Are You Ready?

  

This constitutes an important 

question when applied to the coming of

the Lord. "Are you ready?" is a familiar

phrase with children, and they understand

what it means when addressed to them as they

are starting to school; and it is not until the 

dinner basket is packed, the mittens on, and 

everything made secure to protect them from 

the storm, that they can answer, "Yes."

I am going to tell you about a little girl I once

saw as I was traveling on the cars. I had put up

for the night at Forest Junction, a place indeed

rightly named, for although the cars came in 

from four directions, they could not be seen 

until they approached very near the station-

house, so thick was the forest around. While

 waiting for the train a short time, a ruddy little

 girl of about ten years came in, with a rude 

bundle under her arm, and sat down near me. 

I inquired if she was traveling.

She answered that she was going a few

miles north to work out. This was said with 

such an air of womanliness and 

self-possession, that I became interested 

in the little girl, and kept my eye on her.

It happened that the train on which we were 

going was delayed, and many times the waiting 

company rushed to the platform expecting to 

get aboard, but were disappointed in the train.

 Thus was our zeal for going gradually cooled, 

and it was only when quite a bustle was made

 that we approached the platform. However, 

(his little girl was an exception.

She was not in the least daunted by the

disappointment and sneers of the by-standers,

 but at the first signal, with bundle in hand, was

 at the platform ready to get aboard, providing 

it was the right train; and the consequence was,

 when the right train did come, she was the only

 one who got aboard, while we were left to stand

 gazing after the "chariots" moving from us with

 lightning speed.

It was the Cincinnati and Cleveland Lightning

Express, and only paused. I thought of these

words, "And they that were ready went in, and

the door was shut." And I could but realize that

the men and women who stood by had greater

 reason for mortification than the little girl 

whose zeal had been the same from the time 

she had set out.

Fortunately for us there was another train just 

in sight, and we had a second chance.

But it will not be so when Jesus comes. There

is but one train running to the city of God, and all

who miss this, will miss forever. And neither will

any get aboard but those who are all ready and

 waiting.

I hope the Lord will bless the children, and

help them to pack up for heaven, that they may

stand waiting for Jesus and the train of holy 

angels, and be escorted to that beautiful city 

above.



E. J. W.