A Story for The Little Ones.
MANY long years ago there lived a king in that part of the world now called Turkey. The country over which he reigned was then called Macedonia, and the king’s name was Philip. Now this king had an officer in his army who, like Naaman, the great general of the king of Syria, was a favorite with his master. King’s favourites are not always good men, and this one was only a great man who had shown himself very brave and successful in battle. Which is best do you think, little reader — to be good or great? This officer was sent on one occasion by his master on a long voyage on board a ship. But the ship never reached its destination. Before they had proceeded very far a great storm arose, and the ship was driven on the shore and dashed in pieces by the rocks. The great officer who had been in many a battle found the battle of the elements far more terrible to contend with than even the wicked violence of man; and, as the winds and the waves had no respect for his greatness, they handled him so roughly that he nearly lost his life, and was carried by a great wave far on to the beach, where, thrown like a weed upon the sand, he lay senseless, wounded, and naked, as if he were dead. Had he been left in that condition long, there is no doubt he would have died outright. But a gentleman, whose home was in that neighborhood, and who was a very kind-hearted man, came down to the sea-shore after the storm to see whether there was anyone whom he could help, and having looked about among the broken pieces of wreck and the dead bodies strewed around, he discovered this officer, and finding he was still alive, he had him carried to his own house. There every care was taken of him; and as he had been seriously hurt by being dashed about among the rocks, it was nearly six weeks before he recovered his strength. But during all this time his kind host was unceasing in his attentions to him, cherishing and comforting him with the tenderness of a brother.
At length he was sufficiently restored to think of taking his departure. But he had lost everything he possessed in the wreck of the vessel, and was utterly penniless — how, then, was he to undertake a long journey homeward? Even here the kindness of his host assisted him, for, not content with having dolly everything needful for him while under his roof, he now supplied him with a liberal sum of money to carry him comfortably back to his own home. The officer, you may suppose, warmly expressed his gratitude to his deliverer, and having informed him that he had great influence with king Philip, assured him he would not fail to use it to procure for his kind entertainer an adequate reward for his generosity to a shipwrecked and helpless stranger. During his stay in the house of his benevolent friend he had greatly admired the elegance of the dwelling and the beauty and richness of the estate by which it was surrounded it was just such a place, the officer thought, as he should like to possess as a retreat to end his days in when active service was over. Situated near the sea-shore, the prospect of both sea and land was beautiful, and the more he thought about it as he journeyed back to Macedon, the more he desired its possession. To covet is as natural to our hearts as to breathe is to our lungs, and before this officer had reached the palace of Philip, this wicked passion had so completely taken possession of his soul that all his gratitude towards his kind preserver was quite forgotten. One thought occupied him, one desire filled his mind — and that was to get possession of the beautiful estate he had just left behind him. Had he checked the wicked thought at the very first, it might have been easily overcome, especially if he had meditated instead upon all the compassion and tenderness he had experienced at the hands of his friend. But He did not do so. He encouraged the covetousness of his own heart until it swallowed up every better fooling, and completely silenced the voice of conscience.
On reaching home, he presented himself as soon as possible before king Philip, and related his adventures, describing the terrible storm and shipwreck, the dangers he had passed through, and the losses he had sustained but he said not one word about the kind friend who had rescued him from death on the sea-shore. This he purposely and wickedly concealed, for he had an object in doing so. What do you think it was? After magnifying his losses, he told the king he had a favor to ask at his hands, which was that he would bestow upon him the house and lands near the spot where he had been wrecked, pretending that he wanted them as a memorial of his wonderful escape! Philip at once granted his petition, not considering that the property belonged to another, and was not his to give. In those days, when men worshipped idols of wood and stone, and knew nothing of God’s word, the Bible, such acts of injustice were far too common. The wicked officer quickly returned to the house of the man who had saved him from death, and, armed with the king’s authority, drove him from his home and property, and took possession of his estate!
“What an ungrateful and wicked man he must have been,” you will exclaim. He was indeed. It seems as if it were hardly possible for any one to be so bad, and yet, bad as it was, such black ingratitude is not worse than that which every unbeliever — everyone who has not received Jesus Christ as his Saviour — is guilty of, whether young or old. It was shocking to treat a deliverer so; to rob him of his property and turn him from his home; but the world-treated the Great Deliverer worse than even this, for the world crucified Christ, and those who have heard the gospel and have not believed in the Lord Jesus Christ unto everlasting life, have taken sides with the world against Jesus! Who is on the Lord’s side? Those who love Jesus. Who is on the world’s side? Those who reject Jesus Christ by not believing in him after they have heard his word. Which side are you on, little reader?
Well, but I must finish my story about the wicked officer. The gentleman who was turned out of his home was very angry with his ungrateful guest, and going straight to King Philip he told him all that he had done for the officer and how he had requited him. Astonished and indignant at such base ingratitude Philip ordered the culprit to be seized and brought before him. Upbraiding him with his wickedness he first commanded the restoration of the estates to their rightful owner, and then, to mark his sense of the character of the officer and to make it known to all around, he had branded on his forehead these shameful words, “THE UNGRATEFUL GUEST.”
This is the heir, come let us kill him,” was the thought of the heart of the wicked in the days when the Son of God was on the earth. “He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.” He went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; “he took little children up in his arms, laid his hands on them and blessed them.” He did all that could be done to show what a loving heart he had, but instead of owning his love, the world hated him without a cause, and with wicked hands killed the prince of life, and sent him out of the world he himself had made amid wicked scoffs and reviling’s. But a day is very near now when the world will be brought into judgment for this; when those who have rejected the Lord Jesus. Christ, and thus taken part with his enemies will have to answer before God for their wicked ingratitude to him who has done so much for them. In that day the heir of glory, the Lord of all, the rightful owner shall take possession of all that belongs to him, and his wicked and ungrateful enemies, shall be BRANDED forever with “the fire that never shall be quenched.” O awful day for those who have received so many favours, so many benefits, so many mercies, the greatest of all being the gift of God’s dear Son — in vain! “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him might not perish, but have everlasting life.” Ungrateful world! ungrateful guest of a most bountiful Preserver, most gracious Deliverer, most precious Friend, who shall pity thee in that day? Little reader, will you imitate the URATEFUL GUEST?
J. L. K.