How different everything seemed to Treffy after his doubts and fears and been removed! The very attic seemed full of sunshine, and old Treffy’s heart was full of brightness. He was forgiven, and he knew it. And, as a forgiven child, he could look up into his Father’s face with a smile.
A great load was taken off little Christie’s heart, his old master was so happy and contented now; never impatient at his long absence when he was out with the organ, or fretful and anxious about their daily support. Old Treffy had laid upon Jesus his load of sin, and it was not hard to lay upon Him also his load of care. The Lord who had borne the greatest burden would surely bear the lesser ones. Treffy could not have put this feeling of trust into words, but he acted upon it. There were no murmurings from old Treffy now, no forebodings. He had always a bright smile and a cheerful word for Christie when the boy returned tired at night. And whilst Christie was out he would lie very still and peaceful, talking softly to himself or thanking the dear Lord for His great gift to him.
The clergyman’s gift was not the only one they received that week. Christie had come home in the middle of the day, to see how his old master was, and was just preparing to start again on his rounds, when they heard a gentle rustling of silk on the stairs, and a low knock at the door. Christie opened it quickly, and in walked little Mabel, and little Mabel’s mamma. They had brought with them many little comforts for old Treffy, which Mabel had great pleasure in opening out. But they brought with them also what money cannot buy-sweet, gentle words, and bright smiles, which cheered old Treffy’s heart.
The lady sat down beside Treffy, and they talked together of Jesus. The old man loved to talk of Jesus now, for he was able to say: “He loved me, and gave Himself for me.”
The lady took a little Testament from her pocket, and read a chapter to Treffy. She had a sweet, clear voice, and she read so distinctly that he could understand every word.
Little Mabel sat quite still whilst her mamma was reading, then she got up and ran across the attic: “Here are my snowdrops,” she said, with a cry of joy, as she caught sight of them in the windowsill. “Do you like them, Master Treffy?”
“Ay! little missie,” said the old man, “I do, indeed, and me and Christie always think of the little prayer when we look at them.”
“Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow,” repeated Mabel, reverently. “Has He washed you, Master Treffy?”
“Yes, missie,” said Treffy, “I believe He has.”
“I’m so glad,” said little Mabel, “then you will go to ‘Home, sweet Home’; won’t he, mamma?”
“Yes,” said her mother, “Treffy and Christie have found the only road which leads home. And, oh!” she said. the color coming into her sweet face, “what a happy day it will be when we all meet at home! Wouldn’t you like to see Jesus, Treffy?” asked the lady.
“Ay,” said old Treffy, “it would be a good sight to see His blessed face. I could almost sing for joy when I think of it, and I haven’t very long to wait.”
“No,” said the lady, with a wistful expression in her eyes, “I could almost change places with you, Treffy; I could almost wish I were as near to ‘Home, sweet Home.’ But that would be selfish,” she said brightly, as she rose to go.
But little Mabel had discovered the old organ, and was in no haste to depart. She must turn it “just a little bit.” In former days, old Treffy would have been seriously agitated and distressed at the idea of the handle of his dear old organ being turned by a little girl of six years old. Even now he felt a small amount of anxiety when she proposed it. But his fears vanished when he saw the careful, deliberate way in which Mabel went to work. The old organ was perfectly safe in her hands. And, to Mabel’s joy, the first tune which came was “Home, Sweet Home.” Very sweet it sounded in old Treffy’s ears. He was thinking of no earthly home, but of “the city bright,” where he hoped soon to be. And the lady was thinking of it too.
When the tune was finished they took their leave, and Christie looked out of the window, and watched them crossing the dirty court, and entering the carriage which was waiting for them in the street.
It had been a very bright week for Christie and for old Treffy.
And then Sunday came, and another service in the little mission-room. Christie was there in good time, and the clergyman gave him a pleasant smile as he came into the room.
It was the third verse of the hymn on which the clergyman was to preach tonight. They sang the whole hymn through before the sermon, and then they sang the third verse again, that all of them might remember it whilst he was preaching.
“Lord, make me from this hour
Thy loving child to be,
Kept by Thy power,
Kept by Thy power,
From all that grieveth Thee.”
And the clergyman’s text was in Colossians 1:12: “Meet to be partakers of the inheritance.”
He repeated it very slowly, and Christie whispered it softly to himself, that he might be able to teach it to old Treffy.
“‘Meet to be partakers of the inheritance.’ What is the inheritance?” asked the clergyman. “My dear friends, our inheritance is that city bright of which we have been speaking so much, ‘Home, sweet Home,’ our Father’s home. We are not there yet, but for all Christ’s washed ones there is a bright home above. Jesus is preparing it for us; it is our inheritance. Oh,” said the clergyman, very earnestly, “I wonder how many in this room have a home up there. You may have a wretched, uncomfortable home on earth; is it your only home? Is there no home for you in the bright city; no home in heaven?
“You might all have a home there,” said the clergyman, “if you would only come to the fountain, if you would only say from the bottom of your heart, ‘Lord, wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.’“
And Christie smiled when the clergyman said his little prayer, for he thought of the snowdrops. And the clergyman thought of them too.
Then Mr. Wilton went on to say that he wished tonight to speak to those who had come to Jesus; who had taken their sin to Him, and who had been washed in His blood.
“That’s me and old Treffy,” said Christie to himself.
“My dear friends,” said the clergyman, “all of you have an inheritance. You are the sons of a King. There is a place in the kingdom waiting for you. Jesus is getting that place ready for you, and I want to show you tonight that you must be made ready for it, meet or fit for the inheritance. One day, the Prince of Wales will be the King of England. This kingdom is his inheritance. As soon as he was born he had a right to it. But he has been educated and trained with great care, that he may be meet for the inheritance, that he may be fit to enjoy it, and able to use it. If he had had no education, if he had been brought up in one of these dismal black courts, though he might have a perfect right to be king, still he would not be able to enjoy it, he would feel strange, uncomfortable, out of place.
“Just so,” said the clergyman, “is it with our inheritance. As soon as we are born again we have a right to it, we become sons and daughters of the King of kings. But we need to be prepared and made meet for the inheritance. We must be made holy within. We must be trained and taught to hate sin and to love all that is pure and holy. And washed from the stain of sin. He did that at once; He gave you at once the right to the inheritance. But you will not be made holy at once. Little by little, hour by hour, day by day, the Holy Spirit will make you more and more ready for the inheritance. You will become more and more like Jesus. You will hate sin more; you will love Jesus more; you will become more holy. But, oh! let no one think,” said the clergyman, “that being good will ever give you a right to the inheritance. If I were to be ever so well educated, if I were to be taught a hundred times better than the Prince of Wales has been, it would never give me a right to be King of England. No, my friends, the only way into ‘Home, sweet Home,’ the only way to obtain a right to the inheritance, is by the blood of Jesus. There is no other way, no other right.
“But, after the Lord has given us the right to the kingdom, He always prepares us for it. A forgiven soul will always lead a holy life. A soul that has been washed white will always long to keep clear of sin. Is it not so with you? Just think of what Jesus has done for you. He has washed you in His blood; He has taken your sins away at the cost of His life. Will you do the very things that grieve Him? Will you be so ungrateful as to do that? Will you?
“Oh! surely not; surely you will say, in the words of the third verse of our hymn—’Lord, make me from this hour Thy loving child to be, Kept by Thy power, Kept by Thy power, From all that grieveth Thee.’
“And surely you will ask Him very, very earnestly, to give you that Holy Spirit who alone can make you holy. And when the work is done,” said the clergyman, “when you are made meet, made fit for the inheritance, the Lord will take you there. He will not keep you waiting. Some are made ready very quickly. Others have to wait long, weary years of discipline. But all the King’s sons shall be ready at last, all shall be taken home, and shall enter upon the inheritance. Will you be there?”
And with that question the clergyman ended his sermon, and the little congregation broke up very quietly, and went home with thoughtful faces.
Christie lingered near the door till the clergyman came out. He asked very kindly of old Treffy, and then put a few questions to Christie about the sermon; for he had been afraid whilst he had been preaching that he had not made it so clear that a child might understand. But he was cheered to find that the leading truth of the sermon was impressed on little Christie’s mind, and that he would be able to carry to old Treffy something, at least, of what he had heard.
For Christie was taught of God, and into hearts prepared by the Holy Spirit the seed is sure to sink. The Lord has prepared them for the word, and prepared the word for them, and the sower has only to put his hand into his basket and scatter the seed prayerfully over the softened soil. It will sink in, spring up, and bring forth fruit.
The clergyman felt the truth of this as he walked home. And he remembered where it was written, “The preparation of the heart is from the Lord.”
“That is a word for me, as well as for my hearers,” he said to himself. “Lord, ever let Thy preparation go before my preaching “