CHAPTER VII.

AUNT HARDING’S LETTER.

Would you like to know what aunt Harding Wrote to her nieces?  Here then is the letter, word for word:—­

“My dear children, Louisa and Emma,—­It is with great pleasure that I read in your mamma’s letter the account of your improvement, and I am glad to fulfill the promise which I made of writing to you when that should be the case.  I hope that you will go on trying to grow better and better; and for this end you should pray daily for the grace of God to help you every moment of your lives.  Without his grace the evil desires of your sinful hearts will lead you from the right way; and as one sin always brings on others, you would, if left to yourselves, wander further and further from that which is good, until you lost all love for your Saviour and his commands.

“I often think of you, and wish that you could see the poor little Hindoo children, who have never heard of the true God, but are taught by their heathen parents to kneel down, and pray to idols of wood and stone.  There is a river in this country, the river Ganges, which the people believe to be a goddess, and they think that its waters can wash away their sins.  Mothers often bring their little infants and bathe them in this river, because they believe it will make them holy.  Do you not pity these poor people, whose souls are perishing for want of knowledge?  Do you not wish that some one would go among them, and tell them about Jesus the Son of God, who gave himself to die for sinners, and whose blood alone can wash away sin?  If so, you will be glad to know that there are some good men here who have left their own dear home and friends to live in this heathen country, and to teach the poor Hindoos the true and only way to heaven.  Christians in other places, who love the Saviour, and wish that the heathen should learn to love him too, give money to send these good men here, and to pay for Bibles, and for other books which have been written on purpose to show how sinners may be saved.  All may help to do this who will spare a little money from their own wishes and wants. You may help, if you love the Saviour enough to deny yourselves some little pleasure now and then.  I think you would resolve to do so, if you could go with me sometimes to the missionary school, and see the little children sitting in rows, learning to read about Jesus, and hear them asking for more books to take home, that they may tell the tidings of salvation to their heathen parents.  O yes!  I am sure you would want to help them then; for you would remember that heathen children, like yourselves, have souls which must live for ever and ever; and you would long that they should come to the knowledge of the Saviour, who died for them as well as for you.

“It is now time that I should finish this long letter; so farewell, dear Louisa and Emma.  Your uncle sends his love to you.  We often talk of you, and pray that you may be the children of God, through faith in his dear Son.  Your ever affectionate,