MY dear young friends, I once heard of a little outcast girl whose father and mother had died, and left her all alone in the world. She had no home, on one to love her, and no one to care anything for her. She had to go about the streets and beg, and was often tired wandering about, and oftentimes very hungry. One day she came to a large farmhouse and pleaded for a piece of bread, being so hungry, and to be allowed to sit awhile at the warm kitchen fire, for it was bitterly cold, and she was but thinly clad—the torn tattered garments scarcely sufficing to cover the shivering child. The little pleader’s eyes filled with tears as she spoke to the lady of the house.
“Tell me,” said the lady, “where is your mother?”
“O!” said the little, cold, weary, hungry child, “I have no mother—no mother; I have no kind father or mother—no one cares for me—no one loves me at all. O! if someone would only love me, I would be so happy.” And again the tears ran down the thin, wan cheeks of the child. Softly and gently the lady drew the little outcast to her, kissed her, wiped her tears away, and whispered in her ear,
“Dear child, I will be a mother to you.”
This is sweet image of a love that has sought, found, and saved little outcasts just like you. Ah! my dear young readers, the love of Jesus far surpasses a father or a mother’s love; for to seek, save and bless you He came from the bosom of His Father. He has died on the cross because He loved you. Now, won’t yon love Him? Your sins He died to put away; but, unlike the poor outcast little girl who sought a home and someone to love her, Jesus is seeking your love—your heart. He came just to save.
Will my young readers think on what Jesus is, and on what He has done, and look to Him and be saved? “In this was manifested the love of God toward, us because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.” ¤ Jno. 4:99Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. (John 4:9).
ML 02/03/1918