the crown of thorns-第16节

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Jesus　illustrated　his　teachings　by　these　objects。　　He　made　everything　that　was　at　hand　perform　a　mission　for　the　human　soul。　　The　lilies　of　the　field　were　clothed　with　spiritual　suggestion；　and　the　fowls　of　the　air；　as　they　flew　through　the　trackless　firmament；　bore　a　lesson　of　truth　and　consolation。　　As　if　to　show　that　there　is　nothing；　however　small；　that　is　insignificant；　and　that　has　not　its　mission；　he　selected　the　falling　sparrow　to　be　a　minister　of　wisdom；　and　dignified　the　wayside　well　as　a　clear　and　living　oracle　of　the　divinest　truth。

In　the　instance　before　us；　the　object　selected　was　a　little　child。　　In　reply　to　the　question；　〃Who　is　the　greatest　in　the　kingdom　of　heaven？〃　Jesus　set　this　little　one　in　the　midst　of　his　disciples　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。〃　　Thus　did　he　rebuke　their　sensuous　ideas　of　greatness　by　a　spiritual　truth；　and　make　a　little　child　the　teacher　of　profound　and　beautiful　wisdom。　　I　do　not　propose；　however；　at　this　time；　to　dwell　upon　the　precise　doctrines　which　Christ　taught　in　the　instance；　but　having；　as　it　were；　the　little　child　set　in　our　midst；　to　draw　from　it　further　lessons　that　may　do　us　good。　　In　one　word；　I　propose　to　speak　of　the　mission　of　little　children。

In　using　this　term　〃mission；〃　I　wish　to　have　no　obscurity　about　my　meaning。　　I　refer；　by　it；　to　the　influence　which　little　children　may　exert　upon　us；to　the　effects　which　they　may　produce；rather　than　to　any　direct　object　which　they　can　have　in　view；　or　for　which　they　set　themselves　to　work。　　They　may　be　unconscious　missionaries；　indeed；　to　a　great　extent；　they　are　so。　　But　so　are　the　lilies　of　the　field　and　the　birds　of　the　air。　　Yet　if　we　believe　that　God　is　the　ordainer　of　all　wisdom　and　of　all　good；　that　he　uses　an　object　or　event　in　numberless　ways；　and　makes　it　the　unconscious　instrument　of　many　of　his　plans；　then　we　may　say　that　children　are　sent　by　him　for　the　express　purpose　of　producing　these　effects；　and　in　that　sense　have　a　mission。

I　pass　to　consider　some　of　the　modes　in　which　that　mission　is　accomplished。

I。　Little　children　give　us　a　sincere　and　affectionate　manifestation　of　human　nature。　　I　know　that　even　a　child　will　soon　become　artful；　and　imbibe　the　spirit　of　dealing　and　of　policy。　　But　in　a　strongly　comparative　sense；　the　child　is　artless。　　The　thoughts　of　the　heart　leap　spontaneously　from　the　lips。　　The　bubbling　impulse　is　closely　followed　by　the　action。　　Its　desire；　its　aversion；　its　love；　its　curiosity；　are　expressed　without　modification。　　The　broken　prattle；　those　half…pronounced　words；　are　uttered　with　clear；　ringing　tones　of　sincerity。　　There　is　no　coil　of　deceit　about　the　heart。　　There　are　no　secrets　chambered　in　the　brain。　　The　countenance　has　put　on　no　disguise。　　There　is　no　manoeuvring　with　lips　or　actions；　no　suspicion　or　plotting　in　the　eyes。　It　is　simple　human　nature　fresh　from　the　hands　of　God；　with　all　its　young　springs　in　motion；　trying　themselves　in　their　simplicity　and　their　newness。　　The　eyes　open　upon　the　world；　not　with　speculation；　but　with　wonder。　　To　them；　the　ancient　hills　and　the　morning　stars　are　just　created；　new　phenomena　burst　upon　them　every　moment；　and　nature　in　a　thousand　channels　pours　itself　into　the　young　soul。　　And　how　soon　it　learns　the　meaning　of　a　mother's　smile；　and　the　protection　of　a　father's　hand！　　How　soon　the　fountains　of　affection　are　unsealed　and　the　mystery　of　human　love　takes　possession　of　the　hear！　　But　the　tides　of　that　love　are　controlled　by　no　calculation；　are　fettered　by　no　proprieties；　but　flow　artlessly　and　freely。

Humanity　soon　runs　into　deceit；　and　the　sincerest　man　wears　a　mask。　　We　cannot　trust　our　most　familiar　friends；　to　the　whole　extent。　　We　all　retain　something　in　our　inmost　hearts　that　nobody　knows　but　we　and　God。　　The　world　bids　us　be　shrewd　and　politic。　　We　walk　in　a　mart　of　selfishness。　　Eyes　stare　upon　us；　and　we　are　afraid　of　them。　　We　meet　as　traders；　as　partisans；　as　citizens；　as　worshippers；　as　friends…brothers；　if　you　will…but　we　must　not　express　all　we　think；　we　must　school　ourselves　in　some　respects；must　adopt　some　conventionalities。　　There　is　some　degree　of　isolation　between　ourselves　and　every　other　one。　　But　from　the　world's　strife　and　sordidness；　its　wearisome　forms　and　cold　suspicions；　we　may　turn　to　the　sanctity　of　home；　and　if　we　have　a　child　there；　we　shall　find　affection　without　alloy；　a　welcome　that　leaps　from　the　heart　in　sunshine　to　the　face；　and　speaks　right　from　the　soul；a　companion　who　is　not　afraid　or　ashamed　of　us；　who　makes　no　calculation　about　our　friendship；　who　has　faith　in　it；　and　requires　of　us　perfect　faith　in　return；　and　whose　sincerity　rebukes　our　worldliness；　and　makes　us　wonder　at　the　world。　　And　if　all　this　makes　us　better　and　happier；　if　it　keeps　our　hearts　from　hardness　and　attrition；　if　it　begets　in　us　something　of　the　same　sincerity；　and　hallows　us　with　something　of　the　same　affection；　if　it　softens　and　purifies　us　at　all；　then　do　not　children；　in　this　respect　perform　a　mission　for　us？

And　shall　we　not　learn　from　them　more　confidence　in　human　nature；　seeing　that　〃the　child　is　father　to　the　man；〃　and　that　much　that　seems　cold　and　hard　in　men　may　conceal　the　remains　of　childhood's　better　feeling？　　And；　also；　shall　it　not　make　us　deplore　and　guard　against　those　influences　which　can　change　the　sincere　and　loving　child　into　the　deceitful　and　selfish　man…that　cover　the　spring　of　genuine　feeling　with　the　thick　rime　of　worldliness；　and　petrify　the　tender　chords　of　the　heart　into　rough；　unfeeling　sinews？　　The　man　should　not　be；　in　all　respects；　as　the　child。　　The　child　cannot　have　the　glory　of　the　man。　　If　it　is　not　polluted　by　his　vices；　it　is　not　ennobled　by　his　virtues。　　But　in　so　much　as　the　child　awakens　in　us　tenderness；　and　teaches　us　sincerity；　and　counteracts　our　coarser　and　harder　tendencies；　and　cheers　us　in　our　isolation　from　human　hearts；　by　binding　us　close　with　a　warm　affection；　and　sheds　ever　around　our　path　the　mirrored　sunshine　of　our　youth　and　our　simplicity；　in　so　much　the　child　accomplishes　for　us　a　blessed　mission。

II。　Children　teach　us　faith　and　confidence。　　Man　soon　becomes　proud　with　reason；　and　impatient　of　restraint。　He　thinks　he　knows；　or　ought　to　know；　the　whole　mystery　of　the　universe。　　It　is　not　easy　for　him　to　take　anything　upon　trust；　or　to　lie　low　in　the　hand　of　God。　But　the　child　is　full　of　faith。　　He　is　not　old　enough　to　speculate；　and　the　things　he　sees　are　to　him　so　strange　and　wonderful　that　he　can　easily　believe　in　〃the　things　that　are　unseen。〃　　He　propounds　many　questions；　but　entertains　no　doubts　as　to　God　and　heaven。　　And　what　confidence　has　he　in　his　father's　government　and　his　mother's　providence！

I　do　not　say；　here；　that　a　man's　faith　should　be　as　a　child's　faith。　　Man　must　examine　and　reason；　contend　with　doubt；　and　wander　through　mystery。　　But　I　would　have　him　cherish　the　feeling　that　he　too　is　a　child；　the　denizen　of　a　Father's　house；　and　have　sufficient　confidence　in　that　Father　to　trust　his　goodness；　and　to　remember；　if　things　look　perplexed　and　discordant　to　him；　that　his　vision　is　but　a　child's　vision…he　cannot　see　all。　　Indeed；　there　is　a　beautiful　analogy　between　a　child　in　its　father's　house　and　man　in　the　universe；　and　much　there　is　in　the　filial　sentiment　that　belongs　to　both　conditions。　　Beautifully　has　it　been　shown　by　a　recent　writer　how　the　natural　operation　of　this　sentiment　in　the　child's　heart；　and　in　the　sphere　of　home；　stands　somewhat　in　the　place　of　that　religion　which　man　needs　in　his　maturer　conditions。　　〃God　has　given　it；　in　its　very　lot；〃　says　he；　〃a　religion　of　its　own；　the　sufficiency　of　which　it　were　impiety　to　doubt。　　The　child's　veneration　can　scarcely　climb　to　any　loftier　height　than　the　soul　of　a　wise　and　good　parent。。。How　can　there　be　for　him　diviner　truth　than　his　father's　knowledge；　a　more　wonderous　world　than　his　father's　experience；　a　better　providence　than　his　mother's　vigilance；　a　securer　fidelity　than　in　their　united　promise？　　Encompassed　round　by　these；　he　rests　as　in　the　embrace　of　the　only　omniscience　he　can　comprehend。〃　（Martineau）

But　O！　my　friends；　when　our　childhood　has　passed　by；　and　we　go　out　to　drink　the　mingled　cup　of　life；　and　cares　come　crowding　upon　us；　and　hopes　are　crushed；　and　doubts　wrestle　with　us；　and　sorrow　burdens　our　spirits；　then　we　need　a　deeper　faith；　and　look　up　for　a　stronger　Father。　　A　kind　word　will　not　stifle　our　grief　then。　　We　cannot　go　to　sleep　upon　our　mother's　arms；　and　forget　it　all。　　There　is　no　charm　to　hold　our　spirits　within　the　walls　of　this　home；　the　earth。　Our　thoughts　crave　more　than　this。　　Our　souls　reach　out　over　the　grave；　and　cry　for　something　after！　　No　bauble　will　assuage　this　bitterness。　　It　is　spiritual　and　stern；　and　we　must　have　a　word　from　heaven…a　promise　from　one　who　is　able　to　fulfill。　　We　look　around　us；　and　find　that　Father；　and　his　vary　nature　contains　the　promise　that　we　need。　　And　as　the　child　in　his　ignorance　has　faith；　not　because　he　can　demonstrate；　but　because　it　is　his　father；　so　let　us；　in　our　ignorance；　feel　that　in　this　great　universe　of　many　mansions；　of　solemn　mysteries；　of　homes　beyond　the　earth；　of　relationships　that　reach　through