The National tribune., 1895-01-31


from the peasant" Christ said. whatsoever
shall humble himself as this little child"
We notice q group of children though differ
ing as TO rank, wealth, culture, ETC., OF parents
act among themselves though they were
equals. They care little whether they be in a
palace or a wigwam.
g. In general K. Pearsall Smith gives the
following beautiful picture of childlike sub
lection:
There is yet a more humbling lesson ap-
piled by our Lord in reference to the unfold
ing OF the secrets of his Kingdom. It is as
babes that its secrets are revealed TO our hearts,
The characteristics of babe are its entire de-
pendeDce. its unresistingness, its ignorance,
and it's freedom from self-will. II can mako
no provision for itself, absolutely none; it lies
in its mothers arms passivcly. without effort,
simply resting in the parents bosom: VI has
no opinion Of its own. but everything to learn
from its parents, and it simply in evory mo-
ment expresses the action OF its mothers will.
1t is all this to be babe, and it is these char
acteristics in a Christian that enable the Father
to unfold the secrets of his Kingdom to him."
2. Illustrations.
Infant on thy mothers lap
Pleased with thy brothers toy.
Pleased with thy sisters laugh of JOY
Pleased with thy fathers fond care5s
And with Thy tender mother best
These to thee are golden hours;
households pleasure;
households treasure;
Yet more than this; n sacred thing,
A holy thing thou art;
For before the wise aud great of earth,
Thou art the simple of a heavenly birth
Someone wrote the following poem:
a child cares nauglit for gold or treasure
Nor fame nor glory yield him pleasure
In perfect trust. lie asketh not
If rich poor shall be his lot.
Little he reeIts of dignity:
Nor prince nor monarch feareth he,
Strange that child weak and small
Is oft the bofdest of us all.
He hath no, skill to utter lies.
His very soul Is in his eyes;
Single his aim ia all, and true.
And apt to praise what others do.
No questions dark his spirit vex,
No fsithiess doubts his soul Derpler.
Simply from day 10 day lie lives.
Content with what the present gives.
scnrce can he stand aione-far less
Would ronm abroad IN loneliness;
Fast ciinging TO his mother still,
She bears and leads him at her will.
He will not stay to pause and choose,
His fathers guidance e'er refuse
Thinks not OF danger. fears no harm,
Wrapped in obedience's holy calm.
For strange concerns lie carcih not:
What others do, although were wrought
Before his eyes the worst offense,
Stains not his tranquil innocence.
Hisdearest work. his best delight
il lying in his mothers sight,
To gHZe forever on her face.
And nestle in her fond EN- brace.
o chiIdhood's innocencei the voice
OF thy deep wisdom is my choice;
Who hath thy lore is truly wise.
And precious in our Fathers eyes.
Qr;,;t If ,l,i InraJ nf God
BY Jesus Spirit now bestoweds
How often have IoHged for thee;
- Jesusi form thyself in me
Ernest w. Shurtlef was author of the fol-
owing lines:
THE cHILD's FACE.
There's nothing more pure in Heaven,
And nothing earth more mild
More full of tile light that Is all divine,
Than the smile of n little child!
So sweet 1t Is, so simple.
And yet so angel-wise
With the peace of God on the dear smooth brow,
Aud the love Of Christ in the eyes.
The siness lips. half parted.
With breath AS sweet as the air,
And the light that seems so glad to shine
In the gold of the sunny hair.
o, little one smile and bless mel
For sumehow-i know no, why
feel in my soul, when children smile,
Tliat angels are passing by.
feel that the gates Of Heaven
Are nearer than knew,
That the light and tie hope of that sweeter world
Like the dawn are breaking through.
Adult Imitation of Children
Adults are not to become childish. st. Paul
When child acted like child. but when he
'ecame man he pat away childishness We
re not to be unreasoning. fickle easily moved,
redulous, because children arc thus. Christ |
caches We must be ehildiike; to wit, teachable, |
inmble trustful, Indifferent to caste or rank
II wealth. free from great ambition, dependent,
heerful, easy to forgive and make up, guile. |
css, not intriguing. A child can teach US |
many a moral lesson. A sect once tried to |
AIRY out literally the spirit of the paragraph |
which we study. Tho members of said sect |
ried to act like little children-pIayed With
oys. muuched gingerbread as they walked the |
treets hand. in-hand. We are not to be silly, |
ut on the contrary we are to get away from
childhood and become men and women in |
'hrist. The lesson is for grown people. 1t is |
lot the purpose to magnify children with the |
dea they are the teachers of adults 1t is |
necessary so to instruct as to this paragraph
hat children will not feel BATTERED. Child |
LIKENESS in certain particulars is taught aud |
lot cbidishness.
Good children are loved by Christ and so |
re adults who are like such children. Many |
III lhSlRnlucaHt ufhH, WHO IS ulGle To 1
Orce his rights or too feeble to contest. or too |
nxioUs for peace to be antagonistic, is so far |
ike certain children.
DIR. LANCE refers to the celebrated John |
'hafier Gerson, who was Chancellor of the |
University of Paris. and the leader of the re-
councils of Pisa, 1903, and Constance,
41o. alter taking prominent part in all the /
reat questions of his age, retired TO q convent
{ Lyons, aud found his chief delight in the |
ustEpGton of little children. As he felt the
pproaeh OF death he called once more the
hildTen, that they might pray with him. He
ppesrsc greater in his humility than when he
waved by his eloquenee the Council of
,ishops."
DIR. Gregg, when pastor Mt Boston. in SER
ION. summarized beautifully the spirit of st.
Iatt, ID: 10. thus:
but what should we carry from childhood
ITO mature life? First, then, we should carry
,rward the inqniriDg mind of youth; il is
etter to ask questions than to dOgmatizs, |
econdly, take with you the transparency and
ncerity of chldhood the child may be !
inner. but it is q transparent. harmless little
inner. Thirdly, perpetuate the sense of the |
DOdness OF simple existence and the power to
njoy life, which childhood has. FourthIy, |
ntivate the large and beautiful faith faculty
childhood; one open, trustful, childlike man
the community will make hundred more
Ike himself Finally, put into your manhood
nd womanhood all the good characteristics of
liidhOod. You know them when you see them
hope, love, enterprise. enthusiasm,
eshness; these virtues keep Christianity, the
hurch, and mankind always moving onward
nd upward with the vigor and the push of
)uth."
4
Lincoin's Gentleness. Ia
II =