COME, YOU CHILDREN
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"Come, you children, hearken unto me—I will teach you the fear of the Lord." Psalm 34:11
Three admonitions
First, recollect whom you are teaching: "Come, you children." I think we ought always to have respect to our audience; I do not mean that we need care if we are preaching to Mr. So-and-so, Sir William this, or My Lord that—because in God's sight such titles are the merest trifles; but we are to remember that we are preaching to men and women who have souls, so that we ought not to occupy their time by things that are not worth their hearing. But when you teach in Sunday-schools, you are, if it be possible, in a more responsible situation even than a minister occupies. He preaches to grown-up people, to men of judgment, who, if they do not like what he preaches, can go somewhere else; but you teach children who have no option of going elsewhere. If you teach the child wrongly—he believes you; if you teach him heresies—he will receive them; what you teach him now—he will never forget. You are not sowing, as some say, on virgin soil, for it has long been occupied by the devil; but you are sowing on a soil more fertile now than it ever will be again—soil that will produce fruit now, far better than it will do in after days; you are sowing on a young heart, and what you sow will be pretty sure to abide there, especially it you teach evil, for that will never be forgotten.
You are beginning with the child; take care what you do with him. Do not spoil him. Many a child has been treated like the Indian children who have heavy copper plates put upon their heads—so that they may never grow. There are many who are simpletons as adults, just because those who had the care of them when young, gave them no opportunities of getting knowledge, so that, when they became old, they cared nothing about it. Consider what you are after—you are teaching children, mind what you teach them. Put poison in the spring, and it will pollute the whole stream. Take care what you are after! You are twisting the sapling, and the old oak will be bent thereby. Have a care, it is a child's soul you are tampering with! It is a child's soul you are preparing for eternity! I give you a solemn admonition on every child's behalf. Surely, if it be murder to administer poison to the dying, it must be far more criminal to give poison to the young life! If it is evil to mislead grey-headed old age, it must be far more so to turn aside the feet of the young into the road of error, in which they may walk forever!
Second, recollect that you are teaching for God, "Come, you children, hearken unto me—I will teach you the fear of the Lord." If you, as teachers, were only assembled to teach geography, it might not injure them eternally if you were to tell the children that the North Pole was close to the Equator; or if you were to say that the extremity of South America was near by the coast of Europe; or if you assured them that England was in the middle of Africa. But you are not teaching geography, or astronomy, nor are you training the children for a business life in this world; but you are, to the best of your ability, teaching them for God.
You say to them, "Children, you come here to be taught the Word of God; you come here, if it be possible, that we may be the means of the salvation of your souls." Have a care what you are after, when you attempt to be teaching them for God. Wound the child's hand if you will; but, for God's sake, do not wound his eternal soul. Say what you like about temporal things; but, I beseech you, in spiritual matters, take care how you lead them. Be careful that it is the truth which you inculcate, and only that. With such a responsibility, how solemn your work becomes! He who is doing a work for himself—may do it as he likes; but he who is laboring for another—must take care to please his master. He who is employed by a monarchmust beware how he performs his duty; but he who labors for God must tremble lest he does his work badly. Remember that you are laboring for God, if you are what you profess to be. Alas! many, I fear, are far from having this serious view of the work of a Sunday-school teacher.
Third, remember that your children need teaching. "Come, you children, hearken unto me—I will teach you the fear of the Lord." That makes your work all the more solemn. If children did not need teaching, I would not be so extremely anxious that you should teach them aright. Works that are not necessary, men may do as they please; but this work is absolutely necessary. Your child needs teaching. He was born in iniquity; in sin did his mother conceive him. He has an evil heart. He knows not God, and he never will know the Lord, unless he is taught.
He is not like some ground of which we have heard, that has good seed lying hidden deep in the soil; but, instead thereof, he has only evil seed within his heart. God can place good seed there. You profess to be His instruments to scatter good seed upon that child's heart; remember, if that seed is not sown—he will be lost forever; his life will be a life of alienation from God; and at his death everlasting punishment must be his portion! Be careful, then, how you teach, remembering the urgent necessity of the case.
This is not a house on fire, needing your assistance at the pumps; nor is it a wreck at sea, demanding your help in the lifeboat; but it is an eternal soul calling aloud to you, "Come and help me!" Therefore, I beseech you, teach the fear of the Lord, and that only. Be very anxious to say, and to say truly, "Come, you children, hearken unto me—I will teach you the fear of the Lord." Psalm 34:11
The Psalmist's invitation
"Come, you children, hearken unto me—I will teach you the fear of the Lord." Psalm 34:11
It is a singular thing that good men frequently discover their duty when they are placed in most humiliating positions. Never in David's life was he in a worse plight than that which suggested this Psalm. It is headed, "A Psalm of David, when he changed his behavior before Abimelech; who drove him away, and he departed." This poem was intended to commemorate that event, and was suggested by it. David was carried before King Achish, and, in order to make his escape, he pretended to be insane, accompanying that profession of madness with certain very degrading actions which might well seem to betoken his insanity. He, was driven from the palace, and as usual, when such men are in the street, it is probable that a number of children assembled around him.
You have the sad story told in 1 Samuel 21:10-15. In after days, when David sang songs of praise to Jehovah, recollecting how he had become the laughing-stock of little children, he seemed to say, "Ah! by my folly before the children in the streets, I have lowered myself in the estimation of generations that shall live after me; now I will endeavor to undo the mischief—'Come, you children, hearken unto me—I will teach you the fear of the Lord.'" Very possibly, if David had never been in such a low position, he would never have thought of this duty; for I do not discover that he ever said in any other Psalm, "Come, you children, hearken unto me." He had the cares of his cities, his provinces, and his nation pressing upon him, and he may have been at other times but little attentive to the education of youth; but here, being brought into the lowest position which man could possibly occupy, having become as one bereft of reason, he recollects his duty. The exalted or prosperous Christian is not always mindful of "the lambs." That duty generally devolves on Peters, whose pride and confidence have been crushed, and who rejoice thus practically to answer their Lord's question, as the apostle did when Jesus said. to him, "Do you love Me?" "Come, you children, hearken unto me—I will teach you the fear of the Lord." The doctrine is, that children are capable of being taught the fear of the Lord.
Men are generally wisest—after they have been most foolish. David had been extremely foolish—and now he became truly wise; and being so, it was not likely that he would utter foolish sentiments, or give directions such as would be dictated by a weak mind. We have heard it said by some that children cannot understand the great mysteries of religion. We even know some Sunday-school teachers who cautiously avoid mentioning the great doctrines of the gospel, because they think the children are not able to receive them. Alas! the same mistake has crept into the pulpit; for it is currently believed, among a certain class of preachers, that many of the doctrines of the Word of God, although true, are not fit to be taught to the people, since they would pervert them to their own destruction. Away with such priestcraft! Whatever God has revealed—ought to be preached!
Whatever HE has revealed, if I am not capable of understanding it, I will still believe and preach it. I do hold that there is no doctrine of the Word of God which a child, if he is capable of salvation, is not capable of receiving. I would have children taught all the great doctrines of truth without a solitary exception, that they may in their after days hold fast by them.
I can bear witness that children can understand the Scriptures; for I am sure that, when but a child, I could have discussed many a knotty point of controversial theology, having heard both sides of the question freely stated among my father's circle of friends. In fact, children are capable of understanding some things in early life, which we hardly understand afterwards. Children have eminently a simplicity of faith, and simplicity of faith is akin to the highest knowledge; indeed, we know not that there is much distinction between the simplicity of a child—and the genius of the profoundest mind. He who receives things simply, as a child, will often have ideas which the man who is prone to make a syllogism of everything will never attain unto. If you wish to know whether children can be taught, I point you to many in our churches, and in pious families—not prodigies—but such as we frequently see—Timothys and Samuels, and little girls, too, who have early come to know a Savior's love. As soon as a child can sin, that child can, if God's grace assist it, believe and receive the Word of God. As soon as children can learn evil, be assured that they are competent, under the teaching of the Holy Spirit, to learn good.
Never go to your class with the thought that the children cannot comprehend you; for if you do not make them understand, it is possibly because you do not yourselves understand; if you do not teach children what you wish them to learn, it may be because you are not fit for the task; you should find out simpler words, more fitted for their capacity, and then you would discover that it was not the fault of the child—but the fault of the teacher, if he did not learn.
I hold that children are capable of salvation. He who, in Divine sovereignty, reclaimed the grey-haired sinner from the error of his ways, can turn a little child from his youthful follies. He who, in the eleventh hour, finds some standing idle in the market-place, and sends them into the vineyard, can and does call men at the dawning of the day to labor for Him. He who can change the course of a river when it has rolled onward, and become a mighty flood, can control a new-born rivulet leaping from its cradle-fountain, and make it run into the channel He desires. He can do all things—He can work upon children's hearts as He pleases, for all are under His control.
I will not stay to establish the doctrine, because I do not consider that any are so foolish as to doubt it. But, although you believe it, I fear many do not expect to hear of children being saved. Throughout the churches, I have noticed a kind of abhorrence of anything like child-piety. We are frightened at the idea of a little boy loving Christ; and if we hear of a little girl following the Savior, we say that it is a youthful fancy, an early impression that will die away. I beseech you, never treat child-piety with suspicion. It is a tender plant—do not brush it too hard.
I heard a tale, some time ago, which I believe to be perfectly authentic. A dear little girl, some five or six years old, a true lover of Jesus, requested of her mother that she might join the church. The mother told her she was too young, and the poor little thing was exceedingly grieved. After a while, the mother, who saw that piety was in her child's heart, spoke to the minister on the subject. The minister talked to the child, and said to the mother, "I am thoroughly convinced of her piety—but I cannot take her into the church, she is too young." When the child heard that, a strange gloom passed over her face; and the next morning, when the mother went to her little bed, she lay with a pearly tear on each eye, dead for very grief; her heart was broken, because she could not follow her Savior, and do as He had bidden her. I would not have murdered that child for a world! Take care how you treat young piety. Be very tender in dealing with it. Believe that children can be saved just as much as yourselves.
I do most firmly believe in the salvation of children. When you see the young heart brought to the Savior, do not stand by and speak harshly, mistrusting everything. It is better sometimes to be deceived—than to be the means of causing one of these little ones who believe in Jesus to stumble. May God send to His people a firm belief that little buds of grace are worthy of all tender care!
King David's two encouragements to parents and teachers
The first is that of pious example. David said, "Come, you children, hearken unto me—I will teach you the fear of the Lord." You are not ashamed to tread in the footsteps of David, are you? You will not object to follow the example of one who was first eminently holy, and then eminently great.
Shall the shepherd boy, the giant-slayer, the sweet psalmist of Israel, and the mighty monarch, leave footprints in which you are too proud to tread? Ah, no! you will be happy, I am sure, to be as David was. If you want, however, a higher example even than that of David, hear the Son of David while from His lips flow the sweet words, "Let the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not, for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven." I am sure it would encourage you if you always thought of these examples. You who are teaching children, are not dishonored by that occupation. Some may say to you, "You are onlya Sunday-school teacher," but you are a noble personage, holding an honorable office, and having illustrious predecessors.
We love to see people of some standing in society take an interest in Sunday-schools. One great fault in many of our churches is that the children are left for the young people to care for; the older members, who have more wisdom, taking but very little notice of them; and, very often, the wealthier members of the church stand aside as if the teaching of the poor were not (as indeed it is) the special business of the rich. I hope for the day when the mighty men of Israel shall be found helping in this great warfare against the enemy.
In the United States we have heard of Presidents, of Judges, Members of Congress, and people in the highest positions, notcondescending, for I scorn to use such a term—but honoring themselves by teaching little children in Sunday-schools. He who teaches a class in a Sunday-school has earned a good degree. I had rather receive the title of S.S.T. than M.A., B.A., or any other honor that ever was conferred by men. Let me beg you, then, to take heart, because your duties are so honorable. Let the royal example of David, let the Godlike example of Jesus Christ inspire you with fresh diligence and increasing ardor, with confident and enduring perseverance, still to go on in your blessed work, saying as David did, "Come, you children, hearken unto me—I will teach you the fear of the Lord!"
The second is the encouragement of great success. David said, "Come, you children, hearken unto me!" He did not add, "perhaps I will teach you the fear of the Lord," but, "I will teach you the fear of the Lord."
The success of Sunday-schools! If I begin to talk of that, I shall have an endless theme; therefore, I will not commence. Many volumes might be written on it, and then when all were written, we might say, "I suppose that even the world itself could not contain all that might be written." Up yonder, where the starry hosts perpetually sing God's high praises, up where the white-robed throng cast their crowns before His feet, we shall behold the success of Sunday-schools. And here, in almost every pulpit of our land, and there in the pews where the deacons sit, and godly members join in worship—there is seen the success of Sunday schools. And far away across yonder broad ocean, in the islets of the South, in lands where those dwell who bow before blocks of wood and stone, there are the missionaries who were saved in Sunday-schools, and the thousands, blessed by their labors, contribute to swell the mighty stream of the incalculable, I had almost said infinite, success of Sunday school instruction.
Go on with your holy service; much has been done already—but more shall yet be done. Let all your past victories inflame you with fresh ardor, let the remembrance of your triumphs in previous campaigns, and all trophies won for your Savior on the battle-field of the past, be your encouragement to press on with the duty of the present and the future!
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