A GENTLEMAN was giving an address in a cottage; after he had finished, a man bent with years, and whose head was silvery grey, begged him to come and see his mother.
“Your mother?” asked the astonished speaker, for he could hardly believe that the old man of more than eighty years had a mother yet living.
Following the old man, our friend entered a cottage, and then mounted the nearly upright ladder which led from the lower room to the attic of the house. Then he found himself standing in a little room, through the small window of which the setting sun shone in, its rays lighting up a bed whereon sat upright a spare, gaunt figure. This was the mother of the old man. Though more than a hundred years old, and though very feeble in body, yet her mind was clear and strong.
After a short talk, the gentleman said to her,
“Do you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your own Saviour?”
Immediately her dim eyes brightened; her voice started into a shrill energy at the sound of His blessed name, and she said aloud.
“To be sure I do,” and then added, pointing her finger at the questioner, “Do you know Him for yourself? Do you?” Then, as if she could hardly contain herself she added;
“Know Him! Yes; and many a long year before you were born! Know Him! I should think I do.” She told our friend how that she was but a girl, going to market along the dirty road, when the Lord Jesus revealed Himself to her heart, and how God had kept her all her long, long life.
You need not fear, for the Lord will never leave His own. Those who are His shall be kept, should they die in childhood, or live a hundred years.
Our times are in Thy hand,
Father, we wish them there;
Our life, our soul, our all, we leave
Entirely to Thy care.
ML 02/17/1924