189
T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
May, 1938
Table
Around the Kings
By PA U L W . R O O D
some one had spoken to me and had won me for the Lord when I was a child.” There was a deep hush on the audience as the speaker sat down, and many of us renewed our determination,to seek the salva tion of little children. Many Christians testify of real experi ence of Christ’s saving power at an early age. Jonathan Edwards was born again at the age of seven. Charles Haddon Spurgeon clearly revealed his belief in the conversion of children in the words he put into John Ploughman’s mouth: “ Ere a child has reached to seven, Teach him all the way to heaven. For Jesus’ sake, for the nation’s sake, for the church’s sake, for the child’s sake, re member: There is a child here! How a Father Won His Little Girl for Christ He was a pastor in a city church. One day a girl came to him and told him that his daughter had made a certain statement on the playground of the school. The father was very much concerned and called his nine-year-old daughter into his study and told what he had heard. She came and threw herself across his knees and said with tears streaming down her cheeks: “ Give me a spanking. I deserve it, and it will do me lots of good.” The father answered that he was unable to do so. She noticed his grief and concern and said: “ Daddy, the trouble with me is that I’ve never been born again. If I were saved, I wouldn’t say these things. If you will pray for me, Jesus will forgive me and save me.” . ; The father, joined by the mother, knelt with the daughter, and each one prayed earnestly. Between her sobs, the little girl prayed: “ Lord Jesus, forgive my sins. Save my soul. Wash me in the blood of Jesus. Don’t let me break my father’s heart.” The Lord heard that prayer, and this precious girl was born into the family of God. A few days later, the father called in his daughter again to talk to her about her spiritual condition. He said to her earnestly: “ There comes a time in the life of a child when that child reaches the age of responsibility. Without question you have reached that state. It is now necessary to make your decision whether you will accept Christ as your personal Saviour or reject Him. I’ve called you in here to ask whether you will now accept the Lord Jesus.” “Why, Daddy, I have already accepted H im !” “When did it happen?” Better still the work will thrive If he learn before he’s five.”
ested in the children? Do we introduce them to Jesus? Do we recognize their possibilities? Do we realize that hungry multitudes will be fed if boys are brought to Jesus? Parents! There is a lad here! It is a great responsibility to be a father or a mother: W e should give our children the best possible physical, mental, 'and spiritual heritage. W e owe them a Christian example and training. Is there a family!': altar in your home? Do you gather the children together at least once a day for prayer and the reading of the W ord? Is there a spiritual atmosphere in your home ? Are you con cerned for the spiritual welfare of your children? Do you pray earnestly for them? If we parents do not have all of our chil dren with us on the way to heaven, we have failed somewhere along the way. But do not give up. When Ambrose saw Monica weeping over Augustine her son, the man of God said, “ G o in peace; it is impossible for the child of such tears to be lost.” God will answer the prayer of faith. Pastors, missionaries, and evangelists! There is a lad here! Do you make the chil dren welcome to your services? Do you consider them in preparing your sermon and program? Are you giving spiritual leadership to the Sunday-school ? Do you have week-day classes for children? Are you specializing in child evangelism? If this preacher had his life to live over again, he would major in the winning of boys and girls for Christ. Nothing could be more important. The welfare, yea, the very preservation, of the nation— and more im portant still, of the church— is involved. Where will the church be tomorrow if the children are not won to the Lord Jesus Christ? Where will the nation be tomorrow if we neglect the children? Sunday-school teachers and all Christians! There is a lad here! What are you doing for the children? The Lord Jesus Christ was and is concerned about them. “ And He took them in the crook of His arm and showered blessings upon them.” Are you following Jesus? If so, you love the chil dren and will do your utmost to win them for Christ. In a symposium on child evangelism led by the writer, a gentleman rose to his feet and, weeping, made this statement: “When I was six years of age, I was in a revival meeting. I was under deep conviction. I wanted to accept Christ. No one spoke to me. I could have been saved that night, but the attitude of the Christians made me feel that I was too young. I lived many years without God, and only after becom ing a mature man did I accept Christ. I could have escaped much misery, and I could have been a blessing to others if
Child Evangelism In issuing this Child Evangelism number of T he K ing ’ s B usiness , we are seeking by the Lord’s grace to stimulate workers everywhere to recognize the importance of evangelizing the children. The Lord has given this vision to Biola, and we long that He may cause others to share in this bur den for the souls of lost children. May we call attention to the article, “ Except a Child Be Born Again,” by the late R. A. Torrey. This is an important statement by one of the greatest Christian leaders in the twen tieth century. It should be read ¡>y every Christian. “ There Is a Lad Here” A boy in the midst of the crowd! He was probably on his way to the lake. Boys are interested in fishing, and men are, too, be cause “ Men are only boys grown tall, For hearts don’t change much after all.” The “ lad” of our story had “ five barley loaves, and two small fishes” (John 6:9) which 'probably would suffice until he re turned home, although a boy usually has a voracious appetite. On the way to the lake, the lad noticed a great crowd climbing the mountain side, and he joined the climbers. At last a crowd of five thousand men had gathered. Possibly there were just as many women and children. W e follow the lad, and at last we find him in front of the crowd near the disciples. Nobody seemed to pay any attention to the lad. As a matter of fact, children were not given much -consideration before the Lord Jesus came. Christ has changed the status of childhood. W e have orphan asylums and Sunday-schools because Jesus came. There was one man, however, among the disciples who noticed the boy. It was Andrew, the “manly” man, who is known to us as the brother of Simon Peter. He was not a famous man, and he never be came renowned. He lived in the shadow of his aggressive brother. Yet it was Andrew who led Peter to Jesus. Andrew was interested in individuals, and he was a soul-winner. He was interested in boys. There are very few, comparatively speaking, who are interested in children. None of the other disciples noticed the lad. Andrew saw him and recognized his poten tialities and told Jesus about him. Andrew subconsciously realized that if the lad could be introduced to Jesus, and would surrender himself and his resources to the Lord, the hungry multitudes would be fed. As we read the rest of the story, we realize that Andrew was right in his surmise. Do we notice the “ lad” ? Are we inter
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