Teddys Button | Page 8

a little conversation, my
boy. Sit down, and tell me what you have been learning at
Sunday-school this afternoon.'
'Teacher was telling us about the children of Israel in Egypt. I'm afraid I
don't remember very much what he said, for I was busy thinking about
coming to see you.'
Mr. Upton smiled, and drew the child on to talk; then, after he was
thoroughly at ease, he put a large Bible in front of him.
'I want you to read me a verse in the First Epistle of St. John, and the
third chapter. It is the fifteenth verse; can you find it?'
'Yes, sir,' and with an eager importance Teddy turned over the leaves.
'Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer,' he read solemnly.
'That will do. Now think it over for five minutes in silence, and then tell
me what your thoughts are about it.'
The boy hung his head in shame; he folded his arms and sat immovable
till the five minutes were over, then he said timidly, 'I wouldn't hate a
brother. I'd like to have one. Do you think it means the same when it's a
girl?'
'Precisely the same--a brother means any person in the world, man,
woman, or child.'
'Then I ought to be hung.'
There was much self-pity in Teddy's tone. Mr. Upton did not smile, he
was gazing abstractedly out of the window, and said slowly, 'The root
of murder is anger. The same motive that prompts a passionate

statement, prompts a passionate and perhaps fatal blow.'
There was silence; then in a more cheerful tone the rector turned to the
little culprit.
'And now tell me the whole story, and who it was that you spoke to in
church.'
Teddy was perfectly ready with his defence, and he poured into his
listener's ears such a voluble story that the rector was quite bewildered
when it came to an end. 'It's father's button I care about,' added the boy,
fingering his beloved object proudly, 'and she didn't believe me a bit,
and she put out her tongue as long as ever she could!'
'Tell me the story of the button; I have heard, but have forgotten the
details.'
Teddy's eyes sparkled, and his little head was raised erect again.
Slipping off his chair, he stood in front of the rector, and told the
oft-repeated tale with dramatic force and effect. Mr. Upton listened
with interest, but before he could offer any comment on it tea was
announced, and taking the child by the hand he marched him into the
dining-room.
Hot tea-cakes, strawberry jam, and plum cake kept our little friend fully
occupied for some time. He wondered if all the naughty boys
interviewed by the rector had been treated to the same fare, and he
began to think an invitation to Sunday tea at the rectory highly
desirable.
'And now,' said Mr. Upton, towards the end of the meal, 'I want some
more talk with you. Your father was a brave soldier; he died in saving
the colours. You want to grow up like him, do you not?'
'Yes, sir, indeed I do.'
'There is a little verse in God's Word that describes our Lord's
banner--His colours. Will you say it after me?--"His banner over me

was love."' Teddy repeated the verse slowly, and with interest.
'It is a wonderful banner,' pursued Mr. Upton thoughtfully, 'the enemy
confronted with it on every side. In the thick of the fight we can but
hoist our colours, "Love." God's love to man, when man is fighting
from his infancy against his Maker. What host would not march to
meet the foe with such a banner dyed red with the life-blood of their
Captain, the Son of God, the Saviour of the world?'
Teddy drew a long breath, and when the rector paused, he cried
enthusiastically, 'Please go on, sir. I like to hear it. Will God let me
hold up the banner for Him?'
'If you have enlisted in His service. Are you one of His soldiers?'
'I don't know.'
'God always wants each of us to present ourselves to Him, if we want
to enlist in His army. Have you done that? There must come a time in
our lives when we yield ourselves wholly and unreservedly to the one
who is our rightful owner. Why, my boy, do you believe that Jesus died
upon the cross to save you? Did He bear your sins for you there?'
'Yes,' said Teddy, fixing his blue eyes earnestly on the rector, 'I really
believe He did, for mother has often explained it to me.'
'Then how dare you stand aloof from His army? How is it that you have
never enlisted? Are you marching along in the enemy's ranks?'
Teddy's small hands were clenched,