Soldiers of the Great King
by Mary Wingfield Bell

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Chapter 1	Chapter 2	Chapter 3	Chapter 4	Chapter 5	Chapter 6
Chapter 7	Chapter 8	Chapter 9	Chapter 10	Chapter 11	Chapter 12

CHAPTER 6

 

On Thursday Lettie Mall went on the bus to see her husband at the prison in Benson.  Jim was delighted to see his wife.  He was glad to see her in a happy mood.

 

“How can you be that happy, Lettie?” said Jim.  “Seeing your own husband locked up with no job to give you and the young ones the things you need.”

 

“Dear, things are going to get better,” explained his wife, Lettie.  “That’s why I have come to talk with you.” 

 

“I am listening,” said the prisoner.   What are you so excited about?  I can’t see any good coming our way.”

 

“A lady in our neighborhood introduced me to the great King Jesus,” said Lettie.  “I have been riding he clouds with joy ever since Sunday night.”

 

“Well, I’ve heard of him,” said Jim.  “What has he to do with us?”

 

“Jim, he lives in my heart,” answered Lettie.  “I know things will get better.  Jesus can make a way where there is no way.  I really believe that.  I want you to believe that, too.”

 

“Do you think this Jesus will come into my heart, seeing I am a prisoner because I tried to feed my family.”

 

“Yes, Jim,” said Lettie speaking softly so as not to disturb the warden who was sitting by the window reading a newspaper.  “All you have to do is to invite Jesus to live in your heart is pray this prayer after me: ‘Lord Jesus, I am a sinner.  Forgive me of my sins and come live in my heart.  I will live for you and serve you.’”

 

“Is that all I have to do?” asked the husband.

 

“Yes,” Lettie said smiling.

 

Jim Mall prayed as his wife had instructed him.  Then he smiled and said, “I have peace for the first time in my life.  King Jesus is real.  I must know him better.”

 

Lettie gave her husband a bible that had been on the shelf in their house.  “Read it, dear, and you will have hope.  You will see how Jesus will help us and he will never ever leave us.  Now I must get back to Whatknot.  Mrs. Cubber is taking care of Launa and Jim Bob.  You’ll be glad to know that your little girl has Jesus living in her heart.”  Lettie kissed her husband and left.  Her mission was over and she was filled with joy.

 

It was three weeks later that Janet and her mother saw Lettie and her children on the main street in Whatknot.

 

“Hi there, Lettie,” called Janet’s mother.  “It is good to see you.  How are you?”

 

“Fine,” replied Lettie.  “Ever since Jesus came into my heart, our way of living has improved.  Jim was released from prison.  He has a weekend job helping Mr. Papper at the store and he is learning much about our great Saviour and king.  He is a happy man.  Mr. Papper lets him have the bruised fruits and vegetables every evening.  We eat well.  That kind neighbor of yours brings us a ham bone twice a week.  Life is good.”

 

“I am glad for you and your family,” said Manie.  “Our king does many good things for us, his children.”

 

“The best part is that the loving Saviour never leaves us,” added Lettie.  “He is always there.  We are very happy now.”

 

After Mrs. Cubber and Janet had talked to Lettie, Janet asked her mother a question, “Why is it that people have a hard time getting food and things that everyone needs?”

 

“Dear, I thought we talked about this before,” said her mother.  “The country is still in a bad depression.”

 

“When will the depression end?” asked the daughter.

 

When most men have jobs and business is going strong.  When there is widespread employment and men can provide for their families the depression will be over.”

 

“Manie, we always have enough to eat.” Said Janet.  “Don’t you think so?”

 

“Yes, dear, but we have a special friend who helps us.”

 

“I know,” said the daughter.  “He is King Jesus.  Isn’t he a wonderful friend.  I think maybe he tells Pa Jo to bring us ham bones with meat on them.”

 

“I don’t think it is always that way,” said her mother.  “Maybe Pa Jo brings us the ham bones because he is one of the king’s children who likes to help other people.”

 

“Anyway, the ham tastes delicious,” said Janet.

 

On Saturday Janet and her mother met at the Methodist Church with other soldiers of the king.

 

“Good morning,” said Mrs. Cubber to the boys and girls gathered there in the junior classroom.  The children had come to give of their time to the great king whom they loved and served.

 

“I am here to watch you give of your best time to our Saviour and king.  I know you will do good work because of your love for Jesus.  I expect the benches to look like new when you have finished painting them.  First let us have a short meeting.  I believe Elmer is the leader for today.  What do you have in mind for today’s meeting?”

 

“I think a question and answer period will be good,” offered Elmer.  “Some of you have not been in this group long.  Does anyone have a question?  Raise your hand if you know the answer.”

 

“I have a question,” said James who was a new soldier of the king.  “Why do you call yourselves soldiers of the king?”

 

“Who will answer James?” said Elmer.

 

“I will,” said Richard.  “The king is Jesus.  We are his soldiers who fight for what is right.  We even fight dirt and clean up ground for King Jesus.”

 

“Is there another question?” asked Elmer.

 

“How do you know that Jesus is the greatest king of all?” asked Myrtle.

 

“Yes, Dalthea, I see your hand,” said Elmer.  “Tell Myrtle why you know that Jesus is the greatest of all kings.”

 

“We know because the bible tells us that he is the great king,” said Dalthea.  “Read your bible.  You will learn what a powerful and great king Jesus is.  Besides that, he is the only one who can save us and give us a home in Heaven.”

 

“Why is Jesus the only one who can give us a home in Heaven?” asked James.

 

“Because no other person was good enough to die for our sins,” said Janet.  “Jesus paid the debt for our sins.  We have a home in Heaven because King Jesus loves us so much, he was willing to die for us.”

 

“What a wonderful saviour,” said Maria.  “I want to live for him the rest of my life.  I love him so very much.”

 

“Are there any more questions?” asked Elmer.  “Mrs. Cubber I am through with the meeting.  You can take charge now.”

 

“I believe you boys and girls have much work to do for the king today,” said Mrs. Cubber.”  I see three buckets of paint and here are five brushes.  I think this yellow will look good on the wall.  What color do you want to paint the benches, green or brown?”

 

“Brown is best for the benches,” said Dalthea.

 

The other girls agreed.

 

“No,” said Richard.  “I think the benches should be green.  The other boys said Richard knew what was best.

 

“I’ll settle this,” said Janet’s mother.  She wrote the two colors on two pieces of paper and folded the slips of paper.  She then put the two papers on a collection plate.  And she asked Joy to choose one of the pieces of paper.

 

Joy Cho proudly chose the color and Janet read the paper.  “It looks as if the benches will be green.”

 

“Great!” said Trilby.

 

“Why should you care, Trilby?” said Maria.  “You go to Sunday school at the Hallelujah Church.”

 

“So, I come here for the meetings,” he answered.

 

“There are only five brushes,” said Myrtle.  “I want to paint.”

 

“I know how we can solve this problem,” said Janet.  “Everyone can find work to do for the king.  Let’s look around the neighborhood and find jobs to do.  We all must do our best.  We must give our best time to the king and we must do good work.”

 

The boys were busy getting ready to paint.  Richard and James carried the benches behind the church.  They began to paint.

 

“You already painted your sleeve green,” said Donald to James.  He laughed.

 

“Ma made me wear this ragged shirt so I wouldn’t ruin my school shirt,” said James and kept painting the bench green.

 

Inside the church Elmer and Trilby were painting the wall in the junior classroom a bright yellow.

 

“I have an idea,” said Donald.  “I am going to paint the outhouse brown.  It will be the prettiest outhouse in Whatnot.”

 

“Are you nuts?” asked Tim.  “People don’t paint outdoor toilets.”

 

“They will now,” said Donald.  “I think King Jesus wants us to make everything look good.”

 

“That gives me an idea,” said Maria.  “I’m going to the preacher’s house and borrow a broom and scrub bucket.  The inside of the toilet will be clean.  I’ll do my best scrubbing.  I like to scrub, especially when I am thinking about my saviour and king.”

 

The parsonage was next door to the church.  Reverend Alway and his family lived there.  Maria knocked on the screen door.  A little boy came to the door.

 

“Where is your mother?” asked Maria.

 

“She is in the bedroom,” he answered.   “She is crying.”

 

“Oh!” Maria was startled to hear that the preacher’s wife was crying.  “Can I come in?  Maybe I can do something to help.”

 

The little child led Maria to the bedroom.  She saw Mrs. Alway crying.

 

“I’m sorry you saw me crying,” said the woman.  “Preacher is gone.  He won’t be back from conference until tonight.  My back hurts something dreadful.  I want to have the house clean for him so he will feel comfortable when he prepares for his sermon tomorrow.  The house is a mess and look at me.”

 

“I will help you get your house in good order,” offered Maria.  “But first I want to pray for you.”

 

Maria gently put her hand on the woman’s back and prayed: “Dear God, hear me pray in the name of Jesus.  Please heal Mrs. Always so she can be happy when her husband comes home.  I say, ‘back be healed in the name of Jesus.’ “

 

Mrs. Always smiled, “The Lord has heard your prayer, dear.  What is your name.”

 

“My name is Maria.  I am working with the children at church.  I’m glad you are going to be fine.  I came here to ask if I may borrow a broom and scrub bucket?”

 

“Certainly, Maria,” said the preacher’s wife.  “You said that you would help me.  Will you scrub our toilet and back porch?”

 

“Yes,” replied Maria.  “I like to scrub.”  Maria left with the broom and bucket.

 

“It took you long enough,” said Janet who had been waiting.

 

Maria told the other girls about Mrs. Always and her back problem and how she laid hands on the preacher’s wife and prayed.  The woman was healed.

 

“Trilby,” called Janet.  “Where are you going?”

 

“I have to borrow a step-ladder,” he answered.  “I can’t reach the top of the wall.”

 

All the boys were busy doing good work for the king.

 

The girls were anxious to work.  It looked as if the boys were not going to give up their brushes so the girls had a discussion among themselves.  They decided to go in pairs and find more work to do for the king.

 

Maria and Myrtle were going to help the preacher’s wife.

 

They scrubbed the porches of the parsonage and raked the backyard.  They hung out baby diapers and ironed clothes that had been in the refrigerator for three days.  Mrs. Always said, “I will do the preacher’s shirts.  He is particular about his clothes.

 

The children really got to know Mrs. Always.  She helped the boys and girls by lending them a ladder, bucket and broom.  She also gave them cleaning rags.  It was a nice afternoon for the woman.  She was healed, got her work done and enjoyed the presence of the king’s soldiers.

 

Janet and Joy set out to find someone in need of help.  An old, old woman lived 3 houses from the church.  Her yard was in such a mess the girls found it hard to make their way from the gate to the front door.  They did find their way to the front door after pulling away the weeds that stuck to their clothes.

 

Janet lifted the doorknocker.  A frail woman with a face full of wrinkles came to open the door.

 

“If you girls have a mind to sell something, I don’t want anything.  Now git away.” Said the old woman.’

 

“Please, you don’t understand,” said Janet.  “We came here to help you.  We aren’t selling anything.  See, we have nothing, nothing at all.”

 

“Tis plain for my old eyes to see that ye ain’t got nothing.  What are ye here for?”

 

“We want to clean up your yard,” offered Janet.  “We can rake up the dry leaves and make your yard look nice.”

 

“Why would ye do that?” asked the woman, “seeing I have no money to spare.”

 

“Joy, you tell the lady why we want to help her,” said Janet.

 

“We are working for the great king,” said the little girl.  “His name is Jesus.  He will be happy if we clean your yard.”

 

“Aye, ye work for Jesus?” asked the woman.  “Well, then I will be happy, too.  I once had Jesus as my friend but I have slid backward.  I want to know him again the way I did years ago.  There is the broom and rake.  See what ye can do.”

 

Janet and Joy both seemed puzzled.  How could anyone who knew the king once forget the greatest king who ever lived.  Janet knew in her heart that she would never forget King Jesus.  The two girls worked very hard in the little yard and made it clean.

 

“Now, ye girls did a fine job,” said the old woman.  “Come into the parlor and we will have a tea party.”

 

Janet and Joy sat down at the table with Mrs. Gladmore.  The woman served tea in half-size cups.  She called the cup a demitasse.  She gave Joy and Janet each a small raisin cake.

 

“This is good!” said Janet enjoying her first tea party with an old, old lady.

 

When the girls left, Mrs. Gladmore gave them the cups they drank from.

 

“How nice,” said Janet so proud of the gold-trimmed cup.

 

The visit had been interesting for Janet.

 

It had been an unusual day, not exactly as the children had planned, but a good time was given to work for the king.

 

“We worked hard,” said Donald.  “I feel sure the king is pleased with our work.”

 

Dalthea and Lorena finally persuaded the boys to let them paint.  Dalthea painted the teacher’s chair and Lorena painted the lecturn that was sometimes used.

 

All in all, it was a wonderful day.  The children were happy working, often singing and stopping to admire what they had done.

 

The classroom now had a new look, a fresh clean room.  Next week Lorena and Dalthea were to hang the pretty cretonne curtains with the birds and flowers.  The boys and girls were bubbling with joy because they had a saviour and king and because they had given him their best time.

 

Mr. Papper drove up in his truck and gave each child an all-day lollipop and a handkerchief.

 

When Mr. Papper talked to Janet’s mother he said, “Don’t they beat all, these soldiers of the king.  Next thing we know Whatknot will be known as the town of painted outhouses.”

 

“Maybe so,” returned Mrs. Cubber.  “But these are great children who had one of the best times of their lives.  I know you think they are special, too.”