“WHAT a nice, bright girl that is!” said a lady to me some time ago; “she is so cheerful, and looks so pleasant, that it is quite a pleasure to see her.”
Her words were called forth by seeing a young girl, Katie Smith, pass by with some young friends. As I was greatly interested in Katie, I was pleased to hear the lady thus speak, and especially so because only a very few years before no one would have said Katie was a bright and happy-looking girl! What, think you, had worked the change? Just this: that whereas once Katie could not say the words at the head of this paper, now she can.
Is that all? Ah! dear girls, do you know who Katie meant when she said, “HE is mine”? She spoke of One who loves her more than even parents can; who watches over her all her life, and gives her every good thing the has. Yes, One who gives you, too―now while you are reading this paper―the very breath you draw. If for one moment He ceased to give it you, you would die. Now you know who I mean, do you not?
I will tell you how it was Katie was enabled to say of the Lord Jesus Christ, “He is mine.” About three years before my story begins she was a very dull, sorrowful girl. She had not known a happy childhood, for she was under the care of one who was no relative, and who did not love her as does a mother; indeed, poor Katie looked as though she had scarcely known what it was to have anyone to love her. After a time she was sent to a school, the teacher of which loved the Lord. This lady sought that all her pupils should belong to her own precious Saviour. She pitied poor Katie, and nearly every evening would read a few verses from the Bible with her, telling the sorrowful child of the love of the Lord Jesus.
It was quite new to Katie to hear that God loved her. No one had ever told her that before! As she heard and read for herself of Jesus when He was in this world, it was a story sweetly new and beautiful to her. She longed to be fit to go into the glorious home above where Jesus is, and to walk the golden street there in white with Him. Katie learned, too, that she was a sinner, and that no sin can enter the home above. What, then, was she to do?
Her teacher told her that God knew she was a sinner—He knew all about her being naughty, all about her sins―and He had given His own dear Son to bear the punishment she deserved, but if she received the Lord Jesus she would be a child of God herself. For “as many as received Him, to them gave He power (or privilege) to become the children of God, even to them that believe on His Name.” (John 1:12.) God would be her Father, and would take care of her all the time she was here, and at last the Lord would bring her home to glory.
Oh, how eager was little Katie, to hear these wonderful words, and how glad was she to find that the loving Saviour would willingly receive her, and would love her and keep her every day. At first, as the truth entered into her heart, it seemed too precious, too good to be true for her, but as she learned more and more of the Lord’s love, her heart was filled with joy. Katie longed to do something for the Lord; she wished to live for Him, and very bright her face grew in the sunshine of His love. She lost the dull, heavy look she used to have, and people remarked the change in her.
One day she said to the lady who taught her, “Oh, it is so precious to know that God loves me, and always loves me. I can really say from my very heart the Lord is mine.”
Can you say what Katie did? L. T.