What can God do with 57 cents?
A little girl
stood near a small church from which she had been turned away because it
was "too crowded."
"I can't go to
Sunday School," she sobbed to the pastor as he walked
by.
Seeing her shabby,
unkempt appearance, the pastor guessed the reason and, taking her by the
hand, took her inside and found a place for her in the Sunday school
class. The child was so happy that they found room for her, and she went
to bed that night thinking of the children who have no place to worship
Jesus
Some two years
later, this child lay dead in one of the poor tenement buildings. Her
parents called for the kindhearted pastor who had befriended their
daughter to handle the final arrangements.
As her poor little
body was being moved, a worn and crumpled red purse was found which seemed
to have been rummaged from some trash dump.
Inside was found 57
cents and a note, scribbled in childish handwriting, which read: "This is
to help build the little church bigger so more children can go to Sunday
School."
For two years she
had saved for this offering of love
When the pastor
tearfully read that note, he knew instantly what he would do. Carrying
this note and the cracked, red pocketbook to the pulpit, he told the story
of her unselfish love and devotion
He challenged his
deacons to get busy and raise enough money for the larger
building.
But the story does
not end there...
A newspaper learned
of the story and published It. It was read by a wealthy Realtor who
offered them a parcel of land worth many thousands.
When told that the
church could not pay so much, he offered to sell it to the little church
for 57 cents.
Church members made
large donations. Checks came from far and wide.
Within five years
the little girl's gift had increased to $250,000.00--a huge sum for that
time (near the turn of the century). Her unselfish love had paid large
dividends.
When you are in the
city of Philadelphia, look up
Temple Baptist Church, with a seating
capacity of 3,300. And be sure to visit Temple University, where thousands of
students are educated.
Have a look, too, at
the Good Samaritan Hospital and at a Sunday School building which houses
hundreds of beautiful children, built so that no child in the area will
ever need to be left outside during Sunday school time.
In one of the rooms
of this building may be seen the picture of the sweet face of the little
girl whose 57 cents, so sacrificially saved, made such remarkable history
Alongside of it is a portrait of her kind pastor, Dr. Russell H. Conwell,
author of the book, "Acres of Diamonds."
This is a true story, which goes to show WHAT GOD CAN DO WITH 57 CENTS.
stood near a small church from which she had been turned away because it
was "too crowded."
"I can't go to
Sunday School," she sobbed to the pastor as he walked
by.
Seeing her shabby,
unkempt appearance, the pastor guessed the reason and, taking her by the
hand, took her inside and found a place for her in the Sunday school
class. The child was so happy that they found room for her, and she went
to bed that night thinking of the children who have no place to worship
Jesus
Some two years
later, this child lay dead in one of the poor tenement buildings. Her
parents called for the kindhearted pastor who had befriended their
daughter to handle the final arrangements.
As her poor little
body was being moved, a worn and crumpled red purse was found which seemed
to have been rummaged from some trash dump.
Inside was found 57
cents and a note, scribbled in childish handwriting, which read: "This is
to help build the little church bigger so more children can go to Sunday
School."
For two years she
had saved for this offering of love
When the pastor
tearfully read that note, he knew instantly what he would do. Carrying
this note and the cracked, red pocketbook to the pulpit, he told the story
of her unselfish love and devotion
He challenged his
deacons to get busy and raise enough money for the larger
building.
But the story does
not end there...
A newspaper learned
of the story and published It. It was read by a wealthy Realtor who
offered them a parcel of land worth many thousands.
When told that the
church could not pay so much, he offered to sell it to the little church
for 57 cents.
Church members made
large donations. Checks came from far and wide.
Within five years
the little girl's gift had increased to $250,000.00--a huge sum for that
time (near the turn of the century). Her unselfish love had paid large
dividends.
When you are in the
city of Philadelphia, look up
Temple Baptist Church, with a seating
capacity of 3,300. And be sure to visit Temple University, where thousands of
students are educated.
Have a look, too, at
the Good Samaritan Hospital and at a Sunday School building which houses
hundreds of beautiful children, built so that no child in the area will
ever need to be left outside during Sunday school time.
In one of the rooms
of this building may be seen the picture of the sweet face of the little
girl whose 57 cents, so sacrificially saved, made such remarkable history
Alongside of it is a portrait of her kind pastor, Dr. Russell H. Conwell,
author of the book, "Acres of Diamonds."
This is a true story, which goes to show WHAT GOD CAN DO WITH 57 CENTS.