My Mother’s Spiritual Heritage: Like Acres of Diamonds From 57 Cents

My Mother’s Spiritual Heritage is like Acres of Diamonds from 57 cents. Long ago a little girl wanted to go to Sunday School. Today, over 200 descendants follow the Spiritual Heritage she inspired.

 

Our world is filled with Phenomenal Women.

Women who impacted our personal lives, women we read about in the news, and women from history.

I read a story of little Hattie Mae, who saved 57 cents in the 1880s, which in turn inspired a congregation to build a church.

This story reminds me of my mother.

 

My Mother’s Spiritual Heritage Begins

My mother was a girl in the 1920s who wanted to go to Sunday School.

Her parents didn’t attend Church very often, so Mom walked to the Church nearest them.

She got herself up in the morning, dressed for Church and left the house while the rest of her family had a lazy Sunday at home. Sometimes one or two of her siblings wanted to go with her. However, none of them went as consistently as my mother.

Today, 100 years later, her family of 10 children all attend Church consistently with their families. Her children’s children attend Church; 98% of them go every Sunday of the year. Her descendants number in the 200s by now, so you can see the heritage she left behind. All because she chose to go to Sunday School at a Church her parents didn’t even attend.

 

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Now I want to tell you the story of Hattie Mae and her strong desire to go to Sunday School, and that all the little girls and boys like her should be able to go, also. Because, you see, their church wasn’t big enough to hold everyone who wanted to come. And their congregation thought they couldn’t afford to build a a larger church.

 

 

Hattie Mae stood near the church one Sunday morning, longing to go to Sunday School. But the Church was full and the people said there wasn’t room for her. (She was shabby looking, and not perfectly dressed.) The pastor noticed; saw her longing. He took her by the hand and personally escorted her to a class.

Thrilled, Hattie Mae began to save every penny she got her hands on, so that someday they could build a Church big enough for all the boys and girls like her to worship Jesus. But Hattie Mae got sick, and in two short years, she passed away.

 

Acres of Diamonds From 57 Cents

 

Hattie Mae’s parents grieved for their sweet daughter who had a heart for other children to have a chance to learn about Jesus. They knew she kept all the pennies she saved in a cracked red purse that was somebody’s castoff. They counted the pennies. Fifty-seven. (Which would be worth about $12 today. How did a little girl from a poor home save $12 in 2 years?)

Hattie Mae’s parents gave the purse to the pastor, who in turn took the little purse to the pulpit one Sunday morning. He told the story of Hattie Mae. The story inspired his congregation, who’s hearts turned toward Hattie Mae’s desire. One board member found a man who would sell them a property they wanted but couldn’t afford. This man, upon hearing the story of the 57 cents, said he would sell the property to them for 57 cents, then they could pay the remainder at a reasonable rate that worked for them.

And the 57 cents began to increase, so that in five years the congregation had received donations from far and wide totaling $250,000. What an amazing amount of money for that time!

Today, the 57 cents has become Temple Baptist Church, Temple University, 2 hospitals and a huge Sunday School building.

 

 

Hattie Mae’s pastor, Dr. Russell H. Conwell, wrote the book “Acres of Diamonds” which advocates that the resources to achieve all good things are present right where we are, given by God in His time. The grass is not greener on the other side.

Where did he learn this great truth? Yes, in part I’m sure, from a little girl who wanted all the children to be able to go to Sunday School.

 

Pass On A Spiritual Heritage

Today, we need to make sure we turn our 57 cents into Acres of Diamonds.

Today is our chance to pass on a spiritual heritage that lasts for hundreds of years.

A heritage that grows and spreads so all the little children in the world can go to Sunday School.

(Or Bible Study or Vacation Bible School.)