The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1901-03-04
A SER MON TO
CHILDREN.
Rev. F. B. Short Delivers
A Sermon on "SllOuld
Children Join Church
AT Epworth last
Evening.

The services in Epworth all day
Yesterday were conducted for the
children and the children s choir OF
fifty voices lead the singing. In this
choir Mr.. Short has some sixty
five children ranging from s to II
wears old and each wears a black
rown with white collars and cuffs,
Mr.. Short sermons were especl-
ally prepared for the chlldle en-, Last
evenings subject was SHOULD the
Children JOIN the Church. lntreat-
ing of his subject Mr.. Short said in
part: -.
"There are two answ ers to this
question very different from each
other. They are both put in one
word. Yes or No, | have no doubt
in my mind that parents who love
their children will answer No! Per-
haps they have not thought serious
lv of the matter, and others who
are not honest at heart will answer
No!
| would not dare to answer the
question. but | will dare to an swer
it according TO the Scripture. Does
not our ord say. "Suffer the Little
children to come unto me and Tor
bid them not tor such is the kingdom
of heaven. Our Lord honorcd the
children because they possess the
highest quality OF human charac-
| ter.
There ia not man in this church
| tonight whose character is as noble
as one of these boys who sing III
this choir. No matter if you are
converted and cleansed of your sin
the scar is still there. A tree that
is not scared is more beautiful than
a tree that is. Eternity will not
remove the scar. We can get rid OF
the sin but not the scar. 1t Is there
aud will stay there through all
eternity.
Christ honorcd the children be-
cause OF their character and Christ
wants the children. Some parents
believe children do not know
enough, Are your boys sane, wise
or foolish? DO they not know their
multiplication table? Ill venture
to say that there are a number of
parents who are members OF church
who do not know this simple table.
/ Why nv good people If it was a
matter of brains that will take us
to heaven then there are very few
people of this church who will enter
the pearlv gates. You say he does
not know enough yet he knows how
to read, write and spell great
deal better than his Christian par
ents is this any excuse. l say no,
| Again some parents say no be-
cause their children do not know
low topray. If thought this was
so would stop preaching. Why
they don't have TO pray, 1t is our
duty to get the children into the
church and keep them there. Christ
does not forbid them to come he eX-
horts them to come,
! How would mother feel towards
| God if. when her little infant lies
dead it does not go to heaven just
because it does not know how to
pray.
! Our greatest examples are among
the children. No place else can
such illustrations OF faith be found
as in childhood. We must do moth
ing to keep them out of the church.
Henry Ward BeecEer once said
II do no more object to my chill
dren joining church and then going
to live with God than | do for them
to 90 and play with my nelghoorS
children. V
Heaven is made up Of childhood
and | wish had time to talk OH the
subject. Wewant to start amove'
ment to keep the children 10 the
church in Gods name, Parents use
your influence to keep your chill
dren IN the church and remember
that the Lord has bid them to come
unto him and has hopored them,