The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1861-02-27
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alone upon the mountains, and often cross
the lake with his disciples in their fishing
boats I" said Mr. Barry; "did he not speak
OF the birds and flowers God made them
all don't you think he meant we should
love them 1t says In the Bible, "He hath
made everything beautiful in his time" and
as God has "giVen Us all things richly to
enjoy" | think we should be very migrate.
full not to enjoy them.''
swell, then, you don't think play is wick
ed, do you 2" asked Fred, in esrnestuess.
"There may be wicked plays" replied the
minister, 5, ..hntslss19 itself II not wicked,
any more than eating, and drinking, end
running. and fifty other things. II we have
bad thoughts in our hearts, and act and talk
badly, then our play is wicked but if we
have innocent feelings, and play SO as to do
no harm to others, then play is not only
right, but necessary"
"But have heard people say, 'don't waste
your precious time in play" seid Fred.
"lf boy neglects his lessons, or duties,
to play, il would be wasting his tims," said
Mr.. Barry "but when a child's tasks are
done. he ought to play-God has made it
necessity for children to play the kitten
plays-the young OF all creatures play /; it is
natures wOy OF developing the muscles and
bones, and making them strong, and it is
good for the mind, for it teaches thought
Ycu may mistake some we'll meant teach.
ing, my boy" he continued "but do your
work we'll, and then play in earnest; only
avoid sin, and play will do you good, aud no,
HARM"
Il do plsy," said Fred, as he euped off
the rock, for he never sat still more than five
minutes "but I'm glad you have told me
this, for now shall not feel as if was do.
ing wrong so much as did Beforehand
he began to toss pebbles far out on the
sparkling water.
The minister sat thinking a while longer,
and then they turned their steps homeward.
81 hope Fred did not quite wear your pa.
tience out, sir" said Mrs. Chase that even.
ing, to the minister, "ior he is troublesome
company generally"
"Not at all, not at ALL" replied Mr.. Bar.
ry !; "on the ether hand, found him very
interesting and agreeable company. think
ho ic q Ind oI opoot nrono;so
"Indeed, sir" replied the mother, ri am
glad it you have discovered good in him, or
promise Of good. for haye been greatly
exercised on his account, and go has his ia.
ther. We have found him hard to manage,
and he does not love religious things OF a II,
and we We feared that he was firmly set in
the way to destruction. He is entirely un.
like his sisters but yet know Gods grace
is able to change him, and I hope it may"
"But his nature is entirely unlike theirs"
said Mr.. Barry, "and will be so even after
conversion, that is, his natural characters.
tics will remain the same. Your two daugh.
ters have pro(essed religion, yet before their
change OF heart, venture to say, they were
quiet, gentle, reverent children. Now, Fred
is ardent, energetic, impulsive, and 80 he al
ways will be, unless disease breaks him
down but Christian grace may modify that
nature, and engraft on it virtues which will
make him one of the brightest ornaments of
the church. Just now the animal nature
predominates, and so it will probably, for
some years to come. But he is not irrever.
ent, and he has his moments OF serious
thought, doubt not, only it will be neces.
sary to guard against one or two serious dan.
gers in dealing with such nature as his"
"To what danger do you in particular re-
fer :" asked Mrs. Chase.
81 think there is great danger in so fore
ing religious instruction upon the mind as to
disgust him with it, and produce aversion to
what he should love-" said the minister
"More can be done for him, by loving him
warmly, and bearing with his faults patient
ly, than by direct reproof and exortatioR. -
He knows what is right and wrong as we'll as
any one, and has an active conscience, and
he will cure his own faults OF outward con-
duct by-and by, and the labor of love will
not be lost on him unless his disgust is ex'
cited towards serious things by reiterated
enforcement of them upon him /; then, too,
should wish to discrimin ate between boyist
caprice and mirthfuness, and deliberate sins.
By treating the former as seriously as yol
would the latter, you will outrage bis sense
Of Justice"
Deacon Chase had come in while the min
lister was speaking, and finding that they
were talking Of Fred, he said 81 tell my
wife sometimes, that I'm afraid she gov
erns him to much"
"Do you think that is possible I" said
Mrs. Chase. and
II do, certainly" said the minister
"That is, the same amount OF coercion and
strictness Of dealing necessary for one child
may be ruincus to another, because he il
mentally constituted differently. Love ant
patience and sympathy may work wonders
for boy Of Fred's temperament, when they
would be thrown away or comparatively
powerlsss on an opposite nature.
swell, have been afraid Of spsring the
rod, or leaving any duty undOne towards him
said the mother "but perhaps have over