Infant, born the world to free, Look on us! That, in child-like wisdom, we May put on thy humility. Thou, that midst the beasts didst sleep, From dark beasts that seek thy sheep, Sacred Shepherd, save and keep. Thou, who hast thy Godhead laid On the breast of mother maid, To Thee, opening heavenly door, To Three in One, whom we adore, From the Parisian Breviary. B THE SANCTUARY AND THE ORATORY. CHAPTER I. THE FIRST DAYS OF THE SON OF MAN. It is recorded in the history of our Lord, that, to humble the pride, and moderate the ambition of his disciples, he "called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them."* The action was singularly beautiful, significant, and instructive. Painters have usually represented the Lord of life and glory sitting down upon the occasion, with those aspects of majesty, meekness, and grace, so characteristic of him, strongly expressed in his countenance and attitude: the twelve ambassadors to the world are standing in a circle around him, watching with the intensest interest the procedure of their Master; and already a consciousness of fault, a sense of shame, begins to appear upon their features: in the middle of the group is the little one, the silent yet effective preacher, struggling with contending feelings of bashfulness, wonder, and pleasure, at being * Matt. xviii. 2. the object of so much attention. By this symbolical action, the followers of the Saviour, who had been lusting after the pomps and pageants, the dignities and honours of earthly empire, were impressively rebuked. They were taught, that to enjoy the favour of their Lord, theirs must be the simplicity, the guilelessness, the utter freedom from worldly ambition, and desire of power and fame, even of "babes and sucklings;" that to stoop low is the way to rise high and the instructive lesson was still further inculcated in this circumstance, that kindliness, benignity, and tender attentions, should always mark the intercourse of maturity with childhood. The admonition which the presence of the young and innocent stranger called forth and enforced, was worthy of the benevolent character of Christ; it is 'a beautiful enunciation of the spirit of his divine religion-it appeals to the sweetest and most powerful sympathies of our nature-" Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones."* Except to the ignorant, the affected, and the morose, "the child set in the midst of us" has a thousand charms to attract our attention, interest our feelings, and engage our affections. It is the age of energy and animation, as yet undamped by any sad experience or prophetic insight into the care and troubles of the world. The buoyant spirits, the ready and unsuspicious confidence of children, render them objects of delightful contemplation; theirs is the wild, unwearied glee, the mirth so easily Matt. xviii. 10. excited, the love so readily won-danger is unsuspected, taint incomprehensible-the vocabulary of sin is as yet an unknown tongue-and, gazing upon them in their helplessness and inexperience, we feel how perfectly natural as well as amiable was that sentiment, which came from the kindest heart that ever throbbed within a human frame, "Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not." There are, however, associations which the thoughtful mind will connect with infancy and childhood, which excite a deep, a powerful, and a mournful interest within us. There is a mystery about the fate of the bright and beautiful child on whose face we gaze, or to whose accents we listen, which is oftentimes painfully oppressive: the reflection, that "it doth not yet appear what it shall be," sometimes strikes a sickening sadness to the heart; and the looking forward to what the day of mortal life will unfold-a habit which may be unwisely indulged, but to which we are prone,—induces a train of melancholy musing. Perhaps before the trembler can leave the maternal bosom, or before its powers of thought and action have attained even their youthful development, it may be seized by the hand of death; and then there is the mysterious, and to us, incomprehensible fact to absorb our noticethat this spark of life and intellect should be struck to sparkle for a moment to our gaze, and then expire. But if the history of threescore years and ten should be permitted to unfold its successive |