"I never thought she"d go afore I did. She used regular to read an" sing to me every evening, an" it was her talk an" prayers that made a Christian of me: you could a"most go to heaven on one of her prayers."
"Mother, mother come away," said a young man putting his arm around her to lead her back. "You"ll see her again."
"I know, I know: she said she"d wait for me at the gate," she sobbed as she followed him; "but I miss her sore now."
"It"s the old lady as Mrs. Lewis lived with sir," said a young lad standing next to Brother Gordon, as one and another still pressed up towards the little casket for a last look at the beloved face. "She was a Unitarian, and she could not hold out against Winnie"s prayers and pleadings to love Jesus, and she"s been trusting in Him now for quite awhile. A mighty good thing it is, too."
"You are right, my lad," replied the minister. "Do you trust Him, too?"
"Winnie taught me, sir," the lad made answer, and sudden tears filled his eyes.
[Ill.u.s.tration: "Mother, mother, come away." said a young man, putting his arm around her to lead her back. "You"ll see her again."]
A silence fell on those a.s.sembled, and, marveling at such testimony, Brother Gordon proceeded with the service feeling as if there was little more he could say of one whose deeds thus spoke for her. Loving hands had laid flowers all around the child who had led them. One tiny la.s.sie placed a dandelion in the small waxen fingers and now stood, abandoned to grief beside the still form that bore the impress of absolute purity.
The service over, again and again was the coffin lid waved back by some one longing for another look, and they seemed as if they could not let her go.
The next day a good-looking man came to Brother Gordon"s house and was admitted into his study.
"I am Winnie"s uncle, sir," he said simply. "She never rested till she made me promise to get saved, and I"ve come."
"Will you tell me about it, my friend?" said Brother Gordon.
"Well, you see, sir, it was this way. Winnie always had been uncommonly fond of me; and so was I of her,"--his voice broke a little--"and I"d never been saved, never felt, as I believed, quite right. Yet I knew her religion was true enough, and a half hour before she died she had the whole family with her, telling them she was going to Jesus, and she took my hand between her little ones and said, "Uncle John, you will love Jesus and meet me in Heaven, won"t you?" What could I do? It broke me all up, and I"ve come to ask you, sir; what to do so"s to keep my promise to Winnie, for she was an angel if there ever was one. Why, sir, we were all sitting with her in the dark, and there was a light about that child as though it shone from Heaven. We all noticed it, every one of us, and when she drew her last breath and left us, the radiance went, too; it was gone, quite gone."
The man wept like a child, and for a minute Brother Gordon did not speak.
Within a month the uncle was thoroughly converted, baptized, and a sincere follower of Christ. In the evening after this baptism, Brother Gordon sat reading in his study, thinking of his little child. "It is truly a wonderful record! Would we had more like her. Why do we not help the children to get saved, letting them feel that they are really one with us? We need their help fully as much as they need ours. "Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in Heaven.""
--L. C. W. _Copyright by B. Wood_, 1895.
A CHILD"S FAITH
Johnny Hall was a poor boy. His mother worked hard for their daily bread.
"Please give me something to eat, for I am very hungry," he said to her one evening.
His mother let the work that she was sewing fall upon her knees, and drew Johnny toward her. As she kissed him the tears fell fast on his face, while she said, "Johnny, my dear, I have not a penny in the world.
There is not a morsel of bread in the house, and I cannot give you any tonight."
Johnny did not cry when he heard this. He was only a little fellow but he had learned the lesson of trusting in G.o.d"s promises. He had great faith in the sweet words of Jesus when he said, "Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name he will give it you."
"Never mind, mama; I shall soon be asleep, and then I shall not feel hungry. But you must sit here and sew, hungry and cold. Poor mama!" he said, as he threw his arms around her neck and kissed her many times to comfort her.
Then he knelt down at his mother"s knee to say his prayers after her.
They said "Our Father," till they came to the pet.i.tion, "Give us this day our daily bread." The way in which his mother said these words made Johnny"s heart ache. He stopped and looked at her, and repeated with his eyes full of tears. "Give us this day our daily bread."
[Ill.u.s.tration.]
When they got through he looked at his mother and said, "Now mother, do not be afraid. We shall never be hungry any more. G.o.d is our Father. He has promised to hear us, and I am sure he will."
Then he went to bed. Before midnight he woke up, while his mother was still at work, and asked if the bread had come yet. She said "No; but I am sure it will come."
In the morning, before Johnny was awake, a gentleman called who wanted his mother to come to his house and take charge of his two motherless children. She agreed to go. He left some money with her. She went out at once to buy some things for breakfast; and when Johnny awoke, the bread was there, and all that he needed!
Johnny is now a man, but he has never wanted bread from that day; and whenever he was afraid since then, he has remembered G.o.d"s promises, and trusted in him.
--_Lutheran Herald_
TRIUMPHANT DEATH OF A LITTLE CHILD
Some years ago we knew a Brother and Sister G----, who told of the remarkable experience of their little girl, only seven years old, who had a short time ago gone home to heaven. The parents were devoted Christians who had taught their children to love and honor G.o.d. During little Ella"s illness she manifested wonderful patience and told of her love for Jesus. The morning she died she called her papa and mama to her side and said: "I have been in heaven all night. My room is full of angels and Jesus is here. I"m going to heaven." Then she asked them to promise to meet her there. As soon as they could control their feelings they made her the promise. Then she kissed them and called for her little brother and sister and other friends. She talked with each one in turn, telling them in substance, the same she had told her papa and mama, asking each one to make her the same promise, and kissing each one good-bye. That was a touching scene. Those who were there said it seemed more like heaven than earth to be in her presence. In the midst of many tears all promised her they would surely meet her in that bright and beautiful home to which she was going. Just before she died she asked her mama to dress her in white and also to dress her doll in white and put it by her side in her coffin. Then she folded her own little hands and closed her eyes and said, "Jesus is calling me and I must go now.
Good-bye," and she was gone.
Little Ella"s death was glorious and she is not the only one that has left us such bright, joyous testimony. We have ourselves known of many children and older ones who had quite similar experiences. And though we may not all see, before we die, all that Ella saw, if we love Jesus and do what he asks us to, he will surely fulfill to each of us his promise: "I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also."
--Editor
[Ill.u.s.tration: "I have been in heaven all night. My room is full of angels and Jesus is here."]
THE CHILD"S PRAYER
[Ill.u.s.tration.]
Into her chamber went A little girl one day, And by a chair she knelt, And thus began to pray:--
"Jesus, my eyes I close, Thy form I cannot see; If Thou art near me, Lord, I pray Thee to speak to me."
A still, small voice she heard within her soul-- "What is it child? I hear thee; tell the whole."
"I pray thee, Lord," she said, "That Thou wilt condescend To tarry in my heart And ever be my Friend.
"The path of life is dark, I would not go astray; Oh, let me have Thy hand To lead me in the way."
"Fear not; I will not leave thee, child, alone."
She thought she felt a soft hand press her own.
"They tell me, Lord, that all The living pa.s.s away; The aged soon must die, And even children may.
"Oh, let my parents live Till I a woman grow; For if they die, what can A little orphan do?"
"Fear not, my child; whatever ill may come I"ll not forsake thee till I bring thee home."
Her little prayer was said, And from her chamber now She pa.s.sed forth with the light Of heaven upon her brow.
"Mother, I"ve seen the Lord, His hand in mine I felt, And, oh, I heard Him say, As by my chair I knelt--