LITTLE Curly was four years of age, and a very intelligent child she was, with golden curls all over her head, and large blue eyes, which often opened very wide when she was surprised. And she was very much surprised one day, when Miss Norten―a young lady, who was staying with her mother―asked her if she had ever heard of the loving Saviour, who died for sinners old and young. The dear child did not know who Jesus was, for her mother had not taught her even to say a prayer when she went to bed.
Miss Norten was astonished at the child’s ignorance, and taking her upon her knee said, “Why, Curly darling, I teach little boys every Sunday about Jesus, and that beautiful home He has gone to prepare for little children who love Him.”
“Oh!” said Curly, “I thought you taught your little boys their letters, for I learn my letters at school.”
“No, darling,” replied Miss Norten, “on Sunday I teach them of Jesus, who came down from heaven, and who died to was away our sins. He says to all little children ‘Come unto Me,’ and He will forgive you every naughty thing you have done, and by-and-by take you to that beautiful home, beyond the bright blue sky, for He lives up there.”
“Oh, up there in the blue sky, I can’t see Him,” exclaimed the child, eagerly gazing through the window. “Did you come down from the blue sky to tell me of Jesus? Do you live up there, when you’re at home? Mother said you came by train; she did not say you came down from the blue sky!”
“No, Curly darling, I did not come down from the sky, but God must have sent me, I think, to tell you of His Son Jesus, and His love. So you must listen to me. One day, a very long time ago, God sent His Son down from heaven to this earth. His Son came into this world to seek and to save sinners. His name was called Jesus, because He saves His people from their sins. Jesus, who was once a little child, like you, grew up to be a man, going about doing good, healing all the poor, sick people, and blessing little children, and doing all sorts of loving things. But men did not love Him, and one day they nailed Him to a cross, and there He died. But now He lives in heaven, and everyone, great or small, who trusts Him, has his sins forgiven. But, if people do not love and trust Him, He cannot take them to His beautiful home, for no one may enter that holy and beautiful place where Jesus lives who is sinful and wicked. All who trust Him He forgives every naughty thing they ever did, and by and by takes them to His home to be forever with Him.”
“But shall I die if I love Jesus?” said Curly.
“No, darling. We love Him because He first loved us, and when we love Him, we try to please Him by doing good, and by obeying His words,” answered Miss Norten.
“Oh! then I should like to love Him and trust Him,” said Curly, “and if I do die He will take me up in the bright blue sky, and I will tell mother and Teddy of Him, too, and they will love Him, to come to that beautiful home with me, won’t they? And will you tell them all about it, Miss Norten?”
That night, for the first time, Curly was taught to pray to God. She could not understand at first what Miss Norten meant when she asked her to kneel before she got into bed, but on being told that God could hear her, she willingly repeated the infant petition.
The blessed Jesus loves little children, and we do not doubt that He sent the message about Himself to this little child, who had never even heard of Him, nor been taught to pray to God. “He shall feed His flock like a Shepherd; He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom.”
(Isa. 40:2) H.D.