I HAD been spending a few days with a friend in the country and was returning home by train. When I entered the car the only other passenger was an elderly woman; but soon a party of young people came. They were out for pleasure and had no thought but amusement; the one thing all important, the salvation of their souls was apparently the farthest possible from minds.
'The train was at the point of starting when a young lady entered nearly out of breath as she had had to run to be on time. She had with her a pretty little girl, and they took the seat opposite me, which was now the only vacant seat in the car. The little one interested every one; she seemed perfectly at home, and at once proceeded to take off her hat, remarking,
"This hat hurts me."
Her pretty face was encircled with brown curls, and animated with the brightest of eyes. Seeing me smiling, she said to me,
"I am going by the railroad, sir, to see my aunt Julia."
"Do you love your aunt Julia?" T asked.
"O, yes; she is so gentle."
"And how old are you?" I asked again.
"Four years," she replied, Thus we chatted together, and the passengers who were near were very much interested in her frank and childish talk.
Passing through a tunnel, she became silent and drew closely to her mother, for the noise made by the train, and the total darkness into which we entered, strangely impressed the child.
For a little, conversation ceased, but generally those who live far from God, and especially those who live in pursuit of pleasure do not like silence, as it brings them face to face with God.
We came from the darkness for a few moments, and then approached another tunnel, when a young man, stood up and called out in a tone of mockery and derision,
"Ladies and gentlemen, prepare yourselves; we are about to descend into hell."
He said it, because we were about to enter the second tunnel.
The little girl, greatly excited, cast herself upon her mother's knee, and encircled her with her arms, crying out,
"No, no, mamma; I will not go down into hell, I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ."
Her mother, in a very, distinct voice replied,
"No, my child, those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ will never go into hell."
These words made a very powerful impression upon all those who heard, as the silence which followed proved.
For myself, I blessed God for having given this clear testimony to His Son, in such a place, and by the mouth of so young a child, and I recalled the words of our Lord Jesus,
I was to stop at the next station; and as the train stopped, I gave a farewell salutation to the lady and her dear little child, who were of those who would never descend into hell.
And you, my reader, are you of that company? Can you say in reality,
"No, no, I shall no go down into hell, for I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ."
Messages of God’s Love 8/26/1934