The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-02-22

I
and their parents. The pastors sermon
was appropriate to the occasion. The
text was chosen from Ecclesiastes xii, 1:
Remember now thy creator in the days
of thy youth"
Children are like the flowers that bloom
in the springtime; they bring joy and
beauty and fragrance into life. They are
to humanity what spring is to nature.
| Winter leaves the earth bare, cold and
cherries; but spring comes with gentle
| lingering step, and with her warm breath
renews and transforms everything. With
dett fingers she weaves robe of Won
| drous beauty with which she clothes the
desolate earth. Bare rocks and ugly
assures she Grapes with ferns and moss
and vines; upon the bare ground she
spreads a veruant velvet mat; the naked
t.eeS she covers with blossoms, leaves
/ and berries, and then makes everything
radiant by scattering blusning mowers FAR
ana wide. In the same way children per-
petually blossom into life TO keep it pure
fresh and hopeful. The harsher aspects
| of life are yelled by the innocence and
beauty of childhood. Utter darkness and
/ despair would settle down upon us who
have penetrated and swept away the
bright illusions of life that charmed our
youthful fancy were il not for the soft
enchantment of childhood's purity, trust
and guilelessness. How dark and lonely
! the world would be If there were no
CLlIuEen III H. just imagine. II you can,
waking up tomorrow morning to lind that
every child in the United States under Is
years of age had suddenly disappeared,
Why you could not get people TO stay in
such country. Life would not be worth
living. Yes. we all love children; no one
would vote to have them go.
Christ loved children, too; he was pc
culiarly the child's friend. He was once
an infant himself. and his baby years
heralded luster to childhood that moth
ing can ever dim. In his mature years
Christ loved little children and frequently
took them into his arms TO fondie and
bless them. 1t was the influence of Jesus
that introduced brighter day for child
hood When he first came to earth,
heather mothers used frequently in ig
norance to give their babies to the croco-
diles. or slay them TO appease horrid
IDOLS or, in Rome. expose them to death
u.'on the bank of some stream where
they would starve or wild beasts would
come and eat them up. We can hardly
believe this, but ii is true. 1t was a very
common thing for Roman parents to cast
their tiny babies out to perish. But I'M
der the influence of Jesus life marriage
has become a most sacred institution; the
nome has become center of purity and
affection; childhood. because of its inno-
cence and helplessness. is honored and
cherished more than any other period OF
life; foundlings' homes and orphan
asylums and homes for the friendless,
have been established. so that a little
child cannot utter a moan without having
nor paganism has brought this about but
the spirit of Christ; so he is the children's
best friend.
Why should you remember God now in
the days of your youth? Some parents
l know think that children 10 or u years
of age are not old enough to be thought !
full about religion and to unite with the
church and to take up the active duties !
of Christian life. | think that they are. (.
know that | was and that the same is /
true of many of my friends. There is a |
esVx fIAr lNrN
than l could explain it. In certain town
some years ago a deep religious interest /
was awakened. and a great many people 4
became Christians and Joined the church. /
There was one particular family that 4
united in q body-all except Johnnie, the 4
youngest. a little 10-year-old He had /
given his heart to God. too. and wanted /
to join the church with the rest. but his
father said that he was too small and /
that he would have to stay out until he
knew more about 1t. This grieVed John
ME very much, but he was equal to the
occasion. That night when he went to
fold the sheep. as usual. he purposely left
one little lamb out in the cold. Its pite-
Gus bleating soon attracted the attention
Of the boys father, and he said: Johnnie.
l believe that one of the lambs has got
out of the fold and you had better go see
what is the matter with it
It's all right" said Johnnie, II left it
out a-purpose.
Why my SON. said the father. what
did you do that for? Don't you know
that the little creature will perish out
there alone in the cold2''
But said johnnie, Its too small to
be in there with the big sheep. l know
it's cold and lonely outside. but l didn't
know what else to do with it,
The boy s logic was too cogent to be re-
sisted so of course he joined the church.
Tke Illustration / am sure, is too plain
to need any application.
But. children, you ought to give your
hearts to God now. because he desires it,
II is no slight thing for such request
10 come from God. our great Father.
True Ii does seem a strange thing that he
service of a little boy or girl scarcely
I'D enough TO work or talk; but he does.
and since he does, l think the best thing
ior you to do is to please him and do
title children to come unto me and for
did them not. for of such is the kingdom
If heaven" And. after all. the reason
hat God wants your love and service is
.hiefiy. 1 think. because it will be best
or YOU it viii make you happier.
Another reason why you ought at once
o give your hearts to God, and be kind
md gentle like Christ. is because now
Unless and innocent; they have not been
warped out of shape by sinful habits. nor
warfed and stunted by evil appetites and
PASSIONS. Your lives now are fresh and
fragrant like dew-drops or rose-buds. |
suppose some of you love your teachers
Il day school very much. and sometimes
ma Ike them presents OF mowers or ITull. II
'ou do not love your teachers and show
hem such marks of affection il would be
good plan for you to begin to do so
light away. Well, now. when you take
our teacher a present you do not take
Ter a wilted rose or a rotten apple. do
ou? You take her the freshest. most /
rose. or the reddest. juiciest APP
lie you can find. don't you? Well. just
o we should not give God our old bodies
fter they have been wasted by disease
nd wrecked by sin, but rather we ought
o give MIN the fair blossom and fruitage 1
f our early years.
What will be the result. in a childs
wn life. of early concecration to God?
'irst you viii be the means of making
our homes cheerful and happy. The
tmosphere of the home is determined for [
he most part by the children. 1t is for ,
GU to say whether it shall be quiet or ,
whether IL shall be neat ana
asty. or constantly disordsrly; whether
lamma shall constantly have a frown
n her brow and an ache in her heart. or '
'hether she shall be good-natured, smil =
lg and happy.
1t is at home above all places that :
hildren are able to put their religion into
ractice. 1t is here that you have your T.
-ials and burdens with little brothers and |
sters. and 1t is here that trying duties /
ften fall upon you. To be good Chris
ans at home youn eed two things. {
aildren-a peaceable spirit. so that you :
~ not fret nor quarrel with your :
fothers and sisters when they yex you ,
cry much, and an obedient heart. so .
lat you will always respond promptly I
the requests of your parents and so a
lat you will not rebel when they re- I
gainst your will. You do not know how
Iuch you grieve the hearts of your
arents by Quarrelsomeless, bad habits
nd disobedience. Make up your minds
-ightest and happiest spot in the world. 9
IN the second place If you love Jesus Il