St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1893-03-02

n11rLIps BROOKS MOTHER.

Loving and discriminating words
,on, been spoken and written, about
the precious friend the nope nan
.he devoted believer, the great
Ine eocher who has so suddenly pass
on from mortal sight; his lineage
t sas heen given, his home has been
m n;ctured. his work as teacher OF
r;ohteousness has been described;
hn 9 at time when all hearts ere
oooNr Wv. and dwelling with tender
interest upon the life and influence OF
.h;s glorious Christian man. every
th;ne touching his development be-
comes of value.
More than quarter of a century
400 a Young and anxious mother,
FISHING to make the right start IN
tbe training of a young son, sought
tbe counsel of her friend and neighbor,
,hc mother of Phillips Brooks. Mrs.
brooks first words were always of
eolicitous inquiry after the welfare OF
children, and it was easy to lead the
conversation toher own sonsand the
evceptional positions they were al
ready taking as clergymen, with the
Inference that such successes could
NOT be accidental, and that there
must be some peculiar method in her
management of her boys to produce
such satisfactory and striking results.
To this conclusion Mrs. Brooks at
first demurred; then, after meditating
for moment upon her son Phillips,
whose name had been particularly
mentioned, she said: "Yes, believe |
have something to say to you, a
Young mother, about the manage
ment of boys. There is an age when
il is not we'll to follow or question
your boy too closely. Up to that
time YOU may carefully instruct and
direct him; you are his best friend,
he is never happy unless the story of
the day has been told; you must hear
about his games, his friends, his
school-all that interests him must
be your interest. Suddenly these
condolences cause.-the affectionate
son becomes reserved and silent, he
seeks the intimate friendship of other
lads, he goes out he is averse to tell
ing YOU where he is going or how
long he will be gone. He comes in
and goes silently to his room. All
this is a startling change to the
mother, but it is also her opportunl-
" to practice wisdom by loving and
praving for and absolutely trusting
her son. The faithful instruction and
careful training during his earlier
years the son can never forget-that
is impossible. Therefore trust, not
only your Heavenly Father, but
your SON. The period OF reserve of
which speak appears to me to be
one in which the boy dies and the
man is born; his individuality rises
up before him and he is dazed and
almost overwhelmed by his first
consciousness of himself. | have al.
ways believed it was then that the
Creator was speaking with my sons,
and that it was good for their souls
to be left alone with him, while l.
their mother, stood trembling and
praying and waiting, knowing well
that when the man was evolved from
the boy, when the process of the
birth was over, l should have
my son again. and there would be. g
deeper sympathy than ever between
us.
Three years ago this conversation
was related to Bishop Brooks, and
those who knew him can easily
imagine the deep and tender glow II
his eyes when he said, my mother
was a good woman and a wis.
woman" and then related in E
reminiscent tone some of his early
Impressions, the sweetest of my life,
of the family pew in good old St
Paul's."
All sons may not become great a.
was the beloved Bishop, but it i,
possible for all mothers to learn from
the mother of Bishop Brooks SOM
measure of her insight, her wisdom
and her method in training the nobl
souls God placed in her care. 1t il
hitting, as we ponder upon the sweep
ing power and intense individualit,
OF Bishop Brooks, to consider alst
that none of the results which we SCI
are accidental, or can be accidental
he mother of such sons may some
times tell a story Of means to ends o
the greatest moment.-[E. T., il
HAGtxN