EDITH C—, was lovely in her life. Her kindness. and her attractive ways had won her many friends outside the home circle. And her patience, her obedience and her thoughtfulness for others, made her fondly cherished in her own home.
But her parents, to whom she was very dear, had one source of anxiety. Edith had not believed on Jesus as her Saviour, and they well knew that all these natural traits of character, which so endeared her to those with whom she had to do, would weigh nothing with God, when it came to the question of her soul’s salvation. Her heart had not been yielded to Him, and nothing but the atoning blood of Jesus could cleanse her from her sins, and make her fit for His presence. He who searches all hearts knew the earnest desires of these fond parents, and He answered their requests by bringing Edith to Himself. But it was through deep waves of sorrow that this was brought about, for that fell disease, consumption, laid its ruthless hand upon her when she was yet in the bloom of youth and beauty.
Oh! how much better, if we will give our hearts to the Lord, while yet in the vigor of health and strength, and earnestly serve that blessed Master while we may ; then we will not have to say with the man who turned to the Lord on his death-bed, “I have one regret; that is, that I did not serve the Lord while I had health and strength.” Alas! alas! how many slip along with little thought of God or Christ, only to have deep and sad regret for the wasted opportunities that can never be given back, and for the loss that eternity only can measure.
After months of lingering illness, during which she showed unmurmuring patience, dear Edith’s heart was fully turned to the Lord Jesus, and He then became very precious to her.
And now the longing grew, to see that blessed One who had given Himself for her.
Three weeks before the end came, she told her sister that Jesus was going to take her. The night before she was taken home, Lue said she saw her sister Annie, who had gone to be with the Lord just, six mouths before.
As the end drew near, she told her moaner, who was weeping, not to cry. She said she ought to be glad that she was going to be with Jesus, for she had learned to love Him more than any one on earth.
Oh, how beautiful! The earth-love, dear and precious as it was, could not equal the love that Jesus has put in her heart for Himself. And such a love will we, who know Jesus, all know by and bye. If only we could enter more fully into it here, our hearts would be filled with joy, and our lives would be a bright testimony to Him who gave himself for us. But we allow the earthly things too large a place in our thoughts, and do not take time to behold “as in a glass the glory of the Lord,” and so the deep love and the overflowing joy, which it is our privilege to know, are little entered into here.
Before the Lord took dear Edith home, He drew aside the curtain, as it were, and allowed her to have a glimpse of the unseen world, and the glories upon which she was about to enter. Raising her finger, she requested those about her to be still, saying she could hear music. Ah! the heavenly strains that reached her ear could not be heard by the others; but her face, radiant with joy, and her eager, uplifted gaze, spoke of the sweet music that had reached her inmost soul. Nor was this all; a light, beyond that of earth, reflected its beams upon her glowing face, and she said, “It is light—very light.” Then, with the words, “Lord Jesus, take me,” her happy spirit took its flight, and she was at home with the Lord whom she had so learned to love.
As we think of the sights and the sounds from the unseen world that were permitted to this dear one before she passed from time into eternity, may it bring to us some faint conception of the glory and the blessedness that await the redeemed of the Lord! May God give to us, each and all, to have our thoughts more fixed upon the things that are unseen and eternal!
ML 01/11/1903