The Annals of the Poor Part 20

"How plain it is that all is mercy from first to last! and that sweetens the blessing, my child. Are you not willing to give Christ all the honour of your salvation, and to take all the blame of your sins on your own self?"

"Yes, indeed, sir, I am. My hymn says,--

'Blest be the Lord, that sent his Son To take our flesh and blood; He for our lives gave up his own, To make our peace with G.o.d.

'He honoured all his Father's laws, Which we have disobeyed; He bore our sins upon the cross, And our full ransom paid.'"

"I am glad you remember your hymns so well, Jenny."

"Sir, you don't know what pleasure they give me. I am very glad you gave me that little book of Hymns for Children."

A severe fit of coughing interrupted her speech for a while. The woman held her head. It was distressing to observe her struggle for breath, and almost, as it were, for life.

"Poor dear!" said the woman; "I wish I could help thee, and ease thy pains; but they will not last for ever."

"G.o.d helps me," said the girl, recovering her breath; "G.o.d helps me--he will carry me through. Sir, you look frightened. I am not afraid--this is nothing--I am better now. Thank you, dame, thank you. I am very troublesome; but the Lord will bless you for this and all your kindness to me: yes, sir, and yours too. Now talk to me again about the sacrament."

"What is required, Jenny, of them who come to the Lord's Supper? There are five things named in the Catechism; do you remember what is the first?"

She paused, and then said, with a solemn and intelligent look,--

"To examine themselves whether they repent them truly of their former sins."

"I hope and think that you know what this means, Jenny. The Lord has given you the spirit of repentance."

"No one knows, sir, what the thoughts of past sin have been to me. Yes, the Lord knows, and that is enough; and I hope he forgives me for Christ's sake. His blood cleanseth from all sin. Sir, I sometimes think of my sins till I tremble, and it makes me cry to think that I have offended such a G.o.d; and then he comforts me again with sweet thoughts about Christ."

"It is well, my child--be it so. The next thing mentioned in that article of your Catechism, what is it?"

"Steadfastly purposing to lead a new life."

"And what do you think of that?"

"My life, sir, will be a short one; and I wish it had been a better one.

But from my heart I desire that it may be a _new_ one for the time to come. I want to forsake all my evil ways and thoughts, and evil words, and evil companions; and to do what G.o.d bids me, and what you tell me is right, sir, and what I read of in my Bible. But I am afraid I do not, my heart is so full of sin. However, sir, I pray to G.o.d to help me. My days will be few; but I wish they may be spent to the glory of G.o.d."

"The blessing of the Lord be upon you, Jane; so that whether you live, you may live to the Lord; or whether you die, you may die unto the Lord; and that, living or dying, you may be the Lord's. What is the next thing mentioned?"

"To have a lively faith in G.o.d's mercy through Christ, sir."

"Do you believe that G.o.d is merciful to you in the pardon of your sins?"

"I do, sir," said the child earnestly.

"And if he pardons you, is it for your own sake, Jenny?"

"No, sir, no; it is for Christ's sake--for my Saviour Jesus Christ's sake, and that only. Christ is all."

"Can you trust him?"

"Sir, I must not mistrust him; nor would I, if I might."

"Right, child; he is worthy of all your trust."

"And then, sir, I am to have a thankful remembrance of his death. I can never think of his dying, but I think also what a poor unworthy creature I am; and yet he is so good to me. I wish I _could_ thank him--sir, I have been reading about his death--how could the people do as they did to him?--but it was all for our salvation. And the thief on the cross--that is beautiful. I hope he will remember me too, and that I shall always remember him and his death most thankfully."

"And lastly, Jenny, are you in charity with all men? Do you forgive all that have offended you? Do you bear ill-will in your heart to anybody?"

"Dear sir, no! how can I? If G.o.d is good to me, if he forgives me, how can I help forgiving others? There is not a person in all the world, I think, sir, that I do not wish well to for Christ's sake, and that from the bottom of my heart."

"How do you feel towards those bold, wanton, ill-tempered girls at the next door, who jeer and mock you so about your religion?"

"Sir, the worst thing I wish them is, that G.o.d may give them grace to repent; that he may change their hearts, and pardon all their wicked ways and words. May he forgive them, as I do with all my soul!"

She ceased--I wished to ask no more. My heart was full. "Can this be the religion of a child?" thought I. "O that we were all children like her!"

"Reach me that prayer-book, and the cup and plate. My dear friends, I will now, with G.o.d's blessing, partake with you in the holy communion of our Lord's body and blood."

The time was sweet and solemn. I went through the sacramental service.

The countenance and manner of the child evinced powerful feelings. Tears mingled with smiles--resignation brightened by hope--humility animated by faith--a child-like modesty adorned with the understanding of a riper age--grat.i.tude, peace, devotion, patience--all these were visible. I thought I distinctly saw them all--and did _I_ alone see them? Is it too much to say that other created beings, whom I could not behold with my natural eyes, were witnesses of the scene?

If ministering angels do ascend and descend with glad tidings between earth and heaven, I think they did so then.

When I had concluded the service, I said,--

"Now, my dear Jane, you are indeed become a sister in the Church of Christ. May his Spirit and blessing rest upon you, strengthen and refresh you!"

"My mercies are great, very great, sir; greater than I can express. I thank you for this favour--I thought I was too young--it seemed too much for me to think of; but I am now sure the Lord is good to me, and I hope I have done right."

"Yes, Jenny; and I trust you are both outwardly and inwardly _sealed_ by the Holy Ghost to the day of redemption."

"Sir, I shall never forget this day."

"Neither, I think, shall I."

"Nor I," said the good old woman; "sure the Lord has been in the midst of us three to-day, while we have been gathered together in his name."

"Sir," said the child, "I wish you could speak to my mother when you come again. But she keeps out of your sight. I am so grieved about her soul, and I am afraid she cares nothing at all about it herself."

"I hope I shall have an opportunity the next time I come. Farewell, my child."

"Good-bye, sir; and I thank you for all your kindness to me."

"Surely," I thought within myself as I left the cottage, "this young bud of grace will bloom beauteously in paradise! The Lord transplant her thither in his own good time. Yet, if it be his will, may she live a little longer, that I may further profit by her conversation and example!"

Possibly, some who peruse these simple records of poor little Jane may wish the same. If it be so, we will visit her again before she departs hence and is no more seen.