It was at a Sunday school treat. The room was crowded with boys and girls and a few tall helpers were trying to keep order as the ice cream was bring passed. I slipped into an empty seat between two little girls, and began using the little flat wooden spoon in my cup of ice cream.
“What’s your name?” I asked the girl on my left.
“Doreen,” she answered.
“And I’m Joan,” said the other girl. “Who is your teacher, Joan?”
“I don’t come to this Sunday school,” she answered, “I go to the one on Blank Street.”
“I don’t either,” said Doreen. “I go to one nearer my home.”
“It doesn’t make any difference,” said Joan, “as long as you go to Sunday School.”
“Oh yes it does,” I said.
“I know,” broke in Doreen, “You should go to Sunday school where they read the Bible. At our Sunday school every one in the class has a Bible and we all read it, and the teacher does too, and we talk about it.”
“They don’t use the Bible much at ours,” said Joan. “The teacher has a book, but I don’t think it’s the Bible. She tells us stories, and teaches us to be good. I like it because they have pictures, and all my friends go there.”
I went on eating my ice cream with the little wooden spoon, but my heart ached for poor little Joan. She went to Sunday school, but how can we know what is true about God and Heaven if we do not listen to what God Himself tells us? Dear children, I hope you go to Sunday school, but be sure that, in the place where you go, the Bible is a much read Book. If it isn’t, then ask the Lord to help you to find the place where the Bible is read and acted upon. Those who do not know the Bible do not know the way of salvation at all, and unless your sins have been washed away in the precious blood of Christ, just going to Sunday school or trying to be good will never make you fit for heaven. The Word of God is the test for all that we do and hear.
“PROVE ALL THINGS; HOLD FAST THAT WHICH IS GOOD.” 1 Thessonians 5:21.
ML 12/09/1951