It was not quite train time. Among the waiting passengers on the station platform a gentleman walked to and fro, holding his little daughter's hand. A commotion near the door attracted their attention, and as they stopped to watch, several officers appeared with a hand-cuffed prisoner. It soon became known that this was a notorious criminal recently sentenced to state prison for twenty years.
The little child looked at this man with wonder and then with horror. Then, as she saw the settled, sullen gloom on his countenance, a look of pity grew on her sweet face. Dropping her father's hand, she went close to the prisoner. Fearlessly she lifted her eyes to his face and spoke a few low words.
The prisoner glared upon her like a fiend, and she ran back, half afraid, to her father's hand. But a moment later she was at his side again, nearer than before in her self-forgetful earnestness. This time the prisoner dropped his defiant eyes as he listened, and then a slight tremor passed over his hard face. Then her father called, and the little girl returned slowly to him, looking back pityingly at the manacled prisoner. The train came soon and the prisoner went quietly on board.
During the journey he was no longer belligerent, and he gave the officers no trouble. After his commitment to prison, the conduct of this formerly incorrigible criminal was most excellent, and he continued to be subdued and tractable.
Inmates of that prison sentenced to terms of twenty years or more are allowed a reading light in the evenings. It was observed that this prisoner spent much time in study of the Bible, and his guards became curious as to its effect on him. At length someone asked how it happened that he had brought with him such a reputation for willfulness, but had since proved himself quiet and well-behaved.
"Well, sir," said he, "I'll tell you. It was when I was waiting at the station, before I came here. A little mite of a girl, not much more than a baby, was there with her father. She had long, shiny hair falling over her shoulders, and such innocent blue eyes as you won't often see. Somehow I couldn't help looking at her.
"By and by she let go her father's hand and came over to me. Says she: 'Man, I am sorry for you.'
"You wouldn't believe it, but there were tears in her eyes! Something seemed to give way inside of me then; but I was proud, and wouldn't show it. I just scowled at her blacker than ever.
"The poor little thing looked kind of scared and ran back to her father. But pretty soon she was back again. This time she came right up to me, and she says: 'Man, Jesus Christ is sorry for you.'
"Oh, but that clean broke my heart. Nobody'd spoke to me like that since my old mother died, years and years ago. I'd hard work to keep the tears back. All the way down here I was just thinking of Mother and of the many things she used to teach me when I was little. I'd a good bringing up, though more's the shame to me now.
"Well, the up shot of it was, sir, I made up my mind I would never rest till I found my mother's God; and oh, sir," he exclaimed, while the tears ran down his face, "I found HIM, and He's saved me—He's saved me!”
How true are the words of that little tot!
"Man, Jesus Christ is sorry for you.”
God's dear Son proved His deep pity and the love of His heart for us poor, wretched sinners by coming down from heavenly bliss to the sorrow and shame here below. From the throne to the cross! And there upon that cross He suffered the wrath and judgment of God for us.
"Christ died for our sins.”
Friend, as you read these words, can you say in simple faith, "Christ died for me"?
But the Savior, in love and wondrous grace, met the judgment due us and drank death's bitter cup. Now nothing but the sweetness of His love is left for the one who trusts Him. Oh, what a Savior He is to have died for us, His bitter enemies!
Does your heart yield and break before such love? Will you not take this Savior as your Savior now? What joy and peace will then be yours!