happiness comes from Christ. If you want to be happy, boys and
I shall now finish my sermon with four bits of advice to boys and girls, which I hope they will think about and not forget:
1. In all your play, remember the eye and ear of God. He sees and hears everything. Dear children, say nothing you would not like God to hear. Do nothing you would not like God to see.
2. In all your play, keep your temper. Be kind, cheerful, unselfish, and good-natured—even when you lose the game. Dear children, never fly into a passion. Whatever you play at, keep your temper.
3. Do not neglect work because of play. Let all your play help you to learn better, and to be a better boy or girl, both at school and home. It is quite true that "all work and no play makes a dull boy." But I believe it is no less true, that all play and no work makes a stupid, useless man!
4. In the last place, never forget, even in your play, that all true happiness comes from Christ. If you want to be happy, boys and girls, love Christ and make Him your chief Friend. Christ is the giver of light hearts and peaceful minds. The happiest child is the child who loves Christ most.
There is a green hill far away, Without a city wall, Where the dear Lord was crucified Who died to save us all.
We do not know, we cannot tell What pains He had to bear,
But we believe it was for us, He hung and suffered there.
He died that we might be forgiven, He died to make us good, That we might go at last to Heaven, Saved by His precious Blood.
There was no other good enough To pay the price of sin, He only could unlock the gate Of Heaven, and let us in.
Oh, dearly, dearly has He loved, And we must love Him too, And trust in His redeeming Blood, And try His works to do.
Little Things
DEAR CHILDREN,—Did you ever see a bird's nest? Did you ever look closely at it? Did you ever observe how wisely and cleverly it is made? There are few things so beautiful and well contrived as a bird's nest.
Millions of nests are made by old birds every year. Millions of young birds are hatched and reared in them. There would soon be no more
thrushes, and larks, and nightingales, if there were no nests.
The most beautiful Bird's Nest I ever saw was made of stone and timber, and not of twigs and moss. It was not made by the bills and claws of birds, but by the hands of men. Children, what kind of a nest do you think this was? I am sure you will never guess, and so I must tell you.
The Bird's Nest which I thought so beautiful is a large house in Ireland, at a place called Kingstown. It is a house built by kind people to take in boys and girls who have no friends. Once received into this house, these boys and girls are washed, and clothed, and fed, and taught, until they are old enough to get their own living. Children, do you not think the "Bird's Nest" was a very good name to give to this house?
Now, it costs a great deal of money to keep up this "Bird's Nest" in proper order. The clothes the poor friendless boys and girls wear cost money. The food that they eat every day costs money. The teachers who teach them every day must be paid for their work. The servants who help to keep the place clean must have their wages. The house itself must be kept in repair. All this costs a great deal of money. Children, shall I tell you how some of this money is got?
Some of the money which goes to keep up the Kingstown "Bird's Nest" is collected by little boys and girls in Dublin, who ask their friends to help. Think what a nice thing that is to do! How much better to collect money for the "Bird's Nest," than to waste it on sugar-plums, and cakes, and toys!
Children, when I was over in Dublin, I saw these little collectors of money for the "Bird's Nest" gathered together. It was a very My dear children, I have been asked to speak to the boys and girls who collect for the Kingstown "Bird's Nest." I must begin by telling you that it is a very hard thing to do. I must get you all to help me. How can you help me? You can help me by being as quiet and attentive as you can, by sitting as still as you can, and by opening your ears as wide as you can. Children, what is the first thing we want to do for the boys and girls in the "Bird's Nest"? I will tell you. Our great work is to help them to get to heaven. We want their souls to be saved by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We want them to be washed in Jesus' blood, clothed in His robe of righteousness, and made partakers of His grace. We want them to grow up holy, praying, Bible-reading, God-fearing men and women.
But some people may say, "What have boys and girls to do with this 'Bird's Nest?' Why not leave it to grown people to get all the money? They are better able to do it. Boys and girls should not have anything to do with it."
Why, dear boys and girls, there are no persons in the world that are so bound to work for the Lord Jesus Christ, and for the souls of people, as children. There are none who ought to try so much to make known the Gospel of Jesus Christ as children. Do you know what children come to in heathen lands? Here in this happy Christian country, when boys and girls are born there is great joy and pleasure. On the contrary, it is a very common thing in heathen lands to kill the little child, to bury it alive, or strangle it, or starve it to
death. Is it not very shocking? But these poor heathens know no better.
You have heard of the South Sea Islands. Look at the map of the world. Those little black dots to the left of South America, they are the South Sea Islands. Well, these Islands a few years ago were full of idolaters. The poor people there bowed down to stocks and stones, and knew nothing of the Lord Jesus Christ. Kind missionaries went to them, and told them of Christ and salvation by Him. God blessed their work, and many of the poor heathens were converted, and many of these heathen islands are now become Christian lands. After they were converted, many of the people said, "We wish we had heard these things before! If you had only told us these things long. ago, we should never have done the wicked things we did." And at one of these islands a woman got up after a missionary meeting, and said, "0 sir, if I had only heard these things before! I had nineteen little children, and have murdered every one of them! Because I knew nothing of the Bible, I didn't care for my dear little children. Oh, that I had known long ago about Jesus Christ and about this blessed Bible, and about the way to heaven!" I always say that women, children, and the poor, ought to do more for the Gospel than any others in the world. It brings them so many blessings.
But now comes the question, what can you do? Many people will say, "Well, what can these little boys and girls do? What is the use of such little help as they can give to the 'Bird's Nest'?" Oh, my dear children, who can tell the power of littles? The power of littles is very wonderful! No one knows what can be done by a little, and a little, and a little. Did you ever think about Noah's Ark? Did you ever think what a large
thing Noah's Ark must have been? Just think of Noah having to make a vessel big enough to hold all the beasts and all the birds. How do you think the ark was made? It was not done all at once. Oh no! It was made plank by plank, and piece by piece, by little and little. Perhaps you would have said, if you had seen Noah at his work, "Oh, what's the use of that little piece, such a bit %" or, "what's the use of that one plank?" Children, little by little is that which makes a large thing at last. So we want as many little things as we can get for the "Bird's Nest," and joined together, they will make the whole of what we want.
God says in the Bible, "Who hath despised the day of small things?" There is also a text spoken by our Lord Jesus Christ about little things. "He that is faithful in that which is least, is faithful also in much; and he that is unjust in the least, is unjust also in much." The real Christian must be faithful in little things as well as in great things.
Let me tell you a story of a man who knew the value of little things. This man became one of the most important people in the city of Paris. You know Paris is the capital city of France. Well, this man came to Paris when he was a boy, a little boy, not bigger than many of you. When he came there he wanted some one to find him something to do. Poor little fellow, he asked one man after another, could they give him some work? He was greatly discouraged, and almost tired of saying "Please, sir, can you give me something to do?" and hearing the answer, "No, I have nothing for you to do: what can such a little fellow as you do?" At last one day he went into a banker's house. There were a great many people standing in the office, so he went up to one of them and said, "Please, sir, can you find me
something to do?" "No, I cannot," was the answer. As he went to the door to go away, he saw a pin upon the floor. He stooped down and picked it up, and stuck it in his sleeve. The chief person in the office saw him do this, and called him back.—" Boy," said he, what do you pick up that pin for? I don't want it, it would be of no value to me, but I want to know what made you pick it up."— "Well, sir," said the boy, "I will tell you. My mother told me never to waste little things, but always to take care of them! She said, 'My son, if you will take care of little things, even of pins, you will always find some use for them.'"—Said he, "I always like to do what my mother told me. I love my mother, and I always take care of little things." These words struck the banker so much that he said, "My boy, come to me tomorrow morning." He did so, and the gentleman gave him a place in the bank. He turned out so steady and diligent, that he soon rose from one thing to another, and in time he became the highest partner in the firm, and when he died he was the richest man in all Paris. • His name was Lafntte.
Dear children, see what great results come from picking up a little pin. It showed character. It showed what the boy was. He was a boy that minded little things, and all his success in life afterwards he traced to this little circumstance. Little things are never to be despised. I always tell my own boys never to think lightly of everyday things. Oh, the importance of little habits! Habits of reading, habits of prayer, habits at meals, little habits through the day,—all are little things. But they make up the character, and are of the utmost importance. So, dear children, when people tell you there is no use in little helpers like you, don't mind them. By attending to little things, you will be able to do much for the "Bird's Nest." Now what can you do 1
(1) Take a deep interest in the whole concern. Here are these boys and girls taught to be clean, taught to work, taught to behave well, taught to read the Bible, and taught to know the way to heaven. What a great work is this! What an honour to be a helper of it!
I know a clergyman who was once going to a missionary meeting, and he met a boy running in a very great hurry. So he stopped him, and said, "My boy, why are you running so fast? what is the matter?" "0 sir," said the boy, "I am going to a missionary meeting, and I must not lose a minute, for I am late."— "But what makes you in such a hurry about it? you are not wanted at it."—" Oh," said the boy, "I am part of the concern."—" How is that?" said the clergyman.—" Why, sir, it's a thing that I support, and I have a share in it myself." So off he ran to the meeting, and the clergyman followed. The Report was read, and the gentleman who read it out, read that the total sum of money collected was so many pounds, so many shillings, and one penny. "Oh," said the boy, "there goes my penny." So his giving the penny made him feel that he was part of the concern.
(2) Always pray for the "Bird's Nest." If God's blessing is to be got, it must be sought. It is of great importance that all children should pray for God's blessing on every work they enter upon. One of our missionaries came home from India, and told us that as he was going home one night, he passed by some trees, and heard voices. He thought he would like to hear what was going on, and to his great joy he heard the voices of children praying. These heathen children were praying for a blessing upon the missions. He heard one child pray, "0 Lord, I pray Thee to make my grandmother's ears longer." I wonder if any one here could tell what he meant by that prayer. I will tell you.
He meant that as his grandmother was a heathen, her heart was unchanged. She would not listen to what she was told about Christ, or she would pay no attention to what she heard. So her little grandson prayed that she might have longer ears in order to attend more to what the missionary said! Dear children, cannot you pray that God would make people's ears a great deal longer? People are told about the "Bird's Nest." You talk to them about the "Bird's Nest." You ask them to help you to give something to the "Bird's Nest." But you sometimes speak to them in vain. Their ears are so short that they will not listen, or do not understand what you mean. Could you not pray that the hearts of these people may be touched, so that more subscriptions may come in, that more active helpers may be raised up, and that God's work may go on faster and faster?
(3) One thing more I will say. Let me beg of you to help this cause by showing a missionary spirit at home. I should not like to hear of any boys or girls being helpers of the "Bird's Nest," while they don't show a loving spirit, a kind spirit, in their own homes, towards their fathers, and mothers, and sisters, and brothers, and servants. My dear children, every one of you should be a missionary at home. Try to be a Christian at home. Try to adorn Jesus Christ's doctrine at home. Strive to be like the Lord Jesus Christ. Keep His words in your minds. Walk in His steps in your own families towards your fathers and mothers, and every one else.
There is a commandment I often think of, about which a great man once said a curious thing. There was in this country, before you or I, or any one now living, was born, a great man called Archbishop Usher, a holy, godly, Christian archbishop. This archbishop resolved one day to pay a visit to a very holy Scotch minister, called
Rutherford. He wanted to see him in his private life, how he went on in his family. So he went dressed as a common labourer, that they might not know who he was. He knocked at the door, and asked very quietly for a night's lodging. Mr. Rutherford was a good, kind man, and was in the habit of receiving strangers into his house. So the door was opened, and Usher was allowed to have the night's lodging. He was sent to the kitchen to get some supper. After supper was over, Mrs. Rutherford, who made it a rule to question and teach the servants every evening, asked any strangers who were present questions, and talked to them about their souls. When she came to the archbishop, she said, "Tell me, my good man, how many commandments are there?" "Oh," said he, "there are eleven, madam." And when he said "eleven," Mrs. Rutherford said, "Alas, what an ignorant man you are! Have you never been at school? Has no one ever taught you how many commandments there are?" Then she told him how Moses wrote the ten commandments, and how in the book of Exodus the ten commandments are all written down as plain as possible. "How is it," said she, "that you are so ignorant?" Usher held down his head, and said nothing for a time. But when she had done her questioning, he said very quietly, "There is a word in the Gospel, which says, 'A new commandment give I unto you, that ye love one another;' and I think that a commandment given by our Lord Jesus should be attended to as well as Moses' commandments, and one added to ten makes eleven." They soon discovered it was the great Archbishop Usher, and you may fancy how Mrs. Rutherford felt when she found it out!
Now, my dear children, I hope you will never forget the new commandment given by our Lord Jesus Christ. You are to show a loving spirit. You are to be willing to give up your own way, to be
good-natured, to keep your tempers. This is love. This is practical religion. This is showing religion at home. This shows that when you go. and ask for money to teach the commandments of God to poor children, you yourselves are trying to keep them.
Try, last of all, to honour all God's commandments, in spirit as well as in letter. There is a place in London where they sell all sorts of things. It is called "Soho Bazaar." A lady one day took one of her children there, a little girl. The little girl was so pleased with what she saw, that she was tempted to do what she ought not. She fell into temptation. I am afraid she did not pray when she said her prayers in the morning. Well, when she got into the Bazaar, she saw some things which looked so very nice that she coveted them. So by and by as she passed one of the stalls, when her mother was engaged, and she thought no one could see, she took up a toy, and put it into her pocket. But oh, how heavy that pocket felt! Her conscience began to speak to her! How miserable she felt. Oh that she had not taken that toy! As they were coming back, her mother stopped to talk to the woman who kept the same stall, and the poor little girl
pulled the toy out of her pocket and put it back without anybody seeing. She went home, and at night she said her prayers. She seemed unhappy. She was thinking of what she had done at the "Bazaar." Her mother said, "My dear child, what is the matter? do tell me." And as her mother spoke to her in a kind loving way, her heart was melted, and she said, "Oh, mother, I have been so miserable to-day. I have not broken a commandment quite. But oh, mother, I have cracked a commandment," and then she told all. Oh, dear children, take care and don't crack any of the commandments. The new commandment I have told you of is in the 13th chapter of
John, and the 34th verse, "Love one another." Remember that. If you wish to help this blessed "Bird's Nest," do not forget the new commandment, "Love one another." Every one of you can understand that. The Bible says, "Even a child may be known by his doings." We can soon tell when a little child is trying to keep Christ's new commandment.
Keep it whole—don't let it be cracked or scratched. May God help us all to keep it, with a new heart and a livery faith in Christ! Then when we stand at Christ's judgment-seat, He will say, "Well done, good and faithful servants, enter ye into the joy of your Lord."
Pleasant sight to my eyes to see so many little friends to the friendless, and helpers of the helpless. I made them a speech to encourage them and cheer them on. This is the speech of which you have part now before you. I hope it will do you good.
Children, would you not like to help the "Bird's Nest" yourselves? If you would I will tell you what to do. Send some money to "Mrs. Smylie, Merrion Square, Dublin," and tell her it is for the Kingstown "Bird's Nest," and I am sure she will be very thankful. Send it in postage stamps, or by a post office order. But remember to say who it came from, or else she will not be able to write and thank you.
MONERGISM BOOKS
Children's Stories, Copyright © 2017
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of Monergism Books.
ePub and .mobi Editions March 2017 Requests for information should be addressed to: Monergism Books, PO Box 491, West LInn, OR 97068