Children Are the Purchase of Christ's Blood. -- Christ placed such a high
estimate upon your children that He gave His life for them. Treat them as the
purchase of His blood. Patiently and firmly train them for Him. Discipline with
love and forbearance. As you do this, they will become a crown of rejoicing to
you and will shine as lights in the world.
The youngest child that loves and fears God is greater in His sight than the
most talented and learned man who neglects the great salvation. The youth who
consecrate their hearts and lives to God have, in so doing, placed themselves in
connection with the Fountain of all wisdom and excellence.
"Of Such Is the Kingdom of Heaven." --The soul of the little child
that believes in Christ is as precious in His sight as are the angels about His
throne. They are to be brought to Christ and trained for Christ. They are to be
guided in the path of obedience, not indulged in appetite or vanity.
If we would but learn the wonderful lessons which Jesus sought to teach His
disciples from a little child, how many things that now seem insurmountable
difficulties would wholly disappear! When the disciples came to Jesus, saying,
"Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? . . . Jesus called a little
child unto Him, and set him in the midst of them, and said, Verily I say unto
you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter
into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is
greatest in the kingdom of heaven."
God's Property Entrusted to Parents. --Children derive life and being from
their parents, and yet it is through the creative power of God that your
children have life, for God is the Life-giver. Let it be remembered that
children are not to be treated as though they were our own personal property.
Children are the heritage of the Lord, and the plan of redemption includes their
salvation as well as ours. They have been entrusted to parents in order that
they might be brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, that they
might be qualified to do their work in time and eternity.
Mothers, deal gently with your little ones. Christ was once a little child.
For His sake honour the children. Look upon them as a sacred charge, not to be
indulged, petted, and idolized, but to be taught to live pure, noble lives. They
are God's property; He loves them, and calls upon you to co-operate with Him in
helping them to form perfect characters.
If you would meet God in peace, feed His flock now with spiritual food; for
every child has the possibility of attaining unto eternal life. Children and
youth are God's peculiar treasure.
The youth need to be impressed with the truth that their endowments are not
their own. Strength, time, intellect, are but lent treasures. They belong to
God, and it should be the resolve of every youth to put them to the highest use.
He is a branch, from which God expects fruit; a steward, whose capital must
yield increase; a light, to illuminate the world's darkness. Every youth, every
child, has a work to do for the honour of God and the uplifting of humanity.
The Path to Heaven Is Suited to Children's Capacity. --I saw that Jesus knows
our infirmities and has Himself shared our experience in all things but in sin;
therefore He has prepared for us a path suited to our strength and capacity and,
like Jacob, has marched softly and in evenness with the children as they were
able to endure, that He might entertain us by the comfort of His company and be
to us a perpetual guide. He does not despise, neglect, or leave behind the
children of the flock. He has not bidden us move forward and leave them. He has
not travelled so hastily as to leave us with our children behind. Oh, no; but He
has evened the path to life, even for children. And parents are required in His
name to lead them along the narrow way. God has appointed us a path suited to
the strength and capacity of children.