ginal rendition o f continually is all the days. How many of us as parents have labored with God “ all the days” in behalf of the spiritual condition of our children? Oftentimes we never utter a word of prayer for them until they fall sick or are nigh unto death. Sometimes it is only when they have fallen into mischief that we cry to God to get them out of trouble and to save ourselves from embar rassment. We cannot escape the fact that the life and con duct of parents are largely reflected in their chil dren. If these young converts are not doing as well as they ought in their new-found hope, the strong probability is that the Christian profession of the parents is not making much of an impression. My sympathies go out to those children whose parents make no effort to help them in the Christian way after they have once found it. The times in which we find ourselves are perilous, and we cannot take too much care to fortify our children against the ever-increasing forces o f evil to be found in every walk of life into which our children will enter. I plead with fathers and mothers to believe in the genuineness of Christian experiences o f their children. Some fine stories are told o f the children of Scotch Covenanters. At one time a number of children, surrounded by the soldiers of King George, were commanded to tell where their par ents were hidden or be shot to death. In spite of the soldiers’ cruel threats, not one lad or lassie would tell the secret. As they were gathered under a tree, the fierce officer commanding the soldiers, sought to frighten them. “ If you do not tell me quickly, you will be shot!” the officer roared. The children only huddled closer and kept silent. “Make them all kneel and cover their faces,” ordered the captain. One little lassie asked to be allowed to hold her brother’s hand. All knelt save one bonnie lad who remained standing. “ I’ve done naething wrang: I’ll no kneel doon; I’ll dee stain’ up,” he said in his Scotch brogue. The rifles were loaded only with powder, but the order was given to fire. As the loud report rang through the valley, the children cried pitifully. Some fell to the ground in their fright, but others remained kneeling. “You have not prayed,” sneered the offi cer. “ Please, sir, ma mither taught me a Psalm; we’ll sing that if it will do,” said a little girl. All the children stood and as their young voices rang out in the words, “ The Lord’s my Shepherd, I’ll not want,” tears ran down the faces o f the soldiers. The officer himself had learned that Psalm at his mother’s knee! Before the song was finished, the soldiers hurried away and left the children in peace. Does not this incident show how little chil dren can love God and be true to Him even in the face o f the threat of death? God help us to believe in the reality o f a work o f grace in their hearts!
clean? not one” (Job 14:4). And David bore this witness, “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me” (Psa. 51:5). Be cause of this condition, even children need to come to Jesus Christ and find regeneration by the power o f the Holy Spirit. The plan of salvation is as much for them as for any adult. Jesus said, “ Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom o f heaven” (Matt. 18:3). Years ago, I sat in a Billy Sunday meeting one night when he tested an audience o f six thousand as to the age when the Christians present were converted. A vast majority of that number found Christ before they had reached their twentieth year. When he asked how many found Christ after they had reached sixty, only three stood to their feet. Surely we must appreciate the fact that if children are not converted as children, many will never be converted. The boy Isaac was never safer than when he was bound on the altar of God. God develops and keeps and never destroys youth who are bound to His altars. The third phase of this subject to which I call attention is T he P arents ’ R esponsibility After a child has found Christ as his personal Saviour, too many parents seem to question the child’s sincerity rather than to rejoice in the lit tle one’s decision. While it is true that some chil dren may be swept along with the tide and unite with the church simply because their companions do so, this in no wise justifies indifference to the decision to accept Christ on the part of a child who has been taught clearly the way of salvation. Let us give some credit to the operation o f the Holy Spirit in a child’s heart when the Word is taught him. Christianity is not a childish thing, but it is a power intended o f God to reach children. Concern about children’s spiritual welfare should burden us if they do not make a decision early in life. “Are they all in?” was the question which came again and again from the lips of a dying mother. In her delirium she had slipped back through the years and once more was “ tucking in” her family. Had Mary returned? Was John in bed? Where was Tom? The mother heart could not rest until her brood was safely tucked in under the sheltering wing of her mother love. The book of Job gives to us the picture o f a father truly burdened about the spiritual welfare of his children. “ And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the num ber of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually” (Job 1:15). The mar
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