St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1878-03-22
The Shepherds Arms.

The Shepherd calls and DeckOnS.
Well for men if their shyness is over
come, and drawing nigh, they let him
take them into his arms. They have
neither to buy nor earn help. The soul
must be committed, all helpless and
vile, to the Good Shepherds hand, to
be taken to the fountain and cleansed.
"He carries them in his BOSOM" lsa.
IL: IL. Deep and rapid streams, snares,
pits, and wild beasts beset the way.
How watchful Jesus is Who ever ac-
cused him of being careless 3? When
was he ever so busy here and there, or
had so much on his hands, as to forget
or drop one of the little ones?
How tender he is All, yes, the ten
derest spot in the universe is the heart
of our Lord Jesus. He does not drive
the flock, he leads them does not OBJ
lige the little ones to go alone; He
gathers the lambs with his arms, and
carries them in his bosom. In Eastern
countries you may see a shepherd, with
his loose outer garment made fast by
girGle round the waist, take up feeble
lamb and lay it in his bosom on one
side, and then take up second timid
little creature and put it in the other
side. They can feel how his heart beats
for them. A blow aimed ut them falls
on him.
Many years. ago, little girl stood
weeping at the door of her pastors
study. He kindly invited her in, and
babe her open her heart to him. 80.
sir,n cried she, 81 have been great
sinner all my life! have lived seven
years without God, and without Christ.
l. Il, / lNS
forgiven 2" He told her how Jesus had
died to take away sin, and was ready
TO save her. She soon found peace in
believing, and wished to join the
church. Her mother thought she was
too young, and said, "My dear child,
am afraid that you will go back to the
world and bring disgrace upon the
church of Christ" With a bursting
heart she replied, Cannot the Lord
Jesus keep a child in the right way as
well as grown person? He has prom
ised to take the lambs in his arms, and
carry them in his bosom. | believe in
him with all my heart. l know that |
love him, and [ want to obey him."
Why should she not? She was per-
mitted to obey the Saviour, and is now
ut the head of large Christian family.
There is something quite unanswerable
in the tender logic of such Il lamb of
Jesus. We would much rather try to
meet the subtlest arguments of intideli-
ty than the warm reasoning of child
who desires place in the fold of our
Lord.
A little boy in Christian Chinese
family, at Annoy, asked his father to
allow him to profess Christ but was
told he was too young, that he might
fall back if he made profession then.
He answered-and could the father
gainsay it ?-"Jesus has promised to
carry the lambs in his arms. AS | am
a little boy, it will be easier for Jesus
to carry me-"
The attention of servant-maid in
Edinburgh to the spiritual interest of
little girl committed to her charge, and
who died when nine years old, was pc
culiarly owned of God. The servant
was accustomed to attend on the min
istry of the late Mr.. Patison, and the
child was permitted to accompany her.
By degrees the attention of her young
charge was SO drawn out to the sermons
she heard that the account she gave of
many of the precious truths which fell
from the lips of that worthy minister of
Christ far exceeded what might have
been expected from her tender years.
one day, in the course of
his family visits, to call at the house
where the dear child and her maid
lodged during the bathing season, Mr..
PatisOn entered into conversation with
her, and, from her punctual attendance
on public ordinances, took occasion to
ask her if she recollected his preaching
on Isaiah IL: II: HE shall feed his
flock like a shepherd he shall gather
the lambs with his arm" etc. EYES,"
replied the child, 81 remember it very
well for all the time you were preach
ing was wishing with all my heart
that l were one of Christ's lambs"
"Ah, my dear !" said the good man, not
little affected, ''what happy day
would it have been in Bristo-street, had
all hearers been employed in a similar
manner !"-Dr. A. G. Thompson.