Pattie spent his childhood among the hills, and their cottage home, although humble, was peaceful and happy. The scourge of small pox took off Pattie’s father, and only a week after, ther mother died also.
Pattie and his sister Mary were thus left orphans. Very likely they would have been removed from their desolate home to some orphan home, where they scarcely would have known each other as brother and sister, or they might have been separated to see each other no more on earth. Sad it is to think of many, who are left to “the cold world’s charity,” being thus treated, who never know the joys of home.
But up in that hill region, there are hearts that have been warmed and won by the love of Jesus. Pattie’s father and mother had been true believers in Jesus, and in following Him, they had become associated with others whose hearts had been won to Him also. A friendship such as the worlding cannot know, and links of love, such as the unsaved, however sociable and kind, cannot understand, were formed among these lovers of the Lord. Children of one Father, disciples of one Lord, brethren of one family, members of one body, they assembled together, and sought to help each other onward in the heavenward way. And when the hour of adversity was with them, they sought to bear each others’ burden and share each others’ sorrows, as their Lord and Master had told them to do.
When these children were left orphans, One of the little community who had no children of her own, adopted Mary, and another young couple took Pattie.
“The Lord will care for you,” was the dying mother’s words concerning her two darlings, and faithful to His own promise, He did send two of His own to care for them, as if they had been their own children. They lived next door, and were much in each other’s company; indeed, the people in the village thought they were both in one household. When Pattie’s “father”—as he called his benefactor — brought him a present, he never forgot Mary; and when Mary’s “mother” brought her a picture book, she always remembered Pattie with its equal.
And thus the early years of the two orphan children flowed on in peace. But although carefully taught the Scriptures, and both very fond of reading books, neither of them had shown any sign of real anxiety of soul, or given any true evidence of being converted to God. This gave their foster-parents much concern, for you may know that a true believer in Christ, knows no greater joy than to see his children, and those over whom he has a parental care, saved and set on the way to heaven. No amount of learning or cleverness, not even of morality and religion, can make up for the lack of being saved, for that is the way of entrance to the family and kingdom of God.
A revival began in that district, and many old and young were led to Saviour. It was the custom, as one and another was led to the Saviour, to “return thanks’’ to God, the young convert himself asking that this might be done.
Pattie said very little, but it was evident to all that the Spirit of God was working with him, showing him his need of a Saviour. One night, after one and another had “testified” to the grace of God, Pattie rose, and in a voice trembling with emotion said, while the tears gushed down his cheeks,
“Thank God I’m saved,” and then repeated the familiar lines as a simple confession of his faith.
“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.”
A loud— “Praise the Lord,” came froin many lips, followed by a loud sobbing; which came from a girl in the corner. This was Mary. Pattie’s testimony to God’s saving grace had broken her down. She had been rather careless about spiritual things, and thought she was as good as others, till Pattie accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his Saviour. Then she felt she was left alone. Pattie was saved and to be in heaven. She was left among the lost.
Mary “came to an end of herself,” as all who come as sinners to the Saviour must, ere they yield to be wholly saved by Another—but Mary did so come, and she passed from death unto life also.
And did their conversion last? some may ask. Yes, for it was wrought by God, and the fruits of it are still manest in a godly Christian life and testimony—not in some high place in the field, but in the humble sphere where God has placed them, where they closy follow, and diligently serve Him who cared for thein as orphans, and saved them as sinners,
“The very same Jesus” wants to save you too, and if you come to Him, and trust in Him as they did, you will find His saving power put forth for your immediate salvation. There is no mystery, no difficulty about it. You trust, He saves.
ML 12/24/1944