T HE FAMI L Y AL T AR
by Norman V. Williams
U altb ie B abcock has challenged: “ Dare we let children grow up with no vital contact with the Saviour, never intentionally and consciously put into His arms? Not to bring them to Him, not to teach them to walk toward Him, as soon as they can walk toward anyone, is wronging a child beyond words. The terrible indictment uttered by the Lord — ‘Them that were entering in ye hin dered,’ and the millstone warning for offending lit tle ones, are closely akin to the deserts o f them who ruin a man’s whole day o f life by wronging his morning hours. Not to help a child to know the saving power of Christ i§ to hold back a man from salvation.” Children must be taught. Start early. Let God’s Word fall upon their minds and hearts from the earliest day. Trust the Holy Spirit to root it there by His wisdom, even though the child himself has as yet not thinking powers to hold it. The rod will not be needed so much as some might fear it faith ful, daily instruction of the young from the earliest days is attended to! Only divine wisdom can give the fear and knowledge of God (Prov. 2 :5 ), a
principle o f practical godliness (Prov. 2:7-9), a preservation from besetting temptations (Prov. 2:10-19), and guidance into the right and safe path (Prov. 2:20). It is first of all the word in the heart (not head) that is effective. Babies may have the Word dropped into their hearts long before they can secure it in their heads. God instructs us that His Word sown in the heart does work to mold the whole l i f e (Prov. 24:13-14; Job 23:12; Ps. 119:103; Jer. 15:16). Rather than the head then passing the Word on to the heart (as we are so prone to believe in this shallow age), may not the true direction be the other way—the heart passing the Word on up to the head with such living power through the Holy Spirit as to strike all the faculties of the mind with burning conviction? We definitely think so! Long before a child begins to think, he has been in daily association with sights and sounds. These daily associations form the background against which he later begins to form thoughts. Let us be wise and take a cue here. Let the child’s heart, ears, and eyes
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THE KING'S BUSINESS
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