It ought not to be overlooked that the whole thing was wrought in the
children without directed influence of kindred or any neighbor. They
imitated none. The galvanism of imitation is not the life of the spirit;
the use of form where love is not is killing. And if any one is desirous
of spreading the truth let him apply himself, like these children, to
the doing of it; not obeying the truth, he is doubly a liar pretending
to teach it; if he obeys it already, let him obey it more. It is life
that awakes life. All form of persuasion is empty except in vital
association with regnant obedience. Talking and not doing is dry rot.
Cottage children are sometimes more fastidious about their food than
children that have a greater variety; they have a more delicate
perception and discrimination in the simple dishes on which they thrive;
much choice, though little refusal. Andrew had a great dislike to lumps
in his porridge; and one day the mother having been less careful than
usual in cooking it, he made a wry face at the first spoonful.
“Andrew,” said Sandy, “take no thought for what ye eat.”
It was a wrong interpretation, but a righteous use of the word. Happy
the soul that mistakes the letter only to get at the spirit!
Andrew's face smoothed itself, began to clear up, and broke at last into
a sunny smile. He said nothing, but eat his full share of the porridge
without a frown. This was practical religion; and if any one judge it
not worth telling, I count his philosophy worthless beside it. Such a
doer knows more than such a reader will ever know, except he take
precisely the same way to learn. The children of God do what He would
have them do, and are taught of Him.
A report at length reached the pastor, now an old man, of ripe heart and
true insight, that certain children in his parish “played at the Lord's
Supper.” He was shocked, and went to their parents. They knew nothing of
the matter. The three children were sought, and the pastor had a private
interview with them. From it he reappeared with a solemn, pale face, and
silent tongue. They asked him the result of his inquiry. He answered
that he was not prepared to interfere: as he was talking with them, the
warning came that there were necks and mill-stones. The next Sunday he
preached a sermon from the text, “Out of the month of babes and
sucklings Thou hast perfected praise.”
The fathers and mothers made inquisition, and found no desire to
conceal. Wisely or not, they forbade the observance. It cost Andrew much
thought whether he was justified in obeying them; but he saw that right
and wrong in itself was not concerned, and that the Lord would have them
obey their parents.
It was necessary to tell so much of the previous history of Andrew, lest
what remains to be told should perhaps be unintelligible or seem
incredible without it. A character like his can not be formed in a day;
it must early begin to grow.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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