When the old man had fished his story of the Cross, he prayed earnestly for them all, and then, bidding them good-bye, was soon lost to sight in the wide-spreading woods. All had listened with the greastest amazement and interest to the words of the stranger, but on little Louise they had fallen with power. To her the simple and wondrous tale of the Cross had a special interest. To her the words of Jesus, “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:2828Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)), had a special meaning. She, poor child, knew no rest. She felt a need the others in their childish joy knew nothing of. She, a constant sufferer, wondered at that patient suffering One, and yearned to know His sympathy and love.
From that hour a great change passed over her. Instead of writhing in restless irritation in her chair, she would often look up to heaven, and sometimes think she saw a Face smiling down upon her through a break in the fleecy summer clouds, while she recalled the tale of sympathy with suffering she had heard the old man tell of Jesus. Instead of gazing enviously upon games in which she could never join, or impatiently trying to find relief in trifles which could bring no balm to her weary heart, she now had an object to look upon all day long, and something to fill that aching void which once had made her so utterly wretched. Often did she wish that kind old man would come again so that she might learn more of Jesus. And He, who without doubt had first guided His aged servant’s footsteps to that lonely cottage, heard and answered the desire of her heart.
One day, to her great joy, she saw that aged man coming again, down the narrow wood-path. Once again he stood beside her chair, welcomed as an old friend by all the family. And when he found out, as he very soon did, that the Lord had blessed his words to little Louise, his joy was great indeed. Again he spoke to her of Christ and heaven and everlasting rest. He showed her how she, though a sinner, by believing in Him, was washed from her sins by the blood of Christ, and made fit for the presence of “God and the Lamb,” there in that happy home of love, where God shall wipe away all tears, where there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, nor any more pain. The tears stood in his eyes, as he spoke, for he saw that the little sufferer’s days were numbered. He felt it was the last time he should see her on earth, and his words were solemn and full of feeling, as he pointed her to Him who gives the weary everlasting rest.
Once more he asked a blessing on her and all the household and again was lost to their view in the deep old wood. But he left Louise happy in the Lord. She knew now that she was saved; that she had a home above; that in a little while she should see Him who loved her and gave Himself for her, and rest in His love.
Ah! dear little reader, you cannot understand how wearily poor little Louise longed and waited for rest; yet she waited patiently. The love of Christ sustained her; and though her pains were sometimes hard to bear, His grace was found sufficient for her. She could even smile now, when she heard the voices of the children calling to her out of the wood, though she grew weaker day by day. At last the hour of release arrived, and at the fall of the leaf, little Louise, breathing out the name of Jesus, lay down to rest forever. The mother and the children wondered at the patience she had shown, and we may well hope that her testimony was not lost on them.
The stranger came once more, but it was to find Louise gone to that Saviour four of whom he had told her. He fixed a piece of wood upon her little grave, and with his own hands carved upon it the words, shown at the head of this little narrative, “LOUISE RESTS.”
ML 12/27/1953