WINTER-TIME has come; a real winter, with snow everywhere and the ponds covered with ice. Charlie and his sister Molly are home for the Christmas holidays, and as before they return to school Charlie will be ten, Mother is asking him what he would like for his birthday treat. He is finding it very difficult to make up his mind; there are many different things he would like, and he cannot have them all. Have you ever been in a similar fix? Try this: think of something that would make others happy, and you will have the happiest birthday of your life.
We all look forward to our birthday, do we not? That is, what we commonly call our birthday, as it comes round each year; but really we have only one birthday, the day on which we were born. But, wait a minute; some of us have had Two Real Birthdays.
How can that be? you ask. Two boys were standing by the fire talking. "Willie," said the elder one, "it is just a year and a half since I began to live." "And I have not begun to live yet," said Willie in a sad voice. Do you know what these two boys meant? One meant that it was just eighteen months since he first trusted in Jesus and started a new life—the life that Jesus referred to when he said to Nicodemus, "Ye must be born again"; and Willie meant that he was still unsaved. The writer of this article well remembers his Second Birthday.
It happened in the Christmas holidays, about a week before returning to boarding school. He had for some time been troubled about his sins, and also about the Lord's coming, and at times was in great terror lest he should be left behind when Jesus came. On the night in question—not a snowy day like our picture, but very wet—he was spoken to very faithfully about his soul by a lady staying in the house. At first he was offended and went away. While in this mood, in the quiet of his thoughts he asked himself, "Why do they seem so anxious for me to be saved?" Then he could not help admitting to himself that he would like to be; and before long the wonderful simplicity of God's plan of salvation came to his mind-he had heard it often before—how that we were all sinners and could do nothing to save ourselves; that Jesus had taken our place, and had borne the judgment for us; that there was nothing left for us to do but to believe it and to thank Him! At that moment with all his heart he believed, and went on his knees and simply thanked the Lord Jesus. He soon found his way to the one who had spoken to him and told her what had happened; and they rejoiced together. "With the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (Rom. 10:1010For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:10))
A good many years ago a copy of the magazine, Gospel Stories, found its way to New Zealand, and was given to a girl on her Twelfth Birthday. She read a piece entitled, "Are you one of God's children?" and soon after found her way to her father, trembling and weeping, and cried, "I want to find Jesus and I can't." Through God's word and the Spirit's aid she soon found the Savior. After evening reading and prayer Dorothy (who was the youngest) and her two sisters and brother went off to bed, but not to sleep. Dorothy was full of joy, saying, "I have two birthdays now"; and the others were deeply exercised. Before long Lily was saved, and they went into Netta's room to tell her. By ten p.m. all four were rejoicing in Jesus. Each had different exercises and experience, but each found the same Savior. Four saved in a few short hours! Praise God!
Now, dear boys and girls, let me ask each of you two questions: "Have you had a second birthday?" "Are you one of God's children?”