Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1889-03-08
THE CHILDLIKE SPIRIT.
LESSON K, FIRST QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, MARCH 10,
Text of the lesson, Mark TX, 33-I2---Com-
NIT to Memory Verses 36,35-Golden
Text, Mark \, t6--Commcntary by
the Rev. j.. NJ. Stoarns.

Compiled from Lesson Helper Quarterly by par
mission Of IL. s. Hoffman, publisher Philddel
phia,
The incidents of this lesson are found in tho
other GOSPELS in Matt xix, 1880, Luke xvi /,
1850 In the life of our Lord Jesus many
miracles have boon wrought, many journeys
made and many eternal words spoken since
our last lesson, and He is soon to start on His
last Journey to Jerusalem NIX. x, 33-3G
there TO accomplish His great work of atone
ment; but everywhere and at all times He is
the same meek and lowly Jesus whose one
aim is to clorify God and direct men TO the
kingdom, that kingdom which is mentioned
five times in our lesson today first as to who
may enter it, and then the hindrances to Gu
toring it.
49, "Andthey brought young children to
Him, that He should touch them" Matthew
says "that lie should put His hands on them
and pray" Israel was taught to give great
heed to the children, and many were their
instructions to teach them concerning the
wonders which God had wrought for their
fathers and the laws which He had given
them lex xii, 26; Deut. iv, 10; vi, z, xi, o,
Josh. iv, 81 ~; Ps. xviii 4-sl, and now
that the fuifllment Of the law and the very
wonder working God of Israel was in their
midst, was it not beautiful to bring the chill
dren TO Him.
"His disciples rebuled those that brought
them" The generation who speak thus have
not died out, they are selfish and cannot be
bothered with the children, they are blind
and know not the spirit of Christ, though
protesting TO be His people Whore the
spirit of Christ is there will be not DULY love
for the children, but they viii be brought TO
Jesus.
IA 'Wheu Jesus saw it He was much dis
pleased" l think this is the only time that
il is written that He was dspleased with the
disciples, though they did often grieve Him
by their uubelief and hardness Of heart
10 whatsoever shall not receive the king
dom of God as little child he shall not
enter therein" A little child such rs these
duke calls them Infants has nothing, needs
everything, is entirely helpless and depend
ent, and believes what it is told and when
We COME in this spirit of utter helplessuess
emptiness and simple faith, protesting not to
bring anything with us, but ready to receive
the salvation which God Is ready to give as
a free and uumerlted favor then shall we be
born again, a foretaste of the kingdom come
IN our hearts, and in due time we shall enter
the kingdom.
lG. He took them up in His arms, put His
hands upon them and blessed them Oh,
happy children and happy rarentsl they
would never forget that day. We do not
know who they were, nor anything Of the
after life Of those children but surely we
shall meet in the kingdom the children whom
Jesus took in His arms and blessed. 1t is not
possible that this unchan cable Jesus can be
indifferent to the welfare of any one of
the multi 'tudes of infants which are
constantly passing out from this earth.
Let every mother who has lost
babe find comfort here, and also read care
fully Deut i, 50. II the streets Of the re-
stored Jerusalem in Palestine are yet TO he
full of boys and girls playing in the streets
thereof (Zech viii, 81, what must be the pres
emit Joy of the hosts of children in the pres
ence Of tho King while they wait for the
greater joys of the New Jerusalem. But
above all things, let Us lay to heart and i'm
press upon the scholars from this portion of
our lesson, that to enter the kingdom o. God
we must be born again, we must be con-
verted and become as little children. John
iii, 81; Matt. xviii, 81 We must say sin