Thoughtful Moments

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 6, Issue 84, 25 June 1943, Page 2

Thoughtful Moments

A SPARK NEGLECTED A STORY FROM RUSSIA 1 here was once ;i farmer named Ivan, who had a good farm and a line family. All the family worked j ■-veil, '\vcept. for his old father who for years had lain in bed, helpless. They had also good neighbours, who were always glad to JieJp them H they needed anything. So the two families lived beside ea<-*h other in -lie village ,in great happiness. But --ne day something -went wrong. A very little; thing, it was, but unfortunately it was allowed to grow until it became a very big «nd horrible thing indeed. Ivan's daughter was collecting eggs l'or faster, and eggs were scarce at that time ol year. Rut she had one little hen that laid an egg each day. One day, however, frightened by the children, this hen llcw over the fence into the neighbour's yard and laid her egg there. Ivan's daughter went to collect the egg, and her neighbour denied that the hen had

laid, it there. Such a little tiling surely—a hen's egg! But they begar to quarrel. Hard words were ;>aid tempers became hot, the menfolk joined in, there, was lighting, suit! Ivan even pulled hair J'r«»m Jii> neighbour Gabriel's beard! Next <Jav, Gabriel went 1.0 the law court s o make Ivan pay damages for what he had done. Ivan had to pay, too, though he vowed lie'd get fiii own back! From the first Ivan's lather had tried to make peace between them. He showed them what a trifle it was to quarrei over, and urged them to niaj?.e it up before tilings became any worse, but tiiey were too angry, and r<'Utsed to -ukc any nt'»ioe of mm. i-rom that time, everything that went wrong in one. house was bisuued on the other-- if something went missing, the others had stolen it. The cows had h way of breaking through the fences and spoiling the others' crops. They were forever going to court and making each other pay for damage that was. done, and so the bitterness between them grev-". And Mien one day iVan had. Gabriel condemned to be whipped for some' thing he had done, and. Gabriel went from the court with black looks, muttering something about his burning back and lv.un',s bur,v-:;ig barn.

Ivan took that as a threat to hum lii.s barn down, and as the weather ha.-! Ijof-ii warm and everything was very dry, especially the thatched roofs, ho vvas very anxious. So. anxious- was he that ho deeded that "•gilt that ho would keep waleh. As: he came near the. corner of the i<tUn, ]io thought Jie something move. Creeping nearer, so quietly ' that he couldn't hear his owi> stops, -ic peered through th<: darkness and saw that it was indeed a man. Suddenly there was a light, and by it ho saw Gabriel tlnn-e ?etU"g !irc to a bundle of straw he had in his hand. In a moment, lie had thrust it under the barn and I aimed to run. "With a cry of rage, ivan dashed forward as Gabriel j

OUR SUNDAY MESSAGE

(Supplied by tlie Whakatane Ministers' Association}.

now become such a cruel blaze? At last, they sent to tell him that his old lather, who had been rescued with difficulty from his home, was dying, and wished, to speak with him. "Whose fault was it, Ivan?" said the old man, when his son came in. Ivan thought sadly, and then he said, "It. was mine, for 1 might have prevented it all." And he fell on his knees to ask forgiveness of his lather and of God. More than that he promised to make things up with Gabriel and his family, and his father died in peace. After that, the two families be-j came good, friends again, and when the village was rebuilt, they again built their homes side by Mde and lived as good neighbours should. Tolstoi called this story, "A Spark Neglected Hums the House." It is a story for all quick-tempered und revengeful people to study carefully.

FROM AN ESSAY BY A GLASGOW SCHOOL GIRL "J heir Majesties, the. King and Queen, were touring Canada in 19:59 they paid a visit to Washington, the capital of the United States,. .1 hey were being entertained one night by Chief Whitefather at a celebration given in their Majesties' honour. Chief Whitefather began singing, 'Ru'.e Britannia' and then the National AnLhem. To the sur-

j prise of everyone present he sang a well-known hymn, Vi'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold.' When lie had finished singing this hymn, he turned to the Queen anil asked her il lie. might a;sk her a question. She smiled and said. 'Yes." Chief Whitelather asked, 'Do you believe in Jesus.?' Her Majesty answered, 'Some I people know about Cod. .some people know about Christ but the Lord Jesus is the possessor of my .heart and of my husband's too.' The king looked up .smiling and said. 'I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold. Our Majesties love Jesus as we all .should."

took to his heels. Several iimes he e;,light him and Jouglit with him, and several Limes Gauiiel got away; .Hid tne last tune he si'iu'U iva.i over the head with a pie-c oj. wdo>! and stunned Jum. When Ivan recovered his sensus, a.I jus buildings, including his house, were ablaze. And he watched in horror, the wind carried, tne Hames to Gabriel's house, and thej' caught at once on the dry straw of the roof. TJie stro/ig wind carried

the lire further and further. House alter house caught fire until halt the village A\as Iwuzing. Ivan watched it stupidly, paying to himself, "J had only to snatch it out and stamp oil it." He was thinking of that little, bunch of straw tbat Gabriel had lit. But instead of snatching it out. he had fought his enemy, and now it. had set lire to half the village. For nours Ivan was like a crazy man. No one could, get any sense out i)f him. He could only mutter, "What is this, friend? I had only to snatch it and put it. out." I wonder if he was thinking of that quarrel Avith his neighbour, which had begun with a tiny spark and had