First Approaches to God––Let us consider what is commonly done in the nursery in this respect. No sooner can the little being lisp than he is taught to kneel up in his mother’s lap, and say ‘God bless . . .’ and then follows a list of the near and dear, and ‘God bless . . . and make him a good boy, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.’ It is very touching and beautiful. I once peeped in at an open cottage door in a moorland village, and saw a little child in its nightgown kneeling in its mother’s lap and saying its evening prayer. The spot has ever since remained to me a sort of shrine. There is no sight more touching and tender. By-and-by, so soon as he can speak the words,
’Gentle Jesus, meek and mild,’
is added to the little one’s prayer, and later, ‘Our Father.’ Nothing could be more suitable and more beautiful than these morning and evening approaches to God, the little children brought to Him by their mothers. And most of us can ‘think back’ to the hallowing influence of these early prayers. But might not more be done? How many times a day does a mother lift up her heart to God as she goes in and out amongst her children, and they never know! ‘Today I talked to them’ (a boy and girl of four and five) ‘about Rebekah at the well. They were very much interested, especially about Eliezer praying in his heart and the answer coming at once. They said, “How did he pray?” I said, “I often pray in my heart when you know nothing about it. Sometimes you begin to show a naughty spirit, and I pray for you in my heart, and almost directly I find the good spirit comes, and your faces show my prayer is answered.” O. stroked my hand and said, “Dear mother, I shall think of that!” Boy looked thoughtful, but didn’t speak; but when they were in bed I knelt down to pray for them before leaving them, and when I got up, Boy said, “Mother, God filled my heart with goodness while you prayed for us; and, mother, I will try to-morrow.”‘