PLEASE, Miss Chester, will you tell me a nice long story?" asked Winnie Graham." You know it is my turn to-night; you told May such a long one last night.”
“You forget, Winnie," answered her governess, “that it is Sunday evening.”
“Oh! so it is," exclaimed Winnie with a little bit of a sigh. "Well, any how, you can tell me a Sunday story can't you?”
“It must be a short one then, for it is getting late, and May will soon be coming up. So come! get into bed quickly, or we shall not have much time. Shall it be the story of a little girl who died to save her father, or of a boy who was punished for his brother?”
“Oh about the little girl, please," said Winnie, as she hurried into bed. "Now, Miss Chester, please sit down close beside me, and begin.”
“Marie, for such was the little girl's name," began Miss Chester, "lived in a little cottage beside a great ravine in Switzerland. At some distance from her father's cottage, a large stone had fallen down from some high rocks, and lodged across the ravine, making a natural bridge. Her father and mother generally used this bridge to cross the chasm by; but there was another way of getting to the other side, by climbing down the steep rocks, and crossing the ravine at the bottom. Marie's mother was a true christian woman, and had taught her little girl to love and trust the Saviour; her father, however, was not a Christian; and little Marie often prayed to God to bring her dear father to Jesus. One day, Marie's mother told her that she had noticed the bridge had become loosened; and that the next person who crossed by it would certainly be dashed to the bottom of the ravine and be killed.
“‘Be sure, Marie dear, and tell your father when he comes home, not to cross by it again.'
“‘Where is your mother, Marie?' asked her father on his return.
“Then Marie told him that her mother had gone to the other side by the longer way, as the bridge was no longer safe.
“‘What nonsense, Marie!’ said her father, ‘that bridge was there long before you were born. I have crossed it hundreds of times, and I am going over now, for I want to meet your mother.'
“Marie begged and implored him not to cross by it; but it was all of no use. At last a thought came into her mind; should she cross the bridge instead of her father? She was not afraid to die, for she knew that her sins were washed away by her Saviour's blood, and that when she died He would take her to live with Him for ever. But her father was not ready to die, he had not come to Jesus; his sins were not washed away; if he died now, he would be lost for ever. She quickly made up her mind, she would die for her father; so slipping her hand into his, she walked beside him towards the bridge.
"'Father,' said she, I think I may die to-day. Will you promise me that you will ask God to save you and make you love Jesus, so that you would meet me up in heaven?'
“‘What are you thinking about, Marie?' asked her father. ‘You are not going to die to-day. I hope you will grow up to be a good woman like your mother.'
“‘Yes, but father, if I should die, will you promise?'
“The man wondered at his little girl's earnestness; but at last gave the promise. As soon as he had done so, Marie bounded forward to the bridge; scarcely had her feet touched the rock, when a loud cracking was heard, and down went the monster stone, hurling little Marie to the bottom of the abyss.
“The poor father stood stunned on the brink; then came the thought of his child's parting words, and kneeling on the ground, he cried to the Lord to save him, and to wash his guilty soul in the blood of Jesus.
“God answered that prayer; Marie's father became an earnest Christian. But he never passed by that fatal spot without thinking of his little girl's love for him; and he often would say to himself, ‘She died to save me.'”
Winnie had been listening breathlessly, and now heaved a deep sigh.
“Well, Winnie, does that story remind you of some One who has done more for you than Marie did for her father?" asked Miss Chester.
Winnie's eager eyes were fixed inquiringly on her governess, as she asked, "Whom do you mean, Miss Chester?”
“I mean, dear, the Lord Jesus, who died to save you. He has done far more for you than that little girl did for her father; her sufferings were over in a minute, but the dear Saviour hung for six long hours on the cross, bearing the punishment due to sinners. Have you ever thanked Him, Winnie? or have you lived seven years without loving and thanking Him?”
“I never thought it was for me," whispered Winnie.
“Then let us thank Him now. Will you close your eyes and say after me this little prayer, if you can do so truthfully: ‘I thank Thee, Lord Jesus, for dying for a sinner like me, and ask Thee, Lord Jesus, to be my Saviour. Save me, and forgive me now. Wash me, and make me whiter than snow. Take all my sins away, and make me Thine own child '”
“May," said Winnie, next morning, as, lessons being over, the two children made their way to a favorite garden seat, "have you ever thanked Jesus?”
“Thanked Him! no, I don't think so.”
“I have. I did last night and I am sorry I have not loved Him always, aren't you?”
“Yes, I suppose so; but what makes you talk so, Winnie?”
“It was the story Miss Chester told me last night.”
“Tell it me, Winnie.”
“Oh! I could not remember it all. Perhaps Miss Chester will tell it to you. I'll ask her, there she is.”
“What do you want to ask me?" said Miss Chester, with a smile, as she joined the children.
“The story, please," exclaimed both children.
“What! the story I told Winnie? Oh no, she must tell you that herself. But I will tell you another about two little boys, twins, named Walter and Willie.
“Their mother told them one day that she would take them to spend the day with their cousins. So she dressed them in their best clothes, and desired them to wait in the verandah till she was ready, and on no account to go into the garden to play, and that if they disobeyed her she could not take them with her.
“Presently Willie began to get tired of waiting, and ran off into the garden to play; and on his mother coming out to tell them she was ready, she found him quite unfit to be seen, with his nice clothes all covered with mud.
“‘Willie,' said she, I cannot take you with me to-day, because you have disobeyed me; you must go up to your room, and stay there till we come back.'
“Willie began to sob and to cry, but it was of no use; his mother could not pass over his disobedience; he must stay at home.
“‘Mamma,' said little Walter, ‘Will you let me be punished instead of Willie? Take him with you, and let me stay at home.'
“‘But, my dear,' said his mother, ‘Willie's clothes are not fit for him to go in.'
“‘He can have my nice clean ones,' said Walter. And so it was settled. Walter gave Willie his clothes, and remained at home, shut up in his room; and Willie went for the visit wearing Walter's clothes.
“I have told you this story, children, because I want you to think of One who bore your punishment instead of you, and who is now offering you the robe of righteousness. Jesus is more willing to give you the beautiful garments of salvation, than Walter was to give Willie his clean clothes; but unless Willie had accepted Walter's offer, he could not have gone out with his mother; just so with you, Jesus has offered to clothe you with a beautiful robe. Have you accepted it, are you clothed with it?”
“Miss Chester," said May, shyly, "will you tell us how?”
“How to get the robe? Just accept it from Jesus. But see here, May, I have brought out a little book for you, it is called ‘The Wedding Garment,' it is about this same robe; and here is one for Winnie. Do you want a robe too, Winnie?”
“Yes, Miss Chester.”
“Let us not be satisfied until we can truthfully say,
"‘We are healed by His stripes.
Wouldst thou add to the word?
And He is our righteousness made.
The best robe of heaven He bids us put on,
Oh, couldst thou be better arrayed?'
“And now I shall leave you to read your books; and don't forget the promise of Jesus, ‘Ask, and it shall be given you.'”
“Oh, your book is called ‘The Best Robe,’" said May, as Miss Chester entered the house. "Shall I read it to you, Winnie?”
“Yes, please, and then read yours."
“Now listen, Winnie!
UK 15:11{“This parable is a picture of God's love. Just as the father of that wicked prodigal son forgave him all the wrong things he had done, and ran to meet him and welcome him home; so God loves every poor sinner, whatever he has done, and is waiting to forgive every one who believes in Jesus. The prodigal son came home just as he was; if he had waited till he could buy new clothes he would never have come at all; because he had not money even to buy food. He came just as he was to his father; so we must come to Jesus just as we are; it is of no good waiting till we are a little better. If we do that, we shall never come at all; we cannot make ourselves better, we cannot make our hearts clean; nothing we can do can take away one single stain. But if we come to Jesus just as we are, and tell him all our sins, He will receive us; for he has said, ‘Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out.'
“The poor prodigal son exchanged his rags for the ‘best robe,' and a ring was put on his finger, and shoes on his feet. He came to his father clothed in rags, but the first thing his father said was, ‘Bring forth the best robe and put it on him.' So when we come to Jesus we are all covered with rags; for God says that even our best deeds are in His sight but as filthy rags. (Isa. 64:66But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. (Isaiah 64:6).) And we want the ‘best robe' instead of these rags—will God give it to us? Yes, He is only waiting for us to return to Him and say, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.' And then, ‘Bring forth the best robe and put it on him,' will be said of us.
“Do you know what the ‘best robe' is? It is the covering with which God clothes us when we come to Him. For the Bible says of them who believe, ‘He was made sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.' (2 Cor. 5:22For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: (2 Corinthians 5:2).) Now have you got on the robe of righteousness? If you have come to Jesus you have it. The prodigal had the best robe directly he came back. Jesus wants to tell us by this, that as soon as we come to Him, He will give us the robe of righteousness instead of our own righteousness.
"Let us haste! let us haste
While the morning sun is bright.
Jesus calls! Jesus calls!
To a land of love and light!
We will journey on till our pilgrim feet
Shall be found at last in the golden street;
Our glorious Saviour will smile to greet,
And bid us welcome home.”
May's voice faltered as she read the last line.
“I am afraid, Winnie, that we have not the best robe.'”
“No," said Winnie, sadly.
“Do you think that Jesus will smile and bid us welcome when we die?”
“Perhaps He will, May, because you know we are going to ask Him for the beautiful robe.
“Shall we ask Him as soon as I have read my book?”
“Yes," said Winnie, "as soon as ever you have finished.”
“‘And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment.'
“The king here represents God, the feast is the gospel, and the servants are those who seek to lead us to God. We read that the people invited to the feast would not come; so the servants were sent out into the highways to bring in all they could find. And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man who had not on a wedding garment. How was this? The king had provided for each guest a beautiful white robe to wear, but this man had not put one on.
“No wonder the king was angry that one whom He had invited should so spurn His kindness as to refuse to wear what had been put ready for him. The man perhaps thought that his own clothes were good enough; so he would not put on the wedding garment. Perhaps some of the other people's clothes were old and dirty, and torn, so they were glad to put on the beautiful garments instead of their rags. But this man may have thought, ' My clothes are so respectable, I don't want to take them off, as if they were not fit to be seen.' There are a great many like him now, who think that their own righteousness will fit them for heaven.
“Jesus has a wedding garment ready to give to every one who will take it; it is the robe of righteousness. But some will not take it; they like to be dressed in their own righteousness best. Instead of believing that Jesus died for them, and trusting their souls to Him, they trust in their own goodness, and think that they are sure to be saved because they are better than other people.
“What order did the king give his servants?
“Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness.'
"Dear little reader, when Jesus comes, if you have not on the wedding garment, if your sin-stained soul is not covered by the robe of righteousness, these dreadful words will be said of you. But it will be your own fault if you are cast out, for there is a wedding garment ready for you to put on. You know how to get it. It is just to accept it from Him. As soon as you believe that Jesus bore your sins Himself, you will have it. But when once the King has come, it will be too late to ask for a wedding garment. Now it is not too late. Jesus wants to give it you, dear little reader; will you accept it? I want you to be able to say, ‘I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God, for He hath clothed me with the garment of salvation, He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness.'”
On entering the house, Miss Chester had gone to the schoolroom, and had taken her seat at the window, where she could watch the children. "Bless, O Lord, Thy word to these little ones," she prayed, as she sat listening to the low murmur of May's voice, "and make them Thine own children. Wash them in Thy precious blood, and clothe them with divine righteousness.”
Presently May ceased reading; looking up from her work, Miss Chester saw two little figures kneeling on the grass with closed eyes and clasped hands. Falling on her knees by the open window she listened to May's simple prayer.
“Lord Jesus, give to Winnie and me the beautiful robe; we want it so much, and we are afraid we shall be shut out of heaven unless we have it; so please give it us.”
“Amen," said Miss Chester, and bowing her head on her hands, she prayed earnestly that both her little charges might be clothed with the beautiful garments of salvation.
“Oh, Miss Chester!" said May, as, tea being over, the schoolroom party sat in front of the fire, for the half-hour's talk before going to bed, "I have felt so happy all day; I keep thinking I have got on the beautiful robe. Do you think I have?”
"See here, dear," said Miss Chester, and opening her Bible she turned to Rom. 3:2222Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: (Romans 3:22), and read, "'Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe.' If you believe, my child, the righteousness of God is yours. Look also at 2 Cor. 5:2121For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (2 Corinthians 5:21), God hath made Jesus 'to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.’ If you believe He was made sin for you, then you are made the righteousness of God; or in other words you are clothed with the robe of righteousness. Are you believing in Him, May?”
"I don't know how to, Miss Chester.”
“'All we like sheep have gone astray,'" read Miss Chester, turning to Isa. 53—"little children as well as grown up people; all are sinners. The Lord has laid on him the iniquity of all who believe, and this must include children. Will you believe that God means what He says, and that Jesus died for you?”
“Thank you, Miss Chester," said May, "I understand better now, we must believe what God says, but is that all?”
“Yes, my child, that is all, we must believe the record that God gave of his Son.”
“Then I do," said May, "I do believe Him.”
“Miss Chester," said Winnie, earnestly, "if God says it, it must be true, must it not?”
“Yes, dear," said Miss Chester, kissing the eager little face turned towards her. “The word of God is true and abideth for ever. Now, my dears, if you both believe in Jesus, you have on the beautiful garments of salvation. Shall we thank Him for giving them to you? Can you truthfully say “Lord Jesus, we thank Thee for being made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God. We thank Thee for giving us the garment of salvation, and the robe of righteousness. Precious Saviour, we cannot love Thee enough, for doing so much for us. Oh! help us to live for Thee, to work for Thee all our lives, and at length to meet Thee in heaven. Amen.”
Then opening her hymn-book, Miss Chester read:
“Jesus! Thy blood and righteousness,
My beauty are, my glorious dress;
'Midst flaming worlds in these arrayed,
With joy shall I lift up my head.”