Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1872-02-29
Telling Children Lies.

Perhaps more compliment readers could
be found for this article if slight
transposition were given to the above
words, making the subject read, "Children
Telling Lies" But since, in many cases,
the children are sinned against in this
matter long before they sin, the above
straightforward, plain Anglo-Saxon is
better way Of putting it, than more
roundabout euphemistic phrasing. Lying
is said to be the besetting sin of childhood
And little wonder if the little ones be sad
ly overtaken with that fault, considering
the early and frequent examples set be-
fore them by too many parents. People
who live very respectable and upright
lives in other respects, will tell two
year-old child a plump out-and-out false
hood, without confusion of face, and
even smile in real amusement at the
effect of their deception. Doubtless
many do it in sheer thoughtlessness, not
fully knowing the harm they are doing.
But people ought not to be so needless
when it is a shameful crime against the
trustful innocence OF childhood, which,
apart from the lie, is no light sin. "Any-
thing to keep children quiet" seems to
be maxim as well accepted as "All's
fair in love and war;" To stop fit of
peevishness or keep little one out of
mischief, innumerable ''fibs' are told,
doubtless enough to keep the father
Of lies in daily chuckle of
fiendish delight at this gratui-
tous schooling in his own evil way, and
at such careless sowing of corrupt seed,
for sorrowful reaping some day, DOG
gle in that churn," said foolish aunt to
wee fodder, who was investigating the
4 L. 4 l.xnl.
curious things to its little comprehension.
The amazed look of wondering increduli-
ty on the child's face was not amusing to
any thoughtful, sympathetic lover of
children. "Come in this minute, big
dog'll bite YOU" is not uncommon for
mula, effective for q time in bringing chill
ferocious cur is never forthcoming
Sometimes an imaginary bear is in
voked to "come and eat this bad
child up" "Come with mamma, and go
| by-by,' said gentle mother, not long
since in the hearing of the writer. She
wished to remove the child from the room
to the kitchen without q "scene," and SO
she tried the strong lure of promised
visit out doors. ] shall not soon forget
the searching, questioning look the child
gave its mothers face before it permitted
itself to be taken, silent, half-bewildered
! ~ -e4fetttbtt,- from the room. The child
was learning the terrible lesson of distrust,
and the still worse one of deceit.
But time would fail to note all the null
tifarious modes of telling children lies.
The conscienccs Of the guilty ones must
supply what is omitted The foregoing
are among the milder examples. There
are other forms, full of the unknown and
terrible by which not few weak-they
would not like to be called wicked-pa-
rents seek to control obstreperous chill
dren. They make use of monstrous
myths, concerning impossible, far-awey
places, where vaguely awful and improb-
able things will befall them or they tell
fearful tales of utterly incredible person
ages who will consign them to doleful inn
prisonment, preparatory to eating them
up.
Such vicious schooling prepares the
way for cold, callous unbelief in the
sacred mysteries of the Bible. Children
are richly endowed with beautiful trust
and faith. They are born believers, and
the first rude, heartlcss shock to their
perfect faith must be unspcakably sad
and bewildering, and may lead to soul-dls-
asters irreparable. Let us remember the
words of him who said "Whoso shall
offend one of these little ones which be-
lieve in Me, it were better that milestone
were hanged about his neck, and that he
were drowned in the depth of the sea. -
Austtn 4. Ha9erDsaa, IN Hearth and
Home.