HAVE you ever heard of the Island of St. Helena, where the great Napoleon was banished and where he died in exile? It lies off the southwest coast of Africa, and is a very pretty island, and the climate is much better than the sultry air of the West African Coast. The tomb of the great Napoleon is to be seen there, and also the house where he lived and died. There is a well of bright clear water near the tomb; it is said Napoleon found this well, and would not drink of any other water in the island but this favourite spring. Many English ships go to St. Helena from sultry Cape Coast Castle, to give the officers and men a little leave and change of air, to recruit their health. Not long ago two English ships went there, one was a man-of-war and the other a gunboat. There were two Christian sailors in the man-of-war, named James and William, and one named Morgan in the gunboat. They had leave to go on shore and spend a few days, and you may be sure they chose out persons who loved the Lord to go and visit and spend their time with.
One of these Christian friends had a little son named Willie; he was just eleven years old, and although his father and mother were servants of the Lord Jesus, Willie had not as yet felt the need of having forgiveness of his sins, or given his heart to his Saviour. I suppose he was like many boys and girls—fond of play, and the foolish little things of this life. The sailor William felt much interest in his little namesake, and wrote him a letter, telling him of the love of Jesus and the great value of his soul. Willie did not say much about the letter at the time, but he and sailor William became fast friends, and he usually accompanied the seamen in their walks when they were on shore. At last the leave was up, and Morgan had to say goodbye to his friends on shore, and go back to the gunboat; little Willie followed him down to the spot where the boat waited to take him away. When Morgan went into the boat, he did not sit down with the others, who were a rough lot of men, shouting and singing; but he sat down alone in the bow of the boat, and waved farewell to Willie and his friends.
Parting from his friend made Willie feel sorrowful, and he went home and shut himself up in a room alone with his Bible. The next morning his mother remarked how pale and ill the child looked, and asked him whether he was feeling ill, There, in his room alone with God, I feel sure the Lord spoke to his little heart and conscience. Willie threw his arms round her neck and burst into tears, telling her how unhappy he felt because his heart was so sinful. “Mother,” said he, “what must I do to be saved?”
His mother pointed to a text on the wall, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” After some little time, Willie wrote the following, letter to his father—
“Dear father,
“I write to tell you I have just found out what true happiness is. When I went down with Mr. Morgan to the boat, and saw him in the bow all alone, it made such an impression on me that I could not help thinking how nice it must be to be sure of going to heaven, and I wished I was a Christian. When I spoke to mother, she told me to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. At first I doubted, but then I remembered it was God who said it, and I was able to believe in Him. Now I can say my sins are all forgiven for Christ’s sake.
“I remain, your loving son,
“W. H.”
I trust if the Lord spares Willie to grow up to manhood, he may be enabled to tell many of the love of Jesus. Even now he can serve the Lord, and be a little witness for Him; for a boy can be a light-bearer as well as a grown man—the glowworm is a very small insect, but it can give a bright light on a dark night, and its little lamp glimmers out on the still and lonely wayside. We can all do something for the Lord’s glory; the quite example of a pious sailor was made a blessing to the heart of a thoughtful child. I have a photograph of Willie, sitting at the feet of his three sailor friends; he is a gentle-looking little boy, with dark eyes, just like any little English child, although he is a dweller in one of the distant islands of the sea.
And now, my dear children, have you felt your need of a Saviour, and, like Willie, believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, whose precious blood cleanses all who believe from all sin? K. B. K.