A FEW evenings since I heard the following touching incident, illustrating the faith of a little child: “I was walking along, speaking to a friend of God’s simple way of salvation through faith in the finished work of Christ. Warming with the subject, we took a circuitous round, and presently found ourselves at Victoria Station. Seeing that my friend’s difficulty lay in the lack of simple faith in the Word of God, I turned, and observing a little girl at some few yards, selling matches, I said, pointing to her, ‘Oh, if you had but the faith of a little child.’
“This attracted the notice of the girl, who, running up to me, said, ‘Cigar lights, sir!’
“‘No, my dear,’ I replied; ‘I do not smoke.’
“‘Oh, do buy a box, sir,’ she urged, in a kind of teasing tone. Not wishing to drive the poor child away, I said, ‘I do not smoke; what use have I for lights?’
“To this she again replied, ‘But do buy just one.’ The more I argued the more the little girl pressed me to purchase her lights. ‘What do you do all day, and when do you go home?’ I inquired, feeling an increased interest in her; it was then past eight o’clock.
“‘Oh, I go to school in the day; but, as mother’s ill, I come here at four o’clock to earn sixpence, then I go home.’
“‘How much have you now? Let me see what money you have?’ Half afraid, after fumbling about in the tiny pocket of her cotton dress, she brought out a few coppers, which, being counted, amounted to threepence.
“‘Why,’ I exclaimed, ‘you have been here more than four hours, and only earned threepence; you will never get the sixpence tonight!’
“‘Oh, yes; I shall earn sixpence—I always do’—she said, quickly, looking into my face with great earnestness; ‘I always take mother sixpence.’
“‘But tonight you cannot earn it, it is so late,’ I added.
“‘But I’m sure I shall, though,’ she replied.
“‘What makes you so sure, my child?’ For some moments she made no reply; but upon being pressed, looked up into my face and said, ‘Because before I come out mother and me always ask our Father to help me earn sixpence, and He always does.’ I was struck with the answer, being wholly unprepared for such a beautiful exhibition of simple faith in one so young, and in such circumstances. I then said, ‘What would you do if I gave you threepence?’ ‘Why, I would run home sharp to mother, now.’ And so she did, poor little thing, and left me wondering at her true confidence in God’s ability to hear prayer and send direct answers. Surely our Father in heaven is rejoiced by the trust thus displayed in this poor distressed mother and child.”
How many, dear children, there are who, being surrounded by every home-comfort know nothing of the simple faith and trust in God, exhibited by this little match-girl How small her wants—only sixpence—and that not to spend on herself for toys or sweets, but for mother—a sick mother. Yes; dear children, love to the Lord will eves make us happy, contented, and unselfish. Can you say as she did of God—That He is your Father—and do you “always” go to Him in prayer? If God is your Father, you will not be afraid to go to Him with all your cares and wants, for He can hear and will help, even as He always answered the prayer and gave the needed sixpence to the little girl. Remember the simple words, “We always ask our Father, and He always helps me to earn the sixpence.” The little girl had “faith for sixpence;” but Jesus says, “Ask and it shall be given you.”
G. D.