The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-03-10
Beligious dflisteIIamp.
The Old, Old Story.

1t was not told by a minister, not even
n the Sunday-school, but in the home
bf devoted teacher to a congregation
bf one. This is the way the story was
old, and this is the way it went down
nto one human heart: A poor, ragged
boy was found one Sunday by the
eacher among the regular scholars of
her class. The lady had no idea how
he thing happened. But there the
BOY was in his pitiful plight, and the
bther boys were having little fun over
he awkardness and poverty of the
stranger. The teacher drew the boy
close to her side and asked his name.
Hanging his head, he muttered, &" NV
name is Jimmy" g How old are you?h
WAS asked, with other questions, which
drew out the fact that the boy was ten
years old, and that he could not read
The case was so pitiful that the teacher
only whispered, " / want you to 90
home with me after school," AT length
the teacher was seated in the house
with the strange boy, to whom she gave
an apple to make him feel at home,
when the conversation went along
something like this: Jimmy, is your
mother living?" never had any
mother as l knowed of. l alters lived
with Benjamin, the bone-picker."
Well, Jimmy, hope you love Jesus"
=" Jesus, who is he?'' Is Why, Jimmy,
| you must have heard of Jesus-stop
and Think With an honest and won
dering look the boy replied, " Upon
my word and honor l never heard tell
on him. l suppose he is some big gen.
tleman that wouldn't speak to jimmy"
The teacher had never before met a
person that had not heard of Jesus. At
first strange chill came over her, and
next thrill of joy at being permitted
to tell the story of the Cross to another
for the first time. A prayer was sent
up" Lord, help me-" and the lady
went on talking of Jesus. The boy lis
tened with stare of bewiderment; his
gaze was riveted more and more upon
his teacher as he drew closer and closer
to her until his elbow rested on her lap.
Tears came, filing his eyes and run
ming down his cheeks, when he said J.,
1t seems awful strange; nobody ever
told me before that Jesus died for me.
Are you sure there is no mistake about
it? | alters thought | was of no account
anyhow. Please tell we where they
buried him. l wish l could put some
flowers on his grave" When the teacher
could recover her self-control after the
pathos of these words, she said
Jimmy, / have not told you the best
of all. The grave could not hold Jesus"
and she went on to tell the boy about
the resurrection and ascension. Her
listener was spell-bound as he heard
still further of Christ's PRAYING for
Jimmy, and that he was just as near to
him as the boy was to the teacher, and
that ] esus had home for him in heaven
by-and-by. The story had now pene-
trated Jimmy's heart, and he said, "
don't see how anybody could help low
ing One that died for 'em; but how eau
l tell what he wants me to do? / can't
see him, nor hear him talk. | wish 1
had seen him before he died" The
teacher went on to tell about the Bible,
about the strength Christ gives to them
who try to obey him, and how near we
can all be to him now that he is risen
from the dead. Jimmy said, inquifingly,
" You told me that Jesus would come
and live in my heart, but l know he won't
stay where there is so much badness.
Only yesterday l tried to steal some
apples, and when feel awful hungry
l Just think 1 could steal anything.
How can l get this awful feein' out of
me, so as to be good?" to which the
teacher replied by telling more of the
love of Christ and his cleansing blood.
" Now please, teacher" said the boy,
" won't you tell Mr.. Jesus who am? l
don't know how to ask him, as long as
/ can't see him. Mebbe l won't ask
him mannerly-like, and he won't answer
me-" The teacher replied that praying
is talking to Jesus. " You can tell him
just what you want, and ask him for it,
" Well" replied Jimmy, think l
would like to have you tell him about
me first, for you have known him so
long, and he will take more notice of
Jimmy if some one comes with him.
They knelt in prayer, the teacher intro
ducing Jimmy to Jesus, as the boy eX-
pressed it. Then, in honest and rude
faith, Jimmy said: feel so we'll ac-
quainted with him now, you bet it won't
be the last time I'll talk to him. The
boy took up his old torn cap, as if hur-
rying away, when the teacher said
" What is your hurry, Jimmy?" In a
Supuucu anu COuHuculldl lOuc llc DOy
replied: /" want to hurry home and
tell Benjamin about Jesus; he is sc
sickly like, and it would be an awful
thing if he should die and not hear
about Jesus" Then, half covering his
mouth with his hand, he whispered,
j" And he told me to steal the apples
and that is why / am in such hurry
Goodbye" This is real incident.
Such paganism may be found within
pistol shot of our church spires. Here
we see the charm of the old, old story
as fresh and powerful as ever. How
many of us could tell the story so simply
What Christianity wants most to-day il
not a better philosophy, but lives SC
true and hearts so loving that it shall
not be so hard to get the story told
Rec. f. G. Clark, DID,, IN Evangelist.