A merchant had been successful in business, and was very well off. He was born in New England, and had a pious mother who had taught him faithfully the truths of God's holy Word. But, when he grew up, and moved away from home, he became acquainted with a number of men who said they did not believe in the Bible. They were what we call infidels. He adopted their views and became an infidel, too. He had given up going to church, and did not have a Bible in his home. But he had a bright little boy about seven years of age. This was the only child he had. His name was Theodore, and his father was very fond of him.
"One evening," says this man, "when I came home, Theodore was lying on the bed partly undressed. My wife and I were sitting by an open fire in an adjoining room. She had been telling me that Theodore had been naughty that day, and that she had punished him for it.
"All was quiet, when suddenly he broke out into a loud crying and sobbing. I went in and asked him what was the matter.
"I don't want it there, father! I don't want it there!"
“‘What, my child—what is it?'
“‘Why, father, I don't want the angels to write down in God's Book, all the naughty things I have done today. I don't want them there; I wish they could be blotted out.' And then, in great distress, he broke out crying again.
"What could I do? To turn away from the dear child, in his heart-breaking sorrow, was impossible. There was nothing in the teachings of infidelity that would meet the case, and give the distressed child any comfort. And so, in spite of myself, I was obliged to fall back on what my dear mother had taught me about the Bible.
“‘Well, you need not cry, my dear child; you can have it all blotted out, if you want.'
“‘How, father? how?' he asked.
“‘Why, get down on your knees and ask God for Christ's sake, to blot it all out, and He will do it.'
"I did not have to speak twice. He jumped out of bed, and was on his knees in a moment. He was silent for a while, and then looking up to me, he said,
`I don't know what to say. Father, won't you come and help me?'
"What was I to do? I had not offered a word of prayer to God for years. But the dear boy's distress was so great, and he pleaded so earnestly, that, big man as I was, I got down on my knees, alongside my sorrowing child, and asked God to blot out his sins. Then we got up, and he laid himself down on the bed again. In a few moments he said:
`Father, are you sure it's all blotted out?' And then, in spite of my infidelity, I was compelled to say,
`Why, yes, my dear boy, the Bible says so; if you are really sorry for what you have done wrong, and if, from your heart, you have asked God, for Christ's sake, to blot it out, you may be sure that He will do it.'
"A smile of pleasure passed over his face, as he quietly asked,
`But father—what did the angels blot it out with?'
"Again putting my infidelity aside, I answered:
`With the precious blood of Christ.'
"Then he lay down and went quietly to sleep.
"When I went into the next room and told my wife what had taken place, both our hearts were melted. We wept like children. Then we kneeled down side by side, and asked God, for Christ's sake, to blot out our sins, and make us His dear children."