Alberta was the six-year-old daughter of an English nobleman. Many a romp in the snow with “Duke,” the favorite dog, and her sister and brother, had she revelled in, and many a snowball fight had she enjoyed; so that when the nursery taught her the prayer,
“Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow” (Psa. 51:77Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. (Psalm 51:7)), she had an anxious desire not only to know but also to understand the meaning of the words.
The children had thought “Duke” pure and clean after his weekly wash, but when he got out in the snow he almost looked as if he was a doggie member of the great unwashed. They had laid their lovely linen handkerchiefs on the snow, and it seemed almost to make them look unlovely. Yet here was something “whiter” than the “whitest” thing she knew. “Whiter than snow?” This took hold of the mind of the little miss. That night, finding her father alone, she ventured in childlike tones to ask, “Father, do you know anything whiter than snow?” Surprised at such a peculiar question, the man of wealth and man of the world, replied,
“No, my darling, there is nothing whiter than snow.”
“O, but there is, father,” responded the little one,
“What is it, then, my child?” now eagerly questioned the fond parent.
“Father, a soul washed in the Blood of Jesus is whiter than snow!”
Amazed at the earnestness of his loved child, annoyed at the introduction into his family of such distinctive views, he inquired who had been itilling into Lady Alberta’s mind such things. Finding it was her devoted and faithful nurse, he immediately sent for her and asked if she had been teacng her young charge such religious views. On admitting that she had taught her the Snow Prayer and other precious truths from the Bible, he informed her that such could not be permitted under his roof, and ordered her to leave at once.
Not long after this stirring event a Royal Prince paid the nobleman a visit. Great preparations were made for the reception of Royalty, none of the members of the household looking forward with more delight to the coming of the Prince than little Lady Alberta. One day during the Royal stay she ventured into the Prince’s apartment. The visitor felt drawn to the sweet little child, and spoke kindly to her. After timidly prattling with him for a while, she suddenly stopped and said,
“Prince, do you like guesses?” “Yes, dear; what is it?”
“Prince, can you tell me what is whiter than snow?”
“Ah, here was something different to state problems, international alliances, worldly wisdom, great inventions, or questions of the hour. A child’s simple puzzle!
“Whiter than snow? I have never heard of anything whiter than snow. Have you?”
“Yes, Prince,” modestly replied the little maiden, “A soul washed from all its sins in the Blood of Jesus is whiter than snow.”
“Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.”
The nobleman, after his fit of anger at the question when first asked, had begun to inquire, “Am I washed in the blood?”
The question addressed to the King once more brought the subject vividly before him. Was it possible that he might be whiter than snow? He began to search the Scriptures. Therein he read the gracious invitation,
Will you “do likewise” even at this moment?
ML 07/15/1945