Further—any one receiving a little child receives the Lord—the child is forever the ambassador of the throng; rather than cause one such to stumble, it were preferable to pass out of life by a violent way. These little ones are to be held therefore in high honour—never despised.
To gather and hold the children it is necessary, not only to understand the child, but also to be of the child spirit. The study of child psychology is fascinating, and of great value; but one may be an expert therein, and never attract a little one. To do that, the very tone and temper of childhood is necessary.
The writer of this book, Dr. C. H. Woolston, fulfils these conditions in the most conspicuous way; and is fulfilling the obligations with the most radiant success. He has dedicated the book to The Children of Cedar Falls. He might have dedicated it to children in every centre where he has worked among them. It is fitting, however, that I should be privileged to write a brief foreword to this book because it is here, at Cedar Falls, that I have seen most of him at his work, though I have seen his work also at Winona Lake.
I am certain that I speak, not only for myself but for all the speakers at this Conference, and for those who have attended it, when I say that one of the supreme things of delight and of light has been Dr. Woolston and his bairns.
The children gather about him, and follow him round, not only to their own meetings, but to adult gatherings like bees about the flowers. Moreover, when he is at work, there is invariably a fringe of children of an older growth at his meetings. In his eyes are the dancing lights of childhood yet, and he radiates the child spirit.
What wonder then that the bairns love him, and God uses him so wonderfully to shepherd and feed the lambs of his flock.
The reader of these talks will not have the wonderful personality of the writer, but they will surely find much of the charm of his remarkable ability to talk to children, not patronizingly as one apart and aloof, but in close comradeship, as one of themselves, gleeful in their glee, tender in their sorrows, sympathetic with their trials, representing to them the Lord and Lover of them all.
With unbounded affection for the man, and confidence in his work, I commend this book to all who love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity and truth, and who therefore perforce are lovers of the little ones.
G. CAMPBELL MORGAN