Yes, this promise was foretold in the prophecy of Isaiah (ch. 11), and how often it is a fact that a little child has been made a blessing to others. One such instance I knew and wrote about it in “The Friendly Visitor,” in November, 1884: so long since that I think my friends might like to hear of little Patty’s wisdom in 1920. She was brought up by godly parents and learned to love the Lord Jesus as a tiny child. A city missionary saw this little child resting her head on the curb stone and crying as if her heart would break. “My little dear, what is the matter?” I said. Trusting me at once, she looked up, saying, “Why did ‘ey do it?”
“Do what?” Looking up she opened a worn-out book at a picture of the crucifixion, saying, “Grandad says I helped to run the g’eat nails in. No—no! I’d have begged them not to do it. I’ve picked (pricked) myself to feel what Jesus felt.” (True.) “Oh, but you must not do that. Jesus died on purpose to save you and me, not to punish us like that.” “Grandad said God was angry with them for killing Him; but if He meant Him to die for us why was He angry?” (True).
I felt posed at my youthful reasoner, but asking the Holy Spirit to give me the right answer, I replied: “God was angry because wicked people liked to do it. I thank God He has filled you with love to Him.” “I do love Him. Will on come and. see Granddad and Daddy and Mammy?” I soon became a fast friend to the dear old man, who had only been converted a year or so, and he, dear man, was always grieving that swearing and the use of bad words had always been in his habit, and now that he knew the Lord he felt “when I forget and use those dreadful words that I fresh run the nails into His precious hands. The good Lord forgive me.”
And now comes the wonderful fact that this darling child was the means of leading him to give them up. He was talking to her one morning. “Patty, my pet, you will pray you may always remember Jesus?” “Yes, yes, I’ll pray to remember Jesus; but won’t you pray that you may forget.” “Forget what? Forget Jesus, my child? No, never. I’ll never forget Him who never forgets me!” “No, Granddad, not forget Jesus; I s’ould tink not. But pray to forget those naughty words you’re always so sorry about afterward!” It was as if scales fell from his eyes. He knocked down at once for his daughter, and said, “Never mind the shop, but let us three kneel and pray together, for the Lord has opened my eyes. He knows how to forget our iniquities, and He can teach me to forget all evil.” And then his daughter added: “It is now three weeks ago, and Robert and I and Patty have never heard a wicked word pass his lips since, and he says he has not been troubled with an evil thought, for his peace has flowed like a river, and all through my Patty’s words, which God gave her.”
Reader, I am as sure as our old friend that God the Holy Ghost can enable us to forget evil, if we only ask in simple faith as he did. “I know that Thou canst do everything” (Job 42:2). Emily P. Leakey.