I WILL tell you, my dear young readers, of a little boy whom the Lord took to be with Himself a short time ago. It was my privilege to nurse him and hear the above sweet confession from his lips. Scarcely eight summers had rolled over his head; he was a noble, generous hearted boy, foremost in all the games with his school-fellows, among whom he was a general favorite.
Now, disease was doing its deadly work on his once active limbs. Scarlet fever in its worst, malignant form had seized him; rapidly he grew worse, and the doctor gave no hopes of his recovery. Having had this dear child for some time under my care, I had become much attached to him, and now, the thought that he was so soon to be taken made my heart sink within me. Returning to the next room I threw myself on my knees, and earnestly pleaded with the Lord, that if He took him, He would enable him to confess Christ; and again looking to Him for the suited portion of His word, I went to the bedside of the little sufferer. Taking his feverish hand in mine I said, “Johnny, you are very ill; what would you like?” He looked up and said, “To be with Jesus, for He died for me.”
The commencement of the fourteenth chapter of Matthew seemed much laid upon my heart, which, after reading, he exclaimed in his childish manner—
“Poor John shut up in prison, and then beheaded,” but quickly added, “Ah, he had the best of it after all, for he exchanged the prison walls to be with the Lord;” and many other sweet remarks which time will not permit me to enter into. Knowing his hours were numbered, I felt anxious till I knew for certain he was saved, so I said, “Johnny, suppose the Lord should see fit to call you away, what about your soul? Could you say of yourself, as you did of John the Baptist, you would have ‘the best of it’?” With an earnestness in his languid eyes, he exclaimed—
“Jesus died for me. Jesus had the nails put into His hands and feet, bore all the punishment I deserved, on Calvary’s cross, so that I and every poor sinner might have the best of it.”
Strange yet sweet expression, “he had the best of it.”
Dear little ones who read this narrative, how is it with you? If you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ you will, as dear Johnny exclaimed, have the best of it. And, like the subject of this narrative, be enabled to say, “Jesus died for me.”
Words fail to express the deep gratitude to the Lord I felt for permitting me to hear such a sweet confession from those lips which were so soon to be closed in death. A few hours after the little one became delirious, and the following day the Lord gently took him to be with Himself, for of such is the “kingdom.” His remains are interred in a village churchyard not far from where he lived. And on his tombstone are inscribed the words of his favorite text, “Suffer little children to come unto Me.”
Dear young reader, again let me entreat of you to come to Jesus now; you may never have another opportunity. How uncertain is life! Your now healthy limbs may soon be cold in death.
The subject of this narrative was suddenly called away. Only ill two days; previous to that, he was looking the picture of health and making the air ring with his merry laugh as he joined in the games of his companions. Suppose you should be thus suddenly called away! do not put off this solemn question any longer. Where are you going to spend your eternity?
May He bless the reading of this narrative to many a little one.
ML 10/21/1900