Samuel Logan Brengle on Youth Work: Saving the Children

Here's a snippet from his book, The Soul Winner's Secret. This chapter is entitled, "Saving the Children."

[THE IMPORTANCE OF REACHING CHILDREN WITH THE GOSPEL]

"Not only did Jesus say, "Suffer the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not," but He gave to Peter the positive command, "Feed my lambs," and in this command laid a responsibility upon soul-winners for the children, "for of such is the kingdom of heaven." In no other field and among no other class can they work with such immediate success and such far-reaching results.

Children are not hard to reach with the gospel, if the soul-winner will be simple and use common sense in dealing with them. They are not hardened in sin, their consciences are tender, their hearts open, their minds receptive, their wills pliable, their faith simple; thye are keenly alive to the love of Jesus, the glories of heaven, the terrors of hell, and the power and sufficiency of God. They learn readily to pray in faith about everything and to cast all their care upon God. No eyes are so keen as theirs to see the Light that lighteth every man; no hands are so ready to do His bidding; no feet so ready to run in His ways.

And yet effort must be put forth ceaselessly to win them, and keep them after they are won, for the corruption of their own natures, the evil example and teaching of a hostile world, and the vigilant and tireless efforts of the enemy of all souls will soon blind their eyes, and harden their hearts, and utterly ruin them, if they are not soon won to Jesus and filled with His love..."

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Brengle, Samuel Logan . (1903). "Saving the children." The soul winner's secret. London: Salvationist Publishing and Supplies.

[REGARDING YOUTH WORKERS]

"You may feel yourself unfitted for this task, but it is your business to fit yourself for it, if God has called you to be a worker for souls.

[1] The first thing necessary is to believe in the possibility of the conversion of the children; and certainly the plain teachings of Jesus, the examples found in the Bible, and the multitude of examples that anyone can see with his own eyes, if he will not open them and look, ought to convince the most skeptical of this possibility....

[2] Second, since they can be won, you must make up your mind that you will win them; but before this can be done, you must put away from your mind for ever the idea that 'anything will do for the children.' It will require much prayer, and patience, and love, and tact, and divine wisdom to win them to the Savior, and keep them after they are won... The children should be noticed, and I am increasingly convinced that in every meeting where there are children present something should be said that is suitable to them, and the invitation to come to Jesus should include them.

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Brengle, Samuel Logan . (1903). "Saving the children." The soul winner's secret. London: Salvationist Publishing and Supplies.

[LEADING A CHILD TO CHRIST]

When they do come, they should be probed, their sins searched out, and thorough repentence required. Their fears must be tenderly removed by showing them the fullness of God's love, and the certainty of salvation when they give up sin. Their thoughts should be turned to Jesus, and their faith fixed in Him and grounded in His word. Give them His sure promises, such as, 'If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness' (1 Jon 1:9). Above all, you must be simple and make things very plain for the children. They don't know the meaning of many big words that you understand quite well, therefore you must take pains to be simple and to make yourself understood.

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Brengle, Samuel Logan . (1903). "Saving the children." The soul winner's secret. London: Salvationist Publishing and Supplies.

[THE CALL TO YOUTH WORK]

Is it possible that we have a call to the work of saving souls, and yet have no commission for the children? No, non no! To everyone who says to Jesus, 'Lord, Thou knowest that I love Thee,' in answer to His question, 'Lovest thou Me?' Jesus says, 'Feed My lambs.' A man may feel that he has no fitness, no tact, no skill, no gifts for that kind of work, but the commission lays upon him the responsibility to study and think, and watch and pray, and love and believe, and work himself into fitness...

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Brengle, Samuel Logan . (1903). "Saving the children." The soul winner's secret. London: Salvationist Publishing and Supplies.

[HOW DO I BECOME A YOUTH WORKER?]

Do you ask, 'How can I become such a worker?'

1. Make up your mind that you ought to do so, and that by God's grace you will; then, make it a matter of daily prayer and thought and meditation. Above all, seek help from God.

2. Get all the help you can from others. Study their methods, but do not become a vain imitator of anyone. Be yourself.

3. Study the best books you can find on the subject. There are many bright books that will greatly help you.

4. Try to put yourself in the place of the child, and ask what would interest you. Make things very plain and simple. Watch for illustrations and anecdotes that the children can understand, and that will interest them.

5. But, above all, have a heart full of tender love and sympathy for the little ones, and you will be interesting and helpful to them whether you can talk much or not. They will feel your love and respond to it, and so you can point them to Jesus, and help them in their first timid steps toward heaven.
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Brengle, Samuel Logan . (1903). "Saving the children." The soul winner's secret. London: Salvationist Publishing and Supplies.