The Children's Column.
Sermons for Children.

"Old Scotland for ever!” feel, we believe, that they specially
belong to us.

With the breath which fills
Their mountain pipe, so fill the mountaineers,
With the fierce native daring which instils
The stirring memory of a thousand years,

And Evan's, Donald's, fame rings in each clansman's ears. “Providence," said Napoleon, sneeringly, "is generally on the side of the strongest battalions." Be it so; but will anyone deny that the character of the soldiers has much to do with the strength of the battalion they form ? And was it not the character of our soldiers—a character fostered by the traditions of their native land, fostered still more, perhaps, by the religious "They shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted teaching of their native church and parish school—that made

is, God with us.”—Matt. i. 23. them strong on many a memorable day, and never more strong than on that memorable day at Waterloo, when the great

THIS prophecy spoke of a gift which God was to commander I have named generously exclaimed as he saw his

1 bestow upon mankind. own ranks yielding before their onslaught, “Les braves Ecossais" | If you were told that the Sovereign of this country .-"Brave Scotsmen.” As we see these banners waving peace

was going to send you a present upon Christmas-day, fully here, let us keep in mind our nationality. The names that

would you not be greatly interested and excited ? are inscribed upon them tell how powerful a feeling that is to make men strong and brave. It enters like iron into the blood.

Would you not keep wondering what it could be, and In faded characters we read the names of battlefields where fancying all sorts of beautiful and delightful things ? Scottish men and Highlandmen maintained the honour and Well, this prophecy spoke of something far better than prowess of their native land.

the gift of any earthly sovereign. It spoke of God's On the slopes of Quatre Bras The Frenchman saw them stand unbroken.

gift—the gift of Him who is King of kings, and Lord On the day of Waterloo

of lords.
The pibroch blew where fire was hottest.

But this gift was not only God's gift. It might be
When the Alma heights were stormed,
Foremost went the Highland bonnets,

God's gift, and yet nothing very great or wonderful.
And before “their thin red line"
The Cossack rider turned and vanished.

For God's gifts, though all good, are not all great.
When on India's burning plains,

But the gift was to be something quite by itself, such
Dearly saved was Britain's honour,
Outram, Havelock, and Clyde

as God had never bestowed, and would never bestow,
Led the Highlanders to conquest.
Joyful rang the pibroch loud

or need to bestow again. In general, it is not the rare Through the sounding streets of Lucknow, And, like angels sent to save,

things but the common things that are God's best gifts Came the brave ones to the succour.

to men. The gems of the mountain, the pearls of the As it was in days of yore, So the story shall be ever:

ocean, the gold from the mine, are very rare, and beWhen the doughtiest deed are dared, Shall the Gael be forward pressing.

cause rare very valuable. But they are not so valuable Think, then, of the name ye bear,

as the common air we breathe, the light that shines Ye that wear the Highland tartan! Jealous of its old renown,

upon all, the cattle which feed upon a thousand hills, Hand it down without a blemish !

the corn which rolls in golden waves over countless So in wild Gaelic measure, and with true Celtic fire, has a

plains and valleys. But this gift of God was not only modern poet sung the prowess of his Highland countrymen. May the sight of these banners inspire every soldier who looks to be the rarest, it was also to be the most precious of on them—whether Lowland or Highland—to echo his earnest all His gifts. desire to “hand down the name they bear without a blemish!” "They shall call his name Emmanuel—God with us." and should the day ever come when we as a people are tempted

This was God's great, His unspeakable gift. to succumb to sloth, luxury, and first to undervalue, and finally

And how was He with us? He was not only present to give up national power and privileges which are our heritage from God, and which have been dearly purchased by those who

with us, for He is present everywhere—in crowded went before us, may these emblems and the stirring memories cities, where men congregate, and in the lonely desert, that cling to them help in some degree to wake up the last drop where human foot has never trodden ; where men with of blood left in our hearts, and nerve us to bear ourselves like restless thoughts and busy hands work out their countthe children of our sires. “We have heard with our ears, O

less plans, and where the flowers bloom unseen beGod, and our fathers have told us, what work Thou did'st in their days in the times of old. For they got not the land in

neath the silent stars, and the young lions roar after possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save their prey, and seek their meat from God. It was in them; but Thy right hand and Thine arm and the light of Thy another way that He was Emmanuel—God with us. He countenance, because Thou had'st a favour unto them. Through

came to be one of ourselves—a man among men, to Thee will we push down our enemies: through Thy name will

think our thoughts, to share our feelings, to live our we tread them under that rise up against us." These are some of the voices which we and those that come after us, shall hear

life. He was made flesh, and dwelt among us, full of from these old banners as they hang in this church.

grace and truth. He looked out upon the world with

human eyes. He saw the sun which He had Himself come to us who are growing old, they make us feel how created rise and set. He saw the flowers, to which He much we have changed; how different we are from had Himself given their fragrance and beauty, bloom, | what we were when life was young. But the Child and wither, and die. He loved with a true man's affec | who was born in Bethlehem was Emmanuel-God with tion those very men whom as God He had formed, and us; and of Him it is said, that He is the same yester served with a strong man's devotion those very men | day, to-day, and for ever. And so you may be sure whom, by right, He reigned over as King.

that Jesus Christ, on His throne of glory, never forgets, And He not only lived in the world as men live, He and never can forget the days when He was a child was born into the world as men are born. It was of and lived a child's life in the world. It should make the Babe of Bethlehem, whom His mother brought you very happy to believe this; and if, by God's grace, forth, and wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in you can trust in Him as one who understands you, and the manger, that it was said by the Prophet, “They feels with you, and loves you, you need not doubt that shall call His name Emmanuel.” Think of it children. it will make Him happy too. We read in the Gospels That little Baby—born in a stable and laid in the —somebody, I think, has said this before, but it is manger, because there was no room for them in the worth saying again—that once He rejoiced in spirit, inn—the mighty God—Emmanuel—God with us ! He and once He was much displeased. “In that hour," was a weak, helpless child, in His mother's arms. He it is written, “Jesus rejoiced in spirit and said, 'I could do nothing for Himself. He had no speech even to thank Thee, O, Father; Lord of heaven and earth! tell what He wanted, or say what He felt. He had to that Thou hast hid these things from the wise and depend entirely upon the love and care of others; and | prudent and revealed them unto babes.'” And again, yet, all the time, He was Emmanuel, God with us. “They brought young children to Him, that He should

The Bible tells us that the Saviour of Man had to be touch them; and His disciples rebuked those that made like unto His brethren ; and so He went through | brought them." But when Jesus saw it He was much all their experience. If He had been a man without displeased, and said unto them, “Suffer the little being first a child, He would not have been like other children to come unto Me, and forbid them not: for, men; and so, the Bible seems to say, He would not of such is the Kingdom of God.” And He is yesterday, have been able to help and to save them. He was and to-day, and for ever the same. made like them that He might bear their sins and die

R. W. MACKERSY. for them upon the Cross; and He was made like them too that He might understand them, and feel with

MY GRAVE. them, and know by experience their temptations and

WHEN I am dead, oh, lay me in difficulties, and needs; and as children have to be

Some quiet spot on earth, helped and saved, as well as grown up men, He was a

Where trees are green, and sweet birds sing, child before He was a man.

And daisies have their birth. Then think how by appearing on earth as a child, a

Where running brooklet babbles bye, weak helpless infant, who depended entirely upon the

And murmurs o'er the stones, care and tenderness of others, He encourages all, both

And whispers to mine ear thy name,

In fond familiar tones. old and young, to come to God, and trust in God, and love God. Men think of God as a great and dreadful

And when you come to see the place God, and they are right. They think of Him as terrible

Wherein your own love lies, in His might awful in His holiness—strict in His

I'd have you think some pleasant thoughts

Of all our earthly ties. justice—and so undoubtedly God is. But, when He came closest to men, as it were, and made Himself

Some comfort, too, I'll bring you then, most clearly known to them, how was it that He chose

In silence tho' it be,

For I am still thine own, in death, to appear? Not in awful majesty, but in a low condi

Unto eternity tion; not as a mighty king, but as a little child ; not with strict demands and dread threatenings, but with

And if you join me there some day,

Our hearts in hope will lie silent appeals to their love and tenderness. So He

Until the One Great Lord of All, appeared on Christmas-day, and by so doing did He

Shall call us to the sky. not tell us very plainly and touchingly that He wants

So lay me in some quiet grave, us to come to Him, and trust in Him, and love Him ?

Unmarked by any stone, Then, to conclude, this day is kept by Christians all

Where nature has her mildest sway, over the world as Christ's Birthday. When birthdays

And we can be alone,

A. B.

JEI.