Article April 30, 1921 Issue

As a Little Child

ELIZABETH CHARLOTTE ROY

THE beautiful meaning of the words spoken by our Master, "Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God," has been realized recently by the writer with the joy that ever accompanies true demonstration. The privilege of teaching an infant class in the Sunday school for one and one half years has revealed such receptivity and natural love of Truth that these qualities, so spontaneously manifested, indeed form helpful examples for older students. The way these little ones put their knowledge into practice is sometimes astounding and the simple, childlike faith they show and the way they try to help each other is beautiful to behold.

A small boy who knew nothing of Christian Science was placed in a class and from the first was keenly interested in the readings from the Bible. If there was a word that he did not know the meaning of he always stopped the class and said, "Please, teacher, I don't know what that means." This boy aroused the whole class and made them take the keenest interest in what they were learning. One Sunday, just as the children began to repeat the commandments, he said, "I feel as if I could not speak; something is hurting my throat." The other children were then asked what was to be done. They immediately replied, "Turn out error and put in the truth; he is a child of God and cannot be sick." One little boy looked up and said, "Yes, turn out error and hammer, hammer, hammer, till it's gone," beating time on his knee to make his statement more emphatic. After repeating in unison the "scientific statement of being" (Science and Health, p. 468) the lesson was continued and in a few minutes a little bright face looked up and said, "It is gone now; I feel quite well."

On another occasion a small boy and his sister, who had been attending the Sunday school for a short period only, went to stay in the country with their grandmother. Soon after their arrival, a tiny bird flew with great force against the windowpane and fell into the garden apparently dead. Their grandmother, who was not a Christian Scientist, told the children to pick it up and give it to the gardener to take away, but the children carried it very carefully down into the garden and as they sat under a tree, the little boy holding the bird in his tiny hands, they sang the first stanza of Mrs. Eddy's much loved hymn (Poems, p. 4) :—

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