today.” Mary followed next. “ I do receive Jesus as my Saviour,” she said. And with similar words the others responded—Faith and Eileen, Marie and Joan. Joy knew no bounds in the Junior class that first Sunday of the new year. With a happy smile, Miss Day turned to Marjorie and said, “My dear girl, I am so glad you chose that verse for your year verse, and, more than that, that you were not ashamed to confess and own Jesus as your Saviour.” And to all the girls she said, “ I am sure this will be the happiest year of all you have yet spent, because you each have a Saviour who has promised never to leave you nor forsake you.” A GAIN we are standing at the be ginning of another new year, three hundred and sixty-five days long. A new year is very much like a long, new road, isn’t it? When one is traveling, he likes to talk with someone who has journeyed over the road before him. Before we start out, we like to be encouraged by one who knows the way. So as we set out to travel the long, long road of 1952, we are glad to know of One who has gone all the way before, even Jesus, our Saviour. In John 10:4 we read: “When he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before.” I am so glad for this precious message, aren’t you? And He who has gone ahead all the way has left us in His Word many promises of the safety of the journey with Himself as our personal Guide. Not only does He go before, boys and girls, but He also journeys with each of us who has received Him as Saviour. In Psalm 23:4 we read these precious words: “ Thou art with me.” Let us say them over and over, as we go to school, to Sunday school, when we are in our homes, “ Thou art with me.” Isn’t it wonderful to have a personal Guide to walk by our side and gently guide us all through the New Year road of 1952? —M.S.H. T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
W a r jo r i e ’i
f j y e a r V e eròe
By Martha S. Hooker
I T was the first Sunday in the new year. The class of Junior girls was meeting as usual in the tower room which was its own special classroom. As the girls found their seats in the cozy little room they had all come to love, there was the usual hum of conversa tion that generally precedes the teach er’s arrival. Two questions, “What did you get for Christmas?” and “Have you chosen your year’s verse yet?” could be heard above all the others. Soon their beloved Miss Day arrived, and after a hearty “Happy New Year” greeting had been given by the entire group, the class was ready to hear what Miss Day had to say. “ Suppose we give our verses for the new year,” Miss Day began. “ I do hope you have each chosen one.” One after another, they responded with the verses they had selected. Some recited hurriedly and without much thought as to the meaning of the verse; a few had forgotten to choose one—and then it came Marjorie’s turn. Marjorie was a favorite among her classmates. She was always chosen first for all the games, and was a real leader among her friends. When it was Marjorie’s turn, the girls all looked curiously toward her, wondering whether or not she would consider it important enough to give a New Year’s verse. Marjorie arose quickly, her face shining as she faced the whole group of girls. “ Oh, I’m so happy to give my year verse,” she said, “ and to tell you just why I chose it. My verse is John 1:12: ‘But as many as received him, to them gave he power [the right] to be come the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name’—and, girls, I have done just what this verse says. I have received the Lord Jesus as my own Sa viour. I received many gifts at Christ mas time, but He is my greatest and best Gift. Now I’m His child, and He has washed away all my sins, and I’m just so happy!” A' hush fell on the little group of Jun ior girls in the tower room. They real- izedr that Marjorie meant all that she had said, and that somehow she was a different, richer girl than they. Miss Day was quite overcome with joy and could only say, “ Oh, Marjorie, I’m so glad! God has answered my prayer for you.” A prayer of thanksgiving followed, after which Miss Day gathered the girls a bit closer in the circle about her and began talking in the heart-to-heart fash ion which the girls always loved. “ Knock, knock, knock.” It was only Miss Day knocking on the desk as she would have knocked at the door of any of the girls’ homes when calling. “When you hear a knocking like this at the door of your homes, girls, what is the first
thing you do? Why, you hurry to the door to see who’s there; and if it is some one you love very much, you quickly open the door and say, ‘Come in,’ don’t you?” Miss Day continued, answering her own question. “However, if the per son who knocks is some one you do not want in your home, you do not invite her in, do you? “When Queen Victoria was reigning in England, it was said that she had a lovely custom of visiting poor old people once a year, bringing, them cheer and happiness. The story is told that at one time, while making her usual visits of love, she knocked long and loudly at the door of one little home, but received no answer to her knocking. Disappointed she soon left and went on to visit some one else. “Now the poor old lady who lived in the house had had a quarrel with her neighbor, and thinking it was the neigh bor knocking, she had refused even to go to the door. Imagine her sorrow the next day when she learned that her caller was none other than Queen Victoria her self! How grieved she was, but it was too late. The Queen hacLknocked yester day—and yesterday was past. “But there is One who is knocking even now at the door of your hearts, dear girls, One who is greater and more loving than any earthly queen or king— and that One is Jesus. The hand that is knocking is a nail-pierced hand—for He died on the cross of Calvary for each one of us because He loved us so—and now He is knocking, knocking. “ In Revelation 3:20 we read this verse: ‘Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hea/r my voice, and open the door, I will come in.’ You have heard His voice, dear girls. Now are you willing to open your heart’s door and say to Him who loved you enough to die for you, ‘Come in, Lord Jesus, and be my Saviour’ ? If you will do this, in the words of this verse He says: ‘I will
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