Editorial October 16, 1902 Issue

A Word to the Children

A Word to the Children

When Jesus gathered the little ones into his loving embrace and said to the grown folk round about him: "Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God;" and added: "Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein;" did he mean you? Are you the child? Christian Science teaches that the kingdom of heaven is not a far-away mystical place, to be reached at some distant, indefinite time, but that heaven is harmony, and that we can enjoy it here and now. It is possible that our homes, yours and mine, can be made heavenly; yes, can be heaven. This makes it clear that the boy or girl who is doing everything to bring harmony into the daily home life is the veritable child whom Jesus bade us copy. Hence, dear children, because you lead and I must follow, it seems to me well that we assure ourselves that we are journeying the right way, the way of Life.

The ideal child whom the Master had in mind, and who brings the kingdom of God into the home, is kind, gentle, lovingly active, springing at the cost of self-indulgence to relieve father, mother, to lighten the burdens of all. It is the unselfish child in whom determined wilfulness and conceited opinion have yielded to obedience, unanswering obedience, to a parent's superior wisdom and experience. It is the child who politely leads by the hands the little classmate clad in poor attire. It is the child who turns unhesitatingly away from a coarse remark and refuses to listen to an impure suggestion, much less repeat it. It is the faithful, trustful, humble child who quickly hears the voice of Truth and follows promptly. It is the child who gladdens the home with the sunshine of joy. Now we begin to see that the Christ-blessed child is the expression of love, obedience, purity, faith, humility, and joy, and we understand why we can enter the kingdom of God through no other consciousness, by no other way.

Daily, hourly, ask yourself this question, "Am I the child whom Jesus blessed? In every thought and word and deed must we, too, that are older grown, keep watch lest we forget to follow into the realm of faith, purity, simplicity, Love,—the kingdom of God.

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