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Shipwrecked
Two ladies were shipwrecked on an island. One lay against a palm tree, calm and serene. The other stood screaming, "We're going to die! There's no food, no water, no shelter! Don't you understand? We're going to die. The first lady replied, "YOU don't understand. I make one hundred thousand dollars a week." The second lady looked dumbfounded. "What difference does that make? We're on an island with no food or water. We're going to die!" The first lady answered, "You just don't get it. I make one hundred thousand dollars a week and I tithe ten percent to the church. Relax! My pastor will find us!"
WHAT GOD CAN DO WITH 57 cents.
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.
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 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 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 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 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 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.
Alongside of it is a portrait of her kind pastor, Dr. Russel H. Conwell, author of the book, "Acres of Diamonds"---a true story.
Goes to show WHAT GOD CAN DO WITH 57 cents.
Clean Laugh
Answering a knock on the door of his African hut, a missionary found a native boy holding up a large fish. The boy said, "Preacher, you taught us to give at least one tenth, so here--I've brought you my tenth." As the missionary gratefully took the fish, he questioned the young lad "Where are the other nine fish?" At this, the boy beamed and said, "Oh, they're still back in the river. I'm going back to catch them now."
DAD'S PAY CHECK
Three boys are in the schoolyard bragging about their fathers.
The first boy says, "My Dad scribbles a few words on a piece of paper, he
calls it a poem, they give him $50."
The second boy says, "That's nothing. My Dad scribbles a few words on a piece of paper, he calls it a song, they give him $100."
The third boy says, "I got you both beat. My Dad scribbles a few words on a piece of paper, he calls it a sermon. And it takes eight people to collect all the money!"
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