Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1907-01-05

ish him or to say harsh word to
him." My brother, you know just what
l mean. You know how children vary.
Most of them seem to be made Of the
same stuff you are made of, but there
IS one child who is different from all
the rest She is so gentle, so kind, so
helpful. so loving, so filled with the
Christ life, that she seems to be the
gospel leaven which leavens the whole
home. Oh, yes, within its own
sphere there is no influence greater
than the influence Of the Christian
child. And yet. putting aside the
monklsh legends and traditions about
the Saviour's infancy. of all he did and
said during his childhood there Is re-
liably recorded hardly word.
Beautiful Legend.
The great Dean Stanley illustrated
the influence Of the Christian child life
I'm this beautiful way: "Many years
ago there lived a huge heather giant.
He was a mammoth bunch Of muscles;
but. though he was great in physical
strength. he was a spiritual pygmy.
He wanted to serve God, and he want
ed to pray, but he did not know how.
At last this heather giant came to a
deep river. where he met an old man,
and he told him his hearts yearnlngs.
The good man said, My friend, you
NAV not know how to pray, but you
can help those poor travellers who want
to pass over this river SO, day after
dav. the heather giant dwelt upon the
river bank. When the poor wayfarers
came along, he would shoulder them
upon his back and carry them over
this swift running stream. One stormy
night he heard a child pteously cry
ING. The boy wanted to be carried
over. SO the giant lifted the lad and
| started. The waters surged about the
| giants feet. The tempest blew over
head. While he was struggling in the
swift current the giant felt the weight
of the child grow heavier and heavier
| Then the giant looked up at the chlld
| and. 10. a supernatural glory shone II
| his face, The child said, Friend, thol
| art laboring under this heavy burder
| because thou art carrying one VINO Il
bearing the sins of the world TheI
the giant knew that he was carryin:
Jesus. and he bore him to the banl
md fell down and worshiped him."
That was only legend. But it wa
q legend which has had its duplication
in many lives. We had grown t.
manhood. We wanted to worship
Christ. but somehow we did not know
how. Then there came into our home
q little child. Oh, that little girl seem
ed so small! When the nurse frs
placed her in our arms we were almos
frightened. We were afraid or drop
ping the puny thing upon the hool
| But as we kept carrying the child an
watching her, with her gentle, trustfu
vays. we began to be like the les
endary giant Through that little chill
life we learned how to trust and b'
lIeve on Jesus Christ. Oh, the marve
ous influence of a Christian child /
the home! Have you ever stopped 70
one instant to think what must hav
been the influence of the child Jesu
In the Nazareth carpenter shop upo
his father and mother and brothers an
sisters? Are you and | willing to b
led TO reconsecrate our lives to IN
cross through the influence of the col
secrated actions of our little children
turn the leaves Of the four gospel
and look In vain for any record
what Christ did as young man. troi
the age of twelve to thirty absolutel
nothing authoritative IS written. An
vet those were very important yeal
in Jesus life. They were the yeal
when. like Paul, he put aside chilli
ish things. Then he not only though
as n man and worked as a man, Dl
he had the responsibilities Of the hon
flung upon him when he was yet
mere bOy He was like one of thoS
little children we often see in our poo
er districts. While they are yet babe
themselves by the cruel, inexorab
laws Of poverty they are compelled
take care of some younger brother al
sister. But during all these years
Christs life there is not word wrl
ten; no, not one word.
What Jesus Did Not Do.
: How precious to us would have bee
, a genuine record showing how jest
acted when his foster father Josep
died. Joseph, the carpenter stood
the same relationship to Jesus as Lu
wig Guyer did to his stepson, Richal
Wagner. or as David Swings stepf
, ther did to him. Joseph, the carpente
=, was the divine boys breadwinner al
: human protector. When suddenly tn
i strong carpenter was stricken dow
we can see Mary, his wife, and n
brood of little ones, with their stain'
: faces. standing about the pale corps
9 Now, what do you suppose Jesus, u
bov. did at that time? Do you su
pose he turned to Mary and sal
: "Mother, ] am willing to look aft
! YOU. but not after the other boys al
= girls. We have not the same fatht
4 and therefore l am not responsible I
4 their daily bread" No; do not b
!, lieve that is what Jesus, the your
. man. did. Neither do l believe
i went up to that bier and began to
!, ment, saying: "What am I to do?
Il wanted to study, to be a great rab
q like Hillel Now I have no father
o pay my way through school," No;
e do not believe Jesus did that 1t Is
g unwritten life All this tragedy OF t
o home is covered up
>, From what we know Of his manho
% we must suppose he was very kind a
d tender to his mother. We can imagl
him, as the eldest Of her children, Il
IS ing Josephs place in the carpen
II shop. of his toilng for the support
le Mary and her young family. III
NJ that sunny nature would tighten