At another time, in reply to a question from his father, he said with great feeling, “I cannot yet say that I want to die now; but I desire the will of the Lord to be done. If He wills that I die now, I am ready.”
But why, do you suppose, did he not want to die then? It was not because it is so happy to live. His life was indeed a happy one, but he knew it is far better to be with Christ. The reason why he seems to have wished to live rather than to die, was, that he might do good. His heart was set on being a missionary. He hoped soon to visit his father’s country for his education, and then to return, and preach the gospel. It was this that seemed to him even more desirable than to go at once and be with Christ.
Prayer was very sweet to him. Once, after his father had prayed with him, he said, “It is such a comfort to have you pray with me!” He also prayed himself. He asked of God that all the members of the church might “lead holy lives,” and that those who are in their sins, and the children, might be converted. He ended as follows:—“O Lord, thou knowest how much greater than our words are our desires and necessities; and do thou hear us and bless us as thou seest we need, for the sake of Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever. Amen.”
He also found great comfort in the Bible. As his father repeated passages to him, such as “In my Father’s house are many mansions,” “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners,” he would say, “Oh, how sweet! how precious!”
For twelve days he had been getting worse, and it was now plain that the conflict was nearly over. A little before the end, his father bent over him, and said, “Charles, can you now commit your soul into the hands of Christ, as your gracious Saviour?” He replied, slowly, and with deep feeling, “I have done that long ago, papa.”
His father, having heard these sweet words, threw himself on a sofa, and being very tired, quickly fell asleep. A loud call from a servant soon awoke him. He sprang to the bed, and found the poor sufferer in great pain, and in a few minutes his spirit was with Christ in heaven.
Would you join him there? Then “commit your soul into the hands of Christ, as your Saviour,” that you too may be able to say, at the end of life, “I have done that long ago.”
Benjamin Pardon, Printer, Paternoster Row.
God loves the child that humbly prays,