THE western sky was all aglow with the golden sunset, and the distant hills had a misty, purple hue spread over them. The birds were twittering their softest notes, and such a peaceful calm seemed reigning, that even merry Eva, generally so talkative, had scarcely found anything to say.
She had spent the afternoon with Edith, who had come to the country for her holidays, and who was now accompanying her half-way across the fields to her home in the little town nearby. To Edith, just fresh from a large, busy town, noted for its iron foundries, all country sights and sounds were delightful; and at length, pointing at the setting sun, she exclaimed:
“Look, Eva, isn’t it lovely! But does it remind you of anything?”
“No,” said Eva, “I don’t think so.”
“And the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass,” Edith quoted.
Eva said nothing; and then Edith began to wonder if her friend knew the Lord Jesus. She was very shy at speaking about these things, but she loved Jesus and longed to tell others of Him; so, slipping her arm round Eva’s waist she said almost in a whisper:
“Eva, shall you be there, and I?”
But Eva did not answer; and although Edith told her she knew that heaven was her home, and asked her again and again if she could say the same, she could get nothing out of her. As they said goodbye that evening, Edith said:
“Eva, dear, I shall pray for you, and I do hope that next time we meet, you will be able to tell me you have trusted in Jesus.”
But no! Eva was just the same as before. Not a word would she say about the Lord Jesus, whilst she could chatter merrily enough about other things.
The two children often saw each other, and each time Edith managed to get alone with Eva, when she would plead with her, and beg her to tell her something—to own it if she were not the Lord’s and not to treat the matter so indifferently.
“O, Eva! think how dreadful if Christ were to come, and you not ready!” she would say.
It grieved her very much to see how Eva laughed it off or tried to change the subject. And oh, how often and earnestly she prayed that her dear friend might be brought to feel her need of a Saviour before His coming.
At last the day came for Edith to go home. As she took leave of Eva at the door she managed, unseen by others around, to whisper, as she pressed her little friend’s hand, “Must I go without knowing that you are saved, Eva?” Eva only smiled as usual and made no reply, and Edith had to leave her.
Four years after, she heard from the friend at whose house she had stayed, that Eva had at last confessed Christ. She was at a gospel preaching where a hymn was being sung, in which the words occur, “Take me as I am” and suddenly their meaning was brought home to her by the Holy Spirit, and she sang them from her heart, and there and then “came to Jesus as she was.”
So dear little Christians, do not weary of praying for your playmates, and ask the Lord Jesus to give you courage and wisdom to tell of His love to others.
And oh! let me intreat you who are unsaved not to put it off any longer. It is now eight years since Edith first spoke to Eva, so it is eight years nearer the coming of Christ than that was, and “some guest will be the last!”
ML 01/20/1918