or Dena’s Disobedience.
DENA Gray was an only child; her parents who for many years had lived abroad, had taken up their abode in the Island of Jersey, hoping that the mild climate might suit the health of Mrs. Gray, who for some time past had been a sufferer. Dena had been trained to implicit obedience, and she well knew that whatever her father or mother forbade her doing would ultimately be for her good, though at times she thought it rather hard not to be allowed to do as she pleased. It was so on the occasion of which I want to tell you, and Dena, generally bright and happy, was sad and miserable, and the tears would start unbidden to her eyes. The fact was; Dena had been disobedient, and though it had been kept a secret for days, she found her sin growing quite unbearable. She quite intended telling her mamma, but, as you know, dear children, every day we keep a sin secret it becomes harder to confess, and now poor Dena’s case seemed hopeless, for her mamma was so ill that she could not even see her little daughter. But how had Dena sinned? Let me tell you. She had been forbidden to go up to a granary adjoining the house where they lived. Many a time when returning home from her walks, she had looked up at it and wondered what kind of place it could be and thought how much she would like to explore it. Dena found it especially hard to resist going; as very often she was sent by her father to look through a little window upstairs, where she could see when the French and English mail boats were signaled on Fort Regent; this was a great pleasure, but it was somewhat spoiled by that closed door, which constantly stared her in the face, and at times the longing grew almost unbearable. At last— one day she yielded, and creeping stealthily up the steps when no one was near, she tried the door, and finding it open, went inside. Her curiosity was satisfied, but poor Dena came out very unhappy, for she knew she had disobeyed, and felt how it would grieve her kind father and mother. It was a glorious June morning, and the blue sea sparkled and glittered in the brilliant sunshine. It was all so beautiful—the sky was intensely blue, and across it sailed small armies of white cloudlets, and the birds were singing blithely, in fact, everything and everyone seemed happy and joyful except Dena.
“Come, Miss Dena, are you ready?” asked the old nurse.
“Yes, nurse, I have been waiting ever so long,” she replied, blinking away the troublesome tears.
The tide was low, and the brown rocks at Havre-des-Pas looked most enticing with their treasures of limpets, seaweed, and a possible anemone here and there. Nurse settled herself with her knitting against a dry boulder, whilst Dena tried to amuse herself gathering shells and seaweed; but somehow her thoughts were so troublesome she could not rest, and she wandered about until finally she was startled by a well-known voice and she found herself near the rocks where nurse was sitting. “Yes, the mistress has been unwell some time, and they can’t make out what is the matter with her,” said nurse, talking to someone whom. Dena now recognized as the bath-chair man who sometimes drew Mrs. Gray about. “Another doctor is coming today, and we are down here out of the way to leave it as quiet as possible.” The afternoon wore slowly away, and in spite of all nurse’s efforts Dena could not be roused to interest in anything. What should she do, her heart felt as though it would break, her dear mamma so ill and she unable to see her, and confess her sins.
On their return, the nurse was called by Mr. Gray and told that her mistress had smallpox badly, and that the doctors despaired of her life, adding that Dena and her nurse must be isolated to the other side of the house. From one of the windows they could converse with anyone in the invalid’s bedroom, and morning by morning Dena would hear from her father how her dear mamma was. No one can tell the anguish Dena passed through during those terrible days whilst her mamma hovered between life and death, and then of the untold joy when the glad news was given that her mamma was out of danger. The time wore on, and Dena had patiently to wait until all fear of infection was passed, when at last she was allowed to see her mamma. It was an eventful meeting, poor Dena tried to confess her sin, but was stopped by her mamma telling her that she knew it all. This was the secret. Many years before smallpox had raged in the island, and the inmates of that very house were amongst its victims. At the time it was thought that everything was burned and destroyed, but some things belonging to the children had by some means been put in the old granary. On the day of Dena’s disobedience, she found these things, and, not thinking, had carried them into the house. The dear mother, finding them picked them up and carried them away. The disease germs, however, were still there; being so weak, she took them, and it might have resulted in her death. Poor child! when she learnt that her dear mamma’s illness was the result of her sin, she sobbed piteously; but an assurance of forgiveness on the part of her mother soon made Dena happy again, but a lesson had been learnt which would leave a life-long impression.
Dear young reader, remember that though you hide your sins from every earthly eye, and perhaps keep as secret, like Dena, many acts of disobedience, yet be assured,
Your sin will find you out.
Nothing is hidden from the eye of God. He knows every wrong deed done and every wrong word spoken, and though your sins may not entail the sorrowful consequences that Dena’s did—should you die with your sins unconfessed and unforgiven, God will bring every sin to your remembrance: but, alas! in that day when there is no precious blood to cleanse the guilty soul, no free offer of pardon, when the One who is now offered as Saviour will sit as Judge, and the voice which was once so full of tenderness bidding the heavy-burdened and weary to rest, shall strike terror to the heart as He gives that solemn charge: “Bind him hand and foot and cast him into outer darkness.”
Golden opportunity given and refused will then crowd upon the memory, and your eternal remorse will be that you might have been saved but missed the blessing.
Now, Dena’s sin NEARLY cost her mother’s life. Your sins, dear young reader, brought Jesus into DEATH. And if by “one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.” (Rom. 5:1919For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. (Romans 5:19)).
In obedience to the will of God, the Lord Jesus went into death, and in death so glorified God, met every claim of divine righteousness, so that God now can be just, and the Justifier of the one who believes in Jesus.
Dear young reader, will you not trust Him NOW? A bright home of unfading glory and happiness awaits those who know Jesus as their Saviour. Shall this be your portion?
ML 09/25/1904