the crown of thorns-第14部分

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red　and　wept。　　To　see　them　become　calm　and　pass　with　unfaltering　step　through　the　valley　of　affliction；　when；　but　now；　they　shrunk　from　it；　is　a　proof　that　God　indeed　has　strengthened　them；　and　that　they　have　had　communion　with　him。　The　unbeliever's　stubbornness　may　endure　to　the　end；　but　no　human　power　could　inspire　this　sudden　and　triumphant　calmness。

And　even　when　the　crisis　is　past；　when　the　sorrow　is　sealed；　it　is　not　rebellion　to　sigh　and　weep。　　Our　Father　has　made　us　so。　　He　has　opened　the　springs　of　love　that　well　up　within　us；　and　can　we　help　mourning　when　they　turn　to　tears　and　blood？　　He　has　made　very　tender　the　ties　that　bind　us　to　happiness；　and　can　we　fail　to　shrink　and　suffer　when　they　are　cut　asunder？　　When　we　have　labored　long　in　the　light　of　hope；　and　lo！　It　goes　out　in　darkness；　and　the　blast　of　disappointment　rushes　upon　us；　can　we　help　being　sad？　　Can　the　mother　prevent　weeping　when　she　kisses　the　lips　of　her　infant　that　shall　prattle　to　her　no　more；　when　she　presses　its　tiny　hand；　so　cold　and　still；…the　little　hand　that　has　rested　upon　her　bosom　and　twined　in　her　hair；　and　even　when　it　is　so　sweet　and　beautiful　that　she　could　strain　it　to　her　heart　forever；　it　is　laid　away　in　the　envious　concealment　of　the　grave？　　Can　the　wife；　or　the　husband；　help　mourning；　when　the　partner　and　counsellor　is　gone；…when　home　is　made　very　desolate　because　the　familiar　voice　sounds　not　there；　and　the　cast…off　garment　of　the　departed　is　strangely　vacant；　and　the　familiar　face　has　vanished；　never　more　to　return？　　Can　the　child　fail　to　lament；　when　the　father；　the　mother；…the　being　who　nurtured　him　in　infancy；　who　pillowed　his　head　in　sickness；　who　prayed　for　him　with　tears　on　his　sinful　wandering；　who　ever　rejoiced　in　his　joy　and　wept　in　his　sorrows；…can　he　fail　to　weep　when　that　venerable　form　lies　all　enshrouded；　and　the　door　closes　upon　it；　and　the　homestead　is　vacant；　and　the　link　that　bound　him　to　childhood　is　in　the　grave？　　Say；　can　we　check　the　gush　of　sorrow　at　any　of　life's　sharp　trials　and　losses？　　No；　nor　are　we　forbidden　to　weep；　nor　would　we　be　human　if　we　did　not　weep；…if；　at　least；　the　spirit　did　not　quiver　when　the　keen　scathing　goes　over　it。　　But　how　shall　we　weep？　　O！　Thou；　who　didst　suffer　in　Gethsemane；　thou　hast　taught　us　how。　　By　thy　sacred　sorrow　and　thy　pious　obedience　thou　has　taught　us；　by　thy　great　agony　and　thy　sublime　victory　thou　has　taught　us。　　We　must　refer　all　to　God。　　We　must　earnestly；　sincerely　say；　〃Thy　will　be　done。〃　　Then　our　prayers　will　be　the　source　of　our　strength。　　Then　our　sorrowing　will　bring　us　comfort。　　〃They　will　be　done；〃　repeat　this；　feel　this；　realize　its　meaning　and　its　relations；　and　you　shall　be　able　to　say；　with　a　rooted　calmness；　〃The　cup　which　my　Father　hath　given　me；　shall　I　not　drink　it？〃

〃The　cup　which　my　Father　hath　given　me；　shall　I　not　drink　it？〃　　Who　shall　be　able　to　say　this　as　Jesus　said　it？　　They　who　struggle　as　he　struggled；…who　obey　as　he　obeyed；…who　trust　as　he　trusted。　　There　are　those　upon　earth　who　have　been　able　to　say　it。　　It　has　made　them　stronger　and　happier。　There　are　those　in　heaven　who　have　been　able　to　say　it。　　They　have　gone　up　from　earthly　communions　to　the　communion　on　high。　　Do　you　not　see　them　there；　walking　so　serenely　by　the　still　waters；　with　palms　about　their　brows？　　Serenely…for　in　their　faces　nothing　is　left　of　their　conflict　but　its　triumph；　nothing　of　their　swollen　agony　but　the　massy　enduring　strength　it　has　imparted。　　They　have　ceased　from　their　trials；　but　first　they　learned　how　to　endure　them。　They　submitted；　but　they　were　not　overwhelmed。　　When　sorrow　came；　each　pious　soul　struggled；　but　trusted；　and　so　was　able　to　meet　the　last　struggle；…was　able　to　say　as　the　shadow　of　death　fell　upon　it；　〃The　cup　which　my　Father　hath　given　me；　shall　I　not　drink　it？〃　　They　were　resigned。　　Behold…theirs　is　the　victory！



The　Mission　of　Little　Children


〃And　Jesus　called　a　little　child　unto　him；　and　set　him　in　the　midst　of　them。〃　　Matthew　xviii。2。


Everything　has　its　mission。　　I　speak　not　now　of　the　office　which　each　part　of　the　great　universe　discharges。　　I　speak　not　of　the　relation　between　these　parts；that　beautiful　ordinance　by　which　the　whole　is　linked　together　in　one　common　life；　by　which　the　greatest　is　dependent　upon　the　least；　and　the　least　shares　in　the　benefactions　of　the　greatest。　　In　this　sense；　everything　has；　strictly；　its　mission。　　But　I　speak　of　the　influence；　the　instruction；　which　everything　has；　or　may　have；　for　the　soul　of　man。　　The　flower；　and　the　star；　the　grass　of　the　field；　the　outspread　ocean；　are　full　of　lessons；　they　perform　a　mission　to　our　spiritual　nature；　if　we　will　receive　it。　　We　may　pass　them　by　as　simply　material　forms；　the　decorations　or　conveniencies（sic）　of　this　our　natural　life。　　But　if　we　will　come　to　them　in　a　religious　spirit；　and　study　all　their　meaning；　they　will　be　to　us　ministers　of　God；　impressive　and　eloquent　as　human　lips；　and　filled　with　truths　instructive　as　any　that　man　can　utter。

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　o