The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-12-26

beautiful Sabbath released him from
life WEAKNESS and brought his mind
to God by saying: Papa, don't you
think the angels were in the world
today?" Wordsworth tell us how the
boy, keeping company with the shep-
herd father, led him upward:
"F'rom the boy there came
Feelings and emanations-things which
were
Light to the sun and music to the wind ;
And that the old mans heart seemed
born again.
And Mrs. Browning notes the same
influence of children hanging on the
mothers neck and making her a
better woman:
| ''Ah me, the vines
That bear such fruit are proud to stoop
with it;
The palm stands upright in realm of
sand"
And if we owe children debt we
owe them duty. The work of the
church for neglected childhood is
not yet done; and as the great factory
system invades our agricultural
West, one State after another will be
required to protect infancy from
greed and ignorance and forgetful-
ness. Even now we may, if we have
sensitive spirits, hear the "cry of the
children" of the huge shops. Read
the reports of factory inspectors in
almost any State, but especially
where public attention has not been
aroused, and listen to the cry:
''Grief has made us unbelieving,-
We look up for God, but tears have made
us blind
Do you hear the children weeping and
disproving,
o my brothers, what We preachl
For God possible is taught by his worlds
loving
And the children doubt of EACH"
''How long, o cruel nation,
Will you stand, to move the world, on a
child's heart?'
We are coming to recognize the
voice of Christ in this appeal. We
are coming to what noble Oscar Nc
Culloch loved to call the "Church of
the Divine Fragments" whose duty
it is to gather up all the fragments
that nothing be lost. Pedagogical
science and art are now engaged in
developing special methods for bring
ing backward and feeble-minded
children to the full stature of which
they are capable. When we have
provided adequately for the imbecile
we have reached the last stratum of
human need, but we are far from at
tanning that goal.
If our task is not yet done, neither
is the power latent in Christianity
exhausted. There is the power of
the endless life. The church is con-
stantly creating higher ideals of duty,
ever Judging itself by worthier stan
dards, ever more remorseful for neg
glect, ever more deeply moved by
the story of the Divine Child. If
the church grows cold the Scripture
reading in public worship or family
devotions kindles afresh the sacred
flame. And if the church had never
done anything but give Christmas,
with its associations, to the world, it
would have deserved we'll of philan-
thropy. The genius of Dickens has
illustrated the power of that holiday
to awaken affection and renew life
with even a selfish man. By reason
of Christian motives kindergartens
are multiplied, not merely to reform
the hardened offender, but rather to
anticipate the inroads of evil and
start the youth Alright at the parting
of the ways.
A long space stretches between the
Nazareth Boy and the social revolu
tions of the twentieth century. But
at the heart of all the fermenting
energy of goodness is the truth of the
holy childhood of Jesus. The rever-
emit study of the advent, accompanied
by carols and anthems, starts mil
lions of generous youth in an upward
direction, and wings their ambitions
with hope, and faith, and love. The
deathless Book is a fountain of eter-
nal life. The study of the life of
Christ is the we'll of noblest social
forces. The sciences which deal
with explanation could not exist in
in their present form ifcreative Chris
tianity had not furnished the mate
rail.-The Biblical World.