JESUS IS PRECIOUS.

Jesus Is Precious


THE first thought which occurs to my

mind, as I sit down to write for your little

paper is, Jesus is precious. And still another

thought suggests itself the presents you

receive from your friends and parents. All

these you prize in proportion to their value.

You lay them away very carefully in

your boxes and drawers, and you call them

precious; and when you visit each other,

you exhibit them with a "Papa gave me

this last Christmas;" "Aunt Maria sent

me this for my New-Year's Gift,"  

Perhaps a whole hour passes, examining

these little valuables. Isn't this right?

Many little voices are inquiring.

Yes, children, all right, provided you

don't forget to exhibit Jesus, and talk

about the precious gift sent from Heaven to

you, in your little gatherings. Jesus your

Saviour is the most precious of all.

He left his beautiful home in Heaven,

the company of holy angels, and came here

to save you, that you, too, might share this

home with him. Jesus, the "Lamb of God,"

spent long and weary years, traveling from

city to city doing good, healing the sick,

raising the dead, comforting the distressed;

then, like a sweet and gentle lamb, was

willing to die for us, though he had done

no sin.

He had a few chosen followers who loved

him more than any earthly treasure. They

forsook all, Jesus told them they must, if

they would be his disciples.

What do you think made them do this?

I will tell you:

They discovered so much of heavenly

beauty and loveliness in his character,

that their choicest treasures here became

as nothing in their estimation, compared

with this precious gift sent from God, their

Father, to save them from all their sins.

And how deeply they mourned over their

lost treasure (as they supposed) when cruel

they nailed him to the cross. You will

find it mentioned in the 20th chapter of St.

John, verses 11-16, how sad Mary felt as

she stood at the sepulcher weeping. When

she discovered a man whom she supposed

to be the gardener she inquired, "Sir, tell

me where they have laid him, and I will

take him away."

This man proved to be Jesus; and he sent

her to his brethren to say unto them, "I

ascend unto my Father and to your Father,

and to my God and to your God."

Oh! How they rejoiced when he came

into their midst, comforting them in their

sorrow, by explaining to them how the

scriptures must be fulfilled concerning Him.

A short time after he took them with him

out to Bethany, and lifting up his hands he

blessed them, then was taken up into

Heaven out of their sight. Acts 1:10, 11,

says that while they looked steadfastly toward

Heaven, as he went up, two men in

white apparel stood by them, and repeated

the following words: "This same Jesus,

which is taken up from you into Heaven,

shall so come in like manner as ye have

seen him go into heaven."

How much this promise comforted them,

is found in the last two verses of Luke. It

reads, "They returned to Jerusalem with

great joy, and were continually in the temple

praising and blessing God."

This same sweet promise spoken by angels

1870 years ago, was given for all that

love him, until he shall be seen coming upon

the white cloud, having upon his head a

golden crown, as mentioned in Rev. 14:14.

I hope all the little readers  

will love and prize this heavenly

gift, the Son of God.

He is your Saviour, children; and if he

isn't more precious to you than all your little

earthly treasures, I fear you are not

ready for his coming. In proportion as you

value him, you will talk about him.

Did you ever know, or hear, of a fashionable

young lady's forgetting her jewelry

when she dressed for a gay party? No,

never; say you. Neither will the humble

follower of Jesus forget Him whom his soul

loveth.

God so pitied and loved us that he gave

the most precious gift in all Heaven to save

us from our sins, and from an eternal death.

Do you wonder that this was my first

thought as I took up my pen Jesus is precious?

With my whole soul I can say to

you, my little friends, He is the Chief among

ten thousand, and the One altogether lovely

Come, come to him, children; he will

receive you with open arms.

Do not stay away one moment longer.

Be "reconciled to God." Now, now, while

you are reading these words, bid him a

hearty welcome into your affections. He

is knocking now at the door of your hearts.

Oh! Bid him come in. It is there he loves

to dwell, and take up his abode.

You know not how soon you may lie beneath

the green sod, no time then to make

your peace with God.

Partake now of this bread of life, that

your souls may become strong and healthy

in Christ Jesus.

He is waiting to be gracious, if you are

only willing to put away all your sins. In

the heavenly sanctuary he stands pleading

with his Father; crying, My blood, Father, 

spilt it for them. Spare, spare a little longer

A very little while longer, children, and

salvation's hours will be numbered with the

past. He that is holy, will be holy still;

and he that is filthy, filthy still.

Sweet mercy, which has been offered to

the sinner without money and without price,

will soon be gone, gone forever.

No pardon then, for even the children.

They, too, turned the cold shoulder, and

refused to have this man Christ Jesus rule

over them.

Once more I invite you to accept this precious

heavenly gift. Make Jesus your friend

here on earth; prize him more than any

earthly treasure.

"How sweet the name of Jesus sounds

In a believer's ear!

It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds,

And drives away his fear,

"It makes the wounded spirit whole,

And calms the troubled breast;

‘Tis manna to the hungry soul,

And to the weary, rest."




MRS. M. C. TRURSDAIL,

Monroe, July 10, 1870.