There are two little boys that I know, called Arthur and Bertie. Arthur is nine years old, and Bertie six. They are both dear little fellows, and they know Jesus as their Saviour, and are trying to please Him. They both get up very early in the morning, and go to bed with the birds at night. When the two little boy-birds are in bed, I often go into their room to say “good-night,” and kiss the rosy faces. Then the little arms are thrown round my neck, and I am held prisoner.
“Please stay, do now! You’re not going yet! I’m not going to let you!” from one little bed.
“Hold her fast, until she promises to stay and talk to us!” from the other.
“Well, I promise!” Then the arms unclasp willingly, and there comes a sigh of content from both beds.
“Now talk—a nice, dear little talk—about Jesus!”
“Now come and sit by me!” “No, me!”
I compromise matters by sitting between the two little beds, with two soft hands in mine.
“Now begin—we’re all ready!”
And then I tell all about Jesus, and how He loved us and came down to die for us, and how He still loves little children, and takes care of them night and day, and about what they can do for Jesus in the world, and about heaven, and how Jesus is coming for us and we shall see Him.
“I hope He’ll come soon!” Artie says, pressing my hand.
“Might it be tomorrow?” asks Bertie.
“Yes, any day; but He doesn’t tell us the time, so that we may be always looking for him.”
“I wish all the little children would love Jesus, and be looking for Him,” says Arthur. “It would be so nice to be all looking together, wouldn’t it?”
“And then to have Him come for us while we were looking—wouldn’t it be delicious?” says wee Bertie.
And so we talk on, until I say that it is high time that all little birds were sleep, and go away, leaving a text with each of them to think over.
“The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
“Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” 1 Thessalonians. 4: 16, 17.
ML 09/20/1931