Charlie was a poor little ill-fed child, with a pale pinched face and big bright eyes. He came regularly to Sunday school during the summer months, and listened gladly to the sweet story of God’s love’ in sending Jesus to die for sinners.
As the chilly days of autumn drew on, the little lad was absent for several weeks, and the teacher soon found her way to his home to inquire about him. His mother told her that Charlie was not coming back to Sunday school any more.
Do you wonder why? It was not because he thought himself too big, nor because he was too lazy to learn his verse. Little Charlie had left the Sunday school to be with the Lord Jesus in heaven.
During the short weeks of his last illness, he often asked his mother to sing
“Around the throne of God in heaven
Thousands of children stand,
Children whose sins are all forgiven
A holy, happy band.”
His little bed had been huddled up in a dark corner of a cold room, and there was not much covering for his poor wasting body, and scarcely a bit of furniture in the room, but he had died full of joy at the thought of being “around the throne.”
One day, when his mother spoke sadly of his poor shabby nightclothes, he had answered, “Oh, Mother, it’s all right. Jesus has such a clean white robe for me, and I shall soon be wearing that!” His one grief was that his father would not “come to Jesus,” and promise to meet him in heaven.
Dear boys and girls, will you come? He is waiting to welcome you, but He cannot have your sins in heaven, if you wish to be among those happy, singing, children there. Will you come to Him now? He will then wash away your sins in His precious blood.
ML 12/06/1953