A PENNY POST CARD

This brief narrative dates back about sixty-five years when a post card could be bought and mailed for one cent. As pastor of a village church in North Missouri, I used this instrument to invite people to a revival in our church. An old couple with an unmarried son and daughter still living at home received this missive and all came to the meeting and never once returned to their former church. The addition of four adult members is no small gain to a not too large congregation. Not long afterward, I was called upon to conduct the funeral of the father, and later that of the mother.


Now, a penny is not much of an investment, but "little is much when God is in it." One day the son appeared at my door with an unusual request. He had just purchased a tract of land, something over 700 acres of fertile river bottom land and wanted his pastor to go with him to have a prayer of dedication on the property. It was the only task exactly like that I have ever had. You can be sure I was glad to accommodate him!


We knelt under a large cottonwood tree, near the river. I led in prayer; he followed and my son about four years old chimed in and added his part. This farmer told the Lord that if He would bless his effort that he would give back a double tithe of his income. It soon became evident that the Lord of the harvest was pleased to have a tenant like that. He had bumper crops year after year and gave generously of multiplied thousands of dollars at a time to the work of God, especially Bible schools, and at his death left a great legacy to the kingdom of God. Pretty good return for a one cent investment!