The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-12-25
THE CHTLDRBN,S DAY.

NOIOo oAC ldiiliiittt " Oil OHllSLSliuOhAs VI
eighteen centuries they have been warming
their way into the popular heart, and are as
significant and as full of gracious assurance
now as when uttered by the Man of Nazareth.
When He spoke them it was probably more as
a remark intended to recall fact well under
stood by His auditors than as an admonition
only. Except ye become as little children"
The wordsare a license for that perfect unbend-
ing that brings older people down to (up toy the
perfect innocence and artless joy of baby
hood and early childhood. 1t is a precious
Endorsement of all the cooling and soft non
sense lifted into pink ears of pudgy, bundled
babes by indulgent and pardonably proud
mothers 1t were apology enough-if apology
were needed-for all the boisterous boy-play
vouchsafed by loving fathers to their chill
dren. Except We become as little children"
| What does it mean2 What but to take
the laurels and bays from the brows of
earth's greatest and place them on the head
of the king of the cradle2 General Grant
tOlUtIlIlR uuQeT LIE UODOTS IudU nave DbeIl
showered upon him, Kaiser Wilhelm, with the
crown of mighty empire encirclng his gray
head, may look with hopeless envy upon the
bight-eyed rosy-cheeked boy, who as yet
knows nothing of fame, of war and of civic
glory. There is more true happiness, more
genuine contentment and joy, in the laugh of
la l.
tons of the head in response to the plaudits of
a grateful people. 1t is grand thing to be a
Wellington, Napoleon, Washington; but it
has been said for the admonition Of all
these, and of all others who would
emulate their ilustrious examples, that "ex-
cept ye become as little children, ye shall not
enter into the kingdom of heaven" There is
something peculiarly fascinating in the ac-
complishment of great and glorious Deeds but,
after all, while the deeds live the man dies,
and all elfgratulation perishes with him.
The march from the cradle to the grave is
generally down hill all the way Some make
plunge, sooner or later, into depths that
CetiluOb 10 SOuHQel, WIlIe OlnSrS, LlOI6 COLI
servative, descend by easier gradations But
one and all are more or less touched and
tainted, battered and worm by daily contact
with sin.
Except ye become as little children" is
fraught with precious meaning. The king
hood of innocence is above all earthly digni-
+;as Tho oro,,y - xraor, br;,,cs No ono,;eb
entails no fear. Cleareyed and clean hearted,
the little children of the world stand on the
heights nearest heaven. The condescension
that brings older persons on the same plane
with them is no condescension at all, but
rather a coming back to ones own best estate.
OF all the days of the year, Christ
back the leaves of life" and lay
aside the ''wrinkled spoils of age" To
day marks the 1886th anniversary of the birth
of the Prince of babes the great lover of lit
tie children. Even at moment when en-
gagged in perfecting His mission to earth, and
when confronted by His followers anxious for
and placing one of them in the midst of them,
gave utterance to the words quoted. Let
every parent let go of care for one day and go
to the little folks, enter into their sports and
claim an interest in all their affairs, of
which they have so many Of magnitude
to-day. Let the store and the Office, the court
room and counting room run themselves, or
not run at all-whats the difference. Christ
mas is eminently thechildren's day. From the
gray of early dawn-it is the only day in win
ter when their eyes open at that hour-to the
latest hour tonight, let everything give way
TO the little autocrats whose tyranny is
courted by every man and woman
who has any of tie essence of love
in his breast Romp and tumble
and shout with them. When another
Christmas comes, some of them will not be
here and those that are will by one year be
that much further from the royalty that doth
so fttingy become them. Christmas is for
the children-let everything bend to their en-
ioyment. The days of life have too many of
worry and vexation to allow this holy day to
be desecrated by the intrusion of affairs that
do not meet the hearty approval of the heirs of
the lowly born Babe of Bethlehem
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AGAIN the notorious Salvation Army comes
to the front on account of disgraceful row.