Number 2. A Little Boy’s Treasure.
ONCE upon, a time a white man had been preaching to crowds of men and boys in a village in India. The sermon was over, and the missionary went amongst them and gave tracts to all who would take them.
A little boy came and held out his hand. When the gentleman heard that the child could read, he gave him a tract, and had a talk with him. He found that the boy had been listening to every word of the preaching, and what he had heard, had surprised him very, much. All his life the child had heard of cruel gods, who would do him harm, and that when he died he would, be turned into a cow, or a snake, or a frog. This white man told of a God of love, who had a beautiful home waiting for all who would come to Him. He also found that pilgrimages and washing in the great river Ganges were not necessary to take away his sins; for God’s dear Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, had borne his sins, and for His sake God would welcome all who came to Him.
As the boy walked along the road he read the precious tract. It was all so new and so lovely, that when he reached home, he ran to his father in great excitement.
The father wondered what had made the little fellow so happy, but he soon found out.
“Father! O father, I have got a paper here and it tells such a beautiful story!”
“Who gave it to you”? asked, the father.
“A Missionary,” replied the child.
“What!” cried the Brahmin father in horror. “A missionary! Then tear it up at once, and run away and bathe, for you are defiled by touching it!”
Poor little boy! His lip quivered, and the bright face grew very sorrowful! He did not wish to disobey his father, but how could he tear up such a lovely paper?
“I will go and bathe father,” he said, “and while I am gone, will you look at the paper? It is so nice, I am sure you will like it, if you read it.”
The Brahmin took the paper; it was hard to refuse his obedient little son anything, and began to read it, aloud.
Soon his wife came out of an inner room to listen, and the more they read, the more interested they became, and through that little tract, the Holy Spirit spoke to that man and his wife, and by it they were taught of the one True God.
As they were talking about the wonderful things they had read, their little son returned, and how glad he was to find them reading and rejoicing over the little paper, which had made him so happy.
Now not far from where the Brahmin had read the tract aloud, four carpenters were working, and they had heard every word, and the more they heard, the more they longed to hear, so as soon as their work was finished, off they started in a boat, to follow the Missionary, who was going farther down the river. When he saw them coming, he told the rowers to stop, and he waited till they came up. How glad he was when the four men told him what they wanted; he soon forgot how tired he was, as he told these poor hungry souls about the Lord Jesus, who had been sent into this world to bear the punishment of sin, and who was so willing to receive all who came to Him, no matter of what race or color.
Soon it grew dark, and the carpenters had to say good by to their kind friend.
Their faces lighted up with joy as he handed each of them a tract; and how gratefully they thanked him for stopping his boat, and for all the wonderful things he had told them. Was not that little boy who took home the tract a very useful little missionary?
ML 03/03/1912