She had not long left school when extra help being temporarily needed in the Canon’s family, where her sister was employed, she was chosen to fill the place. She was a quiet well-behaved girl, and her new master soon felt an interest in her, so as a confirmation was about to be held, he told her mother she ought to join the Church before going out into the world, and himself prepared her to receive the rite.
And it was no light thing with her. Fervently she desired to be a Christian and to lead a “good life,” and when at the dose they sung the hymn:
“O Jesus, I have promised
To serve Thee to the end,”
her heart-felt prayer followed her lips, and she earnestly pleaded it might be so with her. Yes, she would be good, and she would begin that very day!
Very full of this determination, she returned to her domestic duties, one of which was to carry coals upstairs. It was a large house, and the maids were always supposed to use the back staircase for such, a purpose; but if determined to be “good,” she was also determined to give herself no unnecessary work, and the front staircase being much the nearer way, she crept very quietly up there, thinking nobody would know.
Just at the top the scuttle slipped, and down fell the coals over the handsome carpet and beautiful white paint! And then, as her annoyance and vexation surprised her into the expression of a bad word, the door opened and her mistress appeared to severely upbraid her for disobedience and carelessness. She had meant to be good; she had prayed so earnestly, and now this was the result! She could not be good; it was no use; she would not try or care any more. And she put away the desire from her.
Poor child, she did not realize nor do thousands more that to “lead a good life” one must possess a good life, for none can lead a life they do not possess. “He that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life” (I John 5:1212Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk? (John 5:12)). “But these are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God, and that believing ye might have life through His name” (John 20:3131But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. (John 20:31)).
After a few months in the Canon’s family, her mother obtained a situation for her at a distance, a sine qua non being that she must be a Churchwoman.
The first Sunday, her new mistress, being indisposed, told her she should expect her to go to church, in future, but for that evening she might go where she liked.
She had left her West of England home a stranger, knowing no one in that Surrey town, and was feeling utterly lonely.
“I won’t go anywhere,” she thought; “I know no one.” But passing a low, old-fashioned whitewashed building, she was attracted by the sound of singing, and drew near the door to listen. To her surprise, someone just inside noticed her, and handed her a hymnbook, and scarcely knowing how, she found herself inside.
It was a long narrow room, simply furnished, and it was a very simple gospel address to which she shortly afterward found herself listening. But it touched and pleased her.
“I like this and will come again,” she said to herself. At the close a young woman shook hands with her, and walking part of the way home with her, made friends and invited her to the weeknight services. “I’ll come if I can,” she said, and she kept her promise.
The following Sunday, to her relief and pleasure, her mistress was still unable to go out; so she was free to go again to the service she had enjoyed before. But this time things were different. As she listened, for the first time it dawned on her that instead of trying to be good, all God required of her was to own she was bad, utterly bad, too bad to be made any better. And because she was so, and death and judgment must be her portion, in His great love He had provided One Who had taken her place in death and borne the judgment for her, and now offered her His place in life and righteousness. Nay, offered Himself to her, to be her righteousness in the presence of God, to be her life, to be her all. And as she listened to God’s record concerning His Son, the Holy Spirit opened her heart to receive it she believed it; she received Christ; she had everlasting life (John 5:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24)), and she knew it!
It was the last Sunday in the year, and at the close she was presented with a large sheet almanac, with a text for every day. Full of her newfound happiness, she went home, and hung the almanac on her bedroom wall. The next day the last day of the year her mistress had occasion to enter the room, and espied the almanac. In a minute she was down in the kitchen.
“Where did you go last evening?” she thundered. The girl told her. “Why, they are —” and a volley of abuse followed, ending with: “So you will never go there again.”
“Oh yes, ma’am; I mean to go again. They have done me good; I have got a blessing there, and I must go again.”
“But you told me you were a Churchwoman.”
“I was, Ma’am, but I must go where I get blessing.”
Full of fury, the lady (who, as she afterward heard, was not always responsible for her actions) caught up the pan in which the girl was washing flannels, and threw the contents over her.
“You’ll either promise not to go again, or leave the house this very minute,” she shouted.
Thoroughly frightened the girl rushed to her room, and snatching up her hat and coat put them on, ran downstairs, and out into the street. Then her position flashed on her. She was hundreds of miles from her home, she knew practically no one in the town, and she had run away from her mistress in haste and impetuosity; she had sinned. And only yesterday she had realized her sins were forgiven! Was this to have the same ending as her good resolves at the Canon’s?
Then as she more slowly and quietly paced the streets, the words came to her, “If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
“I have sinned” it was a very real confession that went up from her burdened heart— “but Thou dost promise to forgive”; and peace again filled her heart. “Lord, help me”! Ah, she had got herself into a scrape. What was she to do? “Undertake for me.” Over and over she pleaded it; and assured that He would do so, she never thought of undertaking for herself; and it was not for several hours that she realized it was late at night, and she had nowhere to go. But the bells were ringing for the watchnight services, and finding one about to commence she entered a building near the market place. Very sweet, very appropriate the service was “just a message for me,” she thought, “the Lord will appear for me through these people here.” But the New Year came in, the service terminated, no one spoke to her, and the poor girl again found herself homeless on the pavement. What should she do? Nearby stood a policeman.
Approaching him she asked, “Can you tell me somewhere to go tonight?”
“What do you mean?”
“I want somewhere to sleep tonight.”
He eyed her up and down! “I don’t understand you. You don’t look like a homeless girl.”
“I have run away from my place and —”
At that moment a gentleman crossed the road.
“Has this young person nowhere to go?” he asked.
“What’s that to you?” was the sharp rejoinder of the policeman.
“There is my wife,” replied the gentleman, indicating a lady on the opposite pavement; “there is my house of business, and if —”
The girl did not wait for more, but fled to the lady’s side, to whom she sobbed her story. “Come with me, my dear; but first I want to ask you one question—Do you belong to Christ?”
“I do,” and as well as she could she told how she had confessed her sin and obtained forgiveness and the certainty He would meet the consequences.
The next day she saw her friend at the Hall, and was welcomed into her home, and within a few days obtained a situation with a much-esteemed Christian lady and gentleman, in whose service she remained many years, until her marriage, “adorning the doctrine of God her Saviour in all things.”
Reader, do you belong to Christ? Is He your Saviour? Your Lord? Then you may count on Him for the supply of every need, even those caused by your own folly, for He knows how to turn the curse into blessing. But if you are still a stranger to Him, may the graciousness of His dealings with this one lead you to “taste and see” for yourself, “that the Lord is good; blessed is the man that trusteth in Him.” “Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD.”
T.
~~~
“Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? He answered and said, Who is He, Lord, that I might believe on Him? Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen Him, and it is He that talketh with thee. And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped Him” (John 9:35-3835Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? 36He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? 37And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. 38And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him. (John 9:35‑38)).