As he pursued his investigation of the prophecies he arrived at the belief that the coming of the Lord was at hand . Impressed with the solemnity and importance of this great truth , he desired to bring it before the people ; but the popular belief that the prophecies of Daniel are mysteries and cannot be understood was a serious obstacle in his way . He finally determined- -as Farel had done before him in evangelizing Geneva--to begin with the children , through whom he hoped to interest the parents .
" I desire this to be understood ," he afterward said , speaking of his object in this undertaking , " it is not because of its small importance , but on the contrary because of its great value , that I wished to present it in this familiar form , and that I addressed it to the children . I desired to be heard , and I feared that I would not be if I addressed myself to the grown people first ." " I determined therefore to go to the youngest . I gather an audience of children ; if the group enlarges , if it is seen that they listen , are pleased , interested , that they understand and explain the subject , I am sure to have a second circle soon , and in their turn , grown people will see that it is worth their while to sit down and study . When this is done , the cause is gained ." - -L. Gaussen , Daniel the Prophet , vol . 2 , Preface .
The effort was successful . As he addressed the children , older persons came to listen . The galleries of his church were filled with attentive hearers . Among them were men of rank and learning , and strangers and foreigners visiting Geneva ; and thus the message was carried to other parts . Encouraged by this success , Gaussen published his lessons , with the hope of promoting the study of the prophetic books in the churches of the French-speaking people . " To publish instruction given to the children ," says Gaussen , " is to say to adults , who too often neglect such books under the false pretense that they are obscure , ' How can they be obscure , since your children understand them ?'" " I had a great desire ," he adds , " to render a knowledge of the prophecies popular in our flocks , if possible ." " There is no study , indeed , which it seems to me answers the needs of the time better ." " It is by this that we are to prepare for the tribulation near at hand , and watch and wait for Jesus Christ ."
Though one of the most distinguished and beloved of preachers in the French language , Gaussen was after a time suspended from the ministry , his principal offense being that instead of the church ' s catechism , a tame and rationalistic manual , almost destitute of positive faith , he had used the Bible in giving instruction to the youth . He afterward became teacher in a theological school , while on Sunday he continued his work as catechist , addressing the children and instructing them in the Scriptures . His works on prophecy also excited much interest . From the professor ' s chair , through the press , and in his favorite occupation as teacher of children he continued for many years to exert an extensive influence and was instrumental
250