ABOUT GIVING PENNIES—SELECTED.
FIVE KINDS OF PENNIES.
A boy who had a pocket full of coppers, dropped one into the Missionary-box, laughing as he did so. He had no thought in his heart about Jesus or the heathen. Was his penny not as light as tin?
Another boy put in a penny and looked around to see if anybody was praising him. His was the brass penny; not the gift of a lowly heart, but of a proud spirit.
A third boy gave a penny, saying to himself, “I suppose I must, because all others do.”
That was an iron penny. It was the gift of a cold, selfish heart.
As a fourth boy dropped his penny into the box he shed a tear, and his heart said, “Poor heathens! I’m sorry they are so poor, so ignorant and so miserable.”
That was a silver penny, the gift of a heart full of pity.
But there was one scholar who gave his, saying, “For Thy sake, Lord Jesus! Oh, that the heathen may hear of Thee, the Saviour of mankind!”
That was a golden penny, because it was the gift of faith and love.
THE PENNY BOX.
They were giving away Missionary boxes at a Juvenile Missionary meeting to the boys and girls who thought they could collect a little money for sending the Gospel to the heathen. Among those who asked for a box was a poor child, so poor that the chairman hesitated at first to give her a box; on consideration, however, he let her have one.
About a fortnight afterward, this little girl called upon him in great trouble. He said to her, “Why, Sarah, what are you crying for? Cannot you get any money to put into your box?”
“No, sir, it is not that,” sobbed Sarah, “it is so full I don’t know how I shall get any more in, the last penny was so hard to get in I had to take a hammer to hammer it!”
The gentleman said, “Well, Sarah, I think we can easily get over that difficulty—here is another box for you.”
But this was not all; when Sarah first applied for a box, she did so just because her feelings of compassion had been awakened for the poor heathen children; but while she was busily engaged in collecting, the thought came into her mind, “What am I collecting this money for? That the poor heathen children may be taught about Jesus, but what do I know about Him myself?”
Sarah then began to pray, and begged God the Holy Spirit to teach her about Jesus, and that was the commencement of a new life to the dear child.
WHAT A PENNY CAN DO.
Willie’s penny made heaven rejoice. It would not have bought more than a stick or two of candy or given much help to a starving family. What did he do with it? His sister was a missionary’s wife in Africa, and the family were filling a box to send her. As one after another brought their gifts Willie said, “I want to give my penny.”
“What shall be bought with it?” was the next question. It was decided to buy a tract and write its history on the margin, and with a prayer for its success send it on its distant errand.
The box arrived on the mission ground, and among its valuable contents Willie’s gift was laid away unnoticed and for a while forgotten. But God’s watchful, all-seeing eye had not forgotten it. One day a native teacher was starting from the mission station to go to a school over the mountain. He knew the language well and was a great help to the missionaries, but he was not a Christian. He had resisted everything the missionaries had done to make him one.
In looking over some papers, Willie’s tract was discovered, with writing on the margin, which said that prayer was offered in America that it might do good. It was handed to the native teacher. He read it on his journey, and what years of labor by the missionaries had not done was now brought about by the penny tract. The man became a sincere Christian. Those who put the tract in his hand were overcome with joy, and there is joy in heaven over one sinner that repents.
So you see how Willie’s penny made heaven rejoice.