Little House on the Prairie (1974–1983): Season 2, Episode 11 - The Gift - full transcript

Woman: That's all we
have time for today,

but we will be reviewing
this lesson next sunday.

Boy: What for?

In the hope that you
can answer some questions

that you couldn't
answer today.

Laura?

Will you take up
the collection, please?

Sure.

How much
do we have?

Laura: So far,
only 2 cents.

I mean all
together.



1 dollar and 56 cents.

You can all be proud.

That's enough money to buy
reverend Alden

a very nice
birthday present.

No. My mother
says we can

give our own presents
to reverend Alden.

Like we do
every year.

Why can't you just be like the
rest of the children and join in?

My mother says
we're not like

the rest of
the children.

I suppose
she's right.

Let's go play.

Not yet.

Mary, you're
treasurer.



What are you going to
buy for reverend Alden?

I don't know.
We haven't voted yet.

I vote for
a new tie.

Laura: You can't vote
because you didn't give.

And besides, reverends
don't wear ties, silly.

They can't with
a backwards collar.

Woman: Laura's
right, Willie.

I vote for a brand-new
ball and bat.

Are you sure you're thinking
of reverend Alden, David?

That sounds more like
a present for you.

Well, I could
help him use it.

I thought we might
get him a new Bible.

Hey, that's
a good idea.

The cover's falling
off the one he has.

Woman: Moved
and seconded.

All in favor?

Motion passed.

And I can't think
of a finer present.

Mary, since you've been our
treasurer for all these months,

I think you should be
the one to buy

and then
present the Bible.

I'll order it
right away.

When is
his birthday?

Girl with braids: 5 weeks from today.
Same as my mom's.

Please, can we
keep it a secret?

Of course.

We won't any of us say a
word until the big day.

Promise!
Children: Yes.

Now, everybody...

All: Yes.

Ok!

Service is over. Sunday
school is dismissed.

Let's count it.

Ok.

David: Get one with
color pictures.

And leather covers. That's what
wears out first... the covers.

Real leather is nice

with lots of gold
on the cover.

I'll get
the best one I can.

Charles: How was
sunday school?

Just fine.

What did you
learn about?

We learned about
the new Bible.

Caroline:
What new Bible?

She means
the new testament.

Shouldn't that
be a 9, nels?

Yes, dear.

Nellie: You said we could
get anything we wanted,

didn't you, ma?

I said what?

Nels: Get away from
the candy, Willie.

You'll spoil
your dinner.

Nellie: Reverend Alden's
birthday present.

You said we could get
anything we wanted.

Oh, I said
within reason.

Can I have
one piece, ma?

Just one, yes.

Here's what we want. Something
no one else will think to give:

A Bible.

Oh! Uh-huh.

"Genuine hand-tooled
Moroccan leather

"with holy Bible
stamped in gold

on the front
and back covers."

Oh, that sounds
very nice.

"Magnificent
illustrations

and genuine
steel engravings."

It was $12.00.

$12.00!

Marked down to 3.00.

Oh, well, then
that's more like it.

For 50 cents extra,
we can get his name

stamped in gold
on the front cover.

Which will make the prayers
more welcome, I'm sure.

That's not
funny, nels.

Well... can't they
for once join in

with the other children
to buy a present?

Good heavens.

We would, but
they're gonna pick

some silly gift that
the reverend won't like.

Nels: Well,
how do you know?

I just know.
They always do.

Get away from
the candy, Willie!

You can have one
more piece, Willie.

Harriet:
Come along, dear.

I'll help you
fill out the form.

You better get to bed
before pa skins you alive.

We can look for
a little while.

All right, but
just for a minute.

Had it marked here.
Two pages of bibles.

Hmm...

Here's one
for $1.00.

You have more
than that.

The sunday school
treasury has $1.67.

Here's one
for $1.50.

It doesn't have gold
lettering on the cover.

No, but it
looks nice.

I'll send for it
tomorrow.

Come on.
Let's get to bed.

Lookit!

Wouldn't reverend
Alden's eyes pop out

if he got this
for a present?

"Gold lettering on
the front and the back.

Genuine hand-tooled
Moroccan leather."

How much?

"Magnificent
illustrations."

How much?

It was $12.00,

but now it's
a bargain at $3.00.

We only have $1.67.

Now, put the catalog away
and come to bed.

We can do it, Mary.

We can more than
double our money.

Come to bed.

But we can, Mary.

Says right here
in the catalog.

We can make
enough money

to get reverend Alden
that good Bible.

If you would just look!

Look at what?

It says right here
in the catalog

exactly how to do it.

Do what?

Make a lot of money.

What we do is
we order 12 bottles

of Dr. Briskin's homeopathic
remedies for $1.50.

Laura, that's
not our money.

It's sunday
school money.

You should read what
these medicines cure.

Worm fever, face ache,

influenza, croup,

dropsy...

Charles: Hey, up there,
no more talking.

You're supposed
to be asleep.

Mary?

What's 12
times 25 cents?

Uh...$3.00.

There, you see? That's how
much money we'll have

when we finish
selling the medicine.

Then we could get
him the good Bible.

We can't spend the
money for anything

but reverend Alden's
birthday Bible,

and that's final.

Now go to sleep!

Caroline: Did
you say watermelons?

That's right. Edwards says he
hasn't had a decent watermelon

since he's been
in Minnesota,

so he's gonna raise his own.

Well, if he likes
them, why not?

But he's gonna raise
5 acres of them.

5 acres!

That's right.
He's gonna sell them.

Oh! Well, there aren't
enough people

in all of hero township

to eat that many
watermelons.

Well, maybe some of
the folks can eat two.

I bet I could.

Well, there you go. The man
hasn't planted a seed,

and he's already
a success.

Just have to take
your chances sometimes,

don't you, pa?

Charles: That's part
of being alive.

Like we did when we
came across the prairie?

Yeah. Sure, a lot of people didn't
know what they were gonna run into,

so they were afraid
to take a chance.

But you weren't afraid,

and everything worked out
all right, didn't it, pa?

Charles: That it did.

But what
if it hadn't?

Well, you just take a deep
breath and start over.

But mostly it turns out all
right, doesn't it, pa?

Charles: Yeah, mostly. If you
have faith and you work hard.

Speaking of work,
I better get going.

Charles: Have a nice day.
Caroline: Same to you.

"Whooping cough...

"Ague...

"Colic, and...

Dys... pepsia."

Whatever that is.

Well, Dr. Briskin's homeopathic
medicine cures it all.

All of 'em!

I don't care
what they cure.

You would
if you had it.

Imagine the favor we would
be doing to all those people

by letting them buy
the medicine from us,

and not to mention
reverend Alden's Bible.

Laura,
it's not our money.

But we'll be doubling it.

What's wrong with that?

Laura...

Well, you know what pa says
about taking chances.

You just have faith
and work hard,

and everything
will come out all right.

He said "mostly."

Well, there's two of us,
and that's a lot of mostly.

Give me the catalog.

What for?

I've got to
fill out the order,

and I'm not sure how
to spell homeopathic.

Hooray! Wait till reverend
Alden sees his new Bible!

Nobody will
find us here.

Hurry up.

Jiminy!

They sure are pretty.

There sure are
a lot of them.

That's because there are
a lot of sicknesses.

Just means we'll be meeting a lot
of different kinds of customers.

I hope we find them before pa
finds out what we're doing.

Tomorrow's Saturday.

We can get them all sold
before anybody knows it.

But what if we don't?

Don't worry.

We're having faith and taking
a chance, like pa says.

There's a loose board
up in the hayloft.

Pa will never find the medicines
if we hide them up there.

Wrap it back up.
Take 'em on home.

Hey, morning, girls.
You're up early.

Morning pa!
Morning, pa!

Hey! Hold it, hold it!
Wait a minute.

It's time for breakfast.

We already ate.

What about your chores?

We finished early.
Bye, pa!

Mary: Bye!

Got it.

Aren't they pretty?

I think we should divide
the bottles up between us.

You mean go alone?

Sure. That way, you can meet
twice as many customers.

What do we do if
they don't want to buy?

They will.

All we have to do is tell
them we have the medicine,

like it says
in the catalog.

Our next order...

Our next order?

Yeah,
our next order.

We probably won't even
have to leave the house.

They'll just
come to us,

just like
the mercantile.

And the money from our
next order will be for us.

We'll make money
for Christmas,

birthdays,
and everything.

Which sicknesses
do you want?

Toothache
and earache.

A lot of people
have those.

I'll take these 3.

What are they?

I can't
pronounce them,

but if the people
have them,

I guess
they know it.

Let's hope so.

We better get going,

if we're gonna get
finished before supper.

You're right.

I'd like to get home in time
to do a little fishing.

Oh!

Mary!

I didn't see you standing there.
Pardon me.

Oh, that's all right,
Mrs. Foster.

You didn't get me.

Thank goodness.

What can I do
for you, Mary?

As a matter of fact,
I came by to tell you

that my sister and I

are selling Dr. Briskin's
homeopathic remedies now,

so people won't have to
order them anymore.

That's nice, Mary.

Thank you
for telling me.

You can get them
right now.

You don't have
to wait anymore.

Yes, I understand.

This one's
for earache,

and this one's
for toothache.

We have medicine for
practically everything.

Just 25 cents.

Well, I don't have
a toothache,

and I don't have
an earache.

But if anything comes
up, I'll remember.

Have a nice day,
Mary.

Yes, ma'am.

Laura: Dr. Briskin's
homeopathic remedies

are known all over
the world.

Says right here
on the label.

Yeah, then how come I never
heard of 'em, young lady?

I'm telling you now.

My sister and I
are telling

everybody around
walnut grove about them,

so's they can buy
their remedies from us.

"Dyspepsia,"

and "ague."

Don't reckon I need
any medicine for that.

Well, how about
this one?

You better pick one
fast, ma'am,

because there's a lot of people
that'll be wanting these,

and we only have
12 bottles.

I don't reckon anyone in my
family's ever had that, either.

Well, we have miracle cures
for almost every sickness.

If you'll just tell me
what you have...

Bertie!
What are you doing?

You know better
than to do that.

You could make
those animals sick.

I don't think
those pills will, ma'am.

Well, you better
hope they don't.

My husband's gonna
be awful upset

if his pigs come down
with something

on account of these.

You better run along.

What about my pills?

What about 'em?

Well, the pigs ate them.

They cost 25 cents.

Well, the pigs ate 'em.

See if you can get 'em
to pay for 'em!

Oh, Laura.
Glad it's you.

I wish I was
somebody else.

You're gonna be
awful mad, Mary.

I didn't sell
one bottle.

Me, neither.

I got rid of one.

Billy Hobson fed it
to his prize pigs.

Didn't they
pay you for it?

Sure hope those pigs
don't get sick.

Mrs. Hobson
was awful mad.

Oh, Laura.

Well, it wasn't
my fault.

Well, it was
your fault we bought

this medicine
instead of the Bible.

Well, you
ordered them.

Well, you
talked me into it.

Well, you didn't have
to listen to me.

You're older than
I am.

It's not going to sound
like a very good excuse

if we can't sell them.

Not one person
I talked to

even sounded like
they were interested.

We must be doing
something wrong.

We did what
the catalog said.

Well, we'll just have
to tell more people

and try harder
next time.

Mm-hmm.

Ho!

Hello.

Faubus is the name,
young lady.

What can I
do for you?

My, what lovely
children you have.

Thank you.

Remind me of my own.

Course, they don't live in
a fine place like this.

Their ma being sick
and all,

she can't fit them out
just like she'd like to.

She's not well,
you know.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Well...

God willing, I'll make
a few sales this trip.

Yes, so's that I can get
her a proper doctor.

What do you sell,
mister?

Oh, I'm glad you asked
that, little lady.

Indian medicine jewelry
is what I sell.

A beauty to the eye,

and a boon to the health,
all for only 25 cents.

Uh, well, they're
very nice, I'm sure,

but we really
can't afford it.

Truth is, ma'am,

I understand.

Fact is,

a man who ain't seen
food in two days

knows how hard it is to
come by a silver coin.

Two days?

I left my provisions for
the young'uns, bless them.

Well, let's pray god
I get back before...

No! Wait a minute.

You cannot work
without eating.

Now, we have plenty.

No, no, no, no. I
refuse to take charity.

Uh, but, if you'd consider
25 cents an adequate price

for some beans
for my pail.

And, uh, maybe
some water,

it's an outrageous price.

Besides, we have stew,
hot coffee, and corn bread.

It's all ready.

You are too
generous, ma'am.

Hi, everybody.

Girls: Hi, pa.

Wasn't that Mr. Faubus
I saw leaving just now?

Why, yes. You know
that poor man?

You didn't buy
anything from him?

No. As a matter
of fact,

he bought
something from me.

Oh, yeah?
What he'd buy?

Supper.

He paid ma 25 cents

for some stew,
cornbread, and coffee.

You mean he gave you
25 cents in cash?

Well, not exactly...

Let me tell you...
He traded you.

A string with some
buckeyes on it?

Uh, a necklace, yes.

Don't feel bad. Edwards
gave him his shoes today.

Well, Charles, I don't think it's
funny when a poor man like that...

Caroline,
he's not a poor man.

He doesn't
have a family.

He just tells that story
to get people to buy things

from him or trade with him.

Caroline:
Well, I never...

Charles: I told you
not to be upset.

You ran into
the world's best salesman.

I'll... ha ha...
Unhitch the team.

Laura: Make sure you get all
your homework done in school

so we can start
selling right after.

Mary: Well, you make sure you
don't break those bottles

playing in
the schoolyard.

I won't. Sure hope
we brought enough.

We'll be sure to sell some
today now that we know how.

Talking about the way Mr.
Faubus does it,

I'm not sure.

Sounds like
cheating to me.

It's not cheating.

Then it's lying.

Not if you're the best
salesman in the whole world,

like pa says.

People buy better if you
tell them a sad story.

I'm not sure that's
exactly what he said.

Well, almost.

Here. Take these.

Where are you going?

Maybe I can sell some
before school. Bye.

Bye.

Here. Let me
help you with that.

Oh! Well,
I thank you, child.

Carrying heavy stuff sure must
make your body ache.

Oh!

My pa sure is taken
with the rheumatism.

He can hardly work.

My ma isn't
much better, either.

I know what you mean.

All a body can do
just to get around

when they're down
in their back.

That's fine.

I know.

Thank you, dear.

My pa says that the onliest
thing that helps him

is Dr. Briskin's
homeopathic remedies.

Oh, my, yes!

My sister and I are
selling it to people...

Just so's we could
put food on the table.

Oh, that's a dear thing
you're doing, my child.

I wish someone cared enough
for me to do some work.

Nothing ever gets done
around here unless by me.

But Dr. Briskin's remedy can
make your work a lot easier,

and it only costs
25 cents.

Oh! A fortune.

Worth it, I'm sure,

but it would take me a year
to put that much back.

No. I'll just have to go along
with the pain in my bones.

It's my burden to carry

because no one cares for me.

Oh!

Help me to my chair,
child.

You don't have anybody?

No. No one who cares
25 cents' worth.

Remember that, child.

Put something aside
for when you're old...

And alone.

Yes, ma'am.

Well...

I hope you
get well soon.

Bless you.

Here.

I guess you need this
more than anybody.

Oh, you're a darling child.

You're an angel.

Oh!

Bye-bye.

Bye.

Ah ha!

Ahh.

What do you mean
you gave it to her?

Well, she was
so pitiful.

If you'd have seen her,
you would have done...

All I can see is you're getting us
deeper and deeper into trouble.

Nellie: Mary.

Well, you better wait a
minute to yell at me.

Did you order
the surprise?

Uh, yeah.

Did it
come yet?

Uh-huh. I guess you
could say it did.

You didn't tell
your parents, did you?

Oh, no, we didn't.

You better have
a good hiding place.

Yeah, Laura found
a good one.

Nellie: That's good,
because if anyone finds out,

it won't be a surprise.

Don't worry.
They won't.

You want to play
jump rope with us?

No. I have to wait
for Laura.

All right.
Come on.

You can
come out now.

You're a fine one leaving me
out here to do all the lying.

You didn't lie.

We did everything that you
said, and it is a surprise.

Some surprise.

We're never going to sell anything.
Never.

Boy: Come on!

See ya!

Mary: Laura, wait up!

I can't.
I got an idea.

You all right, Mary?

Just resting
a spell.

Oh. Well,
see you tomorrow.

Miss beadle!

Yes, Mary?

Have you been
feeling well lately?

Why, yes.
Very well, thank you.

Miss beadle.

Yes?

You haven't felt weak or maybe
tire easily or lost your appetite,

or maybe you don't
sleep very good?

No, Mary.
Really, I'm fine.

Miss beadle.

Yes, Mary?

Is your stomach weak?

Are you getting thin?

How's your circulation?

Mary, I assure you
I feel wonderful,

and I'm enjoying
the best of health.

Miss beadle.

Yes, Mary?

If you do get
to feeling poorly,

will you tell me,
please?

Certainly, Mary.

Thank you.

Well, hello.

Ma'am, I'm
a poor child,

and I
need your help.

My mother died. My pa
is real, real sick.

Why, that's terrible.

Yes, ma'am.

And my two baby sisters
are starving from hunger.

I never heard of
any such thing.

It's really sad,
ma'am...

And that's why I'm
doing all I can to help.

That's why I'm selling Dr.
Briskin's homeopathic remedies.

Selling? You?

Yes, ma'am.

This medicine cures
colic quick as a scat.

And this one is for
diseases of the heart.

And this one is for
stomach troubles.

Any sickness
that you have,

I've got the cure for.

If that's true,

why is it your mother's dead
and your father's sick?

Well, you see...

Aren't you one of
the Ingalls girls?

Yes, ma'am.

I saw your mother
this morning,

and she looked
in very good health.

You ought to be
ashamed of yourself.

Yes, ma'am.

And as for these so-called
remedies of yours,

I'm not interested.

Who was that?

One of
Mrs. Ingalls' girls.

Can you imagine letting
her run around like that?

And I thought she was
a good mother.

Disgraceful.

Laura.

Brought some soap.

I never saw anybody
as dirty as you are.

I tried to be like Mr. Faubus

and make people feel sorry

so they would buy the medicine,

but it didn't work.

Well...

Even if you'd sold
every bottle,

we couldn't earn the Bible
and get it here on time

for reverend Alden's birthday.

What are we
going to do?

Oh, I'll just die

if I have to be in church
on his birthday.

I get sick just
thinking about it.

I don't feel
too good either.

Maybe we could
get sick...

And stay home.

What kind of sick?

There's a lot of different
kinds on these bottles.

We could take the case
up to our room,

and between now
and his birthday,

we could pick
out a real good one.

Something awful.

Real awful.

Aren't you gonna fish?

No.

I'll put the worm
on the hook for you.

No, thanks.

How can you sit there
fishing?

You know
what tomorrow is.

I was trying to forget
about it,

and now you've
spoiled everything.

We've got to tell.

But we can't.

We have to, Laura.

But I thought you said
we were gonna get sick.

What good
would it do?

They'll know
tomorrow anyway.

Who are you gonna tell?

Pa.

You, not me, because
you're the oldest.

Why do you always
bring that up?

It was your idea.

Why do you always
bring that up?

We'll both tell him,
all right?

All right.

I never thought I wouldn't
feel like fishing.

Mary, Laura.

Charles: They're
not here.

Well, where'd
they go?

They went fishing.

Fishing? Mary?

It surprised me,
too.

Well, I wanted them to
pick some berries for me.

I wanted to make a pie
for the reverend's

birthday tomorrow.

Wait a minute, now.

I'll make you
a little deal.

Ha ha!
Make two pies,

and I'll pick
the berries for you.

I think I can manage
two pies quite nicely.

M that case, I'm on my way.

You gonna pick them
with your fishing pole?

The best berries are
always down by the river.

See you soon.

Hi, girls.

Catch anything?

No, sir.

I came out to pick some
berries for your ma.

She's baking a pie for the
reverend Alden's birthday.

Thought I'd get
a little fishing in.

Pass me those worms,
will you?

See if we can't catch
something here.

Pa.

Charles: Mm-hmm?

You know, tomorrow's
the reverend's birthday, and...

Well, Laura and I...
We, uh...

Laura and you what?

We thought lt'd be nice if we
picked the berries for the pie.

I think that would
be very nice.

Aren't you gonna
fish for a while?

You know what you
always say, pa...

Never put off till tomorrow.

Don't be late.

We won't.

Thought you were
going to tell him.

I decided to wait.

For what?

A miracle.

The girls still
aren't down?

No.

Girls!

Charles: Mary! Laura!

Hey, what's going on?

You're not even
dressed yet.

We're too sick
to go to church, pa.

Sick?

The both of you?

Mary?

Let me feel
your heads.

Don't seem
to have any fever.

Open your mouth
wide.

Ah. Wider.

Ah.

They look
all right to me.

I'm awful sick, pa.

Me, too.

We just can't
go to church, pa.

We have larungeetis.

You have what?

Mary: Larangutus.

Charles:
Larangutus?

How long you think this
"larangutus" is gonna last?

We need a few more hours
to get over it, pa.

Well, maybe by the time
ma and Carrie and I

get back from church,

you'll be
feeling better then.

I'm sure
we will, pa.

We just have to get
our strength back.

Yeah.

First of all,
it's pronounced "laryngitis,"

and it means
you can't talk.

Now, what's this all about?

Why don't you want
to go to church?

Come on. You certainly
can talk, so tell me.

Please, pa. We couldn't
face reverend Alden.

Well, what's the reverend
Alden got to do with it?

Well, you see, today
being his birthday,

we were going
to surprise him.

Nobody
wanted the medicine.

What medicine?

The medicine we bought
in the catalog.

We tried to sell it
to make extra money

so we could get him
a grand Bible.

Well, where did you get the
money to buy the medicine?

Come on.

It's the sunday-school fund.

Laura: It was my fault, pa.

I saw it first.

But I was in charge
of the money,

and I wrote
the letter.

Laura: We just wanted
to get reverend Alden

the best Bible that we could.

Please, pa. We didn't
mean to do it.

Don't be mad at Mary.
Please, pa.

I think you two
better get dressed.

I don't want you
to be late for church.

But, pa..

There's no buts
about it.

Now, you made
a mistake,

and you're
gonna own up to it.

I'll be waiting
for you downstairs.

And this won't be easy
for you,

but you can't hide
what you did forever.

Go on, get ready.

Morning, reverend.

Well, good morning.

You're a bit early. Services
aren't for 30 minutes.

No, no. I know that. Mary
and Laura had something

they wanted to
talk to you about.

Alden: Well, you came at
a good time, girls.

Why don't you come up
and sit down?

Aren't you coming?

No, this is
something

you have to
do by yourselves.

I'll be outside with your mom.
Go on.

Alden: Oh, my.
Such long faces.

Charles: I feel
kind of sorry for them.

They really look scared.

This is what you bought with the
sunday-school treasury money?

Yes, sir.

The money was in your care.

You were instructed
to buy a Bible.

I talked her into trying to
get a better one, that's why.

It was my fault.

It was not, Mary.
It was my fault.

Alden: I suspect you both
had a part in it.

The question is, have you learned
anything from this mistake?

Both: Yes, sir.

Alden: You're sure?

We won't do it again, reverend.
Never.

That's the truth.

Not ever.

I'd like you
to leave this with me.

Would you like to
join your parents now?

Both: Yes, sir. Thank you.

Harriet!

Yes?

Would you hurry up?

We're going to be
late for church!

Oh, for heaven's sakes,
would you stop bellowing?

I'm coming.
Children!

Come on. Come on. Hurry up, now.
Let's go.

Not yet. We haven't wrapped
reverend Alden's Bible.

Why not?

We wanted to
show it to you.

Yes. See?
His name in gold.

I know it'll be his best present
because it's the most expensive.

Yes, well,
I'm sure the lord

will take that
into consideration

when he listens
to prayers.

Harriet: Oh, nels.

Welcome.

Good morning.

The sermon for today
is on the gift of love.

Now, there once was a man that
wanted to show his love for a friend

by giving him a gift.

And this man was rich in love,
but he was poor in worldly goods

and when he went home
and counted his money,

he found that he
couldn't purchase the gift

that he thought
to give his friend,

and he was sad.

And his sadness was felt
by all who knew him.

But then he decided he'd
plant a crop for his friend,

but that, too, failed.

The man was heartbroken.

But when the friend heard of
what he had endured for him,

he was overcome.

He embraced the man and he wept.

For it was not
the gift that counted.

It was the love that was
in the man's heart.

This old Bible was used
by my father.

He gave it to me
when I was a boy.

Over the years,
I've acquired many bibles.

Newer bibles, fancier bibles.

When you're a minister,
everyone gives you a Bible.

But this particular Bible
is very precious to me.

The cover's worn,

the pages are yellowed...

But that doesn't subtract from the
inspiration that's within it.

This old Bible's like love.

The older it gets,
the better it becomes

because it's so precious to me.

Today's my birthday,
and I have received

a very special gift from
our sunday school children...

This case.

Now, how did they know that
I'd always wanted a case

to carry my favorite Bible
and keep it safe?

This one's exactly right.

I'll always Cherish it

because it comes from
children I Cherish

and will now contain
a gift from my father.

And to all of you...

Love each other.

Care about each other.

Forgive each other's
mistakes,

and we'll all
be bound closer together.

For, like this case
and this old Bible,

it's the gift of love

that's the greatest gift
of all.

Now, would you all join me

by turning to page 196
in your hymn books

while we stand and sing
"Jesus and his love"?

♪ You have often heard
the story ♪

♪ Of Jesus and his love ♪

♪ He left his home
in heaven high ♪

♪ Yon shining cords above ♪

♪ Jesus came to save
poor sinners ♪

♪ To set the prisoners free ♪

♪ He still gives on life's
precious love ♪

♪ He's a friend to you and me ♪