No doubt, there are very few, if any, among my readers who are afflicted like the little girl I am going to tell you about. She could neither see, nor hear, nor taste, nor smell, having had a violent fever in her childhood, which left her deprived of all these faculties.
Fannie W. was the child of people who were able to send her to school, and she learned to read and write when quite young. After her illness, when the fact of her fearful affliction dawned upon her, the shock was so terrible that in years after, when she was speaking of it to the lady whom God used for her conversion, her whole body shook as she recalled the awful feeling of despair that came over her. This lady became acquainted with Fannie in the most providential way. She was at one of the watering places, and a deep desire came over her to do something for the Lord. She was truly His, and wished to devote the faculties He had given her for His service. She too, had a blind sister, and had learned to read with the raised letters for the blind. This talent was put to good use, as the lady lived very near Fannie’s home.
Fannie was pretty and had a very intelligent face. One could scarcely imagine she was deprived of all intellectual culture, that one acquires by hearing and seeing the things that are around us. One can scarcely conceive the darkness of a mind that is shut into itself, and not able to receive a new thought or see anything new.
Fannie often said it seemed to her as if she was shut up into a black box. Her feelings were so terrible that if anyone had taken her by the hand, she would have fainted; but the poor child found unexpected relief. Fannie had not felt the touch of her father’s hand for some days, and as she received no answer to her questions she feared he was ill or dead, and the thought occurred to ask someone to write on her hand. Her sister wrote a word, but she could not understand. Then she asked her to write one letter at a time, separately, and thus learned that her father was merely away from home. This new way of communication was a great joy to Fannie, but her sister was a seamstress, and had little time to devote to her afflicted sister.
It was just at this time that the Christian lady, of whom we spoke, offered to teach the poor girl to read. A friend who lived in the same apartment, united with her in asking the Lord to help them in this most difficult task, and the answer came, beyond their expectations. Is it not written, “Ask, and ye shall receive”?
Fannie’s sister, Anna, took her to her benefactress, and making her sit down on a chair, the lady approached her, and took her by the hand. She noticed how very diffident Fannie was. In laying her hand on the lady’s wrist, she felt its size, and shook her head, to let her know she was unknown to her. Her sister came to the rescue, and spelt on her hand, “strange lady.”
Now, we will let the lady speak for herself.
“I noticed the afflicted girl do this, and taking her hand, I began to write. She was puzzled by my letters, and said, ‘Please, make the whole alphabet.’ I did so, but she corrected me, asking me to make the abbreviations she was in the habit of using. Though this made it more simple, it took a long time to spell a whole sentence. Fannie repeated every letter, then every word. She was patient, intelligent, and bright, and after the first embarrassment was over, she asked my name. I wrote it on her hand, and she pronounced it fairly well, though it was a difficult name. Then she asked my age, and about my family. When I told her both father and mother were dead, she said, ‘How sorry I am for you,’ and her eyes filled with tears. What a sweet proof of love, afflicted as she was. Fannie could weep with those that weep. When I told her I had a blind sister, she became much interested, and asked me many questions. Thus we spent our first evening. Fannie wanted to return home, and touching my wrist she said my name.
Her ignorance was very great. Deprived as she had been of sight and hearing when ten years old, she had no means of instruction until she was eighteen years old, except being able to communicate with only one person, and that one was constantly busy. Sometimes very simple words were hard for her to understand, then again she would remember more complicated ones. Her sense of touch was remarkable; of the five senses, there remained only one.”
My dear little friends, as you see God’s beautiful creation, and smell the delicious perfume of the flowers, do you ever think of thanking God for these blessings?
Fannie’s friend asked her if she would like to learn to read. She answered, she feared she could not, but when she was told that the lady’s sister had learned, she consented to try. Then the lady said, “We must ask God to help us.” Her young friend did not understand, so she shook her head, but extended her hand. The poor girl knew nothing about God, or prayer, for no one had taught her, either at home or at school. Her sister bore a good character, but knew nothing of these things.
As simply and briefly as possible, her teacher told her of the God who had created her, and that we could tell Him all our need. Fannie accepted this, then the lady told her we were all sinners, but that God had so loved us, as to give His only Son to save us, and to bear our punishment in His own body on the cross, and now, all who believe in Him are saved, and have peace with God. She also wrote upon Fannie’s hand a short prayer, “O, God, make me Thy child, and enable me to understand the things that come from Thee!”
“Every day,” said the lady, “we wrote a verse from the Bible on Fannie’s hand.
This she repeated the following evening, and in teaching her to read we always chose the verse she had learned. At first it seemed a hopeless task, but by degrees she got on, even far better than we expected, and when able to spell her first word, she uttered a cry of joy. As she learned more and more of the Bible, it was not without profit. She accepted the truth with the faith of a little child. Her prayer and ours had indeed been answered—Jesus became her Saviour, and her Friend, and the new life, brought forth the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, and gentleness, to the glory of God.
Her parents noticed the change, but knew nothing of the cause. They would say, ‘Fannie is so patient now, and rarely in a bad humor. She shows us so much affection, and tender care in showing us the way to heaven.’
On account of her health, Fannie could not make great progress, but what she learned seemed graven upon her heart, and she retained the verses in a wonderful way.
Her confidence in God was that of a little child. She never doubted her Saviour’s presence, and would talk to Him as to a near friend. She was no longer afraid of being alone. With her Bible on her knees, she would read, and talk to the Lord about what she had read. Her devoted friend happened in one day, and found her reading the 14th verse of the 15th of John, ‘Ye are My friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.’ Looking up, she said, as if the Lord was close to her, ‘Thou hast told me Thou wast my Friend when I knew it not; teach me to do all that Thou dost command me.’”
Her prayers were surely answered, but the time had come when He who had so wonderfully revealed Himself to her, was going to take her to be forever with Himself. Fannie’s teacher left that locality, but through her sister, Anna, she received several touching letters, full of affection, and gratitude for what the Lord had done through her. The sickness that took her home, was of short duration. Her Bible was her constant companion, and her joy knew no bounds. As one or another would approach her, she would say, “Listen to this,” and would read some passage she loved. When she could no longer read her Bible, she kept on holding sweet intercourse with her Lord, asking Him constantly to bring her mother and father and sister to Himself, and she seemed so sure her prayer would be answered. Had she not read in her Bible, “If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you” ? Her departure came very suddenly. Fannie entered into perfect rest with the Saviour she loved.
Dear children, the same One is calling you, who called Fannie W. to Himself in such a remarkable way, though she was so sorely afflicted. He made her sad life happy, and gave her such sweet communion day by day, until the moment when He took her to be with Himself.
“Come unto Me” are His gracious words now, but if you refuse His invitation, there will be a time when He will have to say, “Depart from Me,” so, “Today, if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.” Heb. 3:1515While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. (Hebrews 3:15).
ML 12/26/1909