Page:The Life and Works of Christopher Dock.djvu/136

124 and yet takes as heavy, yea heavier burden, over hill and dale. And when the work is done, the willing horses and also the teamster have had the easier time of it.

Regarding my friend's question, how I treat the children with love that they both love and fear me, I will say that in this respect I cannot take the least credit upon myself, if I am at all successful with children, either in teaching or in performing religious duties. First I owe God particular thanks, because besides calling me to this profession He has given me an extreme love of children. For if it were not for love it would be an unbearable burden to live among children. But love bears and never tires. If a natural mother did not love her children all the little incidents in the education of a child would be unbearably wearisome, but her love makes this burden light. When St. Paul explains his love to the congregation at Thessalonia he expresses it in the words of I Thes. ii, 1, 13. In verses 7 and 8, he compares his love to a mother's love when he says: “But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children; so being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.” My esteemed friend, these words of the Apostle express such love in that he was willing not only to impart the gospel, but his very life. But have all clergymen in this so-called Christendom from the time of the Apostles down, remained in this spirit? All have had a splendid example in the words of the Apostle just