The national leader., 1889-03-09
EARLY EDUCATION
THE BASIS OF CHARACTER.
q Sermon Preached by Rev. Alexan.
der Alison, Pastor of the Alex
ander Presbyterian Church,
Nineteenth and Green SITS,
PhiIadoInhta

Nineteenth and Green Sts.,
Philadelphia.
TEXT -"ITdil up a Child in the 1Udy he
Sh0Old 90: and lChen he Is old, he lUU not depart
from I.-Proverbs xxi. g.
If any one should ask the question, ''Why do
| Law so much emphasis upon the training of
the young?" as shall hope to develop in the
course of this address, would be constrained
to reply, because believe that such teaching
lies at the very foundation of all spiritual
character. and because feel in my own heart
the benefit of such instruction.
There is, perhaps, no text of scripture of
more vital Importance to parents, guardians,
and those who are in any way connected with
the training of the .young than this one. 1t
not only establishes fact, but also conveys
promise. am aware that there are those who
have taken exception to this passage of the in
spired Canon. There are those who say that in
some cases the text is untrue
How can any one, who believes the Bible to
be the inspired Word of the living God do this2
1t may be that we imagine a possible excep-
tion because we have not examined the sub
ject in its every aspect.
This fact will probably discover itself as we
proceed. People may argue, if they will, that
in some cases children are so naturally prone
to evil that all efforts to train them in the paths
of rectitude and virtue will be futile; but L
feel quite sure they cannot prove their point
No deviation ever took place from the de-
claratiOn of the text. No one can prove that
child trained up in the way he should go ever
departed from it in after life.
But, methinks, hear the remark: "Have not
the children OF pious parents, ministers of the
gospel, for instance, departed in manhood and
womanhood from the way of truth, religion
and virtue?" Admitted
Sometimes they have; but they have not de-
parted from the way in which they were
trained. Ministers, like other people, are hu-
man, and, therefore, liable to err in the train
ing of their little ones.
They are apt to be incOnsderdte in their af-
fection; and by excessive indulgence, perhaps,
and kindness unnecessary, ,unconSciOusly train
their children in the way of wrong. 1t is pos
sble to hurt, yea, even as the old aphorism
says, ito kill with Kindness
Ihave heard minister of my acquaintance
say, II believe it is our true wisdom to always
exercise the spirit Of forgiveness and forbear-
ance when they err, rather than to punish"
This may be true, and doubtless is so in q
certain sense, but not so altogether. What says
the sacred writer? HE that spareth the rod
hateth his child, l. c., his child will grow up to
draw ont his haired and dislike and 'sparing
the rod" is not an evidence of love, but the
converse. Alta certain age legal suasion is far
more fOrcible than moral. Let us learn a lesson
from our Heavenly Fathers dealings with
those who are His believing children. God,
who is ever considerate in His love and atfec-
ton for the heirs of glory 'chdstens those whom
He loves, and yet on the other hand, we are
also informed, Like as father pitieth his
children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear
Him."
If the rod is spared, the child soon comes to
know how easy and lenient is the parent or
guardian, and fear a. e., respect for bis laws
being absent, he indulgCs in various kinds OF
disobedience, mischief and prlnks. 1t is one
of the attributes Of the Christian nature to
fear GOd as well as keep His command
ments.'' Not with a timid fear, but with a be-
coming reverence and godly fear and awe-a
fear that is deeply mixed VITA Difference and
respect. The same principle should be i'm
planted in the mind Of the child towards its
earthly parent.
A parent who is strict in his discipline is al
ways most respected. The same is true of the
teacher, whether in the secular or Sabbath
school, although the kinds of discipline are, OF
course, very much different.
Where proper Giscipl ne is enforced the child
viii respect authority without being afraid
except there has been violation of the law ;
and if the little boy or girl knows assuredly
that penalty will certainly be enforced when
laws are broken, or commands set at variance,
he or she will soon come to avoid the repetl-
ton of those little offences which are displeas-
ing to the parent, and if allowed to go un-
punished, are "the little foxes that spoil the
vines"
Children often know more, and are sharper
and shrewder than we give them credit for.
They soon discover whether we are inclined to
indulge them in their faults and little foll1es,
or to pay out the full penalty of their childish
ndiscretions; and as surely as they do so in
infancy, so surely shall they carry these ten
denotes into manhood and womanhOod There
is no doubt at all of the truth of our text. 1t
is just as great trlism as Solomon or any one
ever uttered. Tran up child i'll the way he
should go, and when be is old he will not de-
part from it," But some one may remark !:
''What are you going to make of diSpOSttiOnP
e'Well, believe there is much, very much in
the influence Of disposition. believe there is
more truth than poetry in the well-known
adage, Blood will tell / believe, also, that
the same theories that prevail among men In
regard to the humber members of the animal
kingdom, win not be found absurd when ap-
piled to Gods highest creation-man. Ii a
gentleman desires Il valuable horse, he Is anx-
ious earnestly so, to know its antecedentS, its
pedigree. Nor does this prevent his exercising
great diligence in the training of the colt. He
does not allow the animal to grow up merely
trusting to its record for admirable results.
MOI he uses, if anything, more care in such a
case, believing that his attention to the laws of
equestrian culture and development Will be-
more richly rewarded than i'll ordinary cases.
But with an animal of good disposition in
herited from O noble sire, or dam, he knows
ing pleasing effect. SO 1T IS with the genus
homo. Where deep-seated, genuine morality
and stable character is the fortune bequeathed
by ones parents and grandparents, the work
of fulfilling the text is comparatively easy.
Where however, no such thing exists the faith
full training of the godly parent or guardian
willundOubtedly produce marvellous results in
proof of the statement found i'll the text,
Train up a child etc"
But cannot dwell Time will not permit me
to consider as fully as might be desired the
subject of natural disposition-that is, the dis
position nherited-asa factor in the education
of the child.
1t is proper, however, to say in leaving this
part of our subject, that the man or woman
who fully understands the idea involved in the
simple word train, will make the first part of
the study of the child, his disposition. Every
thing depends on the discovery of this. Such
knowledge is to The work of education, or
Heading OUT what the foundation is to a
house. No two children are alike, and here is
the point where they mainly differ, especially
in the moral aspect of the question.
But a word ere pass to the more particular
eiucidation of the text on what we sometimes
hear said about the children of ministers and
other prominent Christian workers.
Some one says, Minister'S sons are the hard
est cases" Is this true? Statistics have shown
that nplety-sir per cent. of the sons of the
Manse turn out fine Christian men, large
number of them, like their fathers ministers
Of the four per cent who do not, it is said that
three-fourths of that four per cent 60 down
by reason of strong drink l. e., outside infiu-