The Little Gleaner Part 46

"JESUS LOVES ME!"

A few years ago, a poor girl in London, to whose soul the Spirit had spoken peace through the blood of Jesus, was very anxious to impart the knowledge, and tell some other soul of the dear Saviour she had found.

She was too poor and ragged to take a cla.s.s in a Sunday School. She especially longed to tell children of Jesus. She thought, if she could only be instrumental in the winning of one little child, how blessed it would be, so she used to speak to any little child she saw standing about in the street.

One little boy, about seven years old, often went to her to hear her joyful Gospel tidings. One day she missed him, and searched until she found him. Poor little fellow! He was lying in great agony upon a miserable bed of straw in a wretched dwelling, and was quite alone.

The kind girl, full of pity for him, and anxious to relieve him, called the attention of neighbours to him, but they declined to take any step in the matter. At last she called a policeman. He made the case known to the authorities, and the little sufferer was taken to the workhouse hospital. Here he remained in great suffering, the doctors being unable to do anything to relieve him.

In training him for an acrobat, his parents had treated him so severely, in order to make his tender little limbs supple, that there was not a bone in his body seemingly in its proper place, and his agony was most intense. Six doctors, including Queen's physicians, had his case under consideration, but their skill could not avail. He was unable to lie on his back or side. A frame was made to support his head as he leaned forward. His poor little hands were wrapped in cotton-wool steeped in morphia, to allay the pain.

When he had been in the hospital about four months, a lady went to see him, from whom I heard this most touching and true account. She said she should never forget his face when he raised his head to speak to her.

Such a beautiful face, with sweet blue eyes and placid expression, met her gaze. He so frequently said, "Thank you." It was, "Thank you, I am not suffering quite so much to-day"; or, "Thank you. You are so kind."

One day, she asked him if he loved Jesus. He looked at her so reproachfully that her heart smote her for having asked such a question; then he said, "Jesus loves me." She saw then the meaning of his reproachful look. How could she ask him whether _he_ loved Jesus when Jesus loved _him_? The dear little sufferer had grasped the secret of power. It was not _his_ love for Jesus, but the love of Jesus _to him_, that was the solid rock on which he stood.

Another time he said, "Oh, I don't mind bearing a little pain for Jesus.

He died for me."

The language of some in the hospital was very dreadful. Such blasphemy--such cursing and swearing--even when dying. But the clear voice of the young sufferer often rose high above all others. It distressed him beyond all measure, and he called out, "Oh, don't, don't!

Jesus hears you." Rough men, touched by the sight of his pain, would stand by him, listening to his words, silenced by his entreaties. Truly he was "out of weakness made strong."

Not long after the visit of the lady to whom I have referred, G.o.d released the loving little soul from its tenement of suffering, and revealed to him, in the "eternal weight of glory," how fully He loved him. His brief tale of life on earth, with its pain so bravely borne, and its knowledge of love so faithfully testified, is now changed for the song and the crown, and the exceeding bliss of being for ever with Him who loves him, "whom to know is life eternal," and "in whose presence is fulness of joy."

NETTIE.

A RED SEA ROCK.

A fourth, and happily a successful, search by Her Majesty's ships has just been made for a reported rock towards the southern end of the Red Sea, on which two steamships, the _Avocet_ and _Teddington_, are supposed to have struck during the year 1887, both ships afterwards foundering.

Owing to a considerable error in the position given by the former vessel, the first search was mainly over ground too far to the westward, and operations were suspended until more accurate information could be obtained. The loss of the second ship, in a position given five miles north-east of the first, caused a second and careful search to be made on a more extended area, still with no indication. A surveying vessel was then sent two thousand miles in order to inst.i.tute a rigorous examination; but six weeks' close search--though under great difficulties of strong wind and heavy sea--bore no fruit, and various theories were started to account for the loss of the two steamships.

The fourth ship, Her Majesty's surveying ship _Stork_, has been more successful. Guided by some slight indication afforded by an insignificant rise in the sea bottom, the rock has been at last found.

It is a small coral patch, only fifteen feet under the surface of the sea, and stands in twenty-eight fathoms of water, in lat.i.tude 14 deg. 22 min. 8 sec. N., longitude 42 deg. 41 min. 32 sec. E. It lies midway between the two best positions that critical cross-examination had finally settled as most probable for the respective vessels that were lost. Though it is between five and six miles from the direct straight line of track, the existence at times of strong currents transverse to the axis of the Red Sea, causes the danger presented by it to be by no means insignificant, though it is a matter for marvel that it has never been struck before.

The difficulty of finding such a small rock may be appreciated from the fact that one of the searching ships was at anchor within four hundred yards of it, with her boats sounding round her, without its being perceived, though she was driven from her anchorage by a gale before the spot was pa.s.sed over by the boats.

Seeing the enormous British trade, valuable both in lives and property, that pa.s.ses down the Red Sea, it is a matter of general congratulation that the Admiralty refused to discontinue the search until the last hope of finding a rock was dispelled, and that the efforts to discover it have at length been crowned by success.

KENILWORTH CASTLE.

Willis, the American traveller, in his "Famous Persons and Famous Places," observes that, when visiting Kenilworth, he noticed with surprise that in one place the swelling root of a creeper had lifted one arch from its base, and the protruding branch of a chance spring tree (sown, perhaps, by a field-sparrow) had unseated the keystone of the next. And so perish castles and reputations--the masonry of the human hand, and the fabrics of human thought--not by the strength which they feared, but by the weakness of trifling things which they despised.

Little did John O'Gaunt think, when these rudely-hewn blocks were heaved into their seats by his herculean workmen, that, after resisting fire and foe, they would be sapped and overthrown at last by a vine-tendril and a sparrow!

THE PRIEST AND THE LADY; OR, TRANSUBSTANTIATION EXPOSED.

A lady once, a Protestant, in ignorance was led To think she might with comfort live, though to a Papist wed: But Rome decrees no peace they'll have who marry heretics, Until their households have been made submissive to her tricks.

It sorely grieved this husband that his wife would not comply To join the "mother Church" of Rome, and heresy deny: Day after day he flattered her, but still she held it good That man should never bow his knee to idols made of wood.

The Ma.s.s, the priest, and miracles, were made but to deceive; And transubstantiation, too, she never could believe.

He went unto his clergy, and told him his sad tale-- "My wife's an unbeliever, sir; try if you can prevail.

"You say you can work miracles--she says it is absurd-- Convince her and convert her, and great is your reward."

The priest went with the gentleman--he thought to gain a prize-- He says, "I will convert your wife, and open quite her eyes."

So when they came unto the house, "My dear," the husband cried, "The priest is come to dine with us." "He's welcome," she replied.

The dinner being ended, the priest to teach began, Explaining to the lady the sinful state of man.

The kindness of the Saviour (which no one can deny), Who gave Himself a Sacrifice, and once for sin did die.

"He by His priest still offers up Himself a Sacrifice."

The lady only answered this by expressing great surprise.

"I will return to-morrow--prepare some bread and wine-- And then dispense the Sacrament to satisfy your mind."

"I'll bake the cake," the lady said. "You may," replied he, "And when you see this miracle, convinced I'm sure you'll be."

The priest returned accordingly--the bread and wine did bless-- The lady said, "Sir, is it changed?" His reverence answered, "Yes, It's changed now from bread and wine to real flesh and blood; You may depend upon my word, that it is very G.o.d."

Thus, having blessed the bread and wine, to eat he did prepare.

The lady said unto the priest, "I would have you take care; For one half ounce of a.r.s.enic I have mixed in that cake, But as you have its nature changed, it can no difference make."

The priest stood all confused, and looked as pale as death; The bread and wine fell from his hands, and he did gasp for breath.

"Bring me my horse!" his reverence cried; "this is a cursed place!"

"Begone! begone!" the dame replied; "you are a cursed race!"

Her husband sat confounded, and not one word could say.

At last he spoke--"My dear," said he, "the priest has run away; Such mummery and nonsense can never bear the light; Apostate Rome I must denounce, and quit it I will quite."

HERESIES are views discordant to the truths of G.o.d.