THE prayer was over, the blessing was given, and the people rose to leave.
But little Faith still sat on. The old verger came up to her, and told her kindly that it was all done now, and she had better be thinking of going home, as it was getting late, and he was going to lock the church up.
“Please, sir," said little Faith, “do you think the minister would let me speak to him?”
“Ay, to be sure," said the old man “wait a minute and I'll ask him."
The minister was talking to an old lady, who had stopped behind the rest to tell him of someone who was ill, and wanted to see him. As soon as she had done speaking the verger went up to him, and, pointing to Faith, said, “Here’s a little girl as has been sitting by me in the meeting, wants to speak to you, sir."
The minister called Faith to him, and asked her what she wanted.
“Please, sir," said the child,” I won't never do it again."
“You won't do what, my child?” said the minister.
“I won't never doubt Him again," said little Faith. “It was very wrong, I know it was—Mother Mary said so; but I won't do it no more, I won't. Did He tell you to speak to me, and to ask me that? "
The minister looked very puzzled.
“What does she mean, Barnes?” he said to the old verger. “When did I speak to her, and ask her anything? I cannot remember that I ever saw her before."
“Please, sir," said Faith,” it was just now when I was a-sitting there by him. I was very tired with walking about all day, and I was very nigh asleep, and then I heard you calling of me, and asking that."
“I think you must have been dreaming, dear child," said the minister; “I never asked you anything."
“Didn’t you? “said little Faith, in a very disappointed voice. “Oh! I thought it was you; it must have been a dream, then! "
“What was it, dear? “said the old lady, who had been putting on her cloak whilst they were talking. “What did you think Mr. Barker asked you?”
“Please, ma'am," said Faith, with tears in her eyes, “I heard somebody saying to me, ' Little Faith, wherefore didst thou doubt ? ' and I thought it was the minister, and that Jesus had told him what they called me, and all about me."
“Oh, I see now, I think," said the minister kindly; “is your name Faith?”
“Yes, sir," said the child, “Faith Emmerson."
“It was in the chapter I read tonight," said Mr. Barker to the old lady. “Don’t you remember Jesus said to Peter, o thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?’ "
“Yes! of course," said the old lady, " that was it. Poor child! wasn't it strange ? "
“Then Jesus didn't tell you about me, after all? “said the child.
“No," said Mr. Barker, " He did not tell me about you; but I am sure, if you have been doubting Him, little Faith, that He has sent you here that I might ask you that question. I am quite sure He meant it for you. Now will you not tell me why you have been doubting Him? what was it about ?"
Little Faith burst into tears. “Oh, please," she said,” Mrs. Gubbins says I'm taking bread out of the children's mouths, so I've run away to be a little servant; and nobody wants me. I walked about all day asking of people, and there isn't nobody as wants me. I've asked at all the little shops, and none of 'em wants a girl just now ; and I've asked the folks in the street, and none of 'em wanted anybody neither. There isn't nobody wants me! And afore I started I asked Jesus to help me, and He hasn't helped me a bit yet, and now I don't know whatever I shall do to-night ! "
“Now," said the minister, “I want to hear all about it. Sit down on the seat beside me, and tell me. And first, who is Mrs. Gubbins?”
Little Faith sat down beside the minister, and little by little he got from her her history and when she had told him all, and he understood quite well what she wanted, he turned to the old lady, who was waiting and listening also, and asked her advice as to what was to be done.
“Don’t you think you had better go home to your father to-night, Faith, and stop with him till I hear of a situation for you?” said the old lady.
“Oh! please not," said Faith. “I don't want never to go back to Mrs. Gubbins again. What would she say? She'd maybe be ever so angry with me. Oh, please don't send me back till I can tell them I've got a little place! "
“Well, Mr. Barker," said the old lady, after thinking for a minute or two, “I’ll take little Faith home with me to-night. She may stop with me till Monday, and then we can talk about it again, and see what can be done."
“That is indeed good of you, Mrs. Fraser," said the minister. “Little Faith, Jesus has heard your prayer, you see, and has sent this kind lady to help you."
Little Faith was smiling very happily now, poor child she felt as if the burden had been rolled away from her.
They went out of the vestry, and walked through the old church, where Barnes was busy putting out the gaslights. Then they came to the church porch, and Faith could see her father. He was still standing behind the stall, holding up his wares to the passers-by.
“Please, ma'am," said Faith to the old lady, “that’s my father."
“Had not we better go and tell him, Faith?" she said.
“No, please not," said little Faith, not till I've got a little place; please don't tell him now."
So when they got to the gate the old lady and Faith went the other way round the church. The minister said, “Good-night," for he was going to see the sick person of whom Mrs. Fraser had told him.
Mrs. Fraser took hold of Faith's hand, and they went on down several streets till they came to the old lady's house. They stopped before the door, and Mrs. Fraser rang the bell. It was not at all a large house, but it looked very grand and beautiful to little Faith. There was a small bow window on one side of the door. The venetian blinds were down, but not closed, and the flickering of the firelight within looked very comfortable and inviting.
The door was opened by a clean, tidy servant, in a white muslin apron and white cap.
“Now, Ellen," said her mistress,” I've brought this little girl to spend Sunday here; will you give her some tea, and take care of her? Now, Faith, go with Ellen; I am sure you will be happy with her."
Faith followed Ellen into the cozy little kitchen, where there was a blazing fire; and Ellen told her to sit down on a stool in front of the fire, whilst she got her mistress's supper ready.
Faith sat still, and watched Ellen moving about the kitchen, quickly and yet quietly, and setting out the supper tray very neatly and prettily; and she wondered if ever she would be so clever, and be able to be of so much use as a servant.
Then the tray was carried into the room, and Ellen came back to attend to Faith. She made the child take off her wet frock, and she brought down a warm jacket of her own for Faith to wear till her frock was dry. And then she gave her such a supper as Faith had not had for many a day, certainly not since Mother Mary died. The food and the hot coffee brought a color into her pale cheeks, and Ellen declared she looked "a sight better now."
Faith was very glad to go to bed, and slept very soundly after her long, tiring day.
The next day was Sunday, and what a happy Sunday it was for Faith! She went with Ellen to the old church, and sat beside her, and heard the minister preach and the people sing; and she thought it must be very like that in heaven where Mother Mary was.
Then after tea she and Ellen went into the dining-room to old Mrs. Fraser, and they read a chapter together in the Bible, and the old lady talked to them about it. Faith could read a little ; she had always gone to school when Mother Mary was alive, except on market-days, and then her father had heard her read to him as they sat together on the box behind the stall. Faith was very pleased to be allowed to read her verse in turn.
Mrs. Fraser chose the chapter which the minister had read at the prayer-meeting on Saturday night, and in which came the question which Faith had heard as she woke up from sleep: " O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt ? "
“Do you love the Lord Jesus, little Faith?” said Mrs. Fraser, when she had done reading.
“Yes, ma'am," said little Faith,” ever so much, I do."
“Why do you love Him, Faith?” asked the old lady.
“Please, ma'am, because He died for me; Mother Mary said I couldn't never go to heaven if Jesus hadn't died for me; she said God would have had to have punished me for being naughty so often, and couldn't never have taken me to live in His beautiful home, if Jesus hadn't been punished ' stead of me. It was good of Him, it was! "
“I am so glad you know that," said the old lady, " because we have no right to call God our Friend, little Faith, till we have come to Jesus as our Savior. Many people talk about God helping them, and God being merciful to them, and yet all the time they never come to God through Jesus, never take Jesus for their own Saviour. But you have done that; haven't you, little Faith? "
“Yes, please, ma'am," said little Faith. “Mother Mary taught me a hymn, to say when I said my prayers of a night and morning. It begins:
Just as I am—without one plea,
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bidst me come to Thee,
O Lamb of God, I come.
And I try to come every time I say it."
“Dear child," said Mrs. Fraser, “I am so glad of that. And now, little Faith, I am sure you have a Friend in Jesus, and so you must never doubt Him, Little Faith, ' wherefore didst thou doubt? ‘Don’t forget that question; it grieves Him so if you doubt Him."
“Yes," said little Faith, “Mother Mary said so."
“Just think, Faith," said the old lady, “after I've tried to be kind to you, and taken you in here, and am trying to make you happy, and am ready to do anything I can for you, if you were to doubt me and to say : I don't think Mrs. Fraser will give me any breakfast to-morrow,' or I don't think Mrs. Fraser will really look out for a place for me,' and I don't believe this,' or I'm so afraid of that,' why, little Faith, what should I think of you ? "
Little Faith laughed.
“I wouldn't never do that," she said.
" No, little Faith," said the old lady, " you wouldn't doubt me ; then do you think you ought to doubt the Lord Jesus, who has done so much more for you than I have done ?"
“No," said Faith, " I must never do it again."
Then Mrs. Fraser knelt down, and prayed that she and Ellen and Faith might always trust their Heavenly Friend, and never doubt His love, but that every time they felt tempted to do so, they might hear His tender, loving voice saying to them as He did to Peter, " O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?"