ONE Lord’s day afternoon, when our class was assembling for the Bible reading, or “weekly talk about Jesus,” as one of the girls called it, a new scholar was brought in; —a child of eleven, with rosy cheeks, and a happy smile. She soon made friends with all, and was known only as “little Nell.”
After seeing her for some weeks, her teacher kept her back after the other children had gone one day, and found that the child she had learned to love was unsaved.
“How can a little girl understand enough, teacher? There is plenty of time yet. I can’t trust Jesus Christ until I get older.”
And the bright look always vanished when spoken to earnestly about her danger.
Four months later “little Nell’s” mother lay dying, and with her last breath begged her child to open her heart’s door, and let the Saviour in, but “little Nell” still held out, and would not heed His voice.
Two years went by. One day her teacher had a letter from “little Nell,” in which she said,
“I am not well, and always feel so tired, and besides that, I am unhappy. I do want to belong to Christ. If only my name was in the Bible, I should be quite sure Jesus loved late, and died for me, but I can’t believe I may come. Do pray for me.”
One morning a short note came from Nell asking her teacher to call on her at once.
Down by a canal, with chilly damp air filling a tiny room sat “little Nell,’’ though her cheeks were rosy, and her eyes bright, the bloom was not of health; one glance was enough to show that her days on earth were numbered.
“Teacher, the doctor says I’m very ill, and that I must go to the hospital, but I am not a bit afraid, for I have opened my heart to Jesus, and let Him in.”
“Did you find your name in the Bible then after all?”
“Yes, teacher,” said Nell, and a happy light shone in her eyes, “it is there. I knew my sins were great, and I so longed to be at rest and peace, and then one night that text came to me with new meaning, ‘Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.’ I believed it; and I say it over and over again when Satan tells me I am a sinner. I am just fourteen, teacher dear. I’m young to go, am I not? But I’m so ready. I have just read about the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and ask the Lord Jesus to look after me very carefully. Isn’t He kind to let me know so well that He loves me? Nurse says I may be home by morning.”
“Little Nell” was right. Before sunrise her weary body was at rest, and her spirit had fled to Him who gave it.
Children, do not wait till you are better, or older, or wiser, but let Christ, who so willingly offered Himself a sacrifice for sinners, have your love. your life, your all, while you are young.
ML 07/26/1925