A LITTLE girl, named Janie went to a Sunday school, where she had a kind teacher, who was very anxious that all the dear children in her class should be saved, so she used to plead with them to come “now,” whilst they were still young and rest alone in Jesus. And she told them, what I dare say many of the dear children who read this have been often told, that it was much easier to come “now,” whilst they were young, since every day they were adding fresh sins to the long black list; and she also told them of the dreadful judgment coming upon all who are not saved.
Little Janie listened very attentively, and the thought of judgment, of being lost forever, of what a dreadful thing it is to be a sinner, made a deep impression upon her mind.
In truth, the Holy Spirit was working with her, and when bedtime came on that Sunday evening, it was with a heavy heart that she lay down. Janie went to bed, but not to sleep, and she wished and longed to be saved; her sorrow increased the more she thought of being shut out of heaven, until at last, about two o’clock in the morning she could bear it no longer, but jumped out of bed, and called, “Father! Father!”
Her father came up to her room, and she said, “Oh, Father, do pray for me; I don’t want to be lost forever. Father, how can I be saved?”
Janie’s father could not very well answer his little girl’s question, so he bade her say her prayers, and go to bed.
Janie went to bed again, but the load at her heart was still there. “Oh,” she kept saying; “I do wish I was saved.
How can I be saved?” when all at once she remembered that her teacher had said there was “nothing for anyone to do, but that we had only to come, just as we are, to Jesus.” Janie then wondered which was the right way to go. If Jesus had only been on earth it would have been easy; but she forgot that Jesus is more easy to go to now than when He was upon earth. At length she raised herself up in bed, and suiting the action to the word, she said, “Here I am, Lord Jesus; take me just as I am.” And her load went; she felt so happy, her tears were turned into joy, and she was from that moment saved, and safe in the arms of Jesus.
Dear little reader, I want you to follow Janie’s example, and come, just as you are.
I am not told to labor,
To put away my sin;
So foolish, weak, and helpless,
I never could begin;
But, blessed truth, I know it,
Though ruin’d by the fall,
Christ, has my soul redeemed—
Yes„ Christ has done it all!
And, now I cannot please Him
In aught I say or do,
Unless He daily help me
His glory to pursue ;
Still helpless, and still feeble,
On His strong arm I fall,
My strength’ is pressing onward—
Yes, Christ must do it all!
ML 10/30/1904