the crown of thorns-第15部分

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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　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　chamber