Jimmie Moore of BucktownTrotter, Melvin E. (Melvin Earnest)
General
Jimmie Moore of Bucktown
Trotter, Melvin E. (Melvin Earnest)
Christian life -- Fiction; Missionaries -- Fiction; Poor families -- Fiction
Some religious apologists might question the conversion of a
boy of Jimmie's make-up; but among the people of Bucktown there
was no doubt about his sincerity and his belief that Jesus loved
him and heard and answered his prayers. With Dave Beach back
of him he did not hesitate to repeat his story, and it was not
long before every one about the market place had heard the tale
from his lips.
As Morton would not allow Jimmie to thank him, but taught him
that he must thank God for everything, he learned to call Morton
"Jesus' storekeeper," and "Jesus' hired man"; and he sang his
praises from daylight until dark. In this way he helped Morton
to gain a foothold in the neighborhood, and when the people
found that he wanted to help them rather than to pry into their
affairs he was made welcome when he visited Bucktown.
Jimmie had never learned to read; but one day he told Morton
he wanted a little red Testament, such as the superintendent
had given his father.
"You jus' tell me some of dem verses like I heard yer read to
Pa an' gimme der book, an' I can make a bluff at readin' 'em
anyhow."
Using colored inks, Morton marked John 3:16, John 10:28, and
other well-known texts. He also explained their meaning to the
boy. "Ask, and ye shall receive; seek, and ye shall find," and
"Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these,"
were Jimmie's favorites, and although he quoted them in language
all his own, he never failed to convey their full meaning.
The days that followed Moore's conversion were trying ones for
the family. When the fever broke the sick man's cough grew worse,
and he required constant attention. Through the Mission, Mrs.
Moore found work enough to keep her busy six days in the week,
and the task of caring for the sick man fell upon Jimmie and
Mrs. Cook, who proved to be a woman of generous impulses and
an excellent neighbor. She ran in many times a day to see how
they were getting along. Jimmie had a morning newspaper route
and in the afternoon sold papers on the street. At other times
he stayed close at home and never tired of talking with his
father about Jesus and His love for wicked men and women.
His childlike faith in God was wonderful. He was quick to learn
and often surprised Morton by his aptitude; but his chief
characteristic was his almost phenomenal grasp of spiritual
truths. He prayed to God for food, coal, wood and clothes; and
when he had told Jesus what he wanted he always counted it settled.
Mrs. Morton, wife of the superintendent, was a frequent visitor
at the home, and brought many things to make the bed more
comfortable and the two rooms more cheerful for the sick man.
No matter what the articles might be, Jimmie always said, "Jesus
sent 'em."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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