The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-08-04
INTERNATIONAL 1IEl S. S. LESSON t
August $1,000. MatthewxVII, LA
Lesus and the Children.

u
August s, 1900. MatthewxvII, LA
Jesus and the Children.
The training of the Twelve made
large drafts upon the endurance and
tact OF the Master. Their racial and
hereditary misconception Of his king
dom was the most difficult of eradlca-
ton. He had just unveiled to them his
Via Dolorosa, but, explicit though he
had been, It seemed all TO no purpose.
They saw only nower-strewn path
to gllttering throne. And they want
ed 1t quickly decided how they should
stand relatively to each other and to
that throne. Before we are
harsh with the disciples for their tardy
approach to the true ideal of the king
dom, let it be remembered, they drank
in their wrong notions with their
mothers milk. Even Jesus could not
easily train out of them Ideas which
had been trained into them for thirty
years and more. and those the most
impossible years OF human life.
They were ideas. too, that were pecu-'
lIarly consonant with their natural
tastes and ambitions. -. The
Scarcher of Hearts knew very well the
subject OF the urseemly controversy In
which his disciples had engaged on the
way to Capernnum. They had perhaps
separated from him on purpose TO have
It out" among themselves-not yet
having learned how naked and open all
things were 10 him with whom they
had to do. -. 1t was the mas
ter-stroke of the Master-teacher, the
placing OF the child In. the midst of his
sells seeking disciples. The instant obe-
dIence the child rendered when called;
the docility with which he stood where
Jesus placed him; and in the end, the
swIftness with which he ran TO receive
and return the Savior's embrace, and
all with self-oblivlon to which the
question, what shall I have for this?"
never so much as occurred-there. MS
in a simple living tableau, the charac-
teristics of the approved disciple stood
forth, a snowy cameo on an inky agate.
49,. - And from the acted par
able, as was his wont, the Savior passed
to earnest. practical discourse, in which
the principles of his kingdom were still
further developed and applied. 80.
The conspicuous position to be accord
ed 10 childhood In the church is dis
tinctly cnunciated If those like chill
dren are eligible to membership, then
children themselves are already includ-
ed. Jesus is childhood's Defender. He
puts himself in the child's place. What
you do of good or Ill TO the child, you
do 10 him. -. -. The immediate
surrender of the dearest earthly am
billions inimical to the spirit of the hea-
venly kingdom is insisted upon in lam
guage Of unsurpassed vigor. Better one
hand, one foot, one eye, and-heaven,
than two hands, two feet, two eyes, and
course closes nptly with picture of the
Good Shepherd going out with infinite
sacrifice, pains, and persistence, to seek
for one lost sheep. -. The lovely
tapestry of the homily to the Twelve Is
shot again and again with the golden
thread of the Masters particular love,
care and provision for child-life. Not
the will of the Father that one of these
little ones; Their guardian angels
stand nearest the Father; "The
worst death conceivable would be pre-
ferable to the penalty of corruptlng a
child" Whoever takes child under
loving and ;elpful care takes the child
and-me."