AS the children were leaving their Sunday-school, one afternoon, the superintendent gently placed his hand upon the shoulder of one little boy, saying, “Are you trusting in the Lord?”
“No, sir,” was the reply.
“Would you like to trust Him?” asked the good man, tenderly.
“Yes,” said the little fellow, and with such deep earnestness, that the kind superintendent was convinced Willie was really longing for the knowledge of salvation through Christ.
That same evening Willie was listening attentively to a preacher, reading a portion from John 20, who at the end of verse 27, at the words, “Be not faithless, but believing,” paused and said, “Be not unbelieving, but believing.”
These words were impressed upon Willie’s young and tender heart.
At the close of the service, the boy, together with his brother, remained, by the wish of his superintendent, to speak with the preacher. Willie’s whole frame quivered with emotion, as he owned how he had been long desirous of salvation. And then the four knelt down together.
“O Lord, save me!” prayed Willie, and he repeated after the preacher these well-known words—
“Just as I am, without one plea,
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bid’st me come to Thee:
O Lamb of God, I come!”
Without a storm was raging, and the rain was descending in torrents, but within poor Willie’s heart there was a storm scarcely less fierce.
“What hinders you from accepting Christ and obtaining salvation through Him, Willie?”
“I want a sign to know that I am saved.” he replied.
“If you had offended me, and I told you I forgave you, would you believe my words, or would you ask me for a sign that I had forgiven you?”
“I would believe you without a sign,” the boy answered.
“Can you not believe God?”
“Lord, may I not be faithless, but believing!” he sighed.
“Jesus says, ‘Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest,’” was whispered to him.
“Lord, I come to Thee, and ask Thee to save me!” was his response.
“Jesus says, ‘No man cometh unto the Father but by Me.’ Just tell God that you come in the name of His Son.”
“O God, I come to Thee in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and ask Thee to save me!” said the little boy earnestly.
Above the fury of the storm was heard that simple petition, and the Lord spake peace to Willie’s soul.
“I am saved!” he said. “Lord, I thank Thee for having saved me! Lord, I pray Thee to keep me from evil, and to save my dear brothers!”
Now, Tommy, who had remained silent, began to pray aloud, too, and, with childlike simplicity, followed the prayer of his much-loved superintendent, repeating each sentence after him, word for word.
“Jesus is so loving, and gracious, and tender,” said this servant of Christ to the little boy; “cannot you trust Him?”
And Tommy told the Lord he could do so; and then all rose from their knees and stood, and praised the Lord.
“Glory, honor, praise, and power,
Be unto the Lamb Forever!
Jesus Christ is our Redeemer!
Hallelujah! Praise ye the Lord.”
While we thank God that Willie and Tommy are now happily conscious that they are safe for time and for eternity, beneath the shelter of the blood of Christ, let us ask you, dear young readers, whether you have fled to Him for shelter, who is indeed a hiding-place from every storm?
ML-10/10/1920