THE following story of a little child was told me by the mother herself, though, alas, she did not know the blessed Saviour who had won the heart of her little boy. She was a hard working-woman—helping to support her family by letting lodgings. She had many children; and this little one, the youngest, three and a half years old, was sent for the whole of each day to an infant school, the mother being too busy to attend to him. There he heard of Jesus, and of His love for little children.
The mother told me that it had been her practice to give to each child, as soon as it was able to understand anything, a book with Scripture pictures. She had never felt her own need as a sinner, and could not therefore teach them about the Saviour—the One who died for sinners. But, as she expressed it, she did not wish them to grow up without "religion."
The book of which her dear Charlie became possessed was a well-known one for children—" Peep of Day"—in which a picture of Jesus blessing little children greatly attracted him; and so often had it been turned to by his little hands, that it was torn from its place.
Charlie's mother loved her little son, and entered with tender care into his childish interests. His one great wish was for the time to come when he should lay aside his frocks for knickerbockers; a great event to a small boy. His mother promised that when she had made him two pairs, he should begin them; and he begged that his frocks might then all be given to a little girl at the school, of whom he was very fond.
At length the new garments were ready, and on the morrow he was to put them on. So eager was the child about this, to him, great event, that he asked to have them on the same evening, so as to feel what it would be to wear them; and when he was attired in them, such was his delight that he could hardly be made to put them off and go to bed.
In the morning, when his mother went to call him, he said, "Mother, I'm not going to get up to-day."
Surprised, she said, "But, Charlie, remember your knickerbockers!”
“Yes, mother," he replied,” I know. But they don't wear knickerbockers in heaven, and I'm going to heaven. I've seen Jesus, and He said so" —beckoning with his hand— "'Come, My little lamb; come, My little lamb'; and I'm going to Him."
The mother could not understand it; the child appeared well; but she let him have his way, and he had his breakfast in bed. All the forenoon he lay in her lap, and there dozed heavily; waking only to repeat a verse or try to say a hymn, and then he dozed again.
He had bat one thought in his mind, and that related to his favorite picture, and all that he asked for was this picture. The book was found, but the page was gone; where it could be, the mother could not say. However, Charlie had “seen Jesus," and his heart was satisfied.
Very softly little Charlie slept away. At three in the afternoon he was with the Saviour who had called His little lamb; with Him who came "to save that which was lost." (Matt. 18:11.)
When his frocks were collected for his little friend, the treasured picture was found carefully folded in a piece of thick paper in one of the pockets! What a sweet voice of Charlie's love to the Lord.
That little lamb was one of those that had been given to the Lord by the Father. He had died to save him. To that dear child, unknown as one belonging to Him, and in that house, where not another soul had tasted His love, Jesus had revealed Himself; and had made him content and glad to leave everything that had held his little heart to earth, to be with Him in heaven.
And so it ever is. When we have “seen Jesus," when the heart is satisfied with Him, the things of earth are not worth looking at.
“He that cometh to Me," the Lord Jesus says; not “he who once came," but " he that cometh to Me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst."
(John 6:35.) S. C.