What I Did with My Marbles
By William Covert
ONE of my very early business investments put me in possession of a lot of marbles, and these soon became a valuable asset to me. I prized them as none else save an active boy could do. But notwithstanding my love for the little round playthings, I was soon induced by a neighboring boy to part with them. He wanted my marbles, and so brought with him to our playground a beautiful Sunday-school book with marbled red finish and entertaining pictures, well filled with good reading, and proposed an even trade of the splendid book for my marbles. When the trade was proposed, I hurried to my good mother, and readily obtained her permission to make the exchange. Then I was glad, for though I loved the marbles well, I loved the little book better. This was my first investment in literature, and I have devoutly cherished the fruits of this juvenile transaction for a period of nearly sixty years, because the contents of the book had to do with the laying of the foundation of my Christian life. The little volume, in an easy and proper manner for a child to comprehend, spoke of the blessing that would come to the reader if he should lead a Christian life. It also contained a short chapter upon the importance of Sabbath observance, and impressed the good advice by copying the Sabbath commandment entire, as it was given in the law of God proclaimed by the Lawgiver upon Sinai. Ex. 20:8-11. I read the Sabbath commandment in the book, and carefully noted what it said about the seventh day's being the Sabbath of the Lord. I was puzzled at this, for I had learned from calendars, that Saturday was the seventh day of the week. And now I read that the seventh day was made the Lord's Sabbath day. I then got my father's Bible, and found the same thing in that. What could it mean?798was the question to be settled. As was my custom, I asked my mother to explain the matter to me. She could not do it. Yet she did tell me that Sunday was not the day commanded by the Lord to be kept as the Sabbath. Later we both learned how man, without divine authority, had thought to change the times and laws of God. But my attention was first called to this great subject by the reading of the little book which I got in exchange for my set of marbles. And I am thanking the Lord to this day for the beautiful providence bound up in the disposing of my boyish treasure.