Article September 23, 1944 Issue

Safeguarding Our Children

JOSEPH STANLEY ROBINSON

Thank God for the sunny smiles of innocent children! Who can feel the tender warmth radiating from a little one's beaming face and laughing eyes without his cares disappearing? A child's upturned glance may prick the coldest reserve, melting with loving interest the hardest heart. What a peaceful, happy place this world might be if children could reach maturity with their native love of good and of their fellows unspoiled by worldly influences!

"Children not mistaught, naturally love God," Mary Baker Eddy observes on page 240 of "Miscellaneous Writings"; "for they are pure-minded, affectionate, and generally brave. Passions, appetites, pride, selfishness, have slight sway over the fresh, unbiased thought." Our Master loved the children who thronged eagerly about him, listening to his instructions concerning the kingdom of God and it was natural for him sometimes to hold a child in his arms as he taught. "Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not." he urged, "for of such is the kingdom of God."

If all our little ones were to learn the lessons of Christly living and thinking, as contained in the Sermon on the Mount, instead of being exposed to material influences, which tend to fill human consciousness with evil, sin, disease, and death, how glorious would be the result. We might assuredly expect to behold a widespread demonstration of heaven, not afar off, but close at hand, with "on earth peace, good will toward men."

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