The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1892-01-01

the rowel into that horses side. Take
off that curbed bit from that bleeding
mouth Remove that saddle from
that raw back. Shoot not for fun that
bird that is too small for food. For
get not to put water into the cage OF
that canary Throw out some crumbs
TO those birds caught too far north in
the winters inclemency. Arrest that
man who is making that one horse
draw load heavy enough for three.
Rush in upon that scene where boys
are torturing cat or transfixing
butterfly and grasshopper.
Drive not off that old robin, for her
nest is mothers cradle, and under
her wing there may be three or four
musicians of the sky in training. In
your families and in your schools
teach the coming generation more
mercy than the present generation
has ever shown, and in this marvel
GUS Bible picture of the Nativity,
while you point out to them the
angel. show them also the camel, and
while they hear the celestial chant
let them also hear the cows moan.
No more did Christ show interest
in the botanical world when he said,
Consider the lilies" than he showed
sympathy for the archaeological,
when he said, Behold the fowls of
the air, and the quadrupedal world,
when he'allowed himself to be called
in one place lion and in another
place lamb. Meanwhile, may the
Christ of the Bethlehem cattle pen
have mercy on the suffering stock
yards that are preparing diseased
and fevered meat for our American
households.
GOD HONORED CHILDHOOD.
Behold, also, in this Bible scene,
how on that Christmas night God
honored childhood Christ might
have made his first visit to our world
in a cloud, as he will descend on his
next visit in a cloud. In what a
chariot of illumined vapor he might
have rolled down the sky, escorted by
mounted cavalry, with lightning for
drawn sword. Elijah had carriage
of fire to take him up; why not Jesus
carriage of fire to fetch him down9
Or, over the arched bridge of a rain
bow the Lord might have descended.
Or Christ might have had his NOR
taity built up on earth out of the
dust of a garden, as was Adam, in
fnll manhood at the start, without
the Introductory feebleness of in
fancy.
No, mol Childhood was to be hon
ored by that advent. He must have
child's light limbs, and a childs
dimpled hand, and child's beaming
eye, and a childs flaxen hair; and
babyhood was to be honored for all
time to come, and cradle was to
mean more than grave. Mighty
Godl May the reflection of that one
child's face be seen in all infantile
faces.
Enough have all those fathers and
mothers on hand if they have child
in the house. A throne, a crown, a
scepter, a kingdom, under charge.
Be careful how you strike him across
the head, EARRING the brain. What
you say to him will be centennial
and millennial, and a hundred years
and thousand years will not stop
the echo and re-echo. Do not say,
ut is only child" Rather say, 1T
is only an immortal" 1t is only a
masterpiece of jehovah 1t is only
being that shall outlive sun and
moon and star and ages quadrennial
God has infinite resources, and he
can give presents of great value; but
when he wants to give the richest
possible gift to household he looks
around all the worlds and all the uni
verse and then gives child
The greatest present that God eve:
gave our world he gave about 1891
years ago, and he gave it ON Christ
mas night, and it was of such value
that heaven adjourned for a recess
and came down and broke through
the clouds to look at it. Yea, in all
ages God has honored childhood. He
makes almost every picture failure
unless there be Il child either playing
on the floor, or looking through the
window, or seated on the lap gazing
into the face of the mother.
A CHILD TOLD HIM THE WAY.
1t was a child in Naaman's kitchen
that told the great Syrian warrior
where he might go and get cured of
the leprosy, which at his seventh
plunge in the Jordan was left at the
bottom of the river 1t was to the
cradle of leaves, in which child was
laid, rocked by the Nile, that God
called the attention of history 1t
was a sick child that evoked Christ's
curative sympathies. 1t was child
that Christ set in the midst of the
disciples, to teach the les
son of humility. We are informed
that wolf and leopard and lion shall
be yet so domesticated that little |
child shall lead them.
A child decided Waterloo, showing
a