THIS cheerful cottage, with its sheltering trees and the children reading, calls to our mind many a pleasant hour spent in the country, when passing through a village, scattering the good news of God’s love from door to door, we have seen the children, gathered in groups, reading our sweet stories, which told them of Jesus.
Knocking first at one door and then at another, and asking all whether they know God, and are saved by the Lord Jesus, brings out strange and different answers. By some angry replies are given, by others laughing answers; a few sigh, and say, “Ah, would that we knew these things!” But here and there the cheerful voice boldly and thankfully blesses God for His love and His gift. “For 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 3:1616For 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).)
Let us today knock lovingly and earnestly at the door of each of your hearts, dear young friends. You have read our simple stories of the love of God, and of His Son dying for sinners, many times.
Do now, we beg you, answer these questions. Are you saved by the Lord Jesus? Do you know God?
There is a little boy, now seven years old, who, when he was four, was asked, “Who do you love best; your mother, or the Lord Jesus?”
He looked thoughtfully into his father’s face and answered— “I love Jesus best.”
“But has not your mother fondly cared for you and nursed you since you were a baby,” said his father.
“Yes,” replied the child, “but mother did not die for me, and Jesus did.”
Not long ago little Charley was asked by a friend of his, what made him so happy. “Jesus,” was his reply. “How do you know this,” further inquired his friend.
“I can feel Him in my little heart,” Charley answered.
Charley’s parents are hardworking people, who live in a cottage in the country, and only a short while ago he wrote a nice letter to his friend (J. B. H.) who tells us about him, saying that Jesus was his shepherd, and that he was Jesus’ lamb.
May each of you, dear young friends, be able to answer our questions with all the holy happiness of little Charley.