Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1881-01-22
TRAIN THE CHILDREN
PRACTICAL EFFORT.

1bCllCuuuCla LII y NlCdbOI III bliC
days of thy youth,n is an injunction
too plain to be misconstrued, but
how by human hand this good prn-
ciple is to be impressed upon the
minds and make an essential part of
the nature of the young, is subject
OF vast Importance. AS the twig is
bent so is the tree inclined, is prin-
ciple in the law of nature that can
not be gainsayed, but how true it
also is, that, with the most careful
nurture other elements obstruct and
defeat our best efforts to enforce
even this principle. In religion we
have the Bible for a guide and
churches as aid to point the way to
God, but too often the Sunday school
is used as simple nursery, to be
abandoned as soon as the child be-
comes old enough to display temper
and wilfulness, and the result is, a
hardening process against all that is
righteous and good. This is grave
question for parents and ministers.
AS one of the means to keep in train
ing the minds of the young, Rev.
Mr.. Woods, of the Presbyterian
church, land the same may be the
practice of other ministers), has re-
quested parents not to let their chill
dren return home from the Sunday
school, but to have them in the
church for regular services, and be-
fore beginning the sermon reads such
portions Of the Scriptures as are ap-
plicable and talks to them in such
way sto lead their thoughts to the
love of Christ, their duties, and the
beauties and blessings Of the eternal
rest vouchsafed those who love God
and keep his commandments. Par
ents should keep their children at
church for such work, and shoald be
thankful for such aid in helping them
along with the great responsibility of
rearing children, who must either be
a blessing or a curse upon society
victims for Satan or ornaments in
the Heavenly Kingdom. Quoting:
"There is no greater mistake than
that which despises the day of small
things; no other part of all our Lords
teaching is so emphatic as that
which teaches the preciousness in
our Heavenly Fathers sight Of the
least and smallest of all the begin
nings of good. 'The Kingdom of
Heaven, said He, SIS grain of mus
tard seed, which, when it is sown in
the earth, is the least of all seeds
that be in the earth; but when it is
| grown, it becometh a great tree, and
the fowls of the air come and lodge
| in the branches thereof The Faith
er's care, He is always reminding us,
is over all His little ones. The great
and shining rewards He promises
are promised to those who do but
give cup of cold water to one of
| these little ones. 1t is the lost lamb,
the weakest and tiniest of all the
flock, it is the prodigal son, hayward,
wilful, wicked, wasteful, wanton,
ruined, and at the end only sorry; it
is the lost woman, deepest sunken
in hopeless mire, and fit only to be
carried away with the filth of the
earth; it is always the outcast, the
rejected of men; that is the first
chosen of Christ for God. And when
ever we exclaim at such marvellous
unwisdom, the sharp answer is al
ways the same and always most
quietly spoken, Il came not to call
the righteous but sinners There is
no measure of goodness too small to
be precious in the sight of God, and
| whoever wishes to test his own god
likeness will find no surer test, no
exacter scale for self-mersurement
than this probing inquiry. How
precious to me are the smallest mer-
its discernible in my fellow men ?"
-~<zMan@~-
| ri