The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-10-08
For the Central Presbyterian.
TOO YOUNG TO COME.
BY REV. Il. H. HALVES.

BY REV. H. H. HALVES.
"Whatl let that child join the church ?
Why it is too young. Wait until it is
older.
To me, this is one of the saddest utter
ances ever heard. Action, based upon it
has been the ruin of many souls, | verify
fear. Let us examine it little.
In the first place. the phraseology is
wrong, as referring to the baptized chill
dren of the Church. Not few of our
people seem to be as ignorant of the sig
nifcance of infant baptism as the veriest
Immersionist. The latter raises his hands
in "holy horror" that we should think or
pretend to make our children members
of the church by baptizing them" In
charity, we set this down to the score of
ignorance concerning our doctrines. We
do not "make" them members of the
church thus. Their baptism is the recog-
milton that, under the Divine constitution
of the Church, they are already members.
They, being born Of believing parents,
are born within the covenant,-are, by
virtue of this, members of Gods cove
nanted Church. The sign Of the cove
nant is their butdrlg6t We acknowledge
this state of affairs in baptizing them
We 50 acknowledge Gods right in and to
to keep and tAain these children to OBJ
serve all things whatsoever He has COM
handed us. One thing specially we VOW
to do-namely ito pray aoith and for
tim" "a duty sadly neglected
Now the child so situated cannot, and
does not "join the church" afterwards
when confessing faith. He is non-com-
muning, baptized member Of the church.
In this light he should be regarded and
treated But while the Immersionist re-
CARDS us as making him member Of the
church by baptism, very many Of our own
people virtually deny his membership, in
talking of his joining the church. The
proper expression is that upon confession
of his faith, he is admitted to the privi
leges of full membership" But the i'm
portant, or rather, the more important
question before US now is as to the time
or age when children ought to be received
to the privileges of full membership
Suppose case You have had your
children baptized, and taken your VOWS.
Those vows you truly keep. Especially
you pray with your child. You pray for
him also, that God will separate him unto
Himself. You, without ceasing, pray that
the Holy Spirit will do His regenerating
work in your childs heart,-the necessity
of which is recognized and signifed in
baptism. And withal, you do train this
child faithfully towards Jesus Christ
Now then, at an early age, say eight to
twelve years, this child manifests a deep
interest in spiritual things. He talks Of
loving the Saviour; of wishing to come
to Christ; or tells you that he wants to
confess this dear Saviour as his What
is this? Is 1t not qobat you hare aoorked
and prayed for during all these yearS9
Now what will you do? "Whatl let
that child Join the church? Why it is
too young. Wait until it is Older Do
you say or think that? If so, aohat do
you say or think? Just this: 80 God
prayed and worked that my child might
early know Thee savingly But Thou
hast made mistake, answered nay prayer,
and pro8pered my acork too soon Then
you turn oyour child and, in effect, say
You ought not to wish to love God so
early in life. You ought not to come to
Jesus until you are older. Certainly you
ought to wait much longer before con-
Tossing Him. Oh, sad, sad words Does
the Holy Spirit work only in the hearts
of adults? Here is an application for
those words "Grieve not the Holy Spirit
of God" The little ones do not, in this
case Their parents or other Christian
friends do it for them And who knows
to what this will lead? The child is dis
couraged; is told and taught to wait for
that soul-destroying convenient season. -
No wonder if the young heart which was
coming 10 Christ, now departs from Him,
Christ shall not possess this young life,
you say. But will it not be possessed at
all, of any? 1t will assuredly belong to
Christ or to the Devil. If you forbid that