Chapter 23

REACHING THE HEART.

Jesus, let me thus be waiting, Full of hope, and love, and zeal Let Thy coming, to my spirit, Be a hope divine and real.

Dr. Hanna once said: "The heart is an interpreter. It is not in the intellect, it is in the conscience, in the heart, that the finest, most powerful organs of spiritual vision lie. There are seals that cover up many passages and pages of the Bible which no light or fire of genius can dissolve; there are hidden riches here that no labor of mere learned research can get at and spread forth. But those seals melt like the snow-wreath beneath the warm breathings of desire and prayer, and those riches drop spontaneously into the bosom of the humble and the contrite, the poor and the needy."

The great President Edwards, in his admirable work on the affections, declares that that religion which God requires, and will accept, does not consist in weak and lifeless inclinations raised but a little above a state of indifference. God, in His word, insists upon it, that we should be in earnest, fervent in spirit, and having our hearts vigorously engaged in religion. "And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him; and to serve the Lord thy God with _all thy heart_ and with all thy soul." "And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live."--Deut. xxx. 6.

The primary object of the successful worker then is to reach the hearts of the parents through the children, constantly remembering the divinely inspired words, "that a little child shall lead them." Let the following extracts from her pen speak for themselves:

"During the last month I have made two hundred and five visits, and brought eight children to the Sunday-school. I often find if we can gain the affection of the children it opens a way to the parent's hearts. For example: On entering a room one day, I asked if they had a Bible. The father, a rough-looking man, said, 'We have no money to buy Bibles--we need all our money to get something to eat.' 'Oh,' said I, 'if you have not the means to buy one I will give you one for nothing.' 'If I get it for nothing, I will thank you for it.' I took him one the next day; he thanked me very politely, and said, 'I will read it.' I handed the little girl a tract, in which was a picture of a child kneeling in prayer. The father seemed pleased, and before leaving, I said to the child, 'Now, my dear, if you learn to do as that little girl does, God will love you.' She looked up and said, 'Yes, ma'am.' When I called a few days after, the father said, 'My little girl did not forget her promise to you. Every night and morning she kneels down and prays, and thinks we should all do the same. I have been reading in the Bible. It tells us a great many good things, and when I get some clothes I shall try and come to church.'"

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We must form our opinion of aggressive work for Christ by the fruits that are produced. The pictorial tract put into the hands of the little girl, and her subsequent conduct, elicited the attention of that rough-looking father, and oh, what a blessed testimony to the power of divine grace in the parental statement, "Every night and morning she kneels down and prays, and thinks we should all do the same." It is evident that children feel the full force of the words of the apostle:

"Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living; way, which he hath consecrated for us through the vail, that is to say, his flesh; and having a high priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water."

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"In another place," she writes, "where I visit, the father keeps a dining saloon, and sells liquor. His daughter is in our Sunday-school, and he always appears glad when I call. 'You are the only one,' he says, 'who comes to do me good; I hope you will be blessed in your work; go up-stairs and see my daughter. _She is a lady_,' he added, 'although brought up in this way.' I generally read and pray with her, and as I left her the last time, she said, 'I hope I shall not always have to live in this way.' Her father was at the door as I came down-stairs; he met me, saying, 'May the Lord bless you. Come as often as you can; I would like to live a different life!' The daughter is pleasing, and mourns still for her mother, who died three years since."

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"Christ said I came not to send peace on earth but a sword." Now the word of God is quick and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword. The key of knowledge of the depravity of the heart is furnished the liquor dealer in the above interview, by the concession, "_I would like to live a different life._" The saloon keepers generally attribute their remaining in the business to the necessity of it in order to obtain a livelihood. But there are other occupations in which they could be diligently employed in order to maintain their families. Imagine a frail, aged, weak woman, cheerfully bringing gospel light into these dark dens of iniquity. It has been wisely said that the organ of pluck and perseverance has been prominently developed in the weaker sex from time immemorial, as in the case of Joan of Arc, Jennie Mac Rae, and the noble band of Christian workers connected with the Women's Christian Temperance Union of this country. The power of womanly kindness is indescribable. Hence we must ever remember that God has chosen the poor and weak things of this world to confound the mighty.

But to return to the diary. Here we find her intensely interested in a poor blind girl, for she writes, in November of this year, the following:

"About three years since, a young girl, a Roman Catholic, who was then a pupil at the Institution for the Blind, was brought to my notice. She became deeply interested in the Bible, and afterward embraced the Protestant faith, and since that time has continued firm in her belief and practice. She remained at the Institution until the end of the term, which expired in June. It was now necessary for her to seek another home. She was taken to the house of a relative, who insisted on her going to confession. This she refused, and was on this account rendered homeless. It was a source of great anxiety to know how to provide for her. The girl was sincere, evidently willing, 'not only to believe in Christ, but also to suffer for His sake.' Her case was stated to some ladies who felt an interest in her, and although they could not give her a home, they kindly assisted in paying her board; other friends to whom the case was made known did the same, and she is now learning a trade by which we hope she will soon earn enough for her own support. Her employer speaks well of her, and considers her very industrious.

"Another case is that of a family who took no interest in the subject of religion. They had a little daughter eight years of age, who loved to sing of Jesus, and would always sit still to listen to the reading of Scripture. One day she urged her mother to give her the baby, who was eighteen months old, as _her own_. The mother laughed, and said: 'You cannot take care of yourself; what will you do with him?' But she continued urging her request that the child might be given to her, until at last her mother said: 'Jimmy is yours.' 'Well,' said the child, 'if he is mine, I will take him wherever I go.' Soon after both children were taken sick, and both died, and were buried at the same time. This made a great impression on the minds of their parents; their hearts have been softened, and they now listen with attention to the words of truth, and we trust they may be led to follow the dear Saviour, who so loved their little ones, that He gathered them into his fold."

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The death of loved ones frequently softens the heart. A few days ago, I buried a dear, sweet girl belonging to the Sabbath-school, only sixteen years of age. At the funeral service a man who had been formerly an infidel was completely broken down. Why? because his little boy was taken regularly to the school by this girl, and he inquired of his father, "Now that Fannie is dead, and has gone to be with Jesus, who will take me to the school?" The father responded, and said, "I will." Ever since the father takes him there, and now attends the services at the church.