IT was a bright Sunday in July, as Susan Morley made her way through some narrow bye-streets, to the little ragged-school that was so dear to her heart, and from (Original Material Illegible) which on Sunday afternoons for the last four years nothing had ever kept her away.
It was a rough-looking place, which had formerly been used as a coal shed; but loving hands had hung the walls with sweet texts and pictures, and transformed it into a pleasant looking place within, while the humble appearance of its exterior had this advantage, that it attracted, while a grander building would have frightened away the very class of children it was so desirable to get hold of.
As Susan opened the door, a group of children followed her in, and one little girl said, “Please, teacher, you told us last Sunday that we were to try and say, ‘come’ to somebody else, and I have found two little girls on the street corner, who would like to come, may I bring them in?” The eager request was soon granted and two poor ragged, little children were brought in. Oh! how thin and wretched they looked. They seemed frightened at first, but Susan spoke kindly to them, and asked them some simple questions, amongst others, whether they had ever heard of heaven? The elder of the two looked at her thoughtfully and then said, “Isn’t that the place where nobody wants nothing to eat or drink?” Deeply touched by an answer which told so much, in a few short words of suffering and want. Susan answered, “quite right; heaven is a place where nobody wants for anything; every one there is quite happy. But can you tell how we may get there?” The strangers shook their heads, but a little girl named, Jane Hardy, said, “Please, teacher, for Jesus’ sake.”
“Now, tell me,” said Susan, “what you mean when you say, ‘for Jesus sake.’” “Please, teacher,” replied the child, “because Jesus came down from heaven to die for our sins, and if our sins are forgiven for His sake, we shall go to heaven when we die.”
“That’s right; it is only because of our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ’s great love in leaving His home above, and coming down to this earth to die for us that we can have any sure and certain hope of reaching heaven, as the little hymn says,
‘And this, not for any good thing we have
done,
But all for the sake of His well-beloved Son.’
And, now, tell me, if Jesus is willing to receive little children into His beautiful home?”
Almost with one voice the children answered, “Suffer the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not.”
Then Susan read to the children the story of the Good Shepherd, who goes out after the lost sheep, and never rests until He has found them; and she explained that by the “lost sheep” are meant those who have not known the love of Jesus in dying for them. Sheep are weak and unable to protect themselves, she said, and so, how feeble and helpless we all are in ourselves, and how we need the care and love of the Good Shepherd, to lead and protect us day by day.
Then she spoke to them of the tender love of the Good Shepherd for everyone, even the least and feeblest of His lambs; how He knows each little one by name, keeps His eyes always upon them, watches over them by night and by day, goes after the wandering ones, and brings them to Himself, and at length receives them into His own glorious home. The children all listened attentively, but perhaps the most interested were the poor little strangers, to whom it was so new. When school was over all stood up and sang together the sweet hymn beginning:
“Jesus is our Shepherd
Wiping every tear
Folded in His bosom
What have we to fear.”
Then the children went to their homes, but Susan took care not to lose sight of her two new pupils. She soon found they were homeless and motherless and had to beg for what food they could get, so she took them home with her, and after feeding them well, and procuring for them some better clothes, she found a place where they would be cared for, and brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Perhaps another day I may be able to tell you more of them, and of Susan’s ragged school.
ML 03/14/1909