Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1895-01-10


Sermon in st. Stephens Epis-
copal Church, by Rev. Stewart
Mcqueen, Rector.
Subject: ''The Christian training of
Children
Study this scene. 1t is in far distant
Egypt, 1t is centuries ago. An Egyp-
tian Princess walks along the banks
of the Nile. In a tiny rush boat is dis
covered the form of little child. 1t
was Moses-destined to become the di-
yinely chosen leader of a mighty peo-
pie. He was born in bondage, the son
of Hebrew slave, and doomed to per-
ish. a strange thing now takes place.
By no act, no knowledge of his own, he
is instantly lifted Il his floating era
die not only into liberty but into roy
atty itself; for the princess bids her at
tendantS: Take this .hild away and
nurse it for me.
Does not this suggest what takes
place at the font in the baptism of your
own little ones? You see there simi-
lar instance of an equally sudden
change. II is change made in the
entire condition and future of a mere
infant. You may ask: How can an
outward action, Ii mere ceremony, like
baptism with water, affect the real
course of life?" 1t can do so, just as
by one gesture of her arm and one COM
mand from her lips the Egyptian prin-
ess did in fact lit the newborn infant
cosss from the slave hut to life in
Kings courts.
In Baptism no miraculous transfor-
nation Is wrought No such claim is
made for it. But the child is placed in
a new relation. He was born into the
world of bond-children. .inful-by the
first birth or generation. He il born
again, so the Saviour says. ''of water
and of the spirit by the second birth
or regeneration. He enters the cove
nant of Redemption. He enters into
Christ's Spiritual Household.
Realize also this fact. 1t should
come to parents with awful force. 1t is
vital. infinite, eternal in meaning. The
fact Is this: In the act ofBaptism there
is absolutely nothing which insures the
child immortal safety. If he chooses
he can go back again into bond a ge.
His will is free. What has been done,
is to make him child of God, mem
Der of Christ, an inheritor of the King
dom of Heaven. But he can reject his
Inheritance if he so wills. He can re-
fuse to confirm his baptismal blessing.
Hence comes the tranScendent neceS-
sity of Christian training. The Church
with loving care has taken your child
into her arms. By the command and
authority of her Lord she sets her seal
of religious adoption upon him, She
hen tenderly places him back into
tyour ms, his earthly father AID
uotner, his God-appolnted trainers
md educators, and charges you, Take
this child away and nurse it for me. -
Nurse it, train it for Christ and immor-
tally.
The only question, How shall thfs
be done? Wall it be done by deluding
yourselves with the idea that your chill
dren are better than other peoples
children, and therefore they cannot go
far wrong? All. no, Your children, my
brothers, are just as liable to do wrong
as those of others, because they are
human flesh and blood. Will it be-
done by resting content in some vague,
visionary dream about blood and tam
lily: There is something in blood, of
course. BY blood | mean heredity. If
child's parents for a number of
generations have been honorable
and God-fearing it establishes in a
child a predisposition towards the
same line of conduct. But it needs to
be cultivated, developed, trained, just
as much as plant requires sunshine
and air, however rich the soil, Moth
ing in this world whether pride, wealth
OE ouuOd GIOA. can take Gno place OF
christian Training. Nothing can keep
man safe in the presence of tempta-
ton except principle, and, moreover,
principle which has been strengthened
and developed by Christian Training
in childhood.
l say to you, love your children, not
selhshly and weakly. but in the highest
sense and for the highest purposes.
Look to the child's spiritual welfare.
7 ou are to train it not by word oalU,
but by actions, by examples. You must
create an atmosphere of Faith and
Holiness in your homes and daily lives
The greatest principle in the Chris
1an Tralning of childreA is this: The
unconscious part of education, especi.
ally of the education of the soul, is
always probably the most important
part, yet the least considered. In other
words, what we are tells more on a
child, in the long run. than what ne
say. Every father and mother is not
only either for Christ or against Him in
the house, but they are perpetually, in
evitab'y, helping to set out and enlist
their offspring for Him or against
Him.
Take heed how you regard your chill
dren merely as companions Tor this
mortal life only. Beware how YOU
treat them as simply playthings when
they are amiable or as nuisances whom
they are fretful. Take heed how you
coax or threaten them into submission,
merely because they disturb your COM
fort. Take heed how you punish them
in blind anger when they offend or
disobey you. Tell your child he is a
member of the living Body of Christ.
Tell him that being a branch on the
Vine he is to grow and bear fruit by
all Christian nurture, by Bible and
counsel. by watchfulness and worship
Thus will he advance from honor to
honor, from strength to strength and
finally pass through the grave and
gate of death triumphantly to joyful
Resurrection. This will be the fulfill
ment of your charge, ge,-.Take this child
away and nurse it for me- This will
tka the avorl a stinU reward of va1. la hos-