But now there stood before me in loving grateful memory the thought of the great original himself. In the deepening gloom of evening twilight I could feel the light of his royal and gracious presence-while in its stillness I could hear his voice saying, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." How wonderful is the exhibition which the Lord Jesus, our divine and glorified Redeemer, here makes of himself! We see Christ in the market-place. We see Christ standing at the door. Look at Christ in the market-place, where sinners are so busy, spending their money for that which is not bread, and their labour for that which satisfieth not. You can see him, going from one to another, inviting them to buy of him that which they so greatly need, and which they can obtain nowhere else. If you will listen, you can hear him saying, in tones of tender, gracious expostulation: "Because thou sayest, I am rich and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked; I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see." But they all pass on in their indifference, despising the invitations and neglecting the counsel of this strange merchantman. We see these careless and insensible sinners turning away from the Saviour, and trying to persuade themselves, as they return home, that they are rich, increased in goods, and have need of nothing. We follow them home-they go in and shut the door; we hear them bar and bolt it; and we are ready to conclude that now they will be left to themselves, and that the barrier behind which they retire will prove an effectual and final one. But no; to our great surprise we see the Saviour following the sinner home. And you can now see him, in the darkness and chill of the night, standing at the closed and barred door of the sinner's heart, and, with loving persistency, knocking thereat. How wonderful are the words he utters! "Behold, I stand at the door and knock"-words which are more wonderfully expressive of his grace, if we apprehend their exact meaning-" Behold, I stand, and have been long standing at the door." Try and call up before you the picture which these words suggest, Christ standing and knocking at the door-the door which is not only shut but fastened. There are those who will read this paper who know the joy of hearing Christ's voice, and of being led to open the long-closed door of the heart for his reception-who know what a blessed thing it is to have Christ for the heart's guest. 66 There are some at the door of whose heart Christ is still standing and knocking-who are deaf to his appeals, insensible to his claims. Remember that the time may come that you shall vainly knock at the door of Divine mercy, and cry out to one who will then be deaf to your entreaty, Lord! Lord! open unto us." But no, the door is shut. That period, however, has not yet arrived. Still you may hear the voice of the Saviour saying, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." "In the silent midnight watches, How it knocketh-knocketh-knocketh, "Tis not alone thy pulse is beating; "Tis thy Saviour knocks and crieth- "Death comes on with reckless footsteps, Think you, Death will tarry knocking Jesus waiteth-waiteth-waiteth, But the door is fast: Grieved away the Saviour goeth, Death breaks in at last. "Then 'tis time to stand entreating At the gate of heaven beating, Nay-alas, thou guilty creature! Now he knows thee not." from six in the morning till six at night, and spent the rest of his time, either loitering about with idle companions, or smoking over his own fireside. Brian was just in the middle of his pipe, when he heard a timid rap at the door. At first he took no notice, for the children were very fond of mischief, and he thought it was only their nonsense. But when the little "rap-tap" was again and again repeated, he took his pipe out of his mouth, and gave a surly-" Come in." The door opened, and a boy of about seven entered. He was very ragged, and there was a keen sharp look in his black eyes, which told that he was no stranger to want and hunger. Brian eyed him from head to foot, and then asked, shortly— "What do you want here?" "Please, sir," said the little boy, in an eager rapid way, "please, sir, can you read ?" 66 What do you want to know for, boy?" Please, sir, mother's very ill, and maybe she'll die, and she wants somebody to read something to her, and I can't get nobody, sir, and please, sir, won't you come ?" "Nonsense, child," said the man, gruffly, "I'm busy now; get away down with you, and mind you shut the door after you.' "Oh please, sir," said the little boy again, "won't you come ?" "Didn't I tell you I couldn't, boy? Run away, will you." Slowly, and sorrowfully, the child obeyed, and shut the door. 66 Tom Brian mechanically took up his pipe again; but, somehow, he couldn't enjoy it. He couldn't forget the little half-starved face, nor the piteous little voice, nor the Please, sir, won't you come?" And he couldn't help fancying he heard a sound outside the door, very like a sob: but no-it might be one of Dame Pearson's cats that had found its way to the top landing. Brian puffed away, and tried to think of something else. But there again!it must be a sob he heard now! He could bear it no longer. He threw open the door, and, sure enough, there was the little fellow, on the top of the stairs, sobbing as if his heart would break. "What are ye doing there, little lad?" said he, more kindly. "Why don't ye go down to your mother?" "Oh, please, sir," said the child, "mother 'll be so sorry; I can't get nobody to come and read to her." "What does she want reading to for?" 66 Oh, please, sir, it's the little black book, as the lady brought in the blue bag; it did mother such a deal of good when she read it; so she gave it her, and she's put a marker in at the place, and she said mother could read it, the lady did; but mother's too ill now, she can't see to make it out; and I can only say a-b, ab, and e-b, eb, and mother says that wouldn't do no good; so, 'Willie,' she says, 'fetch me some one to read it to me;' but I can't get nobody, sir. That woman as keeps the cats slammed the door in my face; and the woman with ten children said she hadn't no time; and old Mrs. Wilson can't see, and she hasn't no specs; and there's no one but you, sir. And, please, sir, one day I peeped in when the door was open to look at your paint-pots, and I see'd you looking at the paper; so I thought, maybe, you could read. And, please, sir, won't you come ?" and the little fellow looked earnestly into his face. Tom Brian could refuse no longer. "I'll see," he said; "maybe I'll come a bit when I've done my pipe." The child darted a grateful look at the man, and ran down; his bare feet making no sound on the stairs. Brian re-entered his room, but he didn't take up the pipe again, he merely raked the fire together, locked the door, and putting the key in his pocket went downstairs. The boy was waiting for him below, and slipping his little hand in his, led him into the room. It was a larger place than Brian's, but it looked bare and desolate. There was a bed in one corner, on which a woman was lying, propped up with pillows. Her face was worn with suffering, thin and wasted, but there was a strangely eager, longing look in her eyes; as if she wanted to see something that was not in sight. In her hand was the little black book which Willie had described. She handed it to Brian, and gasped out- "Please-read it to me-where the mark is-thank -for coming وو you Brian sat down on the only chair in the room, and took the book into his hands. It was many a year since he had read the Bible, many a long year; yet once-but Tom couldn't bear to think of those better days--those days when he attended worship |