The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1878-05-30
Our Young People
BY REV. R. H. RIVERS. D. D.
influence.
LESSON FIFTEENTH.

uCSAlCS " nEANC OI4C4o AtO eANAOANAAAA
to his views and to become sub
servient 10 his wishes. The boy
sees = magnet placed among little
bits of iron, and he watches these
small particles as they gather round
the magnet and fasten themselves
to it as though drawn to il by Vi
tai force. Then he says, "What a
power in this magnet Would that
| could draw all the boys around
me and make them hang To me and
depend upon me just as these iron
filings are drawn to the magnet"
This desire to WELD influence is not
only natural and instructive, but it
is praiseworthy when properly
guarded and controlled. l do not
believe that any one however lowly
can be found altogether destitute of
influence. All have some power.
The child in its mothers arms be
gins to exercise influence with the
first smile that plays over its limo
cent face. With ats first cooings it
thrills the young mothers heart
with 4 new and holy JOY. The first
step that the child takes and the
first word it tries to speak produce
thrill of pleasure which only pa
rents can appreciate, and which can
hardly be oyerrated. Good chill
dren are the richest blessings that
can bring happiness and JOY to any
home. They are more precious
| than rubies 1t Is no marvel that
the noble Roman mother declined
showing her jewels to her wealthy
visitor who had been Boosting of
some rare and costly diamonds, u
til her two little boys came home
from school. Then pointing to her
children she said these immortal |
words; "Here are my jewels" Her
boys were her most beautiful orna-
ments. They were the light and |
JOY of the household. They gave |
to her home its sweetest attractions. |
Their influence was sweeter than
the fragrance of rarest flowers, and /
than the odor of costly ointment
poured forth.
Such is always the influence of
intelligent, loving and obedient
children. | doubt whether any
writer has ever yet presented in all
its force and with sufficient moral
emphasis the influence Of children.
The Master showed his appreciation
of childhood when he said, "Sufer
the little children to come unto
me-" The Scribes and Pharisees
showed their dread of this wonder
full influence when the children ac-
cOmpanied the blessed Jesus with
scattered flowers and loud shouts OF
hosannai hOsanna! to Him that
cometh in the name of the Lord
Robert Raikes showed the wonder
full influence of children when he
gathered them into the Sabbath
schools to be instructed in the great
interests of virtue and religion. The
great movement of this age illus
trates this great truth. No scenes
of earthly beauty can equal that
which glows in the shining faces of
a hundred children gathered IN the
house of the Lord. No music that
pours forth from band or orchestra
can rival in sweetness, in attractive
ness and in power the melody of
Sabbath school songs as sung by j
large and well trained gatherings of
well-instructed children. Nothing
has given such an impulse to sacred
song and nothing has given such
an impetus to Bible study as the
millions of children who are not '
only girdling the globe with their !
vast numbers, but are actually NOV '
ing the world as their little feet
patter to the Sunday school 1t is
the influence of the children that 7
has opened China to the power of
the gospel II is to childhood that
the self-denying missionary looks :
with hope and joy. 1t is from the I
children that Christianity has gath Y
cred and is still gathering its rich y
est trophies. 1t is to the children I
Of the present generation that we II
ook for the future glory Of the "
Church, and for the continued pro- V
yress and honor of the country. 1t II
s from the children we must raise n
Up the men who must ill our pull q
pits, make our laws, write our u
books, marshal our armies, teach
our schools, edit our papers, govern Y
our States and fashion the destinies
If the race. The little girl now
eads this paper who is TO be a min NJ
stering angel when pain and an s;
gaish wiring the brow; who is to be ii
Florence Nightingale in the minis be
ration of mercy; Mrs. Somerville
n the fields of investigation; a he
Hanna Moore in the paths Of litera y
ure, or a Mrs. Judson in carrying it
he gospel OF peace to those who co
re still sitting in tie region and =,
hadow Of death. The little boy
5 now listening to his mother or
lister reading this lesson who is to =
ontrol senators like Webster or -
LAY; or lead armies like Washing
Oh or Lee; or make discoveries like e
Newton or Kepler; or produce in ali
entions like Watt or Fulton; or lei
reach like Bascom or Summarized, co
purgeon or Chalmers fat
1t is TO rouse every you. z person sti
o an appreciation Of his power or nA
# her power that l write aud send
ut these weekly lessons. 1t is to y
our individual influence that l n
fish to direct your attention. 1t is
our influence that must make ia
ONE dark or bright, happy or Il
1t is your influence which Va
ill either make your parents melt
D love, rejoice IN hope, or hang gir
heir heads in shame. / have seen bill
wretched father almost speeches. :
18th agony because of the wicked
nd disgraceful conduct of a loved
on. ! have seen a mother with III
u 10 anguish because Of the ruin ".
f her daughter who had wilted ike ~
hlighted flower under the pollut-
~ touch Of vile and sinful passion.
have seen 3 mother broken heart 4
I and father with all the strength
f a noble manhood giving way un
er the fearful blows administered "a
y All ungrateful child. The blan-
ishments OF fortune, the glorious
de of prosperity, the deep inter