AN UNEXPECTED PRIZE by Mrs. F. A. Reynolds

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Dec 4, 1893

"AN UNEXPECTED PRIZE."

By Mrs. F. A. Reynolds

CHAPTER X.—"THE CONCLUSION OF THE WHOLE MATTER."

THE conversation about the fourth commandment had taken place Wednesday evening after the close of school, and subsequent talks only rendered Mrs. Manton more certain she should begin at once to keep the Sabbath that God gave. The children also were fully convinced. Mr. Manton believed such a change ought to be made, but how he was to arrange his business puzzled him. Saturday, as everyone knows, is the busiest day of the week, and he feared if he closed his office on that day, he would lose many valuable clients. He decided, however, to put a card on his door—

"No business done to-day. Call Monday."

If anyone questioned him in regard to it, he would explain. Sunday should be his day for "catching up" in his writing, etc.

"Mamma," said Hope, "we shall have to do our marketing for two days on Friday, and do our baking Friday, too."

"And the Sabbath begins Friday evening," said Paul.

"Yes, the Jews always begin Sabbath at or about sunset," said Mr. Manton. "And isn't it wonderful," he added, "that, scattered as the Jews have been for eighteen hundred years, they keep the seventh day the world around? It is God's proof of his day."

The Mantons had never known any people who kept the seventh day, and so they kept this first Sabbath as nearly as they could understand from God's word that he would have them.

"It is a day to rest from business and perplexing cares, to think of him and study his word and works," said Mr. Manton.

So, after supper Friday evening, they sang some hymns, talked over their Bible lessons, and went early to bed.

Next morning, after a simple breakfast, they had a Bible class and studied, talked, and read from religious papers, until lunch. Then the whole family took a walk off over the meadows into the woods, and, sitting by the brook, listened to its ripple and the twitter of the birds, admired the flowers, and talked of their Creator. Then they had a song and prayers at home, and the day was done.

"No church to attend, but a real Sabbath at any rate!" said Mrs. Manton.

Sunday morning a perplexity arose. Should they go to church and Sunday school as usual, or remain away? They must let people know they did not longer consider Sunday a sacred day.

"But you know," said Hope, "if people understand that, it will do no harm to go to meeting Sunday as well as any other day of the week. We want to go to Sunday school to-day anyway and hear Mr. Gordon and recite the commandments."

"Yes, we'll go to-day and consider the subject with prayer—that is, our future course," said her mother.

It was a beautiful June day, and the school was unusually well attended. After the lesson was over, somewhat shortened for the occasion, Mr. Gordon arose and asked how many had learned the ten commandments. Quite a large number raised their hands.

"Now," said he, "how many are absolutely certain they know every word just as it occurs in the twentieth chapter of Exodus?"

There were about a dozen who raised their hands, among them Paul and Hope.

"Well, once more," said he smiling, "how many have studied to know the exact meaning of each commandment, and have noted instances of the breaking of each?"

Only two raised their hands,—our Paul and Hope.

"I am glad two have done so," he said. "I will ask several to repeat the commandments, and then see what these little friends have to say as to their meaning."

Bertha Allen and several others recited, then Mr. Gordon called upon Hope to tell all she could about the commandments and their meaning.

She modestly stepped forward, as requested, and told the story of the giving of God's law on Mt. Sinai, of Christ's embodying the ten in two commandments, of his test applied to the keeping of them, and finally of instances she had observed when each had been broken. She finished by saying:—

"And we have found out by studying the commandments that the fourth says, 'The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God,' so we have done wrong not to keep it, but we are going to obey him, now we have learned that his day was meant for us all, and that he would have changed it if he had wanted it changed."

Mr. Gordon, the pastor, superintendent, and teachers, even Mr. and Mrs. Manton, were petrified with astonishment at Hope's confession.

Mr. Gordon was the first to recover himself.

"My dear little girl, you have done nobly. I think you understand God's law better than many older people far more learned in other things. I am glad if you have gained new light by your study, and if after further thought and prayer you are still impressed with it, follow it. I will look into the matter more carefully myself. I think you deserve the prize, and it gives me great pleasure to put into your hands this beautiful copy of God's word, with all these helps to its study."

"Oh, if you please!" cried Hope, "I am sure Paul would have done as well if you had called on him."

"That may be, my dear. But I judge master Paul by myself, and believe he would prefer his little sister should have the first chance. I do not think he or anyone could have done better, so I give you the Bible."

"Thank you, sir. Paul will have it as well as I anyway."

And Hope with beaming face took her seat and showed her prize to her friends, not one of whom broke the tenth commandment.

Mr. Gordon called to Paul, who passed him after the school closed.

"Did I do right, my son?"

"Yes, indeed, sir. Hope deserves it, for I couldn't have told it off so well as Hope, although I think I understand the same as she does."

"You must not think, Mr. Gordon," said Mrs. Manton, coming up, "that we put Hope up to confessing our change of view. I was as much surprised as anybody; but it is a fact we have seen the matter in a new light, and must keep God's day hereafter."

Mr. Gordon took Mrs. Manton's hand and said solemnly:—

"God's servant Solomon said, 'Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.' I am not wiser than he, and I may not understand the law as I should."

"Well, I thank you for being the means of opening our eyes, and God grant you may see it as God intended, and feel the blessing we do."

This might very properly end this little story, but the end is not yet, for several others in the town were led to see the truth, and a few months afterward Hope received a letter from Mr. Gordon saying he had studied with especial reference to the fourth commandment, and had come to see that the law is as unchangeable as the Creator, and he must obey. He added, "And I thank God that in offering a prize to others for a study of his word, he gave me, in a clearer understanding of his law, an unexpected prize."