Year: 1877

Dean Stanley and the Children.


a MODEL TALK TO THE LITTLE FoLKs-THE
WAY FOR THEM TO HELP THEMSELVES
AND HELP EACH OTHER.


Not long since the venerable Abbey OF
| Westminster, London, was crowded by
congregation numbering many thousands,
who assembled for the purpose or taking
part in the special service for children
which is held on Holy Innocents' Day. In
| the course Of his sermon Dean Stanley said:
"What Is ii, then, we can recommend 10 all
| children il they wish TO please their par
ents, 10 please God, and to go 10 Heaven?
Love honest work, love to get knowledge,
never be ashamed of saying your prayers
morning and evening. 1t will help you TO
be good all through the day. Always keep
your promises do not pick up foolish and
dirty stoIies mover, never tell lie; new
| er strike, or hurt, or be rude 10 a woman
or girl, or any one weaker or younger
than yourselves. BE ready even to risk
your own lives to save friend, or a COM
panion, or a brother or a sister. Be very
kind to poor dumb aninals-never put
them TO pain they are Gods creatures as
well as you, and if you hurt them you will
become brutal and base yourselves. Re


member always to be gentle and attentive
TO older people listen aud do not inter
rupt when they are talking. If you have
an old father, or grandfather, or sick
uncle or aunt, remember not TO disturb
them by loud talking or rough play. Be
careful aud tender to them. You cannot
think what good it does them, aud If it
should happen that any of you have poor
ialher or poor mother who has to get up
| early to go about their business and earn
their bread-and your bread, remember
what pleasure il will be 10 them to lind
that their little boy or little girl has been
out Of bed before them on a cold Winters
morning, and has lighted a bright, blazing
FIRE, so as 10 give them a warm cup Of tea.
Think what pleasure IL would be to them,
ifthey are sick, il they are deaf or blind,
to find little boy or little girl TO speak
to them, or to read to them, or to lead them
about. Ii is not only the comfort they have
10 having help; it is a still greater comfort
in knowing that they have good little
sou or a good little daughter who is anx-
ious 10 help them, and who they feel sure
will be a joy and not trouble 10 them by
day and by night. No Christmas present
can he so welcome 10 aby father or mother
or friend as the belief that their children
are growing up truthful, manly, coura-
geous, courteous, unsefish, aud religious,
and do not think that any Of these things
are too much for any Of you. know that
many OF you may have great temptations;
perhaps you may have homes where II is
very difiicult to be tidy and clean; per-
haps as you go TO school along the streets
there may be wicked people who try to
lead you asray, and make you steal and
swear; and yet am sure that il you will
do your best you will find such delight in
doing your duty, and in what is going on,
that whoever doeth these good things, says
the Bible, whether he be young or old, boy
or girl, shall never fail. Let the good
frighten the bad; let The light drive away
the dark aess let the whole world know
that there are little English boys anI girls
who are determined 10 do their duty what
| ever belalls them. Some of you may re-
member that last year l spoke of the gal
liant boys who behaved so we'll on board
the Goliath ship when it was on fire. Well,
those same boys have just begun their
| training over again. 1t was on last Tues
day they got on board their new ship the
Exmoulh, where they are working for
their country onco more. God bless and
prosper them, aud may they still be exam
plies to all of u.s. 1t was only the other day
1 heard OF brave and modest little boy
Harmon Darker was his name-who was
only IA years of age, aud who has already
saved at different times the lives of no less
than four other boys by plunging into the
rough sea afler them on the coast Of Nor
folk. That is what yOl can do-not per-
haps by plunging into the stormy sea, but
at any rate by saving q little brother or
| little sister from going wrong. You can do
far more for them perhaps than any one
else, because you are always with them.
Stand by them and protect; stand by each
other, and then the foolish, wicked, cruel
| people who want 10 mislead you will very
soon run away. Bad people are always
afraid of good people, even though the good
are much fewer, aud even though the good


may be only little child. 1 knew once a
very famous man who lived to be very old +,
who lived to be ss. He was always the de-


light OF those about him. He always stood


up for what was right. His eye was like
an eagles when /: flashed lire at what was


rong. And how early do you think he


began TO do thisH have an old grammar


which belonged TO him, all tattered and
| torn, which he had when little boy at
school, and what do you think l found


written in his own hand in the very first


pager Why these words; "Still in thy


right hand carry gentle peace, TO silence


vicious tongues-be just, and fear not"


That was his rule all through life, and he


was loved and honored down TO the day


when he was carried TO bis grave. Be just,


be good, and fear not; let that be your
rule, and God and Jesus Christ will be
with you then. now, and always"