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diff --git a/11241-0.txt b/11241-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d6c04dc --- /dev/null +++ b/11241-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,788 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 11241 *** + +WEE ONES' BIBLE STORIES + + +SHORT SKETCHES OF THE BIBLE + +SPECIALLY ILLUSTRATED FOR THE LITTLE FOLKS + + +[Illustration: Knock. It shall be opened unto you] + + +1903. + + + + +FEEDING THE MULTITUDES. + + +Jesus had chosen twelve out of the many who flocked about Him wishing to +be His disciples, and these twelve were called apostles. He sent them +forth to preach the gospel, giving them power to cast out evil spirits +and to heal diseases; and when they were about to go forth upon their +mission, He gave them instructions regarding what they were to do, and +warned them of the persecutions which would be heaped upon them. He also +bade them be strong and not fear those who had power to kill the body +only, because the soul was far more precious. So the apostles went out +into the cities and towns and preached the word of God and carried +blessing with them. + +When they came back they told Jesus what they had done, and they went +with Him across the sea of Galilee to a quiet spot where they could rest +and talk over their work. + +But the people went around the sea, or lake, to join them on the other +side; and when Jesus saw the crowds He was sorry for them, and taught +and healed them again as He had done so many times. + +In the evening His disciples urged Him to send the people away that they +might buy food for themselves in the village; but Jesus said, "Give ye +them to eat." + +The disciples thought this would be impossible. "We have here but five +loaves and two fishes," they told Him; and when He said, "Bring them +hither to Me," they obeyed Him with wonder. + +Then Jesus commanded the people to sit down in groups upon the green +grass; and He took the loaves and gave thanks to God for them, and broke +them into pieces, handing them to His disciples to give to the people. + +He divided the fishes also in the same way, and the disciples went about +among the groups giving each person a share, and everyone had enough to +eat; for although there were about five thousand men there, besides +women and children, the food was sufficient for all. Even more than +this, when the multitude had eaten all that they wanted, the disciples +gathered up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces. + +When the people saw this wonderful miracle which Jesus had done, they +wished to make Him king at once, for they thought He was the Promised +One for whom they had been so long waiting, and they did not know that +the kingdom of Christ was not to be an earthly kingdom. + +But Jesus would not allow them to make Him king, and He left them and +went up on the top of a mountain alone. + +On another occasion when a great crowd had gathered to hear Him and had +been for a long time without food, He called His disciples to Him and +told them that He felt very sorry for the people because they had been +fasting three days, and He could not send them away so weak and hungry +for fear they would faint before they could reach home. + +But His disciples said they did not know where they could get food for +so many, as they were in the wilderness. + +Jesus asked them how many loaves of bread they had, and they told Him +seven, and also a few small fishes. + +Then Jesus bade the people sit down on the ground around Him, and He +took the seven loaves and the fishes and offered thanks to God; +afterwards, He broke the loaves into pieces as He had done before and +gave them, with the fishes, to His disciples, and the disciples +distributed them among the people. As they gave out the food it +continued to increase wonderfully, so that all the people were fed; +and even after that there was food enough left so that they took up +seven baskets full, although about four thousand men, with many women +and children, had eaten. + +These miracles show not only the power of our Lord, but His tenderness +and thoughtfulness for those around Him in the everyday affairs of life. +He not only cared for the souls of His people, but for their physical +comfort as well; for His heart was ever open to the cry of human need. + +One of the first acts by which He manifested His power to the men who +afterwards became His disciples, was an act of helpfulness. + +He saw two ships by the Lake of Gennesaret with the fishermen near by +washing their nets, and going aboard one of the ships, which belonged to +Simon Peter, He asked him to put out a little way from land; then, when +His request had been complied with, He taught the people from the ship. + +After He had finished His teaching, He said to Simon, "Launch out into +the deep and let down your nets for a draught." Simon told Him that they +had worked all night and had caught no fish, but that they would do as +He bade them. + +And when they had done so, the net was filled so that it broke, and they +had to call to their partners in the other ship to come and help them; +and both ships were filled. Then Peter and James and John left all to +follow Jesus. + + + + +JESUS CALMS THE TEMPEST. + + +At one time when Jesus had entered a ship to cross the Sea of Galilee +with His disciples, a great storm arose and the waves nearly covered the +little vessel, so that they were apparently in great danger. + +The disciples were frightened, but Jesus was asleep and the storm did +not disturb Him. As it grew worse and worse and the disciples became +more than ever afraid, they went back to where Jesus lay and wakened +Him, crying out, "Master, dost Thou not care that we perish?" + +When they said this, Jesus arose and spoke to the winds and the sea, +saying, "Peace, be still!" Then at once the wind went down and the sea +became calm, and the hearts of the men were filled with wonder and still +greater faith and awe, while they said to one another, "What manner of +man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?" They had not yet +learned that Jesus had power over all things whenever He chose to +exercise it. + +At another time when the disciples had crossed the Sea of Galilee, +expecting that Jesus would join them upon the other side, a storm came +up, suddenly as before, and the waters were quickly piled up in great +waves; for the lake was narrow and deep, and the storms usually burst in +full fury with little warning, doing much harm before there was a chance +to escape. At this time the disciples had hard work to row the boat +against the wind, and it was tossed about here and there by the waves in +the middle of the sea until, toward morning, Jesus went out toward it, +walking upon the water. + +When the disciples saw Him coming they thought it was a spirit and +were frightened: but He spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer; it is +I, be not afraid." + +[Illustration: JESUS WALKING UPON THE WATERS.] + +Then Peter said: "Lord, if it be Thou, bid me come unto Thee on the +water." + +Jesus said, "Come," and Peter stepped out upon the water and started +toward the Master; but his faith was not strong enough, and as he began +to sink he cried, "Lord, save me!" + +Jesus stretched out His hand and held him up. "O thou of little faith," +He said, "wherefore didst thou doubt?" + +When Jesus came into the boat the storm ceased, and soon they reached +the shore. Then the disciples worshiped Him and said, "Of a truth Thou +art the Son of God." + + + + +RUTH AND NAOMI. + + +The story of Ruth and Naomi is one of the sweetest and most touching of +all the Bible stories. It shows the beauty of unselfish devotion and +constant love, and the happiness which they brought, and teaches a +lesson which is very helpful to us all. + +A long time ago, in the days of the judges of Israel, there was a famine +in the land of Canaan, and a man named Elimelech, whose home was in +Bethlehem, went with his wife Naomi and his two sons to live in Moab. + +After they had been there a while Naomi's husband died, leaving her with +the two sons. Then, by and by, the sons married, and their wives were +very good to Naomi, and loved her. But it was only ten years before both +of the sons died, and Naomi thought it was best for her to go back to +her old home in Canaan; for she had been told that there was plenty in +the land once more, and she wanted to see her own people and the +relatives of her husband who was dead. So Naomi told her +daughters-in-law to return to their own homes, because she could not +expect them to be willing to leave everything for her sake. + +"Go, each of you, to your mother's house," she said; "the Lord deal +kindly with you as ye have dealt with the dead and with me." But they +both wept and clung to her, saying, "Surely we will return with thee +into thy land." + +Naomi, however, thought they would be unhappy if they left their own +country, and she urged them to stay there and let her go alone; so one +of them kissed her over and over again and promised to do as she bade; +but the other, who was named Ruth, would not leave her. + +"Entreat me not to leave thee," she pleaded, "or to 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 I will die, and there will I be buried; the Lord do so +to me and more, also, if aught but death part thee and me." + +Then Naomi stopped urging her to return, and they went together to +Bethlehem, where the friends of Naomi were very glad to welcome her and +greeted her in a very friendly manner, saying again and again, "Is this +Naomi?" + +[Illustration: THE ASCENSION INTO HEAVEN.] + +But she answered: "Call me not Naomi, but call me Mara, for the Almighty +hath dealt very bitterly with me." She said this because Naomi means +"pleasant" and Mara means "bitter," and the sorrowing widow felt that +her life was a bitter rather than a pleasant one, since she had been +bereaved of her husband and sons. + +There lived in Bethlehem a man named Boaz, who was a relative of Naomi's +husband, and who was also very wealthy. He had a large farm and many +people, both men and women, worked in his fields, and as it was about +the beginning of the barley harvest when the two women came to +Bethlehem, these fields presented a busy appearance. + +Ruth wished to do something to help support herself and her +mother-in-law, so she begged Naomi to let her go into the fields and +glean after the reapers--that is, to gather up the barley that was left +after they had made up the sheaves--and Naomi told her that she might +go. + +[Illustration: THE PRODIGAL SON.] + +Ruth happened to choose the field of Boaz to work in, and when the +wealthy man came into the field and saw her, he said, "The Lord bless +thee!" but he did not know who she was. + +As he went away he inquired of the head reaper about the young woman, +and afterward he said to Ruth: "Go not to glean in another field, but +keep here close to my maidens." He also spoke to his young men about +her, telling them to be kind and courteous to her, and he bade her go +and drink of the water which they drew whenever she was thirsty. + +When Ruth wondered at his kindness and asked him why he was so good to a +stranger, he told her that he had heard of her love for Naomi and her +unselfish devotion, and he said: "The Lord reward thee, and a full +recompense be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings +thou art come to trust." He invited her also to sit with his reapers at +meal-time, and he waited upon her that she might have enough to eat and +drink. + +When she had gone he commanded his young men to let her glean among the +sheaves and to drop some handfuls purposely for her, and not to find +fault with her or reprove her. + +So Ruth worked in the field all day, and then beat out the barley which +she had gleaned and took it to the city to show Naomi, who was very +glad, indeed, and very thankful. + +Naomi asked Ruth where she had gleaned, and when she had heard the whole +story, she told her that Boaz was a near relative and that it was well +for her to stay in his fields, as he had given her permission to do, +until the end of the harvest. So Ruth kept close to the maidens who +gleaned in the fields of Boaz until the end of both the barley and the +wheat harvests. + +Then one night when Boaz was to have a winnowing of barley, Naomi told +Ruth to make herself ready, putting on her best clothing, and to go to +the winnowing and the feast and to ask Boaz what she should do. + +The winnowing is the fanning out of the straws from the kernels after +the husks have been beaten off. A great many people helped about the +work, and a feast was prepared for them. + +Ruth did as Naomi had told her to do. When she had informed Boaz that +she was a near relative he said, "Blessed be thou of the Lord, my +daughter." Then he told her not to be afraid, but to bring the long veil +which she wore, and when she had brought it he poured a large quantity +of barley into it. She carried this to the city and gave it to her +mother-in-law, telling her what Boaz had said, and Naomi was comforted; +for she knew that Boaz would advise them wisely. + +After this Boaz went to the city and consulted with the chief men and +those that were interested in the welfare of Naomi and Ruth, and when he +found that it would be wronging no one, he told the people that he was +going to take Ruth for his wife, and the people said, "We are +witnesses." So Boaz married Ruth; but in her new position as the wife of +a very wealthy and influential man, this noble woman did not forget her +love for Naomi, whom she still tenderly cared for. When a little son +came to bless the union, Naomi rejoiced, for she felt almost as though +it was her own little son, and she named him Obed and delighted in +taking care of him. + +When Obed became a man he married and had a son named Jesse, who in turn +became the father of David, the great king of Israel. Jesus Himself was +of the House of David, and so God's promise to His chosen people was +fulfilled. + + + + +MOSES. + + +Pharaoh, the King of Egypt, had made a law that every boy baby of the +Hebrew race should be killed, and there was great sorrow because of it. +But when Moses was born, his mother managed to hide him for three +months; then she made a cradle, or little ark, and putting him into it, +carried him down to a river and hid the cradle among the reeds there. + +Soon after this, Pharaoh's daughter came with her maidens to the +river-side, and when she saw the beautiful child, she sent one of her +maidens to bring it to her. + +She took the little boy to the palace and named him Moses, and he became +a great man among the Egyptians; he knew, however, that he belonged to +the Hebrew race, and when he saw how badly his own people were treated, +he tried to help them; but at last he was obliged to leave Egypt, and +became a shepherd, taking care of the flocks of a priest called Jethro. +He also married Jethro's daughter. + +[Illustration: THE GOOD SAMARITAN.] + +After a time, God spoke to Moses out of a burning bush, and told him +that he must go and rescue his people from the cruel Egyptians. Moses +thought he could not do this; but God promised to help him, and to show +him what he would be able to do with that help, God turned the rod which +Moses carried into a serpent. Then God told Moses to pick the serpent +up by the tail, and as he did so, it became a rod again. He showed him +another sign, also; but Moses was still afraid, because he could not +talk well and thought that Pharaoh would not listen to him. So God told +him to take his brother Aaron for a spokesman. + +Moses and Aaron, therefore, went into Egypt, where they called together +the chief men among their own people, the Hebrews, or Israelites, and +told them what God had commanded. Moses also did the miracles which God +had given him power to do, and the people believed that God had sent +him. + +After this Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh, and told him that it was the +Lord's command that he should let the Israelites go. Pharaoh knew +nothing about God, and became very angry, saying that Moses and Aaron +kept the people from their work by telling them such things; and he +treated the poor Israelites worse than before. + +But Moses had faith in God; so he was able to perform before the king +the wonderful things that he had done before his own people; still, +Pharaoh would not let the children of Israel go. + +Then Moses turned the waters of the rivers into blood; and after that he +caused large numbers of frogs to run over the land and through the +houses, doing great harm. He also brought locusts and other insects to +be a pest to the people, and caused many of the useful animals which +belonged to the Egyptians to grow sick and die, doing all these wonders +with the rod which God had given him. But Pharaoh would not listen to +him. + +Then God commanded Moses again, and he brought other plagues upon the +Egyptians; but Pharaoh would not give up. + +At last, however, God sent a still more terrible trouble; for the +first-born of every Egyptian family, and even the first-born among their +flocks, died; although the Israelites, who were constantly praying to +the Lord and making sacrifices, were spared, as they had been all the +time. + +Then Pharaoh was frightened into obeying God, and he let the Israelites +go; so they started at once for the land of Canaan, and the Lord guided +them by a cloud, which at night looked like a pillar of fire. + +When the Israelites had reached the Red Sea, they found that Pharaoh +was pursuing them with a large army. But God commanded Moses to stretch +forth his rod over the sea; he did so, and the waters parted, making a +high wall upon either side, so that the children of Israel passed +through and reached the other side in safety. Pharaoh and his hosts +followed and were all drowned. + +When the children of Israel saw that they were safe, they sang a +beautiful song of praise to God, and then they went on their way again. + +After they had traveled for some time, they were in need of bread and +meat, and they complained about Moses because he had brought them to a +land where they had not enough to eat. But God sent them plenty of +quails and also a substance which they could use for bread. Later, when +they wanted water, the Lord commanded Moses, and he struck a rock with +his rod, and pure water poured out of it, so that the thirsty people and +their animals had all that they wanted. + +In this way God took care of them as they journeyed through the new and +strange country toward the promised land, and Moses became the law-giver +of the Israelites, receiving his commandments from God. + + + + +JACOB AND ESAU. + + +Jacob and Esau were twin brothers, sons of Isaac and Rebekah. Esau was +the dearer to his father; but Rebekah loved Jacob more, and she wished +her favorite son to have the birthright, or larger portion of the +property, which really belonged to Esau because he was a little the +older. + +One day Esau came in from hunting, very tired and hungry, and sold his +birthright to Jacob for a kind of stew called pottage. + +Afterward, when Isaac had grown very old, he sent Esau one day to get +some of his favorite meat, saying that when he returned he should have +his father's blessing. + +But Rebekah heard this and determined that Jacob should have the +blessing instead. So she prepared meat, then dressed Jacob in some of +his brother's clothing, covering his hands and neck with the skin of the +kids, and sent him to his father; and Isaac blessed him, for his sight +was dim, and he thought it was Esau. + +When the elder brother returned, he was very angry with Jacob, and Isaac +was deeply grieved to think he had been deceived; but he blessed Esau as +well, who became prosperous and had large possessions and great power. + +After this Jacob went to his mother's people, where he met Rachel, whom +he loved very dearly. He told Laban, her father, that he would serve him +faithfully seven years if Rachel might be his wife, and Laban consented +to this; at the end of the seven years, however, he told Jacob that he +must first marry Leah, as she was the older, but if he would serve +another seven years he might have Rachel also. So Jacob served another +seven years for Rachel, and then they were married. + +Later Esau and Jacob met and were very glad to see each other, for Jacob +had repented of his sin, and God had forgiven him; while Esau forgave +him also. + +[Illustration: ISAAC BLESSING JACOB.] + + + + +THE APOSTLE PAUL. + + +Before his conversion to the faith of Christ, Paul was called Saul, and +he persecuted the Christians, believing that they were doing wickedly +and that he ought to punish them for it. + +But while he was in the midst of these persecutions, and as he was +journeying toward Damascus one day, he saw suddenly at noon-time, a +light shining in the heavens which was greater than the light of the +sun, and he and all that were with him fell to the earth in wonder and +awe. Then Saul heard a voice speaking to him and saying, "Saul, Saul, +why persecutest thou Me?" And Saul said, "Who art Thou, Lord?" And the +voice answered, "I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest." + +Then Saul was instructed as to what he was to do, and was told that he +would become a minister of Christ. From that time Paul preached and +taught the Christian religion, and converted many people to it. + +But he was persecuted in his new work as he had persecuted others, being +finally taken prisoner and threatened with scourging; he declared +himself a Roman citizen, however, and therefore safe from such +treatment, and went on openly confessing his faith and telling of his +conversion, and he appealed for protection to the Roman emperor. + +He was then put on board a ship as a prisoner to be taken to Rome. While +they were at sea a violent storm came up, and Paul warned the sailors +that they were in great danger; but they would not listen to him. At +last the ship was wrecked, all on board being cast ashore upon an +island, whither they had been carried, clinging to boards and broken +pieces of the ship. + +The barbarous people of the island treated them kindly, building a fire +that they might dry their clothing and get warm; for it was cold and +they were, of course, drenched. + +The men were very glad to be safe once more; but a strange thing +happened after a little: Paul gathered up an armful of sticks to put +upon the fire, and as he placed them upon the flames, a viper, which is +a kind of poisonous snake, came out of the bundle and clung to his hand; +he shook it off into the fire, however, without the slightest sign of +fear. + +Those who were about him thought that the hand would swell and that +Paul would die from the effects of the bite, and they watched him +closely, believing that this trouble was sent to him as a punishment for +his sins. But no evil results came from the wound, and then the +barbarians thought he was a god and looked upon him with great respect. + +Paul and the men who were with him remained upon the island for three +months. At the end of that time they went away in a ship, finally +reaching Rome, where the prisoners were given up to the authorities; but +Paul was allowed to live by himself, with only a soldier to guard him, +and after a while he called the chief men of the Jews together and told +them why he was there and preached to them the Word of God. His +preaching was received by some with faith, but others did not believe. + +[Illustration: THE CRUCIFIXION.] + +[Illustration: "HE IS RISEN!"] + +Paul went on preaching and teaching in Rome for two years, living in a +house which he hired, and he brought many to Jesus. He was a man of +excellent education and a powerful preacher. His Epistles, given in the +Bible, are full of power and the fire of conviction, and he did a +wonderful work for the great cause in which he believed with all his +heart. + +Paul was physically small and deformed; but mentally he was a giant. He +had been taught the knowledge of the Romans, and was therefore well +fitted to take up this new cause in a manner which would appeal to +educated people as well as to those who had no learning. + +[Illustration: THE LAST SUPPER.] + +[Illustration: THE DESCENT OF THE HOLY GHOST.] + +From the time of his conversion until his death he labored faithfully in +the ministry of Christ, fearing no persecution or hardship when he +could do the Master's bidding and teach His holy will. The work which he +did was a wonderful work, and his influence in the Christian world has +been a very remarkable one. Brave, untiring, devoted to the cause of +Christ, he at last lost his life in that cause, adding another to the +list of martyrs whose memory the world loves and reveres. + +The story of Paul's experiences reads like those tales of adventure +which are so full of absorbing interest that when once they have been +taken up, we do not feel like laying them down again until they are +finished. + +This is true also of many others of the Bible stories, and great authors +have taken their themes from them for the writing of books which have +become famous. + +The more we study the Bible, the more wonderful it becomes, and the more +we learn that in that marvelous book are set forth nearly all the +experiences of which human life is capable, with the teaching which each +of these experiences should bring and the lesson to be learned by the +reading of them. In all the world there is not another collection so +wonderful as this. + + + + +DAVID. + + +David, the son of Jesse, was a beautiful boy, who could charm by his +wonderful music. But he was to be more than a "sweet singer," for +Samuel, the prophet of the Lord, declared that he should be King of +Israel, and poured the sacred oil upon his head. + +Saul, who was then the King of Israel, had spells of insanity, and David +was sent for to try and calm him by his music. In this he was so +successful that after a time the king seemed to be entirely cured; so +David returned to his home, and staid there quietly until his father +sent him to the camp of the Israelites, with food for his brothers. + +He found Saul's army in great commotion, because Goliath, a mighty +warrior of the Philistines, had come out before both armies and had +offered to fight any man who should be sent against him. + +Goliath had a cap of brass on his head, and his body was well protected +with a covering of iron and brass, while he carried a monstrous spear +and sword, and a heavy shield. As he came before the two camps, he +cried out: "I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we +may fight together!" + +When David came up and heard the story, he said: "Who is this +Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?" And David +offered to go forth against Goliath. + +So he went out in his shepherd's dress, with only his staff and sling; +and Goliath, who was very angry at this, cried out: "Am I a dog, that +thou comest against me with a staff?" Then he began to make fun of +David. But David answered: "Thou comest against me with a sword and a +shield; but I come against thee trusting in the Lord of Hosts, the God +of Israel, whom thou hast defied." + +[Illustration: SAUL ANGRY WITH DAVID.] + +Then, as Goliath came nearer, David took a stone from the bag at his +side, and putting it into his sling, he took good aim, and it struck +Goliath in the middle of the forehead and stunned him. As the giant +fell, David ran up to him, and taking the mighty sword, cut off his head +with it. + +This act of David's brought a great victory to Saul's army, and the king +was delighted with his courage; while Jonathan, Saul's eldest son, loved +the boy from that time, and they became like brothers. David also +married the daughter of Saul, and was placed over his men of war. + +[Illustration: THE DEATH OF SAUL.] + +[Illustration: THE DEATH OF AHAB.] + +But when all the people praised David, and Saul knew how much they +loved him, he grew jealous, and David was obliged to fly for his life +and hide himself from the king. During these wanderings, he wrote some +of his most beautiful psalms. + +Saul, however, was finally killed, and at last David became king. He +ruled Israel for nearly forty years, making it a great and powerful +nation; and when he died he was buried at Jerusalem, which was called +"The City of David," because he had caused it to be taken from the +enemy. + + + + +THE TOWER OF BABEL. + + +The sons of Noah were named Shem, Ham and Japheth. These sons in turn +became the fathers of children so that the descendants of Noah were very +numerous. + +One of these descendants, named Nimrod, was a mighty hunter and a man of +power and authority in the land, and it has even been said that the +people worshiped him as a god. + +In those days men liked to build high towers reaching away up toward the +heavens. Perhaps they were afraid of another flood, and perhaps they +simply wished to show what they could do; but however that may be, ruins +of towers can still be seen in various parts of the world, one of the +most noted of which is that of the "Tower of Nimrod." It is forty feet +high and stands on the top of a hill near the River Euphrates in Asia. + +In the time of Nimrod, the people said, "Let us build us a city and a +tower, whose top may reach unto Heaven; and let us make us a name, lest +we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth." So they began +to build the tower, and they made it very strong indeed, and kept +raising it higher and higher toward the heavens, thinking, Jewish +tradition, or story, tells us, that they would have a shelter in which +they would be perfectly safe from any flood which might come, or any +fire. There were some of the people also who wished to use the tower as +a temple for the idols which they worshiped. Six hundred thousand men +worked upon this wonderful tower, so the story goes on to say, and they +kept up the work until the tower rose to a height of seventy miles, so +that, toward the last, it took a year to get materials for the work up +to the top where the laborers were employed. Of course this story is +exaggerated, but without doubt the tower rose to a great height and was +a wonderful piece of work. + +God was not pleased with what the people were doing, however, because +they thought themselves so great and powerful that they had no need of +Him, and so He put an end to their bold plans. + +Up to this time all the people of the world had spoken the same +language; but now, when they were working upon this wonderful tower, +they commenced to talk in different tongues so that they could not +understand each other, and there was great confusion. Owing to this, +they were obliged to give up the building of the tower, and they +separated themselves into groups, or divisions, each division speaking +the same language, and then they spread out over the world, forming the +various nations. + +The tower was called the Tower of Babel because of the babel, or +confusion, of tongues which had taken place there, and it was left +unfinished to be a monument of God's power and man's weakness without +Him. + +[Illustration: THE TOWER OF BABEL.] + +These men were skillful in building, else they never could have gone as +far as they did in their stupendous work, and God was willing that they +should exercise their skill, as He is willing that people shall do now; +but when they thought themselves equal to Him, they learned how weak +they really were in comparison. The story teaches the great lesson of +dependence upon God and submission to His will and His laws. + + + + +THE BOYHOOD OF JESUS. + + +There are many beautiful stories of child-life, but the story of the +Boyhood of Jesus is the most beautiful of all. It teaches a wonderful +lesson of obedience to parents and love and respect for them, as well as +of the charm of a pure and consecrated childhood, and the lesson is all +the more helpful because it is full of the human interest of everyday +life. + +Although the boy Jesus was gifted with a wisdom far beyond His years--a +wisdom which was His because He was the Son of God, yet He lived much as +other boys lived, doing the tasks that were given Him by His parents and +being subject to them in all things. + +Probably the people around Him did not think very much about what He +said or did during those years. When they saw Him helping Joseph, the +carpenter, or doing the little things which Mary, His mother, bade Him +do, He seemed much like other little boys to them; they thought Him +bright and pleasing, and it may be that there was something in His looks +and in His manner which puzzled them, which set them to thinking of holy +things in a wondering way; but Mary was the only one who dwelt upon the +mystery of His life with a constant prayerful questioning as to just +what the meaning of it was. + +Mary treasured all His sayings in her heart and believed that the time +would come when everyone would know that He was not simply an ordinary +child like those around Him. + +After Joseph had brought his family back from Egypt because, now that +Herod was dead, it was safe for them to come into their own country +again, they lived in the city of Nazareth, and so the words of the old +prophets were true, that Jesus, the Savior of the World, should be a +Nazarene, or dweller in Nazareth. + +Every year the Jews held a feast at Jerusalem called the Feast of the +Passover, in memory of the time when God passed over, or spared, His +chosen people in Egypt, although He destroyed the first-born of the +Egyptians. When Jesus was twelve years old He went to Jerusalem with +Joseph and Mary to attend this feast. + +There were many of the relatives and friends of the family there, and +when they started home after the feast, there was probably some +confusion about getting the company under way, for they traveled in a +train consisting of people on foot and mounted upon donkeys, and they +had, of course, some needful provisions to take with them, together with +the things which they had brought for their comfort upon the journey and +during their stay in Jerusalem; and as the parents of Jesus did not +think of His remaining behind, they neglected to look for Him, supposing +He was somewhere in the train; so, when they had traveled for a day on +the return trip, they were greatly surprised and troubled to find that +He was missing. + +They immediately started back for Jerusalem, wondering as they went what +could have happened to their boy and fearful about it; but after three +anxious days they found Him in the temple talking with the learned men +there, listening to their wise words, and asking questions which +astonished everybody who heard them, because they were full of an +understanding of holy things that was not to be expected of a boy. +When His parents had found Him, Mary said to Him, sorrowfully, "Son, why +hast Thou dealt thus with us? Thy father and I have sought Thee +sorrowing." + +Then Jesus turned to her with sad and gentle respect, and asked, "How is +it that ye sought Me? Wist ye not"--that is, "Do you not know"--"that I +must be about My Father's business?" + +Perhaps in these words He tried to give them an insight into the great +meaning of His life; but they were puzzled, although Mary dimly felt all +that He would have her understand. He did not at this time, however, +explain to them further regarding what was in His own heart. It may be +that He did not yet fully comprehend just what He was to do. He had +taken upon Himself the human nature which He was to raise to something +grander and nobler than human nature had ever been before, and in +becoming a little child like other little children, perhaps it was God's +plan that He should not yet have the judgment of a man in all things. + +However that may have been, He went back with His parents and obeyed +them as before, for the time had not come for Him to leave them and +begin His teaching, except as He taught by the force of a beautiful +example. But that example formed a great part of the purpose for which +He was sent into the world, because one of the noblest truths that He +impressed upon humanity was the duty of children to parents. His own +life taught this better than any sermon could have done, for in all the +history of the world we have no better example of what a child's conduct +should be toward his parents. It is the more beautiful because Jesus was +not like other children, but, having the wisdom of God in His heart, was +far better able to judge for Himself between right and wrong. + +During all these years Jesus grew in stature as well as in wisdom, and +those around Him felt, without understanding it, that in some way He was +different from the rest. The divinity of His nature could not be hidden, +even in those early years, but it shone through all the small acts of +everyday life, making them beautiful; while every one who knew Him was +better and happier for coming near such a noble nature. + +[Illustration: THE QUEST.] + +[Illustration: =The Angels' Song= + + "Praise thou the Lord!" the angels cry + The song of peace and love, + Comes floating downward thro' the sky, + From unseen courts above. +] + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Wee Ones' Bible Stories, by Anonymous + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 11241 *** |