Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1865-02-22
The Children of the Chu-s,,.

The Cnisdrcn OF the S0uTSI.
tdoes not appear that the Church
can adopt a better plan than that
employed by that wonderful, great,
aad good father ofthe Church, j ohm
Calvin. Ii was his custom, and it is
81 in his church at Geneva even to
this day. to institute two or three
regular inquiries into the moral and
spiritual condition Of the children,
AID especially into their personal
qualifications for communion, b.
careful examination, first, OF all who
were twelve years OF age, receiving
such and such only, to the table OF
the Lord as gave evidence OF saving,
though feeble faith; secondly, OF the
same persons, as many OF them as
still remained nonprotesso:s 2. four
teen years Of age and again, at
fifteen and sixteen.
Let this good old plan be adopted
by the Church; let al baptized
children be rec .ived under the watch
I'd care Of the Session; let 1t be
understood by them that they are
under the strongest obligations 70
assume their baptismal vows; that
p good life. with evidence OF faith III
Christ and regeneration. are essen
TIA prerequisites 10 admission 70 the
Lords supper: that d4tinite period
Is pivcn them for decision, ana that
the blessings Of the covenant are
ever ready 70 descend upon them.
How could it be but that the chill
dren'' would be like olive plants
round about the table" OF, the Lord !
If the Church should adopt some
such plan, watching at the same
time, with the most earnest care
..oainst formal adhesion to the
Oh rch rather Il n spiritual en-
oracing and confession o. Christ,
what a solemn period would these
three o. four wears Of early lie be
Gomez Iowdeep an interest would
pastors, and all adult professors IN
Zion. feel in these Young clndlda.es
for fall communion. And, as the
children drew near this period, what
coald exceed the anxiety and deep
importantly of Cody parents and
pastors that the rich blessing Of cove
nant mercy might be fully obtained
BY the dear lambs Of the fold We
need not so much fear lest chatf be
thus gathered III with the wheat a.
lest, by our neglect o. repulsion Of
them, the tares Of the world choke
the good seed which Gods covenant
grace has sown in the yonng hearts.
e to the question Of process in
case Of those who rctise to come and
"subscribe with their own hands
unto the God Of Jacob" and thus
turn away from there own morcics,
nothing more can be done for them
and with them than to reproye. re
b Ike, an wo1 with al l0l -3af5..r-
ing. Their baptism can not be re
votled; they cannot be e&cymauica-
ted, for they have never been in
communion The Church can DO
no more for them than q father for
deprayed, vicious uov. The father
may forbid the boy his table and his
houseuutiI he reforms. but can never
annuI the fact that ne Is lis child !:
50 the Church torbids It's wayward
children to come to the table Of thc
Lord, but nothing more. She can
but weep and pray, and watch log
the prodigaI 10 repent and come to
the fathers house, SAVING, Father,
/ have sinned." Might Ne not lobe
and expect that the result would
indeed be that which Baxter, the
earnest and practical minister Of
Jesus, believed and asserted, when
he said, Nineteen ont Of twenty Of
our children. consecrated 10 God in
their infancy would grow ~ dutiful,
orderly and serious; and, before
they reached mature AGE, would rec
ognizc their membership by a
personal acs, with sincerity and
eii6cat;on, if tie divine plan wish
respect to this matter we've taehitallr
Carried out :"