BESSIE.
Four weeks after the close of the life of her little brother, Bessie
was able to be out of bed and around about the house once more. With
the return of her health grew her anxiety for the church. And in a
comparatively short time, Bessie was received into the church by
baptism. She was but a mere child, 'tis true, and that is what she is
yet. But what is to be done with the children? Is the church not for
them? Did Christ not die for them? Does "all the world" exclude
children? What does "in" signify, in "bringing up children in the
Lord?" What does "come" mean, when the Savior says "Suffer the
children to come unto me, and forbid them not"? and what is the
meaning of those last three words?
In the Antietam church were a good many good Christians who looked
rather doubtfully on the question of children in church. The little
girl spoken of in the beginning of chapter five was the first of the
children in that congregation to join the church. Others followed, and
when Charlie died _in the church_, all were so much rejoiced in his
triumphant faith, that the matter was practically no longer a question
at all. Very many little Christians now bring blessing to the
congregation, and they are often the best in the family to which they
may belong.
I questioned Bessie the other day to learn more of her present
position, now that she is in the church. I will give to all, the
benefit of her good answers.
"How old are you, Bessie?"
"Ten years."
"Some people think ten years is too young to be a member of the church."
"I don't think so."
"Why?"
"Because I think they can do right just as good as older people."
"When were you baptized?"
"Last summer in July."
"How do you know that you love Jesus?"
"Because,--well, I just know it."
"Suppose sometime you should sin, then what?"
"I'd just pray to God to forgive me."
"Are you sure He'd forgive you?"
"Yes sir. The Bible says so."
"How does it come you did not want to wait till you grew up, like many
others do?"
"Because I might die and not be saved."
"Suppose at school some of the other scholars tease you, then what?"
"I wouldn't say nothing."
"How long did you want to join the church before last summer?"
"O, I often thought about it. I was under conviction a good while."
"What does it mean to be under conviction?"
"Well,"--and I saw that I had asked a harder question than I thought.
After thinking a moment she said, "I just feel like crying all the time."
"What about, Bessie?"
"About things I done wrong."
"What things?"
"O well, little things in school. I'd get angry sometimes, and do
wrong things at home, and I was not very good, and-and--I wanted Jesus
to forgive me."
"What did you want to be baptized for?"
"For the remission of my sins."
"How did you learn to give that for the reason?"
"I read it in the Bible."
"Are you sure, Bessie, you realize what you're doing?"
"Yes sir."
"How often do you pray?"
"Every evening and often in the day time."
"Do your parents have family worship?"
"Yes sir."
"What part do _you_ take?"
"We all read verse about, and then papa and mamma take turn about in
leading in prayer, and I always close with the Lord's prayer."
"Didn't any body coax you to join the church?"
"No sir. Charlie and I used to talk about it a good many times when we
were by ourselves. That was before either of us was converted."
"Now, then, are you happy, Bessie?"
"Yes sir."
"What are you going to do when you grow up?"
"Be a seamstress, I guess. I'd like to be a missionary if I could."
"Do you realize a change of heart?"
"Yes sir."
"How does it seem?"
"It seems nice."
"But, think well, and tell me several points wherein you are different
now from what you were before you became a Christian."
"I feel more happier, and--and--I love Jesus more, and--He loves me
more, and--and--I don't want to do any wrong things, and--"
"What would you be willing to do for the Lord?"
"Most anything."
"Suppose the church should ask you to do something you did not want to
do?"
"I'd just do it."
"What part of the Bible do you like the best?"
"The New Testament."
"Why?"
"'Cause it tells more about Jesus."
Then Bessie added that she likes that about green pastures, and at
once repeated the entire twenty-third psalm.
Children in the church is no late idea. Children, I mean, not babes
nor infants. Polycarp, who afterward was bishop of Smyrna, and a
martyr, was converted in the year 80, when he was nine years old.
Justin Martyr says many, in early days, became disciples in childhood
and were uncorrupted all their lives.
Matthew Henry, whose commentary is so highly regarded by all Bible
students, was converted in his eleventh year.
Isaac Watts, whose hymns abound in all hymn books, was converted in
his ninth year.
Bro. James Quinter was converted when he was 17 years old, and was
called to the ministry at 22, and the present secretary of our General
Mission Board was converted at the age of 12. And I doubt not, many
among our best workers were converted very early in life.
Yesterday I received a letter from a little child just entered upon
her ninth year. She says:--"Dear brother Stover, I can answer your
letter and say I am on the Lord's side. How happy I am, how I would
like for you to have been here when I was baptized. I could hardly
wait till the time came. I have got what I have been wishing for two
years, and that is to work for the Lord. I go to prayer meeting, and
always try to have a verse.
"---- ----."
Children, too often, do not receive all the credit they deserve in
some directions. In a little book on the "Conversion of children" the
following incident is given. A father was reproving his son for not
giving attention to the sermon.
"Father, I heard all the minister said."
"I do not believe it. You were gazing all over the church during the
service."
"But, father, I heard all the minister said."
"I cannot believe it, for it seemed to me you hardly looked at the
preacher; your eyes were oftener fixed upon the rafters than the pulpit."
"But, father, I did hear all he said, and I can tell it to you."
"Let me hear you try it."
He then began and astonished his father by giving the text, the heads
of the sermon, and _much_ that was in it.
"I declare, you did hear the sermon after all."
"I told you I did, father, and now I can tell you exactly how many
rafters there are in the roof, for I counted every one of them during
the sermon!"
The Lord Jesus told Peter to feed His sheep, but before that He said,
"FEED MY LAMBS."
THE END.
Transcriber's Note
* Spelling and punctuation errors have been corrected.
* Text enclosed between equal signs was in bold face in the
original (=bold=).