ONLY a dream! but it was intensely real to dear little Olive, as she lay fast asleep one bright June morning—doubtless a lesson was learnt that day which was never forgotten. In her dream she was walking through some green fields to the hills beyond, and as she drew near them, she saw a beautiful city. Its walls were of pure gold, glittering with lovely diamonds; and as she looked through those pearly gates, she could see people dressed in white. with bright crowns of flowers upon their heads. How lovely it all looked. Oh! how Olive longed to go in, but she thought, this shabby dress would look so dirty amongst those nice ones. Just then she spied a little stream running through the meadows. “Oh! I can wash out these stains, and then it will do.” Quickly she ran and washed and washed away; but, alas! the spots only grew larger. She was almost ready to give up, when a dark cloud overshadowed the sun, and Olive’s dress looked much cleaner. “Now I shall be able to go in,” thought she, forgetting—poor little Olive—that when the bright sunlight shone upon her dress, it would look dirty again. Satisfied with her dress, she made again for the beautiful city, when, catching sight of some red poppies, she thought, “I can have a wreath now, prettier than those they are wearing.”
So she twisted a garland of poppies, and holding her head very high, she walked up to the gate. How beautiful it all looked, and sweet music came from thousands of happy children as they sang the praises of Jesus.
Little Olive longed to go in, but at the gate stood a beautiful angel, and little Olive thought such a sad, sorrowful expression was on his face, as he said very, very softly: “No! little Olive, you cannot come in.” Just then the sun shone out from behind the clouds, and, looking down, dear Olive saw her dress was all stained and spotted, and taking the wreath from her head, found the flowers were all withered, and she dreamed the angel again said: “No, little Olive, your dress is not pure and white, and your crown is not made of never-withering flowers.” Little Olive thought she sank upon the grass and cried, oh! such tears of bitter disappointment.
At this she awoke, to find her dear mother looking at her tear-stained face. “What is the matter with my little Olive?”
“Oh! mother, I have had such a dream.”
It was quickly told, and when Olive had finished the story, her dear mother told her how God had been speaking to Her, showing her that the
Stain of Sin
could never be washed out by any effort of her own, and that God could not have little Olive in heaven until every trace of sin had been removed. She then told her little daughter how much God loved her, and that the Lord Jesus shed His precious blood to wash away her sins, so that if she trusted Him as her Saviour, He would give her a pure white garment and golden crown. Was it not a good thing the last part of Olive’s dream did not come true? How terrible it would be to find oneself outside heaven’s gate for ETERNITY! Yet you, my reader, stand in this dangerous, perilous position if your sins have never been washed away by Jesus’ precious blood, and remember, if you die unsaved, you die
Without Hope.
Oh, let me beseech you, flee to Jesus! let His precious blood be your only plea. He has said: “Him that cometh to Me 1 will in no wise cast out.” (John 6:3737All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. (John 6:37).)
ML 10/28/1906