CHRISSIE was a frail little girl of ten years, suffering from an incurable disease. You would have been grieved had you seen her thin pale face as she was sitting up in her bed in the children's ward of one of Dr. Barnardo's homes, where sixty little patients were gathered in the ward for a gospel meeting, and it was a great joy to hear them sing the gospel hymns so heartily. Chrissie did her best to join in the singing and listened most eagerly to the story of Jesus and His love, for she already loved Him and knew Him as her own Savior and Friend.
It was only a short time after this, that it became evident to those who watched over her so lovingly and tenderly that she would soon be called home.
One day she said to the nurse who was sitting with her, "Oh, Nurse, do you see HIM?"
Nurse said, "No, dear, I do not see anyone; who is it?”
Chrissie replied, " Oh I see HIM! " and as a lovely smile spread over her face, she added, " Oh, I see JESUS! " Then a little later she inquired, "Nurse, shall I give your love to Jesus? "
Even in her weakness she sang to Him; and once when the Matron noticed she was talking very quietly, and asked what she said, her reply was, "I am just talking to my dear Lord I”
Later, when almost too weak to converse, Chrissie said to her mother—who did not know the Lord—
"Mother—JESUS—open door!"
What a beautiful gospel message in four words from a little dying girl. With God-given skill, she linked her unsaved mother with Jesus, the Savior of sinners and pointed her to the open gospel door, which was wide open to receive her, and Chrissie's last words have been used to bring her mother to Jesus.
Truly, "out of the mouth of babes and sucklings Thou hast perfected praise."
Chrissie has gone home now, but many girls and boys who love Jesus are left here to go on telling the gospel story of His love that led Him to come from heaven to die for sinners and cleanse them in His precious blood. These are able to sing, as Chrissie sang, at the meeting:
"As the daylight fades away,
And beside my bed I pray,
In my heart I know and say,
I belong to Jesus.
If the night be long and drear,
And the tempest's voice I hear,
This I know, and do not fear,
I belong to Jesus.
Every day a song I sing,
To my Savior, Lord, and King,
And to this sweet thought I cling,
I belong to Jesus.
From His home above the sky,
He for sinners came to die,
And He saved me, that is why
I belong to Jesus.
Now in heaven He lives for me,
And with Him I soon shall be,
All the angels then will see
I belong to Jesus.
While I wait, and watch, and pray,
Use me, Savior, day by day,
So that some one else may say,
I belong to Jesus."
Do you know and love this wonderful Savior—JESUS—who is able to carry His little one triumphantly through death, or support through life those who are His until He comes to take them to His bright home forever?
F. S. M.