Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1851-10-15
A GREAT MISTAKE.
BY REV. JOHN S. C. ABBOTT.

There is, in many families, an lmpressior
that the boys soon grow beyond mother
control or influence, and that, while 1t /;
expected that the girls should still be obedl'
ent to their mother, the sons, must, at GER
tain age, be left to the control of the father
Thus insensibly they imbibe the feeling thai
they are above the mothers authority
The mother feels that she has no power tc
govern them; the father is away, and his
whole mind is engrossed with other cares
and the boys are left uncontrolled. This Is
the influential cause of the ruin of thousands
of families. Probably there is not one VINO
will read this article, who cannot recall to
mind many illustrations of the truth OF TINS
statement. Here is lost son, dying IN the
forecastle of ship, far away upon the O.
cean Why is he there, far from his own
pleasant freside and the love OF home =
Because his mother relinquished her control
over her boy. The idea is totally errone-
ous one, that son by nature feels that there
is an inferiority in woman, and that 1t is
not manly to obey his mother. The natu-
raj feeling is just the reverse, and JUDI
cious mother can retain control over son
as long as she Can over daughter. In
deed well educated son feels pride IN
being obedient to his mother. There is
chivalrous feeling, sense OF honor, con-
nected with such submission, which Is
highly pleasurable to every ingenious mind.
Napoleon, who was one of the keenest OBJ
servers attributed the formation of his char
acter to his mothers influence. The man, "
said he, sis what his mother makes him.
France wants mothers"
No one can read the biography OF Pay
son without seeing the control which a mo-
theirs mind exerted over HIM, through all
his collegiate and theological course, AID
when all the cares Of his arduous profession
were crowding him. The same maternal
supremacy which protected his infancy,
guided and curbed the impetuosity OF his
childhood, the ardor of his youth, and the
energies of his manhood. For the mother,
in many things is always the superior of
her son, and capable of being his counsel
lor.
Read the letters Of the mother of the late
John Quincy Adams, and you will be atno
loss to account for the nvincible moral cour-
age, the unvarying principle, and the al,
most superhuman energy which has shed
such lustre upon his life. Before her no.
bic mind he was ever proud to bow IN hom-
age. He was always, even in the most eX-
alted manhood, his mothers child, ever
prompt to do her bidding, and ever feeling
himself honored in honoring her,
Louis Philippe, the late King of Franco,
had for the instructor, not of his childhood
merely, but of his mature youth, the cele-
brated Madame de Genhs. When young
man of eighteen, and Colonel in active
service, a word from his revered instruc-
tress was to him as law. He cherished her
memory with the most unbounded affection
and reverence, and often declared that he
was indebted to her for those princip pies
which enabled him to resist temptation, and
for that strength of character which had
sustained him under all the vicissitudes Of
his most eventful life.
In fact every young man wants to be
proud of his mother. He loves to feel un-
der her control. He delights in having a
mother who is capable and worthy of guild
ing him. And she who virtually abandons
the government of her boy just as he is en-
tering on the fiery temptations Of impetuous
youth, intiicts upon him an irreparable in
Jury and is almost unpardonably traitorous
10 her sacred trust Get the entire control
of YOUR child in the earliest period of his in
fancy. Hold on upon that control by at
fection, and frmness, and decision, as years
glide along and your son will love you, and
by his virtues bless your memory while you
live, and adore your memory when you
sleep in the dust.
And this should be kept in view by eve.
ry mother in the education Of her daugh-
tiers. She is to be trained up to be wife
and mother. If she has weak mind and
frivolous education, and has been prepared
merely to shine while in her teens in the
circles of pleasure and ostentation and fash
, ion, what will become of her, when her
children gather round her knee, and her
son growing into vigorous boyhood, with an
energetic mind, is looking to her for intel
lectual guidance He feels ashamed OF his
mother. He Is mortified at the indications
of her inferiority, and is thus often led to
feel that a woman is but weak animal.
who was never intended to be an intellect
ual companion for man.
was recently conversing with lady in
New York, who had by her side slender
pale, pensive looking child of thirteen. The
lady said she was anxious to have her child
finish her education Immediately, and there
fure in addition to her school studies, she
had provided for her out of school, teachers
of music, French and drawing. That child
at fifteen will have finished her education.
She then plunges into all the frivolities ot
fashionable life. The parents probably
hope that by the time she is seventeen she
may be married. Now what can such a
mother do with boy' By the time he Is
seven years old, he will despise her ano
refuse to obey her. Judging of all other
mothers by the silly thing he is forced to
call mother, he will feel no respect for the
female sex. Passion will remain. A life
of dissipation, carly death, and endless ruin
are almost the inevitable result.
When young lady is seventeen years
of age, if she enjoys good health, she is just
beginning to have that yigor of mind which
enables her to make intellectual acquisi-
tions. Two or three years, then devoted
energctically 70 study, will store her mind
with treasures which will be more valuable
to her than mines Of gold She will be thus
able to command husbands respect ano
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