“Do not think that I do not understand, Uncle.  I know that your heart is sad because of the injustice Stephen suffered because of your envy.  I know that you have sinned grievously.  Why could you not like the priest, Malina, grasp the cross and the feet of Christ?  You understand, in the Spirit, by faith, and receive the gift of God—­salvation.  There further is this quotation:  ’Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief,’ and here again it is written, ’It seems to me I am the one, the most sinful of the sinners, but I believe, I believe, O Lamb of God, that Thou hast died for me also, and I am casting my heart at the foot of Thy cross, that Thy blood pouring over me may cleanse it also.’”

“I see there are very good things written there, Palko.  Leave this book with me for some time that I may be able to read it at leisure, and see if also on me the Son of God will have mercy and forgive my grievous sins.  Now continue to read where we left off last time.”

“Now I will also bring the song-book and we shall have a song.  This will be our Sunday worship.”  Bacha brought the book and they had a lovely time in worshiping God.  Christ came to them through His Spirit and made the Word of God living, to the young soul who walked with Him continually like Enoch, and also to the one who could say, “I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek Thy servant” (Ps. 119:  176).

CHAPTER FIVE

Verily, verily, this quotation is true, “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers:  for thereby some have entertained angels unawares” (Hebrews 13:2).  Bacha Filina and those in his household proved it.  It was just as if God’s blessing had moved to them with Palko Lesina.  They all had success in everything they undertook.  The boy was ready to help everywhere, and set the house in such order as it never had been before.

“You see, the Lord Jesus lives here,” Palko explained sweetly.  “He is here, and we don’t know when He comes and where He would like to sit down.  We would not have any place to receive Him.”

Stephen taught him how to play the shepherd’s horn and he played on it beautiful Christian songs, so that the mountains fairly resounded.  When he played tag or blind man’s buff with the boys he was the most joyful of them.  But as soon as he was invited to read from his precious Book, he obeyed at once and sat among them, as once his Lord did among learned old men in Jerusalem.  On Petrik especially he had a good influence.  Petrik was often self-willed and disobedient, so that Bacha had to punish him.

“Why should you make Uncle Filina cross?  Just tell it to the Lord Jesus when the Devil is tempting you, and He will deliver you, He will help you,” advised Palko.