Year: 1871




if in no other, ''the old days" are not bet
ter than our own. 1t is true that the great
Christian heart of the Church is waking up
in this matter, and again l say, thank God
for it. Yet here and there an application is
still found for the words, "too young" :"
Here and there grave Church Sessions are
recording their decisions that, " the child is
thought to be too young to become an
acknowledged follower of Christ" And
what does this mean? The decision has an
Interpretation which perhaps its authors may
not have intended, yet this is its interpreta-
ton nevertheless, viz: "The Spirit of God
is able to regenerate grOwn persons heart,
but not child's The grace of God is able
to keep a grown person, but not d child p
If it does not mean this, it means nothing.
The question of expediency may be ad-
vanced, but to no purpose. For it only
comes to this, that human judgment doubts
whether or not it is expedient to trust the
power of Gods Spirit and grace in the case
of child No doubt some will be shocked
that our Church should be charged with any
actions not right with respect to its children.
Yet if instance after instance can be pro-
duced in which children applying for admis-
sion to the communion of the saints upon
their confession of Christ, are refused such
admission-and refused, not because their er-
perience and confession are not satisfactory,
but because they are "toO yoang," and only
because of this-then here is proof that the
actions of the Church in this matter are not
right. By what authority is the child re-
jected? Again and again such reflections
have come within my knowledge for which,
whether in public or private, no reason was
given save this, "too young" Well let ul
see what TIC sum OF it all is Here are
godly parents. A child is born unto them
and its first breath of life is sanctioned by
the conservation which these parents make
of their child. They pray that their God
will be the God of their child; that its little
feet may not be allowed to grow hard IL
worldly ways; that its heart may be separa
ted unto Christ-yea, from its childhood. 81
day after day passes, and not day is with
out its earnest prayers for the child. Ther
comes the time when the public conservation
takes place. Publicly these parents entel
into covenant with God in behalf of theil
child. Henceforth it. is the child of the
Church also, and the prayer of the Church
ascends for it to the throne of grace in unior
with the prayer of the parents. Is God
prayer-hearing and prayer-answering God


Let us suppose that ten years have now
marked the child's life. For every day o.
those ten years there is record on high o.
prayer made for this child. But When are
these prayers to be answered There comes
the child now with the blessed answer tt
them. God turned its little feet early to th'
way of life. He did not let the devil have
power in its heart His was the first claim
and now He maintains it by giving the chilc
the Spirit of grace and faith to confess
Christ. Accordingly we have eethe appear
ance and application before the Church Ses
sion. Simple, child.language tells of wha
the Spirit has done, yet it tells enough. Th'
same evidence given by older lips would b.
all sufficient. But this is only little chile
ten years of age, and the Session is great,
puzzled to know what to do. Finally tn
decision is rendered !" My child, we great
ly rejoice to see you so early obeying God
command. VS. rejoice that you have sought
and as you hope, have found the preciou
Saviour. But really we think it best TO
you to wait awhile, a year or two at least be
fore joining the Church. Go on as you hav
begun. Don't give up your hope. We BIZ
you God-speed-but still we think you ar
rather young as yet to take upon you tn
great responsibilities of the Christian pro
| fession."


And SO the heart and hopes of the littl
one are cast back into its own keeping. l
is denied officially place among the children
of God. But this is not all, nor the worst
The Session so acting has passed judgmen
as to Gods power in answering prayer
There is limitation also of the power o
Gods Spirit and grace. "We have ofere'
prayers in behalf of our children for tel
years ), yet we do not believe in any answe
which may come within that time! We be
lieve Thy Spirit and grace to be infinite fo
the salvation of adults; but we cannot trus
them except in the case of adults. IF thi
Judgment is right, then the action spoken 0
is also right. Buff the judgment is wrong
then who shall say that the action in tn
case is not also wrong? l am perfectly awar
that some will charge me with the idle worl
of fighting shadows. But l will thank CO.
for every Church in which there are nothin
more solid than shadows. If some are Vi
to consistency in this matter, still some ar
not, as many living witnesses can testify.


make question as to the correctness of doc
trine held by the Church But do say tina