If the Lord will, I am going to have a talk with the dear children who read “Messages of Love,” about a poor, lame boy I saw some years ago on a railway train in Canada. He had come out, I believe, from England some time before I saw him, to work on a farm. But for some reason, his employer could not, or did not, keep him very long; so the boy started to return to his native land. Two dollars was, I think, all the money he had, and this would, of course, be nothing like enough to pay his fare to his home.
Sometime after I had boarded the train, I went to bed, and knew nothing of a disturbance that took place during the night, until in conversation with one of the passenger next morning, I was informed that a boy was lying in secret under one of the seats. It appears that this poor lame boy had got on the train during the night without a ticket. When the conductor came round, and found the boy with neither ticket nor money, except two dollars, he was displeased, and took all the boy’s money, and at the next station turned him off the train. Poor boy! I was told he cried and ‘did not know what to do. There he was, without money, and, so to speak, alone in the world. I fear, too, he did not know how or where to look to find Jesus, the “Friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” Many of you, dear little ones, know Jesus as that Friend who died for you; you are never alone, and need not fear though anyone should take away all you have in the world, for Jesus is of more value than all the money in the world; and no one can take Him away from you, or take you away from Him. Read what He says in John 10:2828And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. (John 10:28). “I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of MY hand,” and Heb. 13:55Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. (Hebrews 13:5). “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”
Some of the passengers felt for this poor cast-away boy, and were determined to get him on the train again. They did so, and kept him in secret under one of the seats. But though the conductor came in and did not see him, there was One who saw him quite as plainly under the seat as anywhere else. Do you know who that was? God saw him; and He sees you too, dear children, wherever you go, whatever you do. You cannot hide from Him. Well, as time went on, this boy needed some food: so one or more of these passengers fed him under the seat. When food was put down, a hand could be seen reaching it and drawing it away where it could be eaten in secret. But God saw it all. As fresh passengers came on the train they soon saw that someone was being hidden from the conductor, and they only smiled at man’s success. But man could not hide this boy from God. Where can you hide so that He cannot see you?
After a while the train stopped at a station where it waited a long time. The passengers walked about, and this poor boy was among them. I think he went to the office and asked for pity to be taken on him, but could get none as he desired. My heart longed to get him alone, so that I could talk to him about Jesus; but there seemed no way for this. I was almost ready to cry for him. At length the time arrived for the train to start again. The passengers succeeded in getting him on the car and putting him under the seat out of the conductor’s sight again but not out of God’s sight. After a while they made a collection for him, obtaining, I think, two dollars. Before I left the train I felt it in my heart to try and reach him; so as there was no way open to talk with him, I wrote a letter, directing him to Jesus. Then I took my pocket Bible, and an orange, and a little beef, and passed all to him under the seat. I know not what became of him after this, for I had soon to leave the train. But I think God would not allow His word to be put into that boy’s hands in so remarkable a manner without blessing to his soul, for He says, His word shall not return to Him void.
Now, dear children, let me tell you that you cannot hide yourselves, nor be hidden, by any man, woman or child, from God. Wherever you go, whatever you do, God sees you. You may do some sin, such as tell a lie, or steal, or say something naughty and angry, or you may sin in other ways, and then say “No, I did not.” God knows you did, for He saw you and heard you, for God sees in the dark, and hears whispers. And if you have done only one sin, that is enough to keep you out of heaven. One sin was the cause of Adam and Eve being driven out of Eden. You may hide from your parents, but you cannot hide from God. He sees under the seat and under the bed; yes, and He sees right inside your heart, and knows all that is there. I once asked an Indian child, “Did God ever hear you tell a lie?” “Yes” was the answer, and I expect that was the truth. It is better to be open and confess, rather than deny what you know to be true. God says, “Only acknowledge thine iniquity.” The prodigal son said, “I have sinned against heaven and before Thee.” That is what God wants you to do, to tell it all to Him, and He is ready to pardon. God’s pardon is ready because Jesus has died, “The just for the unjust.” There could have been no pardon if Jesus had not died; but the moment you confess to God, that moment you are pardoned. Let the blood of God’s Lamb be applied to your heart by the Holy Spirit, and you will be clean and fit for God’s presence. Then, when Jesus comes, you will not be left behind with those who will, at His coming in judgment, call on the hills and rocks to cover them and hide them from His wrath.
If the Lord will, perhaps I may write you again in connection with something else about the poor, lame boy. J. R.
ML 05/13/1900