The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1889-03-13
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
sERIoUsssUBJECTs CAREFULLY AND
ABLY CONSIDERED.


Thoughts Worthy or Calm Reflec-
tion-HsIf AN Hours Study of the Scrip
tures-Time We'll Spent.
The lesson for Sunday. March IL, may
be found in Mark K, 1922.
INTRODUCTORY.
The parsonage at Epworth was in flames
They had rescued as they supposed, all
the inmates, when il was discovered that
one of the children. seven having already
been removed to places of safety, was in
the burning building. Two of the vii
layers climbed, the one upon the shoulders
of the other, and drew the little one forth
from the upper windows. 1t was John
Wesley, the father of Methodism. Who
knows what is wrapped up in the minds
and hearts of the young? God only, and
he it is that urges upon us through his
divine Son such cordial love and regard
for them. Last week we were studying the
child as on aid and animus to faith. This
week We look upon the child as the very
type of that great kingdom of grace which
the Saviour came to declare. May these
two lessons teach us oil more of the SIM
plicity of trust in God.
WHAT THE LESSON TEACHES.
They brought young children TO him.
To Christ it was, and for the blessing of
his touch, nothing else. Such bringing
there is, when the Sunday school teacher
endeavors to carry his pupils with him
close up to the very word of life. Such
bringing is there when the father or
mother goes with her child to God in
earnest prayer. May we not also say that
every act of helpfulness done to the little
ones, for Christs sake, is q bringing of
the little ones to him. Stanley says that
next to the abiding inspiration OF Living
stone in Africa, the thing to which he owes
the most for all that is best in him is the
almshouse in old England, that took him
up ragged boy from the streets and
taught him better things in Christs love.
Brother teacher, how it should stir us to
feel that in our weekly work of love, un-
der Gods Providence, we are bringing
young children to him"
Those that brought them. Think of the
influence over those who brought the chill
dren. Coming with right conception Of
Christ's relation 10 the little ones, and
with craving for his blessing upon the
| heads of those whom they bore, could
they have gone forth themselves un-
! blessed2 The sole pious feature of many
q so-called baptism there at the altar rail
has been the parental solicitude displayed.
And with us all. in prayer, in self-devo-
ton, in purer life, how much closer to
God are we drawn by the children. Across
in.the country yonder is farmer, some
time neglecter of the sanctuary, who
! has just come back and renewed his COW
| enant. He gives as reason for his re-
turn the thought of his boy who loved
him and followed him in implicit trust
| Everywhere | went, down through the
new-plowed ground said he, Il could see
| little JOhnnys tracks along side my otcn ="
1t was the vision of those little shoe
marks close to his own that brought the
right thinking farmer back to his God.
Suffer little children TO come ante me.
The Lord loves the little ones. They are
| by His grace already His, and there is an
insistent and instructive feeling in our
breasts that TO Him they belong. The
oft-told incident of the child recitationist
never fails to move us. Suffer little
children, she said, and then she forgot
Suffer little children to come unto me,
and then paused again. But once more
she essayed it and with this somewhat
original result: Suffer little children to
come unto me-and don't anybody stop
them, for He wants them all to come. ="
True enough Why not have indeed a
child's rerision of the Scriptures Alas!
that we should ever apply other tests than
those of child-trust
OF such as the kingdom Of God. In
truth We have learned much of the king
dom from the quick alertness or the wise
trustfulness of the child. We were all of
us telling in the testimony meeting what
it was kept us so long from coming to
Christ. Some said it was fear Of man.
Others, doubt as to Gods power, or I'M
due dependence upon self or waiting for
| a more convenient season, or seeking for
some better way. At last they asked a
little bright-faced lad of eight or nine,
sitting well up toward the front, and ap-
parently intent upon all that was passing.
And what kept your" said the leader.
Without moments hesitation, the boy
replied, Il think it was sin" Sure enough,
what else was it, That closed the discus
sion.
As a little child. Child likeness, by
the Mastery word, comes the nearest TO
being hrist-likeness. What is it to "re-
ceive the kingdom as little child?'
There was Annie Redmond the lost child,
| in the Home of the Friendless. Some one
recognized her and asked her name. Cur
ley, she said, giving the name of her
abductress, but my other name is Annie
Redmond. Presently her mother was
before her. us this your mother?' To
leap into her arms was but n child's an,
swer. How are you receiving the king
dom? You are saying, Yes, l think that
is my Heavenly Father. / think that Is
| my tlueT DTOtHeT. Dut you mdhe ~
effort to spring to his embrace. You stay
just where you are. Certainly, that is not
childlike. We took the pains while ago
to copy from Jonathan Edwards-who will
never be accused of sentimentalism-this
| sentences: There is not so much differ
ence before God between children and
grown persons, as we are ready to i'm
agine. We-are all poor, ignorant, foolish
babes in his sight. Our adult age does
not bring us so much nearer to God as we
are apt TO think"
Jesus beholdin0 him loved him. Christ
loves the young man. He covets the
strength of youth for the kingdom. God
wants the voice of the young in his
church. What great and gracious gift il
would be should the heortx of the young
men of any community be given to Christ
But it must mean whole hearted surren-
der to the Master, not partitive observ-
ance or partial fealty. Sam Small was
right in insisting that with naturalization
papers taken out, the old life is renowned
and whole new life is begun. Theologi-
cal regeneration is nothing more nor less
than spiritual naturalization. Back there
the alien died and the new citizen was
born. That is what Christ desires to dc
with every Young man-Qiye him n new