So, when Sunday came, grandfather's big chair and Jessie's little one
were carried out into the garden, and placed side by side, near the
porch, and a little table was carried out, too, for grandfather's
Bible and Prayer and hymn-books, and then, looking very pleased but
serious, the pair seated themselves. The dear old man was a little
bit shy and embarrassed, and very nervous when it actually came to
the point, and for a moment he looked more like a new shy pupil than
the teacher. Jessie was much the more composed of the two.
"When are you going to begin, granp?" she demanded anxiously.
"Now. I think we will begin with learning you the Lord's prayer," he
said huskily, feeling that something was expected of him, and he must
not fail. "Now, 'Our Father--'"
"I know that already," said Jessie reproachfully; "but why is it
called the 'Lord's Prayer,' granp? Did the Lord have to say it when
He was little?"
"No. He told it for all little children to say, all the world over,
and big children too, and men and women."
Jessie looked awed and puzzled. "How did everybody all over the
world know about it, granp? They couldn't all hear Him say it," she
asked.
"No, and they don't all know it yet, though it's nearly one thousand
nine hundred years ago since the Lord spoke it. But they will in
time," said the old man softly, as though speaking to himself.
"He left word with His people that they were to teach each other, and
they did. You see there wasn't such a great many heard Him, but
those that did went about and taught others, and then those they
taught taught others again, and--"
"And then some one taught you, and," her face growing suddenly
bright, "I'll have to teach somebody. Who shall I teach, granp?
Granny knows it, doesn't she?"
Her grandfather smiled. "She knew it before she was your age,
child," he said gently.
"Then I'll teach mother."
"Your mother knew it too before she was so old as you are."
"Did she?" said Jessie, surprised. "She never said anything to me
about it, then."
"Well, hadn't we best be getting on with the lesson?" asked
grandfather; "time is passing, and we haven't hardly begun yet."
Jessie settled back in her chair, and leaning her head against her
grandfather, listened quietly while the old man talked reverently to
her of her Father in heaven.
"Is He mother's 'our Father,' too, granp?" she asked at last.
"Yes, child, mother's and father's."
"Then He'll take care of her, won't He, and see that she doesn't cry
too much for me?"
"Yes. He soothes all the sorrows and wipes away all the tears of
them that love and trust Him. Now shall we read a hymn?
I like the hymns dearly, don't you, little maid?"
"Oh yes, I love them," said Jessie, sitting up and clasping her hands
eagerly. "Let's sing it, granp, shall we?"
"Go on, then. You take the lead."
"What's the lead, granp?" she asked anxiously.
"You start the tune. You begin and I'll join in."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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