Tom
Sawyer Still Teaches
There
is a story in Mark Twain’s classic book, Tom
Sawyer that I think can teach us lesson today. Here it is:
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~ ~
Tom is headed to Sunday School, against his will of course. And so he goes anyway.
As he and Aunt Polly, Sid and Mary approach, Tom begins to lag
behind a bit and he addressed a Sunday-dressed comrade.
“Say, Billy, got a yaller ticket?”
“What’ll you take for her?”
“Piece of likrish and a fish hook.”
“Less see ‘em.”
Tom exhibited. They were
satisfactory, and the property changed hands.
Then Tom traded a couple of white alleys (marbles) for three red
tickets, and some small trifle or other for a couple of blue ones. He waylaid other boys as they came, and went
on buying tickets of various colors ten or fifteen minutes longer.
The tickets were usually earned in Sunday School by successfully
reciting passages of Scripture.
Blue for two verses
Ten blues = one red ticket
Ten red = one yellow
Ten yellow = well that was the jackpot – the possessor of ten
yellow tickets was awarded a very plainly bound Bible, worth forty cents in
those easy times).
Tom’s sister, Mary, had acquired two Bibles in this way. It took her two years, and yet she had earned
two Bibles.
Well, they gathered all the children into the church building for
they had a ceremony planned. And it was
some fine ceremony, let me tell you.
They even brought in a special guest.
“The middle-aged man turned out to be a prodigious personage – not
less a one than the county judge – altogether the most august creation these
children had ever looked upon. He was
from Constantinople, twelve miles away – so he had travelled and seen the
world. And he had looked upon the county
courthouse – which was said to have a tin roof.
Mr. Walters, he was the Sunday School Superintendent, he was
flittering around, acting busy, acting important and all and
probably trying to impress the Judge – Judge Thatcher.
There was only one thing wanting to make Mr. Walter’s ecstasy
complete, and that was a chance to deliver a Bible-prize and exhibit a
prodigy. Several pupils had a few yellow
tickets, but none had enough – he had been around among the star pupils
inquiring.
And now, when all hope was dead, Tom Sawyer came forward with nine
yellow tickets, nine red tickets, and ten blue ones, and demanded a Bible. This was a thunderbolt out of a clear
sky. Mr. Walters was not expecting an
application from this source for the next ten years. But there was no getting around it – here
were the certified checks, and they were good for their face.
The prize was delivered to Tom with as much effusion as the
superintendent could pump up under the circumstances; but it lacked somewhat of
the true gush, for the poor fellow ‘s instinct taught him that there was a
mystery here that could not well bear the light.
Tom was introduced to the Judge.
The Judge put his hand on Tom’s head and called him a fine little man,
and asked him what his name was. The boy
stammered, gasped, and got it out.
“Tom.”
“Oh, no, not Tom – it is –“
“Thomas.”
“Ah, that’s it. I thought
there was more to it, maybe. But you’ve
another one I daresay, and you’ll tell it to me, won’t you?”
“Tell the gentleman your other name, Thomas.” Said Walters, “and say sir. You mustn’t forget your manners.”
“Thomas Sawyer – sir.”
“That’s it! That’s a good
boy. Fine boy. Fine, manly little fellow. Two thousand verses is a great many – very,
very great many. And you never can be
sorry for the trouble you took to learn them; for knowledge is worth more than
anything there is in the world; it’s what makes great men and good men; you’ll
be a great man and a good man yourself, some day,
Thomas, and then you’ll look back and say, “It’s all owing to the
precious Sunday-school privileges of my boyhood – it’s all owing to my dear
teachers that taught me to learn – it’s all owing to the good superintendent
who encouraged me, and watched over me, and gave me a beautiful Bible – a
splendid elegant Bible – to keep and have it all for my own, always – it’s all
owing to right bringing up! That is what
you will say, Thomas – and you wouldn’t take any money for those two thousand
verses – no indeed you wouldn’t.
And now would you mind
telling all of us some of the things you’ve learned - no, I know you wouldn’t – for we are proud of
little boys that learn. Now, no doubt
you know the names of all the twelve disciples.
Won’t you tell us the names of the first two that were appointed?”
Tom was tugging at a button-hole and looking sheepish. He blushed, and his eyes fell. Mr. Walter’s heart sank within him. He said to himself, it is not possible that
the boy can answer the simplest question – why did the Judge ask him? He felt obliged to speak up and say:
“Answer the gentleman, Thomas – don’t be afraid.”
Tom still hung fire.
“Now I know you’ll tell us.
The names of the first two disciples were …”
“David and Goliah!”
Let us draw the curtain of charity over the rest of the scene.
~
~ ~
The
point of this story …
Sometimes
we accumulate prizes, gadgets, titles, banners and diplomas, yet did real
learning and effort go into the gathering of those “awards”?
I
could go out and buy a degree on line, or so I’m told, but for what end?
I
could be promoted to a high position, or I could run for an elected office and
win the challenge, and then what? Oh my,
there are honors and accolades in such an accomplishment, but is there an
increase in knowledge to go with this sudden windfall?
This
is a funny story from Mr. Twain. Now,
what is your take-a-way?
That
is for each of us to consider.
This is
my
morning
reflection.
P Michael Biggs
Hope~Encouragement~Inspiration
