A CHRISTMAS STORY

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVII, Issue 21529, 16 December 1939, Page 20 (Supplement)

A CHRISTMAS STORY

She was a little invalid child, just 10 years old. For as long as she could remember she had been paralysed in her hips and the hot summer days seemed to make her feel more ill than usual. She lived with her father and mother in a beautiful home away in the north of Auckland where the weather was sometimes very hot and sultry. Her parents spared nothing so as to bring sunshine into Joy’s life; her real name was Joyce, but they called her Joy because it suited her better. There were days when Joy felt that there was no use in trying to get well. Doctors had said that they may be able to do something to help her move about when she was 15 years old, but until then she must be kept as bright and quiet as possible. Five years more to go seemed an eternity, so she often fretted but her parents told her that she must help herself by trying to do what the doctors wished. Her home was in a very quiet district so that her health would have every possible chance and visitors were few. But as Christmas drew near this little girl longed for no other gift than a visitor who could tell stories. Joy’s

wish was gratified, for on Christmas Eve a very old friend of the family arrived to stay with them. He lived hundreds of miles away on Stewart Island so his visits were

rare. He was not long in the house, however, before Joy had asked him to tell her a new kind of story. He asked her if she would like to hear a story of early New Zealand. Joy was delighted and soon her friend was telling her of the first sermon that was preached in New Zealand. The Rev. Samuel Marsden was the preacher and the day was Christmas Day, 1814. His listeners were I the Maoris, and soon they were I wrapped up in the story he was ! relating, for was it not about the j birth of a tiny babe in a manger. Around his humble bed was a hallowed light and great people worshipped at his bedside. They had found the birth place of the babe by following a star in the east and they brought him precious gifts. The little babe grew and thrived and as long as he lived went about doing good. Our Christmas Day is in the memory of his birthday and had he lived till this Christmas he would have been 1939 years of age. Joy was enraptured, for she had

never been taught much of history, but from then on, her chief interest was to find out all she could about the finding and growth of Christianity in New Zealand. (5 marks to Jean Edgar, age 14.)