Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1902-06-13
full sermon on humility the type of

our text. His little feet had been di-
rected by the devout parents to the
Masters side, and in his childish in
nocency he had drunk in the Saviour's
words and felt the Divine impress on
his tender, sensitive little heart. He
was not too young to love mamma
and papa. He was not too young to
love this, the Dearest Friend Who
had ever come into their happy home.
Two reasons why the little ones in
the home do not truly know and love
Jesus: No room is made in the home
for Jesus, and the parents do not
devoutly and faithfully direct the lit
tie feet to His side. The Bible may
be on the shelf or even in our hands
for the few minutes of perfunctor.y
reading; the stereotyped prayer may
fall from our moving lips while the
heart is buried in the affairs of this
world, but Jesus is not there. He
only comes where room is made for
Him. Will you not make room for
Him so that the little ones may come
to know Him, too? On the walls Of
the home love best hangs this motto:
"Christ Is the Head of This House,
The Unseen Guest at Every Meal,
The Silent Listener to Every Converse
ton"
And knowing the blessedness of His
presence since we made room for
Him and receive from Him daily
portion before beginning the duties
of the day, we would rather part
with any treasure than miss the
blessing He alone can give. Make
room for Jesus in the home and then
daily lead the little ones to Him,
where His benediction and blessing
may rest upon them. Talk with them
about Jesus, and chords will be set
to vibrating in their lives which will
never cease throughout eternity. Be
gin the day with Jesus, and often it
will close with the eager plea as the
tired little head rests upon its pill
low: Mamma, tell me that story
about Jesus again. And as the
dropping eyelids and gentle breath
ing sweetly announce that slumber-
land has been reached we finish our
story of Jesus and leave the little
one in His arms to rest.
Lessons from the Little One.-Up
into the face of the Master the little
one gazes in loving wonder, little
realizing he has been lifted to the
pinnacle of greatness in the King
dom of Heaven. True greatness never
realizes it's greatness. The essence
of true greatness in the Kingdom of
Heaven is childlike humility, which
sees only the Lord and accords Him
first place and loving service. One
of the distressing hindrances to the
work of the Lord to-day is the same
spirit which was displayed in the dis
cussion of these disciples as they
journeyed by the way, and which We
are now SO ready to condemn and
wonder at. There is to-day the same
seeking of the chief seats. at the feas.
which was so sharply rebuked by the
Lord upon one occasion. Plenty of
self-appointed leaders,; too many
willing to be generals and too few
ready to serve as the unknown pri-
vate. Let this little one teach you
the lesson of true greatness in the
Masters service.
But first of all note the development
of our Saviour's sermon, as recorded
by Matthew, in the eighteenth chap
ter of his Gospel. Having set the child
in their midst, Jesus goes on to say:
Verify, I say unto you, Except We be
converted, and become as little chill
dren, We shall not enter into the King
dom of Heaven" Not question after
all of position in the Kingdom, but
the vitality important one of first get
ting into that Kingdom. These words
of Jesus are addressed, not to stran-
gers to Him, but to the disciples who
have left all and followed Him.
"Peter, I have called you from your
fishing nets to make of you fisher
of men. You have heard and obeyed
my first call, but the fact that you are
concerned about yourself and are seek
ing the chief seat in the Kingdom is
evidence that you as yet do not really
belong to my Kingdom. Except We be
converted and become as a little child
We cannot enter into my Kingdom
There stands Peter, with the rest OF
the self-seeking disciples, and as he
turns his eyes on the little one sitting
on Jesus knee and sees with what alb
sorbed interest he presses close to the
Saviour's breast in loving confidence
he begins to. see himself as Jesus sees
him, and to understand the import OF
His solemn words. Peter the self
seeker does not belong to the Lord
Peter, absorbed in his argument to
prove his right to the chief place il
the Kingdom, is in danger of losing
place in it altogether.
Take Heed.-Jesus has led step by
step from the little one in their midst
into His Kingdom, and now He is ready
to give them a glimpse into beauti
full mystery of that Kingdom, and He
prefaces it by a solemn, ''Take heed
''Take heed that ye despise not one
of these little ones; for say unto you
that in Heaven their angels do always
behold the face of Ny Father which
is in Heaven" When Jesus says ''Take