The Republican journal., 1892-03-24
7ARM, GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD
The Rights of Children.
REX. VI. j. SAVAGE INTERESTING TREAT
NEWT OLE TuE TOPIC.

REX. NJ. J. SAVAGE 5 INTERESTING TREAT
MENT OF THE TOPIC.
At the Church of the Unity, Boston,
Rev NJ. }. Savage recently preached a ser
men on ''The Rights of and Over Child
rem his text being these words of the
Talmud "The world is saved by the
breath of the school children He said:
We need, before we begin a discussion
as to the rights of children, to define our
selves as to what we mean by rights. By
nights mean not that which has been in
the past. nor what is today, but what
ought to be-the moral rights of children.
The first right of child reaches back
hevond the time when that child is in ex-
,tence. The first great right of child
IS the right to be well born, to be started
ro advantage, not hampered, burdened
from the outset by physical and moral de-
trrt. OF course, there is no direct way to
attain this but by instructing the race in
It's moral ideals. But when we are truly
3yIlized all children will be well born;
horn, not of disease, not of crime, not of
,relessness, but born with a clear brain
ind 4 true heart, or else not called into
-al~ world of struggle and trial at all.
The next right is to a happy childhood.
IL may be that the unhappiness comes
VA! lllpusstlIi SOultSS. utIt ttlt
places where happiness is never known to
tf. child; children put into mines and
Mills. set to do the work of maturity be
itre they have reached the period of
uuth There are millions in this ciyiliz-
.J world of ours who cannot lock back on
levy, bright period Of sunrise
The child has right to be educated.
trst. into fitness for respectable self
support. This is the first thing, in my
mind, to be aimed at in all education.
Every child should be taught that the
world IS not rich, and that it owes the
world more than the world owes it.
And this does not concern poor children
4lone: it is the children of the we'll to- do
who should learn this lesson. When you
have taught your child self-support and
the ideals of right and wrong. then you
may enter the world of knowledge for the
Indictment of that child's life. Teach the
hid, at least, the rudiments of all the
branches of culture and of the world S
higher life.
Prof. Charles Eliot Norton the other day
-old the Harvard students that the one
thing for which Harvard existed above all
others was the making of men, of citizens,
men who We're fitted to achieve the ideals
for which this country stood, and thus live
what wish every young man could real
,ze that this country of Ours, with its
treedom of life and thought, is but an ex-
periment, and that the one thing which
lu0wledge of science, of language and of
ais ought to culminate in is a self-pOiSed
nan, and that then, with his manhood he
to minister to his country, and So to
manknd.
One more right of the children-a right
"A, a rational religious education. Teach
four child false arithmetic ii you will
each hIm false history and geography
each him falsely almost anything else,
md it is of slight Importance: but teach
MN truth here. Teach YOUR child not as
tAough you were nfallible; teach him to
60 beyond your teaching, but not behind
it. this on your peril, as the most impor-
amt thing you can do for your children.
This leads me to a less important, the
.I,t part Of my subject, the rights of par
-nts over their children, and they are very
lew.
You go back to barbarism, and the
iather had every right in his child. That
-lme has gone by, but as in every other
'epartment OF life, YOU find shadows of
'ae old Barbarism present today. What
-rsonal rights have you? None at all.
7odr temporary keeping, and your right is
My to treat that child as d temporary
uuSt The rights of the parent stop very
in short of such thing as often happens,
sacrifice of the future of the chlld. SO
tat it will say when it grows older that it
'laS had not half Il chance.
on have not the shadow of a right to
.erce the child into submission to your
wa vagaries and whims. You have the
INT to study the nature OF your child,
nt then compel it, as far as you can. t"
'' good in the paths OF its own develop
h Wnt. Always let him understand why
pa do as you do and then you will have
US respect if he differs from YOU.
Anger should have no place i'll your
tnlshments; if you must do it, let it be
t'y AS the result of d cool and deliberate
eviction. Cultivate your child. and let
ln know that YOU are doing it,
4 ne one thing that father and mother
i a-ht to aim at is to make themselves
Il '-dless Just as soon as possible; make
rir children self-centred, independents
I Ha>ters of themselves, competent to
I looSe the right from the wrong, to walk
..ue
! healthy body, a sane mind, the knowl-
| DIE of right and wrong, the power to
am bread the key To knowledge, love of
4 Mfents, the JOY of memory, consecra-
l on to the highest ideal of God, a man
\ aood, a womanhood, self poised indie
Il endent-ls not this the ideal? And it is
Il The right of every child, and the one right
l .lat you have over the children is the
L 1ght of bestowing this.