These gentle creatures feeding
Upon a woodland hill,
Are happy and contented
Where all is wild and still.
The God of all creation,
Who marks the sparrow’s fall,
Is One who never slumbers,
But watches over all.
He sends the rain and sunshine
To every creature here;
He gives them food and shelter,
And all that life holds dear.
But there’s one gift, dear reader,
That man alone can claim,—
The gift of life eternal
Through faith in Jesus’ Name.
For man alone possesses
A never-dying soul—
A soul that keeps on living
While endless ages roll.
The soul of man by nature
Is sinful and defiled,—
“Lost mid ruined by the fall” (Luke 19:1010For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. (Luke 19:10); Rom. 8:2323And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. (Romans 8:23)), wandering in the path of sin, till Jesus sought us, found us, and brought us to Himself.
That evening, facing a crowd of boys and girls, we saw each one as the happy saved child, safe in the father’s care; or the lost, wandering child, and pleaded with them to accept the Saviour’s invitation,
We cannot look our readers in the face, but each reader can think of these two pictures and answer the earnest inquiry:
Are you saved, or lost? It is either one or the other. Which is it? If still unsaved,
“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,” (Acts 16:3131And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31)) as the One who left heaven’s glory, shed His blood, suffered, and died for you, and you will be saved, and have many, many days of happiness on earth, and spend all eternity with the Lord who saved you.
ML 06/20/1937