A little girl named Bessie attended the gospel services conducted by two faithful servants of Christ. She had come a long way on the train to spend her vacation with friends, and they had invited her to go with them to the preaching. The little girl sat there and drank in the precious message of God’s love to sinners, and she rejoiced to hear that He “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).
Bessie believed that God meant what He said, that He had sent His dear Son into this world to die for her, that the Lord Jesus had died to put her sins all away. Knowing this brought a wonderful peace to her heart, and she was now saved and on her way to heaven.
She was a happy little girl, and when she laid her head on her pillow at night, she knew that if Jesus called her, she would be ready to go and meet Him. She had not long to wait.
Her vacation came to an end. Bessie said good-by to kind friends. She was happy at the thought of seeing her father and mother, her brothers and sisters again. Soon the train was rushing through the countryside and Bessie was thrilled as she looked out the window and saw the fields and woods whizzing past. She sang hymns from her little hymn book as she sped along. Every moment was bringing her nearer home. And so it was; but it was her heavenly home she was so soon to reach.
Suddenly there came a terrific shock, and the passengers were thrown from their seats. In the crash, the train left the tracks and rolled down a steep embankment.
The rescue crews soon arrived and worked hard to save the injured from the wrecked and splintered coaches. When they reached the coach where Bessie had sat, they found her lifeless little body among the dead. Near her was her little hymn book, opened to the hymn she had been singing at the last.
Would you like to know what her last earthly song was? It was this: There is a gate that stands ajar, And through its portals beaming, A radiance from the Cross afar, The Saviour’s love revealing.
Oh, depth of mercy, can it be
That gate was left ajar for me?”
ML 11/10/1968