TAKE IT OR…

…leave it. Skip this part of the newsletter if you just want to read about ministry and prayer requests. You’ll be bored as I take some time to recount what our family has been doing of late.

We’ve been really blessed to be healthy and happy these past several months. There have been some stresses as our boys in the States have struggled to find jobs. One has and one still hasn’t.

The economy has taken its toll everywhere and companies just aren’t hiring as much, as you know. Continue to pray that he will find work soon. As Thanksgiving approaches, I mindful of the fact that Sam is in NC, Travis is in Dallas and we are in Africa. This will be Sam’s first holiday to be away from any family and although he is not bothered about it, I’m pretty sure he will at least miss some of his favorite family foods. Or maybe he will make the broccoli and rice casserole himself.

We have had visitors again this month. In fact since we returned from the States 7 months ago, we have had as many visitors as we did during our previous 3 years. The last ones came from the States for a short visit to Africa and with only a week, still managed to make it all the way to Maralal! We are grateful for this family and their willingness to travel such a long way in a short time on rough roads to come and see what we get up to here in Samburu. It was a privilege to host one of our trustees and his family; they are a delightful bunch and blessed our socks off.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Our “late lamb” or “African blessing” will turn 5 years old this month. We will also celebrate our 30^th wedding anniversary. What joy! If you’d like to help make Joseph’s birthday extra fun, please send a card to our Maralal address (Charles Daniels, Box 306, Maralal, Kenya). And yes, that’s the complete address. Postage from the States to Kenya for a regular greeting card is 94 cents. 

PRAYERS and PRAISE

• Continue in your prayers for men willing to learn to lead groups. This is one of our biggest obstacles in bringing God’s Word to all of Samburu. There simply are too few who are willing to do the work.
• Today Joseph and I thanked God for all the people who gave money through their local church to the International Mission Board and in other ways supplied everything we could want for his schooling. Thank the Lord for generous saints.
• Pray for the service this month when our Baptist pastors will be ordained by leaders of the Baptist Convention of Kenya. Pray it will strengthen their commitment to their call and God’s work.
• Pray for everyone in our organization as we undergo a major restructuring. Missionaries and leaders everywhere need wisdom and grace to make the necessary changes.

MINISTRY NOTES

Today Charlie went to the weekly leadership meeting near Kisima. These men are each coming to learn how to lead their own group. Some have already been working and have groups they meet with regularly. There were 8 men present today; 6 of them were men of Charlie’s age wearing traditional dress. These are the men we need to reach the average Samburu. Because of their age, they are automatically respected and have access to everyone in the community: men, women, warriors, etc. These elders are the decision makers in this culture and very influential. The other exciting thing is that they each live in a different direction, giving opportunity for the news of God to spread to many places and people. Pray that this leadership group is only the beginning of many others like it.

The work in the “forest” continues well, although it is another place where we would like to see some leaders emerge. We all traveled there last week with our visitors and were greeted warmly. We had told them that the Samburu people were very hospitable and they proved it that day. I have never seen so much food. There was roasted goat, beans, rice, chai, chapatis (a flat bread) and beads for everyone. Even as it began to rain during Charlie’s story, people huddled under the trees to listen. There was a great crowd that day to welcome our visitors. The women sang several songs and all in all it was a beautiful time. The story for the day was so appropriate: the guests who were invited to the feast but didn’t come. Others came in their place and when they changed their mind…it was too late. These people understand the meaning and they realize this is just like God’s invitation to us. RSVP.

Pray for one of our churches whose pastor has left and taken money and members to go with another church. They came in and built a building near the school where our Baptist church had been meeting. We don’t know what else they may have promised him, but the ones who have chosen to remain Baptist are hurting and need your prayers. Ask God to bless their faithfulness as they continue to meet without a pastor. This particular church is one that was started by the first Baptist missionaries to this area and they have been gained and lost several pastors. This one had continued long enough to give them hope of stability and now he has left them.

LATE ENTRIES

We are planning to go up to the forest where about 20 or so people are waiting to be baptized. Pray that God will use their witness to reach others. Pray also that those baptized will grow and mature in their faith and knowledge of the Lord.

Earlier this week at another meeting, Charlie met some young warriors or moran. He was able to share the Gospel with them and several prayed to receive Christ. Now, they have agreed to invite others of their group to meet with Charlie on Monday. These guys can be the most difficult segment of Samburu society to reach because they do not associate with others. They stay on their own with their age-mates in the bush. It is against culture for them to be where women are meeting which excludes them from all of our regular groups or churches. Pray for this meeting to go well. This is an exciting opportunity and we are hopeful of what God will do.

This past month God has continued to show us evidence of how and where He is working in Samburu. Charlie has been sharing the stories of Nicodemus, Lazarus and several others. Regardless of which story he tells, the response is usually similar. “We have never heard this before…what you are saying is true…please continue to come…I know I am a sinner…my heart feels something when I listen to this story…God is going to change me today.” They say that Charlie is the first person to come and tell them these truths. People are hearing the simple message of the Gospel, told through age old stories and they are being convicted of their sins and repenting. It is nothing we are doing, but it is the miraculous work of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.

As we strive to keep things uncomplicated and go the direction He leads, we are being blessed to see His faithfulness in drawing people to Himself. The one thing we perceive as a challenge area is for more approved workers…ones that speak Samburu! We would love to see believers become burdened to do the same thing Charlie does on a daily basis. Gathering people into a group and teaching them the Word of God; using the stories of the Bible for evangelism and discipleship. It is great that they will go with him and translate, but if each one had his or her own group that they taught regularly, how much would the work be multiplied? But Africans do not like to do things “on their own”. Independence and autonomy are not highly valued in this culture and so we wait, pray and watch to see God’s solution to reaching the thousands.

MINISTRY NOTES

This past week, we saw over a dozen new believers baptized from 2 different local churches. Many of them were children. One was a young man in his mid-twenties. This is a difficult age to reach in any culture and we are excited and encouraged to see all of them make a public profession of faith. We also saw signs of growth and maturity in the pastors of these churches as they carefully taught and organized the groups for baptism. It was a joy to witness.

A new ministry point is being established even today. Last week, Charlie went to a town about 30 minutes from here where he has been training a small group of leaders. When he arrived, there was only one and he asked if they could go visit another of the group at his home in the next town. It is a large-ish town we pass through every time we travel to Nairobi. For years we have wondered about working there, but there were obstacles. We didn’t know anyone in the town and there is also a dominant presence there of another denomination who have opposed us in the past. But we have always felt there must be great opportunity there. God has apparently now opened up that opportunity. That very day, they were able to gather a group and share the story of Nicodemus. The people were awed, convicted, repentant and begged them to return and continue teaching these words that they knew to be true, even though they had never heard them before!

FAMILY NEWS

We’ve had a healthy and happy month of August. We received our crate which was shipped from the US last April or May and have had lots of fun unpacking and opening all the goodies we bought while we were Stateside. Charlie has worked at assembling Joseph’s new bedroom furniture (Ikea) and some shelves and other things. The one thing our house here is lacking is storage. We have 2 very small closets in the entire house and neither of them are in Joseph’s room. That problem is now solved, with a place for everything and that makes me happy. The man who packed the crate for us at Central Freight was a whiz and he got everything in we wanted and then some. Charlie has a new recliner to relax in at the end of the day and he loves it. Joseph’s pedal car arrived in good shape and he and Martin’s (our gardener/caretaker) children enjoy riding it down the slopes and across the yard.

Sam has finished his summer job in Texas and gone back to NC where hs is (hopefully) looking for work and saving money for an apartment. Travis is also looking for work in Dallas and so I’m sure they would both appreciate your prayers.

We had another snake this month, but this one was outside the perimeter of the cat’s domain, so I guess he still has a job here. Martin found it while he was cutting grass. Charlie received a goat yesterday at his new ministry place in Suguta so we are adding to the menagerie. I am supposed to cook it for him as he was told it would be “very good for him.” We’ll see.

NEW WHEELS

We are this close to receiving our new truck and will probably have it by the time most of you are reading this newsletter. We are so grateful to the many Southern Baptists who contribute through the Cooperative Program and Lottie Moon. These gifts make it possible to have the funds to purchase vehicles, housing, etc.

The bonus is that we will have visitors coming from Nairobi to bring it to us and drive our current one back. Plus, they have done some grocery shopping in Nairobi for us and we won’t need to make a trip in for supplies so soon!

PRAYERS and PRAISE

• Thanks for your prayers for scheduling. Charlie was able to work things out and has been able to add some new places and start new groups.
• Pray for our pastors as they are (still) encountering persecution from other denominations for their lack of formal schooling and certification. Pray for a good solution to this issue once and for all. This is obviously an attack to discourage them and it has unfortunately been effective to the point where several said this week that they are not really pastors at all. Check the blog for a little background on this one if you like. www.samburuofkenya.org/blog

As we walked down the long, dirt path to the gate, Joseph ran ahead. What freedom, what fun, I thought. When he got a certain distance away, I found I was not only watching him run, but I could see far beyond the gate to the vast expanse of open land. The view opened up to reveal hills, goats, sheep and an unending sky filled with cottony clouds. And then I noticed how small he was and how big a land he had to conquer in front of him. The next day, I took him up the hill behind our house to give him an even bigger view of all the area around. From that vantage point, we could see even more hills and now the animals looked like small spotted stones all scattered about.

This week has been a revelation as people seem to have come out of the woodwork with reports from locations where we haven’t worked in years. Tuesday, Charlie came home from his pastor’s meeting with a list of about 11 villages that were either asking for us or had someone who still expressed an interest in learning God’s Word. Then he met a former worker who says he is teaching in a town about 30 minutes from Maralal and has 2 other men he is working with. Later, some men from a village we haven’t been to in 3 years came to visit at the house.

We have asked God to show us where He is at work so we may join Him there and it is proving to be a Big World indeed.

MINISTRY NOTES

We are getting some exciting reports this week about several people being saved, others who are ready to be baptized and additional places to start or re-start what we call “loips”. These are places where people come together to hear the news of God. The meaning is actually that of “under the tree”. This is the most commonly used phrase among the Samburu for the Bible teaching Charlie brings because the “loip” is typically the meeting place.  While some bring buildings, “religion”, rituals or other things, few bring the simple message of scripture. For a people who cannot read, there is no other way to know God’s Word and so we strive to give it to them as straightforwardly as possible and we are met with gratitude for doing so.

The next several weeks will find Charlie covering a lot of ground as he seeks to visit these “old” and new areas to determine what, where, who and how. What should be done, where should he go, who should he work with and how can it all best be accomplished?

August is also a time when school lets out for 4 or 5 weeks in Kenya. Some of our women have just expressed a desire to hold Holiday Bible clubs this month and would like some help with stories. Yes, it seems quite last minute and it is, but that is the African way. I began thinking about it in June. Charlie has now challenged the pastors with this task and we pray it will be a wonderful opportunity to teach even more children and hopefully reach their parents also.

FAMILY NEWS

Thank you for all your prayers and emails about Charlie. He spent a week in the hospital in Nairobi after being ill 2 weeks at home in Maralal. While there was no conclusive diagnosis for the high fever, and awful headaches, he is clear of anything now and feels better than he has in a long time. God is so merciful and we are so grateful for His healing.

We now ask your prayers for Charlie’s father who has had a recurrence of throat cancer. He had surgery this week to remove a tumor and now we are waiting for pathology results which should be available next week. Please pray for his healing and salvation.

The 2 boys in Texas are doing well. Sam will finish working at Camp Tejas soon and head back to Virginia to look for a job and an apartment with his friend. Travis just moved into a new house with several of his musician friends in Dallas.

You can catch Joseph in his latest exploits by going to Facebook. In addition to reading, writing and ‘rithmatic, he is learning Xbox. No letters on being too young, please. He loves to have a few minutes on Tiger Woods Golf or Guitar Hero. And every day brings a new cast of characters as he assigns each member of the family a part in today’s imaginary play. “Today, we’re all those Fantastic Fours. I’m the stretchy guy, daddy is the strong man,” and so on until all 5 of us have been turned into someone else. Never a dull moment.

And we have added a cat to the mix. His name is Java and he belonged to colleagues who have retired to the US. He sleeps a lot, but I haven’t seen a snake since he arrived.

PRAYERS and PRAISE

• We are most thankful to be well and at home. We had friends from Nairobi come back with us on our return for a short visit. Others are planning to come this month. We are grateful for the company as it is a long, hard drive to get to this beautiful place!
• Many thanks to all of you who give to the International Mission Board through your local church cooperative giving and the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. Your gifts will soon provide us with a new (to us) 4 wheel drive vehicle. This is a vital part of our work. There are no roads to most of the places we go; only dirt paths through the bush or the mountains. Thank you.
• Pray for Charlie as he seeks to develop a new schedule of work to enable him to reach more people and go more places. Pray for his body to be strong as he does more traveling on the rough roads. Pray for his mind to be discerning as he looks for approved workers to disciple.
• Pray for many children and even adults who will have opportunity to hear the gospel via holiday Bible clubs this month.  Pray for the leaders to be sensitive to the needs of those in attendance. Pray for the teachers to be able to learn the stories and communicate the spiritual truths of each one.

(see some new pictures here… sorry - no snake pix!)

MINISTRY NOTES
Charlie’s study in Revelation continues to impact the pastors he is teaching each Tuesday. They are learning things they have never known and more than that, they are acting on the things they are learning. One of his other groups has fallen off as they were not committed to showing up regularly each week. Pray that this opening in his schedule will be filled with the opportunities God has ordained. The other 3 groups are continuing ahead and you can join us in prayer in the following ways: L’chenei: These people are currently facing trouble from rival tribes. One family’s garden which was looking to produce a good crop was entirely eaten by zebras. Many of the men have gone with cows, leaving women and children to make it on their own. This is not unusual in this semi-nomadic culture, but we do ask you to pray for their safety and provision as outsiders threaten. Pray for the church to show their strong faith in the community and demonstrate their dependence on God. Maralal town group: Praise God that recently another woman from this group made a profession of faith in Christ. Pray that others will continue to be drawn to the Lord and that we will also be able to share the Word with Turkana speakers in this area. Forest: These people continue to come to hear the Word. Pray that it will have an impact on their lives and they will be obedient to what they hear. Several women seem to be responding very positively and catching the truths in the stories.

GOD’S OPPORTUNITY
As you have prayed with us about helping us see where God would have us to work, He has been faithful. A couple of months ago, we asked you to pray about ministering to AIDS patients. Earlier this month, as Charlie was meeting with the pastors in town, they saw a man waiting outside the church yard. He never called out. He just waited. When they began to talk with him, he explained that he was a community health worker (this is an unpaid position) and asked if we could help with some food for patients with HIV/AIDS/TB. He had a list of approximately 30 patients who live in an isolated area at the rear of the hospital compound. Many are very ill. The treatment drugs are harsh and need to be taken with food. It seemed God had answered our prayer. Charlie bought the food that afternoon and arranged to distribute it the next morning. Four pastors and 2 women went with us. They told these folks how God loved them and wanted to bring them hope. After a story of Lazarus and a couple of testimonies, they gave them an opportunity to be saved. Our co-workers counseled individually with any who were interested and in the end, 18 prayed to receive Christ. We were so proud of the care and concern these Samburu Baptists displayed. There was a unity of purpose that we have rarely seen. It was a day that glorified God and encouraged all of us. We pray it will continue. In addition to food for everyone, we also bought a wheelchair for one of the women. Some of the people were too weak to even carry their food home, so we transported it for them. Pray that these people will feel welcome in our churches and that our pastors and others will continue to reach out to them.

YOUR EFFECTIVE PRAYERS
After the story about me killing the snake went public, I received several emails. In fact, we got more response to this than anything we’ve ever sent out. Anyway, one of our colleagues wrote that I should be sure to share this with one of our prayer networks as “who knows who was praying for you that day.” It really struck me. As I’ve thought about it again, I’ve realized that while I was keenly aware of an immediate danger, I wasn’t thinking about deadly consequences. In my mind, I only allowed myself to go as far as “oh no, I have to kill this because I can’t let it get away and have it hanging around threatening us.” Thank you so much for continually asking for God’s protection over us. Another item that is always the topic of conversation when missionaries come together is health, or rather illnesses. In our short 6 years on the field, it certainly seems that good health is a real challenge on the mission field. And lastly, we are receiving answers as you request with us for God’s wisdom and direction in ministry. Pray also for us to remain encouraged and not be bothered by circumstances beyond our control. God bless all of you. We count you as our faithful partners.

“But these things I plan won’t happen right away.  Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, wait patiently for it, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed.”
Habakkuk 2:3 New Living Translation

So, there I was minding my own business, heading out the kitchen door to get the laundry soap and a bucket to soak Joseph’s socks. Right when I walked out the door, there it was, about 15 feet to the left. The dog was just staring at it. Charlie was gone to town, Martin (our caretaker) was with him. Joseph was inside doing his school work. I knew I had to act quickly before it got away. The only good snake is a dead one. I could see it had something sticking out of it’s mouth, like a leg of something and I guess that’s why it was so still. It is a cool day so maybe that’s why it had come up on the concrete drive area. Anyway, I looked around for something nearby to whack it with and grabbed the push broom. I was thinking of my aunt Alice Mae and really hoping for a hoe or panga or something a little sharper than a broom, but whatever. I yelled at Joseph to stay inside the house. Then I walked over and just came down hard on it’s neck. It worked. It puked up the frog and then I just started whacking the heck out of it. The wrath of a mama kills pretty quickly.  

Once it was dead, I wanted it gone. I walked to the fence and hollered at Ledemako to come get it and take it away. Yes, I thought about taking a picture. It occurred to me how cool it would be to show the dead snake with the puked up frog nearby. But I was too freaked out to want to have living proof.  Ledemako’s first question was “big or small”. Big enough, I guess. Is there such a thing as a small deadly snake? For the record, it was about 3 feet. For the record, I’m still a little freaked out. But it’s a good reminder that we can’t be too careful. And Sandy, I’ll take your cat if your still giving it away.

Kenyan weather, good music, silly sayings.

Weather: It is Sunday afternoon here. The weather is mildly warm with high clouds, and enough breeze to soften the bright sunshine. This is the best of the best. I am sitting just inside the front door (wide open) and all I hear are the sounds I want. The breeze blowing, the birds chirping and IPOD shuffling those tunes. Just now, Russ Lee comes on and I am reminded of good friends who give so much to encourage so many. Thanks, Russ, and all of you like him who speak words of prayer and do acts of kindness to help others on their way.

Which leads to Good Music: One of my current favorites is Casting Crowns and their CD “The Altar and The Door.” There is a great song called Slow Fade which states so well how we slip into dire straits. “It’s a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray – Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid – When you give yourself away – People never crumble in a day – It’s a slow fade.” We rarely ever embrace evil full face or head on. Usually, it sneaks in through small compromises that we think are meaningless and harmless. In an extreme example I think you could say that most people never intend to be heroin addicts…they only intend to “try” it. In the same way we compromise on our behavior, we slide down the slippery slope with our beliefs. Just ask Eve. “Surely God didn’t say you would die”, tempted the serpent in the garden. And we have been doubting the clarity of God’s word ever since. When we fail to hold firm, we begin to slip. Such is the beginning and the end depends on our further choices and God’s grace.

Finally, Silly Sayings: Things that make you laugh just because. On a DVD with a commercial for some show that I think is called Todd’s World, the main character tells all the wonderful things you can learn to do at Todd’s World. “Foot tracings, eat macaroni and cheese in the bathtub and how to make a squirrel house out of…monkey underpants!” All you have to do is say “monkey underpants” and Joseph giggles uncontrollably to the point he was literally rolling in the floor yesterday. It’s the simple things that make life joyful.

MINISTRY NOTES

God continues to show us where He is working, which keeps us on track for where WE should be working. Charlie spends two of his days working with pastors and another group of young men. The other 3 are spent storying with different groups. The pastors are growing and seeking to make changes in their own lives and the life of their church due to the conviction of God’s word. This is powerful stuff. He taught this week on the 7 churches mentioned in the book of Revelation. One of them follwed Charlie’s recommendation to read the book of Ezekiel. He is now convicted that he has not been doing enough work as pastor of his church and is ready to change. That is God at work. The story of this week was the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. Go back and read it for yourself and ask God to reveal something new. Joseph and I went with Charlie to the forest on Saturday and as I watched the people listening, it was clear that several were really paying attention. One older woman was careful to repeat the details of the story along the way, presumably to make sure she was catching it. She shared how she had told others last week’s story of the Samaritan woman who met Jesus at the well. An extremely relevant story for these people as they continue to have problems with the elephants drinking their water. (see the blogsite for more about resolution) As the story closed and the time for questions began, some asked about the daylight and dark mentioned in the story. (I told you to re-read it.) After all the explanations where given and much was discussed and believed, this woman made a declaration. “I have 2 moran. I am going to find them and tell them about this light.” Pray for others to understand, believe and spread the good news.

PRAYER AND PRAISE

· Praise God for opening our eyes to see where He is working and guiding us in how and where we should be working. Continue to ask for His clear direction in our lives and ministry.

· Sam arrived safely in Texas where he is working at a camp for the summer. Pray that Sam will take advantage of all the opportunities God brings his way as a result of where He has placed him.

· Pray for all our boys to be ones that hunger and thirst after God and follow Him in all obedience.

· Pray for us to stay encouraged as drought and poor conditions affect so many living around us.

Kids Are People, Too

I believe we have much more opportunity in the area of ministry to children than we are taking advantage of. It is (another) area where the workers a few. You’ll find a very convicting (to me) sermon by Charles Spurgeon on the website which tells much of the “why” in children’s evangelism and discipleship. So I asked God what to do about getting more teachers and in response, we are calling a meeting this week to see who God may be calling in this area. Pray for wisdom and time management for me in this area. I don’t have an idea right now of where this will go. I only know that if we want to see more teachers come forward, we must ask them to do so and give them some training. If you have a special burden for children, please join us in praying for these workers and the task at hand.

God’s Promise

“But these things I plan won’t happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, wait patiently for it, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed.”

Habakkuk 2:3 New Living Translation

FACEBOOK

Are you on Facebook? We are. Look us up and send us a friend request. We have limited access in Maralal, but we always check it out when we are in Nairobi.

It is a noteworthy thing that good men frequently discover their duty when they are placed in most humiliating situations. Never in David’s life was he in a worse dilemma than that situation which suggested this Psalm be written. It is, as you can read at the beginning, “A Psalm of David, when he faked insanity before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he left.” David was carried before King Achish, the Abimelech of Philistia, and in order to make his escape, he pretended to be insane by acting in very degrading ways which easily gave the impression that he had certainly lost his mind. He was driven away from the palace, and as usual, when such men are in the street, a number of children gather around him. Later, when he sang songs of praise to God, remembering how he had become the laughing- stock of little children, he seemed to say, “I have caused the future generations to think less of me because of my foolishness in the streets in front of the children; now I will endeavor to undo the mischief. Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.”

It is very possible, that if David had never been in such a position, he would never have thought of this duty; for I do not discover in any other Psalm that David said, “Come, my children, listen to me.” He had the worries of the cities and his nation pressing upon him, and he paid very little attention to the education of the youth; but here, being brought into the most difficult position which a man could possibly be in, acting the part of a man without reason, he remembers his responsibility. The exalted, or wealthy Christian, does not always remember their responsibility to the lambs.

Departing, however, from this thought, let me address myself to the text, “Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.”

1. I shall give you one Doctrine
2. I shall give you two Encouragements
3. I shall give you three Admonitions
4. I shall give you four Instructions
5. I shall give you five Subjects for children

All of these will be taken from our text.

I. ONE DOCTRINE
“Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.”

The doctrine is, that children are capable of being taught the fear of the Lord.

Men are generally wisest after they have been the most foolish. David had been extremely foolish, and now became extremely wise; and being so it was not likely that he would utter foolish sentiments, or give directions such as would be dictated by a weak mind. We have heard it said by some that children cannot understand the great mysteries of religion. We even know some Sunday School teachers who cautiously avoid mentioning the great doctrines of the gospel, because they think the children are not prepared to receive them. The same mistake has crept into the pulpit, for it is currently believed, among a certain class of preachers, that many of the doctrines of the Word of God, although true, are not fit to be taught to the people, since they would misapply them to their own downfall. Away with such ideas, as this is one of the errors of the Roman Catholic Church.

Whatever my God has revealed must be preached. Whatever He has

revealed, if I am not capable of understanding it, I will still believe, and preach it. I do hold that there is no doctrine of the Word of God which a child, if he be capable of salvation, is not capable of receiving. I would have children taught all the great doctrines of truth without a solitary exception, that they may in later life hold firmly to them. I can bear witness that children can understand the Scriptures, for I am sure that when I was a child I could have discussed many a complicated point of controversial theology, having heard both sides of the question freely stated among my father’s circle of friends. In fact, children are capable of understanding some things in early life, which we hardly understand in later years.

Children have a simplicity of faith. Simplicity is analogous to the highest knowledge; indeed, we are not aware that there little difference between the simplicity of a child and the genius of the profoundest mind. He who receives things simply, as a child, will often have ideas which the man who is prone to use deductive reasoning could never discover.

If you wish to know whether children can be taught, I point you to many in our churches, and in godly families–not geniuses, but the more common children–Timothys and Samuels, and little girls too, who have come to know a Savior’s love. As soon as a child is capable of being damned it is capable of being saved. As soon as a child can sin, that child can, if God’s grace helps it, believe and receive the Word of God. As soon as children can learn evil, be assured that they are capable, under the teaching of the Holy Spirit, to learn good.

Never go to your Sunday School class with the thought that the children cannot understand you; for if you do not make them understand, it is because you do not understand it yourselves; if you do not teach children what you wish, it is because you are not fit for the task: you should use simpler words more fitted for their capacity, and then you would discover that it was not the fault of the child, but the fault of the teacher, if he did not learn. I hold that children are capable of salvation. He who in divine sovereignty redeems the gray haired sinner from the error of his ways, can turn a little child from his youthful lusts. He who in the eleventh hour finds some standing idle in the marketplace, and sends them into the vineyard, can call men at the dawning of the day to work for Him.

He who can change the course of the river when it has rolled onward and become a mighty flood, can control a newborn river leaping from its cradle fountain, and make it run in the channel He desires. He can do all things; He can work on children’s hearts as He pleases, for all of them are under His control.

I will not delay to establish the doctrine, because I do not consider any of you are so foolish as to doubt it. But although you believe it, I fear many of you don’t expect to hear of children being saved. Throughout the churches I have noticed a kind of abhorrence of any thing like early childhood godliness. We are afraid of the idea of a little boy loving Christ; and if we hear of a little girl following the Savior, we say it is a youthful fancy, and early impression that will die away. My dear friends, I ask you, never to treat the godliness of a young child with suspicion. It is a tender plant–don’t brush it too hard.

I heard of a story some time ago, which I believe to be completely true. A dear little girl, some five or six years old, a true lover of Jesus, requested of her mother that she might join the church. The mother told her she was too young. The poor little thing was grieved exceedingly; and after a awhile the mother, who saw that godliness was in the little girl’s heart, spoke to the minister on the subject. The minister talked to the child, and said to the mother, “I am thoroughly convinced of her salvation and godliness, but I cannot take her into the church, because she is too young.” When the child heard that, a strange gloom passed over her face; and the next morning when her mother went to her little bed, she saw the little girl laying there with a pearly tear or two on each eye, dead because of her grief; her heart was broken, because she could not follow her Savior, and do as He had commanded her.

I would not have murdered that child for all the world! Take care how you treat young devotion to Christ. Treat it very tenderly. Believe that children can be saved as much as yourselves. When you see the young heart brought to the Savior, don’t stand by and speak harshly, mistrusting everything. It is better sometimes to be deceived than to be the one who causes a young child to be ruined. May God send to his people a more firm belief that little buds of grace are worthy of all of our care.

II. TWO ENCOURAGEMENTS
Now, secondly, I will give you two encouragements, both of which you will find in the text.

The first is that of godly example. David said, “Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.” You are not ashamed to walk in the footsteps of David, are you? You won’t object to follow the example of one who was first notably holy, and then notably great. Shall the shepherd boy, the giant killer, the psalmist of Israel, and the king, walk in footsteps which you are too proud to follow? Ah! no; you will be happy, I am sure, to be as David was. If you want, however, a higher example, even than that of David, listen to the Son of David while from his lips the sweet words flow, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” I am sure it would encourage you if you always thought of these examples.

You teach children–you are not dishonored by it. Some say you are nothing but a Sunday School teacher, but you are a noble person, holding an honorable office, and having illustrious predecessors. We love to see persons of some standing in society take an interest in Sunday Schools. One great fault in many of our churches is that the children are left to the young people to take care of–the older members, who have more wisdom, take very little notice of them; and very often the wealthier members of the church stand aside as if the teaching of the poor were not (as indeed it is) the special business of the rich.

I hope for the day when the mighty men of Israel shall be found helping in this great warfare against the enemy. In the United States we have heard of presidents, of judges, men of Congress, and persons in the highest positions–not condescending, for I hate to use such a term, but honoring themselves by teaching little children in Sunday School. He who teaches a class in Sunday School has earned a good degree. I had rather received the title of S.S.T., than M.A., B.A., or any other honor that ever was conferred. Let me beg of you then to take heart, because your duties are so honorable. Let the royal example of David, let the noble, the godly example of Jesus Christ inspire you with fresh diligence and increasing love, with confident and enduring perseverance, still to go on in your mighty work, saying, as David did, “Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.”

The second encouragement I will give is the encouragement of great success. David said, “Come, my children, listen to me;” he did not add, “Perhaps I will teach you the fear of the Lord” but “I will teach you.” He had success; or if he had not, others have. The success of Sunday Schools! If I begin to speak of that I will have an endless theme; therefore I will not begin. Many books might be written on it, and then when all were written, we might say, “I suppose that even the world itself could not contain all that might be written.”

Up above where the starry hosts perpetually sing His high praise–up where the white-robed throng continually throw their crowns before His feet–we may behold the success of Sunday Schools. There, too, where voices of those taken home to heaven early in their young lives, gather Sunday after Sunday, to sing, “Gentle Jesus, meek and mild,” we see with joy the success of Sunday Schools. And in almost every pulpit of our land, and there in the pews where the deacons sit, and godly members join in worship–there is the success of Sunday Schools.

And far across the broad ocean in the islands of the south, in lands where those live who bow down before blocks of wood and stone–there are missionaries saved by Sunday Schools, whose thousands, redeemed by their labors, contribute to swell the mighty stream of the tremendous, incalculable, I had almost said infinite success of Sunday School instruction. Go on! go on! So much has been done; more will be done. Let all your past victories inflame you with love; let the remembrance of campaigns of triumph, and of battlefields, won for your Savior in the realms of salvation and peace, be your encouragement for fresh duty.

III. THREE ADMONITIONS
Now, thirdly, I give you three admonitions.

The first is, remember who you are teaching. “Come, my children.” I think we ought always to have respect to our audience, not that we need care that we are preaching to Mr. So-an-so, Sir William This, or My Lord That–because in God’s sight that is a small matter; but we are to remember that we are preaching to men and women who have souls, so that we should not waste their time with things that are not worth their hearing. But when you teach in Sunday Schools, you are, if it be possible, in a more responsible situation even than a minister.

He preaches to grownup people–men of judgment, who, if they do not like what he preaches, have the option of going somewhere else; you teach children who have no option to go elsewhere. If you teach the child wrongly, he believes you; if you teach him heresies he will receive them; what you teach him now, he will never forget. You are not sowing, as some say, on virgin soil, for it has long been occupied by the devil; but you are sowing on a soil more fertile than it ever will be–that will produce fruit now far better than it will do in the later years of its life; you are sowing on a young heart, and what you sow will be pretty sure to abide there, especially if you teach evil, for that will never be forgotten.

You are beginning with the child; take care what you do with him. Don’t spoil him. Many a child has been treated like the Indian children, who have copper plates put upon their foreheads, so that they may never grow. There are many who know themselves to be simpletons now, just because those who had the care of them when young gave them no opportunities of getting knowledge, so that when they became old they cared nothing about it. Have a care what you are after; you are teaching children; mind what you are doing. Put poison in the spring, and it will impregnate the whole stream. Take care what you are after, sir! You are twisting the sapling, and the old oak will be therefore bent. Have a care! It is a child’s soul you are tampering with, if you are tampering at all; it is a child’s soul you are preparing for eternity, if God is with you. I give you a solemn admonition on every child’s behalf. Surely, if it be treachery to administer poison to the dying, it must be far more criminal to give poison to the young life. If it be evil to mislead those who are gray headed, it must be far more so to turn aside the young heart to a road of error in which he may forever walk. Ah! it is a solemn admonition–you are teaching children.

The second is, remember that you are teaching for God. “Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.” If you, as teachers, were only assembled to teach geography, I am sure I should not interfere if you were to tell the children that the north pole was close to the equator; if you were to say that the extremity of South America lay right next to the coast of Europe; I would smile at your error, and perhaps should even retain it as a joke, if I heard you assure them that England was in the middle of Africa. But you are, not teaching geography or astronomy, nor are you teaching for business or for the world; but you are teaching them to the best of your ability for God.

You say to them, “Children, you come here to be taught the Word of God; you come here, if it is possible, that we may be the means of saving your souls.” Have a care what you are after when you pretend to be teaching them for God. Wound the child’s hand if you like, but, for God’s sake, don’t touch his heart. Say what you like about temporal matters, but I beg you, in spiritual matters, take care how you lead him. Oh! be careful that it is the truth which you convey, and only that. And now how solemn your work becomes! He who is doing a work for himself, let him do it as he likes; but he who in laboring for another, let him be careful how he does his work; he who is now employed by a governor, let him beware how he performs his duty; but he who labors for God, let him tremble at the thought of doing careless work! Remember you are laboring for God. I say this, because you profess to be. I fear many, even among you, are far from having this view of the matter.

The third admonition is–remember that your children need teaching. The text implies that, when it says, “Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.” That makes your work all the more solemn. If children did not need teaching, I would not be so extremely anxious that you should teach them right; for works that are not necessary, men may do as they please. But here the work is necessary. Your child needs teaching! He was born in sin; in sin did his mother conceive him. He has an evil heart; he does not know God, and he never will unless he is taught. He is not like some ground of which we have heard, that has good seed lying hidden in its very heart; but, instead he has evil seed within his heart. God can place good seed there. You profess to be His instruments to scatter seed upon that child’s heart; remember, if that seed is not sown, he will be lost forever, he life will be a life of alienation from God, and, at his death, everlasting fire will be his lot.

Be careful, then, how you teach, remembering the urgent necessity of the case. This is not a house on fire needing your assistance with a fire hose, nor is it an accident at sea, demanding your oar in the lifeboat, but it is a deathless spirit calling aloud to you, “Come over and help us.” I beg you, teach “the fear of the Lord,” and that only; be very anxious to say, and say truly, “I will teach you the fear of the Lord.”

IV. That brings me, in the fourth place, to FOUR INSTRUCTIONS, and they are all in the text. The first is–”Get the children to come to your school.” “Come, my children.” The great complaint with some is that they cannot get children. Go and get them to come. In London we are canvassing the city; that is a good idea, and you ought to canvass every village, and every town, and get every child you can; for David says, “Come, my children.” My advice then, is, get the children to come, and do any thing to make it happen. Don’t bribe them– that is the only plan we object to; it is only adopted in Sunday Schools of the lowest order; Sunday Schools so bad that, even the fathers and mothers of the children have too much sense to send them there; but then farmer Brown won’t employ the parents when they need work, or the local Judge will ignore their situations; or if the children don’t go to the school on Sundays, they won’t be allowed to attend grammar school during the week. Oh, that beggarly trick of bribing! I wish there were an end of it; it only shows the weakness and degradation, and abomination of a sect that cannot succeed without using so degrading a system. But, except that, don’t be very particular how you get the children to school.

Why, if I could only get people to come to my place by preaching in a black coat, I would have on a tuxedo tomorrow. I would have a congregation somehow. Better to do strange things than have an empty chapel, or an empty school room. When I was in Scotland, we sent one of our workers around a village to secure an audience, and his efforts were eminently successful. Spare no means. Go and get the children in. I have known ministers who have gone out in the streets on Sunday afternoon, and talked to the children who were playing in the street, so as to induce them to come to the school. This is what an earnest teacher will do. He will say, “Come to our school; you cannot believe what a nice school it is” Then he gets the children in, and, in his kind, winning manner, he tells them some stories and anecdotes about girls and boys, and so on. And in this way the school is filled. Go and catch them any way possible. There is no law against it. You may do what you like in battle. All is fair against the devil. My first instruction then is, get children, and get them any way possible.

The next is, “Get the children to love you,” if you can. That also is in the text. “Come, my children, listen to me.” You know how we used to be taught in our private schools, how we stood up with our hands behind us to repeat our lessons. That was not David’s plan. “Come, my children–come here, and sit upon my knee.” “Oh!” thinks the child, “how nice to have such a teacher! A teacher that will let me come near him, a teacher that does not say ‘go’ but ‘come.’” The fault of many teachers is, that they do not let their children near them, but endeavor to foster a kind of awful respect. Before you can teach children you must get the silver key of kindness to unlock their hearts, and get their attention. Say, “Come, my children.”

We have known some good men who are objects of abhorrence to children. You remember the story of two little boys who were one day asked if they would like to go to heaven, and who, much to their teacher’s astonishment, said they really would not. When they were asked “why not,” one of them said, “I would not like to go to heaven because grandpa would be there, and would be sure to say, ‘get along boys, get along boys.’ I would not like to be along with grandpa.”

If a boy has a teacher who always wears a sour look, but who talks to him about Jesus, what does the boy think? “I wonder whether Jesus was like you; if He was, I wouldn’t like Him very much.” Then there is another teacher who, if he is provoked ever so little, spanks the child; and, at the same time, teaches him that he should forgive others, and how kind he ought to be. “Well,” thinks the child, “that is no doubt the way to be, but my teacher does not show me how to do it.” If you drive a boy from you, your power is gone, for you won’t be able to teach him anything. It is a waste of time to attempt teaching those who do not love you. Try and make them love you, and then they will learn anything from you.

The next instruction is, “Get the children’s attention.” That is in the text. “Come, my children, listen to me.” If they do not listen, you may talk, but you will waste your words. If they do not listen, you go through your labors as an unmeaning drudgery to yourselves and you scholars too. You can do nothing without securing their attention. “That is just what I cannot do,” says one. Well, that depends upon yourself. If you give them something worth listening to, they will be sure to listen. Give them something worth hearing, and they will certainly listen. This rule may not be universal, but it is very nearly so. Don’t forget to give them a few anecdotes. Anecdotes are very much objected to by critics of sermons, who say they ought not to be used in the pulpit.

But some of us know better than that; we know what will wake a congregation up; we can speak from experience, that a few anecdotes here and there are first rate things to get the attention of persons who won’t listen to dry doctrine.

Try to learn as many short interesting stories, in the week before class, as possible. Wherever you go, if you are really a good teacher, you can always find something to make into a story to tell your children. Then, when your class gets dull, and you cannot get their attention, say to them, “Do you know the Five Bells?” and then they all open their eyes at once, if there is such a place in the village; or, “Do you know the turning against the Red Lion?” and then tell them something you may have read or heard just to secure their attention.

A dear child once said: “Father, I like to hear Mr. So-and-so preach, because be puts some ‘likes’ into his sermon–’like this, and like that.’” Yes, children always love those “likes.” Make parables, pictures, figures, for them, and you will always get their attention. I am sure if I were a boy listening to some of you, unless you told me a story now and then, you would as often see the back of my head as my face; and I don’t know, if I sat in a hot classroom, but that my head would nod, and I should go to sleep, or be playing with Tom on my left, and do as many strange things as the rest, if you did not strive to interest me. Remember to make them listen.

The fourth admonition is, “Care about what you teach the children.” “Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.” Not to weary you, however, I only hint at that, and pass on.

V. In the fifth place, to give you FIVE SUNDAY-SCHOOL LESSONS–five subjects to teach your children–and these you will find in the verses following the text:

1. “Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.” The first thing to teach is “morality.” “Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.”

2. The second is “godliness, and a constant belief in God’s oversight.” “The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry.”

3. The third thing is “the evil of sin:” “The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.”

4. The fourth thing is, “the necessity of a broken heart:” “The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

5. The fifth thing is “the inestimable blessedness of being a child of God:” “A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all; he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken. The LORD redeems his servants; no one will be condemned who takes refuge in Him.”

I have given you these divisions, and now let me refer to them one by one. Here, then, is a model lesson for you: “Come, my children, listen to me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord.” David begins with a question, “Who of you loves life and desires to see many good days?” The children like that thought; they would like to live to be old. With this introduction he begins and teaches them morality: “Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.”

Now, we never teach morality as the way of salvation. God forbid that we should ever mix up man’s works in any way with the road to heaven; “For it is by grace we have been saved, through faith–and this not from ourselves, it is the gift of God.” But yet we teach morality, while we teach spirituality; and I have always found that the gospel produces the best morality in all the world. I would have the Sunday School teacher take care of the morals of the boys and girls, speaking to them very particularly of those sins which are most common to youth. He may honestly and conveniently say many things to his children which no one else can say, especially when reminding them of the sin of lying, so common with children; the sin of little petty thefts, of disobedience to parents, of breaking the Sabbath day. I would have the teacher be very particular in mentioning these things, one by one; for it is of little help talking to them about sins in the mass: you must take them one by one, just as David did.

First look after the tongue: “Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies.” Then look after the whole conduct: “Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.” If the child’s soul is not saved by other parts of the teaching, this part may have a beneficial effect upon his life; and so far so good. Morality, however, is comparatively a small thing.

The best part of what you teach is “godliness,” a constant belief in God–I said, not religion, but godliness. Many people are religions without being godly. Many have all the externals of godliness, all the outside of piety–such men we call religious–but they have no thought about God. They think about their place of worship, their Sunday, their books, but nothing about God; and he who does not respect God, pray to God, love God, is an ungodly man with all his external religion, however good that may be. Labor to teach the child always to have an eye to God; write on his brow, “You, God, see me;” stamp on his books, “You, God, see me;” beg him to remember that the arms of Jehovah encompass him around while his every act and thought is under the eye of God. No Sunday School teacher discharges his duty unless he constantly lays stress upon the fact that there is a God who notices everything. Oh! that we were more godly ourselves, that we more of godliness, and that we loved it better!

The third lesson is–”the evil of sin.” If the child does not learn that, he will never learn the way to heaven. None of us ever knew what a Saviour Christ was till we knew what an evil thing sin was. If the Holy Spirit does not teach us “the exceeding sinfulness of sin,” we shall never know the blessedness of salvation. Let us ask for His grace, then, we may forever be able to fight against the abominable nature of sin. “The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth.” Don’t spare your child; let him know what sin leads to; don’t, like some people, be afraid of speaking the consequences of sin clearly and unbiased.

I have heard of a father, one of whose sons, a very ungodly young man, died suddenly. He did not, as some would do, say to his family: “We hope your brother has gone to heaven.” No; but, overcoming his natural feelings, he was enabled, by divine grace, to gather the older children, and say: “My sons and daughters, your brother is dead; I fear he is in hell; you knew his life and conduct, you saw how he behaved: God snatched him away.” Then he solemnly warned them of the place to which he believed, and almost knew he had gone, begging them to avoid it; and then he was the means of bringing them to serious thought. But had he acted, as some would have done, with tenderness of heart, but not with honesty of purpose, and said he hoped his son had gone to heaven, what would the others have said? “If he is gone to heaven, there is no need for us to fear, we may live as we like.”

No, no; I hold that it is not unchristian to say of some men that they are gone to hell, when we have seen that their lives have been hellish lives. But it is said: “Can you judge your fellow creatures?” No, but I can “know” them by their fruits; I do not judge them or condemn them; they judge themselves. I have seen their sins go before them to judgment, and I do not doubt that they shall follow after. “But couldn’t they have been saved at the eleventh hour?” I do not know that they can. I have heard of one who was, but I do not know that there ever was another, and I cannot tell that there ever will be. Be honest then, with your children, and teach them, by the help of God, that evil will kill the wicked.

But you will not have done half enough unless you teach carefully the fourth point–”the absolute necessity of a change of heart.” Oh, may God enable us to keep this constantly before the minds of the children–that there must be a broken heart and a repentant spirit, that good works will be of no use unless there be a new nature, that the most laborious duties, and the most earnest prayers will all be nothing, unless there be a true and thorough repentance of sin, and an entire forsaking of it through the mercy of God. Ah! you be sure, whatever you leave out, that you tell them of the three Rs, Ruin, Regeneration, and Redemption. Tell them that they are ruined by the fall, and that if they are redeemed by Christ they never can know it until they are regenerated by the Spirit. Keep before them these things; and then you will have the pleasing task of telling them.

In the fifth place, the “joy and blessedness of being a Christian.” Well, I need not tell you how to talk about that, for if you know what it is to be a Christian you will never be short of words. Ah! beloved, when we get on this subject, our mind loves to speak, for it goes crazy with joy, and frolics in its bliss. Oh! truly was it said: “Blessed is the man whose sin is forgiven, and whose sin is pardoned.” Truly was it said: “But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him.” Always stress this point, that the righteous are a blessed people–that God’s chosen family, redeemed by blood and saved by power, are a blessed people here below, and will be a blessed people above. Let your children see that you are blessed. If they know you are in trouble, come with a smiling face, if it be possible, so that they may say: “Our teacher is a blessed man, although he is bowed down with his troubles.” Always seek to keep a joyous face that they may know religion to be a blessed thing; and let this be one main point of your teaching, “A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all; He protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken. The LORD redeems His servants; no one will be condemned who takes refuge in Him.”

Thus I have given you these five lessons; and now, in conclusion, let me solemnly say, with all the instruction you may give to your children, you must be deeply conscious that you are not capable of doing any thing in the child’s salvation, but that it is God Himself who from the first to the last must effect it all. You are a pen; God may write with you, but you can not write yourself. You are a sword; God may with you slay the child’s sin, but you cannot slay it yourself. Therefore be always mindful of this, that you must first be taught of God yourself, and then you must ask God to teach, for unless a higher teacher than you instruct the child, that child must perish. It is not all your instruction that saves his soul: it is the blessing of God resting on it.

May God bless your labors! He will do it if you are instant in prayer, constant in supplication; for never yet did the earnest preacher or teacher, labor in vain, and never yet has it been found that the bread cast upon the water has been lost. revised Tony Capoccia

All Scripture references are taken from the HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (C) 1978 by the New York Bible Society, used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.

[Slight typographical corrections made in May 1993 by Clyde Price, 76616.3452@compuserve.com, for inclusion in "The Text Project".]