YEARS ago there lived a lady and a gentleman who had one little boy, Frank. He was a great treasure to the n, and they gave him everything that they thought would make him happy. Yet the only thing which could have made the little fellow really happy they kept entirely from him. They did not themselves love or believe in God, or in the Lord Jesus Christ, and had made up their minds that if possible they would never let him hear the name of God.
One morning, when Frank was about six years old, he was having breakfast with his parents, when he caught sight of a poor and feeble old woman coming up to the house. In a minute the servant came into the room, saying that poor woman was at the door begging.
“Oh, send her away,” said Frank’s father, “we ca not have beggars coming here.”
But Frank’s tender little heart had been touched by the sight of the poor woman, and he exclaimed, “Oh, not Father; she is hungry; let me go and give her something.”
So to please the child, his father let him take what he liked off the table and he ran out with the servant, and gave it to the old beggarwoman.
She was evidently touched with the kindness of the little boy, and said, “Thank you very much,” then, putting her hand upon the child’s head she added, “God bless you, little man.”
Frank went quietly back to his breakfast, but presently asked, “Who is God? The poor woman said, ‘God bless you.’ Who is He?’
His father and mother looked at each other saying, “How unfortunate!” They then tried to put the child off, but his attention had been arrested, and he still inquired, “But who is God; and why did she say, ‘God bless you’ like that?”
They then tried to make him think it was no one that he need trouble to know about; for the old woman it might be different. Still the little fellow was not satisfied. He often asked them questions which they found it difficult to answer, and at last they began to think it would be better for him to mix more with other children. Their great object still was to prevent his thinking any more about God, but they little knew the means which God would use to bring their child to a knowledge of Himself.
“Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” Matt. 11:28-3028Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:28‑30). Such are the words of the Lord Jesus.
Utterly unsatisfied and unblest is every one who does not know God, for He is the Source and the Foundation of every blessing. No rest can there be for the conscience or heart apart from the rest which Jesus gives; and sad was the state of Frank’s parents, not only respecting the Lord Jesus for themselves, but trying to shut out their little boy from the knowledge of the Saviour.
After making some inquiries they heard of a very select school, kept by a lady. At their request she duly called to see them, and everything seemed most satisfactory on both sides, until they told her that they did not wish him to have any religious instruction, or ever to be spoken to about God or Jesus Christ. Miss Wood was an earnest Christian, and she at once said she could not receive Frank on such terms.
His parents, however, had been so pleased with her, and with all the arrangements of her school, that they would not take her refusal, but begged her to go home and think the matter over. They told, her that it could be so easily arranged for the little boy not to go until an hour later than the other scholars, when the religious instruction would be over.
Rather reluctantly Miss Wood consented to this wish, but on reaching her home she made it a matter of earnest prayer. As she prayed there gradually came to her the conviction that she was to take Frank, trusting God to open a way for him to hear about the Lord Jesus.
Soon after this Frank became one of her scholars, and a very interesting little pupil he was. But before long found that the other children went to school much earlier than he did, and he naturally wanted to know why, “Why may I not go with the others?” he would ask persistently.
So after a time Frank’s mother and father said, “It will be better to let him go at the same time as the other children. We can let Miss Wood have some toys for him to play with, either in the garden, or in a room, should it be a wet morning.” So this arrangement was made, and Frank started off to school at the same time as the other children.
Miss Wood often prayed for her pupil Frank, but she strictly kept the promise which she had made to his parents. Still this must have been a great test to her faith, and I am sure she must have felt at times that she might have been mistaken in thinking that God would have her take him in this painful way.
One warm, sunny morning Mie4 Wood thought that the nice air would do all the children good, so she told them to run out into the garden, and play some games.
After the others had gone she saw Frank lingering behind and he asked, “May I stay with you instead?”
“Would you not like to go out and play with the others?” she asked. “It is so fine this morning.”
“No,” he answered; “I want to stay with you.”
Seeing that he really wished it, shy drew him to her, asking if he wished to tell her something.
“I want to know why I can’t come in with you when the others do,” he answered.
“Because your parents do not wish it, dear,” she replied.
“But why?” said the child; “and who is it that they sing about, and that you talk to them about, called Jesus? I have listened outside the door, and I would like to sing too, and I want to know about Jesus. Who is He? Do tell me.”
Miss Wood was much surprised, as she had no idea that he had heard anything; but she only answered, “I must not tell you, dear. I have promised your father and mother that I would not speak to you about Jesus, and I must not break my word to them. You must ask them, if you wish to know, and then if they give me permission I shall be pleased to tell you about the Lord Jesus, and to let you sing the hymns with the others.”
So when Frank went home that day he told his parents that instead of playing with his toys he had often listened outside the door of the schoolroom.
“I would like to hear about Jesus too, Father, and to sing the hymns with the others. Do let Miss Wood tell me about Jesus. She will, if you say so.”
His father and mother were very sorry that he had heard anything, and said to each other, “We have been foolish, and made a great mistake. Keeping things secret has only made him curious, and anxious to know. The only thing now is to let him go, then he will soon get used to it, and not care about it.”
Thus God’s purpose of blessing for dear Frank was brought about, and Miss Wood had the joy of telling him about God and His wonderful love for poor sinners. Eagerly he listened to every word, and his thirsting soul drank in the precious message of grace and love. He heard for the first time that God loved him, that he was a sinful child, but God had sent His beloved Son to die upon the cross, that by the death of Jesus Christ he might be saved eternally, and all his sins be forgiven, and washed away in the precious blood of Christ (1 Peter 1:18, 1918Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: (1 Peter 1:18‑19)). How Frank enjoyed the hymns which he soon learned, and was able to sing with the other children! They also brought the same sweet message of a precious Saviour and of His great love for little ones. He learned too that the Lord Jesus was coming soon to take all His own to be with Himself in that bright Home He has prepared for them that love Him. He had the joy which only those can know who through simple faith in the Lord Jesus, have had all their sins forgiven.
ML-11/13/1960