JESUS' SEAT | AdventAI

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 11, 1875

“JESUS' SEAT.”

Far, far away o'er the deep blue sea Lived a man who was kind as kind could be. He loved little children, and spread every day A table from which none went empty away. Poor children came in from the alley and street, With rags on their backs, and no shoes on their feet; Girls and boys, large and small, some naughty and rude, But John Falk loved them all and did them all good. And, while they were eating, he often would tell Of the Lord Jesus Christ, who on earth did once dwell; How he loved little children—each one of them there. He was watching from Heaven with tenderest care, And how happy and blessed would be the child's part Who would let the dear Saviour come dwell in his heart.

Each day when the children assembled to eat, He taught them to offer this grace for their meat: “Bless, Jesus, the food thou hast given us to-day, And come and sup with us, dear Jesus, we pray.” But once when the children had finished this prayer, One poor little fellow stood still by his chair For a moment, then ran to the closet where stood The bright cups of tin and the platters of wood. “Now what is the matter?” said Falk to the child, The little one looked in his kind face, and smiled: “We asked the Lord Jesus just now in our grace To sup with us here; but we've given him no place. If he should come in, how sad it would be! But I'll put him a stool close here beside me.”

Then the boy, quite contented, sat down to his food; He was hungry and tired, and his supper was good. But a few moments after, he heard at the door A knock low and timid—one knock, and no more. He started to open it, hoping to meet The Lord Jesus Christ come to look for his seat; But when it was open he no one could see But a poor little child, much poorer than he. His face blue with hunger, his garments, so old, Were dripping with rain, and he shivered with cold. “Come in!” cried the boy, in a tone of delight, “I suppose the Lord Christ could not come here to-night, Though we asked him to come and partake of our bread, So he's just sent you down to us here in his stead. The supper is good, and we'll each give you some, And tell the Lord Christ we are glad you have come.”

From that time, when the children assembled to eat, There was always one place called “the Lord Jesus' Seat.” And the best that they had was placed there each day For one who was poorer and hungrier than they, And the Lord Jesus Christ, in reply to their grace, Sent always some person to sit in his place; And sweet was the food that the Lord did provide For the stranger he sent them to eat at their side.

Dear friends, who have read this short story, you know, The words that our Saviour once spake when below, If we wish for his presence to hallow our bread, We must welcome the stranger he sends in his stead, When we set out our feasts, this our motto must be. “As ye do to my poor, ye have done unto me!”

—Sel.