Edwin was a happy boy, and was the joy of his mother’s heart. He was very little, and couldn’t quite say his own name correctly but called himself “Edwy.”
Mr. and Mrs. Hutchings were very wealthy, and gave their little boy everything to make him happy. But one day their little Edwin disappeared. He didn’t come home for dinner or supper, and his father and mother were filled with fear. They searched everywhere, and their neighbors searched too, but could find no trace at all of their lost boy.
Shall I tell you just what happened to him? Not far from where the Hutchings lived there was a big forest, and deep in the heart of it lived a man and his wife who were very wicked. One day the man saw little Edwin, with his fine clothes and happy smile, wandering near the edge of the forest, and he quickly picked the little fellow up, and carried him away deep among the trees to his own miserable hut. You may be, sure Edwin did a lot of shouting and crying, but it was no use. The cruel man intended to send a message back to Mr. Hutchings demanding money for the return of his boy. But then he became frightened that he might be found out. So he put some very old clothes on little Edwin, and called him “Tommy” instead.
Some time passed, but Edwin never forgot that his name was not Tommy at all, but really “Edwy.” And he never forgot the love of his own dear father and mother. One day when the wicked man and woman had both gone out, little Edwin started to wander through the bush all by himself. As he went, he kept calling aloud, “Mother, Father, come to Edwy... come!” To his surprise and delight, he heard a faint answer... “come.”
He scrambled along more quickly than ever calling and calling, “Come to Edwy... come.” And each time he would hear the faint cry... “come.” He didn’t know that his own voice was echoing back to him from the hills, but thought sure that someone had heard him and was encouraging him to keep coming. On and on his little tired feet carried him. Weaker and weaker his little voice kept calling.
At last, although he didn’t know it, he came near a road. A fine carriage was coming along the road, and they had stopped to rest their horses before climbing the next hill. Suddenly the coachman said, “Quiet please, I think I heard a voice.” Breathlessly they all listened, and soon they heard again the sound of a feeble little voice. Quickly, the man plunged into the woods and started toward the sound of the voice. In a few minutes, he returned to the roadside carrying a very weary and very dirty little boy. He was dressed in rags, and his arms were scratched and bleeding from his scramble through the bush. He looked about him and sobbed again,
“Come to Edwy... come.”
With overflowing joy, Mr. and Mrs. Hutchings grasped the weary, ragged little lad and covered him with kisses. Yes, it was their own lost lad!
They knelt down right there by the side of the road and together they thanked the Lord with happy but broken voices, for hearing their many prayers and bringing their lost Edwin home.
I am sure you are glad that Edwin was found. And I am sure his father and mother were much more glad than anyone else. Edwin’s story makes me think of a good many boys and girls who are lost right now. Perhaps even the one who is reading this paper is still lost. There is an enemy of our souls called Satan who would seek to lead us farther and farther away from God. But God loves you and me, and He wants us to be delivered from that enemy of ours. So He sent His own Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, into this world to seek and to save that which was lost. Yes, the Lord Jesus Christ came all the way down from heaven to die for me, for I was among the lost ones. It is a good many years ago now that the Lord Jesus saved me, and I know it made the very heart of God in heaven rejoice, for “There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that renteth.” Luke 15:1010Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. (Luke 15:10).
ML 03/18/1956