Chapter VII: Part II: Stories to Tell (4)

The camel-drivers sold Joseph as a slave in Egypt to a rich man who promoted him to be the chief ruler of his great house. It was a fine place for him. But one day some one told a very wicked lie about him, and he was cast into prison. But Joseph was so cheerful and kind and useful, even in prison, that he was soon placed over all the prisoners. When the king heard that Joseph had power to tell people the meaning of their dreams, he sent for him to tell the meaning of two dreams that troubled him. Joseph told the king his dreams. So Joseph was removed from prison to the king’s palace, and was dressed in fine clothes, with a gold chain around his neck and a gold ring on his finger, and made ruler over all the land, next to the king. Soon a great famine arose (just as Joseph had told the king) in all lands except Egypt, because Joseph had filled big barns with corn. Joseph’s ten brothers came from Canaan to Egypt to buy food to keep their families from starving. They were taken into the presence of the great ruler who sold the corn, and they bowed down to the earth before him. So the dreamer’s dream came true, though they did not know it then. Joseph knew them, and treated them kindly without letting them know he was their brother. He longed to see his youngest brother, Benjamin, and told the older brothers to bring him down with them when they came again, or they could have no more corn. When they brought him, and when Joseph looked upon Benjamin’s face, this great Prince of Egypt burst into tears and said, “I am Joseph, your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt, but whom God sent before you to preserve life.” Then they were afraid, but Joseph lovingly put his arms about their necks and kissed them and cried with them until they knew that he freely forgave them. So they went home quickly and brought their old father, Jacob, the good news, “Joseph is yet alive, and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt!” Jacob could scarcely believe them. But when they told him how he had forgiven their wickedness, he said, “I will go and see him before I die.” So all together they went to Egypt and lived in a beautiful house which Joseph gave them. Then he took good care of them all, and lived near his dear old father until the old man died, happily and peacefully, because he was with his beloved Joseph, whom he had lost as a slave and had found again as a prince.

9. THE BABY BROTHER IN A BASKET-BOAT

(Exodus 2)

Long, long ago, a little boy was born in a Hebrew home, at a time when a cruel king of Egypt ordered all Hebrew boys that were born, to be thrown to the crocodiles in the great river Nile. But this little babe was so beautiful that his mother hid him in the house and prayed God to keep him safe. She hid him carefully for three months. Then, being afraid some one might hear him, she went to the river and gathered some long, strong grasses that grew there and braided them together, making a small basket and shaping it like a boat. To make it warm and dry inside, and to keep it from sinking when placed in the water, she painted it with black paint inside and out. Early one morning, when all was ready, the mother took her baby boy quietly sleeping in the basket-boat, and went down to the river Nile, the little baby’s sister, Miriam, following closely behind her. The mother hid the basket among the tall grasses near the shore, and again prayed God to keep her baby safe. Miriam was left hiding in the tall grass near-by to see what would happen to her little brother in his new bed. Very soon the princess, the daughter of the cruel king of Egypt, with her maids, came down to the river to bathe. Quickly she spied the basket-boat and cried, “What is that floating on the water among the tall grasses? Bring it to me.” One of her maids ran and picked up the basket and brought it to the princess. When she opened it, there was the most beautiful baby boy she had ever seen! The child was wide awake, and seeing the strange face, began to cry. “It is one of the Hebrew babies that my father ordered drowned!” she said. “But I have found him, and I will keep him as my own little baby boy. I will call his name ‘Moses.’”

Miriam was watching from her hiding-place in the tall grasses. She ran out and said, “Shall I bring a nurse for the baby?” “Yes,” said the princess. Miriam ran home as fast as she could, and whom do you suppose she brought? The baby’s own mother! And the princess told her to take him home and nurse him and care for him for her, for she loved him as her very own, and the king would not harm him.

So the prayer that Moses’ mother made to God to take care of her little baby boy in the basket-boat was answered. And Moses grew up to be a great and good man.

10. WHY BOYS TAKE OFF THEIR HATS IN CHURCH

(Exodus 3)

When the boy Moses was old enough to leave his mother he went to live with his new mother in the king’s palace.

Moses was a good boy. He studied his lessons so well in school that he grew up to be one of the wisest and best young men in all the land. But Moses never forgot his own Hebrew people. He was not careless of the cruel way they were treated as slaves by the king’s officers. He tried to improve their sad condition in his own hasty way, but he soon saw that neither his own people nor their masters wanted a princess’s son to interfere. They were both ready to kill him for trying to help. So Moses had to flee for his life into the mountains where he became a shepherd. One day as he was leading his sheep up the mountainside, he saw a thorn-bush all aflame; and it kept on burning, but was not burned up. Moses wondered to see so strange a sight. Leaving his sheep he went near. Suddenly a Voice called out of the midst of the fire-bush, “Moses! Moses!” Moses answered, “Here am I.” The Voice said, “Take off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground,” It was God, in the form of an angel, speaking to him. Moses at once took off his shoes and bowed reverently in the presence of God. Then God told him a better way by which he could help his downtrodden people and set them free from their cruel masters who were beating them and making their life so hard. He told Moses he wanted him to lead his people out of their bondage. At first Moses was afraid he was not able to do what God wanted him to do, but God said, “Certainly, Moses, I will be with thee.” Moses obeyed the Voice that spoke that day to him out of the fire-bush, and he became one of the greatest of leaders and lawgivers that this world ever saw. Men and boys take off their hats in church to-day for the same reason that Moses removed his shoes before the fire-bush--to show reverence in the presence of God and respect for his wonderful way of speaking to men.

II. THE BOY WHO LIVED IN A CHURCH

(1 Samuel 2, 3)

Once there was a little boy, about seven years old, who was taken by his mother to a beautiful church and left there to be educated by the minister, who lived in a room at the side of the church. The little boy’s mother had promised God that if he would give her a little boy she would give him back to him, and that all the days of his life her boy should serve him. So as soon as he was old enough to leave her she remembered her promise. A little room was fitted up for the little fellow next to the minister’s room. Little Samuel learned to trim the lamps, to open and close the church doors, and to be useful in many little ways in helping the minister. Once a year his mother came to see him, bringing for him a beautiful little, new, white coat, which she had made for him. It was the same kind of white coat the minister wore. One night as the little boy was lying asleep in his room, suddenly a beautiful Voice rang through the chamber, calling, “Samuel! Samuel!” Samuel thought it was the minister calling him. He ran to the minister’s room, saying, “Here am I!” “I called not,” said the minister; “lie down again.” So the boy went back to bed. Then again the Voice called, “Samuel!” Again he ran to the minister who said, “I called not; lie down again.” When all was quiet, the third time the Voice called, “Samuel!” and again the boy sprang up and ran quickly to the minister’s room. Then the minister knew God was calling him. “Go lie down,” he said, “and if you hear the Voice again, it is God calling you; say, ‘Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth.’” As soon as Samuel lay down again, God called, “Samuel! Samuel!” and little Samuel kneeling beside his bed said, “Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth.” Then God told him what he wished him to do for him when he grew older. So the little boy who was obedient to God’s voice grew up to be a great and good man, living always for the good of his people.

12. THE DAUGHTER WHO HONORED HER MOTHER

(Book of Ruth)

Far away in the strange land of Moab a poor widow started to return to her own home in the land of Israel. Ruth and Orpah, her two daughters-in-law, the wives of her sons who had just died, wished to go with her, for they could not think of the poor, old, sad mother returning all by herself on that long journey. But after they had gone a little way, the old mother kissed them and said, “Go back to your home and native land!” So Orpah kissed her good-bye and returned, but Ruth clung to her mother-in-law and said: “Entreat me not to leave thee and return from following after thee; for whither thou goest I will go; and where thou lodgest I will lodge; thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God; where thou diest will I die, and there will I be buried. Nothing but death shall part thee and me.” Ruth knew that where Naomi was going she would be poor, and that they would have to work hard, but she loved this old mother too much to leave her. Soon they saw the hills and then the houses of Bethlehem, Naomi’s home. They settled down in that little town, but were so poor they did not know how to get even food enough to eat. The time of year had come when the farmers were beginning to cut the barley--the harvest-time. It was the custom in that land to allow poor people to go into the fields and gather up the loose ears of barley that were left by the reapers; and Ruth went to glean a little food for herself and her mother. She happened to go into the field of a rich man named Boaz. By and by when Boaz came to see how the reapers were getting on, he saw Ruth gleaning, and asked his reapers who she was. They told him that she was Naomi’s daughter-in-law, just come from Moab. Then Boaz called her to him and told her that she was welcome to glean in his fields all through the harvest. He said: “I have heard all about your goodness to Naomi. May you be fully rewarded by Jehovah, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.” At dinnertime Boaz told her to sit down with the reapers, who gave her food and drink. She ate all she wished, and still she had some left, which in the evening she took home with her, with the barley she had gleaned, to Naomi. At the end of the barley harvest, this great and good rich man, Boaz, fell in love with Ruth, and she became his wife. The old mother, Naomi, went to live with them in their large and beautiful house, and she never was in want again. When a little son came to them, Ruth called his name Obed, and when he grew to be an old man, he was the grandfather of King David. So Ruth, the gleaner, who was kind and loyal to her mother-in-law, became the great-grandmother of the greatest King of Israel.

13. THE SHEPHERD-BOY WHO SLEW A GIANT

Far away on a hillside, one starry night, a shepherd-boy was watching his father’s sheep. The little lambs were cuddled up close to their mothers and all was quiet and peaceful in the moonlight when out of the woods near-by came a dark animal. It was a big brown bear that had come to steal a lamb. Nearer and nearer it came when the shepherd-boy, who loved his sheep, quickly placed a large sharp stone in his sling and slung it at the bear’s forehead. With a great cry of pain the bear rolled over dead. So the lambs were saved from the bear. Another time, a lion sprang out from behind a rock and, seizing a little baby lamb in his mouth, started to run away with it. On the minute the shepherd-boy was after him, slinging one of his sharp stones at the lion’s head. It struck the lion without killing him, but, letting the baby lamb go, he turned roaring and sprang at the boy. He caught him by the beard, and with his shepherd’s staff struck at him until the great animal fell back dead. So the lambs loved the shepherd still more, for he had saved them from the lion too. Some time after, this same shepherd-boy went out to the battlefield to take some corn and loaves of bread to his soldier brothers. While he was talking to his brothers a great giant came out and stood upon a high cliff and cried across the valley, “I dare any man to come and fight me!” This giant was ten and a half feet in height--so tall that a boy would not come as high as his knees. Upon his head was a helmet of brass; his whole body was covered with armor of brass; even on his legs were heavy plates of brass. In his hand he held a long staff with a sharp spear-point at the end; by his side hung a sword, and a man went before him carrying a shield. This was the famous Philistine giant, “Goliath,” before whom all the Hebrew soldiers trembled and ran away to their tents in fear. This young shepherd-boy was surprised that none dared go out and fight him, especially when he heard that King Saul had said whoever would kill this terrible giant should receive great riches and have the king’s daughter for his wife. This boy said, “I will go and fight him!” Some one told the king what he said, and Saul sent for him and said: “Surely you are not able to go and fight him; you are only a boy, and he has been a fighter from the time he was a boy.” This shepherd-boy bravely replied: “When I was smaller than I am now, I was watching my father’s sheep, and a bear and a lion came to take a lamb out of the flock, and I smote both the lion and the bear, and this giant shall be as one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. My God, who delivered me out of the paw of the lion and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this boastful giant.” The king said, “My boy, go; and may God be with you.” Then he offered the shepherd-boy his armor of brass, his helmet, and sword. But the shepherd-boy said, “Please, may I go without these? My shepherd’s sling and staff, with God, are all I need.” Then he ran to the brook and selected five smooth stones and put them in his shepherd’s bag and went forth to meet the giant who came to meet him. When Goliath saw only a boy he said: “Am I a dog that you come to me with a stick! Come to me, boy, and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and beasts!” And he cursed him by his gods. The brave shepherd-boy did not flinch, but replied: “You come to me with a sword, and a spear, and a javelin. I come to you in the name of the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day God will deliver you into my hands, and I will take your head from you and give it to the birds and wild beasts, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that they may know that God saves not with sword or spear; for this battle is God’s, and he will give you into our hands.” The proud giant, clad in his brass armor, began walking toward the boy, who quickly put his hand into his bag, took out a stone, slung it with all his might at the giant’s forehead, and Goliath fell on his face to the ground--dead. Quickly he ran, stood on the giant, took the great sword of Goliath out of its sheath, and with one blow cut off the giant’s head in the sight of the soldiers of both armies. When the army of the giant saw that their champion was dead, they turned and ran away over the mountains and, with a shout of victory, Saul’s soldiers ran after them and took them prisoners. So the shepherd-boy, with a sling and a stone, and the help of God, won a great battle that day. He became the king’s son-in-law, and when Saul died he became king, one of the greatest and best kings Israel ever had--King David.

14. THE ARROW-BOY AND THE TWO FRIENDS

(1 Samuel 18 to 20)

The shepherd-boy who slew the giant was invited to live at the king’s palace, and he became a great friend of the king’s son, Jonathan. David and Jonathan soon loved each other greatly. All the people too came to love David more than they did King Saul. This made the king very jealous, and he resolved to kill this popular young soldier, whom everybody praised so much; even the women and girls singing of him in the streets:

Saul hath slain his thousands,
And David his ten thousands.

When Jonathan suspected his father’s evil intentions, he told David to go away from the palace for three days. “After three days,” he said, “I will come to your hiding-place and bring an arrow-boy with me, and I will shoot three arrows. If I say to the boy, ‘Run and find the arrows on this side of you, come back,’ you can come back to the palace in safety; but if I say, ‘Haste, stay not,’ then there is danger, and you must flee.” After two days Saul missed David at the dining-table, and told Jonathan that if he found David he would surely kill him. And he threw a javelin at Jonathan to kill him too, because he was the friend of David. Quickly Jonathan went with the boy to the place appointed and shot an arrow far beyond the mark and cried to the boy, “Haste, stay not.” The boy ran and brought him the arrow and returned to the palace. David came out from his hiding-place. The two friends kissed each other and made promises of eternal friendship. And they saw each other only once after that day. So the arrow-boy helped the two friends.

15. THE LITTLE LAME PRINCE

(2 Samuel 4: 4; 9: 1-13)

One afternoon, long ago, a little boy prince five years old, was playing with his toys in his father’s palace, and his nurse was watching him. Suddenly a messenger ran up to the house and rushed in, bearing the sad news that a terrible battle had been fought between the Hebrews and the Philistines in which King Saul and the little prince’s father, Jonathan, David’s friend, had been slain. “Yes,” he said, “Saul and Jonathan are dead! Flee for your lives!” The nurse picked up the little boy in her arms to carry him away quickly, when, in her haste and fright, she stumbled and fell. In the fall the little boy’s ankles were broken, and ever after he was a helpless cripple. The little lame prince was hidden away in a friend’s house so safely that almost everybody supposed the Philistine soldiers must have slain him too. A few years afterward, David said: “Is there yet any left of the family of Saul that I may show the kindness of God to him for Jonathan’s sake?” One of the servants said, “Jonathan hath yet a son who is lame in both his feet.” “Bring him to me,” said David; and when he was before the king, David said: “Fear not; for I will surely show kindness to you for Jonathan, your father’s sake. I will give you his farm lands; and you shall eat at my table as one of my own sons.” So David’s friendship for Jonathan was shown to this lame prince who was crippled in both his feet, and whose name was Mephibosheth.

16. THE BABIES AND THE WISE JUDGE

(1 Kings 3)

One night a King was sleeping, and in his sleep he dreamed that God came to him and said, “Ask what I shall give thee.” He said, “Give me a wise heart to judge the people justly in all things.” God said to him: “Because you have not asked for riches, or long life, or the death of your enemies, but have asked for a heart of wisdom, I will give you a wise heart, and riches, and long life if you will obey me.”

The young King awoke; and it was a dream. But he became one of the richest and wisest of the kings of the earth to rule and to judge his people. One day two mothers came to him, each bringing a baby boy, but one was dead and one was alive. One mother said: “O king, judge my case! We two mothers live in one house. One night this woman’s baby boy died, and she came into my room and stole my little baby boy away, and put her dead baby boy in its place while I was sleeping. In the morning, there beside me in my bed was her dead baby.” The other woman said, “No, no, the living is my son, and the dead is your son.” The King said to his servants, “Go quickly, and bring me a sword!” They brought a sword. The King said, “Divide the living baby in two, and give half to one and half to the other.” The mother whose the living child was cried out to the King, “O my lord, give her the living child; do not slay it!” But the other said, “Yes, divide it.” Then the King knew which was the real mother and said, “Give her the living child; she is his mother.” All the people heard of this, and they said, “King Solomon is the wisest man that ever lived to rule wisely and to judge justly.”

17. THE LITTLE BOY KING

(2 Kings 11)

There were troublous times in a king’s palace when a little prince was born. He was only two months old when his father, the king, was killed in battle and this little baby boy had to be hidden away by his aunt in a storeroom in the sacred temple to save his life. For seven years he was hidden there and very few knew that the little boy, who should be the king, was alive. His grandmother, a very wicked and cruel woman, Athaliah, became queen. She first ordered all the royal children she could find to be put to death and then she did many such cruel and evil things so that her people became worse and worse. After seven long years, one day a good man in the temple told five brave captains his secret, and showed them the young king and asked their help to crown him king in the place of the wicked, cruel grandmother. They promised. Soon many other soldiers came to know the secret, and on a day they decided upon, these men armed themselves with swords and spears and shields, and gathered in the temple to crown the little boy king. His granduncle, the high priest, brought him out from his hiding-place, set him upon a high platform, put a little crown of gold upon his head, while all the men clapped their hands and cried, “Long live the king!” When the queen-grandmother heard the shouts she came to the temple and looked in, and behold, there was the little boy king standing on the platform with the crown upon his head and all the captains and guards and trumpeters and people rejoicing and blowing trumpets. The queen tore her clothes in anger and cried out, “Treason! Treason!” But all her soldiers and people were sick and tired of her cruel reign. So the captains seized her, led her out of the temple, and slew her near the horse-gate of her palace. So this little boy only seven years old was crowned king because he was of the family of King David and because God took care of him in his hiding-place during all those seven long years. He reigned as King of Judah many, many years, doing great good for God and for his people. His name was Joash.

18. THE WOMAN WHO SHARED HER LAST LOAF

(1 Kings 17)

In a land where no rain had fallen for long months the grass and flowers were withered, the fruit trees were dead, the grain-fields and gardens were hardened and parched, and the streams were almost dried up. In the time of this fearful famine a poor woman looked into her jar of flour and cruse of oil, and saw that they were almost empty. She said: “There is just enough flour to make one more little cake, and just enough oil to mix it. I will go and gather a few sticks and bake this little cake for my boy and myself, and we will eat it and die.” She went out to gather the sticks, when she heard some one speak. She looked up and saw a strange man standing near. He was tired and worn and dusty, as though he had been walking many miles in the hot sun. He said to her, “Fetch me, I pray you, a little water, that I may drink.” She forgot for a moment how hungry and sad she was, and started at once toward her house to get the water for him, when he called to her, “Bring me, I pray you, a morsel of bread in your hand.” She turned back with a sigh and said: “O sir, truly I have not a cake; I have only a handful of meal in the jar, and a little oil in the cruse; and now I am gathering two sticks that I may go in and prepare for me and my boy that we may eat it and die.” The man said: “Fear not; go and do as you have said, but make me a little cake first, and bring it out here to me, and afterward make a cake for yourself and your boy. For Jehovah, the God of Israel says, ‘The jar of meal shall not be empty, neither shall the little bottle of oil be empty, until it rains upon the earth.’”

She stood and looked at this strange man with his strange request--to share her very last piece of bread. She did not know who he was, nor who the God was he spoke of; she only knew that this man with the tired face was hungry too, and he had not even one piece of bread, and she said to herself, “I will share what we have with him.” She went back into her kitchen, kindled the fire with the sticks, scraped the last bit of flour from the jar, and poured in the last drop of oil from the cruse; but, when she had taken out enough for the little cake and looked into the jar and cruse, there was just as much flour and oil as before. She made the cake, took it to Elijah, God’s wonderful prophet, and she, and he, and her son had plenty to eat from the jar of meal that did not empty and the cruse of oil that did not fail all the days of that famine. And it all came about because that good woman, though hungry herself, was willing to share the little she had with another who was in need.

Is thy cruse of comfort failing? Rise and share it with another,
And through all the years of famine it shall serve thee and thy brother.
Love divine will fill thy storehouse, or thy handful will renew;
Scanty fare for one will often make a royal feast for two.
For the heart grows rich in giving; all its wealth is living grain;
Seeds, which mildew in the garner, scattered, fill with gold the plain.
Is thy heart a living power? Self-entwined its strength sinks low;
It can only live by loving, and by serving love must grow.

--_Elizabeth Rundle Charles._

19. THE SLAVE-GIRL WHO HELPED A GREAT CAPTAIN

(2 Kings 5)

One day a sweet-faced little girl was playing in her home as happy as any little girl could be, all unconscious that a cruel battle was being fought. Suddenly some soldiers came and seized this little girl and carried her away with other prisoners to a far-off land where she was sold and became a slave-girl in the house of a great captain. She had to do errands for his wife and wait upon her, and do anything she asked. Often when this little girl was in her mistress’s room she saw big tears run down her cheeks, and a sad look come upon her face. One day she found out what made the tears. Captain Naaman was a leper. That was a terrible disease in his flesh which no doctor could cure. The little girl had often seen Captain Naaman. She thought he looked so fine in his rich uniform as he rode away in a chariot with prancing horses. She knew that the king of that land had made him captain over all his soldiers because he was so brave. “But he is a leper, he has leprosy--how sad!” she kept saying to herself; “how I wish I could help him!”

One day a thought flashed into her mind that made her eyes sparkle with joy. She knew in her own land there was a great and good man named Elisha who had done many wonderful things in helping people. She said, “I am sure he could make Captain Naaman well.” She could hardly wait to be sent for to do another errand, she was so eager to tell her mistress about Elisha. At last the call came, and as soon as she went into her mistress’s room, she said, “There is a good man in my land, Elisha, who could heal my master.” The mistress looked at her and said, “Tell me, daughter, tell me what you mean! Who is Elisha?” And the little girl told her all about the wonderful things the prophet had done. When Captain Naaman came home his wife told him what the little girl had said. The captain went to the palace and told the king, who said, “I will send a letter to the King of Israel; get ready to go.” So Captain Naaman started, riding in a beautiful chariot, drawn by prancing horses, the king’s servants riding beside him, carrying gifts of gold and silver and beautiful clothes which the king was sending as presents to the King of Israel. Every one looked as they rode away. The little girl was the most excited of all. At last Captain Naaman and his soldiers and chariot stopped at the door of the little house of Elisha, but the prophet did not even come out to see Naaman’s fine things, but simply sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the river Jordan seven times and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.” Naaman was angry and started to go back home as much a leper as he had come. But when his servants reasoned with him and persuaded him to do what the prophet said, he went down to the river Jordan, and dipped himself--once, twice, thrice, four times, five times, six times, seven times--when lo! his rough, red skin became soft and smooth as the skin of a little baby. Naaman was so pleased that he hurried back to the little house of the prophet to reward him, but not a thing would Elisha take from him. Then the captain hastened back to his own land and home. His wife and the little girl saw him coming. Up the street he rode and stopped in front of the beautiful house. “He is well! He is well!” cried the little girl. Then she knew a little girl can indeed be a great helper.

20. FOUR COLLEGE BOYS WHO KEPT STRONG

(Daniel 1)

Four boys, who were great friends, were taken from their homes and carried far away into a great city in a foreign land to live among strangers. One day the King ordered his officers to select from among the Jewish captive boys four of the brightest, and these four boys were chosen and brought into the King’s palace to be educated for three years in the King’s college for royal service. Thinking it a great honor to them, and that it would make them strong, the King ordered that these boys should be given a daily supply of the rich food and wine, such as he and all his military cadets received. But the very first time the silver tray, with all of these dainties, was brought to these four college boys, one of them, whose name was Daniel, said to the officer who took charge of them, “Please let us not have this rich food and wine, but have plainer food.” The officer laughed and said: “I am afraid that if you do not eat this rich food your faces will become thinner than those of the other college students, and then the King will cut off my head!” But Daniel said: “Try us ten days. Give us only vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then look at our faces and the faces of the other boys that eat the King’s rich food and drink his wine, and see.” The officer said he would try them for ten days. He did so, and at the end of that time their faces were fatter and rosier, their bodies plumper, and their minds clearer, stronger, and brighter than all the other boys. At the end of the three college years, the King sat upon a golden throne, and all the students were brought before him, and he saw that these four were stronger than all the rest, and that they knew ten times as much as the magicians and astrologers in all his kingdom. So Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, these four friends who were true to their principle, showed after all that they kept their health and were stronger and better by going without the rich food and the royal wine.

21. FOUR FRIENDS IN THE FIERY FURNACE

(Daniel 3)

It was a wonderful sight to see the King’s golden image which he had set up in the great plain. The King was a worshiper of images of wood and stone, and he sent forth his herald with a loud trumpet to cry aloud “To you it is commanded, O people, nations and languages, that when ye hear the sound of the instruments of music, ye shall fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar, the King, hath set up; and whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, shall the same hour be cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.” From all the country and provinces around people came to see this great image and to worship, and at the sound of the instruments of music all fell down and prayed to it, except three young men who stood upright looking before them, without bowing their heads or knees to the golden image. These were the three Hebrews, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, the friends of Daniel, who must have been away on a journey at that time. When this was told to the King he was very angry and ordered them at once to worship his image or be cast into the furnace, which they saw in front of them glowing with a terrible fire. They said to the King: “Our God is able to save us from your fiery furnace, and he will save us. But if he does not, be it known unto you, O King, we will not worship the golden image you have set up, or serve your gods of gold.” The King was more angry, and ordered his strong men to make the fiery furnace seven times hotter and cast these three friends into the midst of it. But they were not afraid though they were tied with ropes and cast into the fire, which was so hot the flames leaped out and burned up the men who threw them into it. The King was sitting where he could look right into the furnace. A few moments after, he sprang up greatly astonished and cried: “Look, look; did we not cast three friends into the furnace? Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God!” The King ran to the mouth of the furnace, crying, “Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, ye servants of the Most High God, come out!” And they came out of the fire, and not a hair of their heads was singed, nor were their coats scorched, nor was there even the smell of burning on them. And it all came about because these three friends were loyal to the one true God, who had sent the other Friend, “the form of the fourth,” to deliver them out of the burning fiery furnace.

22. THE MAN WHO WAS NOT AFRAID TO PRAY

(Daniel 6)

Daniel was the man who dared to stand alone in work, in worship, and in play. He could be trusted in everything. Because he was so industrious, faithful, and thoughtful, the new King promoted him to be next to him in rule over all the land. The other officers were jealous and set plans for his downfall. They persuaded the King, Darius, to sign this law: “Whosoever shall pray to any god or to man for thirty days, save to thee, O King, he shall be cast into the den of lions.” The King was delighted to think of every one in the city praying to him just as if he were a great god, so he signed this wicked law. Daniel knew what these evil men would do, but when the time came at noonday for him to pray, he went straight to his home, opened wide his windows toward his old home in Jerusalem, as he was accustomed to do, and knelt down and prayed and gave thanks to his God. That night he did the same thing. He could have waited until he was in bed where none could see him say his prayers. Or he could have left his window closed. But he was not afraid of the King or his officers. They were watching down the street, like detectives peeking from behind the corners perhaps, and when they saw Daniel pray they hurried to the King and told him. Darius loved Daniel and was sorry he had signed the law, but as the laws of that land could not be changed, he said that Daniel must die. So Daniel was brought to the great cave of the hungry, roaring lions. The cage was opened at the top and Daniel was thrown right down into the midst of the wild animals. The King was sad and said, “Daniel, your God will deliver you!” Then the King went back to his palace, but he was so sad he could not eat nor hear music. All night long he thought of Daniel, how good and useful he had been, and how cruelly treated. Early in the morning he arose, hurried to the cave, looked in, and there was Daniel--alive and well. The King cried out, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God delivered you from the lions?” “Yes,” answered Daniel, “my God has sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not hurt me.” The King was glad. He called his servants to come and take Daniel out of the den. When he was drawn out there was found not even a scratch upon him. The King said, “Bring those mean and jealous men, who tried to kill Daniel, and cast them into the den.” So they were caught and cast into the den, and so hungry were the lions that before the men reached the floor of the den the beasts had seized them and were crunching their bones to pieces. Then the King made a new law that all in his kingdom should pray to Daniel’s God, who had delivered him out of the lions’ den, and who had given him the power to dare to stand and to pray alone.

23. THE GOLDEN SCEPTER IN THE PALACE OF THE LILY

(Book of Esther)

Once a King gave a great feast in his Palace of the Lily to all his people. They drank wine from cups of gold in the garden court of the palace which was paved with red marble and mother of pearl. On the seventh day of the feast, being drunk with wine, the King ordered his officers to bring out Queen Vashti in her royal robes that the princes and people might look at her, for she was very beautiful. She refused. So the King said she should be cast out of the Palace of the Lily, and another Queen chosen in her place--the most beautiful woman they could find. One was chosen whose name was Esther, a captive in Persia. Her father and mother were dead, and her cousin, Mordecai, had brought her up as his own daughter. He was a proud old man who always did what was right, and so he displeased many persons, among whom was Haman, the ruler next to the King. Because Mordecai would not bow down to him, Haman planned to kill the stern old man and with him all the Jews in the land. He persuaded the King to give a command that on a certain day all Jews, young and old, women and little children, should be slain. There was great distress among the Jews, but Haman was happy with the King, drinking wine and talking over his great decree. Esther did not know what had happened until she saw her cousin weeping, and then he told her that her life was in danger too, unless she went to the King and pleaded for her people. She said: “Every one knows that whoever goes before the King into the inner court, who is not called, is put to death, unless the King holds out his golden scepter, and for the last thirty days the King has not called me.”

Mordecai replied: “Do not think you will escape! No, if you fail us now, safety will come by others, but you will perish; and who knows whether you are not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

Then Esther said: “Go, gather together all the Jews and pray three days and three nights for me, and I will go before the King, and if I perish, I perish!” At the end of three days she put on her royal robes, went into the inner court, and stood opposite the King as he sat on his throne. When he saw her he held out his golden scepter, and said, “What is your wish, Queen Esther? Speak and you shall have it to the half of my kingdom!” She said, “May it please the King to come to-day with Haman to a banquet that I have prepared.” At the banquet the King again asked her wish, and she said, “If it please the King, come again to-morrow to a banquet with Haman.” Haman was delighted as he went home and told his wife and friends about his good fortune; but he said, “I am unhappy as long as Mordecai refuses to bow down to me!” They said, “Build a gallows, and ask the King to let Mordecai be hanged on it.” He did so. But that same night the King read in the book of golden deeds how true Mordecai had been to a former King, and he knew that this service had never been rewarded. When Haman came in the King said, “What shall be done to the man whom the King delights to honor?” Thinking it must be himself the King meant, he said: “Let royal apparel be given him and a royal horse, and a royal crown, and bid him ride through the city for the people to honor.” The King said, “Then make haste and do all this for Mordecai.” This he had to do. And when he went to the Queen’s banquet he was not happy. The King said: “What is your wish, Queen Esther? Speak and I will give it, to the half of my kingdom.” She said: “O King, let my life and my people’s life be given me; for we are sold, I and my people, to be slain and to perish.” The King said, “Who is he? where is he that dares to do so?” Esther pointed to Haman, and said, “There he is, this wicked Haman!” Haman was afraid, and pleaded with the Queen to ask the King to spare his life, but the King said, “Hang him on the gallows that he built for Mordecai.” This was done at once, and when Haman was dead Mordecai was put into his place next to the king, and all the people rejoiced. So Queen Esther, to whom the King extended the golden scepter in the Palace of the Lily, saved all her people, the Jews, that day and they lived in peace and prosperity.

VII

BIBLE STORIES FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

(_Adapted for Children, Six to Twelve Years._)

1. THE FIRST CHRISTMAS DAY

(Luke 2)

One starry night, in a grassy field outside a little village, a company of shepherds were watching their sheep that were fast asleep. The men were talking together of the wonderful Saviour-King who had been so long promised to the world. Suddenly a bright light shone around them and, in a moment a beautiful angel appeared and stood near them. The shepherds were afraid and fell on their knees, while the angel said: “Fear not; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day, in the City of David, a Saviour, who is Christ, the Lord.” As they listened the angel continued, “This shall be your sign; ye shall find a Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger.” Just then the light changed to a soft rose-color, and angels of white--a great multitude--filled all the sky singing the glad song, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and good will to men.” It was the sweetest song ears ever heard. Soon it ceased, the angels of white went back to heaven, and the light faded away. “Let us go at once and see this new-born child!” the shepherds said one to another. So they left their sheep in care of one shepherd and hastened to the town. There they found the little Babe in a stable, wrapped in coarse clothes and lying in a manger. By his side was Mary, his mother, and Joseph. They knelt down beside the manger, looked into the wide-open eyes of the Christ-Child, and told Mary and Joseph of the wonderful light, and of the song and sign of the angels. It was morning when the shepherds went back to their sheep, but they never tired of telling that the Christ-Child was born, and that the angels had said he should bring “peace on earth and good will to men.” That was the first Christmas Day.

2. THE WISE MEN AND THE STAR

(Matthew 2)

In other lands besides the one in which the Christ-Child was born, good men often talked together of the promise of his coming to the world. One night, in a far-away land, a wise man who liked to study the stars, was looking up into the sky, and saw a star he had never seen before. “There is the star of the Christ-Child!” he cried; “I will go and find him and take him a gift of gold!” So he mounted his camel and started. Soon he met another man riding a camel. This man said, “Where are you going?” “I have seen the star of the Christ-Child,” he said, “and I am going to find him.” “I saw the star too, and I will go with you,” said the man; “I shall give him a gift of my sweetest incense.” Soon they met a third man riding on a camel. “I too,” he said, “saw this wonderful star, and am seeking the Child-King. I have for him a gift of myrrh, my most precious perfume!” So they journeyed together--on and on--ever following the star until they came at last to the little town of Bethlehem, and the star stood shining over the little house.

“Ike! Ike!” each traveler shouted to his camel. This meant “Kneel; kneel!” The camels slowly knelt down; each man put his foot on his camel’s neck, stepped upon the ground, and went into the house, where they saw the young child and fell down and worshiped him. Then they opened their bags and gave for the Star-Child their best gifts, of gold, and frankincense, and myrrh, such as were given only to kings. Some time after they returned home to their study of the stars again, but they never forgot the star that led them to the Child-King who was born to bring to the world “peace and good will, good will and peace.”

3. WHEN JESUS WAS A BOY

(_An Imaginary Sketch._)

(Luke 2: 40, 52.)

When Jesus was a boy he lived in a little country town, called Nazareth. It was a beautiful place, with little white stone houses, and little narrow streets; high green hills rising above it; many gardens full of bright flowers--roses, tulips, lilies, orchids, and wild geraniums; orchards of fig trees, olive trees, and orange trees; cooing doves and other birds flitting here and there on the housetops and among the trees; and in the center of the town there was a fountain from which water was carried by the people to their homes in large stone jars borne on the shoulder.

The house in which Jesus lived had only one room with a dirt floor. It had no window except a hole in the wall; no bedstead, no chair, no pictures, no looking-glass. The people in these poor houses ate their meals from a low bench or shelf as they sat or reclined upon the floor or upon cushions. They slept upon quilts spread on the floor at night and neatly folded up by day. The only furniture was a chest or cupboard on one side of the room, where they kept their best clothes. Near the door stood the jar of water for drinking, cooking, and cleansing.