Nellie was faithfully carrying out the last command of Jesus, when she tried so lovingly to get her friend Bessie to stand with her and confess him before men. By our efforts to bring those around us to Jesus, we may help to carry out that last command of his.
We can do this also—by our gifts. There is no better use to make of our money than to give it to help in sending the gospel of Jesus to those who do not know him. And the smallest sums are often very useful when given for this purpose. Here is a story of a poor little orphan girl who had earned six cents by running errands, and of the great good that was done by her gift. Her name was Dixey, and we may call the story:
“Dixey’s Six Cents.” One day, a pale-faced little girl walked hurriedly into a book store in Boston, and said to the man at the counter: “Please sir, I want a book that’s got, ‘Suffer little children to come unto me,’ in it; and how much is it sir? and I’m in a great hurry.”
The bookseller wiped his spectacles, and looking down at the poor child, he took her thin little hand in his, and said: “What do you want the book for my child? and why are you in such a hurry?”
“Well, sir, you see, I went to Sunday-school, last Sunday, when Mrs. West, the woman who takes care of me, was away; and the teacher read about a Good Shepherd, who loves little children, and who said these words. And the teacher told us about a beautiful place where he takes care of his children and makes them all happy, and I want to go there.
“I’m so tired of being where there’s nobody to care for a girl like me, only Mrs. West who says I’d better be dead than alive.”
“But why are you in such a hurry, my child?”
“My cough’s getting so bad now, sir, and I want to know about him before I die; it would be so strange to see him and not know him. Besides, if Mrs. West knew I was here she’d take away the six cents I’ve saved from running errands, to buy the book with, so I’m in a hurry to get served.”
The bookseller wiped his spectacles again, and taking a book from the shelf, he said, “I’ll find the words you want, my child; listen while I read them.” Then he turned to St. Luke xviii: 16, and read to her the sweet words of the loving Saviour. After reading them he told her about the Good Shepherd; how he came down from heaven to seek and save the lost sheep; how he suffered and died for us that we might live; and about the bright and beautiful home in heaven, which he has prepared for all who love and serve him.
“Oh, how sweet that is!” said the earnest and almost breathless little listener. “He says—‘Come.’ I’ll go to him. How long do you think it’ll be sir, before I see him?”