ON the borders of a beautiful lake in Persia, there lived a little girl named Gozel. Most of the people of that country worship fire and the sun, as emblems of God. They are heathen, and are called Parsees. Others are called Nestorians, who profess to believe in Christ. But their minds are very dark, and they know not the great and blessed truths of the Gospel. The little girl of whom we speak was of the latter class of the Persian people. It was only a little while before the birth of Gozel that the clearer light of Gospel had dawned upon her native land. Before that time none of the women could read. There were no schools for them to attend, and but few books in the language which the poor understood; no Holy Bible; no true knowledge of the way in which a sinner can have pardon and peace. We cannot tell how sad it is to live in such a condition. Let us try to think what a change it would make to us if all our books had been lost long ago, and our parents before us had never read anything which they might talk to us about, and there were no schools for us on the Lord’s Day, or any other day, and no one who could speak to us of the love of God in sending Jesus to die for sinners. Such, indeed, was the state of the Nestorians. They lived in ignorance, error, and sin. But some Christians heard of their condition, and went to their land, and made known to them that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses from all sin. They also set up schools, and gave the Nestorians the Bible in their own language as soon as they were able to read it. There were some who felt that they were sinners, and that they needed a Saviour. The Holy Spirit began to work upon their hearts, and believing in Jesus, they were full of joy, and wanted everybody to love Him too.
Among these happy ones was the father of Gozel. He went to the Sunday-school, though a man, and there he learned to read the word of God. It was his aim, too, to lead a holy life. Gozel was his only child. He loved her very much. His heart was full of delight that he could send her to school, and have her trained up in the knowledge of the Saviour, whom he found so precious to his own soul. He longed more than all things that she might know Jesus as her Saviour.
Gozel was a loving child; and ready to, do what she could to please her parents. As her mother did not know how to read, the little girl taught her.
This is often seen at mission-stations, children teaching their parents. But all this time she was not a Christian. She did not show any concern about her soul. She was kind and obedient, but it did not grieve her that she had sinned against God. At length there was a change seen in her ways. Often she was found reading her Bible, and then she would go aside in secret to pray. In the morning and evening she always took up the Word of God with great delight: and in other ways showed that she was seeking the salvation of her soul. Did this interest hinder her as a scholar in her studies! Not at all; on the contrary, she never got on so well before. But was she now a child of God? Her teachers thought she was; and they hoped that the fruit of a holy life would prove it to all.
Some months passed away, and Gozel went from school to her parents to spend some holidays. At home she was as prayerful and as fond of the Bible as she had been at school. One Saturday she took her Testament as usual, and went aside to pray. At night she lay down to rest, but never rose again from her little bed. A fearful disease called the cholera seized her; her strength was quickly gone, and then she died. In the afternoon of the next day, she was laid in her grave; for in that country they bury quickly.
The scene at the funeral was very touching. They put Gozel’s Bible on her coffin. Her parents sat by the remains of their only child, weeping; though they did not sorrow as those without hope, as once they would have done. Her mother could only cry, “Gozel is gone. My teacher has left me. Gozel is gone.”
Yes, she was gone to be with Jesus, which is far better. Soon, dear reader, we shall leave this world. Will it be to dwell forever with Christ, to see the wonders of His grace, and to praise Him evermore?