The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1894-04-20
On them all the grandeurs of eternal his

| which III other homes may be the mrs
means used in yours will be the last
There will be no harsh epithets-''yo,
knave, you villain, you scoundrel, III
thrash the life out of you; you are the
worst child ever knew" All that kline
Of chastisement makes thieves, pick
pockets, murderers and the outlaws Of so
ciety. That parent who in anger strikes
his child across the head deserves the
penitentiary. And yet this work of dis
cipline must be attended to. Gods grace
can direct us. Alas, for those who come
to the work with fierce passion and reck-
lessness of consequences Between Sc
verify and laxativeness there is no
choice. Both ruinous and both destruct-
i've. But there is healthful medium
which the grace of God will show to us.
Religion as an Example.
Then we need the religion of Christ
to help us in setting a good example
Cowper said of the oak: thine was
when settled ON thy leaf a fly could
shake thee to the root. Time has been
when tempest could not. " In other
words, your children are very impressi-
BILE just now They are alert; they are
gathering impressions you have no idea
of. Have you not been surprised some
times, months or years after some con-
versation which you supposed was too
profound or intricate for them to under
Sandstone question of the child dem
onstrated the fact that he knew all about
it?
Your children are apt to think that
what you do is right. They have no idea
of truth or righteousness but yourself
Things which you do knowing at the
time to be wrong they take to be right
They reason this way: Father always
does right. Father did this. Therefore
this is right. That is good logic, but
bad premises No one ever gets over
having had bad example set him. Your
conduct more than your teaching makes
Your laugh, your frown,
your dress, your walk, your greetings,
your goodbys, your comings, your 60
ings, your habits at the table, the tones
Of your voice, are making an impression
which will last a million years after you
are dead, and the sun will be extin-
guished, and the mountains will crum-
BILE, and the world will die, and eternity
will roll on in perpetual cycles, but
there will be no diminution of the force
Of your conduct upon the young eyes that
saw it or the young ears that heard it.
The Age For Study.
Now would not have by this the idea
given to you that you must be in cold
'eserve in the presence of your children.
You are not emperor. You are companion
With them. AS far as you can, you must
walk with them, skate with them, fly
ute with them, play ball with them,
how them you are interested in all that |
interests them. Spensippus, the nephew
md successor of Plato in the academy,
lad pictures of joy and gladness hung
III around the schoolroom. You must
lot give your children the impression
hat when they come to you they are
)layful ripplos striking against a rock.
You must have them understand that
'ou were boy once yourself, that you
now boys hilarities, boys tempta-
ions, a boys ambition-yea, that you
re boy yet. You may deceive them
nd try to give them the idea that you
re some distant supernatural effulgence,
nd you may shove them off by your rig
rous behavior, but the time will come
vhen they will find out the deception,
nd they will have for you utter con-
empt.
Aristotle said that a boy should begin
D study at II years of age. Before that
is time should be given to recreation.
cannot adopt that theory. But this sug-
ests a truth in the right direction.
childhood is too brief, and we have not
nough sympathy with its sportfulness.
We want divine grace to help us in the
ljustment of all these matters.
Besides that, how are your children
yer to become Christians if you your
If are not Christian? / have noticed
lat however worldly and sinful parents
ay be they want their children good.
hen young people have presented
for admission into our men,
9rship, have said to them, care your
ther and mother willing you shall
me?'' And they have said, ooh, yes; !
ey are delighted to have us come.
ley have not been in church for 10 or {
years, but they will be here next Sab
TIL to see me baptized Ihave noticed {
at parents, however worldly, want I
cir children good.
A Good Mother Sought. |
So it was demonstrated in police /
urt in Canada, where mother, her '
tie child in her arms, sat by table '
which her own handouts lay, and II
q little babe took up the handouts and +
aged with them and had great glee. A
q knew not the sorrow of the hour.
Id then when the mother was sent to r
ison the mother cried out: go God, Ii
not this babe go into the Jail Is a
ere not some mother here who will d
1e this child? 1t is good enough for d
aven. 1t is pure. l am bad. l am Il
cked Is there not some one who will h
20 this child? cannot have it tainted f,
tn the prison" Then brazen crea- N
% rushed up and said, eyes, I'll take il
, child. mo, no, said the mother, a.
ot you, not you. Is there not some
ID mother here who win take this
1IosI h. Ia ,R =