New-York tribune., 1875-02-08
LESSONS NCuLCATED BY CHILDREN.


ne Res. w. r. Aip,r. d. D. al he Church Of A4 HssssaA
OaadftdAl
The Rev. VIM. r. Alger. d. D., preached
Yesterday morning at the Church Of the hessiah at
Thirty -fourth-st and Parkave., TO audience which
nearly filed the ednce Mr. Ayers text was selected
from Matthew xviii. IS: Jesus called a little child
Him, and him in the midst Of them" AmOug
other things Mr.. Aleer said:
By the beautiful symbolic Of setting the little child
in the midst Of the ambitious disciples who dispute
concerning their claims to precedence, Jesus taught
that the most innocent and Uwy soul
should receive the highest crowns and occupy
the highest stations In the klncdom OF Heaven.
Let US In distant imitation OF the example
OF the Great Teacher, in Imagination call q little
child ourselves and. setting him IN our midst sce
what Lessons his presence will suggest Mr Ager here
pictured a child fresh from natures mold pure unde-
died. arrayed for the inhaOitation o an invisible spirit
which anImates and welds il at VIII That spirit came
from God a finite omanatiOn from the infinite. Thus
Hi igh peoples the universe with HIS chuten IN
dvidual exsenees made in His image Dartakng OF HIS
atribute. who may be the intelligent recipients OF Hs
and wisdom conscious eener1 OF Ie ana Juy gor
fyng their Author with free service and praise reey
ing the weary mOnotony and tho inoerabe solitude OF
absolute unshared existence Ihs is tne origin OF
the human race whose destiny 10 receive and return
the lore OF God forever Tne birth OF little child or
the appearance OF a spirit at the commencement OF
the lss of therefore is revelation OF God
emphaucally declaring the present exercise OF HIS
creative energy The fact that every enid u spirit
freshly created by Omppotent and sent here to
sense an Enmanucl. The nrst lesson then which we
may by considering Atile child Is that the 6lrth
Of spirit revelation OF God, VINO alone is the lnde-
pendent and absO ute Can-e. 80,
A again turn cur attention to little chlld we are
struck with entire dependence ami the admirable
provisions made for the supply by others OF the wants
he cannot himself over against the needs OF an
infant set feeling OF tenderness toward those
htlc ones winch Is universal in the human heart. This
arrangement bv which II is secured that lie power
less wholly at the mercy OF every chance sdGl De
kindly cared for and brought up until ne Is aDe 70 IdAe
caro- Of himself "a the strongest proof and nap
pest Illustration Of Providence, Divine guard
ilDshiP all, bOunGless. serpless "Ld forever
The next thought naturally suggested ss We look upon
little chd is Of his Innocence The most absurd most
doctrine ever inculcated on earth-l doctrine
directly repuEHan 10 the letter anu sqlri 0t CHRISTIAN
cence, the state which cnlld continually lives, Il
uucouscious harmony VITA the viii OF GOD. in spona-
neous concord with al truth. CpOn the prlnrl-
pe. of natural religion, the death OF a little
Guild who has lshed destiny, but only begun
sisr religions CHribaEity confirms tAls presumption
and exat. II nte knwedEe. The Christian parent v no
treading lRhuy through the eark vaey as nis
own approach 70 Re spiritual world 10 he first met and
welcomed by rad ant Iite angel. rom W4om ne ne
parted AS a mortal c--ld WIN many tea.s Sn.T "u ] Cr
carly grave. Here The household circlc slau grow
smaller put theIe ~ 9ua'l H.@ 't "a ~, -, rId
pete 20 cheering ath as TINS II needed ID 's "Ou
OF the dying and tAe lead.
As look around ne thls morning, sec nose VINO q
have parted win 'iIe cAId OF rare IoVeaness anu
prornise who vas rIost dear 10 them. Ahecuonale,
geae, pure, she vac more III ioI tLc serene 1e[ .,
heaven than for the rude encounters ot TINS NOr ana
God kindly took bact the little seraph he had lent.
They had parted from Acr for season cannot but
mss ana feel mOnrnIll vacancy in the evening
she mas left 70 them the most Deautfu! ana
sweet OF human children. And ste is gone Bat be OF
good cucer, she SIN living IN some hISner mansion
Of the Fathers house awaiting for those who one after
shall pass 10 meet her.
She has gone o Heaven before
.he and moves her ha1J,
Pointing ibe giores DER yon
In happy, spu' lAhd
From the considerations presented therefore, we
earn four mportant lessons The birth Ot little child
reveals God; the heiplessleSs Or Atue chq proves
The Kingdom OF Heaven; the death Of d little cLid
implies Immortality.