Is one-roomed schoolhouse once, 1 boys and girls of all grades were taught together. For some weeks there had been a great deal of trouble in the class. The teacher, after seral unsuccessful attempts to keep order, finally got the children together, singled out seven of the older ones as the ringleaders, and stood them upon a table in sight of all the other children. Then he addressed the class.
“Now, children, you all know about the trouble and disturbances we have had in the school. You know also how patiently I have tried to help you to make things better. However, matters have gone so far that I am determined to put a stop to it. I have, therefore, chosen seven of the worst offenders, who are the cause of most of the trouble, and I am going to push them. I want you to say what punishment they deserve.”
For a time there was silence, but when the teacher pressed his question, a voice was heard at the far end of the room, saying, “Let ’em off!” It was the voice of a little blind Christian boy, Blind Jimmy by name.
“No, no,” said the teacher. “I am not going to ‘let ’em off’ any more; I have let them off too many times already. Now I am going to punish them, and I want you to say what punishment I ought to give them.”
No reply was forthcoming, so the teacher spoke again: “Look here, I’ll let them off on one condition, and that is, that some one child comes up here,” and he held his cane in his hand as he spoke, “and receives a beating instead of these seven bad boys and girls.”
The words were scarcely out of his mouth when a scuffle was heard at the back of the classroom. It was little Blind Jimmy. He rose from his seat and made his way to the front, feeling his way past the desks until he stood before the teacher.
“Jimmy, my boy,” said the teacher, “you did not understand what I said. I said that if anyone would come here and be punished instead of these naughty ones, I would forgive them and let them go unpunished.”
Jimmy turned his face towards the teacher and said, “Then, sir, please beat me.”
The teacher was dumbfounded for some minutes, but Jimmy was determined. Finally, the teacher, bent on doing justice on account of the others’ sins, raised his cane, and many were the strokes that fell upon poor Jimmy’s back. At length Jimmy turned his face, this time wet with tears, and said, “Please, sir, have I had enough?”
“Yes,” said the teacher, “I think you have had enough; you may go back to your seat.” Then he again addressed the seven guilty boys and girls. “Now I forgive you; I have dealt with your naughtiness by punishing innocent Jimmy. The whipping that Jimmy took ought to have been yours. He has suffered in your stead, and as far as I am concerned you are pardoned. You may sit down.”
The seven naughty boys and girls, however, did not sit down. They jumped down from the table and gathering around Blind Jimmy, they thanked him again and again for what he had done. All Jimmy could say was, “Oh, I didn’t mind how it hurt, if it would only bring you to Jesus!”
Dear Jimmy’s desire was granted, for the Spirit of God worked in the hearts of many boys and girls in that school and as a result fifteen of them were brought to Jesus. They saw in Jimmy’s punishment and sufferings a little picture of what the Saviour had borne for them upon the cross. They realized that they were great sinners but they came to know Jesus as One who is greater than all our sins. He suffered once those untold agonies on the cross for guilty sinners, and now those who put their trust in Him God pardons and justifies.
“God will not payment twice demand
First at my blessed Surety’s hand,
And then again at mine.”
ML-03/17/1963