Croons a young mother over her babe:-- "And art thou mine, thou helpless, trembling thing, Thou lovely presence?
Bird, where is thy wing?
How pure thou art! fresh from the fields of light, Where angels garner grain in robes of white.
"Didst thou bring 'sealed instructions' with thee, dove, How to unlock the fount of mother-love?
Full well dost thou fulfil thy winsome part; With holy fire they're writ upon my heart.
"My child, I fear thee! thou'rt a spirit, soul! How shall I walk before thee?
keep my garments whole?
O Lord, give strength, give wisdom for the task, To train this child for thee! Yet more I ask: "Life of my life, for thee I crave best gifts and glad, More than, even in dreams, thy mother had! O Father! fine this gold! Oh, polish this, my gem! Till it is fair and fitting for thy diadem." Jesus said of little children that those who receive them, in his name, receive him.

May we not then say that children bring great possibility of blessing and happiness to a home?
They come to us as messengers from heaven, bearing messages from God.

Yet we may not know their value while we have them.

Ofttimes, indeed, it is only the empty crib and the empty arms that reveal to us the full measure of home happiness that we get from the children.

Those to whom God gives children should receive them with reverence.