Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-11-23

'nough, they must overload it with uphol- ;
terings of silk and laces, and then torture :
Is graceful freedoms into the tongs and /
screws of arbitrary fashion. On certain
Sabbath these parents brought their child
zen to church, and formally devoted them
% the Lord in baptism. Butall the rest of
The time they are consecrating their off
spring to that other trinity-fashion, fnery
md folly! tell you that overdressing of
the body strikes through into the heart 1t
poisons the mind with Alterations and most
greed of admiration and vain
glory. How can stop ever be put to the
crop of tops and fashionists, if children are
to be trained into foppery and coxcombery
from their cradles? How can our children
be taught self denial, frugality, humility,
and spiritual mindedness while their grace
ful forms are smothered under the artificial
trappings Of pride and extravaganza? |
am quite sure that when the sensible He
brew mother "made a little coat for her
lovely boy she remembered that he was
Client unto the Lord" and not to the ''lust |
of the eye and the pride of life"
But there is another meaning which
wish to give this "little coat" In the BIZ
bic dress is an emblem ofcharacter. Christ
ianity is spoken of as a raiment; we are
exhorted to put on Christ" to be Clothed
with humility" and to keep our garments
unspotted from the world. Nor is it a mere
puma playing with sacred words to re-
mind you that habit both signifies dress
and signifies the disposition of the mind
and its tendency to good or evil. The hab-
it of doing right is the essence of godliness.
Now we parents not only clothe our lit
tie ones; we also provide, in no small de-
gree, the habits Of their souls. We help
to clothe them in garments of light and
loveliness, or else in garments of sin and
sorrow and shame We make for them
coats which no moth can consume-coats
which they shall be wearing after we have
nodded into dust Our children put on the
example we set, and wear it. Not only
what we say, but what we do, will be re-
peated in their opinions and theircOnduct.
Our characters stream into our children
1t enters through their eyes and through
their ears every moment. How quick they
are to copy US! No Photographic plate is
more sensitive to the images which lodge
there. Our irritations irritate them. Our
dissimulations make them tricky and de-
ceitfu. If boy is handled harshly, and
jerked into obedience, he will likely turn
out sulky, obstinate creature; he will be
Just what our impatient rudeness makes
him. If malicious tattle sour our CONVEX
sation at the table, our children's teeth
will be set on edge" If we talk only
money, money, money" they will be
greedy for sharp bargains. If we talk Choir
ses," and base ball, and race courses, D
etc, they will be on fire with a rage for
sporting. five give our boys dollar for
the toy shop or the place of amusement,
and only a dime for the contribution box,
we shall teach them that self indulgence Is
Of ten times more Importance than charity
If we live for the world, they will die OF
the world, and be lost forever! The mind
garments which we weave they will wear
Long after we are dead, our children will
be clothed in the habits we helped to fash.
ion.
! Mr.. A--has always thought it gentee
and hospitable to offer wine at his table
His sons have learned to love it. They
: take something stronger and quite too much
q of it, How does the father like the Goa
e. which he made for his boys?
Brother Bias insisted that the thea
= ire is mot so bad place as the minister
= would make out" So he went occasional
e ly and took his sons and daughters. The!
e grew fond of it, and of the seductive nudi
b ties which disgrace the American stage
l. His boys have been "set on fire of hell :;
If they have been led by the theatre to tn
saloon, and to the fashionable brothel :
- How does Brother Bike the coat hi
Il boys are wearing?
It Mrs. Chains that the ball room is
Il good place to learn graceful manners. S
is she sent her daughters. They have learne
e everything the modern ball room teache
everything mot excepting the indecen
is Ground dances.") Her daughters walt
If and dress superbly. But, as she looks q
d them from her dying bed, how will she az
is prove the moral apparel in which she cloth
l. ed them? rather think that ''the orna
ment of a meek and quiet spirit" will loo
d better than all the costly paraphernalia {
If the ball ROOM
n, My fellow-parents we are weaving OF
st children's habits every hour. We do it &
lie clothes are made, stitch by stitch. We d
lie it by little things and through unconscou
influences. We are making the 'littl
ly coats" which shall be worn not only
of this world but in the world to come. Oh
n how much it depends on US whether the
in shall walk in white" among the glorifie
m in heaven The property we can leave oil
e. children may be small indeed We ms
III not afford them an expensive education
:, But day by day we can be prayerfully, p
tiently weaving for them that garment
godliness which shall grow brighter al
by brighter until they put on the shining "a
IL ment like unto those before the Throne +
mt Rer. T. i. Cayler in independent