Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1884-04-10
Readina fur the Sabbath.
CONDUCTED BY
REV. ROBERT LATHAM.
[orlginal.
PARENTAL TRAINING.

God in his providence has established a
very interesting and very important rela'
tionship between parents and their offspring.
The child is largely dependent upon its par.
ents, and parents feel that they are in many
respects, largely responsible for the life and
comfort of their child. For several years OF
it's existence every child is dependent upon
it's mother, or some one who will supply the
place of mother, for food and that peculiar
watchful care without which it cannot live.
There is no living being more helpless than
that of another. Physically, mentally and
morally the child mustb be trained, or it must
remain creature possessed of undeveloped
capabilities. Its instincts are few in num-
Der and void of power. With its tiny body
there is, mysteriously united, an immortal
soul; but it requires training to bring that
soul into action. The proper persons to dis
charge that important office are the parents
of the child. This is one of the appoint
ments of God.
Parents are largely responsible for the po-
sitiOn which their offspring occupy in socie'
ty. Children in their features and in the
forms of their bodies resemble their parents,
and they inherit the mental traits of their
parents. but children are like their parents,
in that, in a great majority of cases, they are
the rigid imitators of their parents. The
child learns to talk by initiating the parents.
No matter what may be the language of the
parents it will be the language Of the child
Parents are required to teach their chill
dren to be obedient to themselves. This is
the first lesson in the system of training
which God has appointed. The neglect, on
the part of parents, to discharge this duty,
is always attended with the most unfavora-
BILE results. Parents could adopt no more
certain method to bring their children to in.
fanny and shame than to neglect to demand
way is to point out to it the broad road that
leads to destruction and to encourage it to
walk therein. Parents who allow their chill
dren to do as they please will, in the MAORI
ty of cases, be brought to shame by their
children. The first step toward the peniten-
tiary or gallows, is disobedience to parents
It is to be feared that parents rarely reflect
upon the important duty which God impo-
ses upon them. Seldom do they take into
consideration the fact that God requires them
to train their children for him. Multitudes
ofparents promise to bring up their children
lin the nurture andadmonition of the Lord,
and never attempt to perform the vow.
Parents train their children to work. This
is commendable. 1t isa duty. No parents
should suffer their children to grow up in
idleness. 1t would be sin. Parents, at
least many parents, train their children
to make money. This if properly under:
stood, is right. There is, however, one kind
of training that parents frequently neglect
to give their children. Parents neglect to
train their children for God. This is sad
neglect. Not unfrequently it is equivalent
to training them for the devil.
The fundamental principles of the Chris
tian religion are learned around the tireslde.
In fact, they can be learned no place else.
The instructors in this school of Christ are
the parents. In this particular, God has as
signed duty to parents which no one else
can perform. If they neglect it, their chill
dren never learn it. 1t is not claimed that
parents can communicate grace to their OFF,
spring but it is claimed that God has prom
ised to bless the efforts Of parents in training
their children for him. God uses means IN
grace as we'll as in nature. Without the use
of these means no good results can be ex-
pected.
God promises that if parents will train up
their children in the way they should 60,
when they are old they will not depart from
that way. This promise God has ever been
faithful to fulfill, and he will continue to be
faithful until the end of time. No parent
will ever have just ground to complain that
God has been unfaithful in fulfilling this
gracious promise. On the contrary, as a
rule, when professed Christian parents neg
lect to train their children for God they train
them for the great arch enemy of all good.
Such children generally go to destruction.
They rush to ruin.