读点好英文:A Church BuiIt with 57 Cents57美分建成的教堂

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2022年03月06日

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A Church BuiIt with 57 Cents57美分建成的教堂

·Anonymous·

A sobbing 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 a place for her in the Sunday School class.The child was so touched that 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 in one of the poor tenement buildings and the 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 and crumpIed 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 instantIy 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 larger building.

But the story does not end there！

A newspaper learned of the story and pubIished it. It was read by a Realtor who offered them a parcel of land worth many thousands.When told that the church could not pay so much, he offered it for a 57-cent payment.

Church members made large subscriptions. Checks came from far and wide.Within five years the little girl's gift had increased to$250，000，a huge sum at 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 Temple University, where hundreds of students are trained. Have a look, too, at the Good Samaritan Hospital and at a Sunday School building which houses hundreds of Sunday scholars, so that no child in the area will ever need to be left outside at 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 remarkabIe history. Alongside of it is a portrait of her kind pastor, Dr.Russell H.Conwell, author of the book Acres of Diamonds, a true story.

逸名

小女孩站在一座小教堂旁边哭泣，因为“太拥挤”，教堂不让她进。“我去不成主日学校了。”她抽搭着，对走过的牧师说道。看着她褴褛的衣着、蓬乱的头发，牧师猜到了原因，便牵起她的手将她带进教堂，并在主日学校里给她找到了座位。小女孩非常感动，那夜入睡的时候她还在想着那些没有地方做礼拜的孩子。

大概两年后，小女孩在一个破旧的棚户区死去了。她的父母请来了好心的牧师——他已经和小女孩成了朋友，请他为小女孩主持葬礼。当她小小的身体被搬起的时候，一个破旧且皱巴巴的钱包掉了出来，那看上去像是从垃圾堆里捡来的。里面有57美分，还有一张字条，上面用童稚的字体歪歪扭扭地写着：“这是扩建小教堂的钱，好让更多的孩子能去主日学校。”

她为了这份爱的礼物攒了两年。当牧师眼含泪水地读着这张字条的时候，他忽然醒悟，知道自己该做什么了。

他带着这张字条和那个破旧的红色钱包去讲坛，向大家讲述了这个小女孩的故事以及她的无私和虔诚。他强烈要求教堂执事发起募捐来扩建教堂。

不过，故事到这里并没有完。

一家报纸报道了这个故事。一个房地产商读了之后，提供了一块价值好几千块的土地。当得知教堂付不起这笔钱时，他开出了57美分的价格。

教堂成员捐出了很多钱。支票从很远的地方源源不断地寄来。五年间，小女孩的礼物已经增加到了25万美元，这在当时（19世纪末）可是一大笔钱。她无私的爱产生了高额的利息。

今天当你身处费城，你真该去看看那个高大的可容纳3300人的天普浸会教堂，以及能够容纳几百个学生的天普大学。再看看那家撒马利亚医院和容纳几百位主日学者的主日学校。再也不会有孩子被阻隔在主日学校门外了。

在这个主日学校的一个房间里，你或许会看见那个有着甜美笑容的小女孩的照片，她那57美分的奉献已经创造了一段不平凡的历史。在她照片的旁边是那个善良的牧师的照片。他就是著名的罗素·H.康威尔博士，《钻石宝地》的作者。这本书讲述了一个真实的故事。

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核心单词

pastor['pa：stə]n.（基督教的）牧师

touch[tʌtʃ]v.接触，碰到；感动

tenement['tenəmənt]n.廉价公寓