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PINEY WOODS Here is a “dandy,” wide-awake story for The Golden Age boys—yes, and girls as well. It was written by Her man L. Driskell, the plucky and re sourceful young assistant pastor of The Tabernacle, Macon, Ga., and ap peared first in that enterprising pub lication, Hall’s School Magazine. “The Gang” of “boys about town” in every community in the land ought to be backed up in a corner somewhere and made to listen to this wholesome story. After they had heard the first para graph, they would then want to hear the rest. And the reading would sure ly “make them over.” Here goes! The Gang. The “gang” was at work as us ual. Its chiefest purpose and glory w’as to worry the town marshal into spasms, at night to open the Widow Flynn’s backyard gate and let the p 4 g and old brindle cow wander off ,and be lurking around somewhere near to hear her explosions of wrath upon its discovery. One among the things in which the gang found the greatest delight, was to turn old Towser loose and see how fast Farmer Brown's calves could sprint across his choice hundred acre lot, and see how fast his pet cat could get up a nearby orchard tree or over a wall. Their meeting place was in a desert ed store room after supper. Here they met and consulted as to what they could do that night to make the marshal stamp his foot in righteous indignation, and utter imprecations on the boys of this little country hamlet. One of the main attractions of the “gang” was its swimming pool, below the outskirts of the little town. It was here they fished and went in swimming during the spring and sum mer months. When recess came at school they all ran for this pond, most May 11, 1913. Time —1715, B. C. Gen. 41-25 to 40. Place —Pharaoh’s Palace. THE GOLDEN TEXT—“God giveth grace to the humble.” —I. Peter 5-5. SUGGESTIVE THOUGHT. What Should I Do? I. —Confess God at all Times. —Vs. 25 to 32. Joseph was a man of God and al ways confessed God and his faith in him. Therefore, God was always with him and gave him favor and power with men. Also gave to him wisdom. It may have looked to Joseph some times that God had forsaken him. His road to the throne was a hard one. There were many things calculated to make him doubt God’s word and his vision of exaltation. Many things seemed to stand in the way of the fulfillment of God’s word. The mur derous purpose of his brethren, the wickedness of Patiphar’s wife, and the ingratitude of the king’s butler. These seeming hindrances were the stepping stones to the throne. He loved God and confessed God, therefore God caused all things to work together foi his good. (Rom. 8-28.) God has called us, and if we love him and be obedient to his word and acknowledge and confess him in all our ways, he will do for us just as he did for Jo- 1 ’<x3sbKi of them being undressed by the time they had reached the water’s edge. The greater number of the boys were expert swimmers, the pond affording ample room for swimming contests. One night when all of the boys had assembled for their night’s sport and fun as usual, their leader, George Granberry, was unusually silent and still. This was not noticed by the frollickers for a time, but finally the “gang” began to take note of their leader’s quiet manner. One of them said “Grandy,” for this was the name he went by in the “gang,” “wake up, old boy, you haven’t turned a single handspring tonight, and you look as solmen and wise as an owl after mid night. What is the matter with you?” By this time the attention of the whole “gang” had been aroused, and was followed by cries of “come on, Grandy, come on, let’s have a good time; let’s turn this old town upside down.” Upon being addressed thus by his companions, he slid down from the head of the overturned barrel where he had been sitting and said, “Boys, I have been thinking. I noticed today that the Widow Flynn’s yard fence needed mending, the slats are torn off in a number of places, as you know, by our rough fun. And I heard father say tonight that the Widow Grey need- SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON By B. LACY HOGE, Richmond, Va. seph. (Prov. 3-6; I. Cor. 28-9 and 10; Jer. 10-23; Rom. 8-28.) As God caused the butler to remember Joseph just at the right moment, so he will use that seeming failure in our lives at the op portune time to give the great bless ing to us and others through us. II. —Have Faith in God. —Vs. 25-32. __ The visions and promises given by God to Joseph had not been realized and it seemed as if they never would and yet Joseph never lost faith in Gcd, and his word. He did not hesi tate to tell Pharaoh that the vision was from God and that God was sure to establish it and shortly bring it to pass. The prediction of Joseph came true to the letter. Joseph be lieved God and honored God and God once honored Joseph. (I. Sam. 2-30; Ps 15-4: Ps. 18-19 to 21; Ps. 91-14 and 15.) It was God that gave Joseph authority and power in Egypt. (Acts 7-9 and 10.) Joseph realized that his great power and high position was giv en to him by God as a sacred trust to “save much people.” (Gen. 50-20.) All our gifts and opportunities are God given and are given to us as a sacred trust. If we are faithful in the use of them, he will give us large oppor tunities and more power. If we are not faithful, he will take from us those we have. (Matt. 25-21 to 29.)) The Golden Age for May 1, 1913 ed help. She is almost without food and clothing, and what wood she has needs to be placed in the cellar. I have been thinking how nice it would be for us to form ourselves into a Boys’ Mutual Aid Society. We should meet in the evening and instead of worrying the marshal, and the Widow Flynn, by turning out her pig and cow, it would be a nice thing for each one of us to bring along some money to buy food for the Widow Grey and ham mer and nails to mend the fence around the yard of Mrs. Flynn. I have also thought that it would be well for us to help one another in devel oping good morals in our own lives, by earnest effort to destroy the faults in us, and develop the good.” The boys at once entered heartily into his spirit. For they all loved and respected “Old Grandy,” as they had lovingly dubbed him. They elect ed him president of the “Aid Society,” and begun to make plans for the exe cution of the things they had in mind. At their meeting the next night things were vastly different from what it had been formerly. Instead of so much fun and laughter, they were serious and in earnest about their work. They first counted the money brought, and found that they had enough to furnish the Widow Grey’s pantry with food. They also had hammer and nails to 111. —Prepare for the Future. —Vs. 33 to 40. Joseph interprets God’s message to Pharaoh and then advised him what to do in the years of plenty, so as to be prepared to supply the people’s need in the time of famine. God has given to boys and girls the fullness of youth, with its opportunities for edu cation, for study, for reading, for forming good habits, for forming of character, and to make full preparation for the work and business of life. Those that neglect to make prepara tion in youth will not be able to fill the places of trust and supply the need o e the future. Neglect to lay up in the full years, means you will have an empty storehouse in the day of future need. Neglect in youth fills old. age with suffering, sorrow and re gret. God has given us this life to prepare for eternity and if we neg lect to make the preparation that he commands us to make, we shall suffer for it. If we neglect to accept Jesus as our Saviour, we will miss heaven with its joy and blessing and be cast into the place prepared for the devil and his angels. If we accept Jesus as our Saviour, yet do not fully obey and follow him, but build upon the right foundation wood, hay and stub ble. our work will be burned and we SKETCHES By MARGARET BEVERLY UPSHAW mend the Widow Flynn’s yard fence. It was decided first to go to the vil lage grocery and procure the supplies for the widow. This done they set out at the proper time on their mis sion for the night. The first visit was paid to the Widow Grey’s, her pile of wood was silently carried into the cellar, they then deposited the grocer ies on her front door step. Their noise had awakened the widow and she came mumbling to the door to see that it was safe from any intrusion of the boys. As she opened the door she was uttering threats against them, about what she would do if she ever succeeded in laying her hands on them. She stopped in amazement. What did aH this mean? Here were the things she had been praying for that very day. Surely those “pesky” boys could not have done this. The next morning the Widow Flynn arose making a resolution to herself that she was going to take vengeance on those little wretches for keeping her awake so late during the night with their noise and knocking around her house. When she went out to milk, she stopped in wonder. There was her fence neatly mended and her cow safe in her stall, and nothing to make any bluster about. These things continued until the whole village was in a surprised won der. What had come over the boys? was the question on the lips of every one who had come in for their share of furnishing a brunt for the boys’ fun heretofore. Even Farmer Brown’s cat seemed to notice the change, and took her morning stroll with more de liberation than it had been her custom formerly. The boys continued to do something every evening that would help some (Continued on page 14.) will suffer loss and be saved as by fire. If we accept Jesus and do what he wants us to do, and go where he wants us to go and be what he wants u. 5 to be, we will be saved and also rewarded for our obedience and ser vice. (I. Cor. 3-8 to 15.) It is of great and eternal importance that we accept and confess Jesus as Lord, and then do all he commands us to do. (Rom. 10-9 and 10; Matt. 7-21; Matt. 5-19.) IV. Be Filled With God’s Spirit.—Vs. 38 to 40. Joseph is exalted by Pharoah be cause he “is a man in whom the spirit of God is.” A spirit-filled man is al ways the best man to put in author ity (Num. 27-18; Acts 6-3.) We should select to rule in state and in church men who are filled with the Holy Spirit. If we would be careful to do this we would have clean poli tics, good laws- and a pure church filled with power. V. —Supply the People. —Vs. 34 to 36. Joseph not only advised, but he sup plied the people when the famine came. There is now a famine in the land, not of bread or of water, but a famine “for hearing the words of the Lord.” (Amos. 8-11 and 12.) Learn God’s word and proclaim it to the people and thus supply their need. (Ezeh. 33-7; 11. Tim. 4-2 and 3.) 9