The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1868-07-08
HELPING CHILDREN TO LIE.
BY HENRY WARD BEECHER.

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That lying is bound up in the hearts of
children il would not Become me 10 deny.
But certainly il i, often antied. Indeed,
children there are few who will not tell
lles--the testimony of their parents to the
coatrary notwithstanding.
But, OF two facts am reasonably sure
First, that children's iaIsehoods are often
as. much the parents fault as their own |;
aud secondly, that children do not lie as
much as grown up people do, and seem to
do So only IRON want OF skill and long
practice.
Lies are instruments OF attack or of de-
lence, aud so may be classed as offensive
or defensive. Chldren's Les are almost
always defensive, and for the NEST part are
employed IN defending themselves against
parents, nurses, elder brothers and sisters,
and schUuImasters. Being weak and help
less, c0ncealment is in their case, as IN the
animal kingdom, almost the unl means OF
defence. Chhdren's lies are in mutitudes
ol Instances mere attempts to hide them
selves from sharp censare or sharp whip
ping.
Take case from life. Master Harry is
sent to mil one day IN winter, but with
strict Iujunctions not TO stop and skate.
But The pond was SO inviting, the boys
there were 80 merry, they so persussively
cUaxed bin, that il was not in his soc iai lit
tie heaIt To refuse. Of course he skates
longer than he intended. On reaching home
he Is questioned: " Why have you been 50
long. HArry?"
" on-the gri,t was not ground, and |
had 10 wait" Did you go oatu the pond:'
=" M, sir, didn't"
Here is pretty tangle Of lies! The old
gentleman runs his hand into the bag and
finds the meal stone cold. lie rides over
10 ,he mill 10 inquire about matters aud 6nds
that the grist had been ground the day be-
lore he rides hone and calls up the urchIn,
who knew that grst now was To be ground
tina, would be hot enough. Here was dis,
cruss.questloning. secondary lie, explana-
tory and delensory OF the first. 9f course
puaish,nent was earned and Je>en But
the boy did not lie because he liked to, or
because he was indifferent to the truth. He
was suborned by lear. lie shrank from
punishment, and tried 10 hide behind lie.
The refuge proved ,reacherous. as It ought
to have done.
But, now, is there no lesson TO parents in
this thing: Shall they hastily place their
children between such unequal motives as
Conscience and Fear The lower instincts,
N children, are relatively tar slrodger than
moral sentiment. Conscience is weak and
unpracticed. while Fear is powerful, and,
at times, literally irresistible.
The fear of pain, the fear OF shame, the
fear Of ridicule drive children into false
houds. Those who govern them might, at
least, remember how il was 10 their own
cases, and 30 manage as to help Conscience
against fear rather than by threats and stern
uess make the IemptstInn irresistible.
Children are very delicate instruments
Their minds are undeveloped, ungoverned,
and aeutely sensitive. Men play upon them
as il they were tough as drums, and, like
drums, made tJr beating. They are to be
helped mure than blamed. onesn sympa'
thg with their little souls will lead them
along safely amid temptations TO ialseh"Od,
where rndc aud impetuous nature will
plunge them headloEg into wrong.
The one element ol real manhood, above
all others, is Truth. A child should not
be lelt'to learn how TO be true, how to re-
sist temptations. how to give judgment in
favor Of right and virtue. Here is the ye'
~ place where help is needed--patience,
counsel, encouragement. In.
stead Of these the one motive, too often, is
the Whip!
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