ADA and Isabelle, when little girls, were what are called, “bosom friends” —when one was to be seen, the other was never far off, and, what was more remarkable, they never had the least little quarrel; and yet, for all that, neither of them loved the Savior—they lived their little lives without Him. But God in love was watching over these two children, and was about to reveal His Son to them before the evil days come.
It happened in this way. A Sunday-school teacher, having failed to persuade them to attend school in which he taught, thought that probably he might succeed in getting them to come to his Bible class, and that thus two souls might be won for the Lord. They both came, and seemed very much interested, and soon became quite attached to their teacher, who always managed to bring in a little word for those who had not yet come to Christ.
One evening as he walked home with some of his scholars, he asked them, by the way, some questions concerning their souls’ salvation.
Turning to Isabelle, he said, “Can you say that you are now on the narrow path?”
“O yes, indeed I can,” was the prompt reply.
“Is it because you are a good girl?” asked he, wishing to make sure that she was not resting on any false hope.
“O, no,” she replied, almost crying at the thought. “If you only knew how miserable I have been because of my sins!”
“Then you have found out that you are a sinner?”
“Yes,” the child answered.
“Tell me how it came about.”
“Well,” said Isabelle, “for a whole week I had been so unhappy, and I kept saying to myself, ‘I wish I could say I am saved, but I was so afraid I would be telling a lie; and then, while you were speaking to us, the Lord seemed to say to me, Isabelle, you are wishing for something which I am offering you, and all you have to do is to simply take it.’ At once I saw it clearly, and I did take Jesus as my Savior, and many thanks to Him! I am so happy now!”
So teacher and scholar rejoiced together.
But my young readers will wonder what became of our other little friend Ada. Well, I must tell you how this good news affected her. The same evening that Isabelle had spoken to her teacher, he was pouring out his heart in thankfulness to the Lord, who had seen fit to use him to turn a soul to Him, and at the same time his little scholar was in her room with a troubled heart. She was thinking of her dear friend, Ada, who had not yet trusted the Savior. In the midst of her sorrowful thoughts, a quiet voice seemed to say, “Pray for her; prayer will be answered; it was answered for you.”
Was there ever a real prayer left un-answered yet? Before Isabelle rose from her knees, Ada was tossing restlessly on her bed. Thoughts had come into her mind which had never been there before. Her friend, thought she, was heavenward-bound, but where was she bound? The little girl wished the morning would come, so that she might run and tell Isabelle that she wanted to go with her to God’s beautiful home. Her thoughts ran on, till at last she fell asleep and dreamed that Isabelle had gone to heaven, and that she herself was left outside the gate!
Ada took the earliest opportunity to find her friend. Isabelle saw her coming, and ran quickly to meet her, and asked whether anything was wrong, and what it was that had brought her out so early.
“I cannot bear the thought of your going to heaven without me, Isabelle,” said Ada.
“So you are willing to come, too, darling Ada?”
“Yes, but how can I come?”
Then Isabelle pointed her friend to the Lord Jesus, who alone can save. After a while the light from above dawned upon her soul. She accepted Him as her Savior, and then both little friends were, heavenward-bound. How happy they both were, and they talked often together about the One who had saved them.
“When Jesus has found you, tell others the story,
That your dear Savior may be their Savior, too;
O! pray that your Savior may bring them to glory,
And prayer will be answered; ’twas answered for you.”
ML-06/27/1920