Eddie's Faith by Abby Philip's Walker. The day before Christmas, Eddie Fenton had
worked hard doing errands for the grocer near where he lived. He was now
hurrying home late in the afternoon to tell his mother that he had earned fifty
cents, which seemed a great deal of money to him, and he also
had an orange to give her, for his mother was sick. When he
went into the room, he found his mother crying, but she dried her
eyes and smiled when she saw Eddie. The fire was out and there was
no more fuel, and Eddie thought she was crying about that, And because
she was sick, he ran to the store for a bag of coal and
soon had a fire burning. Then he fixed the orange for his mother and
said, do not cry any more, mother. We have a nice fire
now, and you read to me from the Bible that the prayer of faith
shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up, and he
will take care of you. I am sure as he promised to do.
I am not thinking about myself, said his mother. But tomorrow is Christmas
and there will be no Christmas dinner for you and no presents, And the
tears rolled down her cheeks. Again, do not cry, mother, said
Eddie. I will read to you from the Bible that always makes you feel
happy. What shall I read, he asked, Whatever you open to first?
His mother replied. Eddie opened to a chapter in Matthew, and after
reading a while, he came to this verse, and all things, whatsoever
ye shall ask in prayer, believing ye shall receive. Eddie stopped reading.
Why, mother, he said, we need not worry about Christmas. We
believe in prayer. Why can't we pray? This verse tells us that we
shall receive if we ask. His mother did not answer at once. Then
she said, yes, yes, we can pray. I'll pray now,
said Eddie, kneeling by the bed. Dear Jesus, he began, please
look down on my mother and me and help us to have a merry Christmas.
Please make mother well and send us a turkey all cooked, if you
can, we would be very thankful. You have so many to look out
for. I will not ask for any more. I thank you for telling
me how to get the things we need, and I have faith that you
will send them. Amen. Now do not worry any more, he said,
getting up and smiling at his mother, who seemed already to be better,
and a little child showed them. His mother repeated very softly. The
sun threw a last ray of light into the room just as it sank out
of sight, and she felt that her faith had been strengthened. The next
morning, when Eddie awoke, the sun was shining. He jumped out of
bed and called, Merry Christmas. Mother. I will get you some breakfast,
and then I'll run to the grocery store and see if I can do
some errands. His mother looked at him anxiously, for there were no Christmas
presents, and she feared that his faith would weaken. But Eddie smiled and
said, by the time I return, we will have a turkey dinner.
I am sure. Merry Christmas, called some one in the hall, and
when he opened the door, there stood the prettiest lady Eddie had ever seen.
Her arms were filled with holly and wreaths, and with her was a
gentleman with a huge basket. Does missus Fenton live here, she inquired.
It was one of the ladies for whom Eddie's mother worked when she was well,
and she had brought them a Christmas dinner and stockings and a cap for
Eddie a nice warm coat and hood for his mother, and best of all,
she sent for a doctor to make his mother well. This turkey is
cooked, said the lady, taking the things from the basket. Eddie can
put it in the oven while the vegetables are cooking, and it will be
ready to eat. Then she put a wreath on each window, and some
holly over the door, and there will be some coal here to day,
she said, as she went out. When Eddie and his mother were alone,
he said, you see, mother, we did just write. All
Jesus was waiting for was to have us ask him. I think you are
right, said his mother, and now we should thank him. I think
so too, said Eddie, as he knelt by her bed again. End
of Eddie's Faith by Abby Philip's Walker