PS 1292 
 .C18 
 Copy 1 
 
 
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 Words of (Jomfort 
 
 FORTH EllF^^OTHERJ. 
 
'THE LITTLE CHILDREN 
 
 THAT 
 
 ARE GONE." 
 
 WORDS OF COMFORT 
 
 FOR 
 
 THEIR MOTHERS. 
 
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 NEW YORK: 
 
 ANSON D. F. RANDOLPH & COMPANY, 
 
 38 West Twenty-third Street, 
 
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 copyright, 1887, by 
 Anson D. F. Randolph & Company. 
 
 Fdward O. Jenkins' Sons, 
 
 PRINTERS. 
 
 20 North William St., New York. 
 
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 A Mother, whose ofily little child has lately 
 gone to Heaven., has gathered these thottghts 
 together., hoping that they may comfort other 
 mothers. 
 
"^1 
 
 
 THE LITTLE CHILDREN 
 THAT ARE GONE." 
 

 ^1 
 
 "THE LITTLE CHILDREN THAT 
 ARE GONE." 
 
 " Why do they come, these Httle ones 
 that enter our homes by the gateway of 
 suffering and that linger with us a few 
 short months, uttering no words, smil- 
 ing in a mysterious silence, yet speaking 
 eloquently all the time of the purity 
 and sweetness of Heaven? Why must 
 they open the tenderest fountains of 
 our natures only to leave them so soon 
 choked with the bitter tears of loss ? It 
 is impossible wholly to answer such 
 questions of the tortured heart, but one 
 can say, in general, that these little tem- 
 porary wanderers from a celestial home 
 come and go because of the great love 
 of God. It is an inestimable blessing to 
 
 7 
 
^A 
 
 1^ 
 
 T/ie Little Children that are Gone!' 
 
 have been the parent of a child that has 
 the stamp of Heaven upon its brow, to 
 hold it in one's arms, to minister to it, 
 to gaze fondly down into the little up- 
 turned face, and to rejoice in the unsul- 
 lied beauty of its smiles, and then — to 
 give it back to God at His call, with the 
 thought that in heaven, as upon earth, 
 it is still our own child, a member of the 
 household still, to be counted always 
 as one of the children whom God has 
 given us. Such a love chastens and 
 sanctifies the hearts of the father and 
 mother, carries them out beyond time 
 and sense, and gives them a hold upon 
 the unseen. As things of great value 
 always cost, it is worth all the sorrow to 
 have known this holy affection and to 
 have this treasure in Heaven." — From the 
 Advance. 
 
"^1 
 
 
 "CHILDREN IN HEAVEN." 
 
 '' A BABE in glory is a babe forever. 
 Perfect as spirits, and able to pour forth 
 Their glad hearts in the tongues that 
 
 angels use, 
 These nurslings, gathered in God's nur- 
 sery, 
 Forever grow in loveliness and love, — 
 Growth is the law of all intelligence, — 
 Yet cannot pass the limit which defines 
 Their being. They have never fought 
 
 the fight, 
 Nor borne the heat and burden of the 
 
 day, 
 Nor staggered underneath the weary 
 cross. 
 
A 
 
 w. 
 
 The Little Children that are Gone' 
 
 .... Infancy 
 Is one thing, manhood one. And babes, 
 
 though part 
 Of the true archetypal house of God 
 Built on the heavenly Zion, are not now, 
 Nor will ever be massive rocks, rough* 
 
 hewn, 
 Or ponderous corner-stones, or fluted 
 
 shafts 
 Of columns, or far-shadowing pinnacles ; 
 But rather as the delicate lily-work. 
 By Hiram wrought for Solomon of old, 
 Enwreathed upon the brazen chapiters, 
 Or flowers of lilies round the molten sea. 
 Innumerable flowers thus bloom and 
 
 blush 
 In heaven." .... 
 
 — Rev. E. H. Bickersteth. 
 
 10 
 

 HER CHILD'S MISSION. 
 
 God had taken away her only little 
 one, a child of rare, sweet character. 
 The mother grieved that she was not 
 spared to lead a noble life, a life of 
 doing good. Would she not have re- 
 ceived greater rewards in Heaven? She 
 asked this question, longing with a 
 mother's love that her child should have 
 the best in Heaven. 
 
 '' My dear madame," said the man of 
 God, " that little child must have ac- 
 complished her mission even in her 
 short life and lovely death, that even a 
 long life might not have done so well. 
 
 " She has opened and softened hearts, 
 perhaps more than you are aware of, 
 
^A 
 
 
 The Little CJiildren that are Gone!' 
 
 and the influence of her death has spread 
 abroad and touched many Hves." The 
 mother felt comforted, and prayed that 
 she might be brave, and Hve to fulfil her 
 own mission, and do it as perfectly as 
 her little child had done.— ANONYMOUS. 
 
 12 
 

 ^1 
 
 EARLY LOST, EARLY SAVED. 
 
 " Within her downy cradle there lay a 
 
 little child, 
 And a group of hovering angels unseen 
 
 upon her smiled ; 
 A strife arose among them— a loving, 
 
 holy strife — 
 Which should shed the richest blessing 
 
 over the new-born life. 
 
 ''One breathed uponher features and the 
 
 babe in beauty grew, 
 With a cheek like morning's blushes, and 
 
 an eye of azure hue ; 
 Till every one who saw her, was thankful 
 
 for the sight 
 Of a face so sweet and radiant with ever 
 
 fresh delight. 
 
 13 
 
A 
 
 1^ " 
 
 The Little Children that are Gone^ 
 
 " Another gave her accent and a voice as 
 musical 
 
 As a spring bird's joyous carol, or a rip- 
 pling streamlet's fall ; 
 
 Till all who heard her laughing, or her 
 words of childish grace, 
 
 Loved as much to listen to her, as to 
 look upon her face. 
 
 " Another brought from heaven a clear 
 
 and gentle mind, 
 And within the lovely casket the precious 
 
 gem enshrined ; 
 Till all who knew her wondered that 
 
 God should be so good 
 As to bless with such a spirit our desert 
 
 world and rude. 
 
 " Thus did she grow in beauty, in melody, 
 and truth ; 
 14 
 
TJie Little Children that are GoneT 
 
 ::^ 
 
 The budding of her childhood just 
 
 opening into youth ; 
 And to our hearts yet dearer every 
 
 moment than before 
 She became, though we thought fondly 
 
 heart could not love her more. 
 
 "■ Then out spoke another angel, nobler, 
 
 brighter than the rest, 
 As with strong arms but tender, he 
 
 caught her to his breast ; 
 'Ye have made her all too lovely for a 
 
 child of mortal race, 
 But no shade of human sorrow shall 
 
 darken o'er her face. 
 
 " ' Ye have tuned to gladness only the 
 
 accents of her tongue, 
 And no wail of human anguish shall 
 
 from her lips be wrung ; 
 
 15 
 
" T/ie Little Children that are Gone." 
 
 
 Nor shall the soul that shineth so purely 
 
 from within 
 Her form of earth-born frailty, ever 
 
 know the taint of sin. 
 
 *' ' Lulled in my faithful bosom, I will 
 bear her far away. 
 
 Where there is no sin nor anguish, nor 
 sorrow, nor decay ; 
 
 And mine a boon more glorious than all 
 your gifts shall be — 
 
 Lo ! I crown her happy spirit with im- 
 mortality ! ' 
 
 **Then on his breast our darling yielded 
 up her gentle breath, 
 
 For the stronger, brighter angel, who 
 loved her best was Death." 
 —Rev. Geo. W. Bethune, D.D. 
 
 i6 
 
-^^ 
 
 h 
 
 % 
 
 SAFE WITH JESUS. 
 
 A SAINTLY woman wrote to a be- 
 reaved young mother: "Heaven has 
 been opened to you as never before, and 
 Jesus has come to you so near, that you 
 have almost heard the tender voice ask- 
 ing for your dearest treasure. And He 
 knows the comfort it is to you that the 
 darhng is safe with Him."— ANONY- 
 MOUS. 
 
 " The elder saints 
 Seemed to my eyes a countless multi- 
 tude ; 
 But these cherubic babes outnumbered 
 
 them, 
 As the dark pine-trees of Siberia's wilds, 
 
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A 
 
 P 
 
 *' T/ie Little Children that are Gone!' 
 
 Unfell'd, immeasurable forests, yield 
 In numbers to the ferns and summer 
 
 flowers 
 Which grow beneath their shadowing 
 
 boughs, 
 And fringe their gnarled roots with 
 
 beauty." 
 
 —Rev. E. H. Bickersteth. 
 
 i8 
 
^ 
 
 "^1 
 
 LITTLE PILGRIMS' SANDALS. 
 
 " The way to Heaven is narrow, 
 And its blessed entrance straight 
 But how safe the little pilgrims 
 Who get within the gate ! 
 
 The sunbeams of the morning 
 Make the narrow path so fair, 
 
 And these early little pilgrims 
 Find dewy blessings there. 
 
 They pass o'er rugged mountains, 
 But they climb them with a song; 
 
 For these early little pilgrims 
 Have sandals new and strong. 
 
 They do not greatly tremble 
 
 When the shadows night foretell, 
 
 19 
 
>^A 
 
 
 The Little CJiildren that are Gone^ 
 
 For these early little pilgrims 
 Have tried the path so well. 
 
 " They know it leads to Heaven 
 With its bright and open gates, 
 Where, for happy little pilgrims, 
 A Saviour's welcome waits." 
 
 — N. Y. Evangelist. 
 
■ . N 
 ^1 
 
 THE PARADISE BLOSSOM. 
 
 " A SWEET baby head had forgotten 
 hfe's way, 
 Asleep on her pillow of roses ; 
 Wee hands shutting close as if tired of 
 day, 
 Like buds which the spring-time dis« 
 closes. 
 But the beautiful form of my baby waa 
 still. 
 And over the lips of my blossom, 
 The dimples lay soft, as the frost o'er 
 
 the hill, 
 When a spirit sang low to my spirit at 
 will, 
 * Christ carries your lamb in His 
 bosom.' 
 
MA 
 
 ^1^ 
 
 T/ie Little CJiildrcn that are Gone. 
 
 "■ There is never a lamb 
 
 From life's sorrowful fold, 
 
 But wanders in fields that are vernal, 
 
 And never a babe shut away in the cold, 
 
 But blooms in the spring-time eternal. 
 
 When storms sweep the hills, 
 
 And the night gathers cold, 
 
 rU think of my Paradise blossom, 
 
 And breathe the same song for the 
 
 weary that weep. 
 The weakest are safest ; far over the 
 
 steep, 
 Christ carries my lamb in His bosom." 
 — Anonymous. 
 

 ^1 
 
 A QUESTION AND ANSWER. 
 
 ^ Who have the care of these little chil- 
 dren who have gone to Heaven ; on 
 earth they were never left alone a 
 minute? — No; nor in Heaven. The an- 
 gels that are holiest and dearest to God 
 care for these little children, for 
 
 Jesus said : 
 
 " In Heaven their angels do always 
 behold the face of my Father which is 
 in Heaven." 
 
 How dear these little children are to 
 
 God then ! It has been said that their 
 
 angels are within the inner circle, so 
 
 near to Him that they can gaze upon 
 
 23 
 
A 
 
 |^.< 
 
 T/ie Little Children that are Gone.' 
 
 His face, and know before He speaks 
 what is His will concerning them. 
 
 Mothers of angels, lift up your hearts. 
 How blessed is the state of your little 
 ones in Heaven ! 
 
 24 
 
Kk 
 
 ^1 
 
 LIFTED over; 
 
 " As tender mother, guiding baby steps, 
 When places come at which the tiny feet 
 Would trip, lift up the little ones in 
 
 arms 
 Of love, and set them down beyond the 
 
 harm, 
 So did our Father watch the precious 
 
 boy 
 Led o'er the stones by me, who stumbled 
 
 oft 
 Myself, but led my darling on. 
 He saw the sweet limbs faltering, and 
 
 saw 
 Rough ways before us, where my arms 
 
 would fail 
 
 25 
 
4 u 
 
 The Little Children that are Goney 
 
 So reached from Heaven, and, lifting the 
 
 dear child, 
 Who smiled in leaving me, He put him 
 
 down 
 Beyond all hurt, beyond my sight, and 
 
 bade 
 Him wait for me ! Shall I not, then, 
 
 be glad. 
 And, thanking God, press on to over- 
 
 take?" 
 
 " 
 
 
 -Helen Hunt Jackson. 
 
 26 
 
 
 
 -.- 
 

 "^1 
 
 A HEAVENLY COUNTENANCE. 
 
 The little Pilgrim had gone to Heaven. 
 It was all so wonderful, and beautiful, 
 and the people were so kind, and beau- 
 tiful too. By and by she saw one com- 
 ing towards her more lovely than all the 
 others she had seen. 
 
 " There was something in her face 
 different from that of the others by 
 which the little Pilgrim knew somehow, 
 without knowing her, that she had come 
 here as a child, and grown up in this 
 
 celestial place Her countenance 
 
 was full of a heavenly calm. It had 
 never known passion nor anguish. Some- 
 times there was in it a far-seeing look of 
 
 27 
 
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 A 
 
 
 The Little Children that are GoneT 
 
 vision, sometimes the simplicity of a 
 child." — Mrs. Oliphant. 
 
 If your little child is gone to God, 
 think how lovely the home ! No cloud 
 of sin, pride, or pain will ever cross that 
 little face. 
 
 28 
 
FOR SAD MOTHERS. 
 
 " I KNOW not the way I am going, 
 
 But well do I know my Guide ; 
 With a childlike trust I give my hand, 
 
 To the mighty Friend by my side. 
 The only thing I say to Him 
 
 As He takes it, is, ' Hold it fast, 
 Suffer me not to lose my way, 
 
 And bring me home at last.' " 
 
 — Anonymous. 
 
 w 
 
 " What close and tender links should 
 bind that mother's heart to Heaven who 
 has among the ' hosts ' a little angel all 
 her own ! " 
 
 "The consciousness of those little 
 
 29 
 

 w. 
 
 The Little Children that are Gone. 
 
 down-stretching hands, of that pure 
 down-reaching love, should be talis- 
 mans of power to purify her heart and 
 life and make them true and holy."— ~ 
 Mary Ferguson 
 
 30 
 

 ^1 
 
 BABY. 
 
 " Oh, why are your beautiful eyes so red, 
 
 Fair Lady? 
 
 They have taken my baby out of my bed, 
 
 My baby ! 
 
 Speak sooth, your babe has gone up to 
 
 God, 
 
 Fair Lady. 
 
 His Httle feet, little feet were not shod, 
 
 My baby. 
 
 But the road that leads to the Heavenly 
 Town 
 
 Is all over clouds as soft as down. 
 
 Fair Lady. 
 
 The way of the clouds is long and dim, 
 
 I would I were there to carry him. 
 
 My baby. 
 31 
 
^4— - 
 
 The Little Children that are Gone. 
 
 He will be holpen by cherubs bright, 
 A fair new star for a lamp they light, 
 
 Sweet Lady ! 
 The way to the Heavenly Town is 
 
 long, 
 I would I could sing him a cradle-song, 
 
 My baby. 
 Our Lord stands waiting at Heaven's 
 
 door. 
 And Mary Mother runs on before. 
 
 Sweet Lady. 
 Oh, he will feel strange in that Heavenly 
 street. 
 
 My baby. 
 But the happy Innocents he will meet. 
 
 Fair Lady. 
 For the comely food he will cry and gays, 
 
 My baby. 
 They will make him a feast in the Heav- 
 enly Place, 
 32 
 
^r ^1 
 
 ** The Little Children that are Gone. 
 
 Our Lord will be there to speak the 
 
 grace, 
 And Mary Mother, with godly gays, 
 
 Fair Lady. 
 The Heavenly Town will grow so dear. 
 He will forget his mother here, 
 
 My baby. 
 He shall think of his mother in all the 
 
 cheer. 
 He shall not forget in a thousand year, 
 
 Fair Lady." 
 — From " LiLLiPUT Levee." 
 
 ** There are fathers and mothers who 
 seem to see when they look up into the 
 deep blue of Heaven, a dimpled hand 
 that beckons to them, and a silver voice 
 that whispers from the skies, ' Come up 
 higher.' "— R. H. LUNDIF 
 
 33 
 
^4— 
 
 SMILES FOR BABY'S SAKE. 
 
 '' You ask me why I smile to-day, 
 
 Though yesterday I wept, 
 And though for weary weeks, as well. 
 
 Grief's vigils I have kept. 
 You point to that small grave that lies 
 
 Beneath that old elm tree, 
 And wonder what has dried the tears 
 
 Which flowed so ceaselessly. 
 
 ^' Ah, friend, last night before I slept, 
 
 The tears fell all too fast, 
 Till weary nature fainted, and 
 
 Sweet slumber came at last. 
 Then came a dream. Methought I saw 
 
 A garden fair and sweet, 
 34 
 
ley h" 
 
 The Little Children that are Com 
 
 Where reigned a wondrous harmony 
 And beauty all complete. 
 
 ''And flitting softly here and there, 
 
 In robes of spotless white, 
 A host of little ones I saw. 
 
 All radiant and bright. 
 And in each little hand they bore 
 
 A lamp with glowing flame. 
 Then, 'midst the shining angel throng, 
 
 My own wee darling came. 
 
 '' Within her dimpled, baby-hand 
 
 A little lamp she bore ; 
 But oh, dear friend, its light was dim 
 
 And flickered o'er and o'er. 
 And while I wondered grievingly, 
 
 And wept anew with fears, 
 One asked, 'Why burns thy light so 
 low ? ' 
 
 She answered ' Mamma's tears.' 
 
 35 
 
^A 
 
 ^1^ 
 
 ' T/ic Little CJiildroi that are Goner 
 
 ^' Ah me ! to think that I should dim 
 
 The light my baby bore ! 
 I dried my tears, and prayed, ' Dear 
 Lord, 
 
 Help me to weep no more ! ' 
 And now I smile for baby's sake ; 
 
 And, though I did but dream, 
 I love to think that baby's light. 
 
 Bright as the rest will gleam." 
 
 —Mary D. Brine. 
 
 "A CHILD In Heaven is a glorious 
 thought, and to look forward to meeting 
 again is a high aspiration. It is but a 
 little while — life is but a shadow that 
 passes away, but eternity endures. 
 
 " The love of God is a continual feast 
 
 and is meant to be an almost rapture of 
 
 delight." 
 
 ''Just as you are kind, not only to your 
 36 
 
J^^ 
 
 ^1 
 
 '' TJic Little Children that are Goner ^ 
 
 friend, but to his children for his sake, 
 so is God kind, not only to you, but to 
 your children. It was perhaps the fruit 
 and evidence of that kindness that the 
 little one you mourn has been better 
 provided for above, than you could have 
 provided for him here. The Lord chose 
 to have your child beside Himself. And 
 you have done the same thing when 
 your children were absent from home. 
 You wearied for them; you brought 
 them home again ; you must have them 
 with you. The Saviour feels thus to- 
 ward His absent children. ' Father, I 
 will that they also whom Thou hast 
 given me be with me where I am.' .... 
 You will learn, ere long, to look on it as 
 a high honor that your child has been 
 sent for by the Heavenly King." — Rev, 
 
 R. H. LUNDIE. 
 
 37 
 
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 A 
 
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 A CHILD'S DEATH. 
 
 "TllOU bast honored my child by the 
 speed of Thy choice, 
 
 Thou hast crowned him with glory, 
 o'erwhelmed him with mirth ; 
 
 He sings up in Heaven with his sweet- 
 sounding voice, 
 
 While I, a saint's mother, am weeping 
 on earth. 
 
 " Yet, oh I for that voice which is thrill- 
 ing thro' Heaven, 
 
 One moment my ears with its music 
 to slake ! 
 
 Oh, no ! not for worlds would I have 
 him regiven, 
 
 Yet I long to have back what I would 
 
 not retake." 
 
 — Fred. W. Faber. 
 38 
 
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