The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1913-07-15


81 think when l read that sweet story
OF old,
When Jesus was here among men,
How he called little children as lambs to
HIS fold.
should like TO have been with Him
then"
In this chapter of Matthew he takes
a little child and sets him in the
midst of his disciples, not merely 10
teach those disciples a lesson in
humility, but for the child's sake as
well as their sake. He has something
to teach them concerning the child
which they never knew, and could not
have known except for him. He tells
them such little ones are not to be
despised or set at naught. for the
most transcendent of reasons, name
ly. that the Son of Man came into
the world to save them, and that il
is not the will of his Father that one
of them should be lost.
Christianity and the Child.
The world cared nothing for little
children before Jesus came and was
Graded in q manger. In splendid
Rome. childhood had no rights other
than those which the sentiment of
the father might fitfully concede To
It. lie might abandon his child or
murder it as he chose. Greece set
the example to Rome in this respect,
since Spartan children were some
times beaten at the altar OF Diana
until their blood ran out upon its
steps. 1t was not until Christianity
that lGye. Ter -l.ttlA-ehiIarep -faiInd en-
preston in literature, or that care for
them became the custom of the great.
There is great encouragement to US
Christian parents in the fact that the
soul of a little child is as precious
In the sight of God as that of it's par
ent. 1t was Jesus who taught US this
and 10 his holy name should be the
praise. Let us act on this encourage
ment and bring our children to the
Lord that they may be saved
Let US remember that our children
need salvation, for they were shapen
In iniquity and conceived in sin. The
Fifty-first Psalm teaches US this. 1t
was not personal dlsobedience on
their part that thus exposed them TO
divine judgment, but that which pre-
ceded II, that which was hereditary
and common to all the race. That
such sin is in their being from their
srfI 10 hN
live when they come to moral con-
seriousness. Are they not selfish from
very early age. and is not selfish
ness sin? Are they not disobedient
and is not disobedience sin? Do they
not take things which belong TO 9th
ers? And is not this theft? Do they
not covet and falsify? Do they not
show wrath and hatred? And is not
this the spirit of murder? There is
need of the regeneration OF the Holy
Spirit in the child as truly as In the
parent of the child
The Responsibility Of Parents.
We parents have very much to do
with the salvation OF our children.
First of all we can set a guard about
them. on the principle that IAN ounce
of prevention is better than a pound
OF cure" We can keep our children
innocent of many things by warding
of the approach OF evil. II should
not be necessary for the state 10
make such encroachments upon the
functions of the home as it is now
doing.
In the second place. We can set an
example to our children, an example
of self-denial and piety and obedience
20 divine law. VIII a child reverence
God who is never worshiped in it's
own home? Can God be exalted in the
esteem of little children when his
name is profanely used by their par
ents? viii children be likely TO 20
20 church or Sunday school whose
elders seldom do so? Will they love
purity where the opposite Is before
them in the amusements and read
ing matter OF the household? VIII
they be honest, who hear money and
gain continually exalted around the
family table and at the Preside? Will
they speak the truth who witness ex.
aggeration and falsehood in those
they are supposed to honor? In the
gospels we read that parents brought
their children TO Christ. they did not
send them. and we, by example. must
do the same.
In the third place we can preach
the gospel 10 our children and low
ingly and faithfully talk with them
about their sin and about the Saviour
who died to take away their sin. We
can urge them TO confess Christ and
pray for them. and better yet. pray
with them that they may be saved