Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-06-18

tie girl had finished her reading the
fathers heart melted with repentance
and he was crying like little child.
Boys and girls, what do you think your
mother would do If you would climb
up into her lap and put your arms
about her neck and ask her why she
did not have family prayers? l tell
you what she would do Perhaps she
would get down on her knees and put
her arms about you and then and
there consecrate her life and yours
anew to the Saviour. Oh, children
Oh. little children, that is one reason
why want you TO respond to Christs
invitation, Suffer the little children
to come unto me-" | want you to
come to Christ today to be saved, that
you may also ask your big brothers
and sisters, your fathers and mothers
and all your little playmates to come
along by your side.
Parental Love.
Having talked perhaps already far
too long to the children, would like to
speak few words in closing directly
to the parents and the grown up people
here assembled. Fathers and mothers
are you to let an opportunity for your
own salvation like this go amiss? When
your little children are ready to sur
render their hearts to Christ. are you
not willing to consecratc your lives to
his service as never before? You know
that the strongest tics we have on
earth are those which bind us to our
children. Are we to be a spiritual
stumbling block in their way? | never
realized how much our children were to
us until an incident which occurred
some years ago, when | was passing
through one of the greatest crises OF
my life. I was prca ching at that time
in the city of Pittsburg. 1t was a hot
July night. Just before I arose to give
out my text n telegram was handed to
me from my brother-in-law. 1t had
these fatal words upon It: Come at
once. Your mother is dying" l took
out my watch and found that the even
ing train had already left. The next
did not go until 4 o'clock in the morn
ing. I pulled myself together and went
on and preached my sermon. All that
night walked the floor. Then, with
my wife and two little girls, both under
three years Of age, we went to the
depot In the journey to New York the
train was delayed six hours.
When we entered the Philadelphia
depot the milk had soured and both
babies were sick, and they had nothing
to eat | went to the conductor in my
difficulty. He was rough, brusque
man. said to him: "Can you hold
this train for five minutes? My ba
bies are sick, the milk Is sourcd and
they must have something to eat. My
mother is dying. and I must go on"
He looked at me and said: mo, sir. l
would not hold this train for the presi-
dent of the United States. We are
five hours late, and I would be dis
charged If did" But, man." said,
my mother is dying, and my babies
are very sick. Cannot you help me?
Have you no children of your own,
and cannot you just put yourself in
my place" The rough man started as
though he had been struck heavy
blow. He drew a long breath. Then
his eyes filled with tears as he mutter-
ed. "Well, go ahead. l will run the
risk for my own baby's sake!" oh,
parents, If a rough conductor would do
all that for his little girls sake, will
,D;. .... u" spiritual
welfare Of sour children: Men and
womer. you know you love your chill
drcn better than your lives. therefore
will you not consccrate your lives for
| their sakes to Jesus Christ: In all
your earthly existence you will never
be brought nearer to Jesus than now
by any plea. 1t is not myself that begs
you TO give your heart to the Master.
1t is the object lessons which are be-
| fore you this childrcn's day Of your
own little ones commlnglng in yonder
classes.
beautiful incident lately recounted
In the German papers sets forth in
strongest terms what the parental love
might not only be in the howell, but
also in the palace. Emperor William
II. was inspecting some of the famous
industrial establishments of his king
dom. In one the most expensive kind
of thin lace dresses were being made.
The proprletors, desiring to give the
emperor n present in recognition of the
honor his visit had conferred upon
them, wished to send the empress one
of the most delicate and expensive of
gowns. The emperor looked at 1t n
moment and then laughed. "Oh," he
said, that gown is not appropriate for
my wife. 1t IS too thin and delicate.
1t would not last day. My wife new
er moves unless she has two or three
babies pulling at her skirts, and they
would tear that Gauze all to pieces"
Beautiful picture that, And yet 1t is
the picture which is seen in every true
parents life. We always should have
our babies hanging upon us. And the
way we 90 into the kingdom of Jesus
| Christ will often decide the way our
mothers. will you start for heaven to-
day rs Il grand climax to this chill
dren's day festival? Standing amid
this beautiful human flower garden Of
to speak, y congratulate this church
because it places its chief emphasis in
| the place where ii belongs Next to
the prayer meeting the most important
sion. May God bless the Sunday school
superintendent of America. May God
bless the teachers and the other Sun