San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1880-05-08

-ths little feet that could not support
the weight Of it, limbs-begin 70
walk. and then. In . few years to climb
the mountains Of the earth. and travel
round the globel f M 8
What wonder, what . prodigy is
thisi How helpless when 6rss landed
on the shores Of ime utterly unable
TO distinguish between its blessings and
its bone soy l tth auf
Now what ere you to do with this
prodigy. This helpless child God
has'iastrassed you fully, on this point.
You are 70 train him up In tho way he
should goG'in the nurture ,and ad-
monition Of the Lord'-to provide for
all its necessities, for this rapid growth
this wonderful development Of body
and mind, and moral affections, and
If il has indeed been helped with
these wise instructions and . good ex-
ample, and If ia addition to these be.
nign homo influences it enjoys the ad-
vantages of the Sabbath School, and
outside ofthis. insrtruction suitable to
the full devslopement Of the mind,
then what . blessing ii may become
and how much good il may accomplish
for God and for humanity? isll4
But then on the other hand, sup
pose you permit this rapid growth and
development, to go on with out whole
some direction suppose you provide
for the wants Of the body and the cul'
tivation of the mind. but neglect the
moral nature, Suppose you leave your
child in this respect, to circumstances,
To chance, to caprice, and worse than
all to the sneers and gibes Of in6dehty
and q false example-do you not sec
that his feet will be led into the paths
Of folly and vice ? Why years roll on
and he wanders further and further
from the paths Of innocence and vir-
tue: And thus he is permitted to
wander, and from moral ignorance and
apathy or something worse, no effort
is made to bring him back, until his
habits rise up into gigantic forms Of
evil And, what uextP Why. then
follows, crime after crime Aud what
next2 Why. then. the officers Of jus
tice step in, and with prison and the
rope seek to terrify this man, this
monster, from doing any more evil. 4
Let these hints suffice. as they arc
conclusive o. to the importance Of the
moral and religious education Of our
children. Y ~ Q. 9.9. $50
And, here let me raise the question
where shsllwe find the most appreoia-
tive learners ? Who are the most
hopeful scholars to introduce into the
Sabbath Schools. these schools ofsA.
CRED learning s
The prophet Isaiah asks this same
question and answers it infallibly un.
der the inspiration Of &he Holy Spirit.
Listen: Whom shall he teach
knowledge =? and whom shall he make
to understand doctrine 2 Them that
are weaned from the milk. and drawn
from the breasts. For precept must
be upon precept, line upon line,
here little q and there q
little" The parent and the teacher
are stationed thus. by the authority Of
high heaven. at the gate Of the ohild's
life, at the very threshold Of existence.
And why? Because at this early per
iod, when he is 'weaned from the milk
end drawn from the Breasts" the
mind is malleable, and can be ham,
mered into any shapc-itis fluid, if
you will allow the expression. and can
be cast into any form-it is. in some
respects. as . sheet of white paper. on
which the philosopher can write his
wisdom. or the fool besmear his folly.
But more than oil, the answer which
the prophet gives to the questions ask.
ed. indicates clearly the important fact
that the knowledge of our relations to
God and eternity. is to be earnestly
and early inculcated-in the uerv
morning of life on the rising genera
ton.
There 10 Q wonderful adaptation in
the Bibls-the book Of God-to the
immortal mind, whether in infancy,
youth. or old age. For the ignorant
there is overAowing instruction in its
simplest forms for the learned there
are mysteries without end-profound
enough to engage and battle an angels
powers for the careless and the head
strong. there is reproof uttered in the
strongest terms for the timid and ir-
resolute there is the most soothing en-
eouragement for the errise. there
are directions that none can misuoder-
stand; for the presamptuous warnings
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