MANY of my little readers, I doubt not, are accustomed to go to Sunday-schools, and I hope they make themselves well acquainted with their lessons, and occupy their places before the exercises of their schools commence, not only for the sake of receiving their tickets, but that confusion may be prevented and order preserved. When I was no older than yourselves I was a Sunday scholar, and it is about a little circumstance which then occurred that I purpose now to write.
The master of the day-school I attended was also the superintendent of the Sunday-school, and, as you are aware, it was his business to form the classes and appoint the teachers. Each of the latter was supplied with a card containing the names of those who composed his class; it was also ruled with square lines, at the top of which stood the respective days of the different months of the year; and in one of these squares a mark was weekly inserted, in order that it might be known who were absent, and in what manner those who were present acquitted themselves. The sign of addition (+) denoted the absentees; the sign of subtraction (—) indicated that the lessons had been well said; the sign of multiplication (x) that they had been badly rehearsed; and that of division (÷) that they had been but indifferently repeated. Every Monday morning the cards were fetched from the large room in which the Sunday-school was held, and as the names of the boys who had not good marks were read aloud, they responded there and rose to their feet. A flogging was then given to those whose bad marks condemned them; and even those who had but indifferent ones did not often escape a milder punishment. This being the case, you will not be surprised to learn that Monday morning was a time from which most of us shrank, and that some of those who knew they had not good marks begged their parents to keep them at home. But if they were allowed to do so, it did but postpone the chastisement, for the next time they came to school, the dreaded punishment was sure to be inflicted.
The class to which I belonged was taught by several persons in succession, and one of them was so very particular that he acquired the name of “The Strict Teacher.” Very few of the class obtained good marks when he taught it; and on the occasion to which my story owes its rise, he gave me an indifferent one for calling a singular noun plural while repeating the first twenty verses of the second chapter of the Gospel by Luke. I was very unhappy the rest of the day, and after passing a restless night, I went to school with a heavy heart. When the cards were read as usual, my master expressed his surprise at the mark I had received, and in a loud and angry tone demanded an explanation. Bursting into tears I assured him that I only made one mistake in my lesson, and that was by adding s to the word field; and this being confirmed by some of my school-fellows, he not only forgave me, but, erasing the pencil dots with a piece of India rubber, turned “the indifferent mark” into a good one.
Now, my young friends, have you ever thought of the number of marks which God has against you because of your sins, and that unless they are all forgiven, you can never stand before him without fear? His eyes have seen your foolish thoughts and wicked ways; his ears have heard your sinful words; but more prominent than any other stands one mark of a peculiar character — one of a deeper shade and blacker hue than all the rest put tether, and that is the sin of unbelief. For, young as you are, when you have heard of the love of God in the gift of Jesus; of the love of the Saviour in dying for sinners; and of his willingness to save the youngest child that will receive him, you have, by not believing the record that he hath given of his Son, made God a liar. This is indeed fearful, and when you remember that God is so holy that he can neither excuse sin nor allow it to pass unpunished, you must perceive that your position is truly solemn; and I write thus plainly that, if it please the Lord, I may be the means in his hands of leading you to understand it. True it is that all your sins may be forgiven; yea, every one of them would be forgiven this moment if you were to believe in Christ. But, alas! him you reject; consequently you are exposed to the wrath of him who is “of purer eyes than to behold iniquity.”
Should, however, any of my little readers be unhappy about their sins, and anxious to know the way whereby they can be delivered therefrom, I would affectionately remind them of that blessed One whose precious blood was shed to make an atonement for sin, and to bring us nigh to God, “holy and without blame before him in love.” It was an easy thing to erase the dots from “the indifferent mark” which “the strict teacher” had given me, though it might be doubted whether my master was right in doing so; but while no tongue can tell what the Saviour endured when he bare the wrath due to sin, and what it cost Him to pay the dreadful score which was against us, none can say that God is unrighteous in forgiving sin and pardoning sinners, since all the claims of holiness and the demands of justice have been once and forever met and satisfied by him “who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification.” Grace now reigns “through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord;” “the blood of the Lamb” is a perfect remedy for all sin — whether great or little; and while it is all-sufficient for the former, it is also needed for the latter. Yes; God is so infinitely holy that not the least particle of sin can be allowed in his presence; and if he were to contend with you about your iniquities, you could not “answer him one of a thousand.” But he is so infinitely gracious, that you, dear readers, are as welcome to him and to all the blessings which he has to bestow, as you are free to breathe the air or to enjoy the cheering rays of the sun. Come then, and taste how good and how gracious the Lord is. Receive Christ, that gracious one, who is.as full of love and grace as ever, and your sins and iniquities shall be remembered no more. Instead of dreading the frown of an angry and a sin-hating God, you shall walk in the light of his countenance — every charge against you gone, and not a single mark or stain of sin upon you — and enjoy his “everlasting love,” not only now, but in the bright region of unfailing and “eternal glory.”
N.