57 CENTS THAT MADE HISTORY!

This is a true story submitted by D. Griffiths wherein he relates the incident that led to the establishment of the Temple Baptist Church, Temple University and the Good Samaritan Hospital in Philadelphia, USA. It is about a little girl, Hattie May Wiatt, and her 57 cents that made history. "I CAN'T GO TO SUNDAY SCHOOL" 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, 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 touched that she went to bed that night thinking of the children who have no place to worship Jesus. 57 CENTS MULTIPLIED 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 be-friended their daughter, to handle the final arrangements. As her poor 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 hand-writing 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 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 a larger building. But the story does not end there! A local newspaper learned of the story and published it. It was read by a realtor who offered them a parcel of land worth many thousands. When told that the church could not pay so much, he offered it for a 57 cent payment. Church members also made large subscriptions. Cheques came from all over. Within five years the little girl's gift had increased to $250 000 (almost R2 000 000). Her unselfish love had paid large dividends. PHILADELPHIA TODAY When you are in the city of Philadelphia, look up Temple Baptist Church, with a seating capacity of 3 000 plus, and Temple University, where thou-sands 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 classes. In one of the rooms of this building is the picture of the sweet face of the little girl whose 57 cents, so sacrificially saved, made such remarkable history. Alongside it is a portrait of her kind pastor, Dr Russel H. Conwell, author of the book, "Acres of Diamonds". UNSELFISH LOVE When we are willing to show and exercise our unselfish love in a practical way to the cause of the billions who are perishing without Christ, imagine what we could do and what could be achieved for the Lord! Someone has said, "It is not the one big contribution that counts, but the many small ones that make the difference". Will you, my dear friend, be willing to set aside your 57 cents so that those outside the fold of salvation may be brought into the eternal salvation plan of our Lord in the various parts of our world? Source: Abraham Sahu via Joel News