Engraved by S. W. Partridge & Co.
"WELL, THEN, COME TO THE CANAL."
(See page 4.)
THE EDITOR'S NEW YEAR'S ADDRESS TO HIS YOUNG FRIENDS.
Dear young friends,—We wish you each and all a very Happy New Year, and, above all things else, that it may prove to many of you a year of grace—that is, we pray that the rich saving grace of God may be put in the hearts of many of our readers who hitherto have not called upon Him for mercy.
How many who began the year 1887 in health are now laid in the grave! Some, no doubt, who read this address will be thinking of others who read last year's, and who were interested in The Little Gleaner, watching for its appearance month by month, but who now have passed away, and will no more read it, nor walk and talk with them again.
The other month, a wrapper in which a Gleaner had been enclosed by some friend to a person in Ireland was sent to us bearing this solemn mark, "Dead." This told us that the person to whom the Gleaner had been sent had become the prey of death, and would never read another.
Oh, how solemn that word looked and sounded to us—"dead!" and the thought rushed into our mind, "How did he die? Where is he? If he died in Christ, it is well with him, for all who thus die are eternally at rest, free from sin, care, pain, and sorrow. Yea, they are 'for ever with the Lord.'"
Dear reader, how is it with you? You are spared, while some have been called from time into eternity. We hope you feel this to be a mercy, and we now ask, Have you ever been led to the throne of grace, concerned about sin and salvation? Has the cry ever gone from your heart to the Lord, "God be merciful to me a sinner"? If not, oh, that, as this year begins to pass away, the Spirit may cause your heart to feel the guilt of your sin, and lead you, a poor, burdened, contrite one, to the feet of Him who died on the cross, and whose blood cleanses those who are thus brought unto Him from all sin. Then you shall prove that He is "mighty to save"—yea, "able to save all those to the uttermost that come unto God by Him."
We believe that many who will read these words have proved the ability of Christ Jesus to save, and that others are seeking Him, and longing to know that their sins are forgiven. We rejoice over them, and pray that many more may be brought to walk the same way, for it is the way from sin, death, and hell, and the way to Christ, peace, and heaven. All who walk therein belong to the flock of the Good Shepherd; and we can say to each one who has thus fled to Him for refuge, "He careth for you." His love is stronger than death, and knows no change, for He is "the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever."