Daily Kennebec journal., 1910-08-03
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THE CAMEL AND THE NEEDLES EYE.
Matthew 19;13.26.-Auqust 7.

Jesus said, Suffer little children to
| come unto me and forbid them not, for
of such is the Kingdom of Heaven"
En- route towards Jerusalem the
Master was met by mothers desiring to
have his blessing upon their children.
The Aspostles, realizing the great
ness of their Master and the impor-
tance of his time. forbade this and re-
buked the mothers When Jesus
heard, he called them and said: "Suf-
fer little children, and forbid them not
to come unto me: for of such is the
kingdom of heaven" and he put his
hands in blessing upon their heads
From this we are not to understand
that the Kingdom of Heaven will be
composed of little children This err
roneous idea has gone broadcast and
such an impression respecting the
Kingdom has thus resulted. On the
contrary no little children can get into
the Kingdom. Only those who have
the hearing of faith are even called"
to the Kingdom and it's glories. Our
Lords blessing upon little children
merely signitied his sympathy and love
and his appreciation of the purity and
innocence of childhood. Those who
will be of the Kingdom of God must be
like little children in the sense of be-
ing simple hearted. true. honest and
trustful of their heavenly Father-of
such-lik will be the inheritors of the
Kingdom.
Another account tells us of Jesus
further words to the effect that all
who would be his disciples must be-
come as little children-must be like
little children in guilelessness, faith.
etc. But those who will be heirs of
the Kingdom will all be "overcomers.
Such take up their cross and follow
the Lord whithersoever he leadeth. AS
our Lord could not have taken up his
cross when he was a boy of nine, so
likewise children cannot become the
followers OF Christ in the Scriptural
sense until they have reached the age
of discretion. which with some may
occur much earlier than with others.
We have known children of twelve
years or thereabouts to give excellent
evidence of faith, obedience and con-
Secration to the Lords will and evil
dence of being begotten of the holy
Spirit These. of course. but no 9TH
er children. could have hope of sharing
with Christ in his Millennial Kingdom.
On his journey our Lord was accost-
ed by one who said. Good Master,
what good thing shall | do that l may
have eternal life?" He had the right
idea: namely. that eternal life is the
grand desideratum, the grand hope OF
all hopes before the human family. We
are glad of the question; for it
brought forth the inspired answer in
which everybody is Interested. What
is the value of the present life, except
as it leads up the passageway to
eternal life? How utterly lost we
should feel if assured that at death we
would be blotted out forever. How
little in this life would be worth con-
sideration-Thow little it could do
toward filling the longing of our
hearts, which yearn for eternal life!
Our Lord parried the question. in or
der to draw out the young man and
make him commit himself. why do
you call me good?" Why do you ac-
knowledge me as a good teacher! L
am either the Messiah. as | claim. or
else an impostor and far from good.
Do YOU accept my Messiahship? II
YOU do not, how can you call me
good or acknowledge that anything
could be good that does not proceed
from God. the Fountain of all good
ness? But answering your question:
if YOU would enter into eternal life,
keen the commandments. The young
man replied, Which? The Master an
swered, Thou shalt do no murder, nor
commit adultery. nor steal, nor pear
false witness, but honor thy father
and thy mother and love thy neigh
Dor as thyself. The young man re-
piled. "All these things have l ob-
served from my youth. What lack
YETI"
Hew as a model young man ana
Jesus loved him. Evidently he was
keeping the Jewish Law to the extent
of his knowledge and ability. ne
thought that he was loving his nelgh-
bor as himself; but this was mistake
which the Lord disclosed to him by the
following suggestion: IF thou wouldst
be perfect go sell all that thou mast
and give to the poor and thou shalI
have treasure in heaven" instead OF Oh
earth: sacrifice also your earthly repu-
tation and become my follower.