Mary and Jennie had not known each other very long, but they had “taken to” each other at first sight, and the liking had increased with their intimacy.
They were both away from home at school and were to sleep in the same room.
Just now Mary was wondering why Jennie did not put out the light so that they could go to bed. But Jennie reached over to the table and got her Bible instead.
“Shall I read for both!” she said. Mary nodded assent.
Mary was a church member but had not thought of her Bible till she saw Jennie take hers. When Jennie had read her chapter she said,
“Shall we pray together Mary!”
Mary nodded again, thinking they would kneel in prayer. But when Jennie added, “And will you lead us, dear?” she only stammered,
“O, no-o, no-o, you do, please.”
They knelt and Jennie prayed just as she had been used to at home, and they went to bed. It did not occur to her that she had done an odd or unusual thing. She had come from a Christian home, where God as Father was called upon in simple and unaffected fashion.
Long after Jennie had gone to sleep, Mary lay awake thinking more seriously than she had ever done before, of all her light, careless life. Presently Jennie heard a little moan. Mary had complained of a tooth during the evening, and Jennie thought she was suffering again.
“Does your tooth ache, so badly, dearie? Just you lie still a minute, and I’ll have a hot flannel ready.”
“No, no, Jennie,” she replied putting out her hand to stop her, “it’s not my tooth. I’m so unhappy; it’s my heart that’s aching,” and with that Mary put her arms around her neck, and cried as if her heart was breaking. Jennie awe-struck and wondering, could not say a word, but presently Mary found voice to say,
“It all comes of what happened before we went to bed. You know I belong to the church, and even go to communion, but I never realized that I wasn’t a Christian at all till then. You know your Bible, and then you asked me to pray and I could not.
“I never had anything make me feel so in all my life. I thought how dreadful it is for me to pretend to be a Christian when I did not know even how to pray when you asked me. It cut me like a knife and I’ve felt it ever since, I could not endure it any longer without talking to you about it.
O, Jennie, dear, I am so unhappy ... . Do you think I’ve been so wicked that God can’t take me?”
“O, no, no!” cried Jennie, “Don’t you remember what Jesus said, ‘I came not to call the righteous but sinners?’ Don’t you want to be a Christian?”
“O,” groaned Mary, “I think I’d give my right hand to know that my sins were forgiven.”
“Do let’s pray,” said Jennie. And with her arms around Mary, she asked God, ‘for Christ’s sake’ to help Mary to trust in Him and to forgive her sins. Then she said, “Don’t you remember that verse, Mary,”
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life?” John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16). “Just think—whosoever—whosoever believeth.”
There was a silence during which Jennie was earnestly praying in her heart for Mary. O, how we can fancy we hear her in simple words but with entreaties pleading with the Lord Jesus that by His Spirit He would just make it all clear to Mary.
Yes, and poor broken-hearted Mary, how she was longing to know what Jennie knew so well. And the evil one, how he would be trying to make it more cloudy and difficult than ever. However, it did not last long that night for God’s Holy Spirit soon made it all so clear and simple, that presently Jennie felt Mary’s arms tightened about her and the hot tears dropping on her shoulder.
“O, Jennie,” she sobbed, “I’m crying for joy; I see it all so clearly now. He died for me, for me. I’m so happy!”
“So am I,” cried Jennie, her tears flowing also for pure joy. “But isn’t it simple, when you come to it. Just believe and let Jesus save you. Just believing that He has done it all.”
“O, I could die for Him,” said Mary, “couldn’t you?”
“Yes; but I think He wants us to live for Him,” said Jennie softly.
The girls as they lay talking and rejoicing did not think that just then there was joy in heaven over another sinner brought in; but so it was.
ML 11/15/1931