Blood-and-Thunder was the great man of prophecy; but now again there
were reports saying that without doubt the great man had at last
appeared. He, like Mr. Gathergold and Old Blood-and-Thunder, was a
native of the valley, but had left it as a young man, and had now become
a great man. He had not the rich man's wealth, nor the honor of the
General, but he had a tongue which could speak more beautiful words than
the world had ever heard before. Great crowds flocked to hear him from
all parts of the country.
The people of the village were proud to think that they could claim the
great man, for it was said he bore an exact likeness to the Great Stone
Face--so much so that they called him "Old Stony Phiz."
And now the illustrious man was once more coming to visit his native
land, and great preparations were made to receive him.
With great eagerness and hope Ernest waited for his coming, and on the
day appointed went with the crowd to meet him. The air was filled with
music and the shouts of the people, for now they felt that surely the
old prophecy was to be fulfilled.
Then the great man's carriage came in view. There he sat, smiling and
bowing to the people, while they threw up their hats in wild excitement
and enthusiasm, and shouted: "Hoorah for Old Stony Phiz. The great man
has come at last."
Ernest looked long at the man as he sat in his carriage, but finally
turned away sadly and slowly, and said: "The features are alike, but he
has not the heart nor the love and sympathy which make a face beautiful.
He is not the man, but he might have been, had he lived the best he
knew."
Then again he turned to his great teacher on the mountain side, and, as
the late afternoon sun tinted all its features, it seemed to smile on
Ernest, and once more the lips seemed to speak:
"Lo, here I am, Ernest. I have waited longer than thou, and am not yet
weary. Fear not. The man will come."
The years hurried onward, and now they began to bring white hairs and
scatter them over the head of Ernest. They made wrinkles across his
forehead and furrows in his cheeks. He was an old man; but more than the
white hairs on his head were the beautiful thoughts in his mind, and the
loving words from his lips, and the kindly deeds from his hands. He was
no longer unknown. Great men from far and near came to see and talk with
him, and as they went away their hearts were better for having been with
him. He had become a preacher, and often, just as the sun set, he would
stand on a little knoll and talk with the people who crowded to hear the
words he spoke.
One evening, as Ernest sat at his doorstep, a friend came to talk with
him. He was a poet, and wrote of things which God had made, in language
so beautiful that one wished always to hear it. Ernest loved to read his
words, and this evening, as they sat together, he looked long and
earnestly at the poet and then up at the Great Stone Face, which seemed
to be smiling down upon them. Then he sighed and shook his head sadly.
"Why are you sad?" asked the poet.
Then Ernest told him of the prophecy which he had longed all his life to
see fulfilled. "And," he said, "when I read your beautiful words, I
think surely you are worthy to be the man I have longed to see, and yet
I see no likeness."
The poet sadly shook his head, and said: "No, Ernest. I am not worthy.
My words, indeed, may be beautiful, but my life has not been so great
and good as the words I write."
Then, as sunset drew near, the two walked to the little knoll where
Ernest was to talk to the people.
He stood in a little niche, with the mountains above him, and the glory
of the evening sun shone around his silvered hair. At a distance could
be seen the Great Stone Pace, surrounded by a golden light.
As Ernest talked his face glowed with the depth of his feeling, and
suddenly the poet threw his arms above his head and shouted:
"Behold! Behold! Ernest is himself the likeness of the Great Stone
Face!"
Then all the people looked and saw that what the poet had said was true.
The prophecy was fulfilled. The Great Man had come at last.
Nathaniel Hawthorne [Adapted]
THE FIRST CHRISTMAS TREE
In a forest in the far, far East grew a great many pine trees. Most of
them were tall trees, higher than the houses that we see, and with wide,
strong branches. But there was one tree that was not nearly so tall as
the others; in fact, it was no taller than some of the children in the
kindergarten.
Now, the tall trees could see far, far out over the hilltops and into
the valleys, and they could hear all the noises that went on in the
world beyond the forest, but the Little Tree was so small and the other
trees grew so high and thick about it that it could not see nor hear
these things at all; but the other trees were very kind, and they would
stoop down and tell them to the Little Tree. One night in the winter
time there seemed to be something strange happening in the little town
among the hills, for the trees did not go to sleep after the sun went
down, but put their heads together and spoke in strange, low whispers
that were full of awe and wonder. The Little Tree, from its place close
down to the ground, did not understand what it was all about. It
listened awhile, and then lifted its head as high as ever it could and
shouted to its tall neighbor: "Will you not stoop and tell me what is
happening?" And the big tree stooped down and whispered: "The shepherds
out on the hilltops are telling strange stories while they watch their
sheep. The air is filled with sweet music, and there is a wonderful star
coming up in the east, traveling westward always, and the shepherds say
that they are waiting for it to stop and shine over a humble stable in
their little town. I have not heard why it is going to stop there, but I
will look again and listen." So the tall tree lifted up its head again,
and reached far out so that it might hear more of the wonderful story.
Bye and bye it stooped down again, and whispered to the Little Tree:
"Oh, Little Tree, listen! There are angels among the shepherds on the
hills, and they are all talking together. They seem to be awaiting the
birth of a little child, who will be a king among the people, and the
beautiful star will shine above the stable where the little king will be
laid in a manger." The tree again raised its head to listen, and the
Little Tree, much puzzled, thought within itself: "It is very strange,
indeed. * * * Oh, how I wish that I could see it all!"
It waited a little longer, and everything grew quiet, and a great peace
came upon the forest. * * * Then suddenly the town, and even the forest
was illuminated with a strange, white light that made everything as
bright as day, and the air was filled with the flutter of angels' wings,
and with music such as the world had never heard before.
The people and the trees, even the stars in the heaven, lifted up their
voices and sang together * * * and the whole world was filled with music
and joy and love for the little Christ-child who had come to dwell upon
the earth.
The Little Tree was filled with fear and wonder, for so great was the
excitement that the other trees had almost forgotten it, and it could
not understand the mysterious sounds; but bye and bye its tall friend
said: "Listen, listen, Little Tree! Such news I have to tell! The Christ
has come--the King! And the whole world is singing such beautiful music.
There are wise men coming from the East, bringing beautiful gifts to the
Christ-child. The angels, too, are upon the earth, and they bear gifts
of gold and rare, beautiful stones. Wait! I will tell you more."
The tall tree had scarcely lifted up its head when it stooped again and
whispered to the Little Tree: "Look! Look! Little Tree! They are coming
this way; the angels are coming here, into our forest! Lift up your head
high and you will see them as they pass."
The Little Tree lifted up its head and saw the white flutter of angel
robes and heard the weird, sweet voices of the heavenly host who came
with precious gifts into the forest.
"Oh," said the Little Tree, "they are coming here, toward me! What
shall I do?" And in fear it bent its head so low that it almost touched
the ground. But the music came nearer and nearer, and the Little Tree
felt a tender hand upon its branches, and a soft, gentle voice said to
it: "Arise, Little Tree, and come with us, for we have come into the
forest to seek you. Yes, you, the very smallest among the trees, are to
be our gift-bearer. Come; lift up your head."
In fear and trembling the Little Tree did as the angel bade it. But when
it looked into the angel's face and saw the love and kindness there, all
fear was gone, and it said to the angel: "Yes; make me ready. I will
come with you to the little Christ-child in the manger." So all the
angels brought their gifts of precious jewels and shining gold, and
fastened them upon the branches of the Little Tree. Then the leader of
the angels' band took up the Little Tree from the ground and bore it,
laden with its precious burden, to the feet of the Christ-child.
THE STORY OF ABRAHAM
Long, long ago there lived in the far away land of Ur a man who was very
wealthy. His name was Abraham. The country in which he lived was
beautiful and very rich. The fields were not only well watered by rivers
and streams, but were carefully cultivated. Corn, dates, apples and
grapes grew there abundantly. Fine harvests were reaped from their
farms. Splendid herds of cattle and flocks of sheep were pastured in the
meadows. In the city were beautiful homes, for the people were
prosperous. They painted fine pictures and cut beautiful figures out of
marble blocks, and were fond of music. But Abraham was not so much
interested in the city as in the country, for he belonged to a family of
shepherds. He did not care so much for walled cities as for meadow
lands, forest trees and running streams. When Abraham grew a little
older he became very thoughtful, and began to dislike the ways of the
people of Ur, for they were idolaters. So when some of the servants
brought back from the city, idols into his father's home, he broke them.
His one desire was to do right and to be good.
One day, when he was herding his cattle not far from his father's home,
he heard a strange Voice saying to him: "Get thee out of thy country and
from thy kindred, and come unto a land which I shall show thee." He was
greatly surprised, and looked around to find out who was speaking to
him. He saw no man, so he thought that the Voice was only a fancy or a
day dream. A few days after, when he was bringing home some wandering
sheep, he heard the same Voice, the same words, and thought he saw a
gleam of light. He felt that God was speaking to him, but the words made
him very sad. If he obeyed the Voice he knew that he would have to leave
his friends, the fields where he sported with his boy companions and
loved ones, but something within him kept saying that he ought to obey
the Voice, because it was God's Voice. So he resolved to take his
nephew, Lot, with him, and set out for the Promised Land. The day for
starting came. Great bundles of goods were put upon the camels and led
off by the drivers. Flocks of sheep and herds of cattle filled the
morning air with their bleatings and their bellowings. Some of the
people thought that Abraham was very foolish to undertake such a
journey, and would certainly come to grief. His brother Nahor pleaded
with Abraham not to go. He told Abraham about a great desert that he
would have to cross. Even if he crossed it safely, the people in that
far away country were very cruel, and would fight them and kill them,
and make slaves of their children. Abraham listened to his brother, and
said that he knew there were difficulties ahead of him, but he must obey
the Voice of God. Then his face brightened, when he added that he felt
sure God would watch over them all as a shepherd watches over his sheep.
He looked brave and noble as he bade them all good-by and started off.
At the close of the first day they halted beside a stream, where the
cattle drank and rested until morning. The servants pitched a number of
tents and made Abraham and his family comfortable. Abraham rolled
together a few big stones and built an altar, and in the presence of his
family and servants offered up an evening sacrifice and prayed that God
should guide them and their little ones into the Promised Land. After
many weary days and nights they reached Canaan. It was a beautiful
country, full of vines and harvest fields, and pasture lands. The
valleys were warm and the highlands were cool. Here and there on the
hillsides they saw the oak, the sycamore, and the pine growing. Best of
all, the people were kind to Abraham and his servants, and helped them
to get settled in their new homes. Their new friends were not so rich as
their old ones. They wore rough garments made of camel's hair and
fastened round the waist with a belt. They lived in rough huts and rocky
caves, and were warlike. But they treated Abraham generously and were
very kind to the little children. Abraham was delighted with the
Promised Land, although he passed through many a severe trial in it.
There was one joy, however, that brightened his life--God had given him
a beautiful son. The little boy had grown to be a strong, beautiful
youth. His mother took loving care in making his little garments, and
his father gave him a pet lamb, and often brought home to him a wild
bird. Abraham was growing old, and thought of the day when his boy would
be a strong man, caring for herds and flocks. Many a time he prayed to
God for his boy, that he might be true and brave and good, and worthy of
the promises that God had made to him concerning his people. But one
day, when he was returning from a visit to his herdsmen and was resting
beside a well in the grove which he had planted in Beersheba, he heard
the Voice again saying: "Take thy son, thine only son Isaac, and offer
him up for a sacrifice on a mount which I shall show thee." Abraham was
grieved. He said to himself: "I have left Ur and the land of my brother
and my father. I have endured many hardships, and surely I will not be
called upon to sacrifice my only son, my sweet, loving boy. I can not
bear it. His mother can not live when she hears of it." But the Voice
said more earnestly than ever: "Take thy son, thine only son Isaac, and
offer him up for a sacrifice on the mount that I shall show thee." He
knew that it was the same Voice that had spoken to him many times, and
that he must obey it. And there gradually came into his life strength
and a willingness to obey the Voice. After necessary preparation
Abraham, his son, and his servants set out for the mountain. For three
days they journeyed under divine guidance, until they came to the foot
of the mount. Then Abraham said to his servants: "Abide ye here, and I
and the lad will go and worship yonder, and come unto you again." The
young lad was happy over the coming sacrifice. He shouldered the bundle
of wood and started off up the hillside. But he did not see the lamb,
and, turning to his father, said: "Behold the fire and the wood, but
where is the lamb for the burnt offering?" The question so innocently
asked grieved the father's heart, for he knew that God had commanded him
to offer up his son instead of a lamb. He felt that he could not tell
his boy about it, so he said: "God Himself will provide a lamb for the
burnt offering." At last they came to the spot where the sacrifice was
to be offered. The father, very sad and broken-hearted, began rolling
together some stones for an altar. Slowly he laid the wood in its place,
and wept when he thought of the sacrifice. Then with a tearful voice he
told the lad that he was to be the sacrifice. He laid the boy upon the
altar and kissed him. At that moment he heard a Voice, louder than ever
before, saying: "Abraham." He answered, "Here am I." The Voice said:
"Lay not thy hand upon the lad, neither do any harm unto him, for now I
know that thou fearest God, seeing that thou hast not withheld thy son,
thine only son, from me." With glad wonder Abraham looked around, and
there, to his great surprise, a ram was caught in some thick bushes.
Hurriedly he caught the ram, unbound his son, and offered up the ram as
a sacrifice with great joy. And, kneeling beside the altar, the aged
father thanked God, and homeward they returned with glad hearts and
happy spirits.
And Isaac grew to be a good and noble man, and the Lord prospered him.
His father, Abraham, lived many years in the Promised Land, and when he
died the whole country was full of grief, and with sorrow mingled with
love they followed the aged saint to the sunny slopes of beautiful
Macpelah and laid him in the tomb. Each whispered to the other that he
was a good and brave man. Many a time they would visit the cave where
the great man lay and tell one another about his wonderful life, his
many trials, his noble faith, and how he always obeyed the Voice of God.
On a rough stone beside the tomb a friend chiseled the words: "Abraham,
the Friend of God."
Bible [Adapted]
THE STORY OF MOSES
Many years ago, the Heavenly Father sent a baby boy into a home in a far
country.
When a baby comes to your home you want to tell every one you see, do
you not?
But in that little home it was very different. Miriam, the baby's
sister, could not tell any one about the little brother, and the poor
mother had to keep the baby hidden away. Shall I tell you why?
In that country there lived a wicked king, who did not love little
children, and whenever he heard that a boy baby had come into a house he
sent his soldiers to take the baby away.
This mother loved her baby dearly, and she wanted to keep him always.
But when the baby began to grow, and to laugh and to cry, just as all
babies do, the mother's heart was very sad, for she knew she could hide
him no longer.
One day she took the baby and went down to the river. There she gathered
a great many of the tall grasses that grew on the river bank, and of
these grasses she made a little basket, or ark, just large enough to
hold the baby. She wove it carefully, and when it was finished she
covered it over with pitch and slime, so that no water could come into
it.
Then she lifted her baby, put him into the queer little basket, carried
the basket to the river and set it down carefully in the water. The tall
rushes growing there held the little cradle, that the water might not
wash it away.
The mother turned and went quickly to her home. But do you think she
left the baby alone? Ah, no. Among the tall grasses near the river's
brim stood Miriam, the sister, patiently watching the queer cradle.
While Miriam watched, the princess came to the river to bathe. The
maidens who had come to help her walked along the river's side.
Presently the princess saw the queer little basket and sent one of her
maids to get it.
When the princess opened the basket, the baby wakened and began to cry,
and the princess felt very sorry for the little one.
Miriam, who had watched so faithfully beside the river, now came to the
princess.
"Shall I go and find thee a woman who will take care of the child?" she
said. And the princess said, "Go."
What did Miriam do, do you think? She ran as fast as she could and
brought the baby's own mother.
When the princess saw the mother she did not know that it was the baby's
own mother, and she said to her: "Take this child away and nurse it for
me, and I will give thee thy wages."
Do you not think that mother's heart was glad as she took her own baby
home? The baby could run and play now, and laugh and crow as much as it
liked, for the great princess loved him, and no harm could come to him.
The mother called the baby's name "Moses," she said, "because I drew him
out of the water," and in that far country that is what the name "Moses"
means.
Bible [Adapted]
THE STORY OF DAVID
Long, long ago, on the green hills of Bethlehem, a little shepherd boy
tended his sheep.
Ruddy and strong was little David, for the sun gave him rosy cheeks, and
the bracing wind made him long to run races with his own shadow, just
from pure happiness.
Many a time he lay on the soft grass, gazing up at the blue sky, dotted
with fleecy white clouds--white as his own lambs. Many a time, as he led
his flock homeward at evening, he saw the sun sink in the gold and
crimson west, and, as the dusk deepened, the great round moon rise above
the hills, flooding the world with silvery light.
With all this beauty around him, do you wonder that he was good and
happy?
One day, while David was watching his sheep in the field, Samuel, the
High Priest of the Lord, appeared before Jesse, David's father.
On a very wonderful errand had he come.
He told David's father that the Lord had chosen one of his sons to be
the new king of Israel, because Saul, the old king, was no longer fit to
rule.
"Call all your sons before me," said Samuel, "that I may anoint the
Lord's chosen one."
Oh, how proudly Jesse called his eldest son!
Tall, and straight, and strong, he stood there, looking every inch a
king.
"Surely," thought Samuel, "I have found him!"
But the Lord looked down into his heart--just as he looks into our
hearts today--and saw that all was not right there, and so the Lord said
to Samuel: "He is not the chosen one."
Then Samuel asked Jesse to call his second son.
But when the Lord read his thoughts He said to the priest: "No; I have
not chosen this one."
Jesse called his third son, but Samuel only shook his head. In haste,
Jesse called all his other sons before the High Priest, but Samuel was
forced to say sadly, "The Lord hath not chosen these." Almost in
despair, he turned to Jesse, asking: "Are all thy children here?" And he
answered: "There remaineth yet the youngest, and behold, he keepeth the
sheep."
Joyfully Samuel cried: "Send and fetch him, for we will not sit down
till he come hither." And he sent and brought him in.
When Samuel looked into his pure, innocent face, he knew that now the
chosen one of the Lord stood before him.
Taking his horn of oil, he anointed him King of Israel, "and the spirit
of the Lord came upon David from that day forward."
When Samuel left him, David went quietly back to the field, and tended
his sheep, just as of old.
Day by day he tried to do every duty well, so that bye and bye he would
be worthy to be a king.
Meanwhile, up in his royal palace, King Saul was in deep trouble. In his
distress he longed to hear the beautiful music of the harp. He therefore
sent for David, that he might play for him. When David came he paused
beside the throne, and Saul, looking up, saw before him a tall and
handsome youth, bearing a golden harp.
Bowing low, David begged permission to play for his King. Gladly Saul
bade him begin.
First, the young harpist struck a ringing chord that thrilled through
the vast hall.
Then he began to play a low, sweet melody!
It sounded like the summer breeze sighing softly over a grassy meadow,
and setting the dainty daisies and buttercups swaying on their stems.
Suddenly the music swelled stronger, until it seemed like a flashing
fountain, springing up in a burst of sparkling spray.
Then the sweet tones slowly softened.
Fainter they grew--and yet fainter--like the music of a dream--till at
last they died away into silence.
Spellbound sat King Saul when the player ceased.
And David came to Saul and stood before him, and Saul loved him greatly,
and he became his armor bearer.
Long afterward David wore the crown of Israel.
He was a wise and good king, for the Heavenly Father, who blessed his
youth, watched over him all his days.
THE STORY OF JOSEPH
Many years ago there lived a little lad named Joseph. He was comely, and
his face was beautiful, because his heart was pure and good.
Joseph had many brothers, but because of his gentleness and comeliness
the old father loved him more than all the others. One time he gave
Joseph a coat woven with many beautiful colors, as a token of his love
for his favorite son.
Now, when the older brothers saw this they were angry and jealous, and
from that time on they sought to do him harm.
Jacob, the father, owned many sheep, and the sons cared for them,
sometimes leading them far from home to find the best pastures. Joseph
often went with the brothers to tend the flocks, but he loved best to
care for the tender little lambs, leading them into the greenest
pastures and beside the quiet water.