THE UNUSUAL MESSENGER

FOR BOYS AND GIRLS

THE UNUSUAL MESSENGER

[Harry Foster]

THE circus had only recently arrived at its new pitch outside a Danish village. The great tent was pitched, the ring was ready and all the troupe was dressed up ready for their publicity march to invite the villagers to the first performance, which would be that night. Suddenly somebody began to shout: "Fire! Fire!" It was true. Already the fire was beginning to spread among the caravans and so threatening to destroy the whole circus. If this happened the flames might pass down through the nearby corn fields and spread to the village itself.

It was a nasty moment, and the Ringmaster quickly realized that he would need the help of all the villagers if the fire was to be put out in time. They needed men, women, yes, and children, too, to fetch buckets of water, and they needed those who were strong and could beat out the flames. So he called for someone to hurry down to the village and ask for everybody to come quickly and help. But who could go'? Not the strong man, for he was helping to look after the elephants. Not the lion tamer, for he had his own wild animals to care for. All the attendants were rushing to get the horses to safety so none of them could go. The only one who seemed to be available was the clown, who was all dressed up for the show.

"Run down quickly to the village," he shouted to the funny man, "and tell them we need their help at once if we are to save the circus, yes, and their own homes, too." So off he ran, with his funny hat, his big red nose and his clumsy great boots, and he burst into the village street crying: "Fire! Fire!"

Of course, everybody came out at the sound of his loud voice, but when they saw him he looked so funny that they all burst out laughing. He tried to tell them that he was not being funny this time but [129/130] was very much in earnest, but the more he tried the more they laughed. To them it was just a publicity stunt; he was trying to get them to go up and see the circus. They admired his cleverness but nobody made any attempt to move.

He pleaded with them and begged them to hurry before their own homes were destroyed by the cruel fire, but his face and his clothes were so queer that the more he pleaded the more they giggled and laughed. He was in deadly earnest, and the tears ran down his painted face as he appealed to first one man and then to another, asking them to take action at once and help to put out the fire. "Come with me!" he pleaded, "Come quickly! or else it will be too late." Alas! they only thought that it was a very good joke and they did nothing but laugh. All this had taken time, too much time in fact and by now the Ringmaster was watching helplessly while the flames took possession of everything. The fire came raging down the hillside, caught the first wooden houses on the outskirts of the village, and then passed on from house to house until the whole place was a mass of flames.

Too late! The villagers now realized that the clown had been in earnest and had really meant what he said, but it was too late. They had to run for their lives, leaving their houses and all their possessions to be destroyed by the flaming fire. If only they had taken the warning seriously! But then the messenger seemed so funny that they had not been able to believe that there was any real danger until now it was too late.

Of course, they blamed the circus for the calamity. "Why did not the Ringmaster come himself?" they reasoned. "We would have believed it if he had come himself. Or if he had sent some more suitable messenger, the lion-tamer, or one of the trapeze artistes. Anyone but the clown." The truth was, of course, that the clown was the only one available and that he had done his utmost to convince them. If they had only taken the trouble to enquire if his warning were true, then they might have been in time to put out the fires while they were still small.

Sometimes when God sends His messengers to us we do not take them seriously. Perhaps they are not the best messengers, but they may be the only ones whom He can send. The sad thing will be if we think that the matter is all a joke instead of realizing that the matter is really serious. Great and lasting loss can come to us if we do not pay attention to the call of the Gospel "How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?" (Hebrews 2:3). - H. F.
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