“But, as I was going to say, little George was not yet four years old when his now sainted mother and myself stood beside his sick bed, and beheld the sweet child with his hands clasped over his eyes, evidently engaged in prayer, with a look of anguish on his face. We stood there by his side, watching him constantly for over an hour, not wishing to interrupt his devotions, and at last we saw that look of distress gradually disappear, and as silently we watched him we felt that the influence of God’s Spirit was indeed at work in that young heart.
“At last he looked up at his mother, and a sweet smile lighted up his little face as he said, ’Mother, I am going to die; but don’t cry, for I am going straight to Jesus; my sins are all forgiven, mother.’”
“How do you know that, my sweet child?”
“Why, Jesus said so, ma.”
“Said so; did you, indeed, hear any voice, my son?”
“O no, mother; but you know how it is. He speaks it in me, right here, here, mother,” laying his little hand on his throbbing breast. “I don’t want to live; I want to go where Jesus is, and be His own little boy, and not be naughty any more; and I hope I shan’t get well, I am afraid if I do I shall be naughty again. O, mother, I have been a great sinner, and done many naughty things; but Jesus has forgiven me all my sins, and I do wish sister would go to Him and be forgiven for showing that bad temper, and all her other sins; don’t you, ma?”
“Contrary to expectation this lovely boy recovered, and a few days after he got well I saw him take his sister’s hand and plead with her to come and pray. ‘O, sister,’ he said, ’you will lose your soul if you don’t pray. Do, do ask Jesus to forgive your sins, He will hear you, He will make you happy; do, do come right to Him, won’t you, sissy?’ But his sister (who was six years old) turned a deaf ear to his entreaties, and it grieved him so, that he would go away and cry and pray for her with exceeding great earnestness.
“Months after, he had the happiness of seeing his sister converted to Jesus, and knowing that his infant prayer was answered, and great indeed was the joy of this young saint, as well as that of the rest of the household as they saw these two of their precious flock going off to pray together, not only for themselves, but for an older brother, who seemed to have no sympathy with them.”
“Well,” said my friend, “this is indeed as remarkable as any thing I ever read, and I must say, hearing it from your own lips, has a tendency to remove that prejudice I have felt toward reading children’s conversion. Did this child live?”