The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1880-09-09


obserVant of her children's walk, and
behavior, and books, and associates
However much help Hannah may have,
think she ought every year, at least,
make one garment for Samuel. The
Lord have mercy on the man who is 30
unfortunate as to have had lazy mother!
Again, Hannah stands before you az
an intelligent mother. From the way
in which she talked in this chapter, and
from the way she managed this boy, you
know she was intelligent There are no
persons in community who need Wis
dom and good judgment 30 much as our
mothers. Oh, this work of culture in
children for this world and the next!
This child is timid, and it must be rous
ed up and pushed out into activity. This
child is forward, and must be held back
and tanned down into modesty and po-
liteness. Rewards for one punishments
for another. That which will ruin John
will make George. The rod is necessary
in one case while frown of displeasure
is more than enough in another. Whip.
ping and dark closet do not exhaust
all the rounds of domestic discipline.
There have been children who have
grown up and gone TO glory, without
ever having their ears boxed. Oh, how
much care and intelligence is necessary
in the rearing of children! But in this
day, when there are 80 many books on
this subject, no parent is exCusable for
being ignorant of the besu mode of rails
ing children. If parents knew more of
dietetics, there would be fewer dyspep-
tic stomachs, and weak nerves, and in
active livers among children. If parents
knew more of physiology, there would
not be so many curved spines and in
iured chests, and inhamed throats, and
diseased lungs as there are now among
children, If parens knew more of art,
and were in sympathy with nature and
all that is beautiful, there would not be
so many children coming out into the
world with boorish proclivities, If par
ents knew more of Christ, and praCticed
more of his religion, there would not be
80 many little feet already starting on
the wrong road, and all around us voices
of riot and blasphemy would not come
up with such &c taCy of internal tri'
umph. The eaglets in the eyry have no
advantages over the eaglets thousand
years ago; the kids have no superior way
of climbing the rocks than the old goats
taught hundreds of years ago; the young
lions know no more than the young Ii
ons of ages ago-they are taught no
more by the lions of the desert; but it is
a shame that in this day, when there are
80 many opportunities of improving our
selves in the best manner of Culturiug
children, that 80 often there is no more
advancement in this respect than there
has been among the kids and eaglets and
lions.
Again, Hannah stands before you aa a
Christian mother. From her prayers
and from the way she consecrated her
boy to God, know she was coed. A
mother may have the finest culture, the
most brilliant surroundings; but she is
not fit for her duties except she be
Christian mother. There may be well.
read libraries in the house and exquisite
music in the parlor; and the canvas of
the best artists adorn the walls; and the
wardrobe crowded with the best apparel
aud the children be wonderful for their
attainments, and make the house ring
with their laughter and innocent mirth;
but there is something woeful- looking
in that house, if Christian mother does
not rule there. l bless God there are
not many prayerles5 mothers. The re.
sponslbility they bear is so great they
feel the need of Divine hand to help,
Divine voice to comfort, and Divine
heart to sympathize. Thousands of
mothers have been led into the kingdom
of God by the hands of their little child.
rem. There are hundreds of mothers
who would rot have been Christians,
had it not been for the prattle of their
lit le ones. Standing some day in the
nursery, they bethought themselves:
"This child God has given me to raise
for eternity; what is my influence upon
it? Not being a Christian myself, how
can ever expect him to become Chris
tiap? Lord help me-" Are there anx
ious mothers, who know nothing of the
Infinite help of religion? Then l com.
mend to them Hannah, the pious mother
of Samuel. Do not think it is absolutely
that your children come up
Out of just such fair brows,
and bright eyes, and soft hands, and in.
noCent hearts, crime gets its victims, ex
tirpating purity from the heart, and rub
bing out the smoothness from the brow,
and quenching the luster of the eye, and
up, and poisoning, and putre-
flying, and scathing, and blasting, and
burning with woe and shame. Every
child is bundle of tremendous possibile
tiles, and whether that child shall come
forth in life, its heart attuned to the eter.
nal harmonies, and after a life of useful
ness on earth, 60 to life of Joy in hea-
ven, or whether across it shall jar eter-
nal disCords, and after a life of wrong
doing on earth, it shall 90 to a home oil
darkness; and an abyss of
immeasurable plunge is being decided
by nursery song, and Sabbath lesson, and
evening prayer, and walk, and ride, and
look and frown, and smile. Oh! how
many children in glory, Crowding the
and lifting a million. voiced
hosanna, brought to God through Chris.
5ian parentage? One hundred and twen-
iy clergymen were together, and they
we're telling their experience and their
and out of the one hundred
and twenty, how many of them do you
suppose assigned, as the means of their
the influence of Christian
mother? One hundred out of the one
hundred and twenty! Philip Doddridge
was brought to God by the Scripture les
son on the Dutch tile of a chimney fire.
place. The mother thinks she is only |
a child; but, at the same time,
she may be rocking the fate of nations
rocking the glories of heaven. The same
power that may lift the child |
up, may press child down. A daugh.
Ter came to a worldly mother, and said |
she was anxious about her soul, and said |
,he had been praying all night, Her
mother said; "Oh, stop praying; l don't |
believe in praying. Get over all these
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