A CHILD NAMED Mary had been going to Sunday School for some time. She was only about seven or eight years old, but she had learned enough to know that she was a sinner, and that Jesus was the only Savior. She loved Him, and prayed to Him every day. Mary’s parents were careless, wicked people, who never thought about God or heaven. One night Mary’s father was taken suddenly ill. His illness was very alarming. The poor man saw death staring him in the face. He felt that he was a sinner, and not prepared to die. He asked his wife to pray for him. She said she didn’t know how to pray. “Oh, what shall I do?” he exclaimed, “how can I die with all my sins upon me?”
“Mary has learned a great deal about the Bible, at Sunday School,” said his wife; “Suppose I call her. Perhaps she can tell you something that will comfort you.”
“Call her at once,” said he.
Mary was called, out of her sleep, to the bedside of her dying father. “Mary, my child,” said the poor man, “I’m going to die; but I feel that I’m a great sinner. Can you tell me how a sinner like me can be saved?”
“Oh, yes, father,” said Mary. “Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners” (1 Tim. 1:15).
“But how does He save sinners? And will He save such a great sinner as I am?”
“Jesus says, in the Bible,” replied Mary, “‘Come unto Me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest’ (Matt. 11:28). ‘God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life’ (John 3:16). ‘Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out’” (John 6:37).
“Does the Bible say all that, Mary?” asked the dying man with great earnestness.
“Yes,” said Mary; “those are the very words I learned in Sunday School.”
Then he asked Mary to kneel down and pray for him. So she kneeled down and prayed that God would have mercy on her dear father; that He would pardon his sins and save his soul, for Jesus’ sake.
In the morning, when Mary woke up, her father was dead. But he died believing the words that Mary had told him from the Bible, and he found peace in believing them.
“Out of my bondage, sorrow and night,
Jesus, I come! Jesus, I come!
Into Thy freedom, gladness and light,
Jesus, I come to Thee!
Out of my sickness into Thy health,
Out of my want and into Thy wealth,
Out of my sin and into Thyself,
Jesus, I come to Thee.
Out of the fear and dread of the tomb,
Jesus, I come! Jesus, I come!
Into the joy and light of Thy Home,
Jesus, I come to Thee!
Out of the depths of ruin untold.
Into the peace of Thy sheltering fold,
Ever Thy glorious face to behold,
Jesus, I come to Thee.”