ABNER and David were little boys who loved the Lord Jesus, and believed in Him. While free from anxiety, like most children, still they had a conscious “peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,” and it was evident that much of their inward peace sprang from a sense of God’s constant care over them. And the continual consciousness of His presence and power, so far from casting a gloom, was that which seemed to impart peace to their little hearts. Both of them made such remarks as these: “God is in this room;” “God is close beside us;” “He is in this field;” “God takes care of us all day.” David sometimes broke out in his play, “God sees what me thinking about;” “God looks at my heart;” “God is in my crib as well as I.”
This confidence in a heavenly Friend caused them to keep cool in time of fancied danger, and often composed when grownup persons were alarmed. In thunderstorms they would of their own accord say, God makes it thunder; it cannot hurt us, except God allows it.” Indeed, they seldom failed to speak thus; and David generally added, “If God was not to keep me I should not be alive, even when there is no thunder.”
Abner and David were children that would not lie; they feared a lie, and in their spirit there was no guile. A saying often in their mouths was, that would be doing a lie;” or “making a lie;” or “You know whoever maketh a lie shall not get into heaven.”
A book seemed only acceptable to them according to its truth; for they hastily asked, “Is it true? Is it all true? May I believe it all?” And if answered, “No,” they immediately said, “O, then I don’t want it; I don’t wish to read it.” To the Bible they always turned with joy and comfort; and even David, though unable to read it, used to say, “It’s all true, papa. There is no mistake in the Bible—God’s Book—has no vanity in it.”
ML 12/24/1916