Before we close this book we will add a few pages respecting the Lord's coming again. We have sought to tell you things about God and the Lord Jesus, which, by he Holy Spirit's grace, will not only make you happy when thinking of God and of eternity, but which shall also lead you to do those things which please our God and our Father. Should you grow from childhood to youth, and even to old age, life is short. There will be, before long, an end to each of our lives. Now though we may die, yet the Lord may come before death, and in that case, those who believe will never die. God speaks of death as sleep for His people, and He tells us that " We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed." (1 Cor. 15:5151Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, (1 Corinthians 15:51).) When the Lord comes He will " change our vile body (these poor bodies subject to death), that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body." (Phil. 3:2121Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. (Philippians 3:21).) And should we the before the Lord comes, even as multitudes of God's people have done, Jesus will call up the sleepers from the grave, and give each of them a new and a resurrection body—a body of glory. " It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: it is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body." (1 Cor. 15:43, 4443It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: 44It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. (1 Corinthians 15:43‑44).)
When you sow seeds in your garden in the spring time, you bury the seed under the ground, and after a time, according to the good pleasure of God, the seed sprouts up. Some seeds lie buried a longer time than others, just as it pleases God, and when the seed comes up, and bears the form of a plant, or a bush, or a tree, it bears just that form which God pleases. " That which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body which shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat or some other grain. But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased Him." (1 Cor. 15:37, 3837And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain: 38But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body. (1 Corinthians 15:37‑38).) God gives the beautiful sweet pea its bright color and charming scent, and to the tall sunflower its high stalk and proud yellow blossoms, and to the retiring violet her rich purple petals and lovely odors. And God, who has so clothed the humble flowers, which rise up from their bare seeds into such glory, year by year, will change the poor and weak bodies of His people into the likeness of the body of the glorified Lord Jesus for the Eternal Day.
THE CHRYSALIS.
ONE bright spring afternoon a little boy was helping his mother in the garden. His duty was to pick up the bulbs and stones as she raked the border. Presently the rake turned up a curious brown wrinkled thing. It was partly like a long bulb, partly like a rolled up leaf, and partly like a shiny stone. The child's hand plucked it out of the soil; and showing it to his mother, he inquired what it was.
" It is a chrysalis, my dear."
"Kiss-liss! What is that, mamma? Is it alive? "
" It has life in it; it is dead, yet alive," she answered.
The little boy had never before seen a chrysalis, and full of love of the wonderful things in nature, he was found by his father
gazing intently upon his newly—found treasure.
" Papa," he cried, " I have a kiss-liss; it is dead and alive."
Bidding his little boy not to squeeze the creature, nor to hold it in his warm hand, the father took the chrysalis and laid it carefully in a box containing some handsful of earth. He explained to his littleboy that the chrysalis had been a caterpillar full of life and movement, that it became the strange thing it now was, and that by-and-by it would be a bright-winged. butterfly. The child was filled with astonishment. "Was this kiss-liss a caterpillar such as the blue-tits in the hollow tree gave to their little ones; and will it one day be a butterfly and lay eggs itself? Oh! papa, this is wonderful. '
With eager steps he followed his father to his study, where the box containing the earth wherein the chrysalis was laid was carefully placed under a glass shade upon the mantel-shelf.
" What have you done that for, papa? " inquired. the child.
That when the butterfly comes forth you may see it, my dear. But perhaps it will not come out for a month or longer."
" Well, papa, I do not know how long a month is, but I will come into your study, if I may, every day to look."
And many a time since that day has the little boy, peeped. into the glass shade, but as yet the butterfly has not appeared. Patience is needed. The child does not know what a month is, as he said.
Now the chrysalis is a lesson to us all concerning the resurrection of the dead. And like the child, who knew not the meaning of that period of time which a month means, we do not know how long it will be before the Lord and the resurrection day come. But the day will come. And when you look at the beautiful butterflies you will do well to remember what they teach us.
When the Lord will come we know not. But we know that He has bidden us watch and wait for Him.
When the Lord comes those who do not love Him will b e left behind. One day, some friends were busily talking in a railway carriage; they heard the porters call out, but were so engaged that they paid no special attention to what was said.
After a little time one of them said to the other-
" Our part of the train seems to be at a standstill. "
Then they called to the porter.
" You are left behind," he said.
They were exceedingly vexed, and asked, " Why did you not come and fetch us out of the carriage?
"I was calling out as loudly as I could; it is your own fault, not mine," he answered.
Those who do not love the Lord will be left behind when He comes. Cannot you hear His servants calling out? Are you so busy with your friends that you do not heed them? What do the Lord's servants say? They tell you that unless you are in Christ you will be left behind.
How does a sinner enter the place of safety -" In Christ? By faith. If you believe, you shall be saved. If you simply take God's word as He bids you. If you love Jesus the Lord, you shall never be left behind.
Remember that there will be no second train, as it were, to heaven; for those who are left behind when the Lord comes. No, children, when once the door is shut, when once the Lord calls His people home, it will be too late to be saved.
But there are many of you, we know, who are looking to see the Lord Jesus; and are waiting with joy for His coming, and for you this chapter is specially intended. You must, indeed, show by your ways and words that you are saved. It is not enough to say you love the Lord; you must prove it by being holy children. We expect to see a change when boys or girls tell us that they are converted. Word religion will not save you. It must be faith, that worketh by love. Do not forget your young friends, tell them also of the way to be saved. Be bright and kind towards them, and seek to win them by love to the Lord Jesus.
Sometimes a child will say, "I love Jesus," just because he has heard another lad say the same. God looks to your hearts and sees if love to Christ is there; we look to your lives, to see if you live as those should do, who, when Jesus comes, will not be left behind.
The love of the Lord Jesus in the heart, and the hope of soon seeing Him, render the Christian child bright and happy-so it was with the little boy of whom we will now tell you: -
LOOKING AND WAITING FOR THE LORD.
IT is some years ago, though it seems still as yesterday, since Jesus stooped down and took little Henry to be with Himself. On Saturday evening the sturdy child was playing with his brother and sister, who were having a fine romp with their father and mother, but it was little Henry's last game of play. On the Sunday morning he was taken slightly ill, and gradually became worse throughout the day, and before the clock tolled the midnight hour, Henry was in heaven. His short life of three years and a half was over. Eternity had begun for him.
The same fever which had caused little Henry's death, seized his brother and sister, and week after week they lay very, very ill. As Edgar's strength returned, he asked, " Is, Henry well?" for Henry was the strong boy, and had never been ill to Edgar's knowledge; so Edgar could not understand why his brother did not come to see him. Over and over again Edgar asked this question, but he never heard Henry's voice, and asked and asked for him in vain.
At length when Edgar became better he was taken to the sea-side, where his mother told him that he could never see Henry on earth again, as Henry was gone to heaven where Jesus lives.
Then Edgar lifted up his hands, and, crying bitterly, said, " Oh, shall we never see Henry any more on this earth? Dear mother, let us take the train and all go to heaven instead of going home again; I long to see him so."
" My darling boy," answered his mother, " such things can never be. We must wait in patience till the Lord comes, and then we shall see our Henry again, for Jesus will bring him with Himself when He comes in the cloud."
As his mother was weeping, Edgar turned to her, " My mother, you have only one boy left now, but I will be like two boys to you, and will cheer you." Then he tried to stroke away her tears. And by loving and obedient ways did all he could to hush his mother's sighs.
By-and-by when Edgar grew stronger he sat in a pretty goat-chaise by the sea-side. And then he would tell the passers by," Henry is in heaven; Henry is in heaven; " and if any one would stop to listen to him he would add, in his sweet way, " Do you love God? "
The goat-chaise boy seemed very dull-
hearted, and would not listen to darling Edgar, so the child told him that unless he loved God he would never go to heaven where Henry was.
When about five years of age, and once more restored to health, darling Edgar was walking down a country lane with his uncle, when two big men came by and begged for half-pence; they said they were starving, but they were not really hungry. Then Edgar, holding fast to his uncle's coat, cried out: "These naughty men will never go to heaven." Upon which his uncle, who did not at all wish that the little fellow should think himself good, and therefore ready to go to heaven, asked him, "Would you go to heaven, Edgar?"
"Indeed, indeed I think I should, uncle."
" Then tell Mme why, my dear; would it be because you are a good little boy "
" Oh! no, uncle, but just because Jesus died for sinners, and I believe upon the Lord, uncle."
Listen to these words', dear young readers; Edgar had been taught by the Holy Spirit to call Jesus Lord. You have often heard of Jesus and His love. Do you really believe on Him? can you truly say, " Indeed I believe I shall go to heaven-not because I am good, no, but because the Lord Jesus died upon the cross to save me "
Then his uncle said, " Edgar, my love, do you pray to the Lord Jesus?
"Yes, very often, uncle; many times a day. And I often ask Him to make dear sister well." For she had not yet recovered from the effects of the cruel fever. " And sometimes I pray to Him as I lie awake in bed in the night, Please God, hear my little prayer. Make haste this week-to-morrow-very soon -perhaps to-day.' But why God does not answer me, I do not know; for she is not well yet."
Then his uncle explained that a little child could not know what was the best and wisest thing, but that the Lord would teach him as he "grew.
So Edgar said, " Then I will say, If Thou lost please, make haste, Lord, and hear my prayer, and then He will answer."
We had two little birds in a cage, exactly alike in chirp and feather, and sometimes they would sit close together and be very happy. Then one would get cross and peck the other, upon which they would go to different parts of their cage and mope and sulk. At length one would hop down and nod its pretty green head, and chirp just as if it said, " I am good now," when down, would fly the other bird, and then both would be happy. These pretty birds were quite a sermon to us in darling Edgar's days, for he would say that we must be like the birds when kind, and show our love by our ways.
One beautiful autumn evening, Edgar was near his mother, looking up into the darkening sky. Presently a brilliant star began to shine, and, as the twilight faded the unnumbered host of stars shone above. " Mamma," said Edgar, " is heaven very far from this earth? "
"Ah! yes, my child," she answered, "along, long way off-beyond that evening star."
After a pause, Edgar said, " I am so sorry; I thought that the stars were the floor of heaven, and that Henry ran and played upon the beautiful white floor where the angels walk. And heaven always seems so near, when the stars shine bright. Must not think so any more? "
" Dear boy," said his mother, " Henry lives with Jesus above the starry sky, and endless joy is his. And, my child, heaven is not so far away in one sense, for Jesus is near us, waiting here with us, though we cannot see Him, till He shall call us all up to His home."
One day Edgar was disobedient, and his good Christian nurse scolded him. Then he ran off to his bedroom, and knelt down and prayed to God to pardon him. He told God what he had done, and he felt in his heart that his prayer was heard. So back he came to his nurse, and said softly, " Nurse, dear, forgive me."
" Stay, Edgar," she said; " you have been very naughty, I cannot be so quick." " But, nurse," he answered, " God has pardoned me, so you must, too." Then she at once forgave him.
A Christian lady said to him one day, " Would you like to go to Jesus? "
" I should," he answered, " and Jesus will soon come in the bright cloud, and then we shall all meet and be at home. Perhaps He will come to-day; perhaps to-morrow; but very soon, and then I shall see Henry again. All who love the Lord will go up to meet Him."
The lady was very much astonished at his answer, and questioned him about it, and she found that, though he was so young, yet he knew that only those who love the Lord will meet Him at His coming again.
Dear boys and girls, are you ready to meet the Lord Jesus should He come to-day? Are your sins washed away? In Edgar's own words, " Do you love God? "
How quietly and reverently the little boy sat during the holy hours of worship. He loved to help to sing the hymn in his little way, and listened with folded hands to all that was said.
Edgar had a quick, clear mind and eye, and a cheerful, ringing voice. He made every one happy who was near him. His father hoped that he would live to be a preacher of the gospel, but Jesus knows best. When darling Edgar was nearly seven years of age he was again laid upon a sick bed.
" Oh, dear," he said, " there is nothing for me to do." SO we brought him his red, blue, and black pencils; but they only made his head ache more sadly. Then he said,
" There are many little boys who have no sweet mother, or loving father, or kind nurse to cheer them when they are ill; so I will thank the Lord."
After a time the doctors said that they could do nothing for us, so his mother broke the news to darling Edgar. " Jesus is looking down upon you," she said, weeping.
Then he looked up, and a smile came over his face. He whispered something. We think he said, " Mother," and giving her a sweet look, his spirit went up to be with Henry in heaven. And many wept that day, and as darling Edgar is spoken of many still weep, for his smile and loving heart were always welcome.
Dear boys and girls, out of love to you and to darling Edgar I write this story. Perhaps some of you, by reading it, will long to know the same dear Savior who made darling Edgar the happy Christian child that he was. God grant this. And thus, though the little boy cannot tell you of Jesus, or ask you, " Do you love God? " yet the simple tale of his short life shall be blessed to you by the Holy Spirit. And if God should kindly please to bless these words to you, how happy will darling Edgar be when he meets you in heaven.
How blessed will that day be when God makes all things new, and when He wipes away all tears from our eyes! We shall have met our dear ones again. Those who " sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him." (1 Thess. 4:1414For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. (1 Thessalonians 4:14).) It will be such a bright and happy day; nor will there be any end to it, as is now the case with all our most pleasant earthly days, for it will be an eternal day.
A little boy was sitting upon his father's knee one Sunday afternoon, hearing the Bible story of Adam and Eve. He listened very attentively, and, child-like, was interested in the fruits and pleasant things of Paradise.
" Papa," said he, " will there be any fruit trees in heaven? "
So his father read to him from the last book in the Bible of the beautiful city of pure gold. and precious stones, with gates of pearl. " In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month." (Rev. 22:22In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. (Revelation 22:2).)
" You will see your little brothers there."
" But I should not know them, papa," the child said; for he, was born after his brothers had died.
" Oh, yes, -you will. We shall know one another in heaven."
" Does God say so, papa? "
" He does, my dear. '
" And how long shall we live in heaven? " the little boy inquired. He was thinking of happy days on earth coming to an end, and wondering wk ether the happy clay of heaven would also, like earth's days, cease.
" Forever and ever, my dear. There will be no end to living in heaven. There will be no more dying; no more weeping. The children there will live forever and ever, and will be always happy."
It is a bright and pleasing question for you to ask yourselves, " How long shall we live in heaven? "
In prospect of the day of His coming again to take His, people. to His Father's home, the Lord Jesus calls Himself
THE BRIGHT AND MORNING STAR.
Little children like to look up at the stars. Many a boy and girl, whose younger brother or sister has been called from earth to heaven, will look up to the sky when the bright stars come out, and wonder if after all heaven is such a very, very long way off. As the night closes in, the stars shine brighter, and all becomes darkness and silence. But, though you have seen the stars in the evening, you have not, I should think, seen the morning star, since, at the early hours of its appearance, you are asleep. In summer time you must be up very early indeed to see the morning star; and a beautiful sight it is to witness its bright shining before the sun rises. The morning star is brightest at the end of the night, and when we see it shine we know that the day will soon break; and the more we look at it the more often we say the sun will presently rise and the shadows will flee away.
The blessed Jesus calls Himself "The Bright and Morning Star," and those who have a heart to see Him do not sleep as do others-do not live day by day, as if the world were the only place in which man could be happy, but they know that there is darkness and sin in the world, and they long for the day to come when the light of God's presence shall shine fully upon all who love Him.
And those who are looking for the Lord's coming are also longing that many, many young and old may be ready for Him. Jesus teaches us to desire the good of others; and in the verse in the last chapter of the Bible, where He calls Himself the Morning Star, we also hear the loving invitation to every thirsty heart to take the water of life freely. How happy it will be for the whole family to meet the Lord in the air; yes, all-father and mother, brothers and sisters-not one left behind, no, not one.
When the Lord comes He will bring with Him all the children who love Him, and there are many, many of them waiting with the Lord above the starry skies. How joyful will that day be! How glad will all be who have a part in His pleasures. God desires, beloved young reader, that you may be part of those who love to think about Jesus as the coming One-as the Bright and Morning Star.
The Happy Day.
Jesus is coming with joy to the sky,
Oh, happy day! Oh, happy day!
Then all who love Him upward shall fly,
Oh, happy day! happy day!
Upward shall fly to the Lord in the air,
And be all together with Jesus there,
Far from the earth and from sorrow and care,
Oh, happy day! happy day!
Parents and children shall then again meet,
Oh, happy day! oh, happy day!
Sisters and brothers-oh, it will be sweet,
Oh, happy day! happy day!
We missed them on earth, to Jesus they went,
We love them as ever, their loss we lament
When all meet again we shall be content,
Oh, happy day! happy day!
Are we all ready, should Jesus now call?
Oh, happy day! oh, happy day!
Would each one answer, the great and the small
"Oh, happy day! happy day!
We long to rise up and with Thee to see."
Children, would you then sing sweetly with me,
Oh, happy day! happy day!
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