LITTLE RUTH was twelve years old when she first heard the gospel. She belonged to the Big Flowery Miao tribe of Western China, and lived in a very small village. Her people had gone south hoping to find land where they could make a better living. That was before the Communists came.
The house Ruth lived in was just a poor, grass-roofed shack with cornstalks tied together with vines for walls. The crops they grew were mostly corn, oats and buckwheat. They ground some of the oats into meal which they mixed with water and ate it that way. The corn and buckwheat they would grind into meal and steam over a big iron pot and flavor it with a few red peers. Sometimes they had some vegetables, but you can see they were very poor.
The people were very superstitious and worshipped rocks and trees. The first month of the year they offered a pig or goat, hoping the god would not harm them. They were afraid of their gods in life and had no hope after death. Into such a home little Ruth was born.
Then came the gospel bringing light and life through the Lord Jesus, the Saviour of sinners everywhere. There was a great revival and thousands of Ruth’s people were saved. Whole villages were transformed, and when the news first reached Ruth’s village her parents got interested. They would walk 20 miles each way to hear the wonderful story of the love of God and His dear Son told out in the gospel services. This meant getting up very early Sunday morning and returning in the afternoon. They were very faithful.
The young missionary at Heroikwan loved the rough life of the Miao villages. One Saturday they were all going to the main center where on Sunday they would remember the Lord Jesus in His death. The goat trail led through the mountains, and the missionary was riding his horse, while the young fellows walked ahead, and their wives came behind, all Single file.
Suddenly, Ruth went to the missionary and said, “Teach us a hymn, will you?”
“What hymn, Ruth?” he asked.
“I’m a Soldier, Bound for Glory!” she replied.
They sang it all the way; so you know it was a very long hymn — almost 20 miles long. Would you call it a long meter hymn?
When they reached their destination, they all ate supper and then had an evening service. It was a warm, fervent meeting in which many took part. The missionary went to bed about 11:30 P.M., but not the people. They sat up most of the night singing the hymn Ruth had been taught. On Sunday they sang it between meetings and most of the way home.
A few days later, Ruth was taken ill. The missionary visited her home and found her lying on the damp earth floor. He was able to help a little, and then all gathered around for prayer.
Several days after, when Ruth’s father and mother came to the services, the missionary asked them how Ruth was. “Haven’t you heard?” replied her mother, her voice breaking as she spoke, “The Lord came and took her to heaven.”
“I am so sorry to hear that,” said the missionary with deep sympathy.
“Oh, don’t be sorry,” the mother said quickly, “the Lord has taken her to His heavenly Home.” Then she told him how poor they were, how hard little Ruth had to work, and night after night she had gone to bed hungry. She had hardly known what it was to have enough to eat and be satisfied. And then the mother added a tragic word, “All her life Ruth wanted to have a ‘pretty thing,’ and she never had one.” Then laying hold on the missionary’s arm, and with tears rolling down her face, the poor mother said, “And, teacher, now she has a white robe up in heaven.”
The missionary wanted to know if Ruth was afraid when dying. “No,” said her mother; “she was not afraid.” Then she told of how Ruth had laid on the earth floor of the little shack, with her head on her mother’s lap. They heard her say, “Please sing a hymn,” so they sang one they all knew.
They could see that she was nearing the end, and just before she went they heard her say, “Glory, glory, Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!” It was the chorus of the hymn she had learned. And so it was that with the words “Praise the Lord!” on her lips, the spirit of little Ruth went to be with her Saviour. How wonderful that a little Christian should enter heaven saying, “Praise the Lord!”
“I am the Good Shepherd: the Good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep."... “I am come that they might have life.” John 10:11,10.
“Suffer the little children to come unto Me.” Mark 10:14.
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Memory Verse “HE THAT DOETH THE WILL OF GOD ABIDETH FOREVER.” 1 John 2:17.. ML-01/24/1971