by Rebecca Springer Originally titled  "Intra Muros" Published 1922

Within the Gates    The Master & the Children     In one of my walks about this time, I chanced upon a scene that brought to mind what Mae had said to me about the Savior's love for little children. I found Him sitting beneath one of the flowering trees upon the lake shore, with about a dozen children of all ages clustered around Him. One dainty little tot, not more than a year old, was nestled in His arms, with her sunny head resting confidingly upon His bosom, her tiny hands filled with lovely water lilies that floated everywhere on the waters. She was too young to realize how great her privilege was, but seemed to be enjoying His care to the utmost.         The others sat at His feet, or leaned upon His knees; and one dear little fellow with earnest eyes stood by Him leaning upon His shoulder, while the Master's right arm encircled him. Every eye was fixed eagerly upon Jesus, and each child appeared alert to catch every word He said. He seemed to be telling them some very absorbing story, adapted to their childish tastes and capacities.         I sat down upon the grass among a group of people, a little removed from the children, and tried to hear what He was saying, but we were too far away to catch more than a sentence now and then, and in Heaven one never intrudes upon another's privileges or pleasures. So we simply enjoyed the smiles and eager questions and exclamations of the children, and gathered a little of the tenor of the story from the disjointed sentences which floated to us.         "A little child lost in the dark woods of the lower world...." we heard the Master say, in response to the inquiring looks of the interested children.         "Lions and bears...." came later on.         "Where was his papa?" asked an anxious voice.         We could not hear the reply, but soon a little fellow leaning upon the Savior's knee said confidently, "No unfriendly lions and bears up here!"         "No," He replied, "nothing to harm or frighten My little children here."         Then as the story deepened and grew in interest, and the children pressed more closely about the Master, He turned with a sweet smile, and we could see an increased pressure on the encircling arm, to the little fellow with the earnest eyes who leaned upon His shoulder, and said, "What, Leslie, would you have done then?"         With a bright light in his eyes and a flush on his fair cheeks, the child answered quickly and emphatically, "I should have prayed to Thee and asked Thee to close the lion's mouth, as Thou didst for Daniel, and Thou wouldst have done it!"         "Ah," I thought, "Could C___ and H___ see the look the beloved Master cast upon their boy as he made his brave reply, they would be comforted even for the loss of their darling."         Lost in these thoughts, I heard no more that passed, until an ecstatic shout from the little folks proclaimed how satisfactorily the story had ended and, looking up, I saw the Savior passing onward, with the baby still in His arms, and the children trooping about Him.         "Of such is the Kingdom of Heaven."  How well He understood!  How much He loved them! Visiting the City by the Lake         I too arose and started homeward. I had not gone far before I met my brother Frank, who greeted me with, "I am on my way to the city by the lake; will you accompany me?"         "It has long been my wish to visit the city. I only waited until you thought it wise for me to go," I answered.         "You are growing so fast in the knowledge of the heavenly ways," he said, "That I think I might venture to take you almost anywhere with me now. You acquire knowledge for the very love of it, not because you feel it your duty to know what we would have you learn. Your eagerness to gather to yourself all truth, and at the same time your patient submission in waiting, ofttimes when I know the trial is great, have won you much praise and love from our dear Master, who watches eagerly the progress of us all in the divine life. I think it only right that you should know of this; we need encouragement here as well as in the Earth life, though in a different way. I tell you this by divine permission. I think it will not be long before He trusts you with a mission; but this I say of myself, not by His command."         It would be impossible for me to convey, in the language of the Earth, the impression these words of commendation left upon me. They were so unexpected, so unforseen. I had gone on, as my brother said, eagerly gathering the knowledge imparted to me, with a genuine love for the study of all things pertaining to the blessed life, without a thought that I in any way deserved commendation for so doing; and now I had won the warm approval of the Master Himself! The happiness seemed almost more than I had strength to bear.         "My brother, my dear brother!" was all I could say in my deep joy, stopping suddenly and looking up into his face with grateful tears.         "I am so glad for you, little sister!" he said, warmly clasping my hand. "There are, you see, rewards in Heaven; it does my soul good that you have unconsciously won one of these so soon."         I would I might recall in detail the precious words of wisdom that fell from the Master's lips. I would that I might recount minutely the events of that wonderful life as it was unfolded to me day by day; but I can only say, "I may not." When I undertook to make a record of that never to be forgotten time, I did not realize how many serious difficulties I would have to encounter; how often I would have to consider if I might really reveal this truth or paint that scene as it appeared to me. The very heart has often been left out of some wonderful scene I was attempting to describe, because I found I dared not reveal its sacred secret. I realize painfully that the narrative, as I am forced to give it, falls infinitely short of what I hoped to make it when I began. But bear with me; it is no fancy sketch that I am drawing, but the veritable life beyond, as it appeared to me when the exalted spirit rose triumphant over the flesh.         My brother and I walked slowly back to the margin of the lake, where we stepped into a boat lying near the shore and were at once transported to the farther shore of the lake, landing upon a marble terrace, the entrance to the city by the lake. I never knew by what power these boats were propelled. There were no oarsmen, no engine, no sails upon the one in which we crossed the water; but it moved steadily onward till we were safely transported to our destination.

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