Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1906-08-25

rhildren's conS"cr9tiun uf themselves
than YOU think ihe reason we have
not our Theological sennlnries crowd
ed with students today Is because the
parents are not sending their children
there How are the parents - send
them there? BY consecratiH- their
chlldren's lives 10 the Master, spri Ice
at their very birth aud by keeping on
consecratng their children to Coils
service every day OF their school wears.
Then these children cannot help enter
ing the Masters service any more than
She brothers and the sisters Of Henry
Ward Bcecher could help entering that
service Would you like me To tell YOU
Why Lyman Beechers children turned
out Us they did Well | Will by quot.
ing from the diary VI this illuStrious
man written on the day his first child,
the famous Catherine Beeclirr was
born These are his words
Saturday. Sept g. 1900 This mo
ment blessed he God. my dear dear
wife Is delivered Of daughter. aud
my soul my very soul. from agony
Oh. may never forget the goodness of
God. who has heard our prayer Jesus.
thou former of the body aud father
OF the spirit accept n thine this i'm
mortal soul thou hast ushered into life
Take oh. take II 10 he thine before 1t
clngs around my heart aud never suf
fer US 10 take II back again May IL
live TO glorify thee on earth aud To
enjoy thee forever In heaven Now.
Lord We look TO thee for grace 10 help
lis rear Il for thee May IL be thine for
ever Amen and amen Do you sup
pose any child. or any collection of
children. parentally conseerated 10
Jesus Christ as were Lyman Beecher's.
could turn out otherwise than they
did, II by prayer aud conservation
Lyman Beccher could send his boys
and girls into Christian service can.
not we by prayer make our own boys
aud girls devoted Christian workers
for this century. as ~ John labored ia
foreign lands during the first century,
II by prayer we can eonsecrate our
children 10 Christ. shall we not by
prayer first consccrate our own selves
TO his dear name:
And now II closing word OF warning
Like John. let us be careful that
we remain faithful TO Christ unto the
end oh. that WE might all. rs young.
az middle aged, and ms old men aud
women. cling close 10 the Master,
What do | mean 10y this: Why. ! sim
ply want to warn you against the
temptations which Satan continually
sets for the gray haired. as well as for
the youth of the raven locks
This is 10 useless red light" which
am throwing over the rocks lining the
Jagged shores OF eternity. When We
were young our friends We're continual
ly warning US against sin. But when
we became older. when we made
success In life. when we became min
listers IN the pulpit or elders by the
communion table or mothers Of grown
up daughters. the people seemed 10
think We were safe. Are We: Was
Solomon safe: Was David safe Are
you safe oh father or mother What
Is the sin that is beckoning 10 YOU now
o God. have often prayed for thee 10
save NE from the sin of youth Father,
now pray 10 thee 10 save me from
the temptations of the thlrties and OF
the forties and of the ffties and Of the
sixties and of the seventies. and, Lord,
from the temptations of the eighties.
Thou didst guard aud keep st John
the pure. noble Christian that lie WAS.
clear ON into the twilight OF life. Guard
and keep me from the sins OF mature
manhood Though | may be thy sery
ant 10 proclaim thy name In thy pull
pit make my faith that Of Il little child.
And this | ask In the name Of Jesus
Christ. who WAS with the aged st John
In Asia and ON patmos. and who was
also with ~. John in the banquet hall
OF the last supper when lac was
young man.
God keep our children from sin. God
keep our young men from sin God
keep us when We are middle aged, and
God keep us when old like ST John
our eyes are dim and our step is heavy
May We be like John. the young man
and like ST John, the aged patriarch
Copyright 1915 by Louis Klopsch.l