Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-09-28
as1iseellameu,ts geading.
THE MINISTRY OF CHILDREN.
"MiIlions of Infant Souls COmpo'
the Family Above"

in one year the deaths in four Eastern
cities amounted to 43,432, and Of this
number 24,767 were children under
years Of age.
The last sentence fixed our attention:
3,767 children perished during the year
we prefer to say died. This in four
cities only! OF the balance of the 4S.432
who can tell their eternal destiny?
Some to heaven, some to hell. But Of
these little ones no one can doubt.
Taking the aggregate Of other cities
and villages, and the country at large,
we comprehend a fact that finds ex-
preston at the Savior's lips, "Of such
is the kingdom of God," and in the sa-
cred couplet:
Millions of infant souls compose
The family above.
The adults had worked out their mis-
sion or failed to do 1t. But these little
ones had no mission? Was their being
failure? Lived they, and suffered,
and died, and Is the world all the same
as though they had not been? Nay,
verify. Theirs was a precious ministry
and such as they could fulfill. What a
waste of life! exclaims the worldly
economist, as he figures up the statis-
tics Of population. They lived In vain.
Is the thought Of the man ambitious OF
making his mark on the age. Mere
blank beings in vain, flowers that came
to no fruit, broken off, fallen, faded, is
the thought and feeling Of many. But
Christian philosophy presents a more
ennobling and comforting view.
How cold, selfish, would this world
of ours be without these children!
They preach the evangel of beauty and
innocence; they break the incrustations
of worldliness; they touch chords VI
brating solemnly, sweetly. and reserved
only for their tiny hands; they stir In
the heart hidden wells of feeling; they
preserve human sympathies from utter
ossification; they deeply subsoil our
hard nature. Biologists often show us,
deep down under the earth's layers, the
clear and well-defined print of frail
leaf, or the track of little bird, made
in the dim ages past. These have left
imperishable memorials Of themselves
on the face Of a world from which
whole species Of races and Kingdoms
have passed away. without a record.
The Bible makes many records. minute
and kind, Of the death of little children.
They have their significance. Take
the case Of Davids family. We lose
sight of the sickness and suffering. and
death Of the unweaned child, in the ef-
fects produced upon the royal parent.
1t is not saying too much, that large
proportion Of those who are saved Will
be saved by the ministry Of little chill
dren.
Summing UP the moral results of the
year we must not credit all to orators
and presses and institutions. These lit
tie preachers have visited homes, and
softened the hearts Of the indwellers
and drawn them heavenward, where
other voices have not been needed. The
strong man, unused to tears, has bowed
over the little coffin and wept. Under
what sermon was he ever so melted
down? What other preacher ever
availed to bow that pride Of strength
and unseal that fountain Of tears? The
gay, worldly minded mother, sits silent.
and sheds secret tears and prays. And
peradventure as these two hearts are
drawn closer by common grief, they
think of a common tie in heaven, and
resolve, through grace, as the babe can
not come to them. that they will go to
It. when our little boy died." has
been the beginning Of pilgrimages for
many bereaved parents. when the
baby died" dates impressions on the
family circle that have matured to god
illness.
The old may outlive their friends, the
middle aged may make enemies who
are glad to be rid Of them, or, wander
ing off, die where none lament; but the
babe is without prejudice in life. and
mighty in death. 1t is Gods messenger
of reconciliation, his flag of truce In
this world Of enmities and envies and
wrath and strife 1t has strong hold on
two hearts, If no more. The empty crib,
the half-worn shoe, the soft locks OF
hair that a few may see, prolong the
painful, yet pleasing memory OF the an
gel visitor that looked In upon us and
smiled and went to heaven, bidding
us, amid care and sorrow to follow on.
There is something so peculiarly af-
fecting in the loss Of a child that we
sympathize with the parent who said
he believed no minister Is prepared 20
bury another's child who had not bur-
led one Of his own.
There's many an empty cradle,
There's many a vacant bed,
There's many vacant bosom
whose Joy and light are fled,
For thick in every graveyard
The little hillocks lie,
And every hillock represents
An angel in the sky.
In this way heaven Is receiving large
contributions from earth. Next to the
conversion of a soul, the enemy Of God
and man may take least pleasure in the
death of a child. His snares are all
prevented and his prey surely lost.
We bless God for our creation. The
opening of a career Of immortal exist
ence Is in itself a great event-a mis-
sion of praise and glory, which death
cannot frustrate.
Though the voice of praise swell as
the sound Of many waters. and the ce-
lestial harpers are numberless, yet His