57 cents.... an amazing gesture and sacrifice by a little girl... and the Hand of God......

A little girl stood near a small church from which she had been
turned away because it was 'too crowded.'





'I can't go to Sunday School,' she sobbed to the pastor as he
walked by.




Seeing her shabby, unkempt appearance, the pastor guessed the
reason and, taking her by the hand, took her inside and
found her a place in the Sunday school class. The child
was so happy that they found room for her, and she went
to bed that night thinking of the children
who have no place to worship Jesus.


Some two years later, this child lay dead due to ill
health in one of the poor tenement buildings..
Her parents called for the kindhearted pastor who had
befriended their daughter to handle the final arrangements.


As her poor little body was being moved, a worn out
and crumpled red purse was found which seemed to
have been rummaged from some trash dump.


Inside was found 57 cents and a note, scribbled in
childish handwriting, which read: 'This is to help
build the little church  bigger so more children
can go to Sunday School.'

For two years she had saved for this offering of love.

When the pastor tearfully read that note, he knew
instantly what he would do. Carrying this note and the
cracked, red pocketbook to the pulpit, he told the story
of her unselfish love and devotion.



He challenged his deacons to get busy and raise
enough money for the new and larger building.

But the story does not end there...

A newspaper learned of the story and published it.
It was read by a wealthy realtor who offered them
a parcel of land worth many thousands.


When he was told that the church could not pay
so much, he offered to sell it to the little
church for 57 cents.



Church members made large donations towards other
expenses such as the Church building and construction
work. Checks came from far and wide. Within five years
the little girl's gift had increased to $250,000.00--
a huge sum for that time (near the turn of the century).
Her unselfish love had paid large dividends.



When you are in the city of Philadelphia ,
look up Temple Baptist Church, with a seating
capacity of 3,300. And be sure to visit Temple University,
where thousands of students are educated.



Have a look, too, at the Good Samaritan Hospital
and at a Sunday School building which houses hundreds
of beautiful children, built so that no child in the
area will ever need to be left outside during
Sunday school time.

In one of the rooms of this building may be seen
the picture of the sweet face of the little girl
whose 57 cents, so sacrificially saved,
made such remarkable history. Alongside of it
is a portrait of her kind pastor, Dr. Russell H. Conwell,
author of the book, 'Acres of Diamonds'.

This is a true story, which goes to show
WHAT GOD CAN DO WITH 57 CENTS....!!!!