The Litchfield County post., 1827-02-02

ElItr0cC ora LetSeF,d utea, cu'c"s DeS' AO'
-. The fact that there are twice
as many female as male professors in every
denomination of Christians is unquestiona-
bic. The proportion may be even great
er. But cannot some other reason be as
signed for this majority besides the acknow-
lodged greater sympathy and susceptabili-
~ of the tender emotions in females
aft is certainly through the influence OF
the Spirit of the Almighty that either males
or females are converted to God. But it
is equally certain from scripture and the
experience of the church, that God be-
slows blessings on men in proportion to
the constant and faithful use of the best
means. If not !; why are there not as ma
nv good men in India as in England Why
are not the females of Hindooston as viz
tuOus, charitable and pious as the same
part of community in our own land why
are not children of savages as-lntelIgent,
humane and pious as the children of Chris
tan parents 1t is to the education or
bringing up of children from infancy to
manhood, that all the differences in human
character are to be ascribed., Ii we look
into families, sabbath schools, and parishes,
we shall find, doubt not, sufficient rea-
sons to account for the female ma ority of
christians.
"Parents, especially mothers, bestow
more attention to the religious education
Of daughters than of sons. Perhaps they
do not design it. But is it not SO & Boys
are suffered to play in the streets where
they learn every vice; while girls are kept
in the house, where they rarely see Or
hear any thing immodest or wicked where
much of their time is spent in reading, if
not religious books, such as tend to refine
the feelings and improve the mind. Boys
are tolerated in using harsh, violent, indeli-
cate, and even profane language, when "a
ny thing like such practice in girls is
thought most shocking and wicked. Why
this difference? God allows of no such dis
sinction. Boys are suffered to be in COM
pany where their minds are prejudiced a.
gainst pious people, religious meetings,
Sabbath schools, and every thing that is a
restraint to the depraved heart. Thus
while girls are tang hit useful moral Lessons
and maxims, boys are worse than neglected.
Female members of families are twice as
often to be seen at lectures, conferences and
funerals, as the male members. Now any
man, who knows that human character is
made up of thousand little things, need
not be told what would be the conse-
quence of such difference in the bring
ing up of children,
"Nlinisters of religion bestow more at
tention to the religious instruction of the
female part of their parishes. They are
far from designing it., and often mourn
shat they have no more opportunities with
the males. Let US follow a minister in
PASTORAL visit. He calls on family. The
mother and daughters are in the house read
= to hear him converse. The boys and
young men are scattered over the farm or
in the work shop. What access can he |
have to them? To follow them into the
fields is rarely practicable, as the minister
supposes. After spending some time in
conversation he proposes to pray. Now
the men folks must be sent for. Full of
vexation prehaps, that they are called from
their labor and wholly unprepared for de-
votion,they come in and listen to prayer
and too often 60 out with smear. This
completes his visit. If he has benefited a.
ny members of the family, he probably has
not the younger male part. The minister
has probably ten opportunities Of instruct
ing g. conversing with the female part of
his parish, where he has one with the
younger male part. Domestic missionaries
spend most of their visiting time with fe-
males and elderly men. The same is true
with regard to the effort of common chris
tons. Except on the sabbaths females
compose three-fomths of the audience at
religious meetings. Females hear far more
religious and far less irreligious conversa-
sion than males. Add to all these facts
the false taste Of the public which will toll
crate almost every defect in the moral char
acter of a young man, while it condemns a
young woman for the least stain, and you
will no longer wonder that SO many more
females than males are found in the chris
tan church.
Cannot some means be devised to bring
the male part Of the community more con-
stantly under the influence of the gospel
WIN not every christian make an effort
1t Is however, to parents and guardians,
to ministers and domestic missionaries, that
this subject is Immediately important. 1t
IS doubtless through their neglect that so
few males comparatively are members OF
the churches. Parents should consider
this subject and use efectual means to in