Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-02-11
Central Presbyterian Chtrch.


Eulogy of Professionalism by Rev. Breed
Central Presbyterian Church.
There was moderate attendance at this
church yesterday morning, and as the rite Of
baptism was administered the Rev. VIM
McKibbin took the opportunity of address
ing his flock upon the Importance of home
training Of children, more especially in con-
nection with the literature of the day. Fol
his text he selected sentence from the
twelfth verse of the twelfth chapter OF
Ecclesiastes OF making many books there
is no end.''
He said that the ordinance administered
this morning brought forceaby to his mind
the pastors responsibilities, in connection
with subject which lay close to his mind
and heart. He wished to speak to them on
their responsibilities to the young Never
was there time he said when the press had
80 much influence as it has to-day. Books
and pamphlets and magazines and news
papers were teeming upon us-there was no
industry, no sect, no political party, no shade
of opinion upon matter, religious or secular
which had not its advocate or organ, and it
became the duty of every parent to ask
''What is the effect of the literature of the
day upon our children?" He doubted if the
question were put to every parent if any one of
them could tell what their children read, or
what the effect of their reading is ultimately
calculated to make upon them, or how it will
influence them in their battles with the
storms and adversities of life. Few people
can have personal knowledge of what their
children read. They are careful of their
companions, but cannot be of their reading.
Companionship is an important matter in
education, but yet greater care is neces-
sary in watching over and selecting proper
reading for child. Bad books are more
deadly antagonist to the child than the most
degraded companionship can be. There are
books which, in beautiful language, ar
ray viciousness i'll all the attractive
array of virtue and like the snble serpent at
tract but to diffuse the most deadly poison.
The man who disseminnates such literature
is unspeakably worse than the wretch who
points out a false beacon light to mislead the
unwarry mariner upon the shoals and rocks,
and quicksands of destruction. 1t becomes q
question of the most precious Importance to
every parent to know what their children
read Parents can prevent children from
reading if they would and they should not
if they could. Even if parent could isolate
q child from the literature of the day it
would be disadvantage to the child in
the great battle of life and
make that child only an easier prey to vice.
Better rather would it be to give the
children a taste for that which is pure and
elevating. In selecting books or papers for
children, care should be taken that no publ
cation should be selected which is unfavorable
to religion. He did not believe much in
books which were unnatural in their teach
ings-books required to be something more
than morel, they should be true-true to
nature. They should show life as it is,
not an ideal life. Many religious
books fall short of their object just
because of this ideality. He spoke censur-
ingly of the 'goody' style of Sunday school
liter allure in which good little boys and
girls-too good to live die young. Child
nature shrinks from the grave with horror
and abhors that which is gloomy. Another
mistake in teaching children was the practice
of telling child if he do wrong it will
Immediately be followed by punishment, and
if he do right his reward will instantly fol
low. Sunday books tell of little boys
who becuse they went fishing on Sunday
were drowned-all boys who fish Oh Sunday
will be drowned. If a child steal apples, he
will surely die of cholera. This kind of
teaching is not only mere nonsence but per-
nicious in it's effect. Sooner or later the
child offends in some of these particulars
and he finds punishment does not i'm
mediately follow, and his faith is destroyed
Educate children to go through life. Par
x,y1n oil ], !
they train them in the dollhouse system of
most religious publications prodigies
perhaps will be produced, but prodigies
arenot natural, and the cold blasts of rea
life when they are exposed to the world will
blast the hot house plant.
Books for children should not be dull
gloomy, uninviting. Fcx's book of Martyrs
and other such publications tend to inspire
the child with the, thought that there is
something very dull and gloomy about good
ness, and something very spicy about wick
edness. The Christian could take lessor
from the dime novel class of literature il
preparing literary food for the child-mind
He next warned against the odious practic.
of associating good books with punishment
giving children tasks from the Bible or
hymn book as punishment for some of
Tense. Never place the stigma of penalty ant
shame, he said, upon the literature 20,
would have your children cherish-do no
single out that which is the literature of lit
erature, the gem of gems, and associate
with punishment, as this makes the beautiful
odious to the young mind.
In conclusion he said the battle of the flu
ture was fought in the home circle. N
parent should be satisfied with what tn
children ought to be; they should find on
what they read and place in their hands lii
erature which will lead them to turn ava
from that witch is impure, and make the1
what they have promised to make then
children of God.
.Ia1Esnll Street III. II, Church.