MADE MEET FOR HOME.
How different everything seemed to Treffy after his doubts and fears had
been removed! The very attic seemed full of sunshine, and old Treffy's
heart was full of brightness. He was forgiven, and he knew it. And, as a
forgiven child, he could look up into his Father's face with a smile.
A great load was taken off little Christie's heart, his old master was
so happy and contented now; never impatient at his long absence when he
was out with the organ, or fretful and anxious about their daily
support. Old Treffy had laid upon Jesus his load of sin, and it was not
hard to lay upon Him also his load of care. The Lord who had borne the
greater burden would surely bear the less. Treffy could not have put
this feeling of trust into words, but he acted upon it. There were no
murmurings from old Treffy now, no forebodings. He had always a bright
smile and a cheerful word for Christie when the boy returned tired at
night. And whilst Christie was out he would lie very still and peaceful,
talking softly to himself or thanking the dear Lord for His great gift
to him.
And old Treffy's trust was not disappointed. "None that trust in Him
shall be desolate."
The clergyman's gift was not the only one they received that week.
Christie had come home in the middle of the day, to see how his old
master was, and was just preparing to start again on his rounds when
they heard a gentle rustling of silk on the stairs, and a low knock at
the door. Christie opened it quickly, and in walked little Mabel, and
little Mabel's mamma. They had brought with them many little comforts
for old Treffy, which Mabel had great pleasure in opening out. But they
brought with them also what money cannot buy,--sweet, gentle words, and
bright smiles, which cheered old Treffy's heart.
The lady sat down beside Treffy, and they talked together of Jesus. The
old man loved to talk of Jesus now, for he was able to say, "He loved
me, and gave Himself for me."
And the lady took a little blue Testament from her pocket, and read a
chapter to Treffy. She had a sweet, clear voice, and she read so
distinctly that he could understand every word.
Little Mabel sat quite still whilst her mamma was reading, then she got
up, and ran across the attic.
"Here are my snowdrops," she said, with a cry of joy, as she caught
sight of them in the window-sill. "Do you like them, Master Treffy?"
"Ay! little missie," said the old man, "I do indeed, and me and Christie
always think of the little prayer when we look at them."
"Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow," repeated Mabel reverently.
"Has He washed you, Master Treffy?"
"Yes, missie," said Treffy, "I believe He has."
"I'm so glad," said little Mabel, "then you _will_ go to 'Home, sweet
Home;' won't he, mamma?"
"Yes," said her mother, "Treffy and Christie have found the only road
which leads home. And, oh!" she said, the color coming into her sweet
face, "what a happy day it will be when we all meet at home! Wouldn't
you like to see Jesus, Treffy?" asked the lady.
"Ay," said old Treffy, "it would be a good sight to see His blessed
face. I could almost sing for joy when I think of it, and I haven't so
very long to wait."
"No," said the lady, with a wistful expression in her eyes, "I could
almost change places with you, Treffy, I could almost wish I were as
near to 'Home, sweet Home.' But that would be selfish," she said
brightly, as she rose to go.
But little Mabel had discovered the old organ, and was in no haste to
depart. She must turn it "just a little bit." In former days, old Treffy
would have been seriously agitated and distressed at the idea of the
handle of his dear old organ being turned by a little girl of six years
old. Even now he felt a small amount of anxiety when she proposed it.
But his fears vanished when he saw the careful, deliberate way in which
Mabel went to work. The old organ was perfectly safe in her hands. And,
to Mabel's joy, the first tune which came was "Home, sweet Home." Very
sweetly it sounded in old Treffy's ears. He was thinking of no earthly
home, but of "the city bright," where he hoped soon to be. And the lady
was thinking of it too.
When the tune was finished, they took their leave, and Christie looked
out of the window, and watched them crossing the dirty court, and
entering the carriage which was waiting for them in the street.
It had been a very bright week for Christie and for old Treffy.
And then Sunday came, and another service in the little mission room.
Christie was there in good time, and the clergyman gave him a pleasant
smile as he came into the room.
It was the third verse of the hymn on which the clergyman was to preach
to-night. They sang the whole hymn through before the sermon, and then
they sang the third verse again, that all of them might remember it
whilst he was preaching.
"Lord, make me from this hour
Thy loving child to be,
Kept by Thy power,
Kept by Thy power,
From all that grieveth Thee."
And the clergyman's text was in Colossians 1:12, "Meet to be partakers
of the inheritance." He repeated it very slowly, and Christie whispered
softly to himself, that he might be able to teach it to old Treffy.
"'Meet to be partakers of the inheritance.' What is the inheritance?"
asked the clergyman. "My dear friends, our inheritance is that city
bright of which we have been speaking so much, 'Home, sweet Home,' our
Father's home. We are not there yet, but for all Christ's washed ones
there is a bright home above. Jesus is preparing it for us; it is our
inheritance. Oh," said the clergyman, very earnestly, "I wonder how many
in this room have a home up there. You may have a wretched,
uncomfortable home on earth; is it your _only_ home? Is there no home
for you in the bright city; no home in heaven?
"You might all have a home there," said the clergyman, "if you would
only come to the fountain, if you would only say from the bottom of your
heart, 'Lord, wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.'"
And Christie smiled when the clergyman said his little prayer, for he
thought of the snowdrops. And the clergyman thought of them, too.
Then Mr. Wilton went on to say that he wished to-night to speak to those
who _had_ come to Jesus; who _had_ taken their sin to Him, and who _had_
been washed in His blood.
"That's me and old Treffy," said Christie to himself.
"My dear friends," said the clergyman, "all of you have an inheritance;
you are the sons of a King; there is a place in the kingdom waiting for
you. Jesus is getting that place ready for you, and I want to show you
to-night that you must be made ready for it, meet or fit for the
inheritance. One day, the Prince of Wales will be the King of England.
This kingdom is his inheritance. As soon as he was born, he had a right
to it. But he has been educated and trained with great care, that he may
be meet for the inheritance, that he may be fit to enjoy it, and able to
use it. If he had had no education, if he had been brought up in one of
these dismal black courts, though he might have a perfect right to be
king, still he would not be able to enjoy it; he would feel strange,
uncomfortable, out of place.
"Just so," said the clergyman, "is it with our inheritance. As soon as
we are born again we have a right to it, we become sons and daughters of
the King of Kings. But we need to be prepared and made meet for the
inheritance. We must be made holy within; we must be trained and taught
to hate sin and to love all that is pure and holy. And this is the work
of God's Holy Spirit.
"Oh! my friends, will you not ask for the gift of the Holy Spirit to
renew your heart? It will not be all done in a day. You came to Jesus to
be washed from the stain of sin. He did that at once; He gave you at
once the right to the inheritance. But you will not be made holy at
once. Little by little, hour by hour, day by day, the Holy Spirit will
make you more and more ready for the inheritance. You will become more
and more like Jesus. You will hate sin more; you will love Jesus more;
you will become more holy. But, oh! let no one think," said the
clergyman, "that being good will ever give you a _right_ to the
inheritance. If I were to be ever so well educated, if I were to be
taught a hundred times better than the Prince of Wales has been, it
would never give me a right to be King of England. No, my friends, the
only way into 'Home, sweet Home,' the only way to obtain a right to the
inheritance, is by the blood of Jesus. There is no other way, no other
right.
"But, after the dear Lord has given us the right to the kingdom, He
always prepares us for it. A forgiven soul will always lead a holy life.
A soul that has been washed white will always long to keep clear of sin.
Is it not so with you? Just think of what Jesus has done for you! He has
washed you in His blood; He has taken your sins away at the cost of His
life. Will you do the very things that grieve Him? Will you be so
ungrateful as to do that? Will you?
"Oh! surely not; surely you will say, in the words of the third verse of
our hymn,--
'Lord, make me from this hour
Thy loving child to be,
Kept by Thy power,
Kept by Thy power,
From all that grieveth Thee.'
And surely you will ask Him very, very earnestly, to give you that Holy
Spirit who alone can make you holy. And when the work is done," said the
clergyman, "when you are made meet, made fit for the inheritance, the
Lord will take you there. He will not keep you waiting. Some are made
ready very quickly. Others have to wait long, weary years of discipline.
But all the King's sons shall be ready at last, all shall be taken home,
and shall enter upon the inheritance. Will _you_ be there?"
And with that question the clergyman ended his sermon, and the little
congregation broke up very quietly, and went home with thoughtful faces.
Christie lingered near the door till the clergyman came out. He asked
very kindly of old Treffy, and then he put a few questions to Christie
about the sermon; for he had been afraid whilst he had been preaching
that he had not made it so clear that a child might understand. But he
was cheered to find that the leading truth of the sermon was impressed
on little Christie's mind, and that he would be able to carry to old
Treffy something, at least, of what he had heard.
For Christie was taught of God, and into hearts prepared by the Holy
Spirit the seed is sure to sink. The Lord has prepared them for the
word, and prepared the word for them, and the sower has only to put his
hand into his basket and scatter the seed prayerfully over the softened
soil. It will sink in, spring up, and bring forth fruit.
The clergyman felt the truth of this as he walked home. And he
remembered where it was written, "The preparation of the heart is from
the Lord." "That is a word for me, as well as for my hearers," he said
to himself. "Lord, ever let Thy preparation go before my preaching."