'THE last day of the old year was just closing, when a child of fourteen, looking up into her widowed mother's face, said softly, "Mother, dear, kiss me," and as the mother folded her darling in her arms, she laid her head upon her shoulder and whispered, "I should like to wake up in the morning and see my precious Saviour.”
This was Lizzie Herbert's wish for the new year which was about to dawn upon her. Her young life had been touched by grief, for early in the year which had now all but passed away, her father had died. While the family took comfort in the sweet assurance which often fell from his lips, that he was "going home," and knew that all was well with him whom they so fondly loved, there was still an empty place in the home which no one could fill, a sense of loss and bereavement which did not pass away.
But it was not the sadness of life without him, nor the desire to be in the place of rest and peace into which her dear father had entered, that made little Lizzie utter her new year's wish. Some time before, when a friend, knowing her affectionate nature, had said to her, "You will soon see your father again, Lizzie,”
She had replied earnestly—
“I want to see Jesus, my Saviour, first"; for she could not think of the home to which she was going without thinking first of Him who is not only the "Lord of that place," as the hymn which children know so well says, but the light and the joy of it.
Pushing away the bedclothes and laying her hand, so small and thin, upon her heart, Lizzie said, “I have Jesus here, mother; I am going to Him, and the thought of it makes me so happy; but oh, how I wish you could come, too.”
The mother's heart echoed the words Lizzie was her especial treasure, greatly beloved in her house for her sweet unselfish ways. When she had been strong and well her brothers and sisters could plainly see that Lizzie, who was always giving up her own will, and who took such pleasure in doing little acts of kindness, was indeed a follower of Him who was meek and lowly in heart. And now, as they watched her up on her bed of pain, they saw that the hope of soon being with the Lord Jesus was such a reality to her that all else was as nothing in comparison with it.
“Shall we Bing to you, dear?" some friends asked one day, as they stood beside the pale sufferer.
“Yes," she said, "do sing, but sing about Jesus; it must be all about Him.”
“Should you like to recover, Lizzie?" another friend asked.
“Yes," replied the sick child, "if it is His will; but I would rather go," she added earnestly, and see my blessed Saviour.”
The new year's sun arose, winter passed away, the early spring came, and still Lizzie lay upon her sick bed, and still she spoke of heaven, and of how ready she was to go, being washed in the Saviour's blood, when the Lord should call her to that blessed house.
“For you know," she would say, simply, "I have such a beautiful white robe.”
Dear children, ask yourselves how it came to pass that this child, young as you are, could speak thus. You are sure that it must be a great comfort when one is sick and weak, and friends look sad and anxious, and the doctor Says, "It cannot be much longer now," to have the blessed Saviour for your friend, and to know that heaven is your bright home, and that you have "a beautiful white robe," like those of whom we read in the Revelation, "that they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." But, remember, it was not upon a sick bed that Lizzie first sought the Lord.
She came to Him when she was strong and well, and no one knew that she would die early; and so His love had brightened her life, and it was now her joy and comfort in sickness and in death. The word of God had been her delight, and now, when a friend came to visit her, she would say “Do give me some thought of Jesus before you go.”
Dear little Lizzie! it was when the pure white snowdrops were blooming in their sheltered nooks, and the garden beds were a-blaze with the yellow crocus flowers, that her new year's wish was granted, and her ransomed spirit went to be in paradise with the One who had loved her and had died for her.
She greatly desired that all she loved should know, as she had been taught to know, the sweetness of the love of Jesus, and to her brother, especially, she said, "Promise to meet me in heaven." This brother has since come to the Saviour who was so dear to Lizzie, and he, too, now seeks to serve the Lord Jesus, and to please Him.
My great desire, dear child, in writing this brief sketch is to lead you also to that same Jesus, in order that when days of sorrow or fear come upon you, as they surely will, you may have a Friend who will never leave you nor forsake you, "a Friend who sticketh closer than a brother." H. N.