I had been passing a few days at a friend's in the country, and now on a Monday morning my friend had come down to the train with me to see me away. There was no person in the coach which I entered except an old woman. My friend bade me goodbye but he had no sooner left me, than a party of young people entered the train. They were out for pleasure and had no thought but amusement; the one thing important, the salvation of their souls, was apparently the farthest possible from their minds.
The train was at the point of starting when a young lady entered nearly out of breath as she had had to run to be in time. She had with her a pretty little girl, and they took the seat opposite me which was the only vacant seat in the car. The little one interested every one; she seemed perfectly at home, and at once proceeded to take off her hat, remarking:
"The elastic cuts me.”
Her pretty face was encircled with brown curls, and animated by the brightest of eyes. Seeing me smiling, she said to me:
"I am going to see my aunt Julia.”
"Do you love your aunt Julia?" I asked.
"O! Yes; she is so gentle.”
"And how old are you?" I asked again.
"Four years," she replied. Thus we conversed together, and the passengers who were near were very much interested in her frank and childish talk.
Passing through a tunnel presently, she became silent and drew closely to her mother, for the noise made by the train, and the total darkness into which we entered, strangely impressed the child.
For a little, conversation ceased, but generally those who live far from God, and especially those who live in the pursuit of pleasure do not like silence, as it brings them face to face with God. We emerged from the darkness for a moment, and then approached another tunnel, when a young man, with a tired and jaded appearance, stood up and called out in a tone of mockery and derision:
"Ladies and gentlemen; prepare yourselves; we are about to descend into hell.”
He said it, doubtless, because we were about to enter the second tunnel.
The little girl, greatly excited, cast herself upon her mother's knee, and encircled her with her arms, crying out: "No, no, mamma; I will not go down into hell, I believe in the Lord Jesus." Her mother, in a very distinct voice, replied, "No, my child, those who believe in the Lord Jesus will never go into hell.”
These words made a very powerful impression upon all those near, as the silence which followed proved.
For myself, I blessed God for this clear testimony to His Son, in such a place, and by the mouth of so young a child, and I recalled the words of our Lord Jesus, "Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings Thou hast perfected praise." Matt. 21:1616And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise? (Matthew 21:16).
I was to stop at the next station, and as the train drew up to the platform, I gave a farewell salutation to the lady and her little child, who were of those who would never descend into hell.
And you, my reader, are you of that company? Can you say in reality, "No, no, I shall not go down into hell, for I believe in the Lord Jesus.”