Jesus and the Children Sculpture Makes Mississippi College Debut

Mississippi College’s newest landmark is the Jesus and the Children sculpture, the creation of internationally celebrated artist Sam Gore.

Located in a perfect spot on the Quad near the home of the School of Education, the bronze sculpture depicts Christ ministering to five children, including two sitting on his lap.

The 1,200-pound sculpture is a pleasing sight to thousands on the Clinton campus since taking root near the steps of Lowrey Hall over spring break.

“I find that Dr. Gore’s sculpture is yet another extraordinary artistic expression of the love that Christ has promised to all of us,” says Pete Farris, an MC graphic design major from Southaven. “I can almost feel the excitement present on the children’s faces and the joy that the closeness of Jesus brings them.”

Whether they are faculty, staff or visitors, those gazing at the 5-foot-tall sculpture say it is a splendid addition to the campus at the Christian university.

“The new sculpture adds a visual emphasis to the importance of the role of the Department of Teacher Education and Leadership,” says education professor Tommye Henderson, who daily walks by the extraordinary piece of art.

“It is a constant reminder of our mission and our responsibility to provide a quality education for children, as well as for those who have chosen teaching and leadership as careers,” adds Henderson, former superintendent of the Clinton public schools.

One of her colleagues, education professor Doris Smith says the sculpture of Jesus found the right location on the Quad.

Jesus, she said, was “ the greatest teacher in history,” and placing the sculpture in front of Lowrey Hall “serves as a reminder to everyone, but especially to those of us in the field of education, of the power of teaching and learning to change lives and society.”

The newest work wasn’t really hard to assemble for the 83-year-old Gore, former chairman of the MC art department.

“It is a recast of my original sculpture,” says Gore, who continues to teach part-time at his alma mater. “It was easy for me.”

The Mississippi College sculpture is a replica of  the artwork sitting in the welcome area and near the pre-school of First Baptist Church in downtown Jackson. “I had the molds in storage and all we had to do was hand them up to the foundry near Memphis,” he said.

Gore credits MC President Lee Royce with coming up with the idea to place the sculpture near the School of Education.

A 1951 MC graduate, Gore refuses to slow down. Examples of his work are almost everywhere in metro Jackson.

Jesus and the Children isn’t far from his Servant Saviour, the sculpture near Provine Chapel.  It first arrived on the Mississippi College campus in 2003. He’s also hard at work on a sculpture at the Clinton Visitors Center to salute American military veterans. His sculptures of Moses and the Ten Commandments and Jesus and His disciples adorn exterior walls of the MC School of Law in Jackson.

Wayne VanHorn, dean of MC’s School of Christian Studies and the Arts, commends Gore’s sculpture near Lowrey Hall because it “captures the essence of the Christian university perfectly.”

The sculpture, he noted, is based on Matthew 10:13-16, “where Jesus rebuked his disciples for fussing at the parents who were bringing their children to Jesus. The statue can serve as a reminder to keep our own priorities in order and to see God in the small things around us.”