Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1870-03-28
MISCELLANY.
A it,alk With Parents.

| know thousands of parents who have
received from God child, and then they turn
the young immortal into dressmakers doll
AS if God had not made the little creature
beautiful enough, they must overload it with
upholstering of silk and laces, and theu torture
its graceful freedom into the tongs and screws
of arbitrary fashion. On certain Sabbath
these parents brought their children to church,
and formally devoted them to the Lord in
baptism But all the rest Of the time they
are consecratihg their offspring to that other
trinity-fashion, 6nery and folly tell you
that this overdressing Of the body strikes
through into the heart. 1t poisons the mind
with afectations and most unchildlike greed
of admiration and vain-glory. How can a
stop ever be put to the crop Of fops and fash
ions if children are to be trained into foppery
and co1combery from their cradles? How can
our children be taught self-denial, frugality
humility, aud Observation-Disclosures, while their
graceful forms are smothered under the arti-
fetal trappings Of pride and extravaganza
! am quite sure that when the sensible Hebrew
mother made little coat for her lovely,
boy, she remembered that he was lent unto
the lord" and not 10 the " lust of the eve and
the pride of life."
But there is another meaning which I wish
to give this little "coat" In the Bible dress
is an emblem of character. Christianity is
spoken Of as a raiment; we are exhorted to
"put on Christ" to be " clothed with humili-
ty," and to keep our garments unspotted from
the world Nor is it a mere puma playing
with sacred words, to remind you that habit
both signifies dress and the dispotism of the
mind and its tendency to good or evil. The
habit of doing right is the essence Of godli-
ness.
Now, we parents not only clothe our little
once; we also provide, in no small degree,
the habits of their souls. We help 20 cothe
them in garments of light and loveliness, or
else in garments of sin aud sorrow and shame
We make for them coats which no man can
consume-coats which they shall be wearing
after we have mouldered into dust Our chill
dren put on the example we set, and wear it,
Not only what we say, but what we do, will
be repeated in their opinions and their con-
duct. Our character streams into our chill
dren. 1t enters into their eyes and through
their ears every momsnt. How quick they
are to copy us No Photographic plate is
more sensitive to the images which lodge there.
Our dssmulatons make them tricky and de-
ceitful. If a boy is handled harshly, and
erked into obedience, he will likely turn out
sulky, obstinate creature; he will bejust what
our impatient rudeness makes him. If mali
cious tattle sour conversation at the table, our
rhildren'5 teeth will be set on edge" If we
talk only "money, money, money" they will be
greedy for sharp bargains. If etalk horses"
and baseball" aud race courses, etc., they
will be on fire with a rage for sporting If
we give our boys dollar for the toy shop or
place of amusement, and only dime for the
contribution box, we shall teach them that
is of ten times more importance
than charity. If we live for the world, they
will die for the world, and be lost forever
The mind-garments which we weave, they
will wear. Long after we are dead, our chill
dren will be clothed In habits we helped to
fashion.
Ny fellow-parents, we are weaving our chill
dren's habits every hour. We do it as clothes
are made, stitch by stitch. We do it by lit
tie things and through unconscious influences.
We are making the little coats" which shall
be worn not only in this world, but in the
world to come! Oh, how much il depends on
us whether they shall walk in white" among
the gloriaed in heaven The property @e can
leave our children may be small indeed We
may not afford them an expensive education;
but day by day, we can be prayerfully, pa
tiently weaving for them that garment of good
ness which shall grow brighter and brighter
until they put on the shining rainent like unto
those before the throne.
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