The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1892-12-02
Training the Child Out of se1f-Lov..

AT Dlfth man IS not only the most
helpless of animals but the most desti-
tute of intelligence. For in the begin.
nlng OF life he possesses neither instinct
nor the capability for thought. The
intellectual and moral faculties and all
that is spiritual in mans nature aw ait
development and growth.
The lower order of these faculties are
the first to develop. The first manifes-
tatlons of love are confined to the mar.
row limitations of self. But early the
little soul throws out its tendrils to cling
to the support of outward love and SYM
pathy. 1t embraces the mother first,
because she contributes the most di-
rectly to its enjoyment and comfort
and then, as the circle widens, it learns
to regard the other near friends with
favor, in the degree that they minister
to the pleasure of the young autocrat.
Love has, as yet, no generous prompt
lngs. Possession is the whole law. The
child not only clings tenaciously to his
own, and makes vigorous protests if re-
quired to share with his little friends,
but, regardless of their feelings and
rights, demands possession of all of
theirs in which he delights,
A child must be educated out of self
love. The mother who compels the
elder child to relinquish its toys to the
younger because the younger cries for
their possession, perpetrates a griev-
GUS wrong upon both. Not only to
the elder, in whom all generous i'm
pulses have been checked by this ar
bitrary act of injustice, and who relin-
quishes the toy with indignation and
hate, but also to the younger who re-
ceives it and laughs through his tears in
triumph over the conquest of his selfish
exactions.
Teaching an older child the delights
of cheerful giving will also quicken a
spirit of generous love and gratitude in
the younger Training u child out Of
self-love is not only the most difficult,
but it is the most important point in
the mothers work. When child has
been led to feel pleasure in giving, and
shares of its own accord with its play
mates, great and lasting victory has
been gained, and one in which the
mother may well rejoice.
Unfortunately there are individuals
who reach maturity without having re-
ceived this training. Such persons are
self-centered. and self-love is the main
spring Of all their actions Every mo-
tive and every desire goes forth only to
bring some tribute back to self. 1t
brings no blessing to the object upon
which it has fastened its tentacles, and
like the bee that revels in the heart of
the flower, it extracts all sweets and
gives nothing in return. 1t demands
all of loves service and Sacrifices, and
still cries Give" Give" with no
thanks for the gift or generous thought
to the giver. 1t does not suffer in SYM
pathy with the suffering, neither can it
experience aught of holy Joy.
In the education of the heart of tn.
child, that it may be capable of receiv.
ing these higher promptings, much, il
not all, rests with the mother Daniel
Webster has said IF we work upon
marble it will perish if We work
upon brass time will efface it if we
rear temples they will crumble into
dust; but II We work upon immortal
minds, if We imbue them with right
principles, with the just fear of God
and love of our fellow men, we engrave
on those tablets something which will
brighten to all eternity. Ruth Grey
in The Voice,