A FEW weeks ago little Arthur was alive and well, playing about merrily; but he has gone away, and no one will see him again in his earthly home. “Where is he now?” you ask.
He is with the Lord Jesus, and never more will he say a naughty word, or even have a sinful thought. Arthur is with the Saviour whom he loved when he was here, and in that place where nothing naughty or sinful can enter. “How did he get up there?”
Because the precious blood of Jesus was shed on the cross to wash away sin, and dear little Arthur believed in Him; and now the Lord Jesus, who is the “Good Shepherd,” has taken this young lamb of His flock to be with Him forever.
One day Arthur felt very ill, and he said to his mother, “I am going to Jesus.” His mother answered, “I hope you will soon get better;” but he said, “Jesus is at the door, waiting for me.” Little Arthur really loved the Lord Jesus, and when he felt sure that he was going away to be with Him, it made him so glad, because he knew that Jesus was his best and truest Friend.
Whenever his mother said, “I love you dearly, Arthur,” he would reply, “And Jesus loves me; He died for me to take me to heaven—His heaven!”
His mother once Said, “I could not give you up to anyone.” He looked up and said, “Only to Jesus, mother; you must let Him have me!”
Dear child! he did not wait long, for very soon after he passed away up to be “with the Lord” in heaven— “His heaven!”
A friend called to see him the day before he died. This friend has two little girls, of whom Arthur was very fond. He told her that he was going to heaven, and asked if she would let her little girls go there too.
Arthur was a loving little boy. He would often throw his arms round his mother’s neck and kiss her, and you may be sure that now she misses her darling very much; but what a comfort it is to her to know that he was ready to go, because he knew that the Lord Jesus was his Saviour.
You would like me to tell you little Arthur’s age, and when he died.
He was four years old, and he went away to be “with the Lord” on the 2nd of January, 1880. He had a very short life here, and suffered a great deal of pain at the end of it; but now he will live forever, and never have another pain or shed another tear.
When the Lord Jesus was on this earth He took little children “up in His arms, put His hands upon them, and blessed them.” (Mark 10:1616And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them. (Mark 10:16)) Was not that kind of Him? And the Lord Jesus has just the same heart of love now as He had then, for He is “the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever.” (Hebrews 13:88Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. (Hebrews 13:8)). He is willing to receive any dear children who will come to Him—to make them His own now, and take them some day to dwell with Him for ever.
And now I must ask a question of the little boys and girls who read this. Can you say, as Arthur did? “Jesus loves me; He died for me, to take me to heaven—His heaven!” H. L. T.