TOPIC: Children Leading Parents To Christ
TITLE: My Two Dollars
At the close of a series of meetings in Springfield, Mass., a mother handed
me a little girls picture wrapped in two one-dollar bills, at the same time
relating the following touching incident:
Her only child, at the age of six years, gave her heart to the Saviour,
giving, as the pastor with whom I was laboring said, the clearest evidence
of conversion.
At once she went to her mother and said, "Ma, I have given my heart to
Jesus and he has received me; now, wont you give your heart to him?'
(The parents were both unconverted at the time). The mother replied, "I
hope I shall some time, dear Mary." The little girl said, "Do it now, ma," and
urged the mother, with all her childlike earnestness, to give herself to the
Saviour then.
Finding she could not prevail in that way, she sought to secure a promise
from her mother, feeling sure she would do what she promised; for her
parents had made it a point never to make her a promise without carefully
fulfilling it. So time after time she would say, "Promise me, ma;" and the
mother would reply, "I do not like to promise you, Mary, for fear I shall
not fulfill."
This request was urged at times for nearly six years, and finally the little
petitioner had to die to secure the promise.
Several times during her sickness the parents came to her bedside to see
her die, saying to her: "You are dying now, dear Mary." But she would say,
"No, ma, I can't die till you promise me." Still her mother was unwilling to
make the promise, lest it should not be kept. She intended to give her
heart to Jesus some time, but was unwilling to do it now.
Mary grew worse, and finally had uttered her last word on earth: her
mother was never again to hear that earnest entreaty, "Promise me, ma."
But the little ones spirit lingered, as if it were detained by the angel sent
to lead her mother to Jesus, that the long-sought promise might be heard
before it took its flight.
The weeping mother stood watching the countenance of the dying child,
who seemed to say, by her look, "Ma, promise me, and let me go to Jesus."
There was a great struggle in her heart as she said to herself, Why do I not
promise this child? I mean to give my heart to Jesus, why not now? If I
do not promise her now, I never can.
The Spirit inclined her heart to yield. She roused her child, and said,
"Mary, I will give my heart to Jesus." This was the last bolt to be drawn;
her heart was now open, and Jesus entered at once, and she felt the joy
and peace of sins forgiven.
This change was so marked, she felt constrained to tell the good news to
her child, that she might bear it with her when she went to live with Jesus;
so, calling her attention once more, she said, "Mary, I have given my heart
to Jesus, and he is my Saviour now."
For six years Mary had been praying to God and pleading with her
mother for these words; and now, as they fell upon her ear, a peaceful
smile lighted up her face, and, no longer able to speak, she raised her little,
pale hand, and pointing upward, seemed to say, "Ma, we shall meet up
there." Her life's work was done, and her spirit returned to Him who gave
it.
The mothers heart was full of peace, though her loved one had gone. She
now felt very anxious that her husband should have this blessing which
she found in Christ.
The parents went into the room where the remains were resting, to look
upon the face of her who slept so sweetly in death, when the mother said,
"Husband, I promised our little Mary that I would give my heart to Jesus,
and he has received me. Now, wont you promise?"
The Holy Spirit was there. The strong man resisted for a while, then
yielded his will, and taking the little cold hand in his, kneeled and said,
"Jesus, I will try to seek thee."
The child's remains were laid in the grave. The parents were found in the house of prayer, the mother happy in Jesus, and the father soon having some evidence of love to Christ.
When I closed my labors in Springfield, Dr. Ide said to his congregation, I hope you will all give brother Earle some token of your regard for his services before he leaves. As this mother heard these words, she said she could, as it were, see her little Marys hand pointing down from heaven, and hear her sweet voice saying, "Ma, give him my two one-dollars."
Those two one-dollars I have now, wrapped around the picture of that dear child, and wherever I go, little Mary will speak for the Saviour.
Reader, is there not some loved one now pointing down from heaven and saying to you, "Give your heart to Jesus?" Are you loving some earthly object more than Jesus? God may sever that tie; may take away your little Mary, or Willie, or some dear friend. Will you not come to Jesus, without such a warning? -- A. B. Earle, From: Incidents Used In His Meetings, published in 1888.
A.B. Earle, American evangelist - Copied biographical notes, author unknown. --- Absalom Backus Earle, 1812-1895, American evangelist. A.B. Earle was born in Charlton, New York. He was converted at the age of 16 and began to preach two years later. The next three years were spent in study and preaching, until, at the age of 21, he was ordained at Amsterdam, New York. After pastoring there for five years, Earle felt led of the Lord to enter the evangelistic ministry. Fifty-eight years of his life were spent in holding meetings in the United States, every state, and Canada.
He compiled the following statistics: Number of series of meetings: 960. Number of services: 39,330. Miles traveled: 370,000. Total amount received for 64 years of ministry: $65,520.00. Conversions to Christ: 160,000. Men entering the ministry: 400. Earle authored the following books: Bringing in the Sheaves, Abiding Peace, Rest of Faith, The Human Will, The Work of An Evangelist, Evidences of Conversion, and Winning Souls. He died at his home in Newton, Massachusetts, on March 30, 1895, at the age of 83.
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