Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1860-05-04
MISCELLA AN Y.
Government of Children.
sermon by Henry Ward Beecher.

From recent sermon by Henry Ward Beecher
Especially that government is msgoy-
ernment which never teaches the child to
take care of itself, but which is forever fut-
tering over it TO take care of it.
You must begin at the beginning as best
you may. Sometimes government is taxed
at first, but increases with the necessities of
the growing family. But often, think,
parents are in the beginning full of wise
resolutions of government and the first boy
or girl is tremendously governed.
But successfully each child is more and
more wisely governed. In part this is
owing to the fact that parents have to begin
as best they can. 1t is the strangest ar
rangement in the Divine economy that chill
dren should be put into the hands of igno-
rant parents TO be reared. lfthey dropped
through the clouds from God, it would not
seem so strange that such parents are OBJ
liged to take the trust of creatures whose
Immortality depends upon them so largely.
Being without the necessary knowledge,
they have to feel their way as best they can
through blunders and mistakes. And one
trouble is that the earlier children of fam
lily have to take the disadvantages of their
parents ignorance. But as parents have
more and more experience, they grow
wiser and wiser. And not only that. but
every child comes to recognize the paren-
tai authority. and there is formed child
public sentiment which helps on the family
government. So that in the latter stages
of the growth of the household the parents
may seem more indulgent, because all the
children help to govern each.
We are cautioned in the Word of God
against provoking our children in govern
ing them, especially to anger. Ye fathers,
provoke not your children TO wrath but
bring them up in the admonition of the
Lord. SO far as possible make the ohedi-
ence Of the child coincide with its pleasure.
Harshness is unwise with any living thing
man or animal. Some, .disregarding the
child's happiness, or judging the young
mind as though its pleasures were like those
of manhood, carelessly wound its feelings
and rouse its passions; and then, in the
face of this juvenile storm, lay imperious
commands; and coerce obedience. Thi:
comes under the deeds forbidden in God:
Word. Fathers, provoke not your chill
dren TO anger, lest they be discouraged"
The child has its own little world its owr
little pleasures in that world, its little joys
and griefs, its little mountains and wales, it!
} little storms and calms. Our thoughts ant
pursuits are as much above a child's as an
gels are above ours. 1t is the extreme o
cruelty and folly to measure a child's dut,
by what seems good to ourselves. w
must exert our imaginations, and watch
and translate their actions, and in a meas
ure do what Christ did by us-go down an
take their place, laying aside as it were, tn
j, reality of our higher knowledge, and meet
ing them on their own ground, in order f
lead them successfully upto manhood.
One who thus understands the mind h
has to deal with, can for the most par
though not always, lay his injunctions C.
the child in such a way as TO secure vii
, ling obedience from him. But of all thing
that can imagine, none is more wicke
t than that which sometimes takes place i
{ the case of fretful and morose parent:
who 20 among their children, and regard
less of their pursuits, by incgnsiderat
deeds or words, infuse their oxn poutnl
. sullen feelings into them and then harshl
command them; and then brutally bea
them. Under such circumstances the chill
submits ostensibIy, but not really. With
r are alive the glowing Goals of wrath, an
/ half-diselosed revenge. And as the chill
grows passionate, fierce inwardly, unde
the rebuke: and as soon as he Is out
5 his parents, this iierceness breaks out in
+. torrent of oaihs and abuse.
There are periods Of ehildren's live
when We arc admonished by God, | thinl
to employ corporeal chas'isement. | has
4 no extreme theory on this subject. Th'
Is Tie best way which brings up our childre
best. Every person has right to jads
= for himself in this matter. What that va
i may require ikapght; and the eKp'