POOR little fellow was picked up in the street, with both thighs crushed by a dray. He was carried to a hospital. By his side was temporarily placed, from the same slum, a little fellow who was very ill with the famine fever, a disease caused by hunger and bad air. He lay side by side with the broken-legged little boy. Creeping up to him, he said, "Bobby, did you never hear of Jesus?"
"No, I never heard o' Him."
"Bobby, I went to the Mission School once, and they told me that Jesus would take you to heaven when you die, and you wouldn't never be hungry no more, if you'd ask Him."
O, I don’t know no sich great big gentleman as He is, and if I did, He wouldn’t speak to a poor boy like me.”
“In the Mission School they told me He would. Don’t you want never to be hungry no more?”
“O, just don’t I.”
“Then you ax Him.”
“How could I ax the gentleman if I don’t know where He lives? And if I did know, my leg is broke, and I couldn’t go.”
“Bobby, they told me in the Mission School that Jesus passes by, and we sunged about Jesus passing by, and teacher told us it means He comes round. How do you know He isn’t coming round this ’ere hospital to-night? And if He should, and you was watching for Him, you could see Him, and then you could ax Him.”
“I couldn’t watch for Him, my legs ache so awful, and I couldn’t keep my eyes open.”
“But I say, Bobby, you can hold your hand up, and if He should come round and see your hand up, He’d know you was arter something.”
He held his hand up, but it dropped. He held it up again, and it dropped. He held it up the third time, and as it dropped he burst out crying, and said, “I’ll give it up; I can’t hold my hand up no longer.”
“Bobby, I don’t want my pillow. You let me prop your elbow up with it.”
And the child—whom, perhaps you would sweep off your door step, or turn away from with disgust—took his own hospital pillow, and placing it under the elbow of his sick companion, propped up his arm. In the morning the little fellow lay dead, with his hand held up for Jesus.
You may search the world over, and you cannot find a grander illustration of faith, trust, and confidence than was manifested in that little fellow who had been in the Mission School but once.
“Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matt. 11’: 28.
“Suffer the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God.’ Mark 10: 14.
Messages of God’s Love 7/10/1932