The members of a certain church worked well with willing hands and useful articles they made, to send to foreign lands.
A dear old Granny sewed with joy-, a patchwork quilt she made and as she joined the gaudy scraps, with every stitch, she prayed.
She took it to the vicarage and beamed with pride and joy,
No thought that it might useless be.
Could her sweet peace destroy? The vicar, knowing her warm heart, thanked her in kindly chat;
But when she’d gone, he said.’ Poor soul, what can-we do with that? The useful garments, large and small, into a box were pressed;
The quilt was spread across the top to cover all the rest.
The missionary received the box and soon its cords untied, but when he saw the patchwork quilt, he tossed it on one side. Just then a stately heathen chief came slowly walking by,
The brightly coloured patchwork quilt attracted his keen eye.
‘Oh what a pretty thing is this. Ah this is very nice!
If you will sell this cloak to me. I’ll pay you great big price.
Before the startled missionary a ready answer found,
The chief said, ‘For this lovely cloak. I’ll give a piece of ground.
The man of God had prayed for land where he a church could build; so, at this sign of answered prayer, his heart with rapture filled. The bargain speedily was sealed; the chief then strode away;
The work of building this new church went on from day to day.
At last, the happy Christian flock met there in sweet accord, to hear the joyful gospel news, and praise their Saviour Lord.
Then, suddenly, the native chief strode down the aisle alone; the patchwork quilt across his back was like a mantle thrown.
With awe he listened as he heard how Jesus died to save, conquered the power of sin and death by rising from the grave. The chief believed, as faithfully the gospel truth was told;
And thankfully that sin-stained man was brought into the fold.
And so, a heathen chief was won, a mission church was built because a dear old praying, soul had made a patchwork quilt