Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-10-25

Sahara sands into the rich soil Of a
harvest field.
But such desert az that Is not to be
compared to the Arizona desert. There
the lands are rich beyond all human
computation in all the elements that
nre essential to develop vegetable life.
You could grow wheat there. You could
grow corn there. You could grow or
chards there. You could grow the most
exquisite Of flowers there, If you only
had water. Travellers will tell you that
when the short rainy seasons come to
the Arizona desert it will be literally
covered with wild flowers, and the rich
est of grasses will spring up as If by
magic. | never cross the Arizona des-
ert but every sagebush. every bare
mound, every inch Of parchcd soil seems
to cry out to me this one sentence:
water, water! Give me drink, Give
me water, and will cover these wide
expanses with farm lands. Give me
drink, and ! will feed multitudes OF
people who will not only dig gold out
Of yonder mountains, but cover these
praries with harvest md orchards
worth far more than the minerals bur
led in my depths. Water, water Oh,
give me water and then let the starry
Ing people come and fill themselves
with my abundance" Thus feel when
l look off upon great community,
with its many children. There | do not
find rocky hearts. stony hearts, flinty
hearts, which cannot be touched by
Saviour's love. But, like the Arizona
plains, I find rich soil just ready for
the gospel showers. Give the child a
chance for God. Sow the gospel seed in
the homes where the parental life is
not what it should be. Christ will look
after the result. The harvest will sure
~ come for his glory. Dare you deny
that Gods promises are true? Cast
thy bread upon the unpromisng fields,
and thou shalt find 1t after many
days"
The Gospel Promise.
And this gospel promise is especially
dear where it has reference to our la
bors for Christ among children. be-
cause inevitably when you win little
child for Christ you will also win ths
parent for Christ. Everybody has an
influence for good" said John r. Cough
many years ago in a great temperance
meeting near London. Then, in his
powerful and dramatic way. he strobe
toward the front of the platform and
pointed directly to little child sitting
In the front seat and said. Even that
little child has her influence for good"
With that the father, who sat by her
side. arose and said in a loud voice,
which rang through the hall. That is
true, sir; that is true" and then sat
down. After the lecture was finished
this father came up to Mr.. Cough and
said: "Mr, Cough, you never spoke a
truer word than when you said that
| little girl has her influence. For many
| years | was q drunkard. | not only
went every night to the public tavern,
| but | used to take this little girl along,
! because she is my favorite child. did
| not want TO go alone. Night after night
! had staggered home drunk, with her
in my arms. But one night az was
| going to the intoxicating cup she heard
row going on in the alehouse. felt
her tremble in my arms. and she said,
Papa, don't go in; please don't 90 in
| Hold your tongue | muttered. I will
! do as | like. Trembling with fright,
she pressed her little Torch cad against
my head, and l felt n tear upon my
cheek. l turned and went back home.
Mr.. Cough. l have never been drunk
since. Yes. sir; even a little child has
her influence" Aye, not only has a
! little child her influences, but | some
! times think children have n greater in
! fuence upon the parental lives than
the older folks.
influence of Children.
Let me open for a moment the door
of your home. For whom are you
chiefly living? | thinl, your chief de
sire is for your children. You say to
your wife: NO. Mary; will not al
low that. The children must not 20"
But after the supper il over your little
daughter climbs up into your lap and
begins to talk. The first thing YOU
know YOU have not only consented for
her to do what you said she might not
do but YOU have consented TO let her
take you along. "Oh, John Your wife
says. those babies can twist you
about their little fingers. You have no
mind Of your own when they are
about" You answer: Not at all; not
at all. l always make them do what |
feel is best" But tell me honestly
the children are not listening-do you
not live for them? Do they not lead
you anywhere they will by the string
of love? Now. my friends, If your
children have such an influence over
you, your neighbours children have Just
rs much influence over him. Remem-
Der this fact-if you win Il child of
worldly parents to Christ. that child in
all probability will lead the parents to
Christ also. oh. my brother. Are not
these gospel prizes worth striving for ?
The easiest way to get Christ into a
worldly home IS TO go there by the
half open door of chld's heart. Cast
thy bread upon the chid's life, and
thou shalt find it after many days"
But another unpromslng field for
gospel seed planting is I've besotted life
of the man or woman who for years
and years has been living the life of Il
degenerate or a social outcast. When
you think OF them you invariably say:
"Thcy are Ephraims welded to their