The Tupelo journal., 1903-06-26
his companions and they would have

his companions and they would have
said he was a good generous fellow.
Perhaps when he started off they
tainted him with being stingy be-
cause he would rather take his pos
sessions and give them to Jesus than
selfishly use them for himself. Oh,
if we could only go back and know
all that it cost that lad to bravely fol.
low Jesus, and be where Jesus could
find him and use his little offering,
we would be ashamed of our coward
ice and selfishness, when we stay away
from Jesus because of the ridicule Of
our associates, and because we selfish
ly want for ourselves what Jesus
would be SO glad to bless and use for
others. We need boys to-day, and
girls, too, who can be found. Boys
and girls whose actions and words are
right and clean, even though mother
and father, and teacher or employer
are not around to see and hear. One
of the greatest things that can be said
of any boy or girl is that it is known
where he or she may be found. The
boy is HERE! The girl is HERE!
T HE only safe place for any boy or
l girl is near Jesus. The manifest,
bravest, most useful boys are found
there. The sweetest, mostlovable, most
helpful girls are found there. Iwonder
if it can be said of you, when Jesus has
need of something: There is a lad
here with just what you want, Je-
sus." If you give rein to that hasty
temper it will carry you away off,
and Jesus will not be able to find you
when you are wanted. If you let that
appetite, that pleasure, hat hidden
sensual desire, that selfishness, that
impure thought, that trashy novel,
that bad companion lead you away
you will miss the great privilege of
helping Jesus. 1t cost that lad some
thing to be where Jesus could find
him hat day, and it will cost you
something to be like him. But just
think of the great honor and bless
ing which came to him for being nea
Jesus, instead of away off somewhere
III NiNhSs In Sill. IHouSduuS VI
boys were doing that very thing in
the day in which this lad lived, and
yet they are dead and forgotten. No
record is left of them, but the rec
ord of this Jewish lad lives to this
day to teach and encourage boys
and girls to-day to live near Jesus.
by reading between the lines we may
l. know what kind of a boy this lad
was. He was a thoughtful boy, or
else he would never have been the only
one in all that vast company of peo-
pie who had been provident enough
to bring something to eat. He was
a generous boy, else he would not
have been so willing to give what he
might perhaps with good reason have
said he needed and must have for his
own use. He was a modest lad, for
he stood in the background until
called out by Andrews words. He
was an obedient boy, for it is certain
he was prompt to respond to the call
and to yield to the request made of
him. And, as we have already sug-
gested, he was a brave, dare-to-be-a-
Daniel boy. He dared to do right, he
dared to stand alone. We know what
kind of a boy he was at home, on
the playground, on the street. in the
schoolroom, everywhere. He was a
dependable boy. He was not playing
hockey that day. He vas not idly
roaming in disobedience to parents
and to the neglect of his duties. l
have no doubt that he had been up
very early in the morning that he
might get his chores out of the way
and have a clear conscience when he
started on this trip to the mountains
where Jesus was. lie was a boy
mother and father We're proud of.
Sisters and brothers looked up to
him. He held the good will and opin-
ion of his associates, even though they
sometimes poked fun at him and tried
to make him believe that he was tied
to mothers apron strings.
A ND this lad of our text grew to be
n a man. no doubt. And it is not hard
to tell what kind of a man he made.
Did you ever see a sturdy young oak
tree turn out to be a gnarled briar
bush when grown? Did you ever see
a wheat field TURF to useless tares, as
it developed into maturity? Did you
ever see a brave-hearted, clean-lfved
boy, who lived near Jesus, grow up
to be a wicked, bad man? It's the boy
that makes the man. It is the rule