SUMMER 2020
SUFFER THE LITTLE ONES
Matthew 19:14.
By Elder C. E. Webb
There is no time in life that human beings need the Savior more than in the days of childhood and youth. Those who have given any thought at all to the problem of childhood and youth will hardly require an explanation of this statement.
We sometimes hear older persons speak of the interests of children in the service of God in a way that suggests the idea that the religion of the Lord Jesus Christ is intended for old people who are about ready to die. Even the disciples frowned on the idea of children being brought to Jesus for His blessing, but Jesus reproved them and championed the cause of the children when he said, "Suffer the little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me; for of such is the kingdom of heaven." To discourage the spiritual inclination and yearnings of a little child for the Savior, simply on the ground of its tender age is a sin well calculated to bring down upon ourselves the divine rebuke. The Master took little children in His arms and blessed them and held them up as an example to all would enter the kingdom of heaven.
Most Christian people are able to recall the interests they felt in the Savior in early childhood, and many are not able to remember when they did not feel such interest. But most encouraging is the fact that the Holy Scriptures so often refer to Christian people as "children." In view of all that is said in the Bible about children and their interest in spiritual things it seems strange that so many people who love the Lord defer the important matter of publicly confessing Him until they are well advanced in years. In doing this they deprive themselves of the most precious and most needed blessings, and the influences the Lord has provided in the church for His children. I am certain we make no mistake when we encourage little children who have an interest in spiritual things. Solomon said, "Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth." Children should not wait until they are old and no longer have pleasure in life, but "remember thy Creator now" - "before the evil days come, and the years in which thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them."
Normal children are inclined to be joyful, but an active interest in the things of Christ will add immeasurably to their joys, and the joy of those who remember their Creator is far more likely to be wholesome and free from regret.
It is a matter for great thanksgiving that the churches are being blessed with little children in the membership, and that the churches do have an interest in such children. It certainly is a discouraging sight to see a church whose members are all grown old, and where there are no young faces to be seen nor young voices raised in songs of praise. I wish all of our people would prayerfully pay more attention to the encouragement of children to take up their crosses early in life. If this were done I am sure our churches would be in better condition in many places, and the children would not then be so easily lured away into other religious organizations.
The idea that our children do not have an interest in old time religion, and that we need more entertainment in our churches, or different songs for the children, is decidedly false, and it is a reflection against the grace of God in the heart. Christian children are interested in the same things as adults are interested in. They only need proper teaching, and it has been my observation that they are eager to learn. Older heads may be nodding but the eyes of these little children do not leave the speaker. They are excellent students. They love the things they learn. May our churches be blessed with still greater numbers of them.
In gospel bonds, C. E. Webb. - Gospel Witness.
_______________________________________________
LET NO MAN DESPISE THY YOUTH
I. Timothy 4:12.
By Elder C. E. Webb
I have thought much, and have felt most thankful to the Lord, for the several clean-cut, sober-minded and humble young men whom the Lord has raised up in the ministry among us during the past few years, and would like to offer a few remarks regarding young men in the ministry for their consideration and encouragement, as well as for the consideration of our churches among whom these young men are to labor.
First, let me say it is the general belief of the Primitive Baptists that God calls men to the work of the ministry. I have never known of a man who preached profitably among our people who offered his services or began his labors before he was solemnly impressed or called of the Lord to do so.
It is the general rule that men so impressed would, had they been left to themselves, have followed some other course, and they have not felt themselves capable of preaching the gospel.
I make this statement because I want first to assure the young brethren whom I have mentioned that I understand their feelings in this matter, and secondly, because I wish to remind the people comprising our churches that these young men have not put themselves into the ministry. This is God's work, and His way of providing for the future instruction and religious guidance of His people.
Most of these young men will be called to care for and oversee churches in which they have positively no personal interest except that of desiring the general welfare of the cause of Christ, and some of them have already been so called. In this service they will be required to wrestle with problems and assume responsibilities brought about by others, and will receive both praise and blame for the way in which they do their work. Part of their work will be pleasant, much of it will not be pleasant, but it will have to be done, and the churches will expect these young men to do it. God has appointed their work.
Having been a young man in the ministry once, I think I know something of the feelings of a young minister as he approaches his work. He discovers very early that while most brethren receive him warmly and do all they can for his encouragement, there are others who look upon him as an imposter and seem to do about all they can to discourage him and let him know he is not wanted. It may be true that in later years these same people will be his warmest friends and that they will finally give him much encouragement, but for the present they do not care to listen to the young man and do not hesitate to let him know it.
Almost all young men in the ministry have had this to discourage them and it has made the labors of some very burdensome. I say this because I wish our young brethren to know they do not stand alone in such trials. I certainly think our people should be more considerate and appreciate of the young gifts the Lord sends among them, and that all should be done to help them along in their work that it is possible to do. It might be of some encouragement to our young brethren to know that on the day of my own ordination, when it was announced that I was to preach in the afternoon, every member of the church went home. Had it not been for the consideration of friends and a few visiting brethren, there would have been no congregation to preach to.
I do not recall now that I felt especially discouraged by what they did, for it was no more than could have been expected. But I have never thought of such conduct but what I have felt it is very unbecoming and thoughtless to say the least. However, some years later this church called me to serve them as pastor, and I suppose today the membership there would not exchange me for hardly anyone they know. It was not that they did not like me at that time, or that they had anything at all against me, but they simply did not care to listen to a young man when there were older ministers present. Of course they were wrong both in their feelings and in their conduct.
It seems to be the case sometimes that some older brother or sister will entertain the idea that they know more about preaching than the young brother does, and so they are inclined to look lightly upon his best efforts. If he makes a mistake, or says something they think he should not, they can hardly endure it; though if the same thing were said by some older minister they would not so much as notice it at all. I have thought that it would be well for most of our people who watch our young men so critically, if they would just bear in mind that they themselves are far from being free from mistaken ideas and traditional notions and that it is unfair, to say the least, to expect perfection in young men until we are prepared to give perfection in return. This would at least be something to think about.
Looking backward now I recall a number of very helpful critics who did all they could to help me. I suppose they became very much discouraged at not being able to improve my awkward speech and mannerism, but I shudder to think what my efforts would be like today had I not been favored with such friends. I would admonish our young brethren to welcome constructive criticism, for no man is without need of it. Even unfriendly criticism will prove helpful if rightly considered, and every man will do well to criticize himself often and severely.
"Let no man despise thy youth." So wrote an aged apostle to a young man in the ministry. Paul well knew the disposition of older people toward younger men who stood before them as leaders, and he well knew that this could be overcome only by study and application on the part of the minister himself. Large numbers of men have learned that the simple claim that they are called to preach does not convince the people. The proof of such calling lies in the fact that a man preaches, and that his preaching proves profitable. Paul therefore advises Timothy to combat the despisings of men by properly preparing himself for the work and then by putting himself into it.
Hear him. "Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example to the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine." Then he continues: "Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery." And then, "Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that they profiting may appear to all." And finally, "Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee." All this is included in the simple expression -- "Let no man despise thy youth." One more thought, and I promise the reader I will close this article. It is this:
The Lord calls young men to the important work of the ministry to serve their own generation. It is very seldom if ever that a man in advanced age is so called. It is not reasonable to suppose young men are called to instruct old people who are already established in the faith, and therefore older people should not expect too much in this direction. Our older people received their religious instruction mainly in their youth, and from the ministry of their day and generation, and while they may sometimes learn something from young ministers it is generally true that they hear only such as they have known for years.
While it is true that generations overlap somewhat, it is also true that generally speaking we all live to serve our own generation. The calling of young men to the ministry, therefore, shows that there are young people to be instructed and led. This is God's wise arrangement and we may all profit a great deal by bearing it in mind; for it shows young people are included in the divine plan, and that their place in the service o God is just as important as that of older people.
It will generally be noticed that young people are more interested in the preaching of young ministers - which is right. May the Lord richly bless us all to see with clearer eyes and to serve more faithfully. May His blessings rest upon our precious children, and upon those dear young men whom he has brought into the ministry, and may their labors together be so favored of the Lord that the churches of tomorrow will be even more representative of Bible faith and devotion. May we all catch the full vision and example of Jesus "with his face set as though he would go to Jerusalem."
In gospel bonds,
C. E. Webb
