Children’s Pages

HIDDEN COMMANDMENTS (No. 5)

This month I want you to look for two commandments, which were broken almost together, and both by the same man. He was a soldier, and we will call him ‘Private A,’ for that is the letter his name starts with.

Now Private A was in a very famous army, and I believe lie had often been out to battle under his great general (General J). This general was a very wonderful man because he nearly always knew who was going to win a battle. One day they set nut to capture a very big city with high walls all around it, and General J knew that they were going to take the city without even using a sword; so he called his soldiers before him and told them what they were to do. Private A listened very carefully, for he had never heard anything like this before, and he wondered if it would work.

A week passed away and Private A found himself marching into this great city. Yes, it had worked, not a sword had been used, and here he was looking in shops and houses! All at once, he looked into a room and saw what we should call a lovely suit of clothes: he went in to see, and there underneath was a pile of coins and a big bar of gold. “Oh! If only I could get them into my tent I should be a rich man,” he said. Lie looked round to see if anyone had spied him, and as he did so he remembered that he had been told not to touch anything in the city; but it did look so tempting, and he did want it so badly, and thinking no-one had seen him he helped himself, ran back to his tent, dug a hole, and buried his treasure.

Some little time had passed away and Private A had gone out to battle again with the army, and although everybody expected them to win they all ran away from their enemy and were defeated. General J then gathered the army before him and looked at man after man, till he came to Private A. “What have you done wrong?” he said. Private A told him all about the suit of clothes, the silver coins and the bar of gold. General J then sent for these things and took Private A, with all that he had, and the people atoned him to death.

What two commandments did Private A break, and where are they found in the Bible?

Answers:

Thou shall not steal. Exodus 20. 15

Thou shall not covet. Exodus 20. 17

UNCLE DOUGLAS

JULY-AUGUST COMPETITION

How many examples can you find in the Bible of people who broke the Commandments? One is referred to in this month’s article. Have you guessed who ‘Private A’ was? If so, then write his name, and the commandments he broke, and where his story is found, with all the others you can find, and send your list to Mr. T. J. Lawson, at 52 St. Leonard’s Road, Windsor, Berks, by 31st July. Prizes will be given for the fullest lists received from those under and over 12 years on that date.T. J. L.

MAY-JUNE RESULTS

“Precious Seed” Picture

Most of the entries this time were from girls–and all were very good. I wish we could reproduce them for you to see. The prizes go to Mary Churchward, aged 10, of Plymstock, and Betty Markwell, aged 14, of Rickmansworth. Ona Hutchings (16) also did well. T. J. L.