The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-08-17
cHRIsTs' IDEALS OF EDUCATION.

The mind of Christ on the educa-
tional question may be sounded
through an examination of His atti-
tude towards the children of His day.
That the force of the subsequent de-
auctions may not be lost let it be
recalled that Christ, as the redeemer
of all men, never moved in scripture
without divine intent, and never spoke
message that was not directed to all
the children of men. Were He a SIM
pie historic figure, and not the divine
character, chosen from eternal day
to save the universal progency of
Adam, it might be unjustified intru-
sion to interpret His action or read
into His words a meaning not eX-
clusively pertinent to the age in which
He lived. But being the son Of the
Eternal Father, commissioned to
speak the tidings of salvation to all
the children of God, His acts have
more than local setting, and the
counsels dropping from His divine lips
must be intended for humanity at
O'SAJ OSoSO vi CA1oICDCC.
When He gazed sadly at the denying
Peter, melting the heart of that faith
less one with that look of mercy, can
anyone doubt that the apostle was but
a figure of the class of delinquents
who down through the ages would
He chided the hypocritical pharisee,
who questions the descendants of the
man not embraced in the castigation:
when He walked upon the waters was
1T to the solitary sinking disciple He
extended the rescuing hand, or may
not all that today and after are buff
feted by waves that threaten to sub
merge in the tide of despair look in
expectation of aid to that lifting touch
of Christ?
His contact with child life, there
fore, may be rich with illumination
which can brighten the dark perplexi-
ties that obscure those who are con-
cerned for the welfare of the youth
full generations. After His own in
fancy about which affectionate curl
osity would love to play, there remain
the days of His public activity to fur
nish the testimony we seek. The re-
lations of Jesus with the children who
knew His day lend themselves easily
to a triple division. Though not in
the chronological order but as log
ical connection we may first view the
Saviour as He breaches to the crowds
where He warns them that unless they
become as little children they can
never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Whatever other bearing the words
may permit, testimony is given here
of the sublime and unquestioning faith
Christ reposed in the radical good
ness and angelic character of the lit
tie ones of our kind. Remark that no
age distinction is instituted, no social
or racial classification drawn. Christ
throws His vision athwart the
world of childhood; gazing down
into the pure spirits as they emerged
from the creative touch; recognizing
the spotless wilderness of the souls
that later may not merit such clear
endorsement for sanity, the Saviour
scouts the fearful pessimism which
trembles at what is supposed to be
the innate depravity of certain child
types and disarms the Encouragement
which aims to divide the youthful race
by measures of preconceived notions
of fitness He neither picks nor rejects
on superficial evidence; the rich and
favored are not set apart from the i'm
poverished and unfortunate; the pet
of the ruler is not distinguished above
the tattered offspring of the most alb
ject serf; without preference, without
discrimination it is announced that as
little children we must reshape ou1
lives, little children wherever they