The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1871-05-03
For THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN
Is IT TRUE?


upon which some look with suspicion, while
others openly mock at it. Now and then we
see child of godly parents going utterly
astray. And have heard a remark, in CUB
stance to this efect:-"The more pious the
parent, the worse the child" Yet the as
sertion of Gods word above referred to is,
"Train up child in the way he should go;
and when he is old he will not depart from
it." This declaration, some have learned to
hold very lightly, and think that it is con-
tradicted by facts. Let US see where the
trouble is. But just here, wish most en-
phatically to say that God has spoken truth
IN this very matter, as in all others.
Now it may be all beyond denial that god
ly parents do often seem to have the worst
children. Let it be granted What then? !?
Has any proof been found that those parents
did rightly obey God in training their chill
dren? 1t is too often assumed that because
the parent is godly, therefore the child has
been properly attended to. Again and again
it is said ;-"That boy had as good father
as ever lived. But see how terribly he has
turned out" So is the evidence summed up
against Gods word. Now may it not be
possible that the parent erred in his duty !?
The question may be answered by noting
the meaning of this expression "Train up a
child in the way he should CO." Whose way !?
What way? Not exactly that way some
times chosen by the parents, even though
they be most godly not perhaps always that
way in which they make the child go. Go,
not the way which the child too often goes.
The writer in Proverbs is speaking of the
doings and ways of "the Lord" 1t is
I" HIS sVay" then in which the child should
be trained, and not some other. And what
is HIS 0ayg l suppose that almost any
Sabbath School scholar can tell US what
Efectual calling is? And just so far as
it is possible to human power the parents
duty is to work up to that answer in the
case of ms child-especially the &C endghFen-
ing and persuading." God does not try to
drive us to Himself as we try to drive our
children. l say drive, for it is nothing else.
We cannot force human nature to love reli-
gion and children are human nature. The
process often adopted for making them good,
pious people fails in results, and the fault is
neither in the declaration of Gods word nor
in the child. OF course there is only one
other lodgment for it, namely, in the parent.
The illustrations are so many, that they
cannot here be set forth. But let US take
just one or two. A gOdly parent most earn
estly longs that his God shall be the God of
his children. He strives to "train' them in
the way they should go. How? Take as a
a sample, some Sabbath afternoon. q will
not select "week day" for too many pa
rents give no religious thought to their chill
dren during the week, and my illustration
might be out of place. The Sabbath after
noon then. The parent having returned
from church and eaten his unusually hearty
dinner, calls up the children to train them
A few verses are toiled through in not very
interesting manner. For surely, the truth
needs nothing to make it attractive. Then
the Bible is laid aside. Now comes the Cat
echism. The number of questions is set for
the lesson. The little ones are put to the
task of learning them, while the parent reads
the last paper, or takes comfortable nap.
In due time the test is applied. One after
another goes through with the recitation, and
wo be to the child that "misses his lesson. :"
Down comes the angry rod; or the sharp re-
buke cuts to his little heart. And this is
just the training, and about all of the reli-
gious training that some children get at
home. And by such, neither they nor any
will learn to look with kindly eye upon reli,
gion. 1t is no marvel that they often learn
to hate it. God never told any one to "train
up child in this way.
Another parent is at less trouble. He
simply puts the religious reading into the
child's hands, gives him a seat, and sets him
to work "under authority" That is "Sun-
day employment" Of course the little eyes
will get sleepy; the little body will grow
weary; the little heart will become nau8eated
with such religion as this. Human nature
is weak at best, even in innocent childhood.
Still another lays stern commands and
harshly threatens the rod against all that
savors of weekday plays and employments,
yet substitutes nothing for these. And
what shall the little ones do? What can
they do? Like some of whom the Bible
tells us, they learn to say of Gods day
"What weariness it is?" l say God does
not so tire and worry us in bringing US tc
the saving knowledge of Himself. 1t is not
HIS way. Ong,sufering; patient mercy
grace; oft-rejected, oft-renewed pleadings
teachings incessant; persuasiOns,-ah, who
shall number His ways, all full Of gOodnes;
and piety for our infrmities. And ther
when we do come to Him, it is because HI
has by His Spirit SO gently persuaded au(
enabled us to embrace Jesus Christ, freely