Part 5
On entering his room, she was surprised to find him reading the Bible, which she had left within his reach, and so intent was he upon it, that it was some time before he was aware of her presence. At last he raised his eyes, and perceiving her, he said, —
“Listen, Margaret! I feel very strange since I have been reading this book. It seems to me as if I were again a child, and sat on my mother’s lap, who often read to me out of the Bible. I continually find passages which I heard long ago. How strange it seems! I long to weep, and yet it seems to me as if a load had been lifted off my heart. Our neighbor next door spoke words to me last night that I cannot forget. They are wonderful people.”
“Yes,” replied his aged servant, “there you are right. They are the best people in the world,” and then she went on to tell him how they had sent to ask after him in the morning, and how the little boy was even then waiting in the hall with a present of oranges, and only afraid lest he should repulse him.
“Repulse him!” exclaimed the old man, quite overcome with emotion, “no, indeed. Ask him in.” The housekeeper, laughing to herself for very joy, hastened to bring in little Richard, who, approaching timidly, asked the invalid to accept his oranges because they would do him good.
“Do you, then, think of me, little boy?” asked the old man.
“I have thought of you twice today,” replied Richard.
“But why exactly twice?” inquired the invalid.
The boy hesitated a moment, and then coloring, said: —
“I have prayed for you this morning and this afternoon. Yes, sir,” he added, taking courage, “I have asked the Lord to make you well, and to give you a peaceful heart.”
“But why? Why do you pray for me when I killed your little rabbit?”
“The Lord Jesus prayed for His enemies,” replied the boy, “and He says to His disciples, ‘Love your enemies,’ so I felt able to forgive you, and to pray for you as papa and mamma did.”
The old man listened in wonder, and as the boy, growing bolder and more familiar, spoke with rising eagerness and warmth of the love of Jesus Christ to poor sinners, he covered his face with his hands to hide the tears that flowed down his furrowed cheeks until his silent weeping became loud and convulsive sobbing, which could not be restrained. The hard heart was broken, the demon of rage was cast out; the best and only remedy for his disease was found, for the Lord had heard His children’s prayers.
An hour later little Richard entered his home. The family had returned, and his sisters were full of the joy of their visit; but he had a joy of another and a higher kind, which when his father and mother knew, their hearts were filled with praise and adoration.
To be continued.
ML 06/11/1933