Chapter 3

Once I ran as other children; Now I'm but a cripple-boy. As I watch them through my window, How their games they do enjoy! How I'd love to hear their footsteps Coming to my open door! It would make me feel as cheerful As in happy days of yore.

Yet I'm thankful for dear mother, Who so gently smooths my brow, Tells me pleasant little stories Of her childhood days, and how She once wandered in the meadow, With the cattle and the sheep, Picking buttercups and daisies Till the stars began to peep.

Then she tells me of the Savior, How upon this earth he trod, How he came to us from heaven-- Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Now his home is up in glory With the happy angel band; But he comes and blesses children And protects them by his hand.

Then she kneels down by my bedside, As the twilight shadows fall, And we ask the Lord to kindly Guide and keep us one and all; Then he makes us very happy, Gives us blessings rich and true, And I know with all the children, Jesus loves the cripples too.

Country Children

Children love to play on the bridge over the creek, or sit down in the tall grass on the banks and pick wild flowers.

Sometimes the dog swims in the water after a stick and brings it ashore. Dogs can swim in the water; but if the children should get into deep water, they could not get out, and would drown if some one did not come to help them out.

There are many, many children living in the cities who do not have the chance to play in the green grass or pick wild flowers like the children who live in the country. How much they would enjoy doing so!

God made the water and land, the grass and flowers, and intended that the children and all people should enjoy them.

Jesus once said, "Consider the lilies, how they grow; they toil not, they spin not; ... if then God so clothe the grass which is today in the field, ... how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?"

God takes care of the flowers, the grass, and the trees, and he can care for us.

The Country Boy

I love to see the country boy, With body large and strong. He sings while he is doing chores, And whistles all day long.

He drives the cows down to the lane, And feeds the chickens, too. He carries wood for mama dear, Who has so much to do.

He goes to school and studies hard His lessons day by day; He's always ready at recess, To romp and jump and play.

God bless the boys! the country boys! They soon will be our men. We know not then what they may do With deed or thought or pen.

But other boys as well as he, Can study, learn, and do, Can live a grand and noble life, To right and God be true.

God Sees All Things

One time a little boy was sent by his papa to plant some beans. He worked a while, then he sat down to play. While he was playing, he spilled part of his beans. At once he began to pick them up.

There were so many beans that he became tired. Then he thought he could cover them up with dirt. He thought no one would ever know he had spilled them. At last he got the rest of the beans planted and went home.

He often thought of the beans he had spilled. But he did not tell his papa. Some time after this his papa went to the patch. He wanted to see how the beans were growing. He found that all of them had come up--even those that the boy had spilled and had not picked up. The boy did not need to tell his papa then what he had done. For his papa knew it all.

So it is with some bad things you may have done. You may think that no one will ever know of them. But the secret will come out some time. Even if no person should ever find it out, God sees all you do. You can not hide anything from him.

Be Kind to the Aged

One fine spring day six children went to the woods to gather wild flowers. Oh, how they enjoyed the warm sunshine while they filled their little baskets with violets, buttercups, and spring beauties! And the air was filled with the sweet perfume.

The flowers were so pretty and there were so many that the children could hardly stop when the baskets were filled. Soon they started for home. "Let's give some flowers to the old people," said one. "Yes, let's do," said the rest, and off they went, and many were the smiles from the old people that day.

Let us be kind to the aged. When we meet any one who is old, let us speak to them kindly and give them a smile.

The old people did much for us when we were too small to care for ourselves. Let us not forget their kindness.

Little thoughts of kindness, Little deeds of love, Lead you from the wrong way To the heaven above.

God's Garden

"My heart is God's little garden, And the fruits that grow each day Are the things that he sees me doing, And the words that he hears me say.

"The flowers in God's little garden Are 'joy' and 'truth' and 'love'; And the seed by the Master planted Is raised in the garden above.

"There's a spring in God's little garden, Whose waters, so sweet and clear, Flow out into other gardens Which God plants very near.

"I must tend to God's little garden, Lest the weeds and the sharp thorns grow; If the flowers should droop and wither, His heart would be sad, I know."

A Baby for a Nickel

A man told a little girl that he would sell his baby for a nickel. She liked babies well and thought that was very cheap. She ran home quickly to get the money. Her mama was very busy. She gave her the nickel and did not stop to listen to what the little girl wanted.

The little girl ran back to the man to get the baby. Of course, the man would not give up his baby. He did not mean what he had said. This made the little girl cry very hard.

Her mama always told the truth. She thought others meant what they said, just like her mama.

It was wrong for the man not to tell the truth. We often make others feel very bad when we say things that we do not mean.

We All Must Die

Some people are very wicked. This means that they do many bad things and do not love God. Some men swear and lie and steal and also do other sinful things.

To tell a lie is to say things that are not true, and to steal is to take something that belongs to some one else.

Now, it is very wrong to swear, lie, or steal. God does not want us to do any such things. All who do wicked things will some day be punished.

Some day we shall die, for all of us must die. If a man should be going some place through the deep snow and should get lost and the cold should freeze him, it would kill him. He would not live any longer, but would be dead.

If we love God and live for him, he will give us a home in heaven after we die; but if we are wicked, we shall be lost and punished for our wicked ways after we die.

We should think about our life here and see that we live to please God.

If we do not, when we come to die we may be like the man in the boat. At one time he could have been saved--while he was floating on the smooth waters. But he has let it go too far, and can only look forward to his doom.

Let us love God and live for him on earth, so we can live with him in heaven after we die. When Christ was here on earth he said: "I go to prepare a place for you, ... that where I am, there ye may be also."

The Path of God

The path of God That Jesus trod Is just the path for me; I'll walk each day The narrow way, Where all is victory.

Oh, let us fight For truth and right, And Satan e'er defeat; God giveth grace In every place And victory complete.

Our life we give, And e'er we'll live For Christ, and tell his love To fallen man Where'er we can; At last be crowned above.

Transcriber's Note:

The frontispiece illustration has been moved to follow the title page. Other illustrations have been moved, where necessary, so that they do not fall in the middle of a paragraph or verse.

The page number in the Table of Contents for Be Kind to the Aged has been amended from 118 to 117.

End of Project Gutenberg's Light On the Child's Path, by William Allen Bixler