It was a sad trial to poor Theodore, as you may imagine, to find that his parents were plunging deeper and deeper into sin. The Marquis had, for some reason, become offended with the king of France, and he used to invite many of his friends to the house and there they spoke evil of the king and planned to do him harm.
These people met at the home of the Marquis almost every evening and here they would play cards and drink and speak of the king in shocking language. Now such conduct against the king is called treason, and it was not long before this treason of the Marquis became known to the king. One night, without any warning, a company of armed soldiers rode up to the home of the Marquis and arrested him.
It happened in the middle of the night. Poor Theodore and his mother were also aroused out of their sleep and ordered to come with the Marquis, into a waiting carriage, there to be taken away to prison. Theodore quickly put on his clothes, and took his Bible in his hand, and then knelt to ask God to take care of him. As the carriage rattled through the night, the Marquis railed against the king, his wife wept and sobbed, and Theodore remained silent. secretly praying to God to make these afflictions a blessing to his dear father and mother.
After several days’ journey, they reached a large strong castle on the top of a lofty rock. The guard took them into a large barred room, and commanded them never to leave. It was in the dark of night, and there was just one tiny lamp hanging from the ceiling. Theodore immediately knelt down and told all his troubles to his heavenly Father, and then went right to sleep. His father and mother spent the night complaining and thinking of nothing but their misery.
When Theodore awoke, the sun was streaming into the room, and he ran eagerly to the window, and found to his. delight that he could see beautiful hills and valleys and woods, which reminded him of his life with Maria and Claude. As he stood and looked, he thanked God with all his heart that they were not locked in some dark dungeon as so many often were in those days.
Presently his father awoke, and complained of feeling sick. He rapidly grew worse and worse, and for many days he lay at the point of death. Theodore never left him. He waited on him tenderly, giving him his medicine and carefully following all the directions of the doctor who came to see him. In time, the sick man began to improve, and then his boy would tell him stories of the happy days with Claude and Maria, and of their happy faith and trust in the Lord Jesus.
“That may be,” replied the sick man, “But Claude and Maria were very good people. They always led holy lives and never had any sins to trouble their consciences. But I have many evil things to remember, and if there is a place of punishment in the next world, that is where I shall surely go.”
“Oh, dear father, you are mistaken. The Bible says ‘there is none good, no, not one,’ and I know that dear Claude and Maria have done wrong things too, but they have learned that God so loved them that He sent the Lord Jesus Christ down into this world to die for their sins, and now they trust in Him and they know that all their sins are gone forever. And you can come to the Lord Jesus with all your sins too, and they will be all washed away in His precious blood.”
Theodore then brought his own Bible over to his father and asked if he might be allowed to read some to him. Happily the sick man agreed, and eagerly he listened, but I must wait till next week to tell you the result.
ML 04/15/1951