Christie and Master Treffy.]

"Would it have pleased me, Treffy," said the clergyman, "if you had
pulled your hand back and said, 'Oh, no, sir! I don't deserve it; I
don't believe you would ever give it to me; I can't take it yet?'"

"No," said Treffy, "I don't suppose it would."

"Yet this is just what you are doing to the Lord Jesus, Treffy. He is
holding out His gift to you, and He wants you to take it at once, yet
you hold back and say, 'No, Lord, I can't believe what you say, I can't
trust Thy word, I can't believe the gift is for me, I can't take it
yet.'

"Treffy," said the clergyman, earnestly, "if you can trust me, oh, why
can't you trust the Lord Jesus?"

The tears were running down the old man's face, and he could not speak.

"I am going to ask you another question, Treffy," said the clergyman.
"Will you trust the Lord Jesus now?"

"Yes, sir," said Treffy, through his tears; "I don't think I can help
trusting him now."

"Now, Treffy, remember Jesus is in this attic, close to you, close to
me, very, very near, Treffy. When we speak to Him, He will hear every
word we say; He will listen to every sigh; He will read every wish.

"But, before you speak to Him, Treffy, listen to what He says to you,"
said the clergyman, taking His Bible from his pocket. "These are His own
words, 'Come, now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord, though
your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be
red like crimson, they shall be as wool,' for 'The blood of Jesus
Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all sin.' Treffy, will you trust the
Lord Jesus? Do you think He would tell you a lie?"

"No," said old Treffy; "I'm sure He wouldn't."

"Very well, Treffy, then we will tell Him so."

The clergyman knelt down by Treffy's side, and Christie knelt down too,
and old Treffy clasped his trembling hands whilst the clergyman prayed.

It was a very simple prayer; it was just taking the Lord at His word.
Old Treffy repeated the words after the clergyman with the deepest
earnestness, and when he had finished the old man still clasped his
hands and said, "Lord Jesus, I do trust Thee, I do take the gift, I do
believe Thy word."

Then the clergyman rose from his knees and said, "Treffy, when you had
taken my gift, what did you do next?"

"I thanked you for it, sir," said Treffy.

"Yes," said the clergyman, "and would you not like to thank the Lord
Jesus for His gift of forgiveness?"

"Oh!" said old