"If we give ourselves to him—truly, honestly, and with purpose of heart to serve him while we have any being—he will accept us for his own; for he says, 'Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out.'"
"'Then will we be Christians and follow Christ—so living, acting, speaking that those who know us will take knowledge of us that we have been with Jesus and learned of him,'" the captain said. "But one who does not walk in the footsteps of Christ—striving to follow his example and do his will—to be like him in temper and spirit, is none of his. But if we have of his spirit, then we become with him sons of God. He is our Brother and God the Father, both his Father and ours. He tells us that he came to save souls. 'For the son of man is come not to destroy men's lives, but to save them.' We must make it our chief business to do his will and win souls for him. That is the commission he gives to each one who professes to love him. He bids them, 'Let your light shine,' 'Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.' 'He that winneth souls is wise,' is another Bible text. Each one of us must feel that this is his or her own work. We are none of us to live for self, but to glorify God and save the souls of our fellow creatures—by bringing them to Christ."
"Yes," said Grandma Elsie, "and we are guilty if we neglect to obey our Father's commands. If we truly love him we will be very earnest and persevering in our efforts to obey. The prophet Daniel tells us, 'They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars for ever and ever.'"
"Grandma," said little Ned Raymond, coming to her side, later in the evening, and looking up at the star-spangled sky, "I'd like to shine like those beautiful stars for ever and ever. I wish I knew how to turn many to righteousness. What's the way to do it?"
"To tell them the sweet story of Jesus and his love," she answered in low, moved tones. "Tell them how he suffered and died that we might live. But first you must give your own self to him."
"I think I have, grandma," he said in low, earnest tones. "I've tried to do it, asking him to take me for his very own, and I think he has; because, you know, he says, 'Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out.'"
"Yes, dear child, that is his own word and you need have no fear that he will not keep it."
"But when and where and how should I tell about Jesus to others?"
"Ask him to show you when and where—to teach you what to say and do, and help you never to be ashamed to own yourself one of his disciples."
"Like my father," he said. "I am sure he is never ashamed or afraid to let anybody know that he loves and serves God. I don't often hear him tell them, but he acts it out always and everywhere."