Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-10-26
Preaching to Children.

Goddess adults are the fag-end of humanity
Good preachers should not waste time on
them which belongs to better and more
hopeful class. A large portion of the race
are taken to Gods presence in infancy
doubtless as eternally rejoicing souls. Of
the remainder, many are eonsecrated to
him from birth, and grow up as his regen-
crate and accepted ones; while others are
led to him in early childhood or youth
Only a minority come to years of maturity
in irreligious impenitence. Their state is
sad indeed, and experience proves that
comparatively few Of them can be induced
to yield their hearts in subsection to the
divine Redeemer. The efforts of Gods
ministering servants should surely be to
prevent the little ones of their charge
growing up into this condition of well-nigh
hopeless hardness Of heart, as adult unbe-
Levers.
Childhood is Gods chosen season for
commencing religious life. Preaching
is his appointed agency to bring souls to a
knowledge of him. As soon as children
are old enough to "call upon the name of
the Lord" they should have the benefit of
preaching preaching addressed to them
selves peculiarly. For Chow then shall
they call on him in whom they have not
believed? and how shall they believe in
him Of whom they have not heard? and
how shall they hear without a preacher"
Preachers should seek and expect converts
among children. When children are con-
verified, their ministers should aid to train
them into maturity Of christian life, feed
ing them first with milk then with strong
meat, until they care of full age" and "by
reason of use have their senses exercised
TO discern both good and evil" Thus the
work of the ministry is to win converts
chiefly from among the children and to
counsel, guide and minister to the church
membership
But shall irreligious adults be utterly
neglected as hopelessly lost class? BY no
means. "While there is life there is hope"
Grown up sinners may be saved Offers of
grace should be extended to them, even
though they may be already sentenced to
the gallows, shut in state prison, clustered
in inebriate or insane asylums, huddled in
dens Of vice in city purlius, or cushioned in
easy seats as goddess pew holders in fash
ionable churches. Certainly. Words OF
warning and entreaty should be dropped to
all Of these forlorn classes, while the hope
full work of evangelizing the young and Of
training church members goes on apace.-
Possibly chaplains might be advatageously
appointed to preach to respectable old sin
ners, and houses of Sabbath gathering
opened for their benefit; but, oh never
never should the children be overlooke,
for the best of these venerable reprobates.
But did not the apostles preach chief,
to adults? And so of Luther and Knox
and Wesley, and other great reformers
Quite likely! Reformers Of abuses in ex
isting institutions, and preachers of entire
ly novel truth, naturally appeal to matur
minds, for they seek to reach the hea,
rather than the heart. Jews were convinc
ed out Of the scripture that Jesus was tn
promised Messiah. Gentiles were told a
utterly new truth of Saviour for them
selves. The churches of Rome and Eng
land, being corrupted, there were those i
them who would stand forth and call o
their fellows to note and correct abuses, {
to come out boldly from the corrupt organ
ization But not one Of the apostles or r,
formers can be named as neglecting chile
rem even in their pioneer labors for pun
hurch, rno yet as counseling the preacl
ing over and over again to adults who ha
for years heard the truth as they preacl
ed it, while children were left unprovide
for. Apostles and reformers all gave wor
for the children due prominence, yes, an
prominence. Even now, in a heathe
land, adults may be hopefully told of s.
viour for whom the godly Simeons an
Annas there may have waited long. Sire
preaching and the like in our own Ian
may reach adults who have not conscou
ly rejected that Saviour. Rational appea
for reform in behalf of the children, or
some other direction, may be properly a.
dressed to adults. But these are all c
ceptional efforts at eyangelization or T
form. The chief preaching to win souls
a christian community-in the sanctua,
at its regular services, and in the pari,
generally-should be addressed to chill
rem.
The man who cannot preach to childr,
is not half minister, whatever titles mi
stand at either end of his name He m;
answer for chaplain to a prison or
asylum, or as an agent TO benevolent S
oiety; or do well as lecturer on any then
but homiletics in theological seminar
but, oh he is never fit for pastor. ]
ought not to palm himself on to any pa
ish as such. And this truth is coming
be recognized by the church and its mi
listers. Says DIR. Bushnell, in his rece
discourse on this theme, "And preachi
only to those vino are scarcely more tn
half the total number, it is much as if
were to set our ministry to n preachi
only to bachelors.
The very certain fact is. that our scho,
of theology will never make qualifi
preachers till they discover the existen
ofchildren." Mr.. Spurgeon said, not 10
since, that, "For himself he felt that
could preach much more readily to the !
and groveling minds of grown up peol
than to the purer and sublimer minds
children, who seemed to be nearer heav
better and simpler" But Mr.. Spurge
breaches to children. OF course he do
and with blessed results in the winning
young souls to Jesus. From the Pac
coast come up the earnest words of Wa
worth to the same purport: "Serm,
preached to adults have their uses, but W
them alone the gospel will never subC
the world.....................
A gospel dispensed in the mothers sim
story, in the fathers earnest prayer, in
sweet cradle hymn, in the teachers ex
sition, oh these are mightier in their C
verting power on the young heart than
apostolic sermon or a seraph's psalm VI
congregations of gospel hardened and
penitent men" Good DIR. Tying, who
preached to children every week for a SC
ofyears, with such results as might h
been expected from his labor, said yC
ago, of the minister who devoted him
to adults exclusively: al should lik,
know how Satan would want that mini,
10 be more completely mounted and on,