Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-06-18
TALMAGE
SERMON
BY Rev.
FRANK DE WITT TALMAGE. DID,,
Pastor Of jefferson Park Presby-
terrain Church, Chicago

Chicago, June 14-In this sermonic
talk to the children. appropriate TO the
day, there is a 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
to me-"
The second Sabbath Of June is here.
This is chldren's day. This is the
morning when the Sunday schools of
America, headed by their superntcnd-
ents and teachers, have made n grand
charge and captured the pulpts 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 We're produced in the
greenhouses and the nacl, 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 over see so many
beautiful flowers ablOom all in one gar
den? We know not which to admire
Most-the pale lilies in the checks, the
red roses in the lips, the goldcnrod
dancing among the yellow curls or the
roguish glances of these "black eyed
Susans." If any one should ask me
what considered the most important
day in the church year, without hcsita-
fion l would answer, children's day.
This is the Sabbath morning when par
snts not only bring their children to
The churches where Christ is preached.
but when their own thoughts. believe,
are irrcsistihly drawn toward the di-
vine teachings If father cannot feel
his affections stirred with love toward
God when his little girl is singing her
Saviours praise in the holy sanctuary,
his heart must be indeed as dead as a
stone.
This is children's day. ] would talk
to the children for little while about
one of the sweetest scenes in all the
Bible. There was a great crowd jos
Ting and pushing about Jesus Christ.
1t was the time of the Saviour's earth
" popularity. Every one wanted to
speak to Christ. as every one would
like to shake hands with the president
of the United States at White House
reception. Among others there were
in that crowd surrounding Christ
great number of fathers and mothers
who had children by their side and
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 little
child. She forced her way into the
home Of the first president and said:
Mr.. Washington, l have a little baby
boy here who is named after you.
want him to be as good and great a
man ms you are. VIII you bless your
little namesake, that many years from
now, after you are dead, I may tell
him that your hands touched his fore
head and that he ought, therefore, to
try to be like you?" 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 born nuisance and
that they should never be seen and
never heard in public places. They
think. If they go and visit q 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. If my
friends who visit my home are not
willing TO eat at the same table with
my babies they need not come and visit
me Mt all. | am just headstrong
enough to believe that what is good
enough for my children is good enough
for my friends.
There We're some men that day, too,
who followed Jesus wherever he went
and were called his disciples. They
knew how precious every word he ut
lfItu WI anu nDW uluuS SICh anu
blind and deaf people he was curing,
and they did not want his time taken
up with little children. SO these dis
ciples told the fathers and mothers not
to bother Jesus with their children.
They said; Here, fathers and mothers,
what are you bringing those children
here for? Why do you not take them
home, where they belongt' But Jesus,
hearing the commOtion. stopped and
asked the cause. Then when Christ
heard that these men were driving the
babies from his side he turned and
practically said: "Ah, that is not right,
Do not push those little ones away.
Open path there and let the children
come to my arms and be blessed
Then he uttered the sweet words OF
my text, suffer little children, and
forbid them not. to come unto me, fol
Of such is the kingdom of heaven"
Christ gave this sweeping invitation