p. 203 | I only Cried with Her

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 24, 1864

"I only Cried with Her."

THE widow's mite was of more value in the Saviour's eyes than large contributions by the wealthy, because of the willing heart and the scanty means. The following beautiful little incident shows how even children can do good by a little tender sympathy:

A poor widow, the mother of two children, used to call on them at the close of each day, for the report of the good they had done. One night the oldest hesitated in her reply to her mother's question, "What kindness have you shown?"

"I don't know, mother."

The mother, touched with the tone of her answer, resolved to unravel the mystery; and the little sensitive thing, when re-assured, went on to say:

"Going to school this morning, I found little Annie G., who had been absent so many days, crying very hard. I asked her, mother, what made her cry so, which made her cry more, so that I could not help leaning my head on her neck and crying, too. Then her sobs grew less and less till she told me of the little baby brother, whom she nursed so long and loved so much—how he had sickened, grown pale and thin, writhing with pain until he died, and then they put him from her forever. Mother, she told me this; and then she hid her face in her book, and cried as if her heart would break. Mother, I could not help putting my face on the other page of the book, and crying, too, as she did. After we had cried together a long time, she hugged me and kissed me, telling me I had done her good. Mother, I don't know how I did her good, for I only cried with her. That is all I can tell, for I can't tell how I did her good."