In this day of popular contests for the title of beauty queen, fashion queen, or what-have-you, it is refreshing to the soul to read of a queen who was truly "of the blood royal," yet in real humility could own her allegiance to the King of kings.
Such a one was Victoria, a former queen of England. She, with other ladies of her court, could say with the prophet Jeremiah: "Thus saith the Lord... let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth Me." In fact, it is attributed to one of her "ladies" that when she read in the Scriptures, "Not many mighty, not many noble, are called," she rejoiced to find the letter "m" preceding a-n-y. Said she: "That letter m lets me in!" Indeed, the highest and the lowest are invited to be partakers of God's grace, not only for their own salvation, but, as workers together with God, to be able to show others the way.
A beautiful incident about Queen Victoria came to light some years ago, and has been published in various papers. As one editor says in writing about it: "Even a Queen can be a winner of souls to Christ." He then gives the incident as told to him by a young girl.
It was many years ago. My friend was about seventeen, and I was nineteen. Being unconverted, we often laughed thoughtlessly together about all religious things. She was an assistant at a shop in Cowes, and went one early-closing day to visit her aunt, a pensioner of Queen Victoria's, living on the Osborne estate. During that afternoon the Queen walked in and stayed for some time knitting and chatting with the old lady, and also had tea with them. After tea, her Majesty took a Testament from her pocket, saying she would read a few verses from John 14. This she did; then looking very kindly at the young girl, she said: "I wonder whether you are a Christian, my dear?”
Upon her replying, "Oh, yes, your Majesty," the Queen asked how did she know she was. The answer was, because she had been christened and confirmed. Queen Victoria made no remark, but gently said they would have a few words of prayer. She asked my friend to kneel down, adding that her aged friend and herself would bow their heads, as rheumatism kept them from kneeling.
Her Majesty then prayed, asking the Lord to open the eyes of her dear young friend and show her that without change of heart she never could become a child of God, and that no outward ordinances could in any wise save her soul. This petition she made in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
My friend, telling me of this, said: "Well, I have many times sung 'God Save the Queen,' but never did I dream to hear her Majesty pray to God to save me." My friend was converted, in the mercy of God, about one year later. We believe it was in answer to the Queen's prayer. Just before her twenty-first birthday she went to be with Christ, a star in the heavenly crown of a reigning earthly queen.