WHAT is a crown?" “Oh! I know," calls out little Carrie," it is five shillings; we had it for our lesson this morning." “Yes that is one kind of crown; but cannot you think of another?" And then Gracie's reply comes: "I think I know what you mean; it is something made of gold, that the Queen wears, isn't it?" “Yes! that is the kind of crown I want to tell you something about. Now, gold crowns will not last forever, but those of which I am thinking will last forever, so they are not really gold crowns.”
Some time ago I was talking to some children about the Israelites in Egypt on the night when the Lord sent the destroying angel there, and I asked them, "Who was it that was quite safe on that terrible night?" One little, tiny fellow called out, "Everybody that had put the blood on the door." I was very glad to hear him answer, so I asked him, "And who is it that is safe now?" He replied, "Everybody that belongs to Jesus.”
And who does belong to Him? Every little boy or girl who trusts in Him to save him or her—trusts in His blood to wash away his or her sins. Not one sin could be forgiven without His blood washing it away. Are you trusting in the blood of Jesus Christ to wash away your sins?
A girl, to whom I often spoke of God, believed that she was a sinful child, and that nothing could make her ready to go to heaven, save the blood of Christ! The Lord Jesus said He came for sinners, and she trusted Him with all her heart. I was soon told of her happiness. It was so beautiful to know she was really saved forever. We used to talk about trying to please the Saviour, and living to do what He wished, because He says, "If ye love Me, keep My commandments." And Fanny found that the only way she could keep from doing the old naughty things was by telling the Lord all things, and asking Him to keep her. Telling Him about all the little troubles at school—the hard sums, and how the girls laughed at her because she could not now join in some of the things she used to do.
Fanny wrote to me, "I know I am saved forever, for I am trusting in Christ, and His blood has washed me; but I want to get a crown." I had talked to her about the crown that the Lord will give to everyone who loves His appearing. Do you know what she meant? I think it was this: she wanted to please the Lord in what she did and said all day long, for she loved Him because He loved her first.
Now you know that when we do nothing to please Him, and go on living as though He had not died for us, and forget how much we cost Him, it grieves the Lord. And I know, too, how much we do forget Him, and how impatient we are, and how we often say and do things that make us cry bitterly when we get up to our quiet bedroom at night, and have time to think over the day, and how it has been spent. Sorrowful as it often is, I am sure if we do love the Lord, we shall tell Him all our difficulties and temptations, and we shall try to remember Him.
So, dear young friends, we are not to get tired of seeking to please the Lord, and we must not think such things are only for grown-up people! It is for everyone, girl or boy, who is trusting with all the heart to Christ—to try to please Jesus the Lord, who will at His coming give crowns to all who love His appearing. L. T.