Children's Bible Ministry of Connecticut

The Jack-O-Lantern

The Irish have a folktale about a very mean and stingy man named Jack. They say that when he died Jack wasn’t allowed into heaven. The devil didn’t want him either, so he gave Jack a piece of burning coal and told him to put it in the large turnip Jack was eating. He said Jack must use this for a lantern and walked the earth until Judgment Day. The legend says that he is still walking with his lantern, looking for a place to stay!

People in Ireland carry lights carved out of turnips to scare away evil spirits. Children began making the lantern into faces to be used the evening before a festival known as Hallows’ Day or All Souls’ Day.

When the Irish came to America, they brought this story and custom with them. Instead of turnips, they use pumpkins and a candle for the light.

Are you glad we don’t need to use Jack-o-lanterns to scare off evil spirits and that when we die, we don’t need to roam the earth looking for a place to stay?

If you are a believing Christian, you know that the Lord Jesus, God’s Son will protect you from the evil one while you are living, and will receive you into heaven when you die.

If you are not a Christian, the Lord Jesus wants you to receive Him into your life as your only God and Saviour. God has said in His book, the Bible, "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God," but God is willing to forgive all your sins for Jesus’ sake if you will turn from yourself and your sins and put your trust in the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ died for our sins according to the Scripture. He was buried. He arose again the third day. "As many as receive Him to them gave He power to become the children of God, even to them that believe on His Name." John 1:12.