Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1903-06-19
schoolroom. but also from the sins OF
the great wide world at large.
Little Child Shall Lena

why you should come 10 Christ, and
that Is SO that you can bring your IA
Their and mother, big brothers and SIS
tiers along with you 20 Christ Oh. how
many children there 49, here whose
fathers never ask blessing at the
table or have family prayers by the
home altar! oh, how many little chill
dren there are here whose fathers and
mothers and big brothers and sisters
are drifting out into life OF sin merely
because they have never answered the
pleading call OF Jesus and have not
come and knelt at the Saviour's feetl
Little children. do you not know that
you perhaps better than any one else
can lead your fathers and mothers and
brothers and sisters and uncles and
aunts and big men and big women to
Christ? Do you not realize, boys and
girls. that. as the Bible describes the
day OF millennium as the time when
"the wolf also shall dwell with the
lamb. and a little child shall lead
Them" the greatest gospel messengers
who ever lived are tho little children
who are leading the grown up people
to the foot OF the cross?
Boys and girls. IL you have a father
who never goes TO church. what good
thing 1t would be II you could bring
him! Suppose you should go homo
from this service aud Chamber up into
his lap and say: Papa. why do not
you come to church? Why do not you
love Jesusf' How good thing X
would be If he should put his arm
around you and should say. Eyes. dar-
ling for your sake | will go TO church
and learn to love Jesus" lie would be
doing just as that great lawyer and
statesman OF Philadelphia did few
years ago. He was home from Wash
ington for a little while on a vacation.
While-he was sitting in the parlor his
little six-year-old daughter rushed into
the room, crying: "Oh. papa, have
learned to read. Would you like to
hear me read?" Then she went and
got Bible and opened II, and with
her little fingers used for a guide she
slowly read the sixteenth verse Of
the third chapter or ST. John, "For
God SO loved the world that he gave
his only begotten Son. that whosoever
believeth I'm him should not perish, but
have everlasting life" Before the lit
tie girl had finished her reading the
fathers henrt melted with repentance
and~be was crying like n little child,
Boys and girls. what do you think your
mother would do IL you would climb
up into her lap and put your arms
about her neck and ask her why she
did not have family prayers? / 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 1 want you TO respond to Christ's
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 10 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 20 amiss? When
your little children are ready TO sur
render their hearts 10 Christ, are you
not willing TO consecrate your lives to
his service as never before? You know
that the strongest ties we have on
earth are those which bind us to our
A xxss 20. hn f-ts
stumbling block In their way? 1 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 preaching at that time
in the city OF Pittsburg. 1t was a hot
July night. Just before / arose to give
out my text n telegram was handed TO
me from my brother-in-law. 1t had
these fatal words upon II: 'Come at
once. Your mother is dying" / took
out my watch and found that the even
ing train had already left The next
did not go until O'Clock in the morn
ing. 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 a rough, brusquo
n 90 ar. a
this train for FIVE minutes? My ba-
bies are sick, the milk IS soured and
they must have something to eat. My
mother is dying. and ] must go on"
He looked at me and said: mo, sir. i
would not hold this train for the presi-
dent OF the United States. We are
five hours late, and I would be dis
charged II did" "But. man." 1 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 placef" The rough man started as
though he had been struck a heavy
blow. He drew n long breath. Then
his eyes filled with tears as he mutter-
ed well. go ahead. I will run the
risk for my own baby's sakew oh,
parents. II a rough conductor would do
all that for his little girls sake, will
you not do something for the spiritual
welfare OF your children? Men and
women. you know you love your chill.
dren better than your lives, therefore
will you not consecrate your lives for
their sakes TO Jesus Christi 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 children's day of Your
own little ones commingling in yonder
| classes
A 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