The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1870-03-30
The Minister and the Boy.


Many years ago a certain minister was
going one Sunday morning to his school
room. He walked through number of
streets, and as he turned a corner he saw as
sembled around pump party of little
boys playing marbles. On seeing him ap-
prOach they began to pick up their marbles
and run away as fast as they could. One
little fellow, not having seen him as soon as
the rest, before ne could succeed in gather
ing up his marbles, the minister had come
to him and placed his hand upon his shout
der. They were face to face, the minister
of God and the poor little ragged boy, who
had been caught in the act of playing mar,
bles on Sunday morning. And how did the
minister deal with the boy? That is what
wanted you to notice.
He might have said to him, "What are
you doing there? You are breaking the
Sabbath? Don't you deserve to be pun
ished 2"
But he did nothing of the kind He sim
ply said, . Have you found all your marbles ?'
''No, said the boy, 81 haven't"
"Then, said the minister, ell help you.
Whereupon he stopped down, and began to
look for the marbles; and as he did so he
remarked, 81 liked to play marbles when l
was little boy very much, and think l
can beat you; but" he added, / never
played marbles on Sunday.
The little boy s attention was now arrested.
He liked his friends face, and began to
wonder who he was. Then the minister said,
"Tm going to place where think you
would like to be; will you come with me?"
Said the boy, "Where do you live?"
ain such and such place, was the an
swer.
"Why, that's the minister's house, ex-
claimed the boy, as if he did not suppose
that kind man and minister of the Cos
pei could be the same person.
eyes" said the man, Il am the minister
myself; and if you'll come with me | think
1 can do you some good,
Said the boy, my hands are dirty, 1
can't 60"
"But, said the minister, "here's pump
why not wash them 2"
Said the boy, Sim so little l can't wash
and pump at the same time"
swell, said the minister, "if you'll wash
I'll pump"
He at once set to work, and pumped and
pumped; and the boy washed his hands and
face till they were quite clean.
Said the boy, my hands are wringing
wet, and don't know how to dry EN-"
The minister pulled out clean handker
chief and offered it to the boy.
Said the boy, "But it is clean
"Yes," was the reply, ''but it was made
to be dirtied.'
The boy dried his hands and face with the
handkerchief, and then accompanied the
minister to the door of the Sunday school.
Twenty years after the minister was walk
ing in the street of large city, when tall
man tapped him on the shoulder, and look
= ing into his face, said, "YOu don remember
meI'
"NO," said the minister, 81 don't"
"Do you remember, twenty years ago,
finding little boy playing marbles round a
pump? Do you remember that boys being
too dirty to go to school, and pumping for
him, and speaking kindly to him, and taking
him to SCHOOL,"
"Ol" said the minister, 81 do remember"
"Sir," said the gentleman, 81 was that
boy. rose in business and became lead
ing man. l have attained a position in
society, and on seeing you to-day in the
street, felt bound to come to you and say,
that it is to your kindness and wisdom and
Christian discretion-to your having dealt
with me persuasively-that 1 owe, under
God, all that have attained, and what l
am at the present day."-Herald.
THERE are few but are sometimes IN Sc