VERY grave were the little faces of Wilfrid and Hilda Gray, for they knew that the last day of aunt Fanny's pleasant visit had really come—all too soon, the children thought. Both were busy, Hilda tying up a small parcel in several wrappings of white paper, while Wilfrid, who had just laid down his paint brushes, gave a few finishing touches to a text on cardboard, the painting of which had taken up most of his playtime for nearly a week, and had only been finished just in time, as a parting gift to aunt Fanny.
“It looks nice," he said, after a pause, "but not so well as I wanted it to look. Some of the letters are too large, and that capital F was really hard to print, I can tell you; but I wanted to give something to aunt Fanny, and this is all I've got. Do you think she will care to have it, Hilda?" "It's beautiful, Wilfrid. How could aunt Fanny help liking it?”
“How, indeed!" said a well-known voice near them, and as Wilfrid and Hilda turned their heads, they saw aunt Fanny, who had entered unobserved while they were talking, and was looking at Wilfrid's work. Hilda ran to get her parcel, saying, as she brought it, "A pen-wiper for you, aunt Fanny, I made it myself. I wanted to buy you one with my pocket-money when we were at H., but mother said she thought you would like to have one that was really my own making, even if not quite so pretty as those we see in the shops.”
“Mother was right, dear Hilda," aunt Fanny answered warmly; “I shall value your gift and Wilfrid's text very, very much. You have both tried to give me pleasure, and I cannot tell you what a cheer and comfort your love is to me. But I think we had better talk about our text now.”
“Yes, aunt Fanny, you won't be here to-morrow, but we are not going to give up learning our texts. Hilda and I will learn them as usual, and repeat them to mother.”
“I am pleased to hear that, Wilfrid. Your verse has often been a comfort to me when parting even for a short time with loved ones. Shall I tell you why? Because it is so blessed to know, that amid all the changes here, we have just one thing that will not, cannot change, or pass away—the word of God. A sure guide through life, and a Light when treading the valley of the shadow of death, to those who through faith in the Savior, of whom that word speaks, have been made wise unto salvation.
“Perhaps you would like to hear of the joy and peace that word gave to a dear young girl who used to attend my Bible class, but who has now gone ‘to be with Christ, which is far better.'
“I think it is about ten years since Clara Field first came to the class. She was, at that time, about fourteen years of age, though she did not look nearly so old.
Clara was regular in her attendance, quiet, and attentive; but I must own that for some time my new scholar was rather a puzzle to me. I felt I did not understand her; she was so shy and reserved. I could not get her to talk to me, and I did not feel sure that she had taken her true place as a sinner before God. Still, as I noticed how interested in our Bible lessons she always appeared, I often thought she was one of the Lord's little ones; but I wanted to know that she had really accepted Christ. Her birthday gave me an opportunity of writing to her, and in my letter I pressed home the question, 'Was she really trusting in the finished work of the Lord Jesus?' I think you would like to know how she answered my question, so will read you the letter she wrote. It was a very simple, yet blessed, confession of faith in Christ:—
“'Bow,
"'March, 1883.
"‘MY VERY DEAR TEACHER,
“‘Many thanks for your love in thinking of me on my birthday. I know the Lord never forgets me; but it is a comfort to have a kind friend.
“‘Dear Teacher, I can truly say that I am trusting in the Lord Jesus as my own loved and loving Savior. He knows the secrets of all hearts, so He would know if I were not speaking the truth. Nothing is hid from Him; but I know I can trust Him now, for He died for sinners.
“‘I am only poorly, but hope, Lord willing, to see you soon.
“‘From your loving and affectionate scholar,
“‘CLARA.'
“Clara was not able to get very often to the class during the year that followed, as a severe attack of inflammation of the lungs kept her almost entirely confined to the house for some months. I saw her often, and generally found her bright and happy. Her reserve, too, had given way, and she was always willing to speak of what the Lord had done for her soul. She would say, 'Oh, how much Jesus must have loved us, to be willing to die upon the cross to save us.'
“After a time she seemed to regain some degree of strength, and her place in the class was seldom vacant. Clara was an orphan; but an uncle and aunt, who had adopted her when she was quite a little girl, were very kind to her, and could hardly have shown her more affection if she had been their own daughter.
“One afternoon, at the close of school, Clara told me, with a sorrowful face, she should have to say good-bye, as her uncle and aunt were going to remove to some distance. We both felt the parting much; but it was a comfort to me to be sure that Clara had passed from death to life; that she was safe, for she belonged to the Lord Jesus, that great, good Shepherd, who had said, My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, and I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.' (John 10:27, 2827My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. (John 10:27‑28).)
“I did not see much of my old scholar for about two years, though we wrote to each other sometimes. There had been quite a long silence on her part, when I received a note from her aunt, saying Clara was very ill, and wished to see me.
“I found her, on my visit, very weak in body. She did not seem so bright in soul as I had hoped to find her, and owned that, owing to her affection for one who did not love her Savior, a sense of distance had come in between her soul and the Lord. She said, ‘I know Christ died for me, but I think Satan is trying very hard to take me away from Him.'
“She was reminded of the love and power of the One who had loved her and had given Himself for her; and after we had prayed together, Clara seemed comforted. On my next visit, I found her very, very ill; but the doubts and fears that had so distressed her were gone, all gone, and with a full heart she was praising the Lord, who had done great things for her.
“Only a day or two before she fell asleep in Jesus, her aunt told me she seemed so very happy that for a time pain and weakness were almost forgotten, and she shouted the praises of the Lord, who had loved her and washed her from her sins in His own blood.
“To a friend who asked her if she wished to get better, she replied, 'No, I would much rather go and be with Christ, my own precious Savior.'
“I did not see her during the last week of her life; but as I looked on her sweet, peaceful face, so calm and still in death. I felt for her the sting had been taken away, and that dear Clara was asleep in Christ, and I could only thank the Lord who had taken her to be with Himself.
“And now, dear Wilfrid and Hilda, aunt Fanny has a parting gift for each of you—a reference Bible and a lead pencil. You will wonder how you are to use the pencils, but I will tell you. I hope you will read a few verses, at least, every day. When you have finished reading, look over the verses you have read, mark one, and ask the Lord to make its meaning plain to you; then you may close your Bibles. But don't forget your marked verses. Think about them, and you will find, in more ways than I can tell you, that you will get help and comfort from them.”
“Oh, thank you, dear aunt Fanny, how kind of you to give us such beautiful Bibles for our very own. Please may we begin to-day, by marking the verse you are so fond of, ‘The Father himself loveth you' —the one Wilfrid printed, I mean? I am almost sure it is marked in your Bible. May we look?”
“Yes, Hilda, the verse is marked in my Bible, and often seems to me just like a light shining in a dark place.”
But I must now say good-bye to you both. I shall not soon forget our happy chats together, and I trust you will remember them too.
Wilfrid and Hilda were sure they would not, and were sorry to have to say farewell to their aunt.
Courtesy of BibleTruthPublishers.com. Most likely this text has not been proofread. Any suggestions for spelling or punctuation corrections would be warmly received. Please email them to: BTPmail@bibletruthpublishers.com.