I SUPPOSE nearly every Sunday school has one notable scholar — notable for naughtiness. We had one in our school, always restless, always dirty, always trying the patience of his teacher and shocking the other children. A Christian woman who pitied him had asked him to the school, and accordingly he came with his sisters. Ted was his name; his untidy clothes and shrewd, old-looking face made us notice him at once. He always lingered about after school helping to collect the hymnbooks, and looking for a little kindly notice from the teachers.
But how to manage him in the class was a puzzle; he kept his teacher in constant anxiety. Perhaps for a little while he would appear to be very quiet and attentive, and then suddenly a tiny chap next to him would begin to cry—Ted had hit him. He heard, however, a good deal in spite of his restlessness, and if he could answer a question or join in the chorus of a hymn would do so heartily.
At last, when the novelty of the new school wore off, he became so troublesome that all the teachers felt he must not be allowed to come; he spoiled the lesson for the rest of the class.
We were very sorry about it, we wanted to keep him, we knew that he had a precious soul that would live forever; we knew that the Lord Jesus was willing to save him; we knew he had no Christian mother and father to teach him, and we longed to see him converted, turned from a little thief and story-teller into a follower of the Lord Jesus.
The climax came in this way: One Sunday, in the middle. of the lesson, he wanted to go home and made a dash for his cap; in so doing he pushed against a platform which was standing on end. It tilted over, and almost fell on the heads of three little girls in the next class. O! how thankful we were it was caught in time, for had it struck the children they must have been very much hurt.
Having secured his cap, and feeling a ‘little frightened at what he had done, Ted ran out. The next Sunday when he came the superintendent told him that we could not let him stay.
He has been a few times at intervals since then. Once he brought a new boy, and the teacher said, “Now, Ted, you must show your friend how to behave in Sunday school.” Ted sat up straight, and tried to be good for a little while; but in the end the new boy was better than he, and when Ted fidgeted would nudge him and say, “Be quiet.”
Ted learned a few texts and hymns, and we hope that someday the good seed sown may bring forth fruit abundantly. In Mark 4, we read the parable of the Sower and the seed. If we could read the Bible in the language in which it was written we should see that the Lord Jesus said, “One fell by the wayside,” “another fell on the rocky ground,” “another fell among thorns,” “and another fell into good ground.” You see it was one seed at a time, so if we can teach one verse of Scripture to such as poor Ted something is gained.
We have not lost sight of him. Sometimes a teacher walking along the street will hear someone call out, “Hullo,” and see Ted riding along the other side of the road on his father’s horse. He spends a good deal of time wandering about with this horse, taking it wherever there is any grass growing by the roadside. Not long ago he fell off a cart, and the wheel passing over him, he was rather badly hurt; so was taken to the hospital, where he stayed a few weeks, but he was glad to get out again, for, as he told his sister, “You could not do what you liked there.” Sometimes he will call to see one of the teachers, who gets him to repeat some verses of Scripture, and then gives him a ticket.
Now if there is a poor, naughty little boy like this in your school, I want to suggest something to you boys and girls who love the Lord Jesus Christ. Will you pray especially for him and ask the Lord Jesus to save him from everlasting punishment, and to save him from growing up to be a wicked man?
You know it is such a priceless boon to have even one person to care for your soul. I expect when you were converted many hearts danced for joy; and now many are praying that you may grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now will you pray for the naughty scholar? No doubt you do pray for your unconverted brothers and sisters, but I want you to remember as well those poor children whose parents and friends do not care for their souls.
“This is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us: and if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.” (1 John 5:14, 15.)
ML 09/16/1917