(Written by a Child.)
THE great change in my soul happened when I was thirteen. I had the knowledge of my sins for many months; I knew that if the Lord Jesus Christ came I should not be waiting for Him. This made me very anxious; at night especially I have not been able to sleep; and if a loud train passed, I have prayed aloud for God to save me, and not to let Jesus come before I was saved. I trusted He would save me before long, and so He did.
In February, 1883, Mr. — came, as was usual, to preach. I attended the meetings, and gave my heart to the Lord Jesus Christ there and then. Still I was not sure I was saved, I did not know whether my sins were forgiven I read the 3rd chapter of John’s Gospel every day: my faith was small; I could not believe it was for me.
A week or two afterward, Alice went to the meetings, and became very anxious about her soul. Mr. — spoke on Noah going into the Ark, and all the world shut out: even so will it be when the Lord Jesus Christ conies, all the saints called home, and those who are unsaved will be shut out forever. At these words she almost jumped out of her seat, and said, “I am shut out.”
The following week Mr. — spoke on the Lord’s willingness to save the lost sinner, when she thought then, “I may be saved even now.” At night if she heard a heavy train pass, she would listen and hear if there were any sound or footsteps in the street. It was such a comfort to her if she heard a footstep.
The Tuesday following Mr. —came again; she was still miserable; after the meeting Mr. —spoke to her, and pointed her to John 3:14-16,14And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:14‑16) and told her to read the verses over and over again, until she was saved; she read until nearly one o’clock. I pointed to her that it was whosoever and this meant anyone; that if she believed, she should not perish, but have everlasting life; and that “verily” meant Truly, Truly, TRULY, I say unto you, ye must be born again.
As I read it, the Lord opened the eyes of both; hers, that she believed; mine, to see I was saved, that all my sins were gone forever; and oh! what a joy; we were full of happiness, and were able to sing nearly all that night. “There was joy in the presence of the angels.” I shall never forget it. We sang together the beautiful verses―
I do believe, I will believe,
That Jesus died for me;
That on the cross He shed His blood
From sin to set me free.
I care not what the world may say:
My sins are all forgiven;
My Saviour died upon the tree;
And I am bound for heaven.
How very different it was next morning. Our faces shone with happiness, because we had seen Jesus. Now we were waiting for the Saviour, and, I may say, are still waiting every day and every hour. What a blessed time it will be when we are caught up to meet the Lord in the air, and so to be forever with the Lord! how can we grieve, and think so much of a little suffering, after all His love! This light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. The more persecution we get, the more precious Christ is to us. I did not get more friends and companions when I gave my heart to Christ, I could not agree with them, so I gave them up: the Lord was quite enough and so He is now. I gave up all the traditions, forms, and ceremonies of man, and put on Christ: that is why some people do not care for me; but the Lord knows it all, and overrules it. I would not give up Christ for all the gold and jewels of this earth. “He is the fairest among ten thousand, the altogether lovely.”
B. P.