The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1885-01-28
Published by Request.
THE BIBLE THE BEST CORRECTIVE.

The first seven years of life are far
more important than parents are aware
of. In them are sewn the seeds of all
that is good and amiable in character, or
all that is evil. The most effective cor
rector, even at this early period, is the
Bible. While yet too young to read its
blessed precepts, the child may be taught
to repeat, and even to apply, texts OF
Scripture for the preceptive portions are
easily understood. The writer is acquain-
ted with little girl not quite four years
old, who had been nourished in this way
on the Bread of Life, and was desired by
her mother to put off her new apron and
put on an old one this she refused to do,
and began to cry. A friend, who wit
messed the scene, solemnly said, THE
eve that mocketh at his father and dis
piseth to obey his mother, the ravens Of
the valley shall pick it out, and the young
eagles shall eat it, The first six words
had not been repeated before she united
the apron, and quietly suffered the other
to be tied on. This text she had been
made to memorize, and no sooner was
she reminded of it than it had its desired
effect. In many other instances the child
was induced to do that which was right,
and to avoid that which was sinful, by
simply applying the word of God. She
was never known to lie or steal, or play
in church, because she had been taught
those portions Of the word of God that
plainly forbid those. sins. | never knew
child wno seemed SO 10 fear GOD, or
have clearer understanding or the ma
ture of sin. When she did wrong, it was
sufficient to tell her it was sinful. This
example is an illustration of the follow
ing passage in Isaiah "Whom shall he
teach knowledge, and whom shall he
make to understand doctrine Them
that are weaned from the milk, and drawn
from the breasts. For precept must be
upon precept, line upon line, here little,
and there a little"
Children are usually taught hymns,
and no objections can be made to this
custom. From the hymns of DR.. Watts
for children much good may be done and
has been done but, as children are not
deep thinkers, and may fail in applying
them as rule of practice-as far as my
observation goes, | must hold to my posi-
tion--the most effectual antidote is an
early acquaintance with the word of God.
In appropriating preceptive texts of
Scripture there can be no failure, it will
not return void. A precept from the word
Of God must be more authoritative than
that taught in hymn-one is from God,
the other from man. The command of
God to his people Israel, relative to the
subject, is imperative Now these are
the commandments, the statutes, and the
judgments, which the Lord your God
commanded to teach you, that you might
do them in the land whittier ye go to pos
sess it; and thou shall teach them dill
gently unto thy children, and shall talk
of them when thou sittest in thine house,
and when thou walkest by the way, and
when thou Hest down, and when thou
risest up and it shall DO our righteous
ness il we observe to do all these COM
msndments before the Lord our God, as
he hath commanded us. We may
learn from this passage what God requires
OF parents, and the promises made to
those who comply.
The following incident is not irrelevant
to the subject now presented to maternal
attention A very faithful, but rather in-
judicious mother was once conversing
with her children on the subject of reli-
gion, and as usual was too long. When
Abe had concluded her lecture, one of the
little girls observed to her, Mother, you
do not teach us as the Bible says" "How
so, my child "Why, that says, here a
little, and there little, but you give it
all at once" And who would or could
dispute the point with the discerning
childe Yes mothers, it's the Bible plan,
the wisest and the best. Yes, the word
of God must be your textbook. 1t is
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, and
for instruction, not only in righteousness,
but in knowledge, behaviour, aud for
everything needful, for time and for eter-
nifty. It's brevity is the peculiar charm,
and 1t is pre-eminently what children
most love.