A HAPPY New Year to you all, dear young friends; and how pleasant it would be if we could send the same good wish to all who were once our “young” friends, so many of whom are now grown-up men and women, and living in all parts of the world! But to you, bright and glad in your holidays, we wish every one of you a happy New Year.
There is a sweet little story told of a small child, who was looking at the picture of the mothers of Salem bringing their children to Jesus. Some of these mothers had their hands placed upon the backs of the little ones, as if gently helping them to Jesus. The small child was asked if it was not a pretty picture. “No! I do not like it,” she said. “What, dear, not like this picture of the children coming to Jesus?” “No,” said she. “Then why not?” “I would go without the pushing,” replied the happy little maiden, and that sweet answer was heard in heaven, I am sure.
Now, with a new year, let us have for a New Year’s text―
“COME UNTO ME.”
Jesus invites us over and over again in His blessed Book, and, if you are young, He says so kindly, “Suffer the children to COME UNTO ME, and forbid them not.” So come, every one of you. Yes, and I hear the happy children say, “I will go without the pushing.”
In the East, the shepherd carries the wee lamb in his bosom—just the little one, which is too small to run after him. So the Bible says of Jesus, “He shall carry the lambs in His bosom.” Some of you came to Jesus two or three years ago, and for you let this be a New Year’s text— “FOLLOW ME.”
In the tenth chapter of John we read these words of Jesus: “My sheep hear My voice, and THEY FOLLOW ME.” Try to follow close up to the Shepherd. The shepherd in the East will pluck a herb from off the rock, or a fresh bunch of mulberry leaves from the tree, and will give sweet morsels to the sheep that follow close to him. And the happy boy or girl is the one who keeps close to the Shepherd’s feet and side. Such an one has always something sweet from the good hand of the Lord.
There is another little word which we may take from the first chapter of the first epistle to the Thessalonians. Those dear and bright believers were turned to God― “To wait for His Son from heaven.”
WAIT FOR HIS SON, dear young christian friends, for Jesus is coming. He will shortly be here. In a little while the everlasting spring will come. How happy are they who have come to Jesus, who now follow Him, and who wait for Him to come again from heaven!