ISN'T that an unusual name for a little girl? Regina's father and mother were born in Germany, and they moved to Canada quite a long time before Regina was born. They found their new home very lonely, as their nearest neighbors were far distant, and they didn't speak the same language. But they knew and loved the Lord Jesus, and as their little daughter grew up, they loved to read to her from the Bible and sing to her. Regina often heard her mother sing the little verse,
Though isolated. on this earth,
How can I lonely be,
When I know Thee, my Saviour, near.
Thou livest still for me."
The stories of Jesus and his dying love were very real to little Regina, and she never tired of hearing them over and over.
One day, when her mother and her father were both away, a hand of Indian Redskins came and burned up the cabin and took Regina away with them. The poor girl was taken far away, with a number of other unhappy children, and then she, with another little captive girl, was given to an. old Indian woman. They led a very miserable life among the savage Indians. They were given hardly anything to eat, and had to go out into the bush every day to find what fruits they could.
In the midst of all this sorrow, there beamed a bright ray of light for little Regina. It was the remembrance of what she had heard from her mother. Each day she would tell the other little captive girl the stories of Jesus that she had learned, and then she used to sing to her,
"Though isolated on this earth,
How can I lonely he,
When I know Thee, my Saviour, near.
Thou livest still for me."
The mother little thought, in her loneliness, how much these words would mean to her poor child. She mourned for little Regina and asked the Lord to take care of and keep her. As well as being dressed like an Indian girl, her face had become dark and sunburnt, and she had learned the language and the habits of those with whom she lived,
But the Lord had not forgotten. Regina, nor the other little girls who had been captured at that time, and after nine long years the English. made peace with .the Indians, and ordered them to return all their captives. Messages were sent to different parts of Canada asking parents who had lost their children to come to a certain place. to meet with the Indians and claim their children,
Regina and her little friend soon found themselves at, the meeting place. What do you think was the first thing she asked for when she saw all the white people again? A Bible! And the tears of happiness ran down her brown face as she opened it and began to read again of Jesus, whom she loved so well. Before long, many fathers and mothers also began to arrive, and they were busy finding their lost children, Regina's mother came too, and looked and looked for her little girl. But she couldn't find her! Regina was so big and so brown that her mother didn't know her, and she didn't know her mother. At last the unhappy mother thought of an idea. Perhaps her little girl would remember the hymn that she used to sing at home, and in a trembling voice she began to sing,
"Though isolated on this earth"
Regina heard and remembered! With a glad cry she ran forward and kissed her mother and they were both so happy that they cried.
I know nothing more about what happened to Regina and her mother, but I think you can see from this true story a little picture of God's love and care. How wonderfully He cared for that little girl while she was away from her mother. And how the loving heart of her mother came to meet her and stayed until she found her. God loves you, my reader, and He has His eye upon you as you read this paper. He wants to make you happy and to forgive your sins if you will but turn and take Jesus as your Saviour.
Messages of God’s Love 11/20/1949