“Suffer little children TO COME unto Me.”
ON Christmas Day, 1908, a few friends had met together in the house of one of our Christian workers in Exeter. After a pleasant afternoon had been spent and tea over, the friends left; and around the fire, the family circle, composed of father and mother and three children, was made. As the time passed in pleasant reminiscence, the father and mother felt the power of the presence of God. After supper was over, the conversation was renewed. The theme of the parents was God’s goodness to ‘them through the year; contrasting the comfort and love of their home with others quite as deserving, but not so blest. Then the children were reminded of the power of Satan in the world, robbing men’s lives, and taking every blessing from them; then the theme was Jesus dying to save them, giving them blessing upon blessing day by day, and soon coming to take those who loved Him, and believed in Him, home to glory. And while they talked it seemed as if the Lord was there, as assuredly He was; and the peace of His presence seemed to fill the room.
Then the hymn was sung,
“Sinners Jesus will receive.”
All sung it heartily, and then the children left to go to bed.
The youngest son, J―, a boy of ten, passed quietly out with the others, but in a few minutes a sound of sobbing was heard from the landing. The father went out to see what was the matter; he found J―weeping. On asking him why he wept, his answer was, “FATHER, I’M A SINNER, AND I WANT JESUS TO FORGIVE ME MY SINS.” The father took the dear boy up in his arms, and carried him back into the dining room again. Then all the family knelt in prayer to God to save the sobbing child; and even as they knelt he gave his heart to Jesus. What joy that Christmas day brought to that home can never be told on earth, but heaven will be the brighter for it for all eternity.