A sobbing 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, unkept 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 touched that 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 and the parents called for the kind hearted pastor,
who had befriended their daughter, to handle the final arrangements.
As her frail little body was being moved, a worn and crumpled 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,
then 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 Realtor who offered
them a parcel of land worth many thousands of dollars When told that the church
could not pay so much, he offered it 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 20th 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 Temple University,
where hundreds of students are trained. Have a look, too,
at the Good Samaritan Hospital and at a Sunday School building
which houses hundreds of Sunday scholars, 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. Along side of it is a portrait of her kind pastor, Dr. Russel H. Conwell,
author of the book, "Acres of Diamonds" ---a true story.
Acres of Diamonds PDF - Full Story e-Book
A sobbing little girl stood near a small church from which she had been turned away because it "was too crowded". "I can...
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