Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-01

pastor Of the Church of the Covenant Presbyterian
| even palmer. Except We turn, and become
as little children, We shall in no wise enter
into the kingdom of heaven" The spirit Of
that kingdom, therefore, is the spirit Of
early childhood little children" Or, to
keep to our former phraseology, whoever
lacks that spirit is lost whoever has it se
saved"
Now Jesus, speaking TO adult men and
women, of various ages and conditions tells
them comprehensively that they have all
lost this spirit of early childhood, and can
recover it only by turning back and retrac-
ing their steps. Not, of course in the
sense in which we often idly wish our
selves young again. Jesus never tickled
human fancy with Idle wishes. But in the
sense of deliberately abjuring and abandon
ing, not the maturity of adult years. but
the bad accretions that they have brought
And here we are in region Of clear con-
seriousness. We know that in spirit temper
disposition. we have drifted a very long way
from early childhood. Sometimes we are
this the ground that it is only the in
evitable result of the increasing knowledge
of life and of the world. Such knowl-
edge we say, necessarily makes us at
first cautious and then suspicious We find
ourselves overreached and outwitted. We
have to struggle for our position and our
possessions. and then have to struggle still
harder to keep them. Amid selfish and
scheming men and women, how can we help
plotting and crowding on our own account?
Were we to be as supplemented at fifty as
we were at five we could not so much as
earn livelihood retain q home
True enough. The little child is not fitted
for these things. But to excuse thus the
wrong spirit of adult years. which Jesus
contrasts with the right spirit of childhood,
is to confound virtuous prudence with
vicious envy, jealousy, pride, strife, deceit,
treachery. But leaving all else aside for
the moment, how conscious we are OF hav-
ing grown hard How readily we put the
worst construction on others conduct, when
the best, or at least a better, is easily pos
sible! How dry and cold have our sensi-
bilities become! How we repress our SYM
pathy, compassion; the generous estimate
and cheerful hope that once were so spon-
taneous, How little we trust How I'M
willingly we take correction. How self
confident and self-centered we have become!
All this, 1 repeat is matter Of conscious
ness. No doubt in the hurry and stress of
life we are largely oblivious OF it. but In
quiet hour of meditation like this. 1t
energies, and comes home to US. And when
we are In contact with little children. how
deeply we feel the vast interval between
their spirit and our own We are often ad-
vised to seek the society of children; to
surround ourselves with them as far as
possible. that we may keep young. Even
physically and intellectually this Is good
advice. There is a blessed contagion in
their fresh vitality. But spiritually 1t Is
not simply good advice; according to Jesus
1t is an imperative necessity. For 1t means
the difference between being lost" and
saved"
For, certainly, whoever has drifted away
from the temper of early childhood is like
the sheep that has wandered far from the
fold; like the coin that is hidden amid rub
bish; like the son that has deserted and
forfeited his home. If these were 'Iost."
he is lost" If these could be saved"
only by turning and coming back, so can
he be saved" only by retracing the path
along which he has passed from the spirit
of his childhood.
Beloved you far from childhood's
spirit today? Does it startle and shame YOU
to reflect how far? Then let Jesus tell you.
with his kind frankness that you are
lost" beg you, do not resent that word.
strong and awful as It is. For it is liter
ally true. And the moment you accept it's
truth, salvation is at hand; for you will
want Savior; you will turn to Jesus: He
will lead you back over the long path Of
wandering; will bring you once more to the
gentle and loyal spirit Of early childhood:
will keep you safely and sweetly there
through time and immortality.