The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-04-14
THE cHILDREN.S COL UNIV

Column. He asks, Is it for edifcation
when we find in the staid, dignifed,
steady going columns of the CENTRAL
such startling announcements as the fol-
lowing?" and he then proceeds to quote
some childish talk from one of the chill
drens letters in recent number of our
paper
He objects also to allowing the little
ones to get their names in print, and
would prefer to see us put down the
breaks on this fast age, ETC.
We are not at all surprised at the
making of the last point: we are sur
prised at the first.
1t is desirable to get the children in
terested6n the paper. 1t is desirable to
make them familiar with it, and to oct
them in the habit of reading it. To do
this, we must treat them as children; we
must deal with them as parents and
teachers deal with children. In order to
make them read the childrens column.
we throw in the puzzles and the chill
drens letters to attract them. When
they form the habit of asking for the pa
per and reading the children's column.
then we have carried the first point in
such matter; we have secured their at
teat'on We then proceed to provide
more valuable matter, and give them re-
llglous stories, etc. So we hope to give
them every week some valuable religious
instruction. But if we should publish
nothing in the childrens column but dry
advice or extracts from the Shorter Cat
echism, they would merely learn to dis
like the paper, and they would actually
avoid it.
The Children's Column of our paper is
not Church. We put things there to make
the children laugh; we publish stories of
lions and tigers to crafty their magma
tions. We publish also vast amount of
religious truth, which they silently i'm
bibe, and which they do not receive like
a dose of physic.
AS to the publication of their names
children are not ordinarily thoroughly
sanctifed persons like Mr.. Inskip, and
we must appeal to those motives which
influence at least unregenerate persons,
and which, for wise purposes, God has
| planted in the human breast. A child
ought to learn his lesson from the motive
to glorify God, but we ordinarily have
to content ourselves by offering to give
the little one doll or bundle of candy
or medal. These motives are not wrong
per Sc. The thoroughly informed Chris
tian will act from higher motives But
the desire to excel is not sinful. The
desire of praise is not sinful. The desire
to have houses, furniture horses, candy,
dolls, tops, is not sinful. Such motives
must only be Subordinated, and when men
are unregenerate they are the highest
motives which will influence them. and
we appeal to them. Even the preacher
likes to be told that he breaches accept
ably; shall not child like it? We do
not, after very careful reflection, think
that harm results from giving the names
OF the children who have guessed the
riddles. 1t is done in every school. 1t
is done at Hampden Sidney The 6eae-
tit lies in this: as matter of fact we be-
lieve FIVE children read the paper now for
one that read it before.
We publish an Agricultural column.
which we try to adapt to farmers. Per
haps the farmer would be better occupied
reading the same amount of religion,
matter but, as matter of fact. some
would not have the paper at all unless
we furnished some agricultural matter.
So we publish Literary column.
We would remark in conclusion to our
brother that people differ. Complaints
were made to us by parents that our chill
dren's column was too dull, and we were
told that it failed to interest the children
There was considerable criticism of the
lack of interest in this department. Since
we got into communication with the chill
dren by allowing them to write and Civ
ing them puzzles, all this is changed
Our correspondence with the children is