“MAY Lottie go to Sunday school? I would gladly call for her and see her home every Lord’s day, if you do not object.” And the speaker, Miss B., looked into the fair young face of Lottie’s mamma with a gleam of mingled love and entreaty that told very plainly what a real sorrow a refusal would be. Knowing and loving Christ, she had found it very happy work for Him to gather a class of little girls round her week by week, and tell them in simple words
“The old, old story,
Of Jesus and His love.”
“Lottie is so young, only four years old last month, too young to understand, I should think,” was the not very encouraging answer.
“Not too young to understand, for the Holy Spirit can teach even a very little child, that the Lord Jesus loves and died to save even a little one like her,” was Miss B.’s answer.
So Lottie’s mamma yielded, only saying, “Well, I know I can trust her with you, so if you do not mind the trouble, I shall be quite happy in letting her go.”
Lottie Elmer was an only child—the light and joy of her parents’ hearts and home. Brightly colored picture books, beautiful toys, a canary in a gilded cage, all told of their love and care for their darling Lottie; but they were themselves strangers to the Lord Jesus, so they could not lead her to Him—the Friend of sinners, the Savior of little children.
Miss B. did not forget the promise to call for Lottie, and the Sunday following the conversation at the beginning of my story, the little girl became a Sunday school scholar. Her school-time was very short—only four Sunday afternoons. She learned one text, only one— “The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:2020And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin: (Luke 19:20).) But why did Lottie go so short a time?
I can almost hear some of my little readers asking, Did she not like going or did she get tired so soon?
You have not guessed the right reason, so I will tell you. Before the fifth Sunday came Lottie was very, very ill. Her mamma sent for the doctor, but he looked grave and shook his head, almost as soon as he saw the little sufferer.
Lottie’s was a very short illness—only three days and nights—during which the kind doctor came and went, while her papa and mamma watched the precious little one they were so soon to lose; anxious, sad days for them, not for Lottie, for though sometimes in great pain, every now and then she would smile into the dear faces bending over her, and whisper, “The Son of man (that’s Jesus, mamma, the Lord Jesus, you know) came to seek and to save that which was lost;’ that’s me, your little Lottie. Jesus does love me.”
And so speaking, in lisping words, of the Savior who had loved and given Himself for her, darling Lottie fell asleep.
Another tiny grave where loving hands still plant spring flowers; the spirit of another little one safe and happy in the presence of Him who said when on earth, “Suffer the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of God.” (Mark 10:1414But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. (Mark 10:14).)
ML-06/06/1920