Our minister was a scholarly man, of refined tastes and a
sensitive organization, fervently spiritual, and earnestly
devoted to his work. It was all education to grow up under his
influence. I shall never forget the effect left by the tones of
his voice when be first spoke to me, a child of ten years, at a
neighborhood prayer-meeting in my mother's sitting-room. He had
been inviting his listeners to the friendship of Christ, and
turning to my little sister and me, he said,--
"And these little children, too; won't they come?"
The words, and his manner of saving them, brought the tears to my
eyes. Once only before, far back in my earlier childhood--I have
already mentioned the incident--had I heard that Name spoken so
tenderly and familiarly, yet so reverently. It was as if he had
been gazing into the face of an invisible Friend, and bad just
turned from Him to look into ours, while he gave us his message,
that He loved us.
In that moment I again caught a glimpse of One whom I had always
known, but had often forgotten,--One who claimed me as his
Father's child, and would never let me go.
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