Volume 41 — FOR THE CHILDREN.

(Letter from a colored boy to his teacher.)

Dear S. S. Teacher:

I want to extend my thanks and gratitude to you for that bright light you presented to me yesterday (I mean that Bible). For God says it is a lamp and a light, and I believe it. I have been wanting one for a long time, because I am trying to be one of the very best Christian boys, and I need God’s word to teach me and instruct me how to be the best boy. I hope you will have a large attendance in your class to-morrow, and I hope they all may be on time. As God has given me the Bible I will make it my lamp and my light and also my rule to live by. And I will ask God to help me as I read it, to understand it, and I do want to walk “Even as He.” I know God’s word can make me whiter than pop-corn and sweeter than candy.* I would ask of thee to teach me all you can.

Good Night.

* At the Christmas Festival pop-corn and candy were referred to by one of the speakers in illustration.

(Letter from Mrs. A. A. Myers.)

We read in the old story that every mamma crow thinks her own little crows are the whitest of birds. And I think no one will be surprised that, having worked with the little folks in Kentucky for five years, I should have a little weakness toward them, and if I repeat some of their wise sayings and doings it is only what might be expected.

Little Elbert, between three and four years of age, with his golden text in mind, took his kitty on his knee and very gravely said to it, “Kitty if you lack wisdom, ask of God and he will give it to you.” Looking at the new moon one evening he said, “There’s a piece broken out of it;” and one evening when the setting sun cast out those rays peculiar to it when the air is full of moisture, he exclaimed, “Mamma, the sun is sticking its feet at us.” Little Ernest, three years old, was awakened in the night by hearing our church bell ring a fire alarm. He began to cry, saying “Our Sabbath-school is burning up.” Little Johnny, five years old, was so interested in class over the story of the blind man going with clay on his eyes to the pool of Siloam to wash, and returning seeing, that when in the general review before the school, he sitting in the middle of a full house, the question was asked, “What did Christ tell the blind man to do after anointing his eyes,” Johnny could wait no longer but spoke out in a clear ringing voice, “I dess the blind man was glad of it, don’t you?” Callie’s answer, in the same review, to the question, “Where did Christ tell the blind man to go and wash,” was, “Go to the mud-puddle and wash.”

I will try soon to tell you something about our Band of Hope little folks.