Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1903-06-15
TALMAGE
SERMON
BY Rev.
FRANK DE WITT TALMAGE. DID,.
Pastor Of Jefferson Park Presby-
terrain Church, Chicago


day. there is message TO the heart
and life OF every American boy and
girl and to the parents also. The text
is Matthew xix. IL. suffer little chill
dren. and forbid them not. to come I'M
10 me-"
The second Sabbath OF June is here.
This Is children's day. This is the
morning when the Sunday schools OF
America, headed by their superintend-
ents and teachers, have made grand
charge and captured the pulpits and
pews and choir lofts of all Protestant
churches for their own sacred service.
This is the day when the church audi
forums are, for the most part, fragrant
with two kinds of flowers. Here are
the flowers which were produced in the
greenhouses and the back yards and
the front yards and the wild country
hillsides and the meadow lands. Here
are also the human buds which were
gathered out of the nurseries of many
homes. Here they are, these human
flowers, in clusters OF many classes.
My, my! Did you ever see so many
beautiful flowers abloom all In one gar
den? We know not which to admire
most-the pale lilies In the cheeks. the
red roses in the lips, the goldenrod
dancing among the yellow curls or the
roguish glances OF these ''black eyed
Susans." II any one should ask me
what considered the most important
day in the church year. without hesita-
ton l would answer, children's day.
This Is the Sabbath morning when par
ents not only bring their children to
the churches where Christ is preached,
but when their own thoughts. believe,
are irresistibly drawn toward the d.
vine teachings. IL a father cannot feel
his affections stirred with love toward
God when his little girl is singing her
Saviour's praise in the holy sanctuary,
his heart must be indeed as dead as a
stone.
This is children's day. / would talk
10 the children for a little while about
one OF the sweetest scenes in all the
Bible. There was a great crowd jos
Ting and pushing about Jesus Christ.
IL was the time Of the Saviour's earth
ly popularity. Every one wanted to
speak to Christ. as every one would
like to shake hands with the president
Of the United States at a White House
reception Among Others there were
In that crowd surrounding Christ
great number OF fathers and mothers
who had children by their side Qnd
wanted Jesus TO bless them, so that
their boys and girls might grow up to
be good as Christ was good. They
wanted to do just as Washington Irv-
ing's nurse did when he was a little
child She forced her way into the
home of the first president and said:
"Mr. Washington, have a little baby
boy here who Is named after you. l
want him to be as good and great a
man as you are. Will you bless your
little namesake. that many years from
now. after you are. dead. l may tell
him that your hands touched his fore
head and that he ought, therefore. to
try to be like your" That baby after.
ward grew up to be George Washing.
tons first great biographer.
Consider the Children.
But in the crowd surrounding Christ
there were also a lot of unsympathetiC
men and women. They belonged to
that great class of people who think
that children are q born nuisance and
that they should never be seen and
never heard in public places. They
think, II they go and visit a married
friend, that friend should have his
children eat in the kitchen while they
are there, or else have the children
wait until the older folks are through
and then go TO the second table. Now
do not believe that is the right way
TO bring up boys and girls. II my
friends who visit my home are mo-
willing to eat at the same table will
my babies they need not come and visi
me at all. l am Just headstronl
enough to believe that what is goot
for my friends.
There were some men that day. toe
who followed Jesus wherever he wen
and were called his disciples. The.
knew how precious every word he NJ
tered was and how many sick ant
blind and deaf people he was curing
and they did not want his time takel
up with little children. So these dis
ciples told the fathers and mothers no
10 bother Jesus with their children
They said: "Here. fathers and mothers
what are you bringing those childre
here fort Why do you not take ther
home. where they belongT But Jesu:
hearing the commotion, stopped an
asked the cause. Then when Chris
heard that these men were driving tn
babies from his side he turned an
practically said: "Ah. that is not righ
Do not push those little ones away
Open a path there and let the childre
come 10 my arms and be blessed.
Then he uttered the sweet words G
my text suffer little children, an
forbid them not. 10 come unto me. fo
OF such Is the kingdom OF heaven"