Page images
PDF
EPUB

LITTLE CLARA.

I AM going to tell you a few things about little Clara, whom I well knew. And first, you will be glad to hear that, although a humble cottage was her home, it was always very tidy, through the care of her mother, who seemed to take delight in making everything about her dwelling as neat and well-looking as her hands and means would permit. There was a little garden to the cottage, and the flowers, in their season, sent their sweet scents about the place, and made it very pleasant to sit by the door or at the window of little Clara's bedroom, which opened out upon well-arranged plats full of as choice plants and shrubs as her parents could obtain. Clara's father, too, was a sober, busy man, and loved to see his house as it should be, and his garden in as good order as he could make it.

Clara's parents attended the house of God, and strove also to train up their children in the best way; so that, under God's blessing, as these grew up they were well-behaved; and we may hope the lessons they had learned at the Sunday school had a lasting place in their memories, and by the Holy Spirit's grace will help to lead them at last unto the better world above.

Clara had good health until the age of five years; but then she began to decline, and, to the sorrow of her parents, the marks of disease were plainly seen.

Clara had early learned to read; and as she was at last quite confined to bed, her books, such as the "Pilgrim's Progress," and her little Bible, which, with some small books, were daily laid on the snow

white bed, became her constant companions, and afforded her mind much comfort, support, and pleasure. Her affliction was borne with great meekness and patience. It pleased God that she should lie on her sick-bed for six years.

It was pleasant to be in her company, and to see how she submitted to her heavenly Father's will. She knew that she could never recover, though it was probable, from the nature of her complaint, she might remain in suffering for several years.

Clara found much delight in spiritual things, and in the sweetest manner would tell how she loved Jesus, and why she loved him. "I love him with my whole heart," she said, " and I long to see him, and be with him in heaven."

I one day said to her, "Then, Clara, you think you will be with Jesus when you die, and that you will certainly go to heaven ?" Oh, yes," she replied. "Why ?" I asked. "Because Jesus died for me on

66

the cross he loves me. I feel he does, and that he is with me in my affliction, for he has said, 'Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.' (Mark x. 14.) So I love him and know he loves me, and that when I die and leave this world I shall go to him into heaven; and oh! will not that be happiness?"

Most of her talk was about the salvation of her soul through Christ Jesus. As she thought that her time on earth would be short, she would smile and say, "Then shall I be ever with the Lord." (1 Thess. iv. 17.)

It was quite plain that the work of grace was begun in her tender mind by the Holy Spirit. She gave the evidence of a renewed heart.

"She never gives me any trouble," said her mother to me one day; "she is a sweet, gentle child, and is so truly thankful for any little attention paid her, that it is good to do anything for her. She seldom either alludes to her sufferings-not even, if possible, during the time that her poor little back is attended to, though I know the dressing of it causes her sometimes much agony: we can see it in her looks when she does not speak one word about her wounds."

How different was this to the manner of some children, whom even but a little suffering makes very cross, and who can bear no affliction without a good deal of crossness towards others.

Clara scarcely grew at all after her fifth year. At the age of eleven she did not look more than six years old; whilst, owing to her complaint, she was, besides, wasted to a mere skeleton, except the appearance of her face, which, although very pale, did not waste in the measure of other parts of her body, and usually wore a smile; though, as I said, her suffering was often very great. But she always felt the value of religion, and often repeated that pretty verse of the hymn :

""Tis religion that can give

Sweetest pleasures while we live ;
'Tis religion can supply

Solid comfort when we die," etc.

One forenoon I went to Clara's cottage to visit her, taking a few oranges with me; but on my arrival I

received the sad news that poor little Clara was gone; and, with weeping, her mother told me of the closing scenes of her life, and her passage through the valley of the shadow of death. All the last night she was on the earth, it was plain her end was not far off; Clara herself was sensible of it, and spoke tenderly to her parents, and desired them not to weep for her when she was gone, knowing she would be with the Saviour. For a while she lay in a kind of sleep, but awoke a short time before her death and uttered some little words of precious meaning very softly, and of prayer unto Jesus to come and take her home.

Aware that her stay with them would be now very short, she turned to the family collected about her bed, and in a calm, gentle voice fondly said, "Good bye, dear mother; good bye, dear father; good bye, dear sisters and brother: farewell, all; I shall soon be at home-soon with Jesus, whom I love. Come, Lord Jesus, and take me."

For a little while she closed her eyes, but her thoughts were sweetly occupied; then suddenly she opened her eyes again, gave a fond look on her mother, and said, "And now, mother, I am going." She paused a moment or two, raised her wasted arm, and gently waving her little hand, said, "And so happy!" and immediately her spirit departed unto the bosom of that Saviour whom she loved, and to the heavenly home where she now dwells with all the happy glorified "which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." (Rev. vii. 14.)

Dear young reader, do you too love Jesus? do you

66

pray to him to be your Saviour; to cleanse you from your sins in his precious blood; to give you his Holy Spirit; and by his grace and righteousness to make you 'meet for the inheritance of the saints in light ?" (Col. i. 12.) By nature all are unfit; and "except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John iii. 3.)

Jesus will save you if you seek him for he says, "I love them that love me, and those that seek me early shall find me." (Prov. viii. 17.)

I hope you will now, if as yet you have not sought him; then you will have comfort in life, peace in death, and a crown of glory in the world to come for ever and ever.

THE WAY TO PAY RENT.

E. B.

A BLACKSMITH in the city of Philadelphia was complaining to his iron merchant, that such was the scarcity of money that he could not pay his rent. The merchant then asked him how much rum he used in his family in the course of the day? Upon his answering this question the merchant made a calculation, and showed him that his rum amounted to more money in the year than his house-rent. The calculation so enlightened and impressed the man, that he at once and entirely gave up all strong drink. In the course of the next year he paid his rent and bought a new suit of clothes out of his savings. He went on in the course on which he had entered to the end of life, and the happy consequence was health, happiness, and honour.

« PreviousContinue »