'"■.iff>Mim^^^ f o s ^ t % CO -a c CO 0) c n CO tH «. Tl c M o o w m >> (tJ o CN Cl« X! kO ■•-^ i 00 T3 tH M f5 t fd -H 1 ^ ^ (N TJ W tc w ^ 1 ID 'O ♦ r- C o ^ O vH > ttJ I PQ W 0) // ^ai^mr^ yr:j97i fittk ©ne s in i\)t J A BY y REV. EDWARD PAYSON HAMMOND. " Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven."— Mat. 13 : 3* BOSTON: HENRY HOYT, No. 9 Cornhill. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1862, by HENRY HOYT, In the Clerk's Ofi&ce of the District Court of Massachusetts. INTEODUCTION. The object of the following pages is to illustrate and enforce the duty and practicability of seeking and laboring for the conversion of children. The testimony of godly ministers is presented, and nu- merous letters written b}^ 3^oung children, are placed on record, adapted to show how confidently God's IDeople may, as the result of suitable exertion and effort, look for a " Harvest Work of the Holy Spirit," among the little ones of their households and Sunday schools. The author has subjected this compilation to my careful supervision. He has had large experience in this particular branch of service, and so is enabled to speak with more confidence. In the numerous visitations of the Spirit, with which it hath pleased God to attend his ministrations in Great Britain and in America, large numbers of childi-eu have been made the IV INTRODUCTION. subjects of converting grace, and are now bring- ing forth the appropriate fruits of the Spirit. A deep conviction of the necessitj^ of a stronger faith on the part of the church, in relation to early con- versions, has led him to bring these testimonies before the Christian public. " Why should it be thought a thing incredible," that little children should be made the subjects of renewing and saving grace, — that they should in- telligently apprehend, and effectually receive the simple truths of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ? In conversation a few days since, with a worthy member of my church, I spoke to him of the numerous cases of conviction and conversion that had recently taken place among the childi-en of the congregation, and of the necessity of a sim- pler faith on our part in respect to the ingathering of the little ones. That necessity was forcibly il- lustrated by his response : "Is any thing," he ex- claimed, ' ' too hard for the Lord ? " " Too hard ?" I replied ; " how mistaken the application of these words ! It is not in the case of such conversions, that the mightiness of the Spirit's operations is most exhibited ; but in the case of the full grown INTRODUCTION. sinner, hardened against the truth by long con- tinuance in sin and rebellion. How easy comj^ar- atively to bring the simple hearted child to receive and embrace the gospel." A venerable divine, who has but just closed a life of more than fourscore j^ears of active and suc- cessful labor in the service of Chi-ist, whose pasto- ral ministrations it was my privilege to enjoy in my childhood and youth, was converted from the error of his waj'S, in the eleventh year of his age. I received it from his own lips, when I had just en- tered on ni}^ eleventh year, and was in attendance upon an inquiry meeting, where many children like m3^self, as well as older persons, were assembled to learn the way of salvation. My apprehensions of sin and of the need of salvation, as now distinct- ly remembered, were clear and scriptural. And such I doubt not, is the case with many others at that period of life, and earlier. One of my belov- ed children was converted at ten years, and anoth- er at twelve. A beloved pastor in om^ city, has told me that at seven years of age he was brought under conviction of sin, and after a considerable struggle with unbelief, he was soon after convert- ed, and admitted to the fellowship of the church. VI INTRODUCTION. That sucli cases may be multiplied by tens and hundreds and thousands, that children may be en- couraged to come to Jesus as soon as they hear of Him and his great salvation, and that ministers and their people may more earnestly pray and la- bor for such results, this little book is sent forth under the patronage of the blessed Spirit. Edwin F. Hatfield. mw York, March Wh, 1863. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. Sabbath School Books — Conversion of Children— Pillars of the Church — Similar fruits of the Spirit in Young and Old — Dr. Bushnell's Opinion — Dr. Tliomas Scott's Memoir of his daugliter, four and half years of age, 1780 — Extracts from Rev. J. 0. Fiske 9 CHAPTER II. Childrens' IVIeeting in Boston — Letter of a little Girl, 12 years of age — Touching scene in Salem-street Sabbath School — " I was a great Sinner ' ' — Prayers of Children in Scotland an- swered — "I could not sleep " — " I am so happy " — " Oh,'* said T., " you may not live." — " False hope" — " I come con- verted' ' — Affecting Incident — Prayer in a hay loft 27 CHAPTER III. Children in Portland, Me. — "Mamma ain't you wicked to keep me from Jesus ?i'—" Christ is all."— Child's letter— *' Full of fun"— Meetings in Bath— A Boy's letter—" How wicked I was to go sliding"—" Praying and having Faith" —Botanist in Scotland— 53d of Isaiah—" All full about Jcr sus"— Bad, black heart"— A Boy's Experience—" Ashamed of Jesus"— " I went home laughing." 41 Vlll CONTENTS. CHAPTER IV. The May Flower— Pilgrim Fathers— "I loved Jesus"— " I just trusted Ilim" — " Have some fun" — Rev. P C Head- ley — Two Sisters — Lcwiston — Good Letter badly written — Twenty-Two little children uniting with the church — Evi- dence of a new heart — Eighteen " Gold Rings" — "You have turned white" — " I love my dear Jesus" — " I read thirteen chapters of the Bible" — Brunswick, Me, — Rail- road Excursion from Lewiston — Boy from Sweden — I could see Jesus 57 CHAPTER V. Ireland—" Jesus is mine "— Childrens' Meeting in IMetropoli- tan Hall, Dublin — Dr. J. W. Massie — Young Converts An- dress — "We are praying for you, Charlie" — The War — Boy's Letter from Scotland— Rich Gentleman in Ireland — Childrens' Meeting in Glasgow— Child's Letter— Tract Dis- tribution — Little Flora 75 CHAPTER VI. Childrens' meetings in Hamilton, C. W. — J. Denham Smith — " 1 was a great sinner" — " They laughed at me" — " Just for Fun" — " I gave up everything" — " I did :vot know my own heart" — "I could not pray" — "I was »;reatly affect- ed" — " I was a rebel against God" — " 1 felt Jesus is mine" — " I only cared for my soul." 101 The Child Christian 122 Little Sermon for Little Hearts 126 Revival Hymns 131 LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. CHAPTEE I. Sabbath Scbool Books — Conversion of Children— Pillars of the Church — Similar fruits of the Spirit in Young and Old — Dr. Bushnell's Opinion — Dr. Thomas Scott*s Memoir of m^ daughter, four and half years of age, 1780— Extracts from Rev. J. 0. Fiske. In our Sabbath School libraries are found a few Memoirs of children converted at an early age ; but these are usually looked upon as remark- able cases, and hardly to be expected among or- dinary children. Most of these books speak, also, of the early death of those whose life thej^ narrate ; so that Sabbath School scholars are often led to think, that, if they become Christians in early youth, 10 LITTLE ONES IN TIIE FOLD. thej^ are pretty sure soon to die. The readers of this book will, I trust, no longer cherish such thoughts. Eev. Mr. Butler, who took an active part in speaking and praj-ing with the hundreds of anx- ious, weeping children in Auburn, Me., a few months ago, said, at one of those meetings, that, in a Revival where he labored twenty-five years since, very many little children from six to ten years of age, indulged a hope in Christ, and wished to unite with the church. Great fear was entertained that they would not hold out. " But," said he, " these fears were groundless. Thej are now tJie pillars of the chu7x7iJ' Yes, no doubt, they are more active Christians to-day, than if they had waited, till both soul and body were more deeply poisoned with sin. Eev. Dr. Bushnell, in his " Christian Nurture," has satisfactorily proved, that young children were admitted to the apostolic church. He also says: " There could not be a worse or more baneful implication given to a child, than that he is to reject God, and all holy principles, tiU he has become to mature age. What LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. 11 authority have you from the Scriptures to tell your child, or, by any sign, to show him, that you do not expect him truly to love and obey God, till after he has spent whole years in hatred and wrong ? What authority to make him feel that he is the most unprivileged of human be- ings, capable of sin, but incapable of repentance ; old enough to resist all good, but too young to receive any good whatever ? It is reasonable to suppose that you have some express authority for a lesson so manifestly cruel and hurtful, else you will shudder to give it. I ask you for the chapter and verse out of which it is derived? ^Meantime, wherein would it be less incongruous for you to teach your child that he is to lie and steal, and go 'the whole round of vices, and then, after he comes of mature age, reform his conduct by the rules of virtue ? Perhaps you do not give your child to expect that he is to grow up in sin ; you only expect that he will, yourself. That is scarcely better ; for that which is your expectation, will assuredly be his ; and what is more, any attempt to maintain a discipline at war with your own secret expec- tations, will only make a hollow and worthless figment of that which should be an open, earnest reality. You will never practically aim at what you practically despair of, and if you do not practically aim to unite your child to God, you will aim at something less; that is, something unchristian, wrong, sinful." It has been the privilege of the writer to witness the conversion of children in large numbers. Hundreds of those, who professed to have found Jesus, have since been examined by judicious 12 LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. pastors, and admitted to the fellowship of the churches. The facts recorded in this book will, it is hoped, encourage Christian parents, and Sabbath School teachers, to pray and labor for the immediate con- version of those committed to their charge, and, especially, help many little ones to seek and find the loving Jesus as their Friend and Saviour. Since this little work was begun, letters have been written to ministers, parents. Sabbath School teachers and, in some cases, to the children, whose experiences are here recorded, in order to learn, whether their little ones give evidence in their lives of a change of heart. We would not dare to say, that all spoken of, have been renewed by the Spirit of God. If the spiritually minded peruse these simpl« experiences, I think they can but notice, in most of them, traces of the Spirit's work ; and hence be led to believe, that these lambs of the flock have been received into the fold of the good Shepherd ; for it is written, "As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." Kom. viii. 14. LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. 13 In selecting these letters, I have rejected, ex- cept in a few cases mentioned, those of children over twelve 3'ears of age. I wished to have the experiences strict^ confined to children; and, as mnch as possible, to " little children" — six, seven, and eight years of age. I believe most fully with the Rev. Dr. Scott, that childi'en of three, four, and five years of age, often give evidence of a saving change. The fruits of the Spirit in the old and the j^oung, must be substantially the same, though their manifestations be somewhat varied. (Gal. v. 22.) Travelers find the same sj^ecies of plants growing in different climes, but with vastly different pro- portions. It is T\Titten, " He, that received seed into good gi'ound, is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it ; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth some an hundred fold, some sixty, some thirty." Matt. xiii. 23. I may state that the introductions of many of these letters from the little ones, being similar in character, and often of a personal bearing, have been omitted. 14 LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. The readers of this book Tvill be interested in a BRIEF Memoir of the little daughter of Rev. Dr. Thomas Scott, the commentator, who died at "Weston, Underwood, England, in Maj^, 1780." It w^ill be seen that, eighty years ago, little children, three and four years of age, were led to Jesus, by the spirit of God, in the same way as now, and, in the sight of great and wise men, gave evidence of a change of heart. In the narrative of his own life. Dr. Scott says : " In the former part of this narrative, 1 just mentioned the death of my eldest daughter, aged four years and a half, and 1 shall here subjoin a few more particulars respecting her. At the age of three years and a half, she had a most extraordinary and distressing illness ; so that for several weeks she could not be induced to take either medicine or nutriment of any kind, but what was poured down her throat almost by main force. I had lit- tle expectation of her recovery ; but I was under a full and deep conviction , that all the human race are born in sin, and are utterly incapable of happiness Iiereafter, without regeneration and renovation by the Holy Spirit. This, if actually wrought in childhood, I w»s satisfied would begin to show itself about the time when children be* come actual sinners by personal and wilful transgression ; and I was fully assured, that she had become an actual sinner. Seeing, therefore, no ground to believe, that any gracious change had taken place in her, I was greatly LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. 15 distressed about her eternal state ; and I repeatedly and most earnestly besought the Lord, that he would not take her from me, without affording me some evidence of her repentance, and faith in his mercy through Jesus Christ. " To the surprise of all, she recovered, and lived just another year. Half of this year she was remarkable for nothing, except the proofs which she gave of a very good understanding, and the readiness with which she learned whatever was taught her. Indeed she almost taught her- self to read ; and was so much the astonishment of our neighbors, that they expressed a persuasion that she would not live long — which I treated with contempt. But, about the middle of the year, on my return home one evening, my wife told me that her daugther had be- haved very ill, and had been so rebellious and obstinate, that she had been constrained to correct her. In conse- quence, I took her between my knees, and began to talk with her. I told her she had often heard, that she was a sinner against God ; that sin was breaking the command- ments of God ; that he had commanded her to honor and obey her father and mother ; but that she had disobeyed her mother, and thus sinned against God, and made him angry at her — far more angry than her mother had been ; that she had also often heard, that she must have a new heart or disposition ; that, if her heart or disposition were not wicked, she would not thus want a new one ; but that her obstinate and rebellious conduct to her mother, (with some other instances which I mentioned,) showed that her heart was wicked ; that she, therefore, wanted both forgiveness of sins and a new heart, with- out which she could not be happy in another world after death. I went on to talk with her, in language suited 16 LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. to her age, concerning the love, and mercy, and grace of Christ, in a manner which I cannot now particularly de- scribe ; but my heart was much engaged, and out of the abundance of the heart the mouth spoke ; and I concluded with pressing it upon her, constantly to pray to Jesus Christ to forgive her sins ; to give her a new heart ; and not to let her die till he had, indeed, done so. " I have good ground to believe, that, from that time to her death, no day passed in which she did not, alone, more than once, and with apparent earnestness, pray to Jesus Christ to this effect ; adding petitions for her fath- er, mother, brothers, and for her nurse — to whom she was much attached. At times, we overheard her, in a little room to which she used to retire ; and, on some oc- casions, her prayers were accompanied with sobs and tears. " Once she was guilty of an untruth ; and I reasoned and expostulated with her on the wickedness of lying. I almost seem now to hear her subsequent confessions in her retirement ; her cries for forgiveness ; her prayers for a new and better heart ; and that she might not die ' be- fore her new heart came.' She could scarcely proceed for sobs and tears. In short, there was every thing in minia- ture, which I ever witnessed or read of in an adult peni- tent ; and certainly there were fruits meet for repentance, for nothing reprehensible afterwards occurred in her con- duct. " Just at this time, the Olney hymns were published ; and, without any one patting her upon it, she got many of them by heart ; and for some months, the first voice which I heard in the morning, was hers, repeating these hymns, and those of Dr. Watts ; and frequently she would come to me to tell me what a beautiful hymn she had found, and then repeat it without the book. LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. 17 " I might recite many of her snyings, which, parental partiality apart, I most think surpassed what I have heard from one so young. The favorite servant who has been mentioned, sometimes used the name of God, or Lord, in an improper manner, and the child would aflec- tionately remonstrate with her, and say, ' Do not use such words, Kitty ; you will certainly go to hell, if you say such naughty words.' She evidently understood the great outlines of the plan of salvation. ' Papa,' she said, ' You preached to-day concerning the Lamb's blood.' I answered, ' What does that mean ?' She replied, ' The blood of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, which taketh away the burden of sin out of our hearts.' The day preceding her death, she read to me a chapter in St. John, in which the Jews charged Jesus wiiri breaking the Sabbath. On this she paused and said, 'Papa, did Je- sus Christ ever break the Sabbath ? ' I answered, ' No ; but he did good on the Sabbath day, and his enemies call- ed that breaking the Sabbath.' ' I thought so,' she said, ' Jesus was always good ; but we are all naughty till he makes us good. Peter was a good man ; but Peter was naughty till Jesus Christ made him good.' " Vv'hen any minister, or pious friend came to see me, no play or amusement would draw her away from us, when our conversation was on religious topics. She sel- dom spoke on these occasions ; but she would som.etimes ask me questions afterward on what she had heard. " The day before she died, the Pvev. Mr. Powley, of Dewsbury, in Yorkshire, had engaged to come to see mc, and to preach in the evening. After dinner I employed myself, as I frequently did, in sawing wood for fuel. She came and prattled with me, and several times, by de- 18 LITTLE ONES IN THE TOLD. grecs, got 60 near me, that I feared the large pieces of wood would fall on her. I sent her further off; yet still, intent on our talk, she crept near again, till at length a very large log, which could scarcely have failed to kill her, had it fallen upon her, rolled down and only just missed her. While very thankful for her preservation, little did I think, that a very few hours would deprive me of my darling child. " I had scarcely got into the house, to prepare for my visitant, when she came to me and said, ' I am very sick ; what must I do ? ' I said, ' you must pray for patience.' She asked, 'What is patience ?'' and before I could answer, she was so ill that she could only go into the next room to the servant, where the most violent symp- toms followed. As I was engaged with my friend, and with the preaching, having ordered her some medicines, I did not see her for several hours ; but, when I did, I was fully convinced that her sickness was fatal. Some further means were used, but wholly without effect ; and she expired at ten o'clock the next morning, while re- peating the Lord's prayer — the concluding words of which were the last she spoke. " Her disorder was an attack of scarlet fever, which Dr. Kerr stated to be of a very peculiar kind, and that the case was hopeless from the first. I had attended fifty or sixty persons in this disease, and all recovered except my ovrn child. *•- She died on Thursday morning, and on the next eve- ning at my lecture at Ravenstone, where I had undertak- ed to preach through part of the book of Job, the text which came in course was Job i. 21, ' The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away : blessed be the name of the Lord,^ LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. 19 and on this I preached, notwithstanding the death of my child. It would be in vain to attempt to describe either my anguish, or my exultation, on this trying, yet ani- mating occasion. Sorrow and joy succeeded each other in the highest degree, and often in the most rapid manner that I ever experienced ; and sometimes, they were pa- thetically, dolefully, yet sweetly intermingled. Prayer and thanksgiving seemed my main employment. I nmer obtained such a victory over the fear of death, as by looking for a long time together, on her corpse. Gradu- ally sorrow abated, and joy prevailed ; and I often said, I would not exchange my dead child for any living child in the world of the same age. Some have told me, that her religious turn was only the efiect of her hearing so much on the subject, and had nothing so extraordinary in it ; but I never could see anything of the same kind in my other children, at so early an age, nor till they were much older ; though they had at least the same advan- Dr. Scott, in writing to his sister, thus speaks of the happy death of his dearly loved child : " The occasion of my writing is to inform you, that the Lord has been pleased to take my dear daughter from me by a sudden stroke. She was in perfect health, and a breathless corpse within less than eighteen hours. . . . A sweeter child and dearer to her parents' hearts, could scarcely be. Dearly as 1 love my only remaining babe, and much as I long to keep him, I had rather see him die, as my dear girl did, than live rich and honored, with- 20 LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. out he live the life of a true Christian. She has got free from all that I long to be delivered from, and has attain- ed all that I am longing for. I shall go her, hut she shall not return to me. (When you call your children sweet, innocent creatures, I hope you only mean comparatively, and to our apprehension ; not forgetting the words of our Catechism, that we are ' born in sin, and the children of wrath,' The youngest needs the blood of Christ to wash away the guilt, and the Spirit of Christ to cleanse away the polluticfa of sin ; and they should be taught, as soon as they know anything, to consider themselves as sinners, and to pray for the pardon of sin, and a new heart and nature, in and through Jesus Christ." » Rev. J. O. Fiske, of Bath, Me., who, in the Union Childrens' Meetings, in the Winter-street church, during the past winter, saw many little ones weep- ing for their sins, and afterwards with smiling faces speaking of then* new love for Jesus, preach- ed a sermon before the Maine Conference, in June last, from Psalm viii. 2, "Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger." He saj^s : " The sacred writer has here revealed to us a truth, the power of which is far too little felt. In the world, how often, when little children manifest something of religious emotion, and seem to be truly converted, are the counte- LITTLE ONES IN TnE FOLD. 2) nances of some beholders deformed with the smile of un- belief, as though all the feelings of children must neces- sarily be transitory and superficial, and no deep and last- ing spiritual improvement could possibly occur in them ; and painful misgivings and fears chill the hearts, and weaken the faith, and hush the voice, even of true Chris- tians, who so warmly welcome all other hopeful converts with a manifested joy ! People sometimes seem to desire children first to grow up into a matured and hardened impiety, in order that, by means of these perilous years of abominable transgressions, a spiritual change for the better afterwards can be clearly seen, and safely confessed to be true. But how different from all this are the teach- ings of the divine word : ' Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength,' (or, as Professor Tholuck translates it,) ' prepared thyself an army.' This is God's chosen way. By the conversion and holy lives of those who are very young, God designs eminently to subdue his enemies, and fill all this earth with his praise. Not merely by the conversion of the mature in years, the mighty in intellect, the high in place, the large in learn- ing, but by the regeneration of little children — there is an emphasis here in the very early age referred to — and BO ' out of the mouth of babes and sucklings,' confound- ing the enmity of Satan, and changing this world of rebels into a world of friends. I know how imperfectly this has been realized as yet ; but in a future, predicted day, it will be completely fulfilled, and conversions will all occur in the season of childhood, when ' they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, know the Lord ; for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord.' LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. " Men may say, or think, little cliildren cannot become true Christians ; God does not endorse so monstrous an error. Jesus cries, ' Suffer the little children' — there is no mistranslation here — ' to come unto me, and forbid them not ; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.' "That ready faith, that strong memory, that pliability of temper, that freedom from the fixedness of bad habits, "which render youth so favorable a season for education in every other respect, eminently fit it for receiving the les- sons of true piety. Just as early as there is in children a capacity for doing wrong, just so early is there a capaci- ty for doing right, in a holy, evangelical sense. " It is pride, it is high thoughts of our own under standings, it is the iron power of the disposition to do in future as we have done in the past, it is the love of sin long nurtured and cherished, it is stubborn unbelief, that are the chief obstacles in the way of the conversion of adults. Now these obstacles have not yet become so many, and so mighty, m little children, as in older per- sons ; and, therefore, it is an eminently favorable time to labor for and expect their true piety. " In promoting the spread of the gospel, then, we ought to give a careful and very hopeful attention to the relig- ious training of young children, ' Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings,' — for Hebrew mothers nursed their children until they were three years old, — God has or- dained strength, or prepared for himself an army, because of his enemies, that he imij still the enemy and the aven- ger. We think it a matter fur devout gratitude and far- sounding report, when a senator, a general, a profound jurist, a merchant-prince, a leading mind in any dxspart- ment of life, is hopefully converted to Christ. But would LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. 23 it not have been a still greater accession to the cause of our blessed Redeemer, had they in their earliest years manifested the regenerating grace of God, and so have come up to their lofty position with all this sacred train- ing? Let young children be instructed and preached to, as if we really expect their present conversion, and are ready to believe it, whenever by God's blessing it occurs. We believe that the souls of aM who die in their infancy, through the atonement of Jesus, are renewed and sanctifi- ed by the Holy Ghost, and taken home to heaven to swell the song of praise * unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father.' But why may not infants who live be regenerated, as well as those who die ? A holy or an unholy character they will have while very young. Why not be ready to believe, upon proper evi- dence, that, with proper training, and God's good grace, they may have a Christian, as well as an unchristian and impenitent character ? " The great President Edwards, who died more than a hundred years ago, gives in his ' Narrative of Surprising Conversions,' a detailed account of the religious experi- ence of Pliebe Bartlett, a child of four years of age, and who, afterwards, lived for nearly sixty years, to testify to the reality of God's work of grace accomplished at that early period. This greatest theologian of our continent did not hesitate to publish this account, before the child was six years of age, — and it was immediately republish- ed, and widely circulated in Great Britain, — nor deem it any impeachment of his caution, and penetration, and conservatism, to exhibit at length the striking evidences of her clear knowledge of divine truth. Let us not have 24 LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. less faith in the capacity of little children for religion, than our orthodox fathers had more than a hundred years ago. " Let more meetings for the instruction of little chil- dren be held by pastors : * Permit them to approach, He cries, Nor scorn their bumble name ; For 't was to bless such souls as these. The Lord of Angels came.' " I know the ready susceptibility of little children to religious impressions ; and the need of careful instruction , and discrimination, and deliberation, in pronouncing any child, and any older person, I may add, to be truly con- verted. We must not be too credulous, and mistake the "workings of sympathy and mere animal feeling, and the easy compliance of good nature, for the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Nor must we be over easy to be persuaded, in re- gard to the appearances of regeneration in those of any age. And yet, let us remember, that as it is only a charitable hope that we can entertain, in regard to the reality of regeneration in any one who appears to be converted, so we should be ready to indulge this charitable hoj^e, on proper grounds, in regard to little children, also. And let us not forget, that this ready susceptibility of little children to religious impression is one of the crowning reasons, why we should direct our earnest, believing and per«jevering exertions towards their salvation. "It is great unkindness to children, to indulge in un- belief in regard to their capacity for true piety. The hearts of little children are often saddened on account of LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. 25 a deep sense of ein. Their Bins may not appear great in the eyes of partial friends ; but their evil thoughts, their want of love to God, their fororetfalncss of his Sabbaths, their sallies of temper, their want of fiiith in the Lord Je- sus Christ, have been brought out distinctly into view, by the illumination of the Holy Ghost, and they are over- whelmed, at the thought of the awful, eternal displeasure of a holy God. Now, is it right for parents to leave these little, tender, weeping children, laboring and heavy laden as they are, under an oppressive burden of guilt, and not afford them any assurance, that they may now come to the Lamb of God, and find rest to their souls? or shall they contradict the teachings of the Scriptures, and the Holy (ihost, and their own consciences, by teMing them they are too young to be great sinners — too young to experi- ence a true renewal of heart ? Must they pass years out- side of the fold of Christ, riven with the pangs of re- pentance and dread of the wrath of God, and not even a parent's hand apply to their bleeding hearts the balm of Gilead, nor a parent dare with a true sincerity to assure them that there is a physician there for them, able and willing to heal them just now? Must they be told to wait for years, till they can be converted, and in the mean time be gently lulled to sleep in their conscious sins? Where can any unkindness be found keener or more withering than this ? Rev. Dr. Buslinell, in his " Christian Nurture," Images 74 — 78, forcibly says : " Parents indoctrinate their children soundly in respect to their need of a new heart ; tell them what conversion 26 LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. is, and how it came to pass with grown people ; pray that God will arrest them when they are old enough to be con- verted according to the manner ; drill them, meantime, into all the constraints, separated from all the hopes and liberties of religion ; turning all their little misdoings and bad tempers into evidences of their need of regeneration, and assuring them that all such sins must be upon them^ till after they have past the change. Their nurture is a nurture, thus, of despair ; and the bread of life itself, held, before them as a fruit to be looked upon, but not tasted, till they are old enough to have it as grown people do, finally becomes repulsive, just because they have been BO long repelled and fenced away from it. And so relig- ion itself, pressed down upon them till they are fatally soured by its impossible claims, becomes their fixed aver- sion. How plain it is that such kind of nurture is un- natural, and, though it be not so intended, unchristian. It makes even the loving gospel of Jesus a most gaMing chain upon the neck of childhood ! — this, and nothing more. For so long a time, and that the most ductile and hopeful, as regards all new implantings of good, it really proposes nothing but to have the depraved nature grow, and the plague of sin deepen its bad infection. " Dr. Archibald Alexander, says Mr. Fiske, tells us of his listening when he was not more than four years of age, to a sermon on the text, ' If any man love not our Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema, maranatha ; ' and of the eagerness with which he watched for the ex- planation of these two foreign words, ' anathema,' and ' maranatha,' which he had never heard before, and how he never forgot it. His own experience — (and a sounder, more cautious and reliable theologian it would be hard to LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. 27 find than Dr. Archibald Alexander,) — made him very earnest and emphatic in inculcating upon parents, the importance of early taking their children to the house of God, as the means of their salvation." CHAPTER II. Childrens' IVIeeting in Boston — Letter of a little Girl, 12 years of age— Touching scene in Sdlem-street Sabbath School — " I was a great Sinner " — Prayers of Children in Scotland ad- swered — " I could not sleep " — " I am so happy " — " Oh," said T., " you may not live." — " False hope" — '* I come con- verted" — Affecting Incident — Prayer in a hay loft. Here is a letter from a girl in Boston. Her friends had thought her a sweet innocent girl, but she, you see, was taught by God to say, " I AVAS A GREAT SINNEK." '* I am a little girl, twelve years old. I attended your meeting two weeks ago, and you spoke very kindly to me, and made me feel that I was a great sinner. And you prayed with me, and asked Jesus to forgive all my sins, and he did. And I went home feeling that Jesus had made ray heart clean in his hlood. I feel very happy, and love to pray to him, and read my Bible. I brought one of my playmates to your meetings, and she went home very happy, feeling that Jesus had forgiven all her sins. And I wish that all, who have not found Jesus, would seek him now, before it is too late, I know they LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. 29 would be very happy to know that Jesus had forgiven all their sins.?' This young disciple was among the number of those of w^hom the "Boston Traveller" thus speaks : " Touching Scene in Salem-Street Sabbath School. In the Sabbath School connected with the Salem-street Church, there was a scene, the like of which has seldom if ever been witnessed in this vicinity. It having appear- ed that there were some of the scholars interested in the subject of religion, it was thought best to turn the ses- sion into a prayer-meeting. " Rev. Mr. Hammond was present, and, in the course of the meeting, invited the whole school to kneel and join with him in prayer. They did so, and the result was a general melting down of all hearts. " At the close of the prayer, the classes remained to- gether upon their knees, the teachers praying with their scholars, many of the children and young persons begging to be prayed for, that they might give their hearts to Christ. " The scene will long be remembered by those present. It was found, in the evening, that quite a number of the scholars had come out rejoicing during the day." There were hundreds of children in Scotland who promised to pray for the dear children in America. It was with interest that they read the letter below, in which they saw the answer to their prayers. 30 LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. Afterwards it was printed in the " W3^nd Jour- nal," and now, after travelling twice three thou- sand miles, across the stormy Atlantic, it comes to speak, to the little ones here, of Jesus and liis love. It is from a girl twelve years of age : " Boston, Oct. 16, 18G2. " Dear Sir — I write as you requested me last night. It is three weeks ago, last Sabbath evening, since I found peace in believing. It was curiosity that prompted me to go to hear you. Your words, that evening, made mo feel as I had never feh before. I saw what a great sinner 1 had been. You spoke of the love of Jesire, and that made me feel worse, to think that I rebelled against such a precious Saviour. I felt very anxious aboat my soul's salvation. While I was coming down the stairs, Satan kept telling me to go home ; I could find Jesus as well there as in church, and I was about to obey him, when you invited me into the inquiry meeting. You afterwards came and spoke to me ; and while you were praying with me, I felt my burden roll off. If you had not asked me in, I should not now be rejoicing in Jesus. I feel very happy. I find I have now something to live for. I love to work for Jesus, and I wish I could do more for him than I have done. My sister found the Saviour, the same time that I did. Your words, last Sabbath evening, have done me great good. I want yoa to pray for my brother. My parents are both Christians ; and if he was only con- verted, I should be so rejoiced. " Yours sincerely M.N." LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. 31 It is my heart-felt praj^er that you, too, may see how you have " rebelled against the preeious Sa- viour," may pray to God for mercy, and find the " burden" of sin " roll off." " I COULD NOT SLEEP." You see how wretched the little girl who T\Tote the note below was, when she saw her lost condition. AVhen I was crossing the Atlantic in the steam-ship Edinburgh, we struck a huge iceberg. A boy, down in the cabin, was fast asleep ; dreaming perhaps of home and friends ; but did we let him sleep on ? No ! though we knew it would alarm him, we lost no time to arouse him. How changed all appeared to him ! He saw all around him in tears ; little children clinging to their fathers' necks, saying, " Don't leave me." But the change in this dear girl's mind was not greater, when she was awakened, and found herself sinking in the waters of despair. If 3^ou have not given yourself to Jesus, you, also, my young friend, are in just as great danger of losing your soul. *' Dear Mr. Hammond — On the 24th of September, I came to meeting, and as I was passing out, yoa stopped me, and asked me if I loved Jesus ; I told you ' No. ' You 32 LITTLE OXES IN TEE FOLD. asked mc to go down into the inquiry meeting ; I told you, < not that night.' When I got to the door of the inquiry meeting, Jesus told me to go in ; and the "wicked one told me to go home, and I minded him. But I felt uneasy af- ter I got home, wishing that I had gone in. I did not come to meeting the rest of the week. I came up once or twice, and stood in the entry a few moments. Sunday noon, when we had the inquiry meeting, I began to think of my fearful situation. I came to meeting Sunday night, and I stopped to the inquiry meeting. My teacher came and talked and prayed w^ith mc ; and I felt then that I was a lost sinner. I went home, with a heavy heart, so unhappy, I couldn't sleep all that night. I came again the next night with a heavier heart, feeling more and more, my need of a Saviour. I passed another sleep- less night. 1 came again, but not with a heavy bur- den. I felt that Christ would accept mc, if I would submit to his sovereign power. At last I gave up. I hope that every one who has not given their heart to God may do it now^ not put it off. Oh, how many times I regretted not going into the inquiry meeting that night. If I could only persuade some one to become a Christian, I would pray all day. I must draw my letter to a close. tkom a young convert." When slic " submitted," as you see, and was willing to be saved in God's way, then peace in Jesus came, and she longed to have others submit to his love. LITTLE ONES IX THE FOLD. 33 In looking over a large audience, you cannot find two faces just alike. It is always interesting to study the variety of countenances ; and surely those, who love Jesus, will delight to gaze upon the gathering of children, whose letters and expe- riences are scattered through this book. Here below, 5'ou maj' see the face of one radiant with joy. Though her ej^es maj^ soon be filled with tears, yet while writing out her happj^ experience, she must have known something of the sweet meaning of those words in 1 Peter i. 8 : " Whom having not seen, 3'e love ; in whom though now ye see him not, ^-et believing, ye rejoice with Jo?/ un- speakable and full of glory." *' Boston, October 7, 1861. ** I am so happy I can hardly express my feeUngs. I had thought for a long time that I should like to become a Christian ; but I couldn't give up my worldly pleasures. But I have given up every thing now for Christ ; and I want to work for him, too ; and I hope I may be the means of bringing some soul to Christ. I first came to hear you last Sunday night, and I went down into the inquiry meeting, merely to see what they did there ; and, while there, a gentleman came and talked to me, and he asked me if I did not want to be a Christian ? I told him, *yes;' and then he asked me if I would be willing to 34 LITTLE ONES IN THE EOLI). kneel down and pray with him? and I told liim * no ; ' but afterwards I washed I had, because I Iclt uneasy all the remainder of the evening ; but I did not let any one see thai I felt badly. I tried to laugh it off. When I came home, I prayed to God, but I did not ask Ilim to give me strength to come to Jesus, Tuesday night, 1 went again ; and a lady asked me, if I asked God to give me strength? and I told her ' no ; ' then she told me, if I wanted to be a Christian, I must ask God to help me be- lieve in Christ That night 1 made up my mind that I would serve God hereafter. A lady came and prayed witL me, and there upon my knees before God 1 (jave my- self io Him. The next day some of my companions having heard what had occurred, said, they didn't believe I had any religion ; and one of them would not speak to me, but I did not take any notice of them, I felt so happy. " Ob! Mr. Hammond, I hope that your heart may re- joice by seeing numbers coming and giving their hearts to Jesus. '' N. B. Written by a young convert who loves Jesus, and ^vho hopes everybody else will." "V^o see ill the above, that it was curiosity that i'xl this young disciple in to the inquiry meeting, — the same that induced Zacheus (Luke xix. 1 — 7,) to run "before and" climb " up into a sj'camore tree to sec " Jesus. The Saviour did not spurn him from his presence, but rather spoke kindly to him. Thus Zacheus " made haste and came down LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. 35 and received him joyfully." Is it not following the example of Jesus, to do all in our power to lead the careless to thinlv and talk about their precious souls ? Are all the true followers of Jesus, who read this Ijook, as earnest as the writer of this note be- low, to lead others to the lovinoj Jesus ? '& " Boston, Oct. mil, 1861. *' I wish to tell you how happy I am. Jesus spoke peace to my soul last Monday evening. I had attended your meetings but twice before, and left deeply interested, but I tried to throw it oif, among my companions ; but last iNIonday evening I resolved, that I would seek the Saviour, and I have found him ; and praise God ! I am h^ppy. And I wish all my unconverted friends would seek Jesus ; he will blot out their transgressions. I have a friend who does not love Jesus ; I asked if she did not want to become a Christian ? ' No,' said she, ' I vsill at- tend to such things when I am older.' 'Oh,' said I, ' you may not live; therefore be ye, also, ready, for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of man cometh.' I should be so happy, if she was a Christian, so that she and I could walk the path of the Christian together. Will you pray for her, so that she may be led to see how sinful she is ? I mention her in almost all of my prayers. I asked her if she would commence with me and read the Bible through? She said, ' if she had time after she had got her school lessons.' She has attended your meetings twice ; but ahe says they do not do her any good. Will you pray for me, that I may hold out to the end? " 36 LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. It is a dreadful thing to be deceived with regard to a hope in Christ. Some will find when it is too late, that they never gave themselves up en- tirely to Jesus ; and, in the last day the Lord will say, " I tell j^ou I know j'OU not whence ye are ; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity." I do not wonder that the inquirer of eleven years in the next extract asks us to praj^, that she may " not take up with a false hope." ''Boston, Oct. IGth, 18G1. " I wish yon to pray for me that I may not be deceived with a false hope. I have been thinking some time on the subject of religion, but Satan kept saying, there is time enough yet ; then, too, I was afraid of my playmates laughing at me. But since you came among us, preaching the holy Word, I began to see what a sinner I was. I think I have chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from me. Now I am not afraid if my play- mates do laugh at me. The reason why I think so is, because I now love to read the Bible and pray. I hope that I shall be the means of bringmg others to Christ." A whole family of children, in answer to the prayers of a pious mother, and she a German? were hopefully converted. That mother often with tears, plead for the salvation of her dear flock ; and one by one, during the revival in Salem Street Church, they found peace in Jesus. LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. 87 One of these little ones thus writes. She cun not use our language very well, but those of our young readers, who have believed in Jesus, will understand her. " I wanted to be converted, but Satan led me away ; then I did not care about religion. But, when I. heard of these meetings, I thought that I would like to go and hear the preaching, and I hecame so interested in it, that I thought that I would go again ; so I kept on, and was so interested in religion, till I became converted. Oh ! I was so happy, I felt that I was a new person. I felt that I had a great burden on my soul, but now it is all gone, and I felt that my soul was light. Oh ! how hap- py Christian life is, it is the happiest life that I ever led. 1 thank the Lord for his goodness that he has done for me. There was a gentleman that spoke with me and prayed with me ; it went right to my heart ; then I prayed and felt hap-y ; I hope that I will keep on to the end. I thank the Lord for giving me the strength and faith to be a Christian, and love Jesus." "don't you LOVE HIM FOR THAT, FATHER?" A very affecting incident was related at the Old South Church Prayer Meeting : "One Sabbath evening the father of two little children had placed one of them on each knee, to ask them what they had heard in the infant school that day. He was not a professor of religion, although he had a pious wife. 88 LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. The little children began to tell him in their own way, of the beautiful home in heaven that Jesus had left, be- cause of his love to men. Looking full in her father's face, the little girl said — ' Jesus must have loved us very much to do that. Don't you love him for it, father? ' They then went on, describing the trials and sufferings of the Saviour ; and again asked the question, ' Don't you love him for that, father ? ' and when they spoke of his death on the cross, the little one asked the third time, ' Now, don't you love him, father ? ' The father had to put the children down, and go out of the room to hide his deep emotion. He confessed to the speaker afterwards, that he felt worse, under the artless questioning of his little children, than he ever felt under the most powerful preach- ing in his life. He soon afterwards united with the Church of God." Docs your father Ioa'c Jesus ! Can you not ash Jiim? Do 3^011 pray for him? Do you shov/, by 3'our life, that you love the Saviour? PKATER IN A HAY LOFT. ISTot long since, a Sabbath school bo}", who, for a long time lived a wicked life, and appeared care- less about the concerns of his soul, was brought to see himself a sinner. His father was an in- temperate man and an infidel. The father saw a change in his son, and with some severity accused LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. 39 him of having been at meeting. The boy, knowing his father's temper, tremblingly answered, t^iat he had ; which so incensed the father, that he threat- ed to beat him within an inch of his life, if he oyer heard of his going to meeting again. The boy Said, " what shall I do ? " He thought of what his teacher had often told him about prayer : and, for the first time, saw the need -^f one to whom he could go in his distress. He left the house and went to the bam. His father saw him, seized a stick and followed, think- ing that his son was about to use the horse to go to meeting, and, with gTcat Any, he rushed into the barn. His arm was uplifted in anger. He looked for his ' son but could not see him. He heard a voice in the liay loft ; he stopped and listened ; " O God, forgive my dear father, and in- cline his heart to let me go to the meeting, and let him go with me." These simple words disarmed the father, and he trembled ; for he felt that he was in the presence of his God. He went to the house, and, as the boy was about to enter the door with sorrow, the father met him and with a voice of love and solicitude, asked 40 LITTIJE ONES IN THE TOLD. him, what was the matter ? "O, father," replied the boy, " I do want to go and hear more about my dear Saviour. Do let me go to meetiug, won't you father ? " The parent, melted b}^ the deep anxiety of his child, and agonized with the conviction of his guilt before God, wept tears of penitence, threw his arms aound the neck of his child and cried with a loud voice, "yes, my son, you may go to meeting, and I will go with you." God heard the Sabbath school boy's prayer, and the conversion of his father proved, he had not heard in vain. CHAPTER III. Children in Portland, Me. — "Mamma, ain't yon wicked to keep me from Jesus? " — " Christ is all " — Child's letter — " Full of fun " — Meetings in Bath — A Boy's Letter-" How Wicked I was to go Sliding "—" Praying and having Faith "—Botanist in Scotland— 53d of Isaiah,— " All full about Jesus " — " Bad, Black heart " — A boy's Experience — " Ashamed of Jesus " — " I went home Laughing. " In Portland, a number of childi-en gave evidence of a change of heart, and some of them have since been received to the church. Dr. J. J. Carruthers tells me, that in examining some of these for admission to the church, he was greatly pleased with the e^-idence that the}^ gave of a saving change. One of these little girls went home anxious about her soul. Her unconverted mother saw it, and, ignorantly fearing the influence of these meetings upon her child, told her she must not attend any more. The little girl asked, " Mamma, ain't joii wicked to keep me away from hearing about Jesus ? " These words 42 LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. went like an arrow to that mother's heart. A lew nights after, I found her at the inquhy meet- ing, in tears. "Ah ! " said she, " I have had no peace, since m}^ child came home and reproved me for keeping her from Jesus. Now w^hat shall I do to be saved ? " In one of the children's letters from this city, I found the following beautiful lines, and, though C[uoted, I was glad to see that they seemed to be understood and appreciated : ' 'CHRIST IS ALL.' ' THE BENEFITS OF THE SUFFERINGS AND DEATH OF CHRIST. " In thy cross is all my pica, By thy bonds am I made free ; By thy stripes my soul is healed. By thy blood my pardon sealed. *' By thy fainting I endure, By thy fall I stand secure; By thy cruel death I live, Joy and peace thy suiTerings give. " By thy fasting I am fed Richly with a living bread ! By thy thirsting through my soul Living watei'S ever roll ! LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. 43 *' By that cruel crown of thorns, Holy peace my brow adorns: By those mocking taunts and fears, 1 am saved from shame and tears. *' Just, by Jesus justified, When beneath my sins he died ! Righteous, by thy righteousness. Thine own robe my perfect dress ! " Perfect, by thy perfect life; Peaceful, by thy holy strife; Pure, by Jesus purified. In the fountain from thy side. ** Holy, by thy holiness, Resting, by thy weariness; By thy sorrow I may sing; From thy groans my pleasures spring ! *' Thou wast poor: how rich am I ! Thou was homeless, Jesus, why? Only, that my soul might share Mansions here and mansions there ! •' By thy rising 1 shall rise. Death must yield his transient prize :, Thine ascension, mine shall be ! All thy glo :y I shall see ! '* Cross of Christ here, here I fall, Pleading only, CnnisT is all ; This, my God, my Judge, shall be, At thy bar my only plea.'' 44 LITTLE ONES IX THE FOLD. "full of fun." — "a great sinner." If you look that sentence over again, you will still find that it reads " full of fun"—" A great sin- ner." You will see in the extract below, that a little girl in Maine was led to see, that, though her heart was full of merriment, she was " a great sinner." She was all the time in danger of dying and losing her soul, but did not know it. I will give 3"ou but a few sentences of her let- ter. She tells the same story about her being far happier now than ever before ; she has something now more lasting than " fun." Jesus is just as ready to fill 3'our soul with peace and jo}^ Have you asked him ? Mat. vii. 7. " I went to your meeting, a week ago last Saturday afternoon, full of fun, to hear some stories about Scotland; but I had not been there long, before you told a story ; not a story about Scotland, but one that I hope did me more good. It led me to think what a great sinner I was, and that I must repent, and believe on Jesus, or I never could go to heaven ; and it troubled me very much; but I tried not to let any one know that it troubled me ; and I was very unhappy ; and I prayed to Jesus to for- give me my sins ; and I trust he answered my prayer ; and I have heen a great deal happier ever since ; and, when I think how Jesus died on the cross to save sin- ners, I don't see how any one can help loving him." LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. 45 At the first chilclrens* meeting in Bath, Me., the presence of the holy Spirit was very manifest. During the address very few of the children seem- ed to be deeply moved, but when prayer was offer- ed, many of them began to weep aloud ; and, at the close of the prayer, still remained upon their knees. As many as fift}^, probably, were at this first inquiry meeting, and many of them seemed in- telligently convinced of sin. The burden of all that had been said was the " love of Jesus" to them, in dying on the cross ; and their great sin- fulness in not loving Mm in return. Many little penitents said, when asked what was the matter, "Oh, I have been so wicked not to love the dear Jesus. "Will he forgive me, now?" The ages of most of these children varied from six to twelve years. In a few days numbers of them began to saj^, "I have found Jesus." These meetings for the little ones were held on Wednesday and Satm-day afternoons. Thi*ee or four hundred childi-en were often present. It was found impossible to speak to the hundreds that re- mained to be conversed and prayed with alone. 46 LITTLE OXES IX THE FOLD. It was delightful to see those, tvIio had, as they hoped, found peace in Jesus, kneeling down in the pews, and in subdued tones, pleading for those, who were asking the way to the cross. The following letter from a little boj^ will be read with interest. A letter written eight months later, saj's, — " He has attended all the meetings, night and day, since you were here, and seems to be a real Christian.' " Bath, Feb. 22^, 1862. ^"^ Dear Mr. Hammond ;-^'^ 1 went to the meetings, about a week after they commenced, to bear you tell some interesting stories, but did not think of becoming a Chris- tian. During the evening, I began to feel that I was a sin- ner, and thought I should like to become a Christian. I thought I could be a Christian, and not let anybody know it ; bat I found out my mistake. One evening, I stopped to the inquiry meeting and you came and talked with me. I went home that night feeling I vras a great sin- ner, and read my Bible but did not pray. One night, one of my friends urged me to decide that night, to be a Christian ; and 1 told him I would. The next night, I was very happy ; and I now think, Jesus has washed my sins away. " Will you please pray for my sister, that she may be- come a Christian ? ' ' LITTLE ONES IN TUE FOLD. 47 Another says : — *' I think it is my duty to write you a few lines, to thank you 13r saying such tender words to entreat me to embrace the Saviour. I went to your meetings, the first lew nights, but did not take much interest in them, for my heart was as hard as a stone. Saturday afternoon I thought that I would go to meeting ; but some of my fi'icuds wanted me to go sliding, and I went ; but I could not help thinking, how wicked I was to go sliding, when 1 ought to go to meeting. Wednesday afternoon, when I came in, you began to sing ' Come to Jesus,' something touched my heart, and I could not help bursting into tears. Mr. Fiske came and spoke to me, and took me by the hand, and led me to you. Ob, such words you said to me ! I began to think that it was time for me to wake up out of my sins. The next evening I went to meethig, and stopped to the inquiry meeting. The next night I went, and my friend, that started to seek the Saviour with me, asked me to go and stay all night with her; I did so, and, as we retired, we both raised our hearts in prayer, and asked God to forgive our sins, and I feel that he has, truly. I have thought tliat I would try to seek the Saviour, a great many times ; but I never could find any peace and joy in him before, because I never tried in earnest. When I first commenced to seek the Saviour, my sisters scoifed at me ; but now they see that I am right. Pray for my dear father and sisters, that tiiey may seek the Saviour while they have an opportuni- ty- " You said that you wanted us to write you a verse from the Bible : 48 LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. " Psalm Ixiii. 1. — ' God, thou art my God ; early will I seek thee : my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is." " Something," she says, " touched my heart." What was it but the Spirit of God, that touched this young disciple's heart ? The singing of the hymn, " Come to Jesus," seemed to have been the instrument used to convince her of sin. At a later date, this little girl thus speaks of her sister, and of her own wicked heart in not yielding to Jesus at once. Bath, March 12lh, 1802. " My sister is rejoicing in the Saviour. She is just as happy as she can be. It was a long time before she could give np all sin ; but, as soon as she did, she had light. When 1 went to your meetings, I was serious, but I was ashamed to own it. Oh, what a wicked girl I have been ! I don't see how I could live so long with- out giving myself to the Saviour. I now see, Satan is like a roaring lion. Mr. Fiske wants all the young con- verts to write him a letter. I think he will get a great many. I was talking with Mr. Fiske the other day ; he said he thought I must have had an awful hard heart, for he thought I never would give up." "praying and having FAITH." This letter may show you what it is, if you have not yet trusted in Jesus : LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. 49 " Dear Mr. Hammond: — T wish to tell you how I found Jesus. I went to two of the childrens' meetings, and I felt that I was a great sinner ; and unless I commenced now, while I had such a good opportunity, and so many of my friends were trying, 1 should be lost forever ; and I commenced by praying, and having faith ; and I can say, that I have found peace. I used to be ashamed to have any one know that I wanted to be a Christian, but I am not now, and don't think that I shall be again. At first, it. seemed as if my sins were so great, they could not be forgiven ; but I trust, they are ; and I hope every one that tries to be a lamb of God, will persevere, and find peace as I have. Most all of the girls in my class have found peace since these meetings commenced ; and I hopo the rest will. I think they are trying to. My Sabbath School teacher has spoken to us of this subject a number of times ; but I never thought so much about it before. I did not seem to realize that I was so wicked, until I came to your meetings, and heard you say, that if we ask- ed the Lord to give us a new heart, he would do so ; and when 1 went home that afternoon, I prayed, that he would give me a new heart, and take away my wicked one ; and I trust, that he has ; for I feel a great deal happier than before. I like to read my Bible, and pray ; and I never used to before ; and I have an interest in these meetings, and my little sister is trying with me to live for Jesus. I am very much obliged to you, for teU- ing me how to become a Christian." My dear j^oung friend, have j^ou found that you too, are " a great sinner," in danger of being "lost 50 LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. forever ? " It is my prayer, that 3^011 may follow the example of the writer of this letter. The following story will help to show what this asking and trusting is : A Botanist in Scotland, in search of flowers, came to a deep ravine ; and, down deep, between the rocks, he saw a beautiful, delicate flower. He could not get to it himself. A little boy chanced to be there, and was offered a good sum of money if he would allow a rope to be tied about him and go down after it. He looked down the precipice, then at the mone}^, then at the man. At last, the little fellow said, " I don't know you, but I'll go if my father will hold the rope." Away he ran for his father, and when once the strong hand of his father was holding the rope, he had no fears. He asked his father to hold him from falling ; and had faith in him, and was brought safely up again. Jesus is "mighty to save," Isa. Ixiii. 1. Ask Him ; trust Plim. "He will save you just now." " ALL FULL ABOUT JESUS." One day, a little girl, whom I had seen a few days before, at the childrens' inquiry meeting, weeping as though her little heart would break, LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. 51 came running to me in the street, and, taking hold of my hand, said, " OJi, I wish to tell 3'ou, how much better I can understand the Bible, since I found Jesus. Last summer, ni}^ Sabbath School teacher wished us to learn the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah. I did not think of Jesus much while learning it, but, last night as I read it over, it seemed all full about Jesus." It was a short praj^er, this dear girl offered, — the same that blind Bartimeus uttered, when Jesus, in compassion, asked, " What wilt thou that I should do unto thee ? " "Lord, that I might re- ceive my sight." Mark x. 51. If you, m}^ young friend, have not been led to see 3-our sinfulness, Jesus is ready to show 3'ou 3'our lost condition, and reveal to j'ou his great love in dying on the cross to save you. Vrill you ask him? " Just now. He will save j^ou." You see these dear children went and asked Him to give them new hearts, and help them to love Him. And now you see how happy they are. Here is another note from a little girl who found she had a " bad, black heart," but who now hopes that her sins are forgiven, for Jesus* sake. 52 LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. " Bath, February (jth, 18G2. " While I was at meeting Saturday afternoon, and when you was telling stories, and talking about Jesus, I thought what a great sinner I was ; and I resolved that 1 would try and become a Christian. On my return home, I went to my room, and asked God to forgive my sins, and to take away that bad, black heart of mine, and he did it in a few days, and now I feel as though I could not do enough for Jesus. Oh ! what a blessing it is to have the Saviour near us ! I wish all were Christians. Three of my young friends have just been converted." A boy's experience. A smile will be seen upon the face of some of our little friends, wiio read the note below. But, though this little boy is not able to spell as well as some of 3^ou, yet he seems to have learned the way of salvation. And if he really loves Jesus, he will, through the ages of eternity, continue to increase in knowledge and happiness. " Dear Mr. Hamon, i woud tell you how i found Jesus. i went to your meetings about two weeks a go. the first nio-ht i went, i did not think much of them ; the second nio"ht, I felt that I was a great sinner, i went home, and did not sleep much that night, and did not feel very weel for two or three days, and coud not find peace, i prayed for Jesus to tak my sins a way. i like my Bible beter, and pray; aad i lik Christans ; i enjoy my self; I woud LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. 63 not give up my hop for the would, pray for me that i may pres on the good road to heven." "please pray for my father." You will see by the note below, what a great change comes over a boy when he has confessed all his sins, believed in Jesus, and been led by the Holy Spirit to love good things, and hate bad things. How soon he begins to be anxious for the conversion of his father. It was not long, before we heard that father in the great congre- gation, telling of his new love for Jesus. If 3'ou love Jesus, pray for 3'our fathers if they have not yet found him precious. " I think I have found the Saviour precious to my soul. I did not go to the first meeting you had for children. Mother wanted me to go, but I thought I could not go, because it stormed a little. ISIother told me that if there was a school, I would want to go, but I did not want to go and hear about Jesus. But it mRde me feel very bad, when I heard others telling what a nice meeting they had ; but I went to the nest childrens' meeting, and I stayed to the inquiry meeting. You. came and talked with me about Jesus, and I began to feel that I was a great sin- ner. That night I prayed to God to make me see my sins. I kept on coming to the meeting every night. I now feel that my sins are all forgiven. I now like to read the Bible, and to pray. 54 LELITT OXES IX THE FOLD. " Will you please pray for my father, that he may be- come a Christian." " ASHAMED OF JESUS." How strange that little children should be ashamed of Jesus, — " that dear Friend on whom their hopes of heaven depend." I will now give you to read a letter from a little girl in Maine, who sa3's the only thing that kept her from being a Christian, was, that she was un- willing any one should know it. She did not think how happy she would be ; and she was not willing that all the world should know that she loved the precious Jesus, when once she had found him. " I did not want anybody to know that I wished to be a Christian. I thou2;ht I could be a Christian without any one knowing it. I found that 1 could not. You asked all those that were anxious to be Christians to stop to the in- quiry meeting. You came to me and asked me, if I was a Christian. 1 told you I was not. You asked me if I wanted to be one ; I told you, I did. You wanted me to kneel down with you, and you prayed with me. I went home. I felt very badly indeed. I Avished I had not gone to that meeting, and wished you had not come here. But now I am glad you came. One night you came to me, and asked me, if I had found the Saviour. I told you, I had not. I told 3'ou, there was only one thing that kept me from being a Christian. I was not willing that any LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. 55 one should know it. You then said, as long as I waci ashamed of Jesus, Jesus would be ashamed of me. That evening you invited all Christians to rise and sing, ' T is done ; the great transaction's done ; I am the Lord's, and he is mine.' You did not want any but Christians to rise and sing. I burst into tears, to think that I could not sing it. (I think I can sing it now.) That night I determined I would be a Christian, and felt willing if need be, that all the world should know that I wanted to be a Christian. That night I felt happier than I had, and felt as though I had been accepted. And when you came to me, and asked me if I had found the Saviour, I told you, I hoped I had. Perhaps you will ask me, how I know I am a Christian ? I like to read the Bible a great deal better than I used to, and I like to pray better, and I like to go to meeting better ; and I wish you would pray that I may live a Christian life, and teach others to come to the Sa- viour." "l AYEXT HOME LAUGHING." What a W'icked heart this little girl must have had to have laughed at those who were weeping for their sins. But many of jon, who read this book, are just as wicked. You must go and ask Jesus to take away that wacked heart of youi's. "Just now, He will save jou." " Dear Mr. Hammond, — I think I have found Jesus, and I feel very happy. The first thought I had about 56 LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. being a Christian was, one of my schoolmates asked me to go to the childrens' meeting. I did not Avish to go at first ; but mother urged me to, so I went. You asked those that were anxious to stop to the inquiry meeting ; but before it commenced, you asked us all to kneel down, while you prayed. T did not wish to, because I thought the others would laugh at me; but another little girl wanted me to ; so I did, to please her. I would not stop to the inquiry meeting, but went home, laughing at those that did stop. I went to the next childrens' meeting, and stopped to the inquiry meeting. You came and talked with me. I began to feel that I was a sinner. You wanted me to pray ; but I told you, I could not. I went home and tried to pray ; but did not feel much better. I kept on going to the meetings for a week, but 1 did not feel any better. The next two nights I felt wicked and did not go. Mother stopped at home with me ; she prayed with me, and wanted me to pray ; but 1 felt that I was too stubborn. My little brother, six years old, said, ' I will pray for her, mother ; ' and he did pray. I then thought if he could pray for me, I should pray for myself. I went and prayed, until I felt that God had forgiven all my sins, and I had found Jesus. I have been happy ever since in trying to pray and read the Bible. I hope you will pray for me, that I may persevere, and be found on the right hand of God, at the last and great day. " From your young friend." CHAPTER IV. The May Flower — Pilgrim Fathers — "I loved Jesus"—*'! just trusted Ilim" — *' Have some fan" — Rev. P C. Head- ley — Two Sisters — Lewiston — Good Letter badly written — Twenty-Two little children uniting with the church — Evi- dence of a new heart — Eighteen " Gold Rings" — "You have turned white" — " I love my dear Jesus" — " I read thirteen chaptei-s of the Bible" — Brunswick, Me, — Rail- road Excursion from Lewiston — Boy from Sweden — I could see Jesus. In the May Flower, there came a number of lit- tle children. Their fathers and mothers, you Ivnow, my dear young friends, came away to this western wilderness, that they might escape perse- cution, and worship Jesus according to their own consciences. Mrs. Hemans thus speaks of their landing : " The breaking waves dashed high. On a stern and rock bound coast. And the woods against the stormy sky Their giant branches tossed ; And the heavy night hung dark. The hills and waters o'er. When a band of exiles moored their bark On the wild New-England shore. 58 LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. What sought they tlius afar ? Bright jewels of the mine ? The wealth of seas, the spoils of war? They sought a faith's pure shrine! " Ay, call it holy ground, The soil where first they trod. They have left unstained what there they found — Freedom to worship God. But I wonder if those children, as the}^ wander- ed over the hills of Pl3aiiouth, after the winter snows had gone, gathering that beautiful flower, which has since been called the May Flower, thought of Jesus, — the rose of Sharon ? We can not tell about those little ones, but two hundred and forty-eight years after, upon an April daj^, when those same sweet May flowers were filling the soft air with their fragrance, a lit- tle girl, ten years of age, found Jesus to be " the chiefest among ten thousand," and the one " alto- gether lovely ;" she could say, " I LOVED JESUS." ''Plymouth, Mass., April lith, 1862. " Ml/ dear Mr. Hammond, — Two years ago, my father died, and then I thought I should never do any thing wrong again ; but I have done things wrong ; but, ever since then, I have wanted to love Jesus, and I wanted to LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. 59 go and live -with ray dear father when I died ; and I felt that I could not, unless I loved the Saviour. And a week ago last ]Mondaj afternoon, I came to meeting, and when I was kneeling with the rest, I felt that I was a great sinner, and it made me sick ; so that I could not stay to the inquiry meeting ; and I went out into the entry, and my mother came out, and asked me if I did not want to be a Christian ; I told her I did ; but I could not stay to the inquiry meeting, because I was sick ; and you re- quested me to read the third chapter of John. I did so, and prayed ; and when I got up from my knees I did not feel as I did when I knelt down. I felt very happy, and I felt that I loved Jesus ; and I feel as if I wanted every body else too ; and I want you should pray for me, that I may always love him, and go to live with him when I die. Aged 10 years last December 4th." " I JUST TRUSTED IN HIM." Another of eleven summers, from the landing place of the Pilgrims, in simple, childlike lan- guage, thus speaks of her finding Jesus : " When you first came here, I went to hear you tell some interesting stories, and sing some of those beautiful hymns. But soon you came and began to talk and to- pray with me. And I felt that I was a sinner. I was not happy. When I returned home I read the third chap- ter of John, and then prayed to God that he would take away my sinful heart. And he did. I just trusted in him, and gave myself up to him. Several of my young 60 LITTLE ONES IX THE FOLD. friends think they have found Jesus. And I hope "We shall all hold out to the end, by the help of God." " OF COUPwSE I SHALL, TO HAVE SOME FUN. AT THE SAME TIME I TKEMDLED." These are the expressions of a j^oung convert down b}^ the Plymouth Rock, where our forefathers landed, Dec. 22, 1G20. Those of my little friends, who are Christians, must not be discouraged to pra}^ for those who seem to be making sport of religion. You may soon see them trembling ; yes, and like the happy writer of this note, soon rejoicing, and able to sing, " Happy day, "when Jesus washed my sins away." ''Plymouth, Mass., April 12, 1862. " Dear Mr. Hammond, — AYhen you first came here, I thought I would go to your meetings, partly out of curi- osity, but mostly because many other girls about my age, went, not expecting to gain any good by going. When I went with three of my young friends to the childrens' meeting, they asked me if I was going to kneel ? I said, ' yes, of course I shall, to have some fun.' They asked me if I was going to cry. I told them^' no, I was sure I would not ;' at the same time I trembled, but AVas ashamed to let them know it, for fear they would laugh at me. I stopped to the inquiry meeting, and when you came and LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. 61 talked and prayed with me, I felt I was a great sinner ; and all my past sins came up before me ; every lie that I e\ertold, and every wicked thing I had ever done, was fresh in my memory. Oh, how miserable I was ! I went home, and prayed, and read the third chapter of John, as you requested me, but it did not seem to do any good ; there seemed to be a heavy burden on my heart, and I could not rest. I did not sleep that night, until I had determined to stop trying to do for myself, and leave all to the blessed and loving Saviour, who died to save sin- ners. And. when I 2:ave myself up entirely to him, the burden was all gone, and I felt a calm, peaceful joy, such as I never felt before. I would not give up the hope which I now have of heaven, for all the world can give. The Bible seems like a new book to me now, and I love to pray ; and I am enough happier to pay for the world- ly pleasures I shall have to give up. I want you to re- member me in your prayers ; and will you pray for my dear father, who is not a Christian ?" Rev. P. C. Headle}", who was over the church in Pl3'mouth during the Revival there, and who had long earnestly prayed for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, tells a most affecting story of one of these little ones who hoped she had found Je- sus during those days of refreshing from the pres- ence of the Lord, and who in a few weeks was burned to death. But her friends rejoiced in the hope of meeting her on the " shining shore." 62 LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. A precious work of the IIol}^ Spirit was mani- fest among the children in the city of Lewiston, in Maine, at the very first meeting, in Rev. U. Balkam's church ; large numbers were in tears, who have since giAxn evidence to their minister of a change of heart. In most of the childrens' meetings in Scotland and America, I have found numbers who have long been seeking Jesus ; and others who at once said they were Christians, and loved Jesus. Two little sisters about eight and ten years of age, thus write : " Leioiston, May 19, 1862. ^^Dear Mr. Hammond^ — I have always wanted to be a Christian. This spring, a dear little cousin died, and his death made me think more, and made me feel more ' that 1 Avantcd to be good, and love the Saviour ; and I told mamma how I felt, and asked her to pray for me. The first afternoon you were here, I went to hear you talk to children. I loved to hear you talk about Jesus, and sing ; and I wanted to love him too. When. I came home, papa asked us how we liked the meeting. I could not answer him, but burst into tears. I felt I was so wicked. I read my Bible, and asked God to give me a new heart. Monday morning I went to meeting, and you asked me if I loved Jesus ; and I did not dare to say * yes,' but told you, I did not. The next Wednesday, LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. 63 you took dinner here, and when you asked me again, I thought it would not be wrong for me to tell you, 1 did love him ; and you told me to cling to him ; and I do try to. I can't teli when I began to love Jesus. I love to pray, and read and sing, and tell of Jesus. Good bye, dear Mr. Hammond. Your little friend in Jesus." Another says : *' I had been feeling, that I ought to be a Christian, and I wanted to be one. The first Sabbath you were here, I went to hear you speak to the children. When you requested those who were weeping for their sins, to stop, I did so ; but I did not wish to weep. I did not feel as though I wanted to kneel, when you asked them ; and I did not. But I went home wishing I could be a Chris- tian. I went to meeting IMonday evening, and stopped to the inquiry meeting. I kept wishing, (and yet almost afraid,) that you would speak to me. Tuesday, I prayed a great deal, that I might become a Christian. A little while before I went to meeting, I went tiway and prayed that God would help me to give him my heart that night. I stopped to the inquiry meeting that night. A young lady came and spoke a few words, and prayed with me ; and after she went away, I felt as if I had given my heart to Jesus. I was very happij, I felt as if I would like to have every body love Jesus. Some of the reasons I think I am a Christian, are, that I love to pray better now ; I love the Bible ; I love to go to meeting ; and I want eve- ry body to love^Jesus." 64 LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. "We give still another extract, to illustrate the fact above stated. The -writer has since joined the church, and gives, the pastor tells me, pleas- ina: evidence of a chano:e of heart. 'o '< I hope I gave my heart to the Saviour in August. I was very happy ; and it seemed as if I wanted to die then, and be with Jesus ; hut still Satan was tempting me every day. I kept making resolutions to be better ; but they did me no good. But when this Revival commenc- ed, I then resolved, by the help of God, that I would yield to Satan no longer, and my soul has been revived. Be- fore, I was a little ashamed to let the world know I loved Jesus, but now, ' I'm not ashamed to own my Lord, Or to defend his cause. ' I always wanted to be a Christian ; but still I was not very anxious. I knew what a dreadful thing it was, to be living in enmity against God, and sometimes thought I had such a hard heart, that nothing could move me. But the thought, that the Spirit will not always strive, was first in my mind ; and at last determined to reject it no longer ; and now, all our family, ten in number, are rejoicing in the love of Jesus. If you will give me the address of that little girl in Boston, I will write to her, for she does not seem like a stranger to me, and I would like to write to her a letter." I wish, my little friends, that, instead of read- ing these ^printed letters, you could see and talk with those, who wrote them, as I have done. LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. 65 I am sure, also, j'ou would love to see the writ- ten letters, from which they are printed. Some of the little bo^'S and girls, whose letters you read so quickly, did not know how to vmte. They had to prints with then* spelling-book by their side, to help them form the letters. Manj^ of these letters you would not find it easy to read, without the printer's help. Some of them look, as if a lot of flies had first bathed themselves in ink, and then crawled all over the paper ; but I shall not tell you, whether this letter below is one of that kind ; " I have wanted to write to you, but felt that a little girl like me ought not to trouble you with my letter. " You asked me to tell you how I found the Saviour. The first Sunday you addressed little children, I went to hear you. You asked those who. felt anxious, to stop. I did, just to hear what you was going to say. AYhen you told us of the love of Jesus, I felt shat 1 should like to be a Christian. I went home, and prayed to God to give me a new heart, and pardon my sins. I feel that he has. Mother asked me, one day, ' what made me think that X had found the Saviour ? ' I told her, that I loved to read my Bible, and go away alone and pray. Before, I read my Bible to please my mother ,. and now the chapters are so interesting, that I like to go away alone and read them. Pray for me, that I may always do right." 66 LITTLE ONES IX THE FOLD. Kcv. A. Adams, of Auburn, in Maine, told me, that twenty-two little children had joined his church since the Revival there last spring. At one of the union childrens' meetings in his church, I remember that I tried to caution them against indulging in a false hope, and thinking that, be- cause they felt happ}^, or had ceased to weep for their sins, they were, therefore, Christians. We tried to show them they must not trust to their feelings, but only in Jesus^ who loved them, and died on the cross to save them ; and that, when they really came to the loving Saviour, and be- lieved in him, God would then, for Jesus' sake, forgive them all their maii}^ sins, and give to each of them new hearts, so that they would love the things they hated before. Ezekiel xxxvi. 26, was repeated : " A new heart also, will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within 3'OU ; and I will take aw^ay the stony heart." After a while, they were asked to look down deep into their hearts, and see if they were different from what they used to be, before they began to seek Jesus. " What is a new heart? " was asked. The eyes of many of the dear boys and girls spark- LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. C7 led, as, one after another they gave their answers. These answers were their own. And if you. could have seen their happy faces, and heard their quick replies, as one by one, they were placed in order upon then- fingers, you could have seen, that they understood just what they said ; and that many of them believed, with saving faith, in Ilim, whom " God hath exalted with his right hand, to be a Prince and a Saviour, and to give repentance." Acts V. 31. I know 3'ou will love to see what answers these dear children, who had but just learned to love the " friend of sinners," gave to the question, " What is a new heart ? " The following were the answers given : A NEW HEART IS A 1. Praying Heart. 10. Cheerful Heart. 2. Happy Heart. 11. Joyful Heart. 3. Lovhig Heart. 12. Gentle Heart. 4. Meek Heart. 13. Humble Heart. 5. Forgiving Heart. 14. Pare Heart. G. Good Heart. 15. Honest Heart. 7. Kind Heart. 16. Believing Heart. 8. Singing Heart. 17. Working Heart. 9. Bible-reading Heart. 18. Patient Heart. These were called " gold rings," and were put on the fin2;ers of each hand. GS LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. After much had been said about the new heart, all those, who solemnly thought that thej' had this new heart, were asked to rise. We counted about t\YO hundred ; and one hun- di-ed and fift}^ at least, appeared to be under twelve years of age. Many of them, six, seven, eight, and nine years old. Among the twentj'-two children who have joined Mr. Adams' church, is the writer of the following letter. She says : " Auburn, June 1st. " I hope I have found Jesus, and I want all my friends to love him. Oh, what a blessed Jesus he is ! I cannot help thinking, how wicked I have been, and how long I have lived without Jesus. " When I first heard that you were coming here, I did not like it very we'l. The first afternoon you preached to the children, I thought I would go and hear you. I did not feel what a black heart I had until the meeting was most through, when you sang, ' Come to Jesus.' It did not make much impression on me, until you came to the verse, ' Don't reject him ! ' I could not keep the tears down any longer ; and I l)egan to think how wick- ed 1 was, and how long I had been rejecting Jesus. I staid to the inquiry meeting, and you talked and prayed with me. I did not feel as if I could give up all for Je- sus then ; but the next day I wanted to give up all, and love him. The day after that, I felt as if I loved him ; LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. 69 and I hope that you will pray for me, that I may never wish to turn back af^ain. 1 love to. read the Bible, and pray, now, a great deal better than I used to. How kind it was in Jesus to come down from heaven and die on the cross for us ! I never thought so much about it before. Don't forget to pray for your affectionate friend." ''YOU HAVE TUKXED WHITE. In a Sabbath School in London, Eng*., I asked the scholars what color the}- thought the people were in America, and more than three-quarters of the children said they were black. I asked them, hov»^ then I came to be white ? "Oh," said one, "you have been in England, and turned white." Now, here below, is the opinion of a child, who thinks that the people in Scotland have hardly heard of Jesus — that their souls are black : " One of my friends asked me to go over the river and hear you preach to the children ; and I thought I would go to please her, for then, I did not want to become a Christian, I thought I was just as good as any body, but I was dreadful wicked then, and did not love Jesus, who died for me. " 1 went, and you told about the little children in Scot- land, who had become Christians ; and I began to think what a dreadful wicked girl I was, and how those little children in Scotland, who had never heard about Christ, 70 LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. until Mr. Ilainmond went there, to tell them about hira ; and how I had heard he had died for me, a great many times, and never thought any more about it. I began to feel pretty bad, when 1 thought how I had been reject- ing Christ. I stayed to the inquiry meeting, and a great many talked and prayed with us ; but I did not feel as though I could give up all for Jesus. You came and prayed with me, and I felt a little better. I came home, and my friend lived very near me ; she wanted me to go home with her, and have her mother talk with us. I went, and she prayed with us ; and then she wanted us to pray for ourselves. I prayed, and I felt a little better. I came home, and read the third chapter of John, and then I got down and prayed. I. felt as though I would come to Jesus, and give all up for him. I felt better after I had done this ; but still I thought I was too great a sin- ner to be a Christian ; and then I thought of that beauti- ful verse in the Bible : ' Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest ; ' and also, ' liim that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out.' Then I thought I would be a Christian; and Iknolt down and gave my heart to Jesus ; and I think he accepted it, for I have been very happy since. I hope you will pray for me, that I may never turn back." " I LOVE MY DEAK JESUS." Thus writes a lamb of Die flock : " When I went to your first meetings, I felt that I was a lost sinner, and ha,d a very bad heart ; and then I made my mind up to love and serve Jesus, till I died. Now I LITTLE ONKS IN THE FOLD. 71 love my dear Jesus, because lie died for me. I went home that niglit, and prayed to Jesas to wash my sins away, and 1 hope he did. I ieel a good deal happier now than I used to ; because if ray Jesus should call me to die, I should go to heaven now, I hope. And I guess that all will want to find the loving Jesus. I hope, that, if I should not see you again here on eaath, I shall see you in heaven. I hope you will pray for me. ' With my wliole heart have I sought him ; let me not wander from thy commandments.' " ''I READ THIRTEEN CIIArTERS IN THE BIBLE." But there are maii}^ who have read their Bibles all their lives, and yet will never enter heaven. Their names are not in the Lamb's book of life. AVh}^? Alas, they rejected Jesus! "lie that believeth, shall be saved ; he that belie veth not sha,li be damned," (condemned.") Mark xvi. 16. If the little writer of this letter has been par- doned and renevred, it was not because of reading so mail}' chapters in the Bible, but because Jesus, in his finished work, was received by faith. " I went to your meeting to hear you tell stories, and was much interested in them. You told the children to stop to the inquiry meeting ; I did so ; and you came along and spoke to me about sinners ; and I began to think, that I was a sinner. I went to the childrens' meeting and became so interested in it, that I could not 72 LITTLE OKES IN THE FOLD. help from going in the evening. Sunday, I read thirteen chapters in the Bible, and went into my chamber and prayed. I felt that it wasn't enougli ; and so I read some more, and I am much happier than before. I hope you will pray for me, so that I may continue to be hap- py ; and that my name may be written in the book of life." Ill Brunswick, Me., the seat of Bowdoin Col- lege, the Lord was pleased to touch numbers of the dear cliildrens' hearts, and to lead some of them to Jesus. One Satui'day afternoon, several hundred of the children and 3'oung converts came down from Lewiston, a distance of twenty miles, to attend the cliildrens' meeting, in Rev. Dr. Ad- ams' church. The crowd was so great that the meeting for an hour was held in the open air on the green. A number of ministers were present. It was delightful to hear the sweet singing of the cliildren that calm summer afternoon. The Lew- iston children taught their neighbors some beauti- ful new tunes. That afternoon an Infidel who hoped that he had found Jesus but a few days before, told the little ones of the great change tliat had come over him. LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. 73 THE HOMELESS BOY FINDS A FRIEND. Some months ago, there landed on the coast of Maine, a poor boj' from Sweden, homeless and penniless. But often was he the subject of the Holy Spirit's strivings. At a time of the Revi- val, he stood np for the first time in a childrens' meeting, and told his love for Jesus. We give a few sentences from his letter : " I feel now that I have always been a very great sin- ner, never caring to go to meeting, or to read my Bible. But now, I can say that I read it with a great deal of pleasure; and love to pray to my God, and feel that I have found a dear friend in the Lord Jesus, here in this land of strangers, that I never knew in my native land ; and now, dearer to my soul than all I left behind. " I would ask you to pray for me, that I may be kept from temptation, and never be left to forsake Jesus." FROM A LITTLE GIRL. Some of these letters may seem of veiy little importance. But the reading of these simple words, have, in so man}^ cases, been the means of leading others to the Saviour, that I could but yield to the entreaties of the friends of children, and allow them to be printed. A little girl sa3's : ' ' The first day you came here I did not go to your meeting. A little girl asked me to come and spend the 74 LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. afternoon with her. I went, for I thought I should have a better tune there, than at the meeting. But when you came into our school, I thought I would go in the even- ing. I went ; and when I got home I knelt down and prayed to my Father in heaven to forgive my sins. I felt as if he heard me. I know that I am a great einner. I hope that God will forgive mc, and give me a new and trusting heart. I am a little girl, but will you remember me in your prayers ? " *' IT SEEMS AS IF I COULD SEE JESUS, AND HEAR IIIM TALK." Yes, little boj^s and girls, whose blind ej^es and deaf ears have been opened, can se.3 Jesns and hear him talk. And, if this child has given all to Christ, these are no nntruthful words : " I came to meeting Wednesday afternoon, but did not feel any more interested than I ever had. I thought I would come again, and I did. I stopped to the inquiry meeting. I felt that I would like to be a Christian, as you told me I ought to be. I prayed that I might be- come one. I began to see that I had a sinful heart. I came Saturday, but did not feel any better. I wept for my sins, and thought I never could become a Christian. I came home, and read a chapter in the Bible, and asked Jesus to take away my proud heart, and give me a new heart. I really believe he heard my prayer, and I feel as though I had found Jesus and got a new heart, and I feel happy. I told one of my schoolmates that I felt like a new person. It seems as if I could see Jesus and hear LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. 70 him talk, just as I do my parents. I do love Jesiis Christ, and hope every one else will. Remember me in your prayers." NO HEAYEN WITHOUT CHRIST. Oh ! liow many try to get to heaven without Christ, and are ready to find fault with God ; but how changed, when led by the Spirit to see their true condition. The following experience illustates this truth : " I feel very happy now, and I wish every body felt as happy as I do. I have thought a great many times I would try to be a Christian ; but I thought that I must make myself better before I went to Christ. After a while, I was discouraged, and thought I would give up all thoughts of ever coming to Christ. I thought too, if Christ wanted mc^ he could give me a new heart, and then I should love him ; but I did not feel quite eas}- to rest there. I went to the first meeting you held for the children, and there you spoke of the love of Christ, which melted my hard heart, and I began to feel very anxious. I was afraid that Christ would not receive me ; but I went to him, and gave myself to him ; and 1 am happy ^ very hap- py, now. Oh, I hope all who feel that they have wicked, sinful hearts, will ask the Saviour to give them hearts to love him, and give themselves right up to him ; and he will surely receive them. I hope you will remember me in your prayers, that I may be among those who will have their lamps trimmed and burning, when the bride- groom calleth." CHAPTER V. Ireland — " Jesus is mine " — Childrens' ]\[cotiug in Metropoli- tan Hall, Dublin — Dr. J. W. Massie — Young Converts Ad- dress — "We are praying for you, Charlie" — The War — Boy's Letter from Scotland— Rich Gentleman in Ireland — Childrens' Meeting in Glasgow— Child's Letter — Tract Dis- tribution — Little Flora. Most of the events of tliis chapter transpired a 3'ear or two previous to those recorded iu the fore- going pages. In L'eland, verj^^ manj^ little ones in Roman Cath- olic homes, sought and found Jesus to be precious. They found that the Virgin Mar}^ could not save them. It was sweet to attend their meetings and hear their soft voices pleading for the conversion of their mates. The wonders of the Giant's Causeway had not half the interest of these childrens' meetings, to me. In the Metropolitan Hall, in Dublin, the Rev. Denham Smith, in speaking of the value of hymns, LITTLE OKES IN THE FOLD. illustrated their use hy an interesting stoiy, after singing the following hj^mn, to the tune, " Happy Land." Now I have found a Friend, Jesus is mine; His love shall never end, Jesus is mine. Though earthly joys decrease, Though human friendships cease, Now I have lasting peace ; Jesus is mine. Though I grow poor and old, Jesus is mine; He will my faith uphold, Jesus is mine. He shall my wants supply, His precious blood is nigh. Nought can my hope destroy, Jesus is mine ! When earth shall pass away, Jesus is mine; In the great judgment day, Jesus is mine. Oh ! what a glorious thing. Then to behold my King, On tuneful heart to sing, Jesus is mine ! Farewell mortality ! Jesus is mine; Welcome etci-nity ! Jesus is mine. 78 LITTLE ONES IX THE FOLD. IIo my Redeniptiou is. Wisdom and lliirliteousness, Life, Light, and Holiness. Jesus is min Father ! thy name I Lless, Jesus is mine; Thine was the sovereign grace, Jesus is mine. Spirit of holiness, Sealing the Father's gi'ace. Thou mad'st my soul embrace, Jesus is mine. lie said : " Let me tell you of a little boy (only nhout four years old,) who came one day where a group of young converts were singing this hymn. Immediately the little fellow stood still, with closed lips, (a very unusal tiling with him,) and when asked, why he did not sing, he said, ' lie could not sing, for Jesus was not his ;' but he said, ' Will you pray for me, that the Holy Ghost may go up and down in my heart, for T want to know Jesus as mine.' When he went home, his mother said to his sisters, ' Let us sing two or three other hymns, and then * Jesus is mine,' and then perhaps he will sing it too ;' so they sang several others, and the little fellow caroled away at the top of his voice, until they commenced — ' Now I have found a Friend Jesvis is mine.' Ilis lips again closed ; and in a voice of craving sorrow, turning to his mamma, he said, ' Ah ! mamma, why do LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. 79 you ask me to sing that? I cannot sing it, for Jesus is not mine.' When his father came home in the evening and heard it, he said, * Oh! it must be fancy in the child — a good night's sleep will wear it away ; he is too young to know much of the reality of such things.' So he went to bed, and nest morning, when the father opened his door — what do you think he saw ? There was the little infant standing in his night clothes, looking a perfect picture of anxiety and inquiry, ±le said, ' Dear papa, is not the day after to-morrow, Friday ? ' ' Yes, my child.' ' And, papa, will there not be a prayer-meeting on Fri- day ? ' ' Yes, my child.' ' Then, papa, will you not ask them to pray for me, that I may be able to sing, ' Jesus is mine,' for I have been looking for Jesus, but I cannot find him ; Jesus is not mine.' His papa promised that he would have him prayed for. Ah ! my friends, to indulge in a little interlude here, God has given us latterly a deep sense of the importance of truthfulness of our hymns. A merchant came in here some months ago, while the verse was being given out — ' Farewell, mortality, Jesus is mine. Welcome, eternity, Jesus is mine,' and heard the remark, that for an unconverted man to use such words would be like asking God to take him away — in fact, to destroy him. He became deeply im- pressed, and at once felt he dare not sing those solemn sentiments ; but, thank God, he can do so now, and often comes in for a while to join you here of a Tuesday. Thus signally does God work, and suddenly. When I arrived 80 LITTLE 0:>r.S IN THE FOLD. in Cork last week, one of the first notes I received, was, from the widow of Mr. Jameson, desiring to return thanks to God that her husband had been led into this Ilall, where, at an advanced age, and ere he died, he had heard and received the truth. He went through the dark val- ley, singing— ' One there is above all others. Oh ! how he loves.' '* But to return to the little child. Wednesday came, and Thursday, and at last Friday ; but he could not say, ' Jesus is mine ;' and, amid the engagements of the day, the father forgot his promise of having him prayed for ; and, though I believe the father prayed himself that day, he actually forgot his own child. Towards the end of the meeting, the congregation rose and sung — ' Now I have found a Friend, Jesus is mine.' *' It happened that the father was in one part of the church and his little boy in another ; and, as they sung, the little fellow wended his steps, perforating his way through the crowded aisles and groups of young converts till he reached his father, and resting his hands upon his knees, he burst into tears, saying, ' Dear papa, T have found Jesus ! Jesus is mine ! ' Sweet is the young love of that child. It is twelve months ago since he found Je- eus, and he can still, with other happy ones of his circle, joyfully sing— * I 'm a pijgrim bound for glory ; I 'm a pilgrim going home ; Come and hear me tell the story — AH that love the Saviour — come. LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. 81 *When I first commenced my journey. Many siid, ' He 11 turn again;' But they all have been deceived; In tlio way I still remain.* The girls then sung — ' Say brothers, will you meet us On Canaan's happy shore ? ' Then the boj-^s answered — ' In the ' promised land' we '11 meet you, Whci'c parting is no more.' And all joined in the chorus — * Jesus lives and reigns for ever On Canaan's happy shore; Glory, glory, hallelujah, for ever, evermore.' Another speaker then addressed the children : *' Let me tell you," said he, " of a meetinor in a large field in Armagh, where three boys came, not to pray and learn of Jesus, but to ridicule and laugh at what was said, and see what was going on ; the oldest of them was ten years of age. While they stood there, another boy joined them, and said, ' Do you know me? ' '0, yes,* they answered, ' we know you.' ' Then you know what I was a few days ago — often cursing and swearing, and lying ; and, when I went to church, it was only to pass the time away, and to see how I could have a little fun ; but the Spirit of God came and showed me my awful state, and led me to behold Jesus. He has spoken peace S'2 LITTLE 0>;LS IX THE EULD. to my heart ; and he will speak it to yours, too, if 3^ou will but ask him. Let us pray, he said. He knelt down — the other two knelt also. He poured forth sueh a prayer for the conversion of his young companions, which God heard ; for, before he rose from his knees, he had the delight of hearing one of them cry out, ' 0, Jesus, have mercy upon me.' After more prayer, they rose ; and before they left the field, one of the three, who had come to mock, came to me as I was leaving, and said, ' I have been very wicked. I came here to scoff, but my friends have found Jesus, and gone home rejoicing ; I feel myself to be a greater sinner than they ; and I want to find the Saviour.' I led him to the prayer-meeting, where some one was about engaging in prayer, and I said, ' Here is one of the little lambs of whom the Saviour says, ' Sufier the little children to come unto me.' He wants to know the love of the Saviour in his own soul. They prayed very earnestly for him, and, after a while, he broke forth, and uttered a most heartfelt prayer. He cried, ' God, have mercy upon me, I am a sinner — Lord, save me.' At last, he got up, and tlirowing his arms around my neck, said, ' 0, sir, i-t is all right ; I am BO happy ; for Jesus has spoken peace to my soul.' He went home, and, when his father heard of it, he said it was all nonsense, that he should not go to any more meet- ings. The little fellow said, ' Father, are you angry with me because I have found a Saviour? Do not be angry with me, dear Father, but come and hear about Him, and 3"0U will love him too.' And so it was; lor in a very short time, both father and mother became believers in the Lord Jesus. LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. 83 " I would like to tell you of another dear little boy in America, where they have a class every Saturday at four o'clock, conducted by Christians, who tell the dear little ones about Jesus ; and, through the truth taught in that way, hundreds of children have been brought to the knowledge of Jesus. One dear little boy in this way was brought to Christ. He had a drunken father, for whom he often prayed ; and one day as he knelt and poured out his heart in prayer to God for his conversion, who should come in but the father ; he took him by the collar, pulled him up from his knees, and said, ' Let me have no more of such praying ; let me never catch you on your knees and praying like that again.' The boy looked np, and said, ' dear papa, I love you very much, and I love dear mamma too ; but I love that dear Jesus, whp died for me, better still, and I cannot liclp praying to Him ; but I will not pray in the house, as you do not wish it.' And so that dear child, away among the trees of the garden, communed with his heav- enly Father, and prayed fervently for the conversion of his father and mother ; and often was kept without food, because he followed that blessed Saviour, who had be- come so dear to his soul. At length he became ill ; and, as he lay upon his dying bed, he called his mother, and said, ' Dear mamma, I am going away from this cold, cold room, to my blessed home, where there shall be no night, and no need of a candle. I will not be long here. I am going to have all my tears wiped away, and be for- ever with the Lord ; and I would like to see my dear papa once more before I go.' She sent for her husband, (he was in a drinking-house,) and, when he came in, he rested his elbow upon the mantle-piece, and looked va- ^54 LITTLE ONLS IN THE TOLD. cantly over at his dying child. ' Do come near the bed, dear papa,' the little fellow said. He came over, and bending his head down, said, ' So you are dying, my child.' * 0, no, papa, not dying, but going to my bless- ed, blessed home above, where we shall die no more.' Will you help me to sing that sweet hymn, papa ? — ' I'm going home to die no more.' ' I cannot, I do not know it,' the father said. ' Will you join in the chorus?' He promised to try; and there stood the father and mother weeping bitterly, and the dear child comforting them, saying, ' Do not cry for me, I'm going home to that blessed place where tears shall be all wiped away.' And then raising his sweet voice, he sang— * We go the way that leads to Gol, The path that saints have ever trod ; So let us leave this sinful shore , For realms where we shall die no more. * The ways of God are ways of bliss. And all his paths are happiness; Then weeping souls your griefs give o'er, We 'er going home to weep no more. * Come, sinner, come, come along, And join our happy pilgrim throng; Farewell, vain world, and all your store. We 're going home to die no more. ' " The father and mother promised to give their hearts to the same Saviour whom he loved, and go where they should die no more. And, dear Mttle children, may that precious Saviour be yours too ; so that when death comes, LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. 85 3'ou may be able to go home to that blessed place where we shall ' die no more. " x\rtcr singhig ' The Gospel Ship,' the children sepa- rated, but a great number of anxious, seeking souls still waited, unwilling to leave without having found Jesus as a Saviour, and many received the blessing. Among whom were a father and his two daughters, also a Roman Catholic dairy-woman, who came a long distance seeking for Jesus. Thus, my clear young friends, 3^ou see that away in the beautiful sea-girt isle, children need the same precious Jesus for their Saviour. Can you sing " Jesus is mine ? " Rev. J. W. Massic, D. D., in his book giving an account of the Revival in Ireland, describes an open-air meeting at Ballymena, in the North of Ireland. In the fall of 1859, I "witnessed scenes similar to those which he describes. After ministers and members of Parliament had spoken. Dr. Massic says : " Afterwards the meeting was addressed by a recent convert of tender years. But the congregation appeared to have no sense of the incongruity in having their devo- tions led l)y a boy of 12 or 13 years of age. After praise, the lad offered up prayer ; and then addressed the meet- ing with great freedom and earnestness, if not — to our thinking — witli much effect. 86 LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. " It may interest our readers, to have an opportunity of reading an address delivered by a young, unlettered convert, in all the freshness of the first love of a newly- born soul. As nearly as the words could be taken down in short hand, the following is the address of this earnest young convert : — ' Dear friends — I was a great sinner, but Christ has been a great Saviour to me. Thanks be to God, lie has brought me from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God. If there be an unconverted soul before me, I would ask you to seek Christ this night. Oh, let it not pass without finding Christ to be precious to your souls, for, oh, he is lovely, altogether lovely to them that find him. Ah, what is hindering you from finding him this night? Is it not your unbelief? Will you not be- lieve Christ's word ? He says, ' Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.' Ah, yes, the burden of Jesus Christ is easily borne ; ah, yes, it is easily borne, dear friends, besides the burden of sin. Ah, yes, some of us here have felt the burden of sin, and we know the change now, God be thanked. I would just ask you this night, to seek Him who can take away the burden of sin — who can enlighten your minds, and bring you from Satan's bondage, and set you free. Is there any one here this night, who would refuse Christ's offer ? Surely I do not look upon one, who would say, I re- fuse Christ. ' Christ is all, and in all ' to them that be- lieve. I would ask you to come ' while it is day, for the night cometh when no man can work.' Bo not wait till LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. 87 to-morrow ; perhaps to-morrow will bo too late. The devirfi time is tu-morrow ; he told me to-morrow ; and he is telling many here that you are too young to come to Christ, th&t you have time enough yet. But, ah, my friends, heed not the devil. Seek Christ, seek Christ this night ; seek him, for he is precious, he is pre- cious. Oh, my friends, how long will you be slaves to sin? Oh, think for a moment what it is to be under Sa- tan's power. Will you not turn from your evil way, and seek God ? Oh, friends, if there was any of us called away to-night — if it pleased Christ to call us to give in our account, what would be the result ? Could we stand before a just God this night, seated on his ' great white throne? ' No, no ; we would he calling on the hills and mountains to fall on us, and hide us from tlie face of the Judge. Oh ! think of that, my friends, and flee from the wrath of that Judge. Oh! think of that sentence to be pronounced from the judgment-seat, ' Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.' Oh ! friends, flee from the wrath to come. Seek Jesus while he may be found ; ^ while he is near.' He is near, this night, knocking at your hearts, and if you open to him, he ' will come in, and sup with you,' and you with him. I may never see you all in this place again ; bufc, oh^ I would just ask you a Cjuestion,— Are you prepared to meet God ? Oh ! I would leave that question with you, with each one, this night, — Are you prepared to meet your God ? ' " We must just add, that the reporters art can give little idea of the power of an address v^hich owed so much of its efiect to the intense earnestness of the speaker. There could not have been a finer specimen of natural elo- 88 LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. quence — the eloquence of the heart — than was afforded by this young disciple of Christ. There was no shrieking or vociferating, but melting appeals addressed with the tendercst affection to fellow sinners. The speaker ap- peared, as if he could not bear to part with his hearers, until he had prevailed on them to come to the Saviour, who had done such great things for him. lie saw so clearly, and felt so powcrlully, that there were peace, joy, and salvation in none but Christ, that he seemed as if he could not believe, that his hearers would hesitate to take Him for all their salvation, and all their desire, when He was freely offered to them. " And it should further be taken into account, in judg- ing of the public appearance of these young converts, that what appears foolishness to some, is often blessed of God to others. Speaking of this to a gentleman in Derry, he stated that he had been vexed by the public utterances of a young convert, but felt rebuked when he learned after- wards that the simple statement of that young man had been blessed to an associate, who said to himself — ' Vv^hy may not I find peace too, when my friend has found it.' " One who has much experience among children, thns speaks of one of their meetings in the Emer- ald Isle : " The work among the children has exceeded all ex- pectation. Two days since, several (varying in age from four to sixteen) were weeping and seeking Jesus. They were not disappointed. Hours rolled on, and the little ones that mourned in tears of pardoning love could sing, " We ask you to notice in this group one sweet child, LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. 89 four years of age, the striking melody of "whose voice often attracted us. !See him now, whilst others sing, with clos. cd lips and earnest eye. What does this mean ? *' He does not now sing, as in days and weeks past, ' Jesus is mine. ' He asks for prayer. ' What shall we pray for ? ' say those around him. The answer conaes — ' That 1 may find Jesus.' Now the little one himself prays, ' That the Holy Spirit may be poured up and down upon me.' liow overwhelming the sight ! Two days had still to pass, ere that little eye resumed its accustom- ed brightness, and the little tongue was loosed to singAzs Saviour's praise. " One little boy well known to us, not more than seven years old, who, after a long struggle, reached the ' Good Shepherd's' arms, was asked by his mother, some days after, if he was happy 'Yes,' said he, 'I have ;)e«ce, but not much^'oy.- His mother, fearing a passing cloud overhung his peace, reminded him of the safety of the Is- raelites under the shelter of ' the blood* ' Ah ! ' said he, I know that; but the Israelites had also to eat the Lamb ~ that night.' — John vi. 53. THE SERVICE OF SONG. " Speaking of the hymns sung at these meetings, a Syri- an pastor writes: ' If I could introduce them to my friends in Mount Lebanon, they would be sung often, by many, who will ultimately unite with you and your dear people, in singing the glories of the Redeemer in heaven. Those I wish most are, ' Jesus is mine' — ' Joyfully, joyfully on- ward we go' — ' Just now, He will save you' — ' I do be- lieve, I will believe.' ' '" These, and other hymns, made dear to us as the 90 LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. means of conversion, such as, ' Jcsua is here' — 'lie breaks the power of cancelled sin ' — ' I have a Father in the promised land ' — have sometimes more than divided the interest with tlie prayers and exhortation. A time of spiritual life and growth has from the first been one of ' psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.' ' Religious re- formations,' remarks the pastor of Plymouth CImrch, * seem always to have developed smging. Under Luther's administration, and Calvin's gov(|fnment, singing became so general and characteristic, that psalm-singing and Protestant heresy were synonymous terms. The great revival under the Wesleys and. Whitfield, was marked by the outburst of religious music. When revivals of relig- ion visit communities, their presence is attested by new zeal in singing. All exhibitory music is dropped as dead and sapless, and the heart feels after hymns of deep emo- tion, and after tunes born of the heart, and not of the head.' "1 may here cite a remarkable conversion arising out of the singing of the hymn, ' Now I have found a friend, Jesus in mine.' " Seeing a young person singing whom I knew, I said to her. Can you say ' Jesus is mine ? ' The question, re- sponded to in the negative, rankled as an arrow in her conscience, until, days after, being in ' a stricken state,' and the whole household having gathered around her, she poured forth her soul thus — ' Lord God, have mercy upon me, have mercy upon my poor soul ! Lord, I cannot say, ' Jesus is mine ! ' I am too wicked. Satan lias for a long time been leading me astray. He was making me very wicked, but do thou, Lord God, wash away my sins ! Oh, my poor soul, my poor soul ! Oh, LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. 91 my dreadful sins ! What shall I do with them? I would like to tear them from my soul, and cast them at the foot of the cross, so that Jesus might drop His blood on them, and wash them all away.'' " I told her, that the great awakening which was vrork- ing in her was from God. To this she replied, ' Oh, / could die if I liad my Saviour now . God, what would become of me were I to die now? God, have mercy on me ! Oh, if I could only say, ' Jesus is mine ! ' These sins are pressing on my soul. I cannot bear thera. blessed Saviour, take them away with Thy precious blood F '* I prayed with her, and said that, before an hour ex- pires, perhaps you may be happy, and enabled to say, ' Jesus is mine.' '• • Oh, I cannot yet sing those dear precious words ! Oh, these dreadful sins oppress me and keep me down ! Oh, the devil has fast hold on me ! Oh, what shall I do to get this awful load off my soul, my poor soul ! ' " I said ' Cast your burden on Him who is able and willing to bear it. He invites you — ' Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.' Trust in the Lord Jesus Christ alone. He will save you, and He will give you rest. Remember what He has said — ' Though your sins be as scarlet,' &c. Having sung the hymn, * There is a fountain,' &c., she seemed much impressed with one verse, which we sung over and over again. It is that one beginning with, * Tiie dying thief rejoiced to see.' She now began to be peaceful, ond it seemed as if Satan were giving up the struggle in de- spair, and resigning her to ihe arms of Jesus, but not without, like the evil spirit that our Saviour cast out, having rent her sore before he departed. LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. " No pen could describe the anguish of this poor soul. Bat, oh, what a change was on her now ! Whore before the blackness of despair had reigned, all seemed peace and joy ; and her smile was that of heaven, when she said, 'Now I can say, 'Jesus is mine.' I have hold of a Saviour now ; He has taken away this load of sins off my poor soul.' " ' Where are they gone? ' I asked. She answered — ^Doivn, down, doiun beneath my feet ; and they will never now rise up in judgment against me.' Oh ! it was de- lightful to hear the thankful outpourings of her heart to God, for taking away her sins, and relieving her sin- stricken soul. This scene showed in true colors the dread reality of sin. " Many other instances might be given of persons be- ing convicted by the words of the hymns, or whilst in the act of essaying to sing. At such times the work of the Spirit of God seems greatest, not in opening, but in clos- ing the lips. It is very solemn, when many in a congre- gation are so convicted. The tearful eye, the silent voice, the drooping head, the trembling limb, are visible to all. During last spring, a young Christian mother, a widow, took up her residence for a while on one of the more retir- ed shores of our bay. She had her two little ones with her. One of them five and a half years old, is thus de- scribed — ' Her lips closed at the words, * Heaven is my home; ' for she said, ' I. am not sure that heaven is my home.' She was first awakened on board the Cambria, one Sabbath afternoon, when her conviction became very deep. For days after, instead of dreaming falsely of heaven, she LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. 93 thought only of being lost. To her mother she said — ♦ Mother, I'm afraid I am going down to hell ; I'm afraid I shall be lost.' She wished her mother to pray, and then she said, '77/ pray, but only a fispcr.^ All her mother could catch was, ' Lord, bless me ; Lord, bless me,' in a craving little voice. She arose calmer, but her face look- ed saddened over with emotion. Iler mother gave her that passage, ' Him that cometh unto me, I will in no- wise cast out ; ' and she eagerly caught at the word for her own need, saying, ' Her that cometh to me, &c.' ' I long to come to Jesus, ^ she would say, ' for He says, Now, now, now ! ' " Her mother also quoted, ' The blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanseth from all sin.' These texts she asked to have repeated to her over and over again, while accom- panying her mother to the train. On her way, she beg- ged a large Testament, and she found the name of Jesus with great delight. " Some days after, with a bright face, she said, ' Moth- er, I've no greater joy than to love Jesus. He loves me. While you prayed beside me this morning, I first knew Jesus loved me ; and now I know ' earth is a desert drear,' because ' heaven is my home.' " Many have been the songs of grateful and heartfelt praise ascending from the mothers amongst and around us lately, to whom the Lord has given the most longing wish of their hearts, in their childrens' salvation. " How happily can they now clasp these loved ones ! in the blessed consciousness that they are doubly united — yea, everlastingly united — the same home in the heavens preparing for them. What a burden falls from that pious mother's heart, who possesses not an unconverted child ! " 94 LITTLE OXE5 IN THE FOLD. A mother's prayer. Could we learn the history of maii}^ of these clear children, we shonld fmd that mothers had Ibeen in earnest prayer for their conversion. The following touching story illustrates the effi- cacy of a mother's prajxrs : " WE ARE TRiYIXG FOR YOU, CHARLIE. *' The Rev. E. Warrincr, Chaplain of the First Connec- ticut Cavalry, has sent an interesting communication to the ' Christian Advocate,' from which we take the fol- lowing : ' A lieutenant in one of our regiments, related in my hearing, the following incident: — A yocng man came before his comrades and openly embraced religion to the surprise of us all. One day he happened in my tent, and I inquired, by what jneans his mind was awakened so suddenly to the subject of religion. He took from his pocket a letter from his mother, saying, ' There is some- thing in that letter which aflected me as nothing had ever done before.' The letter said : — 'We have sent you a box of nice clothes, and a fine variety of cakes and fruits, and otlier luxuries and comforts, and many good times we hope you will have, enjoying those nice thirgs, and shar- ing with your friends.' Near the clcse of the letter were these words — ' Wc are all prai/inr/ for you, Charlie, that you may he a Christian.'' " ' That's the sentence,' said the grateful boy, and the tears gushed from his eyes. < When I was eating those dainties I thought, INIother is praying for me. I knew LITTLE ONES IX THE FOLD. US where 8he used to ^o to pray, and I could almost hear the words she uttered. All the time I was wearinj:^ those clothes I could not help thinking of the words, ' We arc all pniving for you Charlie, that you may be a Christian.' Now, I thank God, for a praying mother, for her prayer is answered, and I am happy.' " INTEREST FOR OTHERS. A bo}^ ten j^ears of age, in Scotland, whom I found one night w^eeping for his sins, thus writes, in February, 1860 ; " I have felt much happier, since you kindly took the trouble to speak to me last night. I have felt, for some days past, quite Avretched. I wished to love Jesus, but did not see clearly the way, till last night. I see now, there is no way for a poor sinner like me, to escape the wrath of God, but liy looking to Jesus, bleeding on the cross. I thank God that he put it into my wicked heart to attend your meetings. Oh, dear sir, how I wish the Spirit of God would touch the heart of my brother. jMay I wish your prayers on his behalf? May God spare 3'ou long to bring such young sinners as 1 am, to himself; such will be the prayers of your little friend." LITTLE SCOTCH GIRL. Human hearts aro the same the world over. A little disciple, about eight 3-ears old, in Scotland, fnids the same need of a new heart as the children here. I well remember how this dear child lins:- 96 LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. ered to the very last, to listen to words about Jesus. " I cannot tell you how happy I feel, now that I have made Christ my choice. lie has been a kind Saviour to me, to wash all my sins away, that have been so many. He says in the Bible, ' Suffer the little children to come unto me,' and he has brought me by his love. Do pray for me, that I may never wander from the right path, and that I may get more strength every day, to keep my mind fixed on Jesus. That I may be kept from all that would lead me from Jesus, I liave to thank you, dear Mr. Hammond, for all the kindness you have given me ; and, especially for that beautiful prayer you made to God for me last night, which I hope never to forget." A few days since I received an interesting letter from this same little girl in Scotland. She is still holding out, and " following on to know the Lord." LITTLE GIRL AND RICH GENTLEMAN IN IRELAND. Rev. Mr. Davidson, from Ireland, told the fol- lowing to the children in Hamilton, C. W. : " A gentleman, with several ladies, and a gay equip- age, on his way to a dinner party, came to a steep hill, down which he chose to walk. At the foot of the hill he met a poor working girl, who looked up and said, ' Oh ! sir, I am so happy ! I have found Jesus ! Are you hap- py? Are you happy? I wish you were as happy as I am. Oh, I am so happy.' This grand gentleman, and LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. 97 the fine ladies with him, looked down on the little ragged girl with contempt. But they could not forget the words, ' Are you happy ? ' " The gentleman did not say much the rest of the way. While all were seated at dinner, he suddenly cried out, ' I am not happy ! I am a lost sinner ! ' and with cries of distress, fell to the floor ' trembling' like the Phillippi- an jailer, and saying, ' What shall I do to be saved? ' " The dinner party was broken up, and, for hours the most agonizing cries were heard from this sin-stricken soul. At last, he was led by the Holy Spirit of God to trust in Jesus. Peace, joy, true happiness, then filled his soul. '♦ The next day, his servants were sent all about to find this little girl, who asked, ' Are you happy? ' They found her mother very poor ; and the gentleman built a good house for the mother and her children, and gave money to educate the little girl. " May the Lord help each of us thus to speak, a word, .for Jesus." CHILDREN OF GLASGOW, In many places in Scotland we witnessed scenes similar to those narrated in these pages. In Glas- gow, especially, verj^ many of the dear lambs were gathered into the fold of Jesus. For weeks their daily meetings filled one of the largest chm'ches. We have since heard of the happy death of some of these young disciples, 98 LITTLE on::s in the fold. The following was lately received from Glas- gow, together with the touching account of " Little Flora." " During the time the childrens' meetings were being held in the Ewing Place Chapel, Glasgow, a number of very little girls in a West-end School, began a prayer- meeting by themselves, after school-hours. It was kept up for a considerable time ; and that it was not without its fruit, the subjoined letter from one of the children will show : — ' My dear Mamma : — I am going to tell you when I found Jesus. I think it was first in my little meeting, I "began to think of him, and then I went to some of Mr. Hammond's meetings, and 1 thought of the good God and how kind he is. Then I went to the Wynd meeting and I found peace that night when Mr. Hammond read a beautiful letter about a lady who was converted at one of his meetings. ' I am going to be very good and useful now, and not tell any more lies. I will write you a letter next week. 'Your affectionate daughter.' " little flora. *' A tract distributor was exploring a new and untried district in one of the ' dark places of a Scottish city down in the dark cellar and up in the rickety stairs ; the onlyigreetings she received were a hastily closed door, or an insolent word. Weary and discouraged, she turned to go away, but as she was passing out of the court some one called to her. It was a meanly-clad woman, who LITTLE OKES IN THE FOLD. 99 asked the lady to take her little girl to the Sunday school ; almost surprised at such a request, and gladly hailing the prospect of some entrance into those miserable abodes, she promised to call for the child on the following Sun- day. She found the home of little Flora, one of those cheap lodging houses, the haunt of the wandering ' Arabs' of the city. Humanly speaking there was faint hope of one reared in such a place, and the visitor's faith failed as she looked around. But Flora came to the school ;^t was a season of special blessing ; many of the lambs of the flock were being gathered in ; on the second night of her attendance, among the weeping penitents was this wild, untutored child, bowed down under a sense of sin. Her friends piayed with her, repeating again and again, the simple story of a Saviour's love. After a while, her countenance brightened, she rose from her knees, joy beaming in her tearful eyes, with the ready faith of child- hood, she had received the message — she was, we trust and believe, sought and found by the Good Shepherd. * Now, Flora,' said her teacher, ' what are you going to do? ' ' 0,' she replied, < I'm just going home to tell my father and mother that I've found Jesus,' Many anxious thoughts and earnest prayers followed this little plant of grace, planted in such an ungenial soil ; they were not disapointed on the next Sunday, she was again among the anxious, not this time herself seeking the Saviour, but pointing two of her class-mates to Him. And as she knelt in prayer with them, those around paused wonder- ingly, to listen ; the experience of a life-time seemed poured into that young soul ; only a few days since she had heard of Jesus, and yet her simple faith, earnest pleading, and glowing expressions of love, might have 100 LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. made many older Christians blash for their coldness, in the presence of this babe, ' out of whose mouth' the Lord could so * perfect praise.' For nearly a year, her friends carefully watched her, and making allowance for her peculiar position and many temptations, fourd nothing to disappoint their hopes. Her place in the class was seldom vacant, and often in the church and prayer-meeting, she was an attentive worshipper. But siill darker jlays were in store for our little friend — her father was imprisoned, she was desert- ed by her profligate mother ; sometimes sleeping on a stair, sometimes sheltered by a kindly neighbor. She was tossed about an unheeded waif on the rough way of the world. After a while, her mother returned, and urged her to steal, break a pane of glass, or do anything which would obtain for her an entrance to a Reformatory, , thus wishing to rid herself of the care of her child. *' Fortunately, Flora resisted those evil suggestions, her friends heard of her extremity, and came to the res- cue. She is now safely housed in an Industrial School, under the care of a kind and Christian matron, giving satisfaction to all, by her good conduct. And we trust that the good seed, thus early taking root, may yet bring forth abundant fruit unto eternal life. If ever we had ques- tioned the power of Divine Grace upon childish hearts, •our doubts were forever removed as we looked upon this * brand plucked from the burning.' " CHAPTER VI. ^hildrens' meetings in Hamilton, C. W. — J. Denliam Smith — " 1 was a great sinner" — " They laughed at me" — " Just for Fun" — '* I gave up every thing"—" I did not know my own heart" — '* I could not pray" — "I was greatly affect- ed" — " I was a rebel against God" — " 1 felt Jesus is mine" — " I only cared for my soul." A most delightful work of the Hol}^ Spirit was manifest among the children in Hamilton. At the first childrens' meeting, over a thousand children were present, and nearly as many adults. About three hundred cam^ to the first inquiry meet- ing. Nearly all were in tears. Numbers of these soon gave evidence to their teachers and minis- ters, of a change of heart. It is now several months since these childrens' meetings began,- but they are still sustained with great interest. In one of the public schools large numbers meet daily to pray. No one could hear the earnest pleadings of these little ones of eight, nine, and ten years of age, without being convmc- 102 LITTLE ONES IN TTIE FOLD. ed that it is possible for the grace of God to dwell in young hearts. Eev. J. Denham Smith often spends a portion of his time while addressing both children and adults, in reading letters from recent converts. Some who have had far less experience than himself in the work of winning souls to Jesus, find fault with him for this, but he regards it safer to follow the example of men like Edwards and Whitfield, who gave to the world the experience of many of their converts. " The Revival," a paper published in London, in giving an account of one of the meetings held in St. James' Hall, London, says : " A number of letters were read, some from individu- als who had been personally blessed by these meetings. This letter-reading serves several ver}'- important purposes; it exhibits in a manner the most impressive, several great facts and doctrines of Revelation ; the ruined condition of the human race, redemption through the death ofChrist, regeneration hj the Spirit of God, repentance, faith, peace, hope, and joy — all come out with a most refreshing varie- ty, and at once illustrate and fortify tlie statements of the preacher. It seems to be the dictate of nature among souls brought into a state of distress. "Whitfield relates that on his first appearance in the open air in MoorCclds, LITTLE OXKS IN THE FOLD. 103 he received afterwards more than one thousand notes from those who had been impi-essed by the word of truth." " THEN I FELT I WAS A GREAT SINNEE." May all the little readers of this book, enjoy the same street experience of the writer of this note. Do not rest satisfied with a few tears and prayers. You must get the "new heart," and though God wishes to give it to j^ou, He cannot till you come like this little girl, and give j^our- self up to Jesus, and ask God for Jesus' sake, to send the Hol}^ Spirit to help you to see Jesus bleeding on the cross for guilty sinners. " Montreal, Dec. 17lh, 1862. ^'Dcar Mi\ Tlajntnond : — I went to your meeting on Sunday, and I did not feel I was a sinner till I heard you tell the story of little Jimmie, and how he died for Jesus; then 1 felt I was a sinner ; but on IMonday morning I had forgot all about it. I went in the afternoon, but when I came home, I just felt the same as I did wheri I went, and cared no more about my sins. I thought I would go and see what the inquiry-meeting was like, so I went ; and it was then that I felt I was a great sinner. I felt so all the rest of the night ; and Wednesday night at the inquiry meeting I gave myself to Jesus. On Thursday you asked |mc if I had found Jesus, and I said I had. And you told me to go and find some one who had not found the Saviour ; and I found some, and I told them 104 LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. how he died for them, tlmt they nhoiild not perish, but have eternal life. Then I prayed with them, and told them to pray for themselves, and to pray earnestly, and God would answer their prayers, and give them clean hearts. And I have been happy ever since. I am glad you came ; if you had not come, I am afraid I, and lots more, would be in our sinful ways yet. '* yours with much love." • " THEY LAUGHED AT ME." A little child of ten summers, thus speaks of the way she found peace : " 1 am a little girl of ten years of age. I came to your meeting on Tuesday evening, — and I went all the week. On Friday evening there was a young girl spoke to me, and I felt I was a sinner, and 1 went home, and I felt more miserable all the time. I knelt down and 1 prayed to God to forgive my sins, and went to bed ; and I felt that I had a heavy burden around my heart. And the next day 1 prayed ta God to forgive my sins. And the next night I went to the meeting, and I found Jesus, and I felt happier than 1 ever had in my life ; and I told some of my little friends how I found .Jesus, but they laughed at me, and said to leave them alone." We quote a report of some of the childi'ens* meetings, from the Hamilton " Christian Advo- cate " : " LET US GO JUST TOR FUN." " We give below a letter from a little girl, which was read in the three o'clock union prayer-meeting : LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. 105 ' I did not attend your meetings for the first few daj-s. One of my schoolmjitcs Raid, ' Let us go to-morrow morn- ing, just for fun, to hear some stories of the next morn- ing. ' We went, and when we were kneeling down to pi ay I felt what a great deceiver I was, and I hegan to weep. AVhen we were singing, * Don't reject Ilim,' I felt that I had rejected ilim. It troubled me badly, and when I went to school I continued to weep nearly all the morn- ing. When I went home I went to my room and prayed tiiat God would take away my wicked, black heart, and give me one to love and serve God. I felt my burden of sin lightened when I arose from my knees. ]\Iy dear mother often talks to me about my soul, and she prays for me too. The girls at school scoff at me, but I do not mind them. I feel that Jesus is my friend. Oh, how dreadful to reject such a kind and loving Jesus, IIow could I have rejected Ilim so long ? Will you pray for me that I may ever cling to Jesus?'" "I GAVE UP EVERYTHING." " Large numbers of boys from six to twelve years of age, are among the numbers of those rejoicing in the par- doning mercy of Jesus. It would melt a hard heart to hear them tiilk and pray in their little meetings . Little groups may be seen down upon their knees praying with and for each other, and engaged in earnest, solemn con- versations. Many of them can say, ' Whereas I was blind, now I see. (John ix. 25.) A.nd no one of the ' wise and prudent' can convince them to the contrary. We add a short note from one of these boys, whose father, lately a bold blasphemer, has erected the family altar : 106 LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. * Rev. Mr. Hammond : — You were liere a week and a hall" before I attended any of the meetings. I have been regular ever since. I was a very gi-eat sinner up to Thurs- day, when my mother talked with me about my soul. I felt as if I had to die just now, that my soul would be damned, and I would go to the bottomless pit of hell. 1 prayed to God to cleance my soul, and to ' create in me a new heart,' for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ. I gave up everything, and went to Jesus. I now feel hap- py, and I can sing that beautiful hymn, ' Come to Jesus just now,' and I invite all sinners to ' come to Jesus just now. ' I thank God that you came to this city, for I nev- er had so much pleasure. I will say with the Psalmist : * But as for me, I with my mouth, Will greatly praise tlie Lord ; And I among the multitude His praises will record.' " " I DID NOT KNOW MY OWN HEART." " Thus speaks a little girl of twelve ^^ears, whose letter to Mr. Hammond was read in the ' brick church.' It was a mirror in which many saw themselves : ' My dear Mr. Hammond: — It is now two daj'S since I trust I found Jesus. It was on Thursday, when you preached in the * brick church.' I had all my life heard and read a great deal about religion, and at times felt very anxious about my soul. I now wonder how I could have lived so long careless and almost indifferent whether I was saved or not. I was very much impressed that evening, and felt more deeply than I ever did before, the awful danger of delaying to secure salvation. Still I did LITTLE ONES IX THE FOLD. 107 not feel as if I was able to come to Jesus at once. I felt as if I ought to wait a iiitle longer until I should feel more sorrow for tny sins ; and then I thought I would be more ready to trust Jesus. 1 did not stay to the evening meeting that evening, but the next day, when you ad- dressed the children of the central school, I went below with the inquirers. Several persons spoke to me, and you said a few words about trusting Jesus. I felt more miserable than ever ; and thus 1 went on, attending all the meetings, alwa\'8 going down with the inquirers, and every night coming home with the burden heavier on my heart. What made me feel the more miserable was, that I 8;vw no reason why I was not a Christian. I did not know of any particular sin which I was not willing to confess. I felt as if I -^-as willing to give up everything for Jesus ; but I did not then know my own heart. I was quite willing, like the poor Indian you spoke of last night, to gi\e up my dog and my gun, but I was not will- ing to give myself up to Jesus. Last Monday I felt al- most like giving up in despair, and thought I would not go to any more of the meetings, as I concluded it only in- crcjised my guilt and responsibility. But that eveninir, just a short time before the meeting, I heard of the con- version of one of my schoolmates. She had only been at one or two of the meetings, but had at once received the truth, and was then rejoicing in Jesus. This startled me dreadfully. I thought if she so readily believed, what could it be that kept me from Christ ? ' I resolved tQ go to the meeting once more, and went with an almost despairing heart. That evening you preached just such a sermon as I needed ; you spoke about Christ's ability to save — how lie was able to save to the 1C8 LITTLE ONES IN THE ECLD. uttermost all that come unto God by Ilim. It seemed as if I could not keep from believing any more. I was al- most afraid to indulge the hope that I was indeed saved ; but thank God, I do believe it. I felt as if the dreadful burden was rolled away. I saw the utter impossibility of struggling any longer, and I cannot tell you how hap- py I felt that night when 1 felt that I could sleep without the awful feeling of unpardoned guilt on my conscience. That was the first night I had slept peacefully for a long time. I could write a great deal more, but feel I could never express my gratitude to God for having saved me. I feel so thankful to you and other Christians, who tried so often to point me to the loving Saviour, while all the time I was closing my heart against Him. Oh ! will you pray that God will help me to woik for Ilim, and that I may never be ashamed of Jesus? I remain 3'our loving friend. 'IlamiUon, Nov. 12, 18G2.' " " I COULD NOT PRAY." When the Spirit of God is moving on the hearts of old and 3'oung, they begin to take sides for or against Christ. We have often been struck with the decided an- swers given to the question, " Do 3'ou love Jesus ?'' and " Do ,you pray?" This little girl, though she had said her prayers all her life, found, after all, that she " could not pray." Have you, m}^ dear LITTLE OXLS IN THE FOLD. *• 109 young reader, learned that so long as you cling to 3^our sins, and reject Christ, j^ou cannot praj^, for it is onl3^ through Christ, who stands between us and God, that we can speak with the Holy of Holies. " Hamilton, Nov. 14, 18G2. " I attended your meetings regularly. The first morn- ing, some of the kind ministers spoke to me, and I felt that I was a sinner. 'Sjxxt I could not praij. The next morning it was the same ; and it lasted all last week. At one of the meetings some of the kind ministers spoke to me again, and I tried to pray, and Jesus put words into my mouth, and Jesus answered my prayer. That night when I went home I was happy, so happy I couldn't tell you ; and I prayed again ; and now I love to pray, and read my Bible, and sing. Why ! I sing all the time. But I must tell you that I am an orphan — both motherless and fatherless. But I hope that I have a heavenly Fath- er. I can't keep on loving Jesus unless Jesus helps me. I am now ten years old. How unhappy those must be that have not found Jesus. For I can tell you myself, I love to pray, and sing, so much, that I am humming in school. Don't think that I don't love my minister. He has been very kind ; is preaching the pure gospel to us all. It is my own fault that I didn't find Christ sooner." " I WAS GREATLY AFFECTED." These letters show that in some cases the Holy Spirit seemed gradually to deepen the impressions of truth upon the heart. 110 • LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. Let not any be discouraged though they may not sec the immediate growth of the " good seed." " J am sorry to say that 1 did not go to your meetings to hear of the welfare of my soul. I went merely to hear some pretty stories ; hut I soon found out my mistake. I attended another one of the meetings that was held in the same church, but I did not seem to care much about it ; and was glad when I got home. I attended the meeting at Mr. Inglis's church where I was not much af- fected. I also went to jSIr. Burnett's church, where I was greatly affected ; and one of the kind ministers who spoke with me, told me I was a sinner ; and said that if I did not ask God's mercy that I would not see the king- dom of heaven. The next week I went to the brick church, where I was deeply concerned. There I asked God to forgive me, and I hope he has ; and I trust that the Lord will give me his Holy Spirit." " I WAS A REBEL AGAINST CHRIST." And so is every boy and girl that reads this book, if they have not repented of their sins, and believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is my l^rayer thatj^ou, like the writer of this short note, may cease to fight against God, and learn to love Him with all ^-our heart. LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. Ill " Hamilton, Nov. 10, 1862. " I thank you for telling me that I was a rebel against Christ. I am just five days old when 1 write this letter to you. Some people say you are crazy, but I don't think 60. 0, no. I think that you are a messenger sent from God, to lead me and all people to find the way to happi- ness. 0, da not forget to pray for me. I believe that I have found Jesus ; and I am so happy. I love to read my Bible. ! those beautiful chapters which you told us to remember. I read them over and over again, and every time I read them, the more I find them interesting." " I FELT JESUS IS MINE." Some of the most touchiug scenes we have ever witnessed, have been in cliildrens' inquiry meet- ings, when the little ones, who had found Jesus, were engaged in little clusters in earnest prayer and conversation for their mates, who were weep- ing for their sin3. Does it not appear that the little writer of the note below, was taught of the Spirit. (Rom viii. 12.) " I feel very happy to let you know that I have found a Friend that sticketh closer than a brother. I went to every one of the meetings that you held for the children, and to a few of the evening meetings also ; but it never left very much impression on me, until last night, and then I felt more than ever that I was a lost sinner, and that I never could be saved unless I gave up all for Jesus ; 112 LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. and then when I went on my knees this morning, I said, Lord Jesus, take me, * Just as I am, without one plea, But that thy blood was shed for me; And that thou biddest me come to thee, Lamb of God, I come.' And then I felt that He had indeed taken me and washed all my sins away in the precious blood of Jesus Christ, I went then to the childrens' meeting this morning, and when you asked those that were not yet converted to come into the little room beside the pulpit, I went in, thinking that I would feel a great deal better if some one would speak to me ; so when I went in, there jyas a lady took me aside into a little room and conversed witli me ; and tlien again I began to feel that I was not worthy of acceptance ; but when I came out again into the room, one of my schoolmates asked me if I would kneel down, that if I would, she would pray for me ; we did so, and I was hardly off my knees when I felt ' Jesus is mine.' " " I ONLY CARED FOR MY SOUL." f Another " little friend " found that she had a proud heart. '*The first meeting I went to, you asked those that wished to be prayed foa, to stand up. I could not, for I was afraid that others would laugh at me. I then went to one of the morning meetings, and you spoke to me, and I then felt that I was a great sinner. Last Friday night I went again, and I stood up to be prayed for. I did not care whether they laughed or not. I only cared for LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. 113 my soul. I went on Saturday afternoon, and you talked and prayed with me. I went home feeling very misera- ble. That night after tea, there was a small prayer meet- ing in one of the young ladies' rooms ; and there I sought and found the Saviour. Please pray for me, that I may continue faithful in serving the Lord that died for me. " Your little friend." STORY OF OLIVIA SPRINGER' S EARLY LOVE FOR JESUS. While in Hamiltou, C. W., I learned the follow- ing fiicts with regard to this little girl, who at the age of three and a half years^ gave pleasing evi- dence of having given her young heart to Jesus. Accounts of her happy death were published at the time. " A little girl, named Olivia Springer, only three and a half years old, was converted during a revival in Hamil- ton, and gave satisfactory evidence to all that she had truly experienced a change of heart. She was a happy little creature, and nearly all the day she would sing that sweet chorus : ' I love Jesus,' and would often throw her- self into her mother's lap and say, ' Mamma, I do love Je- sus, and he loves me too.' She loved to pray, and read her Bible, and would frequently talk with her brother older than herself, about Jesus. The following autumn the family removed to Florida, and took little Olivia with them. The first Sunday after their arrival, she accompa- nied her parents to church. The text was, 'He that lov- eth not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Ma- 114 LITTLE ONES IX TUE FOLD. ranatha.' She paid particular attention to what the min- ister said, and as soon as she was where she could speak aloud, she eaprerlj asked, ' Who was it that did not love Jesus?' Not long after, she sickened with that dreadlUl disease, croup, which made it very difficult for her to speak. She told her mother she was going to die, and go to Jesus, and asked her to pray. Her mother led in prayer, and the little girl articulated every word distinct- ly. A few hours after, a dear minister visited her, and engaged in prayer, after which she reached out her little arms and asked him to take her, (she was always a retir- ing child and would not make any approach to strangers,) which he did, and when laying her back upon the bed, she said, ' Mamma, I love him, because he loves Jesus.' " She died in a few hours, aged about four and a half years. Her last words, spoken with much difficulU-, as her breath was short, were, ' / lo-ve Jc-sus.^ " The readers of this book would bo amused to look over the letters from w^hicli these selections are made. But though the words are often mis- spelled, still the}^ tell the same sweet stor}^ of love to Jesus. I hope the printer will be able to make out the following letter, and print with the little i's and all, just as it reads : " I wish to tell you how i found Jesus, i went to jneeting Sunday to here you tell storyes, after meeting you asked us to stop, i thought i would stop, you come to me and asked me if i loved Jesus, i told you no, but i LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. 115 think i can say yes now, and you left me. i felt i was a great sinner. After meeting i went to walk because i did not want any one to know that i had been crying for my sins, i went to meeting monday night and Mr. Cowell told me Jesus dide to save me. i felt very badly, i thought i would not stop to the inquiry meeting the next nigiit, but before i would get out a lady spok to me. i went to the ehildrens meeting, and after meeting you told all that loved Jesus to come up to the pulpit, and i could not go, and they sung come to Jesus, i felt very badly, i went home and knelt down and asked Jesus to forgive my sins, and he did and i am happy, now i hav a sister out of Jesus and i want you to pray for her. I love to pray, i hant a shamed of Jesus know, i thank you for your kind words." " I AM A LITTLE BOY ONLY EIGHT YEARS OLD." Among the letters from the little boys in Cana- da, who thought they found Jesus, is the follow- ing : " 1 am very glad that you came to Hamilton to hold such dear meetings. I have attended nearly all the ehil- drens' meetings, and think that they have led me to strive to be good. Oh, I do want to love Jesus. I want you to pray for me. I know I am very weak. I do think Jesus will help me, if I only trust him. I hope he will take away all my evil temper. I am often angry, and grieve my dear mamma, by my naughty conduct ; but now 1 want to love every body, and more especially Jesus." I do love to learn your sweet hymns, and think, ' Come to Jesus,' is the best one of all. 1 love to pray now more 116 LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. than ever I did. Pray for me. I am a weak little boy — only ^ight years old. I shall pray for you." '* Lord ! forgive a sinf il child, Whose heart is all unclean; How base am I, and how defiled, By the vile work of sin. *' Oh ! change this stubborn heart of mine, And make me pure within ; Still manifest thy love divine, And save me fi'om my sin. *' Stubborn, untractable, and wild. Is my obdurate heart ; Lord, to me thy chaste, thy mild. Thy holy mind impart. ** Then shall I make redeeming love My daily, nightly song; . And joys like theirs who sing above. Shall tune an infant's tongue." A little boy from Maine, nearly a year after the time he thonght he obtained the forgiveness of his sins, thus writes. He is one of the many who I hear, are still clinging to Jesus. *' I am getting along nicely, and I feel as though Jesus is with me. I try to serve him as well as I can. I think that I am prepared for death. When I first became a Christian, I had doubts and fears, but now I do not, I have a clear light of Jesus, and I hope 1 shall continue on till the end. When you first came here, I did not think that I should become a Christian ; but when I went to LITTLE ONES IN TUB FOLD. 117 your meetings I felt dijQPerent. I felt that I ought to be- come a Christian." A 'Tis pleasant ivoi-k if we begin To fear the Lord betimes; While sinners who grow old in sin. Grow hardened in their crimes. 'Twill save us from a thousand snares. If blest with grace when young ; Grace will preserve our following years. And make the weakest strong. Let the sweet work of prayer and praise Employ our youngest breath ; Thus we're prepared for longer days. Or fit tor eai'ly death. " WITH JESUS' HELP, I WILL KEEP ON LOVINQ HIM." Tims writes another dear boy from the " Pine State," some ten months after he wept over his sins, and believed in the Lord Jesus Chi'ist. He has been taken into the church, with more than twenty other little ones. He takes his part in the prayer-meeting, his father writes, and is living the life of the Christian. " Dear Mr. Hammond, — I am still loving Jesus, and with Ills help I will keep on loving him. I often think of the time you first came here ; how unwilling I was to go to your meetings. The first time I went I was some- 118 LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. ■what interested, but coming home I forgot all about it. Wli0 I got home, I went up into my mother's room, where she was sitting. I was not thinking much about the meeting, and she saw it, and said, ' I hoped you would come home more interested about your soul.' She asked me to go into my room and pray, and I went and asked Jesus to forgive my sins, and take me to be his child, and I hope he did. Will you not pray for my brother. I do not think he is a Christian ; and pray for me, also. The boys have a prayer-meeting every Satur- day afternoon, at three o'clock." A CATHOLIC GIRL IN NEW-YORK. In a childrens' meeting in Dr. E. F. Hatfield's church, sat an anxious girl, weeping, as she said, for her sins. Curiosity had prompted her to at- tend the meetings. The spirit of God had touch- ed her heart. And though she w^as older than most of the little children about, still she sat among them, seeking Jesus. Her first words were, " Oh ! I cannot give up my church. My father would never forgive me. I joined it when I was seven j^ears old. None of my friends know that I am here. How can I give up the chui'ch ? " I told her she should not think about that now, and asked, " Do you feel that you are a sinner against a holy, sin-hating God?" LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. 119 "Oh, yes," said she, " I have had no peace since I first came to these meetings." Then Jesus in- vites yon. He came to call " sinners to repent- ance." After pointing to the bleeding sacrifice for sinners, we knelt and prayed, and it was touching to hear her pleading cries for forgiveness. For a few days she seemed happ}^, but her head one night was bowed. She requested me to pray for her. Already her friends had begun to persecute her. While on her knees she turned to me and said with tears, " Do 3^ou think there is a purga- tory ? " She asked it in a wa^^ that showed pretty plainly that she did not believe in the doctrine. After we had told her what the word of God said in regard to the future condition of the soul, she asked, "Is it right to pray to the Virgin Mary?" Thus it seemed that God was teaching her by his Spirit, and guiding her into all truth. At one of the childrens' meetings in the Brook- lyn Tabernacle, a girl of eleven summers, who, a few days before was weeping for her sins, gave us the following dream, which was read to the meet- ing : — 120 LITTLE ONES IX THE FOLD, " BrooJchjn, March 6, 1863. " Ml/ dear Mr. Hammond, — Last night I had a beauti- ful dream of Heaven. I thought I would write to you about it. *' I dreamed we were all in the Tabernacle, and you led us into a beautiful country where there was a garden cov- ered with green grass, and it was filled with seats, and you bid us all who would enter Heaven to come in and take seats ; and all who would not, would go to the bad place ; but I dreamed we all followed you in, and as we were marching along, suddenly the clouds opened, and Jesus came down and spoke to you, and then turned around and said, ' Follow me,' and we all followed him, and he led us into Heaven, and we each had a crown fill- ed with diamonds, but yours had a large diamond in front, with reward written in Httle diamonds over it, and as we were then surrounded with angels, we joined them in chorus singing before the throne of God. Oh ! my dear Mr. Hammond, I cannot tell you how beautiful Heaven appeared to me, as I awoke I wished it was true." * The writer of this dream, w^as often seen npon her knees in the inquiry -meeting, praying with her weeping little companions. R. G. Pardee, Esq., of New- York, who was often seen at the childrens' meetings in Dr. Hatfield's church, point- ing weeping children to the Saviour, contributes the fol- lowing for "Little Ones in the Fold." THE CHILD-CHRISTIAN. Can a child become a Chi'istian? Yes, a child, a little child can and ought to become a Christian. How ? B}^ repenting of its sins, and believing in the Lord Jesns Christ, and loving and serving Him. When ? Koiv. Childhood and j^outh is the A'ery best time in all of life, to become Christians, cheerful, happ}^ Christians. God sa3^s, " I love them that love me, and those that seek me early, shall find me.'" Children should be taught at first, to look on the Lord Jesus Christ as their most kind, patient, loving friend, and the earty song of their hearts should be — " Jesus loves me, this I know. For the Bible tells me so ; Little cues to Him belong, They are weak, but He is strong. " All children, as soon as they are old enough, should be taught to knoic, to love, and to obey 122 LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. Jesus Christ. That is Religion. Ilence children should be taught to ask questions, that they may inquire and learn all about who Jesus is. They should be taught to search the Scriptures, that is, read the Bible carefully^ thoiightfidbj, so that they may know Jesus Christ. It is thus written : " 'J his is life eternal, that they may know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." Said a dear little girl, " Dear mamma, I should think that every body that knows Jesus, would love him." We should think so too. But little chil- dren have hard and wicked thoughts, and feelings. Some one inquires, 'How do jon know that?' I reply, I remember how I felt when I was a child, and mauy other children have told me that their hearts were so "cery hard, that they would not love the good Lord, w^ho had done so much for them. Ah, yes, little children are selfish. They love themselves too much, and thc}^ love others too lit- tle. They try to suit themselves, and do just as they please, whether it makes others happy or not. The}^ love to have their own wa}^, and have what they want, and do as thej^ please, and do not care much about the good of others. This is seljishness. They do not even feel grateful to God for being so kind to them. Again, the}^ cherish bad tempers, get into quarrels and disputes, and are often diso- LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. 123 beclient. The}' do not like to be controlled and re- strained. They want to make their own will, their law. The law of God is holy, just and good, but they break that law carelessly, thoughtlessl}', and wickedlj^ Dr. Chalmers used to saj^, " The sub- stance of the gospel is, to believe what the Bible tells you, and do what the Bible bids you." But children when they read the Bible, do not try to find out what the Lord wants them to do, and not to do. When Samuel was a little boy, God spake to him one night, three times, and his answer was, " Speak Lord, for th}^ servant heareth." This should be the language of all children. God speaks to them in his word, the Bible, and when- ever they read that word, or hear it taught or preached, they should listen most carefully, and thoughtfully. David says, "J thought on my icays, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies." God speaks to them now a-days. The Bible words are God speaking to us, and those who live very near to God, love to read the Bible more than any story book. It is like a letter from a dear, kind, and loving father. When 3'our heart is all right, ycu will read it lovingly, and j^ou will be very happy and joyful, and you sing for gladness, *' Happy day when Jesus washed my sins away." By learning of Jesus, by loving Jesus, by living 124 LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. for Jesus, we find pardon for sins, and joy and hope and salvation. You ask, How shall I, a little child, get all these blessings ? I answer, by prayer. We must have help from God, and that we must ask for, for Jesus' sake. We must pray earnestly^ we must continue to praj^, we must pray believingl}^ with our whole heart. Our cry should be, " Lord teach us to pra}'." A little girl said, " When I am praying, it seems as if my heart talked." It is " talking to God with the heart," said another little one. I once knew a little boy in the city of New- York, not more than ten years old, who had been a very wicked 'boy. He tried to be good, and could not make it out. At last he became discouraged, and thought he was going to destruction. He thought he would try once more, and went and asked the Lord to help him. His little prayer was, " Oh Lord, please make me a good bo}", this daj^, for Christ's sake. Amen." He prayed it over and over again, until he cried ; his little heart was broken. He was a good boy that day, and he says he knows it was just because God heard and answer- ed his prayer. Yes, dear children, God will hear and answer the sincere prayer of little children. Children cannot be good and pious unless the Lord comes to help them, and they should always LITTLE ONES IX THE FOLD. 125 go and ask for just such things as thej^ really want. He loves to hear and answer prayer. He is very near. He is in the very room where we are. His ear will hear the faintest whisper, and he knows the least wish w^e have to go to him. Said a dear mission-school girl in New- York, a few da^'s ago, "I do wish Jesus was in this Avorld now. I would go any where to find him." Why M'ould you go to find him? " I want to ask him some questions." Is not Jesus very near }■ ou now, and will he not hear your questions if you speak to him? " 0/^, yes" whispered the child, for she now felt that Jesus was in the room, and would hear, and was willing to answer. Come straight to Jesus then, dear children, and saj- — " Just as I am, without one plea, But that thy blood was shed for me, And that thou bid'st me come to thee, O Lamb of God, I come." [We are indebted to Rev. J. B. Waterbury for the fol- lowing report of a Sermon delivered in the Brooklyn Tabernacle, for the ''Little Ones in the Fold."] LITTLE SERMON FOR LITTLE HEARTS. THE TACK IIAM5IER. In a recent address in the Brooklyn Tabernacle, to the children, by ReA\ Mr. Hammond, the speaker, in order to show the attractive pcwer of the Cross upon 3'onng hearts, referred to a peculiar kind of carpet-hammer. " Have yon ever," said he, " seen a magnetized tack-hammer ; " that is, explaining, " a hammer with one end having the propert}- of a load-stone which takes up the tacks, whilst with the other end they are hammered in. Have 3'ou children ever seen this kind of hammer ?" Instant- ly up flew a number of little hands. " Ah, I see many of you have. Well, the gospel is something like this hammer. It draws the little tacks, whilst the big nails wont move. Now suppose," he con- tinued, " you were to bring near this magnetized end of the hammer, a number of fine needles ; what would be the effect ? " Answer by several voices : *' it would draw them." "Yes, that's right; it LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. 127 would draw them. They would seem as if they had life. They would spring to\yards the end of the hammer, and cling to it, just as if they had an affection for it ; just as a child springs towards its mother, and clings upon her neck. What makes this? Ah, dear ones, there is some mystery here. AVe can't explain it. But you can understand the fict, for you see it Avith your eyes. But who are these little needles? Can you tell?" Up go the hands. " Well, who are they ? " B}^ several voices, " thc}^ are the little children." " Kiglit ; the}' are, and what is it that draws them ? " Again the lit- tle hands are up — " it is Jesus." " Yes, how sweet- ly and strong!}' He draws them ! But they must come, or be brought near to Him — for don't you notice, that if the little needles are not brought near to the hammer, they don't move towards it ? But vv'hen you lay them close by, then they move and fasten upon it, as if they could not help cling- ing to it. Oh, beautiful thought ! Parents and Sunday School teachers, think of it. Bring your little ones near. There is a sweet dravring power in Jesus. Bring them and lay them near, and see if they are not drawn as by the cords of love into His arms. But now, dear children, you observe that the big ones are not so easily drawn. While the little ones are clustering, as if all alive, around the centre of attraction, the big ones lie as if dead. 128 LITTLE ONES IN THE FOLD. They don't move at all. Even wlxen the hammer is laid upon them, or strikes a hard blow, they scarcely seem to move. Ah, these big sinners, how hard it is to move them. And now children, if whilst 3'ou are little, and can come to Jesus so much more easily, so to speak, you keep at a dis- tance — keep too far off from Jesus to feel His drawing power ; when 3'ou get big, as 3'ou soon will, you will be lilie the big needles, and perhaps you will never be drawn to the bosom of Jesus. How dreadful that will be ! " Don't you recollect a beautiful passage in the New Testament, which speaks of Jesus drawiiig hearts to Him? Who can quote it?. (Silence.) Can none of you repeat it ? (Silence still.) Well, repeat it after me : ' And I, if I be lifted up' — in a subdued voice — And I, if I be lifted up — 'will draw all men unto me ' — will draw all men unto me. Now fix that text in your minds, and con- nect it in 3- our thoughts with the little hammer and the needles. Yes, Jesus was lifted up on the cross by His enemies, in order to render Him ignomini- ous ; that is, that all people might scorn one that was crucified. So thei/ meant it for evil. But God meant it for good, that He might draw all men unto Him. And he did draw even some of His crucifiers unto Him. The Roman centurion who ordered the soldiers to drive the nails into His LITTLE OXES IN THE FOLD. 129 flesh, thsLt hard-hearted Roman gazed on the cross, until he felt his heart melted and moved, and he cried out, ' truly this was the Son of God.' And the dying thief who was crucified with Jesus, a very wicked man, turned his eyes upon our Lord, and felt his heart drawn towards Him. * Oh,' said he, ' this Jesus is righteous, but what a sinner I am-' And he looked at that blood oozing from His thorn- clad brow, and streaming from his pierc- ed hands, and he said, ' Surely that blood can wash my sins away.' Then he put up a pra3"er — ' Lord, remember me.' See how he was di-awru And Jesus did aremember him, and took him with Him up to heaven. " And, now children, have j^ou been di'awn to Jesus? Has His dying love like a secret cord drawn you to this precious Saviour ? If so, cling to Him now and forever. And bring other little ones near Him. Perhaps they will be drawn also. If you have not yet come to Him, oh, come now, while so manj^ are flocking to Him, and clustering around his feet, and nestling, as it were, in His very bosom. ' Come to J^sus, come now J " EEVIVAL IIYMNg "JUST AS I AM." [The following Hymn written by a lady in England, has been greatly owned of God in leading young and old to the " Lamb of God which taketh away the Bin of the world." John i. 29. The tune also is a favorite one in Scotland. Many dear little children there, will remem- ber it to all eternity. The two Hymns which follow may also be sung to it.] JUST AS I AM, Sii =3.=i I b ■with -out one plea, But that thy — N — blood was shed for me, And that thou bidst me come to Lamb feb^^^^^3 God, I come. =1=^^ 132 REViyAL HYJINS. Just as I ara— find waitinc: not To rid my soul of one dark blot, lo Thee whose blood can cleanse each spot, # 0, Lamb of God, I come ! Just as I am, thouirh tossed about. With many a conflict, many a doubt. Fightings within and fe.irs without, O, Lamb of God, I come ! Just as T am — poor, wretched, blind; Sight, riches, healing of the mind. Yea, all I need in Thee to tind, O, Lamb of God, 1 come ! Just as I am— Thou wilt receive, Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve. Because Thy promise I believe, 0, Lamb of God, I come ! Just as I am— Thy love unknown Has broken every barrier down. Now, to be Thine, yea. Thine alone, 0, Lamb of God, I come ! Thy Will be Done. My God, my Father, while I stray Far from my home in life's rough way, teach me from my heart to say " Thy will, Thy will be done." Though dark my path , and sad my lot, Let me " be still," and murmur not; breathe the prayer, divinely taught, " Thy will. Thy will be done." What though in lonely grief I sigh For friends beloved, no longer nigh, Submissive still I would reply, '* Thy will, Thy will be done." REVIVAL HYMNS. 133 If Thou shouldst call me to resign What most I prize, it ne'er was mine; I only yield Theft what was Thine, " Thy will, Thy will be done." Should pining sickness waste away My life in premature decay, My Father ! still I strive to say, " Thy will. Thy will be done." If but my fainting heart be blest With Thy pure Spirit for its guest. My God ! to Thee I leave the rest, • " Thy will. Thy will be done." Renew my will from day to day. Blend it with Thine, and take away All th;it now makes it hard to say, " Thy will, Thy will be done." Then , when on earth I breathe no more The prayer, half-mixed with tears before, I'll sing upon a happier shore, " Thy will, Thy will be done " Just as thou art. Just as thou art — without one trace Of love or joy, or inward grace. Or meetness for the heavenly place, guilty sinner, come ! Burdened with guilt, wouldst thou be blest ? Trust not the world, it gives no rest; I bring relief to hearts opprest — weary sinner, come. Come leave t'ly burden at the cross. Count all thy gains but empty dross, My grace repays all earthly loss ; needy sinner, come ! Come hither, bring thy boding fears, Thy aching heart, thy bursting tears; — 'Tis mercy's voice salutes thine ears, — trembling sinner, come ! The Spirit and the Bride say, come; Rejoicing saints re-echo, come; Who faints, who thirst, who will, may come — Thy Saviour bids thee come. 134 REVIVAL HYMNS. LITTLE ONES. z3: 5 — » — S-1-? — a — ^-i-5 — \/ — - — 5- -*•-#• -•■ -0- *^ ^ , -0- -0- *^ ^ sus, when lie left the eky, And for sin' ^=kLS -N— r-1 -^ — I — 1-\ 1- — *- DerB ;^=i^; ^ ■* -*■ I J to die, In His mer - cy pass'd nc I , — ^±. • , —C _ fiSIiSl^^^^ill ones like me, like me, Lit -tie ones like i3i^>^zia Mothers then the Saviour sought, In the i^hiccs where He taught. And to Him their chiirlrcn brought, Little ones like me. Did the Saviour say them " Nay ? " No, He kindfty bade them " otay ; " Suffered none to turn away Little ones like me. 'T was for them His life He gave, To redeem them from the grave; Jesus died, from hell to save Little ones like me. Children, then, should love Him, too; Strive His holy will to do; Pray to Him, and praise Him too, Little ones like me. REAT\ AL HYIMXS. 135 I WOULD BE LIKE AN ANGEL, 1 with the an - gels stand, 1 harp within my hand. ) , J I would be like an an - gel, And with the an - gels stand, I ■ I A crown up - on my forehead, A harp within my hand. J w}— — ^r — ' — I — ^— ^ -f-'^ dzznt There, right before the Saviour, So glo - rious and so gig-^:gz|z3-3-hzzt=|:^=rzzz:-|zc :izi^p iz:, bright, I'd wake the sweetest music, And praise Ilim with delight, Z3ig:zz=j =3 dz.^ii^~g"~i^-Tz±i3 I no.ver should be weary. Nor ever shed a tear, Nor ever know a sorrow. Nor ever feel a fear; But blessed, pure and holy, I'd dwell in Jesus' sight. And Avith ten thousand thousands I'd praise him with delight. I know I'm weak and sinful. But Jesus will forgive; For many little children Have gone to heaven to live. Dear Saviour, when I languish. And lay me down to die, 0, send a shining angel To bear me to the sky. l$6 REVIVAL IIT3IK5. Then I'll be like an angel. And with the angels stand j A crown upon my torehcad, A harp within my hand; And there before my Saviour, So glorious and so bright, I'll join the heavenly music, Aiid praise Him with delight. Jesus Paid it All. Nothing either great or small Remains for me to do; Jesus died and paid it all;, — All that I was due. Chorus — Jesus paid it all, All that I was due. And nothing either great or small Remains for me to do. When he from his lofty throne Stoop 'd to do and die. Every thing was fully done, *' 'Tis finished," was his cry. Cho. — Jeaus paid it all, &c. "Weary, working, plodding one. Wherefore toil you so ? Cease your " doing," all was done Long, long ago. Cho. — Jesus paid ft all, &c. Till to Jesus' work you cling. By a simple faith, •' Doing" is a deadly thing, " Doing" ends in death. C/io.— Jesus paid it all, &c. Cast your deadly " doing" down, Down at Jesus' feet; Stand in Him, in Him alone. Glorious and complete. Cho. — Jesus paid it all, &c. REVIVAL nniXS. 137 :|i%7rzi:. THE GOSPEL SHIP. 1. The Gospel ship along is sailing, Bound for Canaan's peaceful -N — I IS ! I * shore ; All who wish to sail to glory, Come and welcome, rich and poor. ■- -tf-^-j- cnoRus 9if^ir?TEt?E^ :^_^_^_^ ig '^z&Lz^: ■o-\-\—\ li TTe'll stem the storm it wont be long. The heav'nly port is nigh ; "We'll i ^^-ft-ff-j— ^ -F|'-^i -g-Fg^^-' -*-Fg-g-g-«'-F,^--- ^ F #|feEA^T:E?FEE^-:qL=^PdE5ES-:5ETfl I Btem the storm it wont be long, We'll anchor by and by. g-F o— g- g — g-F— Hi ^unii^ Thousands she hath safely landeJ, Far beyond th's raortal shore; Thousands still ai-e siilins in her. Yet there's room for thousands more. Waft along this noble vessel. All ye giles of Gospel crace; Carrying every faithful sailor To this heavenly landing place. 138 REVIVAL HYMNS. Come, poor sinner, come to Jesus, Sail with us thro' life's rough sea; Then with us you shall be happy, llappy through eternity. Love the Saviour. Little children, love the Saviour; Turn your wayward hearts to Him; He will guide you, He will lead you. Thro' life's pathway dark and dim. Chorus — For once He said while here below. Let children come to me; And they who seek his favor now. In Heaven his face shall see. Lean on Him when you are weary, He'll support you with fond care; He'll protect, and love, and bless you, For like you his angels are. Cho. — For once He said, &c. Jesus died for you dear children, — Died that you might happy be; That you might from sin and anguish Be at last for ever free. Cho. — For once He said, &c. Can you, will you, slight His goodness. Walk in sinful pleasure's ways, And forget your daily duties, Oft'ring Him your prayers and praise. Cho. — For once He said, &c. ! there's joy in rightly doing. Never found in vice and sin ; Then obey the risen Saviour, If a home in heaven you'd win. Cho. — For once rie said, &c. Read the Bible, it will point you To bright scenes of bliss on high — Where there's rest for all the weary. And our loved ones never die. Cho. — For once He said, &c. And, at last, when life is ended. You in heaven shall find sweet rest. There to dwell, through life eternal. With the saints among the blessed. Cho.—Yov once He said, &c. REVIVAL HYMNS. 139 ih JESUS IS MINE. :>rH- Nowlh Now I have fouiud a Friend, Jesus is mine ; His love shall never end, v-^- :^-]^zzzL:r-y/-yr- :;Vifvid: i—*-0± Je - sus is mine ; Tho' earthly joys decrease, Tho' hu - man ■(-;— tf — n;— H- friendships cease, Now I have lasting peace ; Je-sus is mine. Though I grow poor and old, Jesus is mine; He will my faith uphold, Jesus is mine. He shall my wants supply, His precious blood is nigh, Nought can my hope destroy, Jesus is mine ! When eanh shall pass away, Jesus is mine; In the great judgment day, Jesus is mine. Oh ! what a glorious thing. Then to behold my King, On tuneful heart to sing, Jesus is mine ! 140 REVIVAL HYMXS. Farewell mortality ! Jesus is mine; Welcome eternity ! Jesus is mine. He my Redemption is, Wisdom and Righteousness, Life, Light, and Holiness. Jesus is mine. Father ! thy name I bless, Jesus is mine; Thine was the sovereign grace, Jesus is mine. Spirit of holiness. Sealing the Father's grace. Thou mad'st my soul embrace, Jesus is mine. Jesus is Here. Tune — Happy Land. Oh ! come to Jesus now, Jesus is here; All near him lowly bow, Jesus is here. Too many go away. Too many still delay, Though Jesus bid's them stay — Jesus is here. Oh ! come this place within, Jesus is here; He sees you full of sin, Jesus is here. He knows you why you come, Poor, wretched, and undone. Seeking H-im and Him alone, Jesus i,s here. Come, then, to Jesus now, Jesus is here; All low before I Dim bow, Jesus is here. Oh, ye tlwit feel your sin. And coming long have been. Now find your rest in Him, Jesus JB here. REVIVAL HYMNS. 141 Come, come to Jesus now, Jesus is here; Old and young together bow, Jesus is here. Oh ! what a glorious thing. Sin's weary load to bring. And lose it while we sing, Jesus is here ! Fm a Pilgrim. I'm a pilgrim bound for glory; I'm a pilgrim going home; Come and hear me tell my story — All that love the Saviour— come. Chorus— I love Jesus, hallelujah; I love Jesus, yes, 1 do; I love Jesus, lie's my Saviour: Jesus smiles, and loves me too. When I first commenced my journey. Many said, " he'll turn again," But they all have been deceived; In the way 1 still remain. Cho. —1 love Jesus, &c. Many years have now elapsed. Since I first began to pray; I have been in many conflicts. And I am here alive to day. Cho.— I love Jesus, &c I will tell you what induced me. For the better land to start; 'Twas the Saviour's loving-kindness Overcame and won my heart. Cho. — I love Jesus, &c. I'm a wonder unto many; God the mighty change has wrought; Here I raise my Ebenezer; Hither by Thy help I'm brought. Cho.— I love Jesus, &,g. Soon to Jordan's swelling river. Like a pilgrim I shall come; Then I hope to shout salvation. And go singing glory home. Cho. — I love Jesus, &c. 142 REVIVAL HYMNS. REST FOR THE WEARY. 1. In the Christian's home in glory There remains a land of rest, •49- ^ -O- -0- -O" I . Where the Saviour's gone before me To fulfill my soul's request. ~i-r* rt"-— 'i&'^s-zt-wi 2i=JE^fc^=t mm. On theoth'cr side of Jordan, In the sweet fields of E- den, t-t: Where thAree of life is blooming, There is rest for you. re; '-^-^-^- There is re>t for the weary. There is rest for the weary, REVIVAL HYMNS. 143 There is rest for the wea - ry, There is rest for you. He is fitting up my mansion, W hich eternally shall stand ; Mv stay shall not be transient In that holy, happy land. Pain nor sickness e'er can enter; Grief nor woe my lot shall share; But in that celestial centre, 1 a crown of life shall wear. Sing, sing, ye heirs of glory, Shout your triumphs as you go ! Zion's gates will open to you, You shall find an entrance through. The Elder Brother. Yes, for me, for me he careth With a brother's tender care. Yes, with me, with me he shareth Every burden, evei-y fear. Cho. — He's our faithful Elder Bi'other, He's our kind, lovi.ng Shepherd, He will guide, and feed, and keep us, Till he come again. Till become in hisglory, Till he come in his glory. Till he come in his glory. Till he come again , Yes, in me abroad he sheddeth Joys unearthly — love and light; And to cover me he spi-eadeth His paternal wing of mivht. Cho. — He's our faithful, &c. Yes, in me, in me he dwelleth — I in him, and he in me ! And my empty soul he filleth. Here and through eternity. C/io.— He's our faithful, &o. 144 REVIVAL HYMKS. Thus I wait for his returning, Singin,^ all the way to heaven; Such the joyful song of morning. Such the tranquil song of even. Cho. — He's our faithful, &c. While ye have Light. There is a time, we know not when, A point, we know not where, That marks the destiny of men. To glory or despair. Chorus — Oh, Great God ! upon my soul Make Tliou thy light to shine; That hating sin, and *' entering in, I'll live the life divine. There is a line, by us unseen, That crosses every path; The hidden boundary between God's patience and his wrath. C/io.— Oh, Great God, &c. To pass that limit is to die, To die as if by stealth; It does not quench the beaming eye. Or i)ale the glow of health. C/io.— Oh, Great God, &c. where is this mysterious bourne. By which our path is crossed ; Beyond which, God himself hath sworn. That he who goes is lost ? C/io.— Oh, Great God, &c. How far may we co on in sin ? How long will God forbear? Where dotis hope end, and where begin The confines of despair? C/iO.— Oh, Great God, &c. An answer from the skies is sent : "Ye that from Gol depart. While it is called to-day, repent. And harden not your heart.'* CAo.— Oh, Great God, &e. REVR^iL n y:\ins. 145 Even Me. TvyiE— Greenville. Lord, I hear of showers of blessing Thou art scatt'ring full and free; Showers the thii-sty soul refreshing; Let some droppings light on me. Pass me not, O Gracious Father, Lost and sinful though I be, Thou might'st curse me, but the rather Let Thy mercy fall on me. Even me. Pass me not, tender S V K V » vt ■«.W V y-. ■» V V.V.V *-. ic K fc. >■ >