"In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank
thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid
these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed
them unto babes; even so, Father; for so it seemed good in
thy sight."
--_Luke_ x. 21.
Says the Apostle Paul, "I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my
conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, that I have great
heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart, for I could wish that
myself were accursed from Christ, for my brethren, my kinsmen according
to the flesh.... Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for
Israel is, that they might be saved."
And such, dear reader, is, in greater or less degree, the feeling of
every renewed heart; loving Jesus, it would fain have others love Him
too; it desires the salvation of all; but for that of its own dear ones
it longs and labors and prays; it is like Jacob wrestling with the
angel, when he said, "I will not let thee go except thou bless me."
And thus it was with Elsie. She knew now that her father was not a
Christian; that he had no real love for Jesus, none of the true fear of
God before his eyes. She saw that if he permitted her to read to him
from God's word, as he sometimes did, it was not that he felt any
pleasure in listening, but only to please her; she had no reason to
suppose he ever prayed, and though he went regularly to church, it was
because he considered it proper and respectable to do so, and not that
he cared to worship God, or to learn His will.
This conviction, which had gradually dawned upon Elsie, until now it
amounted to certainty, caused her great grief; she shed many tears over
it in secret, and very many and very earnest were the prayers she
offered up for her dear father's conversion.
She was sitting on his knee one evening in the drawing-room, while he
and several other gentlemen were conversing on the subject of religion.
They were discussing the question whether or no a change of heart were
necessary to salvation.
The general opinion seemed to be that it was not, and Elsie listened
with pain while her father expressed his decided conviction that all
who led an honest, upright, moral life, and attended to the outward
observances of religion, were quite safe.
"He could see no necessity for a change of heart; he did not believe in
the doctrine of total depravity, not he; no indeed, he thought the
world much better than many people would have us believe."
Elsie fixed her eyes on his face with a very mournful gaze while he was
speaking, but he was busy with his argument and did not notice her.
But one of the guests was just expressing his approval of Mr.
Dinsmore's sentiments, when catching sight of Elsie's face, he stopped,
remarking, "Your little girl looks as if she had something to say on
the subject; what is it, my dear?"
Elsie blushed, hesitated, and looked at her father.
"Yes, speak, my daughter, if you have anything to say," he said
encouragingly.
Elsie lifted her eyes timidly to the gentleman's face as she replied,
"I was just thinking, sir, of what our Saviour said to Nicodemus:
'Verily, verily I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot
see the kingdom of God.' 'Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be
born again.'"
She repeated these words of inspiration with a deep, earnest solemnity
that seemed to impress every hearer.
For a moment there was a deep hush in the room.
Then the gentleman asked, "Well, my little lady, and what is meant by
being born again?"
"O sir!" she replied, "surely you know that it means to have the image
of God, lost in Adam's fall, restored to us; it means what David asked
for when he prayed, 'Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a
right spirit within me.'"
"Where did you learn all this?" he asked, looking at her with mingled
surprise and admiration.
"In the Bible, sir," she modestly replied.
"You seem to have read it to some purpose," said he; "and now since you
consider that change so necessary, can you tell me how it is to be
brought about?"
"God's Holy Spirit, alone, can change a sinner's heart, sir."
"And how am I to secure His aid?" he asked.
Elsie answered with a text: "God is more willing to give His Holy
Spirit to them that ask Him, than parents are to give good gifts unto
their children."
He paused a moment; then asked, "Have you obtained this new heart, Miss
Elsie?"
"I hope I have, sir," she replied, the sweet little face all suffused
with blushes, and the soft, downcast eyes filling with tears.
"Why do you think so?" he asked again, "I think there is a text that
says you must be able always to give a reason for the hope that is in
you, or something to that effect, is there not?"
"Yes, sir: 'Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh
you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.'" Then
raising her eyes to his face with a touching mixture of deep humility
and holy boldness, she continued, "And this, sir is my answer: Jesus
says, 'Him that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out;' and I
believe Him. I did go to Him, and He did not cast me out, but forgave
my sins, and taught me to love Him and desire to serve Him all my life."
This conversation between the gentleman and the little girl had drawn
the attention of all present; and now Mrs. Dinsmore, who had more than
once shown signs of impatience, said, "Well, Elsie, I think you have
now talked quite enough for a child of your age." Then, pulling out her
watch, "It is high time for little folks to be in bed."
Elsie, blushing deeply, would have retired immediately, but her father
held her fast, saying, as he gave his stepmother an angry glance, "You
need not go, Elsie, unless you choose; I am quite capable of judging
when it is time to send you to bed."
"I would rather go, if you please, papa," whispered Elsie, who had a
great dread of Mrs. Dinsmore's anger.
"Very well, then, you may do as you like," he replied, giving her a
good-night kiss. And with a graceful good-night to the company, the
little girl left the room.
Her questioner followed her with an admiring glance, then turning to
her father, exclaimed warmly, "She is a _remarkably_ intelligent child,
Dinsmore! one that any father might be proud of. I was astonished at
her answers."
"Yes," remarked Travilla, "a text has been running in my head ever
since you commenced your conversation; something about these things
being hid from the wise and prudent, and revealed unto babes. And," he
added, "I am sure if ever I saw one who possessed that new nature of
which she spoke, it is she herself. Has she any faults, Dinsmore?"
"Very few, _I_ think; though she would tell you a different story,"
replied her father with a gratified smile.
The next morning Elsie was sitting reading her Bible, when she suddenly
felt a hand laid on her head, and her father's voice said, "Good
morning, little daughter."
"Ah! papa, is that you?" she asked, raising her head to give him a
smile of joyful welcome. "I did not know you were there."
"Ah! I have been watching you for several minutes," he said; "always
poring over the same book, Elsie; do you never tire of it?"
"No, indeed, papa; it is always new, and I do love it so; it is so very
sweet. May I read a little to you?" she added coaxingly.
"Yes, I love to listen to anything read by my darling," he said,
sitting down and taking her on his knee.
She opened at the third chapter of John's Gospel and read it through.
At the sixteenth verse, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His
only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish,
but have everlasting life," she paused, and asked, "Was not that a
wonderful gift, papa? and wonderful love that prompted it?"
"Yes," he said, absently stroking her hair.
She finished the chapter, and closing the book, laid her head on his
breast, asking, "Dear papa, don't you believe the Bible?"
"Certainly, daughter; I am not an infidel," he replied in a careless
tone.
"Well, then, papa," she continued, half hesitatingly, "does not this
chapter teach very plainly that we must love Jesus, and have new
hearts, if we want to go to heaven?"
"Yes," he said, "I dare say it does."
Then taking the book from her, he laid it aside, and giving her a kiss,
said, "I was much pleased with your intelligent answers to Mr. Lee,
last evening."
Elsie sighed, and her eyes filled with tears. It was not what she
wanted.
"What an odd child you are!" he said, laughing. "You really look as
though I had been scolding, instead of praising you."
She dropped her head on his breast, and burst into tears and sobs.
"Why, Elsie, my own darling, what ails you?" he asked in great surprise.
"O papa!" she sobbed, "I want you to love Jesus."
"Oh! is _that_ all?" he said.
And setting her on her feet, he took her by the hand and led her out
into the garden, where they met Mr. Travilla and another gentleman, who
immediately entered into conversation with Mr. Dinsmore, while Elsie
wandered about amongst the flowers and shrubs, gathering a nosegay for
her Aunt Adelaide.