I read to her the fifteenth of Luke, and tears rolled from these sightless eyes. Not tears of sorrow now, but tears of joy, as she heard of One who was ready to receive her just as she was—a sinner—and make her His own child. Soon that sad face lit up with joy. She received Christ into her soul, and the heart of the blind girl was dark and sad no longer. Often I went to read to her, and teach her to knit, and it. was delightful to see from day to day how God in His grace opened the heart of blind Maggie to receive the truth.
One day I went in, and found her very bright. “Oh!” she said, “I have been anxious to do something for Jesus, who has done so much for me, and so, as I sit at my knitting, I try to make up some little hymns to tell of His love. Perhaps, ma’am, if I say them to you, you will write them down, and read them to those you meet from time to time, for I wish to speak of His love to others. He saved me, and how can I, a poor blind girl who never gets out, to tell of His love?
Dear children, you are not blind, and you can get out, and you may be converted too. Have you ever really in your hearts desired to tell others of the love of Jesus, like poor blind Maggie?
She had not, like you, learned to read and write, but her heart had learned to love Jesus, who gave His life for her, and from that blind little girl, who sat all day long on her wooden stool, He got that which was joy to His heart. Would you like to hear some verses of the hymns she composed to tell to others the love of Jesus? I got them printed, and often gave them away. They are very simple, but tell of a heart that had joy in Christ. You may have some hymns that are better, in your many hymn-books, but remember that this little girl had never been taught anything, yet her heart could tell of the work and love of Jesus in these little verses, so I write out a few for you.
This little hymn tells of her own joy at having found the Saviour:—
“I have found the Saviour,
I have found the Saviour,
And feel His precious love in my soul;
A new song I will raise,
To my great Redeemer’s praise,
And His name I ever will extol.
I was a wanderer,
I was a wanderer,
From Jesus my Saviour and my Lord;
I took my evil way
And from Jesus I did stray,
Nor would I be guided by His word.
I was once a stranger,
I was once a stranger,
And far from my Shepherd and my God;
But now I know His voice,
And He makes my heart rejoice,
And I’m washed in His own precious blood.
I am bound for glory,
I am bound for glory,
And Jesus the Shepherd is my guide;
Nor will He ever leave
Those that in His name believe,
So long as they in His love abide.
Jesus is my portion,
Jesus is my portion,
Now I have found redemption in His name;
I know that He is mine,
And I feel His love divine,
Hosannah! forever to the Lamb.
Jesus has ascended,
Jesus has ascended,
Our glorious mansions to prepare;
In yonder happy land,
Where there’s joy at God’s right hand,
And fulness of pleasure shall be there.”
This, dear children, was one of the first hymns, she ever repeated to me. Perhaps you will think you can repeat some much nicer ones, but I love Maggie’s hymns, for they tell of a heart’s love for the Lord. The next one I shall write for you she called
“Trust in the Saviour.”
“While in this vale of tears I roam,
‘Mid cares and toils, far from my home,
I’ll trust the Saviour’s love divine,
For I am His, and He is mine.
While gazing on that blest abode
Where dwells the spotless Lamb of God,
And soar beyond the reach of woe.
ML 06/24/1906