Mary knew and loved the Lord Jesus. One day she was in her room putting on a jacket to go out with a message, but her mirror did not reflect a happy face. Why should she have to stop what she was doing and go out?
“Mary! Mary!” came the call; “aren’t you ready yet?”
Mary reluctantly started out. It was a lovely morning, and she soon regained her usual good humor. It was very wrong, she thought, to complain because I had to leave my things to go and ask about poor Miss Sally. Here a shade of sadness crossed her face. She mused, They say she is dying, but if she loves the Lord Jesus she has no fear—I am sure of that.
Near one of the windows of the house where Mary was going sat a woman looking out at her, with a heart full of sorrow and bitterness. “Why,” she sighed, “should my daughter have to endure all this suffering, while this young girl is so happy?”
As Mary reached the door she came forward to meet her, and said, “I suppose you have come from Mrs. Evans for news about my daughter. Perhaps your bright and happy face may cheer her a little—come and see her and deliver your message to her yourself.”
Mary followed the woman to the bedroom. There she was left alone with the invalid. Turning to look at the pale, thin face, she was startled. Never had she seen anyone so ill. “Is she asleep?” said Mary.
No, for opening her eyes the sick girl said, partly to herself and partly to Mary, “I am so tired! So tired!”
In a moment all Mary’s timidity vanished. Her heart was filled with sympathy for the poor patient, and approaching the bed, her eyes fixed on the thin and weary face, she said softly, “Don’t you know that Jesus came to give rest? He can give it to you now. He says, ‘Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest’ ” (Matthew 11:2828Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)).
Growing bolder, she picked up a Bible, and, opening to the eleventh chapter of Matthew, she read the same verse slowly.
“Mark the place for me,” said the sick one, “and tell me more about Jesus.”
In a few moments Mary told her all she could of Jesus and His love. As she told how wonderful her Saviour was to her, the sick girl exclaimed, “I understand! I see it now! Oh, how good He is!”
She said no more; her mother returned, and Mary left.
Two weeks went by, and Mary went again to the same house. She had heard that the sick girl had died. As she asked about her, a maid told her that Miss Sally died peacefully. “She was quite changed after your visit,” she added, “and I think they will give you her Bible. She left it for you.”