tice of baptizing them without any intelligence or faith on their part, and the unscriptural habit of allowing them to grow up without any expectancy of real spiritual influences upon them for good until they encounter a horror of conviction and a spasm of conversion. It clearly speaks both obligation and encouragement to fathers and mothers, leading them to hope that as the child, embosomed in the love of the family, living in an atmosphere of prayer, learns all moral truths and duties line upon line in the light of the redemption in Christ, familiarized with the story of the Messiah of prophecy, the Babe of Bethlehem, the Boy in the Temple, the Sufferer on the Cross, the Risen Lord, it will surely grow to an intelligent, personally responsible confession of Christ in the publicity of the congregation, according to Apostolic practice. Is not this the truth, and the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, of that luminous Scripture of childhood-the word of Paul to Timothy ?—" But abide thou in the things which thou hast learned, and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them: and that from a babe thou hast known the sacred writings, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." How stands the matter with us parents, and with the children present, to-night? Have I taught the truth? Does it cheer us, rebuke us, exhort us? It is something for every father and mother to think upon, whether the children, as they grow up, are growing in the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Are they gradually, surely, yet critically, coming to the sense of individual responsibility under the Gospel? It is not a question merely of age. There is a From the pul fascination about the twelfth year in the realization of such obligation. We have Bible light for the fact; and it has been true a thousand times over in the lives of young people nowadays. But that hour of distinct personal conviction, persuasion, the readiness to confess Christ publicly, as Timothy did, in the sight of many witnesses, may dawn earlier. Look for it. Pray for it. Encourage it. Guide it. pit, as you fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, sit together, I want to take up the Old Testament note, "Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth;" and as parents long to see their children make the distinct, public avowal of loyalty to Christ, I want to exhort the children, out of the faith of their hearts, to confess the good confession and to be baptized. There be those of you that are more than old enough to take this step. You know your duty. You have felt its pressure on your conscience more than once. It has become a distinctly individual crisis with you. You do feel that it is the turning point of your life, and that all the light and privileges of your childhood are centering on this hour, as you obey or disobey Christ in the appointments of His Gospel. I beg you, one and all, as you realize your individual duty to Christ along with that deep, individual sense of your need of Him as Saviour, that you hesitate not one day, but courageously arise and confess Him with the mouth. Tell me, have you not learned of Him? Have you not been taught His truth from babyhood? Does not His Word dwell in you, many a sweet Scripture that you memorized at your mother's knee, or heard from the lips of your faithful teacher in the Sunday-school? He is no stranger to you, is He? Have you not prayed always in His name? Have you not always loved Him, and does not your heart burn with this love now as you behold how much He is to you, how much He has done for you, and what confession and obedience He now calls for on your part? Is not this the glad moment of your life when, in the crisis of individual conviction, feeling your own need and feeling your own responsibility, in the light of the Gospel, you become wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus? |