THE young well know what “breaking-up” means. No explanation is needed to make them understand it. They look forward to it while they are at school, and they long for it as that which shall bring their holidays. Well, I had the offer of being present on one of these occasions in the month of June last, and I availed myself of it. The school is kept by a Christian young woman, at the house of her parents, and she cheerfully and earnestly endeavors to teach the children who are committed to her charge, instructing them in useful knowledge, such as reading, writing, grammar, arithmetic, and geography. Now, these are proper and serviceable things for the young to learn, and we may be sure that, if we do not try to learn while we are young, we shall not have very bright minds when we are grown up. But the teacher of this school, being a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, is well aware that no knowledge is to be compared with the knowledge of God. She, therefore, I am glad to say, gives, in addition to all her other lessons, that which she calls her Scripture lesson, which consists in reading a portion of the Word of God every day; and, on some occasions, requiring her scholars to repeat a few verses which they have been expected to commit to memory. Oh, how one could wish that the Scriptures were read in every day school. But how sorrowful is the fact that endeavors have been made, and, in some instances, successfully, to turn the Bible, that blessed Book of God, out of such schools altogether; thus depriving the young of instruction in those precious words, the knowledge of which makes “wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”
When I was a boy, and went to school, all the scholars used to stand round the schoolroom once a day, and read verse by verse a chapter or more in the Old or the New Testament, the master only now and then explaining to us some difficult word or sentence. I remember one special afternoon when we were reading in one of the Gospels the account of the crucifixion and death of the blessed Lord. The narrative was so interesting and solemn, that we felt, as it were, bound to be still while we were reading it; and I believe that I was not the only boy who was moved at the recital of the suffering which the holy Son of God endured on the cross for sinners. I at least can say that the remembrance of our reading on that afternoon remains with me until this day. It is right to be well instructed in the things that pertain to this life, but such knowledge is of little worth, unless it be guided and governed by the true knowledge of God, which is imparted to us through the hearing of His Word, and believing in the name of His only-begotten Son.
To go back, however, to our subject of the “breaking-up.” When I entered the schoolroom, the children, cleanly and becomingly dressed, were all smiling and looking happy enough, and only awaiting the arrival of their parents and friends. We were soon all seated, and each of the children then recited an instructive or pleasing piece suited to his or her age and capacity. Just to give you an idea of what they were, I will mention the titles of two or three of them. One was, “The Philosopher and his Daughter,” which is an explanation, in verse, of the way in which sound reaches the ear, and it is a serviceable piece of its kind. Another was the fable of “The Hare and Tortoise,” which, as I dare say you know, illustrates the advantage of persevering application, even though in a slow way, over the uncertain and impulsive efforts of some who consider that they are too clever to apply themselves steadily to learning. “King Bruce and the Spider” was another, which shows us that we should never give up nor despair. Besides these and other pieces, which were recited, we had some little songs and verses, which the children, with the help of the teacher, sung all together, producing a very pleasing effect. One was, “Never say I can’t,” a good motto for a boy or girl who has a hard lesson to learn, or a difficult sum to work. “The Spider and the Fly” was another. “The Contented Laborer,” a third. At the close we sang,
“Let us, with a gladsome mind,
Praise the Lord, for He is kind.”
Altogether it was a pleasant time, and the children, as well as their friends, enjoyed it much.
Before I proceed further with my narrative, I would ask the young reader to observe that it was only the children that belonged to the school who had the privilege of taking part in the pleasures of the “breaking-up.” It is true that friends and visitors were present, but, though they had satisfaction in the enjoyment of the children, it was not their treat; no, that was the children’s. These belonged to the school, they had become scholars, they had shared the toil and trouble of learning, and now they were partaking of the fruits of their pains. Children who did not belong to the school would not, of course, be allowed to participate in the pleasure and rewards of the scholars. Now, what I want you to see is, that God has a school, and that He has many disciples, or learners, in it; but that no one who has not come in by the Door can be a scholar in that school. “I am the Door,” says Jesus, the Good Shepherd; “by ME, if any man enter in, he shall be saved” (John 10:99I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. (John 10:9)). “No man cometh unto the Father but by ME” (John 14:66Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6)). Do you not, then, perceive that you must first come to God, as a sinner, in the name, and by virtue of the work, of His beloved Son, and thus have salvation and eternal life through believing on Him, before you can learn truly anything of the ways of God as a disciple, and sit down even on the lowest form in His school? Have you thus come to God? There is nothing to be paid, no entrance fee, nor weekly or quarterly payments, nor anything of the kind. No; the payment which was necessary to give a sinner access into the presence of God has already been made by the Lord Jesus Christ, when His soul was made an offering for sin; and now there is nothing for the sinner to pay. He has only to come to God in the name of Jesus, and God will receive him, and save him forever, “without money and without price.”
I have something more to tell you about this “breaking-up,” if the Lord will, but must reserve it until another opportunity. In the meantime I hope that each of my young readers will have discovered whether he has come to God or not, and whether he is a disciple of the meek and lowly Jesus, who was once here below, but is now crowned with glory and honor at the right hand of God.
T.