Newport weekly independent., 1902-06-13

The Little One Knew Jesus.-Per- haps Jesus had visited often in the home where lived the little one 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 noC devoutly and faithfully direct the liL- tie feet to His side. The Bible may be on the shelf or even in our hands for the few minutes of perfunctory 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 1 love best hangs this motto: Christ Is the Head of This House,
 The Unseen Guest at Every Meal,
 The Silent Listener to Every Conversa-
 tion.''
 And knowing the blessedness of Ifs presence since we made room for Him and receive from Him a 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 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 it's 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 ot 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.
 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: "Verily, 1 say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little chil- dren, ye shall not enter into the King dom of Heaven" Not a question after all of position in the Kingdom, but the vltally 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, l have called you from your fishing nets to make of you a 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 ye be converted and become as a little child ye cannot enter into my Kingdom"
 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 glimpse into a beauti- full mystery of that Kingdom, and He prefaces it by solemn, "Take heed"
 Iahe Heeu lHdJ ye ueSplse not one of these little ones; for say unto you, that in Heaven their angels do always behold the face of My Father which is in Heaven" When Jesus says ''Take heed," there is solemn import in His words. And with the eternal interests of one of His precious little ones in the balance, there is no mistaking the intensity of His meaning. Two strik- ing conditions mark the attitude of the present age towards childhood. Never was so much thought and effort put