The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1888-02-22
THE IrxDERGARrEN BOY.

There is blessed power in the
words Of little ones; and there is
heavenly wisdom in the requirement
that they who would enter the king.
dom Of heaven must become as little
children. There is a might 10 child.
hood which is found nowhere else on
earth The cries os infancy are more
potent 10 move loving heart than
the eloquence of orators or the man.
dates of kings. The nearer We be.
come like little children the nearer we
are to God, TO heaven, and to the
hearts Of our fellow.men. Often cars
which are closed to other voices are
opened to the whisperiugs of little
child. Some one complained to Wes.
ley that bis congregation was made up
of servant. girls. But he said, "If we
get servant girls, we shall have the
children then the parents will follow"
Many a poor lost wanderer has been
won back to God by the ministry of
little child. And children's voices
sometimes echo in the chambers of
memory long after they have died
away upon the outer ear. The Union
Signal tells us Of burly man, who at
the close of temperance meeting,
made his way to the speakers desk,
and asked fer pledge to sign. His
reques: was gladly met, and the friends
near by fell into talk with this new
brother. In ans Ser to an inquiry as
to what lead him TO take this impor.
tant step, be said;
81 am a.goin' to put the credit where
it belongs yer see I've been keepin'
a saloon FOX some time. l had mighty
bad luck fer years, and sceiu' other
men maxim money easy, sellin' beer
and wbiskey, l jest locked up my con.
science and opened a whiskey shop /;
mind ye, l never liBed the business,
bpt there's no tellin' when Ia quit it,
if it hadn't been for them ere free
kindergarten schools, aud my little
chap, who was alters a.comin' home
and talkin' about the things he learn.
ed from them teachers that he pigh
about worshiped.
"T'other day he got hold of my
hand, and lookin' up into my face with
his great blue eyes-just like bis dear,
dead mothers afOre she cried the shine
all out of 'em said, sort O. 'fraid like
"'Papa, won't you please take the
whiskey out of your barrels, and put
sunthn' in 'em that won't do nobody
no hurt? Apples is good
"'Besides, said he, gittin' fresh
grip on his courage, 4 don't want the
other boys a.sayin' that my papa keeps
saloon-it hurts me SO here
"And I'm blamed if the little crittel
didn't put his hand on his heart, anC
the tears just streamin' down hi
face. That fetched me, and the up
shot is, I've gin up the miserable husi
ness and am bound to cara an homes
livln' or die a,tryin', you just bet"
AS the little rudder changes tn
course of the mighty ship, SO this voic
of little child had changed the cur
rent of the fathers life. And tn
great, burly mans eyes were not th
only dim ones, as friendly hand
grasped his, and earnest voices prom
!. ised helpful effort in his behalf.
a Christian workers, seek out the chi
9 dren. Do not be above your Maste
!. who took them in his arms and bles
n ed them; for in the hands Of thei
!. little children you may fiud a golde
!. key that will unlock many a father
II heart, a clue that may guide many
}, wandering soul out Of the labyrinth
II sin and shame, into the realms
1t blessedness and peace. - The SGteguar