I AM going to ask a favor of you, Mrs. Bell. If you do not object, I should be very pleased to take your granddaughter to school with me next Sunday.”
Miss Lee had made the foregoing request somewhat timidly. Her motive for calling on Mrs. Bell had been a real desire to bring her orphan grandchild, Lottie, under the sound of the gospel; something, too, of pity for the lonely little girl, perhaps made her wait more anxiously for Mrs. Bell's reply.
“You are very kind, Miss Lee, and I am much obliged for the interest which I am sure you take in Lottie. But letting her go to the Sunday school is quite out of the question. I have not even sent her to day school, because I do not wish her to make acquaintances among the neighbors' children. But, though her education has been carried on at home, I flatter myself that her progress in her studies is equal to that of most girls of her age.”
Miss Lee, though discouraged, felt she must make one more effort, so she pleaded: “But I do not ask you to let Lottie become a regular scholar. Do allow her to go just for once. It would be a change for her, and I will promise to look well after her.”
So at last Mrs. Bell's consent was given, though not very willingly. "Yes, Lottie might go just for once, it could not do her any harm," her grandmother said.
Lottie thought Sunday was a long time coming, but it came at last, and, to her great delight, Miss Lee called as she had promised for her little friend.
A quarter of an hour's walk brought them to the schoolroom, and Lottie was at once taken to the Bible class, though younger by several years than any of her class-mates. A loving, earnest teacher, Miss Mills, won her young heart long before the afternoon's lesson was ended, and a real desire to become a regular scholar seemed to fill her mind. At the close of school, Miss Mills, addressing her new pupil, said kindly, "Do you wish to join our class? Shall I write your name in the register?”
Lottie's eyes were filled with tears, as she answered: "Yes: Miss, I wish it very much indeed; but I am afraid that my grandma will not allow me to come again.”
Miss Mills drew the little girl close to her and said gently, "Shall I tell you what I would do, Lottie? I would take your desire to God in prayer. He can do all things, and is quite able to make your grandma willing to let you come. Now good bye, but remember, I shall quite hope to see you next Lord's day.”
Pray about going to school! that was quite a new idea to Lottie; but many times during the week that followed, in her own simple words, she asked the Lord to please let grandma say yes about her going to school; but it was quite late on Saturday evening, before she found a good opportunity to ask permission.
With flushed cheeks and a quickly beating heart, she watched for Mrs. Bell's reply. It came at last.
“I do not see any good reason why you should not go sometimes if you wish it. But remember, Lottie, if I find your going to Sunday school makes you less attentive to your home lessons, I shall forbid your going at once.”
Lottie was quite ready to promise redoubled diligence in her studies, and the smile with which her teacher and herself greeted each other, when Lottie took her place in the class on the next Sunday, told that they understood each other's joy at the meeting. From the first, Lottie was deeply interested in the simple Bible teaching Miss Mills gave her scholars, and very soon the question of her childhood, How could she escape from the wrath of God? came with deeper meaning than it had ever done.
Lottie still read her Bible and heard from the lips of her teacher much about the Lord Jesus Christ and His work upon the cross. But she did not really understand the way of salvation. Like many others, she was trying to make herself good, instead of simply taking her place before God, as a sinner for whom the Savior died.
She wanted very much to ask the teacher to tell her what she must do to be saved; but in some respects Lottie was a shy, timid girl, and week after week passed away leaving her question still unasked.
More than once, Lottie wrote a note telling the teacher her trouble. But not one of all her notes ever reached Miss Mills, for Satan, who always seeks to hinder souls from coming to Christ, would whisper, "You cannot give that note to your teacher, it is not written well enough," or "you have been holding it in your hot hand till the envelope looks quite soiled, you must write another." And so Lottie listened to the voice of the tempter, and did not open her heart to a friend who would gladly have pointed her to Christ, and Miss Mills never even guessed how the burden of unforgiven sin was pressing upon the heart of at least one little girl in her class.
But the Lord Jesus Christ, who had loved Lottie so much that He bore all her sins upon the cross, was leading her by the right way.
Reading had been one of Lottie's greatest pleasures ever since her small hands could hold a book, and in a short time she had read most of the books in the school library. One Sunday afternoon, the teacher who took charge of the library placed a book in her hand, saying as he did so, "You will like this, I think?" Lottie's only answer was "Thank you." The book did not look as if it would prove a very interesting one, for the binding was almost worn out and there were not any pictures in it.
It was a true story of one of God's servants, a man who, though poor in this world's goods, was the means of making many rich, by leading them to Christ. And Lottie read with great interest how once when a woman, who was very anxious to know how she could be saved, went to see him, he told her that all she had to do was simply to believe what God says in His word about the finished work of His Son. And then he read her a verse of a hymn:
“Believe on Him who died for thee,
And, sure as He has died,
Thy debt is paid, thy soul is free,
And Thou art justified.”
And as Lottie read, other words came into her mind—precious Bible words—"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." (Acts 16:3131And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31).) And then and there Lottie looked to Jesus and was saved, and, kneeling down by the chair where she had been sitting, she thanked God for His great love in giving the Lord Jesus to be her Savior. And so Lottie found a Friend, One who would always love and never leave her.
Dear young reader, can you say, "Lottie's Savior is MY Savior too"?
How many children now are stretch'd
Upon the bed of pain,
Where many weary, restless hours,
In sorrow they have lain.
How many children hungry are
With scarcely food to eat;
Who beg their humble, scanty store,
From those they chance to meet.
Yet here we are, in health and strength,
All satisfied with food;
How kind indeed is God to us—
How very, very good!
O surely this, His goodness great
Should make us think of Him;
For we deserve not at His hands
The very least of them.
But more He gives us; greater love
The Lord to us has shown;
The greatest gift that He has given
Is His beloved Son.
And never can true thanks ascend
For aught that we receive,—
For health or daily food, unless
We in His name believe.