The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-06-15
CUIIDEES's DAY.

The religion of the Lord Jesus Christ
is the only religion that has proved a
blessing TO women and children. The
disciples of Christ have never yet
learned too thoroughly all that the
Master meant when he said Suffer
little children. and forbid them not. to
come unto me; for of such is the king
dom Of Heaven 1t is the glory Of
the grace of God that it saves the lost,
lifts up the helpless. cOndescends to
those Of low estate. The strongest
manhood is blessed by il, but it does
not despise the weak and feeble heirs
of humanity. Jesus took the little
ones up in hig arms and blessed them.
and his gospel blesses them to-day. We
have only to remember how cruelty
heather nations treat their little ones,
and to contrast such treatment with the
treatment OF children in Christian lands,
to see the mighty difference between
the religion of the Lord Jesus and all
others. The devotion of one Sunday IN
the brightest month of the year to chill
dren's services in our churches is Just
one outcome Of this great difference.
Great preparation has been made for
these ceremonies and services on the
coming Sunday, and all the effort that
has been put forth has been well eX-
pended. The Church cannot make too
much of the children; it cannot too
carefully nurture them. The Saviour
promises a special reward to those who
give a cup of cold water to the children
in his name. He loves the little Cnes.
and he would have bis people take
them up in their arms and bless them
to. day. The Church should stand in the
place Of Christ toward the children. It's
loing much Tor the children Of to-day.
Our Sabbath schools are principally i'll
stitutiOns for the training Of the young.
Our best minds are given to the expo
sitiOn Of the Scriptures in order that
our children may learn the truths Of
God. Our Sunday-schOOl appointments
are something wonderful. All this is
as it should be. and Children 5 Day in
the Church. when the sanctuary Of God
is given up to their worship, TO their
songs and to their exercises, Is "a step
forward. That it is a popular step is
proved by the fact that such services
are invaribly crowded. To our minds.
this is in itself an important suggestion.
We believe that children's services
might be made more abundant in our
churches than they now are. We have
noticed that on many such Sunday
school occasions parents Of children have
been present who. but for this annual
service. rarely if ever attended the
house of God. Surely many parents
might be reached through their little
ones and brought within sound Of the
gospel VINO are now aliens and foreign
ers, so far as the sanctuary is concerned.
We would urge the bringing of children
to the regular Sunday services by their
parents. This Is an important duty de-
volVing upOn fathers and mothers, but
our Sundoy schools are often crowded
with children whose parents do not at
tend God 5 house. II is quite useless to
90 and tell such parents that they have
a duty in regard TO their children until
we have convinced them Of the duty
they owe to themselves in making
church attendance a feature of the Sab
bath dav.
1t is important that az all these servi-
ces for the little ones the pastor should
have his place il is net well or wise
that in any church service the pastor
should be ignored. The school ought
not to lift up its head as something diff
ferent from the church. 10 is not eX-
ira church work, it is part of tie
church work, and as such should have
the care and oversight of the pastor.
and whatever special services the
school arranges for. the bonds between
the Sunday school and the pas
tor should be strengthened in
every possible way by them. lie is
the pastor both of the church and the
school, and this should be very evil
dent at such services as those cODtem-
plated for next Sunday. Nor should
the occasion be one Of entertainment
for the children only. Many persons
are likely to be in the church that sell
dom come. and the services should as
far as possible be used to make the
church attractive, anu to induce these
non-atteDdants to come again. In some
part of the exercises the way Of saliva
ton should be made clear and
plain. so that old and young
can comprehend it. II delivered
promptly and Dointedly, amid the plea
SAINT surroundings of Children's Day, it
is likely to make deep impression. A
wise pastor will certainly recognize "A
golden opportunity for reaching ears
that are not always within sound of his
voice, aud will hope and pray that the
Spirit of God will reach the hearts. In
this way Chlldren's Day will prove a
rich blessing The Observer.