Part 6 (2/2)
”Say, read der whole verse,” said Jimmie.
”I know it without reading it; I learned it at my mother's knee before I could talk plain.”
”Well, git busy and say it then.”
”G.o.d so loved the world----”
”Loved der what?” asked Jimmie.
”The world,” said Dave.
”Go on,” as Dave hesitated.
”That He gave His only begotten Son----”
”Dat's Jesus, ain't it?”
”Yes, that is who it means.”
”Go on,” said Jimmie.
”G.o.d so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever----”
”Who?” asked Jimmie.
”Whosoever,” said Dave.
”Don't that mean you?” asked Jimmie.
”I'm afraid not,” said Dave.
”Den dis is der way ter read it,” said Jimmie, ”'Dat whosoever, 'cept Dave Beach, kin have everlastin' life.' Not on your fottygraff; it ain't writ dat way.”
”Well, in another place it says that if you know to do right and do it not it's sin,” said Dave.
”And dat makes yer a sinner, don't it?” said Jimmie.
”Yes, it does, and a bad one, too,” said Dave.
Jimmie put his thumb into his mouth to wet it and turned leaf after leaf. At last he said, ”Read dat.”
Dave took the book and looked hard and long in silence.
”Read her,” said Jimmie.
Dave read very slowly: ”This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.”
”Save what?” asked Jimmie.
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