Christ's Protection of Childhood.
Jesus said, Forbid them not to come unto me. Put nothing in their way. Do not so overtax them, or so fill their minds or their time that they cannot come. The life of a child is little else than the reproduction of the examples it sees. Then father's example must not forbid him, nor mother's. Vice to a child is contagious; then the little learner is not to be sent where evil is learned, nor to be taken where stronger characters stand between him and Christ. If the streets and sidewalks are full of lying and swearing, then the child's business and pleasure must be found elsewhere. If the Sabbath-day is as full of Sabbath-breaking as it is of sunlight, then cheerful and attractive occupation must be found that accord with the day. To expose a child to examples and habits of sin is a crime against the child's Christ. There are companions and places to which we cannot innocently expose children. It is folly to be careless about these things, and then be surprised at bad results. If we leave our geraniums out all winter, we cannot expect flowers in the spring. Christ's admonition is that we do not endanger a child. Behind this admonition is the divine authority. This obligation is violated whenever a child is taken into a godless family. Better place him in his innocency where every member of the family is smitten with the plague, better lay him in the arms of a leper, than to place him where precept and example will prevent his coming to Christ. Christ's words constitute the charter of rights for childhood. The right to come to Christ includes a right to justice, food, clothing, comfort, kindness, and religious care. If any one of these is denied him, what can a little child do? Not much himself, but the Father of the fatherless will not forget. A time will come when one who has injured a child, rather than endure the penalty for it, would prefer that a mill-stone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depths of the sea. Before childhood's Judge he would say, Give me the mill-stone, and the cable, and the sea. Even in this Christian land there is a great deal of abuse of children, and trampling on their right to religious care. The law itself, the civil law that knows nothing of God, takes it for granted that every child is in danger and not a man is to be left to himself in his relation to a child. The law forbids the neglect of parents, provides in their absence for guardians, and then appoints over both parent and guardian, the probate court, the grand jury, and the court of chancery. The impression is too common that our duty is done when we provide food, and clothing, and shelter, and entirely neglect what is equally necessary, kindness, and love, and religious care. There are houses where kind words are seldom heard, where cheerfulness, and hopefulness, and prayer are strangers. Our duty is not done till we let sunshine into such homes. If a horse were to be unmercifully abused or starved, any one who is half a man would interfere and protect the voiceless brute. Humanity should lead us, as well, to help the child whose better nature pines and dies. Our work for our generation is not done when we say complimentary things of Christianity, or pay a little money for its support, or occasionally attend church, or lazily teach thirty minutes a week in Sabbath-school; but we are to make every one who is not well provided for, an especial care. It may cost us some time, and some money for books and papers, and we may meet with some rebuffs, and some disappointments; but it is a noble work to open the way for childhood to come to Christ. None but a noble nature is capable of working out of sight, without hope of reward or applause, to bring to Christ his little ones who are endangered.—Golden Censer.