 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 kindhearted
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 school children,
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. Russell H. Conwell, author
of the book, Acres of Diamonds. *
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