The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1858-05-22

made spilelul and angry by the interference
Of children with their indolent habits, their
love Of freedom and selEindulgcnce, and their
vain pursuits, mean that the number il
increasing Of those who receive the choicest
earthly blessings God can confer with ingrati-
tude and willful eomplainings That Is pre-
cisc,y what ] mean and do not hesitate IN
say that il is all a very shabby and ssniul
thing, and that It is high time that those who
are guilty were ashamed Of Il, A woman
who, by cool and calculating choice, Is no
mother, and who congrntulatcs herself that
she has no "young ones" tied 10 her apron
stringS is either vcrs unfortunately organized
or she is q sneak. A man who can tip up his
feet, over against his lonely wife, and thank
his stars that he has no "squalling brats"
around to bother him, is brute, II is time
that some one protest and hereby do pro.
Of the agc,-a sin which dcadcns the con-
science, hcstialzcs the affections and ruins
the health Of the mistaken creatures who
practice t,-which ca the chan e. frlm one
end Of the land to the other Ola broader Gan
gcs than that which bubbles along It's hcaihcn-
ish banks with the expiring breath Of infancy
There is growing mp q cowordly disposition
20 shirk trouble and responsibility in this
matter. II don't feel competent to bring up
a family Of children" Who does II is q
part Of your education to acquire competence
for this work. "Rut don't feel like aSsum-
ing such responsibility ?" That re'pons-
bili,y is precisely what YOU need to keep YOU
in the path YOU ought to walk in. "But
can't afford IT," Arc there two pairs ofhands
between YOU, and not sufficient patience,
courage and enterprise TO do the duties Of
life. But am afraid that should lose my
children. They are liable to so many accidents
ihu, it would be very strange if should be
able to raise a family without losing one or
TO two" The sweetest and trucst couplct
that the Queens laureate ever wrote tells
the story upon this point;-
"'Ti. better TO have loved and lost
Than never To- have loved at ALL
Ask the fnlhcr and mother, weeping over
the coffin Of their Grst.horn and only child,
whether they regret that the child.was born,
Ask them the same question in after years
when that little life has come TO hc a thread
Of gold running through all their experiences
II they give an affirmative answer. will be
silent, No, my married frends-you who
shrink from accepting the choicest privilege
bestowed upon you--you nrc'nll wrong and
+ YOU live, you, will arrive At period where
YOU will see that there urc rewards nud pun
ishmcnts attached to this thing. What is to
sustain YOU when in.old agc-thc eharms Of
youth all past, desire cxtinguish"d, and the
grasshoppcr burden--you sit at Your lonely
haard- and think Of the strangers who are to
enjoy the fruit Of your most fruitleSS tirc ?
Who are to feed the dcodcning affections Of
your hear, aud keep he bright and dcsiiat'ir
to its close. but the little ones whom yourear
10 manhood and womanhood What is to
reward You for the tolls of life il you do not
I feel that you--your thoughts, your blood,
your inAucnce--arc to be continued into the
ruture2 10 YOU like the idea of having hire
liaesr or these uhn. anxious To get rid Of you.
ahuut- -vour diving bed 2-Is- it not wnrth
something to have family Of children whom
You have reared, lingering about your grave.
with tears on their checks and blessings on
their lips,-tcarS for a great loss, and bless
ings on the hollovcdinfucnce which has
trUtUrt ttrrrrr IN patti, Of Fi4a direct
ed them to lire's noblcst ends?
/ This is u subject which has not been talked
about publicly; and have little doubt that
there will he snccrs and iests over what l
have written. Lips will curl, and noses will
be elevated. but it is avery serious thing with
me, and il ought to he with YOU. ] love the
family life ! esteem Christian family-thc
more numerous the brttcr-rttr most beae'i-
ful subject of contemplation the earth affords.
A father, thoroughly chastened and warmed
in all his affections, and mother ovcrfowng
/ with love for the dear children God has given
her, devoted to their welfare, and guiding
them by her tender counseis, sitting At their
board with sprighuy forms and bright eyes
Of childhood around the table, or all kncclig
at the family altar form u sight more nearly
allied to heaven than any other which the
world presents, Do you suppose such a
father would be what he is but for his children? i?
/ DO YOU believe such q mother would be the
blessed being she is but for the dcvelopmcgJ
which she receives in her maternal office /?
No, you know that both have been chos,encd,
elevated purified, made strong, and essentially
/ glorifed, by relation as sanctifying as it is
sacred.
/ So | say, in closing, that you can never
realize the very choicest ard richest blessings
THAT Heaven ipteRdS Tor you, In your relations
as husband and wife without children
/ Whom God deprvcs of these he has other
thought for, and have nothing to say to
them but to the multitude, say, give wei
come to each new conner whom God has
. lighted with a spark Of his own divinity, to
nrn,v In nlnrv till h shnn nmtshinn thn rtnr