the crown of thorns-第17节

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through　eternity；　of　plans　only　a　portion　of　which　is　seen　here；　so　let　us　look　up　as　to　a　Father's　fare；　take　hold　of　his　hand；　go　in　and　out　and　lie　down　securely　in　his　presence；　and　cherish　faith。　　If　children　only　teach　us　to　do　this；　how　beautiful　and　how　great　is　their　mission！

III。　Children　waken　in　us　new　and　powerful　affections。　Nobody　but　a　parent　can　realize　what　these　affections　are；　can　tell　what　a　fountain　of　emotion　the　newborn　child　unseals；　what　chords　of　strange　love　are　drawn　out　from　the　heart；　that　before　lay　there　concealed。　　One　may　have　all　powers　of　intellect；　a　refined　moral　culture；　a　noble　and　wide…reaching　philanthropy；　and　yet　a　child　born　to　him　shall　awaken　within　him　a　depth　of　tenderness；　a　sentiment　of　love；　a　yearning　affection；　that　shall　surprise　him　as　to　the　capacity　and　the　mystery　of　his　nature。

And　the　relation　of　a　mother　to　her　child；　what　other　is　like　it？　　Without　it；　how　undeveloped　is　the　great　element　of　affection；　how　small　a　horn　of　its　orb　is　filled　and　lighted！　What　was　she　until　that　new　love　woke　up　within　her；　and　her　heart　and　soul　thrilled　with　it；　and　first　truly　lived　in　it？　Of　all　the　degrees　of　human　love；　how　amply　is　this　the　highest！　　In　all　the　depths　of　human　love；　how　surely　is　this　the　nethermost！　　When　illustrations　fail　us；　how　confidently　do　we　seize　upon　this！　　The　mother　nurturing　her　child　in　tenderness；　watching　over　it　with　untiring　love！　　O！　that　is　affection　stronger　than　any　of　this　earth。　　It　has　a　power；　a　beauty；　a　holiness　like　no　other　sentiment。　　When　that　child　has　grown　to　maturity；　and　has　gone　out　from　her　in　profligacy　and　in　scorn；　when　the　world　has　denounced　him；　and　justice　sets　its　price　upon　his　head；　and　lovers　and　companions　fall　off　from　him　in　utter　loathing…we　do　not　ask；　we　know；　there　is　one　heart　that　cannot　reject　him。　　No　sin　of　his　can　paralyze　the　chord　that　vibrates　there　for　him。　No　alienation　can　cancel　the　affection　that　was　born　at　his　birth；　that　pillowed　him　in　his　infancy；　centred　in　him　its　life；　clasped　him　with　its　strength；　and　shed　upon　him　its　blessings；　its　hopes；　and　its　prayers。

And　no　one　feels　the　death　of　a　child　as　a　mother　feels　it。　　Even　the　father　cannot　realize　it　thus。　　There　is　a　vacancy　in　his　home；　and　a　heaviness　in　his　heart。　　There　is　a　chain　of　association　that　at　set　times　comes　round　with　its　broken　link；　there　are　memories　of　endearment；　a　keen　sense　of　loss；　a　weeping　over　crushed　hopes；　and　a　pain　of　wounded　affliction。　　But　the　mother　feels　that　one　has　been　taken　away　who　was　still　closer　to　her　heart。　　Hers　has　been　the　office　of　constant　ministration。　Every　gradation　of　feature　has　developed　before　her　eyes。　　She　has　detected　every　new　gleam　of　intelligence。　　She　heard　the　first　utterance　of　every　new　word。　　She　has　been　the　refuge　of　his　fears；　the　supply　of　his　wants。　　And　every　task　of　affection　has　woven　a　new　link；　and　made　dear　to　her　its　object。　　And　when　he　dies；　a　portion　of　her　own　life；　as　it　were；　dies。　　How　can　she　give　him　up；　with　all　these　memories；　these　associations？　The　timid　hands　that　have　so　often　taken　hers　in　trust　and　love；　how　can　she　fold　them　on　his　breast；　and　surrender　them　to　the　cold　clasp　of　death？　　The　feet　whose　wanderings　she　has　watched　so　narrowly；　how　can　she　see　them　straitened　to　go　down　into　the　dark　valley？　　The　head　that　she　has　pressed　to　her　lips　and　her　bosom；　that　she　has　watched　in　burning　sickness　and　in　peaceful　slumber；　a　hair　of　which　she　could　not　see　harmed；　O！　how　can　she　consign　it　to　the　chamber　of　the　grave？　　The　form　that　not　for　one　night　has　been　beyond　her　vision　or　her　knowledge；　how　can　she　put　it　away　for　the　long　night　of　the　sepulchre；　to　see　it　no　more？　　Man　has　cares　and　toils　that　draw　away　his　thoughts　and　employ　them；　she　sits　in　loneliness；　and　all　these　memories；　all　these　suggestions；　crowd　upon　her。　　How　can　she　bear　all　this？　She　could　not；　were　it　not　that　her　faith　is　as　her　affection；　and　if　the　one　is　more　deep　and　tender　than　in　man；　the　other　is　more　simple　and　spontaneous；　and　takes　confidently　hold　of　the　hand　of　God。

Thus；　then；　do　children　awaken　within　us　deep　and　mighty　affections；　and　is　it　not　their　mission　to　do　so？　　Do　we　not　see　many　beautiful　offices　created　and　discharged　by　these　affectionstender　and　far…reaching　relationships　into　which　they　run？　　Do　we　not　see　how　they　win　the　heart　from　frivolity　and　selfishness；　and　make　it　aware　of　duties；　and　quick　with　sympathies？　　I　shall　not　enter　into　detailed　considerations　of　the　results　of　this　affection　thus　awakened　in　us　by　children。　　A　little　reflection　will　render　them　obvious　to　you。　　Let　me　simply　say；　that　in　awakening　these　affections　children　discharge　an　important　and　beautiful　mission。

IV。　　I　might　speak　of　other　offices　discharged　by　little　children；　of　the　influence　upon　us　of　their　purity　and　their　innocence；　their　importance　in　the　social　state；　of　the　benefits　conferred　upon　us　by　the　very　duties　which　we　exercise　toward　them。　　But　merely　suggesting　these；　I　will　speak　at　this　time　of　but　one　more　mission　which　they　perform　for　us。　　and　this；　my　friends；　is　performed　through　sadness　and　through　tears。　　The　little　child　performs　it　by　its　death。　　It　has　been　with　us　a　little　while。　　We　have　enjoyed　its　bright　and　innocent　companionship　by　the　dusty　highway　of　life；　in　the　midst　of　its　toils；　its　cares；　and　its　sin。　　It　has　been　a　gleam　of　sunshine　and　a　voice　of　perpetual　gladness　in　our　homes。　　We　have　learned　from　it　blessed　lessons　of　simplicity；　sincerity；　purity；　faith。　It　has　unsealed　within　us　this　gushing；　never…ebbing　tide　of　affection。　　Suddenly；　it　is　taken　away。　　We　miss　the　gleam　of　sunshine。　　We　miss　the　voice　of　gladness。　　Our　homes　are　dark　and　silent。　　We　ask；　〃Shall　it　not　come　again？〃　And　the　answer　breaks　upon　us　through　the　cold　gray　silence；　〃Nevermore！〃　　We　say　to　ourselves　again　and　again；　〃Can　it　be　possible？〃　　〃Do　we　not　dream？〃　　〃Will　not　that　life　and　affection　return　to　us？〃　〃Nevermore！〃　O！　nevermore！　　The　heart　is　like　an　empty　mansion；　and　that　word　goes　echoing　through　its　desolate　chambers。　　We　are　stricken　and　afflicted。　　But　must　this；　should　this；　be　always　and　only　so？　　Are　we　not　looking　merely　at　the　earthly　aspect　of　the　event？　　Has　it　not　a　spiritual　phase　for　us？　　Nay；　do　we　not　begin　to　consider　how　through　our　temporal　affection　an　eternal　good　is　wrought　out　for　us？　　Do　we　begin　to　realize　that　in　our　souls　we　have　derived　profit　from　it　already？　　Do　we　not　begin　to　learn　that　life　is　not　a　holiday　or　a　workday　only；　but　a　discipline；that　God　conducts　that　discipline　in　infinite　wisdom　and　benevolence；mingles　the　draught；　and；　when　he　sees　fit；　infuses　bitterness？　　Not　that　constant　sweet　would　not　please　us　better；　but　that　our　discipline；　which　is　of　more　importance　than　our　indulgence；　will　be　more　effectual　thereby。　　This　is　often　talked　about；　　I　ask；　do　not　we　who　are　called　upon　to　mourn　the　loss　of　children　realize　it；actually　realize　that　that　loss　is　for　our　spiritual　gain？　　If　we　do　not；　we　are　merely　looking　upon　the　earthly　phase　of　our　loss。　　If　we　do　not　realize　this　spiritual　good；　we　may。

Yes；　in　death　the　little　child　has　a　mission　for　us。　　Through　that　very　departure　he　accomplishes　for　us；　perhaps；　what　he　could　not　accomplish　by　his　life。　　These　affections　which　he　has　awakened；　we　have　considered　how　strong　they　are。　　They　are　stronger；　are　they　not；　than　any　attachment　to　mere　things　of　this　earth？　　But　that　child　has　gone　from　us；gone　into　the　unseen；　the　spiritual　world。　　What　then？　　Do　our　affections　sink　back　into　our　hearts；become　absorbed　and　forgotten？　　O；　no！　They　reach　out　after　that　little　one；　they　follow　him　into　the　unseen　and　spiritual　world；thus　is　it　made　a　great　and　vivid　reality　to　us；perhaps　for　the　first　time。　　We　have　talked　of　it；　we　have　believed　in　it；　but　now　that　our　dead　have　gone　into　it；　we　have；　as　it　were；　entered　it　ourselves。　　Its　atmosphere　is　around　us；　chords　of　affection　draw　us　toward　it；　the　faces　of　our　departed　ones　look　out　from　itand　it　is　a　reality。　　And　is　it　not　worth　something　to　make　it　such　a　reality？

We　are　wedded　to　this　world。　　It　is　beautiful；　it　is　attractive；　it　is　real。　　Immortality　is　a　pleasant　thought。　　The　spiritual　land　is　an　object　of　faith。　　But　the　separation　between　this　and　that　is　cold　to　think　of；　and　hard　to　bear。　　It　needs　something　stronger　than　this　earth　to　draw　us　toward　that　spiritual　world；　to　break　some　of　the　thousand　tendrils　that　bind　us　here。　　My　friends；　though　many　powerful　appeals；　many　solid　arguments；　cannot　break　our　affections　from　this　earth；　the　hand　of　a　departed　child　can　do　it。　　The　voice　that　calls　us　to　unseen　realities；　that　bids　us　prepare　for　the　heavenly　land；　that　says　from　heights　of　spiritual　bliss　and　purity；　〃Come　up　hither；〃that　voice　that　we　loved　so　on　earth；　and　gladly　can　we　rise　and　follow　it。

Behold；　then；　what　a　little　child　can　perform　for　us　through　its　death！　　It　makes　real　and　attractive　to　us　that　spiritual　world　to　which　it　has　gone；　and　calls　our　affections　from　earth　to　that　true　life　which　is　the　great　end　of　our　being；　which　is　the　object　of　all　our　discipline；　our　mingled　joy　and　suffering；　here　upon　this　earth。　　That　l