St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1886-06-10
The GaIeduniarr.
CHILDREN AND THE CHURCH.


ILAUGHLN of Barnett
In speaking of this matter | will not
Attempt to deal with technicalities as
10 the exact relation of children, fami-
les and churches, but come directly "a
Fl he practical question What can the
Church do for the children | will
speak of children of members of the
# nhurch that have been consecrated to
Die Lord in Christian baptism; and
81 What will be good for them will be
good for all the children. But the
baptized child, if the conservation by
s IS parents has been genuine one,
8 i'll always have large advantage.
a he Lord accepts such setting apart
# {br him, and lie becomes at once an in
a Breasted party and just as when | con
al 6ecrate a tenth of all | have to the
Lord, take him in as partner, and
De has after that personal interest In
N all my possessions so after L have
tonsecrated my child to the Lord in
Baptism the dear Lord becomes a part
her with me in my interest in, and in
hll my labors for, the best good of my
ehild for time and eternity. He gave
he child to me, have set him apart
for him, in my heart returning the
gift. He says, keep him till ] call for
him bring him up for me, and | will
help you and bless you in all your eff
"A fOrts, and do accept him as mine, and
N will bless him, and make him a
blessing. The scriptures furnish abun
liant illustration of this. Samuel was
konsecrated by his mother and cir
enmcised. Hophni and Phinehas were
so circumcised, and all three were
ithder the tutilage of the same man,
Ii the priest. Their after lives show =
il the difference between real cOnse-
ration and the form only. The child
rus becomes the Lords as much as
by confession of Christ can make
m, and he is n real member of his
"a oody, the church, just as long as he is
# Hing to be. The unbaptized child
bears no such relation to the church,
Though he may enjoy all the out
yard means of grace in his surround
hgs. All this has been by the church,
and by parents as members of the Wis
M ble church, and the church can, and
Ought to give such children farther,
L. Better places to grow in, and
III. A broader recognition.
M And first, by "better place to grow
b." | mean better place to grow
ID Christian life. The place for child
D grow is its home but the home may
Re very beautiful, and full of love and
enderness, and yet furnish almost no
oppOrtunity for Christian growth. The
lurch, in justice to herself, and hon
st dealing with the dear Master, mus t
iIrnish for its children homes whose
tmOsphere is piOus, loyal service to
he Lord, where his word is received
IS an inspired communication from
Jim, reverently and prayerfully stud
kd, and made the practical rule of
aaily life. We know what degree of
eat and moisture, is best for the
plants in our greenhouses, and we are
careful that it is main tanned; what
BOIL, fertilizers, and treatment is best
for different crops, and all attend to
It. We make difference between a
mathematical and classical course, and
the text books we use in each as they
hre taken up in our schools but we
somehow seem to think that our chill
rem ought to, and we have a vague
hope that they will grow Christians
ffnally-we hardly know how-with-
put regard to environment, and in
spite of our neglect and Indifference.
Our children see our enthusiasm as
i've talk of the achievements of our
warriors and statesmen they see our
Heyes kindle, and our faces warm, as
4 I'VE talk of Grant and Sheridan, of
Hancock and Gustav; we talk of the
speeches of our Webster and Clay, of
Sumner and Edmunds, and they grow
up with us, moved to the heart by our
Swords, and they are rs we are, patriot
1c, or shaky, republican or democrat,
with decided fixed opinions, that are
hard to change, often remaining fOI
life. And could they hear us talk with
he same enthusiasm of the victories oil
him who is mighty to save, of the wis
dom of him who is unsearchable, of the
owing tenderness of an elder brother
3 pf the mighty ruler and maker of all
things, who laid aside his power and
fObes of glory, and was made a little
ehild, and grew to manhood just as we
DO, SO he could tell just how we feel
what we bear and suffer, and how we
pre- tempted to do wrOng-and that he
tlid it all so he could help us out of the
bin, into his loving favor, and how he
wants us to overcome sin and wrong
10 he can give us crowns of glory, and
Beats with him on his throne would
the story be less attractive If we de-
lighted to talk of the dear Saviour
and our hearts glOwed and burned
within us as we told of his love, would
pot our children catch it But if we
keep him with the skeleton in the clos
ct, and talk of him as reluctantly, and
as if we were ashamed of him, do moi
pur children see and feel it just as we
LOT We talk horse, poultry, markets