The boys and birls who came to Sunday school, like those in our picture, were having their annual treat. About two hundred bright, merry looking children, all dressed in their best, had gathered together. After some hymn singing and prayer, one of the teachers spoke as follows:
“Now, I am going to ask two questions to begin with, and I’ll expect both to be answered. The first one is for the boys, and the second for the girls. Now, boys, will any of you tell me whether it is bad boys or good boys that God loves?”
As soon as he had asked the question, fifty hands were up and as many voices shouted out, “Good, good, good.”
“Well, now, will the girls tell me how many good boys are here tonight?”
The girls looked over to where the boys were sitting, and then dropped their heads. No one spoke. The boys seemed impatient to hear the answer. Still no one answered a word. At last a little girl said, “None.” Some of the boys stood on their feet to see who the speaker was.
“How do you know that, my girl?” asked the teacher.
“Because it says in the New Testent, ‘There is none that doeth good, no, not one.’”
“Right. Now you see, boys, if it is good boys and girls that God loves there will be none to love at all, for this girl has told us He has said there are none good. Neither Jack, Jim, nor Tom are good in God’s sight—nor Mary or Nellie either. All are sinners, and unless they are saved, will never get to heaven. Every boy and girl in the world needs to be born again—to be saved—else they can never wear a crown up yonder in glory. Now, what is to be done?”
“Pray,” cried one little fellow. “Well, my dear boy, what will you pray for?”
“To be saved and get to heaven,” answered the little chap.
“And are you sure that saying that prayer will take you there?” No answer.
“Can any girl tell me whom God loves?”
“Sinners,” answered a voice at the back.
“And who are sinners?” “All of us.”
“That’s it. All are sinners—boys and girls, fathers and mothers too. God loves all. Now, another question.
“Was it for good or bad children that Christ died?”
“Sinners,” was the answer.
“Ah, yes! you are getting to understand it now. And who is it that Jesus saves?”
“Sinners that believe on Him.”
“Are there any here that believe on Him?”
“Yes,” answered a girl of twelve, “I do.”
“And are you saved?” “Yes.”
“How do you know that?”
“Because Jesus says, ‘Whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’ “
The meeting came to a close. The teacher waited behind to have a talk with the little girl who said she was saved, and found she had trusted Jesus a few Sundays before while in the school, and she was quite happy.
Dear young reader, God loves you; Jesus died on the cross to save sinful boys and girls and men and women. Will you, like this little girl, trust Him? Then you will be saved and happy too. The Lord Jesus said: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” John 5:24.
“THIS IS A FAITHFUL SAYING, AND WORTHY OF ALL ACCEPTATION, THAT CHRIST JESUS CAME INTO THE WORLD TO SAVE SINNERS.” — 1 Timothy 1:15.
ML 07/18/1954