Letters From Grandpa #567

• LETTERS FROM GRANDPA
• 567

Dearest grandchild,

When Zerubbabel was rebuilding the temple he spoke of those who despised the day of small things (Zechriah 4:10). Today’s letter will be about a “small thing” that happened to Dr. Russell Conwell when he was involved in a building project. He spoke about it in a sermon delivered in a little church building Dec. 1, 1912. That little church in Philadelphia is now the huge Temple Baptist Church. In that sermon Conwell paid homage to a little child of the slums named Hattie May Wiatt. When their little Sunday School building was too small for all the children who wanted to come, Hattie began saving her money to help build a Sunday School big enough for everyone. Two years later, six year old Hattie died of diptheria and Pastor Conwell was asked to preach her funeral. Her poverty stricken parents gave the pastor her soiled red purse with 57 pennies and a note written in childish scroll: “This is to help build the little church bigger so more children can go to Sunday School”. Hattie had earned this small amount of money doing odd jobs in the neighborhood.

Dr. Conwell took those precious pennies into the pulpit and raised enough money to buy the house north of their Sunday School at Berks and Mervine Streets. 54 people who had purchased those pennies in a fund raising campaign gave their pennies back! As the church continued to grow they approached a neighbor named Baird who owned property on Broad Street. He wanted $30,000 for his property but when he heard about Hattie he dropped the price to $25,000 and accepted 54 cents as a down payment. Later Mr. Baird graciously returned the 54 cents.

As the church continued to grow the Temple University was started in 1884. Today this university is the second largest university in Pennsylvania. This famous university consists of 17 schools and colleges, including five professional schools, offering over 640+ academic programs and over 160 undergraduate majors. As of 2024, about 30,005 undergraduate, graduate and professional students were enrolled at the university.

Then on Sept. 10, 1888 the Temple Church continued to honor Christ and Hattie with selfless sacrifice and organized the Society of Christian Endeavor which has ministered to millions.

In 1890 Conwell published his famous book Acres of Diamonds which has also inspired millions. Before his death in 1925, Conwell had delivered this lecture 6,152 times around the world. He was said to have received over $4 million in honorariums which he selflessly passed on to others.

The new church building that Hattie dreamed of was completed in 1891. Dr. Conwell preached his first sermon there on March 1,1891 and 60 people were baptized.

Next came the Samaritan Hospital in 1892. It is now known as the Temple University Hospital. When Dr. Conwell preached his famous sermon in 1912 the hospital was already treating 30,000 patients each year.

History has given us many examples of small things and selfless generosity. For example, a little boy who gave 5 barley loaves and 2 small fish to Jesus. Then there was the poor widow who gave only 2 small coins to God. I am told that in the Temple church building there is a modest plaque honoring Hattie May Wiatt who gave all she had even though it was only 57 cents. The most important commandment in the Bible is to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:37) Loving God with half of your heart represents a lukewarmness that is repulsive to God (Revelation 3:16).

Wilber Rees illustrated lukewarmness by writing: ““I would like to buy $3 worth of God please, not enough to explode my soul or disturb my sleep, but just enough to equal a cup of warm milk or a snooze in the sunshine. I don’t want enough of him to make me love a black man or pick beets with a migrant. I want ecstasy, not transformation; I want the warmth of the womb, not a new birth. I want a pound of the eternal in a paper sack. I would like to buy $3 dollars worth of God please.”

Mediocrity is not a worthy goal! Average runners are not rewarded. Paul wrote: “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”

God knows everything! He understands us better than we can understand ourselves. That’s why Jesus likened the kingdom of heaven to be like a man going on a journey and entrusting his property to his servants. “To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability”. (Matthew 25:15) When the Master returned the first man had gained five talents more and the second had gained two talents more. Both were rewarded according to their ability. Sadly, the third man buried the money and did nothing! God does not expect everyone to equally productive, but He does expect everyone to do his best! Regarding the man who did nothing the Master said: “Throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 25:30)

The poet said it like this: “If a man would be a soldier he’d expect, of course, to fight. And he couldn’t be an author if he didn’t try to write. So it doesn’t make much sense or have a real true ring, that a man can be a Christian and not do anything!” Please do something for Jesus even if it is only a small thing!

I love you,

Grandpa Boyce