“Please, sir, I want to know if ye’d mind if I gived my ticket for the treat to my little sister Nell, and let her go into the country tomorrow ‘stead of me?”
“Don’t you care about going yourself, then?”
“Yes, I’d like to go well enough, only I’d a hundred times rather little Nell was to go. She hardly ever gets a treat, and she’d enjoy hearin’ the birds sing and smelling the flowers just ever so.”
“But it’s against our rules, my boy, to allow any but our regular scholars to go to the treat.”
“I know it be, sir, but Nellie’s such a dear little girl, and she’s blind. Ye see it couldn’t make no difference if she went ‘stead of me. Just say she may go, sir, and I’ll ever be grateful to you.”
“Well, I will do my best about it, Jerry, but I can’t quite promise that Nellie shall go, because I don’t know what the teachers and the other boys will say to it. I don’t at all think any of them would mind, but I have only a certain number of tickets. You are quite sure you are willing to give up yours for your little sister?”
“Oh, quite, sir; ‘twould be such a treat for her to go into the country.”
“Well, I’m very glad to see how fond you are of your little sister, my boy. Do you know anyone who would take care of her tomorrow if she goes with us? As she is blind, poor child, she will need to be in someone’s special charge.”
“Oh, my pal, Bob Stamp, he’ll take care of her, sir, I’ll be bound. He’s as nice a chap as ever lived, is Bob, and he’s mighty good to little Nell. I wouldn’t be a bit afraid of trusting her to him.”
By this time Mr. Malcolm and his little companion had arrived at the schoolroom, but before opening the door, the teacher, with something very much like tears in his eyes, stooped down and said, “Jerry, what would you say if I were to write out another ticket, so that you and Nellie might both go into the country?”
“Say, sir? Why, I don’t know, sir, that’s a fact. I’d just want to turn head over heels and yell.”
“Well, I’ll just mention it to the other boys.”
The next morning, about ten o’clock, amidst ringing cheers of delight, two buses full of children, accompanied by a good staff of teachers, left the Sunday school for the country. Little Nell, dressed in a pretty blue dress, had a comfortable seat between Bob and Jerry. She looked radiantly happy. Her little face, which was usually so pale and wan, had become quite rosy with a great amount of washing and rubbing, and at Jerry’s urgent request Mrs. Watkins had curled her hair. The day was very fine, and the drive alone was a glorious treat to the poor London children, the majority of whom had never before seen a green field or wild flowers. When at last they reached the woods, and all alighted from the bus, their delight knew no bounds. With glad shouts they rushed about in every direction, until the sounds of a gong summoned them to a bountiful dinner under the trees.
When dinner was over, Mr. Malcolm opened his Bible and told them the most wonderful story ever told. He began with God’s wisdom in making the world with all its beauties. Then came the sad story of man’s disobedience and sin. But the best part of the story was God’s love in sending the Lord Jesus to die for our sins on the cross of Calvary. All the children repeated together: “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7).
When the meeting was over, the boys and girls joined in playing games of all sorts. But Jerry and Nellie wandered about hand in hand while Jerry picked flowers and told his little blind sister all the beauties that she could not see.
When they were tired of walking, they sat down together and sang, “What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.”
It was a very happy boy and girl who stepped out of the bus again in London that evening—happy for all the good things God had given them to enjoy, and happier still for that which God had given to them in His great love—the gift of His own Son to become their Sin-bearer, bearing on the cross all the judgment they deserved.
ML 08/15/1954