Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1868-12-11
Fiom the Lutheran and Visitor.

'''eo W. hatFc ScCtlcu anu correct
views thereof. In other words we
must believe that with the divine di-
rection and blessing on our efforts. rs
parents, our children will grow up
not only moral and honorable, but
| Christians.
To accomplish anything worthy of
effort, in any department of life, we
must have fixed and definite aim be-
fore lis. Ailnfess labor, however car
nest, never results in anything valua-
BILE. .E ... .
Would the farmer endure the heats
OF summer, and bear the fatigue in
cldent to husbandry, with the convic-
ton deeply wrought in his on mind,
that no valuable results were to fol-
low? No, the farmer plows and sows
I" hope. He expects to realize an
equivalent for all his expenditure Of
money and physical strength.
Would the student con his books.
trim the midnight lamp, cut loose
from the joys Of society, ard for years
submit to the severe discipline and
dull routine Of academic duties. with
out the firm conviction that all this
would be followed by the most GER
tain and valuable results in after life ?
1t is the man who does not believe
that laudablc, we'll directed effort will
be followed by its appropriate reward
who fails in the great mission of life.
According to your faith, SO be it un-
to you," may apply in the secular no
less. than i'll the spiritual walks of life.
Let any one hold the conviction
that he can never become an artist, n
mechanic, a scholar, and as certainly
as the sun shines or God exists, the
result will be in accordance with tho
faith held.
so let the parents and the Church
hold that children cannot be made to
grow up i'll the fear and love of God,
as the result Of u judicious, scriptural
training, or what is equivalent to such
faith, let them hold no settled views,
or cherish no definite aims OH the
subject, and all that they believed
will be realized.
Nor is the result to be wondered at.
Having no faith in the result of effort
in that direction, no effort was made.
Men when left free to net, with ref
erence to all subjects, act rs they be-
lieve. To believe, therefore, that
"childrcn are n heritage of the Lord"
and should be, through proper culture,
and religious training kept for Him,
is to secure in most cases, correspon-
ding effort to believe the contrary, is
to doom to spiritual neglect, and too
often, spiritual ruin, the children when
God entrusts to our call. But what
warrant have we to expect that chill
dren properly trained, may aye will
become Christians in carly life, SO ear
ly, that, rs has been the case with
thousands, they may never know tho
time when their natures were renew
ed?
Our answer is, "Gosl's sure ,vord of
testimony" a II Sc . .4'.,a - :
Strip the Bible of every thing re
lating to the subject, but the 4th verse
of the 9th. chapter of Ephesians.
"Andyc fathers provoke not your
children to wrath; but bring: them
up in the nurture and Ammunition Of tho
Lord" and there ought to BE- no
doubt. -,.
Bring them up, not wait. till they aro
drouyhtup-but bring them up in the
nurture and admonition of the: lord.
Suppose the command read, s'Bring
up your children in the virtues Of obe-
dicnce and truth, "9awho by word or
deed would claim, that it meant. that
when children have grown large, land
have :acquircd' the practice of .disobe
dience and falsehood; then is theaime
to:teaeht them to Obey their parents,
and to lore and practice the truth. az!
;.How absurd would such interpreta-
tation of q plain prccept appear But
absurd as it would, seem in tho case
supposed; it is just 3as absurd in con-
necbon with. the passage aunder con-
sideration. And yet we do; soy tho
declaration Of Paul to the, Ephesians,
means thatiwe are to olettour children
take their own course in things espiri-
tual, and aafter. they, have groson up,
Undertake to bring Them up=in the nur-
ture and admonition of tho Lord, sin
too many cases, I'VE feary in the.largD
majority, stch2is the aplyilanguage:of
our actions, which are q hotter oXpo-
nent Of sourfaith tbamour words IS
5! ThislapgaagssoR Paul teaches this
and nothing more nor less. re- rss tAs.
3 'tsaEaueatsl and ';bring.up the. children
of the, Church 5or God. x They4a are his.
See toiit, that. for want Of Vigilance.
on ayons part, they do not tss1ayeGsaadr
.dessrt ITO the opposipa Jaakssso of sthet
EhufCh.u,ft ID s,ti.E. NJ, aa:t:n .sS.sl