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LITTLE CHILDREN BROUGHT TO JESUS.

CCCVIL.

PITTLE (HILDREN BROUGHT TO JESus,

OME very little children
Go| were once brought to
Jesus. The kind friends
who brought them, asked
| Him to put His hands
upon them, and bless them; for
those friends loved Jesus them-
selves, and they wished the children
to learn to love Him too. They
knew that the blessing of Jesus
would make their little ones happier
than anything the world can give.
The disciples were angry when these
children were brought to Jesus.
They, perhaps, thought they would
be troublesome to Jesus; so they
reproved those who brought them,
and wished to send them away. The
disciples had soon forgotten all that
Jesus said to them when He took a
child and set it before them, and
told them to be humble and gentle
like that child. Jesus was displeas-
ed with His disciples now, and He
said to them, “Suffer the little
children to come unto me, and
forbid them not;” and then He
took them up in His arms, and laid
His hands on them, and blessed
them.

We read no more of these little
children. The Bible does not tell
us their names, nor their histories.
Perhaps some of them died young,
before they had seen much of the
sorrow and sin of the world; and,
like the babes of Bethlehem, were
soon taken to be with Jesus in
Heaven. Perhaps some of them

 

lived to grow up, and to grow old,
and then they must have suffered
great deal of pain and trouble ; but
in all their sorrows they had one to
comfort them ; for if they were God’s
children, the kind Saviour who had
once said, “ Suffer the little children
to come unto me,” would say too,
“Even to old age I am He, and to
hoar hairs I will carry you.” We
cannot tell where they lived, nor '
when they died; but we may hope
that they are all now safe and happy
with Jesus; and that those little
ones whom He blessed on earth, He
will bless for ever in Heaven.

Jesus still says, “ Suffer little
children to come unto me.” But
how can they be brought to Him?
for He is not upon earth now. Kind.
parents and friends bring little chil-
dren to Jesus, when they pray for
them, and teach them to pray, and
tell them what their Saviour has
done to save sinners. This 1s
bringing children to Jesus. But:
the children themselves must be
willing to come. The little ones
who were brought to Jesus did not
struggle and cry to go away. No;
they lay quietly in the Saviout’s
arms, and loved to see Him smile
so kindly on them. So children
now must come humbly to Jesus,
and attend to all He tells them ™
His word, and say, as Samuel did
when God spoke to Him,“ Speak,
Lord, for thy servant heareth.’ 1
Sam. ii. 9.