butter plate and a jelly dish to go with it. There was succulent glazed ham, sugared sweet potatoes, and green peas with tiny onion chips. Dane had already spied a yellow cake with chocolate frosting sitting on the cupboard. He had to keep swallowing the saliva that filled his mouth in anticipation of what he was about to enjoy.
When Maude sat down at her place, Dr. Harris ran his gaze over both faces and said, “Let’s pray.”
Dane saw the Harrises bow their heads and close their eyes, and he did the same.
The doctor led in prayer, thanking the Lord for allowing Dane to come into their lives; he then thanked Him for the food and closed in Jesus’ name. When the amen was said, Dane raised his head and opened his eyes to see both people smiling at him. The food was passed around, and the doctor and his wife smiled at each other as Dane wolfed everything down.
While they were eating, Dr. Harris looked at the boy, swallowed a mouthful of sweet potato, and said, “Dane did your family attend church anywhere?”
Dane shook his head. “No, sir. We didn’t go to church.”
Approaching the subject carefully, Harris asked, “Do you believe God exists?”
“Oh,
yes
, sir. I sure do.”
“Do you believe the Bible is God’s written Word to mankind?”
“Yes, sir. I have heard enough about it to know that it is God’s Word. There was a family who lived in our tenement who went to church regularly. Several times I heard the man and his wife talking to my parents about what God says in the Bible concerning many different subjects.”
“I see. Was there ever any discussion about heaven and hell, and sin and salvation?”
Dane swallowed a mouthful of green peas. “I remember the neighbors bringing those subjects up sometimes, yes. They told my parents that God’s Son, Jesus Christ, was the only one who could cleanse and forgive their sins and take them to heaven.”
He pointed to the picture frame on the wall that he had looked at earlier. “That Scripture up there …”
“Yes?”
“I remember hearing our neighbors say something very much like that.”
The doctor went on to question Dane along these lines to see just how much he understood about sin and its consequences. He was pleased to learn that the boy had some of it right, but quickly saw that he needed further instruction in several areas. He realized he must be as wise as a serpent and as gentle as a dove in dealing with the boy, so he explained a few things for him to think about and quoted Scriptures to plant the seed of the Word firmly in his heart.
Both Harrises were pleased at the way Dane accepted what he was being told as the absolute truth.
Maude said, “Dane, tomorrow morning it’s my husband’s turn to go to church while I stay home with Lawanda. Would you like to go to Sunday school and church with him?”
Dane had just swallowed a piece of the yellow cake. “I really would like to go with Dr. Harris, ma’am, but I really don’t have any church-going clothes. I have three more shirts that I brought with me when I left the tenement flat, two more pair of trousers, three pair of socks, and two pair of long johns. My shirts and trousers are much like the ones I have on right now. They’re just not dress-up clothes.”
Dr. Harris smiled at him. “You will be welcome at our church dressed as you are.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“Then I will go with you in the morning, sir.”
“Good! I’ll be by your alley at about 9:15. Just wait right there on the street for me.”
“I will, sir. I can check the big clock on the front of the bank on the corner, so I’ll know what time it is.”
After supper the doctor took Dane back to the alley in his buggy.
The next morning, Dane was picked up by Dr. Harris and taken to Sunday school and church services.
In the preaching service, Dr. Harris was pleased to see the boy keeping his eyes on the pastor as he was preaching. The sermon was on the subject of hell, and Dane was amazed to see
When Maude sat down at her place, Dr. Harris ran his gaze over both faces and said, “Let’s pray.”
Dane saw the Harrises bow their heads and close their eyes, and he did the same.
The doctor led in prayer, thanking the Lord for allowing Dane to come into their lives; he then thanked Him for the food and closed in Jesus’ name. When the amen was said, Dane raised his head and opened his eyes to see both people smiling at him. The food was passed around, and the doctor and his wife smiled at each other as Dane wolfed everything down.
While they were eating, Dr. Harris looked at the boy, swallowed a mouthful of sweet potato, and said, “Dane did your family attend church anywhere?”
Dane shook his head. “No, sir. We didn’t go to church.”
Approaching the subject carefully, Harris asked, “Do you believe God exists?”
“Oh,
yes
, sir. I sure do.”
“Do you believe the Bible is God’s written Word to mankind?”
“Yes, sir. I have heard enough about it to know that it is God’s Word. There was a family who lived in our tenement who went to church regularly. Several times I heard the man and his wife talking to my parents about what God says in the Bible concerning many different subjects.”
“I see. Was there ever any discussion about heaven and hell, and sin and salvation?”
Dane swallowed a mouthful of green peas. “I remember the neighbors bringing those subjects up sometimes, yes. They told my parents that God’s Son, Jesus Christ, was the only one who could cleanse and forgive their sins and take them to heaven.”
He pointed to the picture frame on the wall that he had looked at earlier. “That Scripture up there …”
“Yes?”
“I remember hearing our neighbors say something very much like that.”
The doctor went on to question Dane along these lines to see just how much he understood about sin and its consequences. He was pleased to learn that the boy had some of it right, but quickly saw that he needed further instruction in several areas. He realized he must be as wise as a serpent and as gentle as a dove in dealing with the boy, so he explained a few things for him to think about and quoted Scriptures to plant the seed of the Word firmly in his heart.
Both Harrises were pleased at the way Dane accepted what he was being told as the absolute truth.
Maude said, “Dane, tomorrow morning it’s my husband’s turn to go to church while I stay home with Lawanda. Would you like to go to Sunday school and church with him?”
Dane had just swallowed a piece of the yellow cake. “I really would like to go with Dr. Harris, ma’am, but I really don’t have any church-going clothes. I have three more shirts that I brought with me when I left the tenement flat, two more pair of trousers, three pair of socks, and two pair of long johns. My shirts and trousers are much like the ones I have on right now. They’re just not dress-up clothes.”
Dr. Harris smiled at him. “You will be welcome at our church dressed as you are.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“Then I will go with you in the morning, sir.”
“Good! I’ll be by your alley at about 9:15. Just wait right there on the street for me.”
“I will, sir. I can check the big clock on the front of the bank on the corner, so I’ll know what time it is.”
After supper the doctor took Dane back to the alley in his buggy.
The next morning, Dane was picked up by Dr. Harris and taken to Sunday school and church services.
In the preaching service, Dr. Harris was pleased to see the boy keeping his eyes on the pastor as he was preaching. The sermon was on the subject of hell, and Dane was amazed to see
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