ere;
so you need not move. And, Edgar, don't you think He knows that you say
it? I am certain He does, because He has been wanting you to answer, ever
since He called."
"But," said Edgar, "you make it out, as if it was not to try a bit."
"Well, and that is it," said Arthur, with a bright, happy smile. "That is
just what mother says. I can tell you another thing she said. You remember
about the Lord Jesus feeding the people in the wilderness?"
"Yes, with the loaves and the fishes."
"Yes; that was it. Well, all He wanted them to do, was to rest on the
grass, and be fed; and that was just the thing, that pleased Him best. You
see they had not to try and do anything hard--had they? And mother said,
that this is what the Lord Jesus wants us to do--to stop trying, and let
Him do what He likes with us; and, you know, the Lord Jesus could not do
anything unkind, could He?"
"You don't seem one bit afraid of Him, Arthur."
"Why, no. How could I be afraid?" asked Arthur, with such a happy smile.
"Don't you know
"'How our hearts delight to hear Him
Bid us dwell in safety near Him!
Why should we distrust or fear Him?
Oh, how He loves!'"
They neither of them spoke for several minutes. It was getting late, and
the sun was falling in slanting golden rays on the green slopes; the
shadows were deepening in the woods, and other sights and sounds told,
that evening was coming on; so the two boys rose from their grassy seat.
"I wish, oh, how I wish," said Edgar, after a long pause, "that I could
feel the same as you do, Arthur!"
"Well, but you must not be wanting to feel first; you have to believe what
the Lord Jesus says, and He says, 'Him that cometh to me I will in no wise
cast out;' so if you would only come, you must be safe, for He cannot
break His word. And I will tell you what I do, Edgar, whenever I think of
how bad I have been, and when I feel frightened. I just say, 'Jesus died,'
and God hears me, and Satan hears me too; and of course when I remember
why Jesus died, I feel glad. And then, there is a text I like to
remember--a very short one it is--where the Lord Jesus is called 'the
Saviour of the world;' and, you know, if He is the Saviour of the world,
He must be my Saviour, and yours too."
They had reached the school-gates now; the shadows were deep and long, and
Arthur's two-mile walk lay before him. But his aunt had long since found,
that she could trust him alone; so even whe
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