A GENTLEMAN whom I knew, and who was living a moral, godless life—if such things can exist—sent for me, to come at once if I could, to visit his little daughter who was dying. She was fifteen years of age.
“You can go into the bedroom,” he said to me, “an see what a little angel she looks. If anyone enters into heaven at once, she will,” he added, “considering what she has suffered.”
“O, sir!” I answered, “how can you talk in this way? If your dear child is saved, it can only be through the sufferings of Christ, and His precious blood-shedding received by faith. Nothing unclean can enter the pure paradise of God. It is a prepared place for a prepared people.”
“Don’t tell me that my child is an unclean sinner,” he said, “for she is not. She has never done anything wrong; she has never been away from us for a day; her life has been blameless.”
“That may be, sir, so far as you know,” “but she is born in sin, a partaker of the same nature as you and I. The word of God says, ‘For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God’” (Rom. 3:2323For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23)).
After a little more conversation he took me into the bedroom, where his wife and other relatives had gathered together, as the death of the child was expected to take place soon. The dear little maid knew me, and smiled when our eyes met. She certainly looked very sweet and peaceful, although her poor frame had been sadly tortured with pains, borne with extraordinary patience for several years, her spine being affected.
I drew near the bedside and kissed her. Then I said:
“Dear Lily, I am so happy to see you once more, for your dear papa tells me you’re very ill. But tell me, darling, have you any idea where you are going?”
“Where I am going?” she answered; “I am going to be with Jesus, where He is.”
“Can you tell me, Lily, without much trouble, what Jesus has done for you?”
“He—died—for my sins—on the cross,” the little voice slowly replied.
“That’s enough for me to know, my dearest child,” I said. “Bless the Lord! for flesh and blood hath not revealed that precious truth unto thee, but the Holy Ghost.”
I looked across the bed to her father and mother, almost choked for joy. Lily knew that she was saved, not through her sufferings, but, as a lost sinner, through the death of Jesus. Before leaving, I asked her if I should speak to the Saviour in prayer, and thank Him for His great love toward her. She nodded that I should do so. They all knelt around the bed. Lifting up my voice, I told the Lord all I had on my heart for each of us there. When I rose up, they were all weeping. Lily was too weak to speak, but her looks were heavenly bright and happy. I bent once more over her, and gave her the last earthly kiss. Two hours only after this scene, her spirit passed away into the spirit land.
I learned afterwards that a Christian nurse who attended upon Lily during the latter part of her illness had spoken to her, about eternal things, quite unknown to her parents, who had a great aversion to anything of the kind being told her, fearing it might distress her. The Lord blessed the words of the faithful nurse, and the soul of the child was saved.
ML 03/26/1916